The Gospel for Buddhists

by Luke Wayne
4/1/2016
Return to the Buddhism Page

The word “gospel” means “good news.” This is what Jesus came to bring to us. His message is the good news of deliverance from sin, suffering, and death. It is the good news of the way to eternal life, to reconciliation with almighty God, and to an everlasting kingdom where impermanence will no longer poison every good thing with the threat of loss, disappointment, and decay. This good news is for all mankind, for as many as will turn from their sins and believe, and walk the narrow and afflicted way to life.

God

When Christians speak of God, we are not talking about a mortal and finite spirit who shares the cravings and petty desires of men like the gods in whom many have believed. When we use the word “God,” we mean the unique, eternal, unchanging personal Being who brought all things into existence. God craves nothing, for He is fully sufficient in His own perfect nature. He is all powerful, all knowing and wholly above and beyond all that He created. God is one Being but exists in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. Thus, even before creation, God had in His own nature fellowship and love. He was His own “I” and “You” and “Us” and “They.” He needed no other. God had within Himself authority and submission, lover and loved, master and servant, Father and Son. God always was and ever will be perfect and all sufficient.

Creation and Fall

When God created, therefore, it was not because He needed something or lacked something. It is by the compassion of God that we exist, not out of any need or necessity. God created the universe and everything in it out of nothing, distinct and separate from Himself. He formed mankind and gave them dominion over and responsibility for all that lives upon the earth, to work the ground and care for every living thing. God did not need any help from men but blessed them with this dignity and responsibility. The world then was a perfect place. It was life without death and loss.

The first humans, however, rebelled against the will of God. They disobeyed Him, and their evil brought with it death and suffering into the world. From that day forward, the world has been under the curse of man’s evil, and of death and decay. Our death is just and right for our evil, and we are desperate for redemption from our sin.

Sin and Guilt

It is not merely that we have behaved unwisely. We certainly were foolish to rebel against God. It is certainly unwise to kill, to lie, to rape, to commit adultery, or to dishonor our parents. It is not, however, merely unwise. It is evil. Such actions are objectively morally wrong. They are sins against a Holy and Pure God who is perfect and just and will not allow such to go without righteous punishment. God is, indeed, so pure that even the pride and greed of our hearts and the evil words of our mouth rightly bare His just and holy wrath.

We have all sinned, and there is no amount of good we can do to balance out the guilt. This is not only because our sin is so bad, but also because that is not how guilt works. If a man has stolen or murdered or burned down another man’s home, and he appears before a good and just judge in court, what will happen to that man? What if the man says, “yes, I committed that crime, but look at all these other wonderful things I have done! Doesn’t that make my crime okay?” will the judge ignore the man’s crime and let him go? Of course not! Justice is not about whether you have also done good things, it is about whether or not you have committed the crime. We have all committed crimes against God’s law, and we deserve the punishment not only of death but also of suffering forever in hell, separated from God, the source of all that is good. It is for this reason that we are in need of some good news, some hope of redemption from this condemnation!

Dead Within

Our situation, however, is even worse that it at first appears. It goes deeper than the guilt of our actions, down to our very nature.

If your father had died in his infancy, where would you be? You would not be alive. You would be dead, for you would have died in him. When the first man and woman sinned against God and brought death and suffering into the world as a consequence of their evil, they spiritually died at that moment. They become irrevocably broken, poisoned by their evil. They died before their children were ever born. All of their children after them, even down to you and me, therefore, died in them.

Have you ever wondered why every single human being ever born lies? Have you ever met a man who has only told the truth, from his first childhood words all the way until his old age? There is certainly nothing logically impossible about living a whole life without deceiving or lying to anyone (as we will shortly see,  Jesus Himself did just that) but none of us ever do this. We all lie at some point or another. We are all selfish and greedy. We all have impure sexual lusts. We have all done evil.

This is because we are dead inside. We are morally and spiritually broken. We are born in the sin of our first father and mother, and we affirm their sin by sinning ourselves. We are born in sin, conceived in iniquity. There is none righteous, no not one. So we not only need forgiveness for the sins we have committed, but we also need healing for the sinful creatures that we are by nature. We not only need deliverance from our guilt, but we also need our cold, stony, dead hearts to be replaced with living, beating hearts of moral, spiritual life. We need both to be atoned for and to be remade. The good news is that Jesus Christ has come to offer us both!

Jesus Christ

One of the most common phrases in all of the Bible is that God is slow to anger, abounding in love. God could have brought swift judgment on mankind immediately after the first human acts of evil, but God did not. God is patient and compassionate, and instead gave the opportunity for redemption and deliverance from the guilt of our sin and from our broken nature. He did this in the coming of Jesus Christ.

