Signs & Wonders Blog

This past week, I rewatched (via YouTube) a series of old movies produced by Mark IV Pictures that helped me understand end-time prophecy as a young believer. They are in order: “A Thief in the Night”, “A Distant Thunder”, “Image of the Beast”, and “The Prodigal Planet.” Many Bible prophecy scholars then taught the Antichrist would emerge from Europe. Some suggested he could be a Jew from the tribe of Dan. Then in 2004 while staying with a pastor in Cleveland, Tennessee, I learned of a locally-based evangelist named Perry Stone who taught the Antichrist would be a Muslim. Back then, I wasn’t familiar with Brother Perry. Since then, I’ve regularly watched his videos (including his “Manna Fest” program), plus attended a few of his meetings.  I now agree with Perry Stone’s belief regarding a Muslim Antichrist. That makes more sense to me for a couple of reasons. First, the rise of ISIS and their beheading of Christians who refuse to renounce their faith in Jesus. Secondly, I notic...

Many of you will remember the hoopla about the end of the world that was supposed to occur on December 21, 2012 (according to some people’s interpretation of the Mayan calendar). Of course, that didn’t happen. Those of you reading this are still alive and breathing. Three years before that, the motion picture “2012” was released. It was well-produced but biblically inaccurate. The movie showed the Earth flooded by a tsunami. God promised in Genesis 9:11, “...never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” Additionally, the world will experience a seven-year tribulation period before the return of Jesus Christ. Some believers insist we are in the tribulation right now. That won’t begin until the antichrist signs a seven-year peace treaty with Israel (Daniel 9:27). One noteworthy event happened for me on “doomsday.” I had returned to my birthplace of Fargo, North Dakota, for the holidays and stopped to see my mother. She was in an assisted living facility recovering from a s...

One topic that stirs up debates amongst Christians is the rapture of the church . Some don’t believe that will happen at all . Others dispute the timing of it. Personally, I believe in a pre-tribulation rapture, when the Body of Christ will be taken to heaven before the start of the seven-year tribulation period. However, a few argue it will be mid-trib, or post-trib.  A reason cited by post-tribbers is the “last trumpet” the Apostle Paul referred to in 1 Corinthians 15:52, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” They think this is the same trumpet mentioned in Revelation 11:15, “Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!’” There are reasons why I don’t believe these two trumpets are the same:  The las...

I consider myself a techie and enjoy the benefits of using electronic equipment. For years, I’ve mostly read God’s word on my smartphone, tablet, and laptop. I can quickly look up verses in different translations, plus enlarge the font to make them easier to read. The small printing in some Bibles almost require a magnifying glass. At night, I often fall asleep to an audio Bible playing on one of my devices.  Living out of a suitcase and limited to the amount of things I can pack, I strive to be as paperless as possible. I primarily communicate online to reduce the amount of snail mail that arrives at my post office box . Using apps on my iPhone, I conveniently use public transportation and make financial transactions. However, I still carry some cash in case of emergencies. One morning, I visited McDonald’s to order a coffee and breakfast burrito, but unfortunately, their computer system was down, preventing me from using my debit card. Fortunately, a woman behind me, who was a ...

Jesus warned in the last days, “…many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.” (Matthew 24:11) Among them are individuals who persist in setting dates for the Lord’s return. If only they would learn from the mistakes of others. 1n 1844, a Baptist preacher named William Miller predicted Christ would return on  October 22nd of that year. He based that on calculations from the Book of Daniel. Thousands of Millerites sold their possessions expecting to be removed from the earth, but nothing happened. That became known as the Great Disappointment and led to the formation of Adventist denominations. The Jehovah’s Witnesses have a history of unfulfilled prophecies. Watchtower founder Charles Taze Russell declared Christ returned invisibly in 1874 and the world would end in 1914. His successor Joseph Rutherford falsely predicted the Second Coming would occur in 1918 and then in 1925. The Watchtower later told their followers that 1975 would be the year of the Lord’s return. Again...

Tomorrow afternoon, portions of the United States will get to view a total solar eclipse. When the last one occurred seven years ago, my hometown newspaper (the Fargo Forum) published an article about two Messianic believers claiming the eclipse represented “a seven-year judgment on America.” I agreed with their exhortation of our country’s need for repentance. However, they also stated that unless America repents, “another one [eclipse] is coming in seven years.” Eclipses happen regardless of what man does on earth. Nevertheless, God uses signs in the sky to get our attention such as the wise men being led by a star to Bethlehem in Matthew chapter 2. The rainbow in Genesis 9 was a sign that God will not flood the whole earth again. Acts 2 mentions signs of the end times prophesied by Joel… 19 I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke. 20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of ...

At the beginning of the 20th century, many would have scoffed at the idea of Russia becoming a world power. That happened after World War II when Soviet forces occupied Eastern European countries. Differences between the United States and the Eastern bloc nations resulted in the Cold War. Since the collapse of communism in 1991, the U. S. and Russia had better relations. That changed a few days ago when Russian troops invaded the Ukraine. Vladimir Putin has talked of reestablishing the former Soviet Union. I’m not blindly accepting everything reported by the mainstream media. While I don’t condone the war, other things are happening behind the scenes. While seeking information from alternative news sources, I learned targets taken out by Russian forces include bio-labs funded by the United States Department of Defense. What if Russia set up bio-labs in Canada or Mexico? The U. S. government would likely take swift action like what happened during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962. ...

A few weeks ago, I stopped at McDonald’s after spending part of the afternoon passing out gospel tracts. Because the cashier line was long, I used a self-serve kiosk to pay for my food. I was a bit surprised when noticing the order number on my receipt was 666. Just about everyone knows that number is associated with the Antichrist as mentioned in Revelation 13: 16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads,  17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. 18 Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666. While many Bible prophecy followers believe the mark will be a microchip, it could also be a tattoo. Until a generation ago, tattoos in Western countries were mostly seen on military men. Nowadays, both men and women from all walks o...

Jehovah’s Witnesses are among the most difficult people to witness to. The Watchtower has indoctrinated them with false interpretations of Scripture. One of which is only 144,000 people will get into heaven. All other Jehovah’s Witnesses will supposedly live forever in an earthly paradise. This is a gross misinterpretation of God’s word. Revelation 7 identifies the 144,000 as Jewish evangelists, 12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of Israel that will minister during the seven-year tribulation period. Verse 9 from that same chapter refers to “a great multitude which no one could number , of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues” standing before God’s throne clothed with white robes. In case you have doubts as to where this is taking place, Psalm 11:4 says, “The Lord’s throne is in heaven.” The Bible clearly shows there is room for more than 144,000 people in heaven. To defend their paradise doctrine, Jehovah’s Witnesses often quote what Jesus said in Matthew 5:5; “Bless...

One sign often cited by Bible prophecy teachers that we are living in the last days is Israel becoming a nation again. This is interpreted through Jesus’ Parable of the Fig Tree in Matthew 24 (also mentioned in the gospels of Mark and Luke)… 32 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  33 So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!  34 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away People have differences regarding how long a generation is in Scripture. Some have defined that as 40 years, 70 years, or 100 years. One fellow prophecy buff suggested it could last as long as the man’s lifespan during a particular time period. Other Old Testament passages associated God’s people to fig trees… ...