In 2015, following a home football game, Washington State Bremerton High School assistant football coach, Joe Kennedy, went to the 50-yard line to kneel and pray with fans and students as he had done many times before.
An employee of a different school witnessed the event and complained; Kennedy was suspended, and his coaching contract with the school district was not renewed because he refused to stop kneeling and praying.
Coach Kennedy believed his freedom of religion was being violated; he sued the school district, and his case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court twice (they refused to hear it the first time). It took seven years, but he won, and on Mar. 13, 2023, a school official announced that Coach Kennedy was getting his job back.
One of the attorneys at First Liberty, the group that represented Coach Kennedy, said, “We are thrilled that Bremerton and Coach Kennedy are back together, and we hope they go undefeated.”
This reminds me of the time Daniel was told not to pray to anyone but king Darius for 30 days because people that didn’t like him wanted him to lose his job (Dan. 6).
Daniel refused to stop praying to his God, went home, kneeled in front of his window, and prayed and gave thanks to Jehovah as he had done many times before.
This got him thrown into a den of hungry lions, but God sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions, and Daniel went through the night unhurt.
The next morning, king Darius had Daniel removed from the den of lions, restored him to his job, and had his accusers and their families cast into the den of lions, where they perished.
God didn’t promise His people that we would not have trouble as the Tribulation Period nears, but He promised that we will be delivered from the Tribulation Period, and, even if times get so bad that something should kill us before then, we will go undefeated (the resurrection and Rapture).
Here are some recent events that seem to indicate that we are getting close.
One, concerning immorality and the abandonment of Christian principles: on Mar. 21, 2023, the Pres. of Uganda, a predominantly Christian nation, signed an anti-homosexuality bill that was unanimously passed in the legislature that strengthened Uganda’s commitment to Biblical marriage and sexuality.
Western leaders are furious.
U.S. Sec. of State Antony Blinken said it undermines the fundamental human rights of the Ugandan people.
U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said LGBT rights are a core part of our (America’s) foreign policy.
As I see it, Kirby’s words mean the denial of Biblical marriage and sexuality is a core part of America’s foreign policy.
(More: Four states in the U.S. have passed laws requiring students in public and charter schools to use bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond to their biological sex. Lawsuits have been filed in two of those states to throw out those laws.)
Two, concerning the surrender of America’s sovereignty and open borders: on Mar. 22, 2023, it was reported that the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said it has encountered 4,366 Chinese nationals crossing America’s southwest border since Oct. 1, 2022 (in less than six months).
Most have been released into the U.S., and Biden wants money for America’s military in case we get into a war with China.
Three, concerning the Gospel going all over the world during the Tribulation Period: it was recently reported that two members of Israeli Prime Min. Netanyahu’s government proposed a law that would sentence Christians (or anyone else) to jail for one year (two years if they were witnessing to a minor) for trying to get Jews to convert to another religion.
Their proposal triggered a big backlash among Christian evangelicals, and that triggered a response from Netanyahu on Mar. 22, 2023, who said, “We will not advance any law against the Christian community.”
(My opinion: God may have caused Netanyahu to stop this because the 144,000 and the Two Witnesses must evangelize during the Tribulation Period, and all Israel must get saved.)
Four, concerning corruption and deceit in the White House: the Democrat party, the U.S. Dept. of Justice, the major news media, the social media, etc., the evidence of influence peddling by the Biden family keeps piling up, and all of these groups continue to be in denial of part of the coverup.
- There was a mountain of evidence, including e-mails on Hunter Biden’s laptop.
- Tony Bobulinski, a former business partner of Hunter Biden, said he met with Joe and Hunter to discuss a business deal in China.
- The National Archives has released e-mails that show that Joe Biden was involved while he was vice president.
- An audiotape of Pres. Biden calling Hunter about an article on the corruption has been discovered.
- Photos of Pres. Biden meeting with Hunter and some of his foreign associates have been found.
- The House Oversight Committee has proof of the transfer of $3 million from a Chinese company to a U.S. company that then transferred $1.3 million to former Vice Pres. Biden’s family (Biden’s son, brother, daughter-in-law, and a fourth member of the Biden family identified only as Biden).