For centuries God promised His people that He would send them a deliverer. He made it clear this deliverer would not be any mere man. For example, the prophet Isaiah predicted 700 years before Jesus came that He would be called, “wonderful counselor, mighty God, everlasting father, prince of peace,” (Isaiah 9:6). As I mentioned before, God is one perfect Being that exists in three distinct persons. At the appointed time, God the Father sent God the Son to come take on human flesh and be born as a man. The one and only God was both the sender and the one sent. God the Son took on the fullness of human life while also remaining fully God. This incarnation of the Eternal Divine was the man Jesus, the “Christ,” or the “anointed one.”

He felt all of our pain, our struggle, our loss, and our temptation. Unlike us, however, His perfect and pure moral nature was not drawn away by the temptations of sin, and He lived His earthly life perfect and without fault.

“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin,” (Hebrews 4:15)

“He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth,” (Isaiah 53:9).

He did not deserve death or suffering of His own, but He voluntarily took upon Himself the death and suffering of all who will repent and believe on Him, and thus paid the price of our sin, serving our sentence in our place, paying the debt of justice in our stead:

“Although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross,” (Philippians 2:6-8).

“Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him,” (Isaiah 53:4-6).

“When the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons,” (Galatians 4:4-5).

After three days in the grave, He proved this was by rising from the dead and coming forth from His own tomb. He further explained these things to his disciples and then ascended to heaven, returning to His glory in the presence of God the Father. God then poured out His own Spirit upon those who turned from their sins and trusted in the full sufficiency of Jesus as their substitute and Redeemer and who submitted to Him as Lord and Master. The Spirit of God now dwells within God’s people, giving us the new life from within that we so desperately need. As God promised through his prophet Ezekiel:

“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances,” (Ezekiel 36:25-27).

God has, therefore, dealt with the guilt of sins and the spiritual death of all who will repent and trust fully in Him through the life, death, and resurrection of the Son of God in Jesus Christ. All who turn away from sin and self and put their faith in God through Jesus Christ will be reconciled to God and will not have to suffer the just and righteous eternal punishment for their sin. Jesus has suffered for them. All who do not turn from their sins to Jesus will be left to remain in their own condemnation and will be found guilty on the day of judgment.

An End to Suffering

Having dealt with the causes of human suffering, the promised time is coming when God will likewise do away with suffering itself. God is patient, and just as He did not bring swift judgment before first offering redemption, He also will not consummate that redemption before first bringing the good news of salvation to all who will repent and believe. You have the opportunity to hear this message today and find life in Him because God has been patient and compassionate to delay. But the day is coming when He will bring just judgment on the wicked and will give eternal life to all those who are in Christ. On that day:

“He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away,” (Revelation 21:3-4).

We do not, therefore, hope for the blowing out or extinguishing of our flame in the realization of Nirvana. We are promised an eternal flame, burning pure and bright, with fuel that is never exhausted and pure, clean air that can never be consumed. As the Apostle Paul, a follower of the Resurrected Jesus, once stated:

“For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge,” (2 Corinthians 5:1-5)

This is the hope God has given us in Christ. This is the hope we wish to share with you.

By Jim Towers

At the title of this writing you may be asking “Who can relax in this chaotic climate !?” If you are a spiritual Christian who knows scripture YOU can, knowing that Almighty God is in control. However, too many nominal Christians who only go to church to be seen and to climb social circles, they have been caught off guard and are now scared out of their wits.  Today with most churches closed there is no reason to continue the charade and God may just be sitting back to see what we are going to do now without the trappings of a meeting place. Will we draw closer to Him and His Son or will we sit home and fret?

The thing about human nature is that as long as we have needs and wants met, we couldn’t care less about others.

Criminality is a way of life for many in our culture. Satan, the Destroyer has blinded the eyes of those who today are rampaging across the country causing destruction making them believe they are doing something good for the country while at the same time taking things that don’t belong to them and wreaking havoc on others. Theft is wrong no matter who does it and the word of God condemns it. 

Today, many people are wringing their hands in anxiety wondering what’s going to happen next. Some are even ending it all because of the things they see looming in the immediate future. If they had read the bible, they would know that these things have to happen because we are living in the time of sorrows. What with plagues, lawlessness and moral breakdown things can begin to look pretty scary especially for those unaccustomed to these uncomfortable situations.

But who can relax in this chaotic, lawless, and Godless society? Christians should, which isn’t to say we should be complacent. Instead, we must by all means engage culture with the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Non-Christians can’t help it if they don’t know better than to drug out, get drunk and flip out completely – they don’t have a solid and sure foundation on which to plant their feet. 

Many people are still reeling from the covid thing and now insurrection is sweeping across the country things are beginning to look bad for us but I would be hard pressed to believe that the Christian community is going to sit idle while our country burns to the ground, even though I’ve seen their complacency time and again. 

As for luke – warm Christians who are distressed over the present insurrection, the bible says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV. That’s what the unadulterated word of God says, and I have chosen to believe it. It really works- so relax, God’s got your back.

