Giggle Translate #1: Random Facts About Me (skydiving, flashlights, and "I'm a WHAT!?!")

I'm bored.  So I've been running some paragraphs I've written through a bunch of randomly-chosen languages in a row with Google Translate and then back into English, just for giggles.  (I'm not serious, uptight, and a deep-thinker all the time.)  It's like a funny, terrible game of "Telephone."  (FYI: Bad word ahead.  Not my fault.  Blame Google Translate.  But I did bleep out a couple letters.)  

Here are a few of the first ones I've done so far (the original writing was taken from my post "Random Facts About Me, Just For Fun"):

What Will The Rapture Be Like? (repost)

So what will the rapture be like?

Answer: I don't know.

There is no way to know exactly what the rapture will be like until it happens.  So this is only my opinion, based on Scripture, as best I understand it.  

Here are some passages I believe refer to the rapture (though many others believe some of these refer to events during the tribulation):  

Christian Testimony: Gordon - "How I Became a Christian"

This is Gordon.  He is a new believer in his 40's (I believe).  I love that!  I love to hear when adults come to the Lord.  Children believe and trust much more easily, but adults have so much that gets in the way of believing and trusting.  And so whenever an adult comes to the Lord for the first time, I find it amazing and inspiring.  And I love to hear about where they came from, what drew them to the Lord, and how it changed them.

Click here for Gordon's testimony (6 minutes long).  

And click here for his view on what's really going wrong in the world today.  He's got it right.  Such great wisdom and insight for a new believer.  If only all Christians had this accurate perspective and focus - about the reality of the spiritual world and the spiritual battle - then maybe we wouldn't be in the mess we are in!

Welcome to the Family, Gordon!  And God bless you!

One Pastor's Prophetic Dream of Things to Come

I am not one for listening to other people's prophetic dreams or visions.  Far too many people over the years have thought God gave them some sort of special insight, which proved to be false or unimportant.  I am especially wary now since everything seems so "end timesy."  It's far too easy to get caught up in sensationalizing or over-spiritualizing everything. 

But sometimes, someone's account of their dream or vision makes you go, "Hmm."  And while I still don't put much stock into other people's "God told me X,Y, or Z" stories, I do think some things are worth listening to and storing in the back of your mind.  Just in case.  These are strange days and, if we are really headed into the end times soon, then things will probably only get more "supernatural."  And if that's the case, then anything's possible.  

The Stages of the End Times (repost)

(Reposted from 2018.  A shorter version of this post.)

I wrote a section for Christians about “The End Times” in the Bible study I wrote.  But I wanted to write a shorter, easier-to-understand version for everyone else.  With all the hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic activity, “cash-less” technology, terrorism, martyring of Christians, people’s rebellion against God and everything He stands for, disease epidemics, the technology to put little radio transmitters into people’s hands containing their information (and now there's electronic tattoos), the various celestial events, a fast-approaching “one-world system,” a brewing civil war, a brewing world war, the events surrounding Israel and Jerusalem, the search for a new "peace plan" in the Middle East, the events in Syria, the locust swarms, famines, and crazy weather, etc., it seems like a good time to post this.

And no … contrary to a popular “prophecy,” I do not think the world will end with a large Planet X crashing into us.

Oh, no … it’s so much worse than that!  Or better!  Depending on whose side you’re on.

Christian Testimony: Mariah - "Atheist Feels Sorry for Brainwashed Christians Until..."

This is Mariah.  She's got a great story of how she came to the Lord, of finding true hope when all seemed hopeless.  I love it that she is so open, that she comes across so vulnerable and honest and humble.  This is the kind of testimony I love to hear (as was Kyle's testimony and Rina's testimony - such good, genuine people).  And as she talks, it almost feels as if ... I'm not sure how to explain it, but ... it's almost like she's looking right out of her soul into yours.  Like she's talking right to you, and only you.  I have never before seen such intense, from-the-depths-of-the-soul, heart-felt sharing from someone online.  It was intriguing.  And such a great testimony!

Anyway, here is her testimony: "As an atheist, I felt sorry for brainwashed Christians until Jesus manifested Himself to me!" 

And you can click here for her YouTube channel.

And here is a link for a dream she had, one where she believes God told her that the "probation period" is ending soon.  I don't like to listen to anyone's "prophecies" or "prophetic dreams" ... because they are a dime a dozen, and everyone thinks God gave them some special word that they need to tell the world, and these prophecies rarely come true ... but it's still interesting.  And seeing the condition the world is in right now, it doesn't seem that unlikely.  In fact, I have long thought that we are hurdling towards the end times.  And in the beginning of 2020, it kicked into warp speed.

