NEWS UPDATE - September 2019

WHERE IS YOUR FAITH? CHURCHES ARM WITH GUNS AND TRAIN CONGREGANTS IN WAKE OF MASS SHOOTINGS - SIGN OF THE TIMES

"The shootings this month killed more than 30 people at an El Paso Walmart and Dayton, Ohio entertainment district. But gunmen have also targeted houses of worships in recent years, including a church in rural Sutherland Springs, Texas, where more than two dozen people were shot dead in 2017. The anxiety of one mass shooting after another has led some churches to start training and arming their worshippers with guns. Not all security experts support this approach, but it has gained momentum as congregations across the country grapple with how to secure spaces where welcoming strangers is a religious practice." (source)

Jeremiah 17:5,7 ...'Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord ... Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.'

What did Jesus say when He looked forward to the time when He was to return to earth at the second coming? He said ..."Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:8). There is no faith in putting your trust in man and guns to protect you. It is just as the Lord said above in Jeremiah - it is putting your trust in the 'arm of flesh.' And what did God say would happen when His people put their trust in the arm of the flesh? They would be 'cursed.' In other words, it will come to failure!

Psalm 118:8 ...'It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.'

I am amazed how many professed Christians in America think having guns to defend themselves is ok! And they tend to look to the likes of Peter who used a 'sword' to 'defend' himself and Jesus, to excuse their use of guns. But what they don't realize is that this was BEFORE Peter's conversion. And what did Jesus say to Peter when he used the 'sword'?

Matthew 26:52-53 ...'Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?'

Jesus is telling Peter ... 'why are you trusting in weapons, when our heavenly Father can send angels to protect us?' But if it is God's will that we should die for our faith, then so be it. The apostle Paul even said ... "As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." (Romans 8:36). We cannot go against the Father's will. Now pay careful attention to what Jesus said when He was before Pilate:

John 18:36 ...'Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: IF my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom NOT from hence.'

Do you see what Jesus is saying here? He is saying that His servants would only fight if His kingdom was of this world. But because the kingdom of God is NOT of this world, then the servants of God do NOT fight. But what will happen if we fight to try and save our own lives?

Matthew 16:25 ...'For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.'

But what about God's people in the Old Testament? Didn't they fight for their lives? Yes, but this was NOT God's original plan. In Exodus 34:24, God told the Israelites that He would drive out the nations before them. So there was no need to use weapons and fight themsevles.

Exodus 14:14 ...'The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.'

But what happened? The Jews did not trust God and ended up fighting themselves. So God could only work with what He had, which is why He allowed them to use weapons to fight other nations. But when you look at the lives and stories of the prophets, you do not see them using weapons. Look at Daniel and his three friends. Look at Elisha, surrounded by the army. No weapons, they simply trusted in the protection of our mighty God. Look also at what God did for His people, rescuing them from Egypt. Pharaoh's army even came after them to kill them. And yet the Israelites had no weapons! God fought for them and delivered them, which is what He is looking to do for His people who truly have faith today.

So why are professed Christians trying to save their lives by using weapons, which can kill? Are we not willing to die for our faith? Look at the apostles of Christ. They were threatened with death from every direction! But did they go around with bodyguards and weapons to save their lives? No, they were freely willing to lay down their lives for their faith - even Peter AFTER he was converted! And as we know, ALL the apostles, except for John died a martyrs death!

"Oh but Jesus told the disciples to take a sword with them!" (Luke 22:36). Did Jesus really mean literal swords? Well, first of all, the 'sword' did not mean a literal sword, but a large knife (see Strong's definition) which was to be used as a tool, not a weapon. Secondly, what was the response from the disciples? "We have two swords." And Jesus said "it is enough." This proves they were not to be used as weapons, because two swords would not have protected all the disciples. And the fact that Jesus told Peter to put away his sword when he was trying to defend them, proves also that Jesus did not ask them to take swords as weapons. Remember, if one strikes you on the cheek, do you stab him or shoot him? No, you turn the other cheek also!

This arming of churches is a sure sign of the times we live in. Jesus said that one of the end time signs would be the 'distress of nations ... and Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.' (Luke 21:25-26). There is stress and worry all over today, due to what is happening in the world, and sadly, instead of turning to the Lord and trusting wholly in Him, the churches are looking to man and government for protection. And that will end in failure!

The churches of Babylon were prophesied to put their trust in man, rather than God, which is why they are seeking help from the state, rather than trusting in God. The scriptures are no longer the foundation of faith in the majority of churches. Instead, the systems of man, 'education, government, finance and religion' are the foundation of the majority of churches. This is why churches are now turning to man for protection, because they are the fallen churches of Babylon, and God is calling His people OUT of these fallen churches. Will you heed the call to come out and put your trust wholly in the Lord and His protection?

URGENT WARNING FROM GOD - Judgment Coming!