Insofar as my screenplay is concerned, now I may have to inject the lawlessness that’s sweeping across the nation into the script alongside the epidemic lockdown. If these things continue to happen as predicted by the prophets and Jesus in present tense – then I really have my work cut out for me. It could be that I will be pounding the keys without let up about the chaos that is erupting around the nation and the world at large. 

With all that’s going on in the world, I can see that this film is a much-needed endeavor. After all, without answers from the word of God where does one look for solace? There will be no man-made thoughts or ideas coming from me in this film.

I may be asking for permission from world renown Christians like Johnathan Cahn, to show a clip of their thoughts in one of the many scenes depicting world news on television and or the internet. After all, I’m not the only one able to discern the signs of the times. I chose to stand with men who – because of their knowledge of scripture – have had their senses sharpened.

Whether there is still time or not to pull this thing off before the rapture sweeps true believers  away, is all up to God’s timing.  To me, all that’s happening is indicative of the last of the Last Days that usher in the Rapture of the church, so I’ve been expecting these things to happen and am fully prepared physically and emotionally. 

I’ve been tying up loose ends, such as reaching out to friends and family, hoping for the best – but prepared for the worse. My prayer life is becoming stronger and more intimate by cutting straight to the chase.

I know that World history is rife with this sort of behavior but this time there may not be a reprieve since China and Russia are gearing up for war with Iran following their lead against us, (and Israel). just as the prophets of God predicted. Can the rapture of the church be upon us? 

A good Book:

Even though I have experienced a good number of miracles throughout my life I never fail to be inspired by the miracles that others have experienced as well. It seems that God knows just what you need – when you need it, being it an affirmation of His existence or something helpful to yours.

I just finished reading Dr. Eben Alexanders “Proof of Heaven” written in 2012. (I somehow failed to read it when it was first published,) but here is a world class neurosurgeon who for all intents and purposed “died” on the operating table. The tale he has to tell is astounding to those who have never experienced an epiphany like his.  

I believe He chose this former atheist to be a vessel of this welcome good news because of his brilliance in his chosen profession. What an encouraging read.

YBIC

Jim Towers                       jt.filmmaker@yahoo.com and www.propheticsignsandwonders.com

Also www.dropzonedelta.com (warriors following Christ)

By Jim Towers

The Word of God is swift, powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword….  That is why I’ve incorporated scripture into my screenplay. It is imperative that people should know what scripture has to say about the times in which we live.

Humanity has drifted away from their creator and we can see the results either as God’s retribution or as manmade folly, even so, we are living in a state of uncertainty and fear in these turbulent times.

With life at a standstill and lives thrown out of whack many people are all too ready to listen to man-made answers to our dilemmas when they should be searching the scriptures. There are answers being floated out there, but they are errant man-made ideas and philosophies that brought us to where we are today. 

But, “The word of God is swift and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”.

Having been an evangelical type Christian for all my “born again” life I’ve learned to utilize the word of God in my conversations with the lost. People really don’t care to hear other men’s thoughts or philosophies they’ve already formulated their own. But they cannot refute the word of God, and so I have used scripture to convince and convict those who haven’t heard it. All in all the objective of my proposed movie is to inform and warn people of the soon to be rapture of the church and God’s coming judgement through the tribulation period and many will tell you that films (movies) are the most powerful medium known to man.

It doesn’t matter what my characters say, or how they say the words or narrative -if you will – it only serves to move the story line along. The words (lines) in the movie will soon be forgotten, but the Word of God remains forever in the hearts and minds of men. You can take them at face value or try to ignore them, but once they have gone out, you must deal with them -one way or another. 

Among the scripture verses mentioned are:

INT. JOE’S HOUSE – NIGHT

Joe picks up his OLD RAGGEDY BIBLE lying nearby and turning the pages he stops at the place where he begins reading

JOE

                                    For men shall be lovers of their own selves, 

covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, 

disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 

Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false 

accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those 

that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers 

of pleasures more than lovers of God…..

I also incorporate Matthew chapter 24 among other nuggets of truth.

In my evangelical story the character Joe is a widowed and retired professor of Biology who has taken in a former student named Tom who is down on his luck. Tom is an ardent reader of various websites who aspires to become world famous writer. While sitting at the dining room table Joe and Tom are conversing….

The dialogue goes like this,

JOE

                                    If you really want to know about spiritual things, 

then I suggest you peruse the rapture ready website.

The contributing writers are all committed Christians 

and there is a man named Terry James who experienced 

a near death experience and wrote about it in one of his 

many books … During that experience, he saw with his 

blind eyes – family and loved ones who had passed on 

and are now in heaven……You can also check out another 

website…. dropzonedelta .com …. warriors following 

Christ.

TOM

                                    I’m sorry, it’s just that I’m still skeptical of all this 

religious stuff.

JOE

                                    Your professors have been filling your head with empty 

manmade ideas, you need to begin reading the word of God

son. 