Anyway, listen to Mariah's testimony and be inspired.  Jesus is still in the business of healing people's hurts and saving people's souls.  The world might have given up on Him, but He hasn't given up on us!

A New Pig Virus? The Next Pandemic?

So apparently Dr. Fauci warns that there is a new pig virus which has the potential to cross over to humans, one that would be similar to the dangerous 1918 swine flu and the 2009 H1N1 virus.

Does this make anyone else wonder if "they" are tipping their hand to us, letting us know which plandemic pandemic is coming next?

Or, at the very least, could it be an attempt to create more fear and panic (since panic over the coronavirus is waning) ... because fearful, panicked people are easier to control?

Just wondering.  Wondering why they need to warn us about a "potential" new virus outbreak when we are still in the thick of this one.  What good can come from speculating about possible future viruses, when we are nowhere near done with this one?  

(Or maybe they think calling it before it happens will help build our trust in them, like "Wow, they were right!  They're so smart!  So I guess we can trust everything they say now and do everything they want us to do.")

I, for one, would not be surprised at all if this new pig virus is the next "unexpected" thing to hit us.

I'm just sayin'.   

Sermons by Tony Evans

(I recently fixed the broken links as well as I could, had to switch some out for others)

Tony Evans is my all-time favorite pastor.  He always gives messages that convict, challenge, and comfort.  Here are some sermons that I have listened to or am going to listen to.  For more, simply go to his website by clicking here.  There are so many great ones to choose from.

You can't go wrong with any video of his.  I found him to be the most biblically-accurate preacher (especially as I researched Calvinism and found out how wrong it is), who is also great at helping us practically apply God's truths to life.

Reversing Anxiety Consequences

Keeping the faith when life gets hard

Trusting God in a storm

How to have strength in your struggles

How to overcome your worry

Overcoming the consequences of worry and anxiety

How to Get Your Prayers Answered

Trusting The God You Believe In

God knows what He is doing

How the enemy tries to distract you from God's plan

Grab your sword

The Secret to Powerful Prayer

Spiritual Warfare playlist

When God speaks we must listen

"Listening to God" playlist

Claiming Your Legal Rights

Praying and Waiting for God's Timing

It's time for a better understanding of who God is

Understanding God's love

Trusting God in the Darkness

The Protection of Prayer

Experiencing Spiritual Deliverance

Finding victory over Satan's tricks and traps

Why God Allows Your Crisis

The Lord will supply all your needs

Praying through a crisis

What to do when life gets too hard

Defeating The Enemy With Prayer

The Nature of the Battle part 1

Principles of Productive Prayer part 1

The Power of Truth

Connecting with God for a Breakthrough

A Collection of Good Quotes

Another Spiritual Warfare Playlist

A 20-Sermon Playlist (includes some already listed above)

A massive Tony Evans Sermon Playlist

The Program of Prayer

The Protection of Prayer

The Kingdom Power of Prayer

The Precautions of Prayer

The Provision of Prayer

The Priority of Prayer

Using Prayer to overcome spiritual warfare

Christian Testimony: Kyle - "Suicidal Atheist Finds Jesus"

Instead of reading the depressing news lately, I've been spending some time listening to hope-filled, truth-filled, uplifting testimonies from other Christians online.  It's been far too long since I've heard some good, godly, inspiring life-stories from other believers.  And we could all use every little bit of hope and inspiration and goodness we can get right now.  

I really enjoy hearing people's testimonies of when and how they came to the Lord.  I like when they let us deep into their worlds, into their hearts, giving us a full picture of how they were before, what drew them to Jesus, how it affected them, etc.  And this guy's shares it all, from the heart.  I really enjoyed it.  

Suicidal Atheist Finds Jesus (22 minutes long, and totally worth it!)  

And here is the video of his wife's baptism (the YouTube channel these videos are on is hers).  It's beautiful.

[And fyi, linking to someone's testimony does not necessarily mean I know about or condone everything on their websites or about their theological views.  I am simply sharing their inspiring testimonies.  So be discerning if you explore their sites more deeply.]

Will There Be A Rapture? (repost)

After studying this issue for many years, I have finally come to the solid conclusion that - yes - there will be a rapture.  And it will happen before the tribulation starts.

I know that Christians believe different things about this because End Times prophecy is very confusing, so I don't expect everyone to agree.  But I will share how I came to this conclusion and why I believe it so strongly.  (And if I'm wrong, then we'll all find out someday.)