Anyway, the House Oversight Committee is investigating the Bidens, the committee keeps finding undeniable proof, and it is obvious that many people have tarnished their once-good reputations by deceiving and lying to the American public.
Five, concerning the Mark of the Beast: on Mar. 23, 2023, Bloomberg reported that JPMorgan Chase & Co is planning to test new technology that will allow customers to pay for goods and services with a face or palm scan.
If the test is successful, the service will be offered to all of JPMorgan’s customers, and the company is anticipating that it will be used by about three billion people to make about six trillion dollars in transactions by 2026.
There should now be no question that the technology will exist for the False Prophet and the Antichrist to require a Mark in the forehead (face) or the right hand (palm, etc.) that can be used to track all buying and selling by the middle of the Tribulation Period.
The timing of this technology with everything else that is coming on the scene (world government, false religion, WOKE culture, etc.) is incredible and no coincidence.
Here is a link to the article.
Six, concerning the deliberate global attack on farmers and ranchers to create food shortages, drive up food prices, seize farmland, and more to meet Sustainable Development goals and justify the establishment of a world government by 2030: The New American posted an article by Peter Rykowski dated Mar. 21, 2023, about the introduction of Senate Bill No. 84 (S.B. 84)in Missouri.
In Rykowski’s own words:
- B. 84 is important because farmers and ranchers are under attack globally. Countries around the world are implementing severe restrictions on farming and ranching, including taxing cattle, mandating reduced fertilizer usage, and even seizing farmland. This attack on farmers is closely connected to the UN’s Agenda 2030 “sustainable development” scheme to eliminate private property and totally reshape society in the name of fighting “climate change.” It is also underway in the United States; it is imperative that state governments stand up for farmers by enacting strong legislation such as S.B. 84.
According to the article, S.B. 84 will:
- Prevent the federal government from using interstate commerce laws to interfere with the right of farmers and ranchers to sell or consume the food they produce.
- Prevent the governor from idling farmers and ranchers by declaring a state of emergency.
- Prevent the use of Credit Scores, the requirement of ID cards of any kind, etc., to purchase food.
I pray that the Rapture happens soon, but if it does not, I pray that this bill passes and that more states enact similar legislation as soon as possible for the protection of their citizens.
Here is a link to the article.
Seven, concerning famine and natural disasters: as I write this, California is in its second snowiest winter on record, flooding caused by a dozen heavy storms has devastated many parts of the state, and another severe storm is approaching with heavy rain, snow, and dangerous winds.
California is perhaps America’s largest producer of Agricultural products, many California farmers say they have lost everything this year, and some experts say the storms will impact America’s food security.
Impacted items include milk, beef, grapes, strawberries, lettuce, tomatoes, nuts, rice, and more.
The storms have killed 28 people and put many out of work.
Eight, it seems that some people are nauseated by reports that some nations are pushing and allowing crickets, locusts, and mealworms to be put in food for human consumption.
On Mar. 26, 2023, it was reported that Hungary has passed a law that requires food that contains insect proteins to be clearly labeled and displayed separately from other foods that are being sold.
According to the same report, Italy has banned the use of insect flour in pasta.
One must wonder why officials in the U.S., Canada, and other nations are not insisting on clear labeling and segregation of products containing insects, insect flour, etc.
This would probably be a popular issue with many voters.
Nine, concerning famine: on Mar. 22, 2023, about 400 farmers in Germany drove their tractors in an event to protest EU and German government limits on how many animals a farmer can own.
According to the farmers, limits on how many animals they can own will reduce the amount of food they produce, increase hunger, and cause some of them to lose their farms.
Ten, concerning an economic collapse: on Mar. 27, 2023, it was reported that low-interest rates in previous years caused a real estate boom.
Now that the U.S. Federal Reserve has increased interest rates several times, housing and commercial real estate sales are tanking.
Many potential buyers are backing out because of the higher payments.
Builders are stuck with buildings they cannot sell, and banks are stuck with builders that cannot pay their bills.
Do not be fooled by those that say America’s economic problems are over.
Problems still exist, and many small and medium-sized banks are aware of them.
Finally, are you Rapture Ready?
If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this.