CUT:

The aim of this thought-provoking film is to convince and convict the viewer of their need to repent and to receive Christ as savior.

If you like what I’m attempting to do then join with me in putting this film together in any way you can. I’m in need of producers and looking for professional actors’ DP and crew as well. We will be filming interiors in Naples Florida and exteriors in Miami and Miami beach. 

Apprenticeships are available.

YBIC

Jim Towers           

You can write me with your thoughts jt.filmmaker@yahoo.com and/or visit my website www.propheticsignsandwonders.com. for more information.

By Jim Towers

Is the covid19 “pandemic” Conspiracy, hoax, or judgement?

While this event may be manmade, we must remember that God works all things together both evil and good, for our redemption. 

Who but God would have ever thought of such a device to make us all stop what we are doing and to take stock of our lives and consider the things that are truly important in life?

Maybe it wasn’t God’s doing but a manmade device that got out of hand and is now wreaking havoc around the world. Maybe it was even a plan to subdue the entire planet and make it submit to the diabolical “One World Government” (that hopes to be in place within the next twelve years.) If so, then they’ve gotten a pretty good start.)

There are many conflicting reports and conspiracy theories today concerning the so-called pandemic – Novel Coronavirus 19 which has held us captive for two long months. With Americans getting itchy to leave the house this is not going to end well. We will be finding a whole new world out there. One where you can’t shake hands or even approach someone within six feet, (lovers beware).

Many people will experience sleepless nights worrying about the immediate future, something they were sure they could handle somehow until this virus put an end to our bold self-assurance. But still most of us won’t seek God – instead we look to our often-crooked leaders and wacky self-seeking scientists. We seem to forget that all of humanity is tainted with sinful behavior and ambitions. Yet we look to them for answers instead of looking to the one who created us and all our surroundings.

Most churches will underplay this event in hopes of quelling mounting fears in their congregations – but will not mention repentance.  When was the last time you saw a pastor or deacon cry out in abject humility before his congregation? Even God would be surprised if that were to happen here in America. We are too proud a people to ever drop to our knees and beg God’s forgiveness and intervention – in complete and utter repentance. But, as the noose gets tighter, I venture to guess that some would rather die than cry out to God and truly repent and as things become more and more uncertain patience and endurance is running out for many of us – with some even taking their own lives.

If indeed this virus is only a manmade calamity and can be rectified – either way, it will only serve to prove that humanity is incapable to keep things on an even keel. As things continue to destroy our self-assurance and if you’re looking for more things to despair about – consider the following.

Prices are going up on meat and dairy products and with hungry people out of work and no place to go or little to eat, things could easily get out of hand.

These days, it’s hard to come to a concrete answer to our physical and monetary problems but Jesus has the answer, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (food , clothing and peace of mind.)

Rather than worry about tomorrow we should do all we can to reap the harvest of human souls that are ripe and ready for harvesting. One positive way to do that is to pray for www.dropzonedelta.com  where spirit filled Christians make it their business to impart truth to a lost and dying world. Do this and you can rest assured that you are doing the right thing.

Beyond other pandemics, which appear regularly every decade or two, there are other major threats on the horizon. If like the bible says, these are God planned events, then here’s what’s coming for us next.

EXTREME LAWLESSNESS

FOOD SHORTAGES

FAMINE FOR A THIRD OF THE WORLD

SEVERE EARTHQUAKES 

SIGNS AND WONDERS AND PORTENTS IN THE SKIES

We Christians should do all we can to preserve life, but instead we chose to worry about things that might never happen. In worrying about the future, again, Jesus has the answer, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths”.

On another note.

A funny thing happened when witnessing to a young man at Publix supermarket if he was a Christian – his reply was “I try to be”. When I asked him what he thought about the craziness going around the world he replied, “It’s like the four horsemen of the Apocalypse!” As I left, I handed him a small bible which he accepted greedily.  As I left, I felt sure that this was mission God had sent me on specifically for that fine young man.

Well, that night I read this on the internet. “Bible scholars have sensationally claimed the end of the world could be upon us as they believe the Four Horsemen, who bring about death, war, famine and disease before the return of Jesus Christ in the holy book, have all been released.” The writer goes on to say, “This virus is the pale horse and Horseman but regardless of what we may experience or feel about our current situation – We need to repent. And remember, God is still in control.

YBIC

Jim Towers                          

You can contact me at:

 jt.filmmaker@yahoo.com and www.propheticsignsandwonders.com

By Jim Towers

Whether we Christians realize it or not, we are in the fight for our lives with Satanic forces in the form of democrats, eugenists, Islamists, the United Nations and we had better take note. 

While Christians all over the world are being killed, raped and incarcerated in many other countries, we Americans cower in the lap of luxury and doze in our gated communities. We American Christians have been so blessed by our overabundance that we barely notice.

Now though, with viruses getting out of hand, politics going array, our economy unraveling and church leaders becoming apostate, many are beginning to wake up while others continue to doze off. Well things aren’t going to get any better and if they do, it will only be temporarily. We must make the most of small windows of opportunity to do what we can for one another. It is imperative to come together and do all we can to first spread the Glorious Gospel of Christ and to do all we can to encourage our weaker and younger brethren. 

There is a place for you to be of help to others in these perilous times you just have to find it. 

The bible says we all have gifts given to us as we are saved. (mine is one of evangelism) yours may be one of sewing. Just sewing virus masks for the needy is something you can do. There is so much we can do with the resources we have and the benefits to our sense of self-worth is exhilarating when we do what we should be doing for the kingdom of God.

I have a brother – who although he is a relatively new Christian – cooks for those in an assisted living facility on occasion – maybe you could do the same. But most of all touch and encourage others – show them you care. A word of encouragement may make someone else’s day. 

My gift is evangelism which I try to incorporate into my writings which include at least two screenplays and one 240 page manuscript about my conversion and subsequent forty year career in the movie industry.  (I learned the ins and outs of movie making as a professional  union actor and was a member of American Film Institute as well.) I am using my gifts to reach out to others as best I can – believing that we are the soon to be raptured generation.. 

Filmmaking is the one thing I know about above all others and so I will tell you a little about this endeavor.

My full-length theatrical film “PANIC” will be unabashedly open about the Gospel of Jesus Christ by openly quoting prophetic scripture throughout. The title of this screenplay is subject to change if and when a better title can be attached to this thought provoking, informative and evangelical film.

This somber and true to life film will be entertaining as well as informative about the things of God and bible prophecy – the characters often quoting scripture – word for word.

The texture of the film is at times harrowing – but true to life. However, graphic violence will not be depicted by excessive bloody gore – for the sake of sensationalism. Although true to life there will also be no nudity or overtly profane language, just for shock value. Also, many quotes and clips from news sources will be incorporated in the film to make it utterly realistic – something all viewers can relate to.

Politics and religion will be kept at a minimum and instead, the things that Jesus and the prophets taught about the end times will be brought to the fore, since people are seeking answers to the meaning of life and the hereafter. Nothing will be added that would water down the main message of repentance toward God in expectation of the rapture. 

The object of this engaging movie is to encourage the viewers to seek God’s face in our immediate worldwide virus situation that instills fear and confusion. 

Today I posted this on my Facebook page to try to get others involved in making my outreach film.

Dear Facebook friends, I have always been fascinated with filmmaking and by working with the best I got to see firsthand how things are done in front of the camera and behind the scenes. As some of you know I began writing screenplays years ago and wrote one that became a box office smash. The powers that be made a “Series” out of it, but alas, since I didn’t have a copyright on it was plagiarized. I’ve learned better since then. Now I am going out on a limb once again because I believe the timing is right to make a movie about the perilous times in which we live. 

In this screenplay I will be incorporating the things I know about prophetic scripture to help unbelievers see the light (I feel that is my calling since I fear no one nor anything nor what they think of me.) Having failed twice I may be a fool for trying one more time, but I have nothing better to do with what little time we may have left. 

If you or someone you know is an investor or is film savvy and would like to become involved -write me at jt.filmmaker@yahoo.com. for an outline and more information.

YBIC

Jim Towers                   

You can write me at jt.filmmaker@yahoo.com or visit my website www.propheticsignsandwonders.com

A Prophetic Road Map: The Nation Israel

As the nation of Israel sat perched on the banks of the Jordan River, before its people ever set one foot upon the Promised Land, the Lord gave an outline of its entire history through His mouthpiece Moses. The book of Deuteronomy is like a road map for where history was headed before the trip got underway. It covers the whole history of Israel more than three thousand years in advance. While different segments of the historical journey have been updated with more details being added along the way, not a single variation from the earlier explicit course has ever been necessary.

In the process of Moses exhortation to the nation of Israel, he provides an outline of what will happen to this elect nation once it crosses over the Jordan River and settles the Promised Land (Deut 4:25-31). A summary of these events include the following:

1. Israel and its descendants will remain long in the land. 
2. Israel will act corruptly and slip into idolatry. 
3. Israel will be kicked out of the land. 
4. The Lord will scatter the Israelites among the nations. 
5. The Israelites will be given over to idolatry during their wanderings. 
6. While dispersed among the nations, the Israelites will seek and find the Lord when they search for Him with all their heart. 
7. There will come a time of tribulation, said to occur in the latter days, during which time Israel will turn to the Lord. 

Since the first five events have happened to Israel”and that is beyond competent dispute”then it is reasonable to expect that the final events will also occur to the same people in the same way as the earlier events. An expanded narrative of Israels future history is provided in Deuteronomy 28-32:

• The conditions of blessing will follow obedience.¹
• Israel will choose apostasy.²
• God will bring affliction upon Israel, while still in the land, because of its apostasy.³
• Israel will be taken into captivity.⁴
• The enemies of Israel will possess its land for a time.⁵
• The land itself will remain desolate.⁶
• Israel will be scattered among the nations.⁷
• The time will come when Israel will be few in number.⁸
• Though punished, Israel will not be destroyed if it repents.⁹
• Israel will repent in tribulation.¹⁰
• Israel will be gathered from the nations and brought back to its divinely given land.¹¹

A History of Preservation

This is, indeed, history written in advance. Israel is the lens through which the Bible presents both the past and the future of the world itself. It is the means through which Gods program for the redemption of mankind will be performed. 

One of the greatest miracles in the Bible is before our very eyes: the continuing existence of the Jewish people. Again and again, throughout the many centuries and empires, attempts to wipe out the Jews have always failed. The Egyptians, the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Crusaders, and the Nazis of Germany”all failed in their aggressive attempts at genocide.

The Israelites originally went down to Egypt as a family, were enslaved, and after four centuries, emerged as a nation. God referred to this emergent nation as His firstborn (Ex 4:22). And it was His plan to use them to bring forth the One who would be the Redeemer of mankind.

Their saga begins with Gods covenant and land grant to Abraham.¹² Their prophets warned that the entire world would ultimately go to war over this land grant and that is exactly what is being challenged by the world today. But there is much more at stake than simply Israels right to the land. Gods plan for the redemption of mankind is ultimately at issue.

Israels vicissitudes”both ups and downs”were continually predicted by the prophets throughout their entire history. After the civil war following Solomons death, the histories of both the Northern Kingdom and Southern Kingdom became astonishingly graphic. The dismal decline of the Northern Kingdom resulted in their being obliterated from existence. 

The commitment of God to Davids dynasty is all that prevented the Southern Kingdom from a similar fate. Although the kingdom suffered as a captive of the Babylonian Empire (prophesied in Deuteronomy 28:49-57), through the prophet Jeremiah it was promised deliverance after seventy years and a return to the land. And those seventy years were fulfilled to the very day!¹³

Dispersion

Though Israels Babylonian captivity was its first removal from the land, God restored and continued to woo the nation to faithfulness. Christs arrival, ministry, and ultimate rejection are well-known historically, but few people realize how much this led to the Jews later dispersions. Jesus Himself gave us His perspective when He said: 

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. – Matthew 23:34-39

The tragedy of all history, the rejection of Christ, led to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in A.D. 70. In fact, Luke 21:24 foretold that the Jewish people shall be led away captive into all nations, a statement that reflects the very language of Deuteronomy 28:64: Then the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other (NKJV). The Diaspora simply cannot be understood without the background of Deuteronomy.

The Regathering

The regathering of the Jews into their own homeland”the second time”is the key to understanding the times in which we live.

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. – Isaiah 11:11,12

Their first regathering was from their captivity in Babylon. The second time, prefigured in Ezekiel 37s colorful dry bones prophecy, is one of the dramatic events of the twentieth century.

Many Bible scholars have felt that the Diaspora was a permanent judgment upon Israel for having rejected their Messiah. They felt that a literal return of the Jews to the land of Israel was fanciful and misinformed. It was a debate at the time between the old-fashioned fundamentalists and the modern liberals.

During World War II, many pundits were viewing the rise of Hitler as the Antichrist. However, there were a few radio commentators, M.R. Dehahn, H.A. Ironside, and others who pointed out that he couldnt be: because the nation Israel was not in its land.

A Litmus Test for Scholars

It was a dramatic day on May 14, 1948, when David Ben-Gurion, using Ezekiel as his authority, announced on international radio the name of Israel as the new state and homeland for the Jews. It was a great day for the Jews. And it was a most significant day for Biblical scholarship as well. The debate about the literalness of Gods promises should have ended.

Immediately set upon by their Muslim enemies, Israel shocked the world by the miraculous victories in their War of Independence. Vastly outnumbered, they nevertheless established their fledgling state in the midst of impossible conditions. In 1967, they again startled an astonished world with their miraculous victories in the Six-Day War. And again, in 1973, in the Yom Kippur War. The saga of the Israeli Defense Forces has become a modern legend. And yet, the worse is still to come.

Israelology

Examine any pastors library and you will find an impressive set of books labeled, Systematic Theology, or some similar designation. This collection will reflect many different venerated authors from many highly reputed seminaries. They may have different views on various subjects, but they all have essentially the same table of contents:

Bibliology: The study of the Bible.
Theology: The study of the proper attributes of God.
Christology: The study of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Pneumatology: The study of the Holy Spirit. 
Angelology: The study of angels, fallen and unfallen. 
Anthropology: The study of man.
Soteriology: The study of salvation. 
Ecclesiology: The study of the Church. 
Eschatology: The study of the end-times; last things. 

What is missing is a subject that comprises five-sixths of the Bible! It is Israelology: the study of Israel as an instrument of Gods plan of redemption!¹⁴ Not understanding the role of Israel in Gods plan resulted in the Holocaust. There continues a widespread view that the church has somehow replaced Israel when they rejected their Messiah. However, Paul, in his definitive statement of Christian doctrine known as the book of Romans, hammers away for three chapters that God is not finished with Israel.¹⁵

Israels Future

Among other topics, my latest book, Prophecy 20/20, explores the future of Israel, specifically the forthcoming Time of Jacobs trouble, climaxing the end times; the current struggle for Jerusalem”one of the many strategic trends covered in the book that we are witnessing now”and, the apparently imminent, but ill-fated, Magog invasion of Israel, predicted in Ezekiel 38-39. These events are critical, yet-to-be-revealed moments in Israels on-going history.

(Excerpted from www.khouse.org) https://khouse.org/articles/2006/674/

By Jim Towers

Who would have ever thought such a thing could happen – worldwide? I’m talking of course about the covid19 virus and the quarantine that accompanied it. What else in all the world would cause people to look up and question whether this event was God ordained ? 

If the virus is an act of God, then in one fell -swoop He was able to get the attention of every single person in the whole world, but to what avail? First of all, to acknowledge Him, humble ourselves, repent and prepare for the rapture…That’s all.

While many of us are in our third week of isolation we can’t help but wonder if and when the nightmare will be over, but the next catastrophe, as a follow up, is a voracious plague of locusts unleashed over a third of the world and many will die of starvation. At the same time, vicious storms have been unleased throughout the world, there are many earthquakes in various places and UFO sightings are becoming more and more frequent. World economies are on the brink.

With our collective hands tied it is hard not to believe something is afoot…something so profound that even those of us who know scripture find it hard to deal with. The fact is that these things were prophesied by Jesus Himself.

From a humanistic point of view conspiracy theories abound. Is Bill Gates promoting a vaccine to further his eugenics agenda? Will his vaccine lead to the Mark of the Beast? After all, you will get a free pin number along with it, but what for? Is it to keep track of you? To what end? Is the pope the false prophet? He sure has been saying some crazy things lately, especially for a pontiff. Not only that but he wants to help form a one world religion with enemies who would just as well kill us as look at us infidels. 

And pray tell, what is this current fascination with communism? I mean who wants to do without food, housing, automobiles, free speech and medicine like Venezuela, Cuba and other communist run countries? It’s crazy out there.

Now, with all the time in the world to read everything in the newspapers, magazines and the internet and to watch television 24-7s. we are on information overload with juicy tidbits such as this….. 

Recently a Florida political figure was caught passed out from drug use lying naked on the floor of a known sexual pervert. People won’t know who to believe in or why to believe them. (And he sounded like and looked like such a nice family guy too). People have animalistic tendencies as in dog eat dog, and like a dog go back to their own vomit. They lie so often it is now thought of as normal. Right is wrong and wrong is right the whole world is out of whack. It’s as if Satan and his minions has been set free to roam the streets to wreak havoc everywhere.  

Something else I found interesting is that Passover and Easter coincided with one another this year. Just as when the death angel passed over Egypt and many died, (but those with the blood of the lamb on their doorposts lived.) So, it is with us today, with the blood of the spotless lamb of God on the doorposts of our lives we are spared the second death – (if the virus death angel visits) – even if we die from it. 

From all the signs, the last days “times of sorrow” MUST be upon us, even as we speak. All the signs are in your face and continuing to expand and proliferate without letup – one after the other. Nobody, – and I mean nobody – but God could have planned such a well-orchestrated scenario to get people’s attention worldwide.  

Movie:

Being quarantined has given me the opportunity to work on a screenplay based on the very events we’re witnessing today. You could say this film is based on ongoing events and possible outcomes. The worldwide events we are witnessing right now are being incorporated into storyline with the hope that many will respond and be saved by turning wholeheartedly to God. That of course is contingent on us being here for the next round of turmoil during the Tribulation period. But while we Christians wait for our deliverance we can’t just sit idly by while our friends, neighbors and relative die in their sins.

A few years ago, after seeing the way things were going in our society, I wrote a screenplay about the end times. It was a thought-provoking story about the possible fulfilment of biblical prophecy I envisioned was coming, but it was based on speculation. I made a couple of attempts at filming a trailer with limited resources but couldn’t get people interested in helping without pay. I lost money in doing so.

The current worldwide situation lends itself to an even greater scenario – a life threatening one. Not only that, but with people dying without Christ it makes the timing more crucial. All the ingredients of a spiritually informative film are being played out on the world stage before our very eyes – as it were. 

This will be my last attempt at such a venture, and I will give it my best shot but unless I can find dedicated selfless people and the resources needed – then the hope of making this film is futile. 

If you or anyone you know is a film investor or you know someone who is a dedicated Christian actor, film maker or videographer or crew member – please have them get in touch with me at jt.filmmaker@yahoo.com.

YBIC

Jim Towers                     www.propheticsignsandwonders.com 

By Jim Towers

Remember when everything seemed rosy, the sun shone brightly after a fresh cleansing rain. Flowers seemed to pop up everywhere. Good food on the table, a chicken in every pot. Football, baseball, golf, parties, booze, drugs, infidelity, adultery, corruption, homosexual activity, abortion on demand. Ahh the good ole days – God is good -life was good. – (Except for the beginning of this statement I’m being facetious of course, but that’s the way it was just a few weeks ago.) Yes, life was sweet

Many of us were wondering if God was still alive since everyone was doing as they pleased with no outward repercussions. But it’s not as if God was not aware, He (notice how I use the masculine description – just like the bible does) knew what Hillary and Bill were doing all along. As matter of fact He knew what we were all up to as well. 

We didn’t know how good we had it while God was letting us get away with murder and seemingly turning a blind eye to our varied sins and indiscretions. Now here we are all cooped up in our homes quarantined and hoping the Covid19 virus somehow disappears. 

In one fell swoop, the party was over, no more football idols to worship, no more golf to while the time away, no more movies no more distractions from things that really matter no more anything. Now it’s life in the raw. Now it’s time for reflection, hand wringing despair and prayer. The Covid 19 virus has us on our collective knees.

The way things are going, what with this virulent virus wreaking havoc throughout the world we have much to be concerned about.

Along with that, there are swarms of locusts ravaging crops and vegetation throughout the Middle East – soon those people will be hurting for food and a loaf of bread will cost twenty-five dollars and be a scarce as toilet paper.

Recently in the USA there were over 600 new earthquakes across the western states in one months’ time. On top of that, a strong earthquake has hit Idaho, with a magnitude 6.5 quake striking near the city of Boise in the Salmon-Challis National Forest. This is the first earthquake above magnitude 5 to hit anywhere in the region for over 50 years, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Times of joy and plans about what goodies the future holds are on hold for now and it could be that we have entered the times of sorrows in earnest.

Granted, there are many who see these calamities as just a coincidence or manmade folly; I would say to them, “Isn’t it funny that all these things are happening incrementally as if all is planned this way to get people’s attention? He is instead giving us a chance to repent because of His goodness. Furthermore, He realizes that Satan has much to do with all the evil in the world and really wants to cut us some slack.

As new problems arise worldwide, we can’t help drawing a correlation between Old Testament plagues and the goings on today. Pestilence, epidemics, storms, drought, tornadoes, floods and earthquakes are raging across the planet and there is only one who can save us – Christ Jesus of the New Testament – our creator.

If these calamities are coincidental like some people think or hope – then there may manmade answers that will buy us some more time on the planet to do what we wish.

But if you know your bible -as you should- this was all bound was to happen sooner or later. Jesus is keeping his word – He cannot lie. Yes, the party could be over, and we could be entering the time of sorrows like Jesus said in Matthew 24:4-8.

If ever there was a time to reflect on the future, seek God’s face repent and to prepare – it is now.

Books,

My latest book was bought at the public library sale recently. With nothing to read besides the bible I bought this book for fifty cents. The title is “The Miraculous Fever Tree” by Fiammetta Rocco who was raised in Kenya. Her Grandfather, father and she herself all suffered with Malaria.

I bought this book about a month before the Covid19 virus began at the end of the year. I had lost interest in it and set it aside until I learned that a derivative of quinine was found to be the cure for the Covid19 virus. 

I began reading it again and found it to be very informative. Quinine is indeed a miracle medicine from the Cinchona tree that is found in the highlands of Peru.

Since it’s discovery quinine has been synthesized into Hydroxychloroquine a supposed cure for Covid19.

The prologue of this wonderful book reads,

Quinine:

The Jesuits discovered it; The Protestants feared it. The British vied with the Dutch for it, and the Nazi’s seized it. Because of quinine, medicine, warfare and exploration were changed forever.

SCREENPLAY 

My screenplay is going quite well, and scripture verses are finding their way into it without any effort on my part as God shows me what He want’s people to know. 

YBIC

Jim Towers                  Write me at  jt.filmmaker@yahoo.com  or check out my website www.propheticsignsandwonders.com and visit www.dropzonedelta.com (Warriors following Christ.)

By Jim Towers

The stimulus package was finally voted on and we may be able to surmount the Covid19 fiasco. I say fiasco because although it is a deadly flu, we’ve had others just as deadly and managed to survive. 

In fact, President Obama let H1N1 runs its course with hundreds of thousands of deaths and never lifted a finger while we prayed the prayer of 2^nd Chronicles 7:14 but that’s because God wasn’t in any hurry to give us our just desserts yet and He let Obama have the victory in subverting us while we gave him license. On top of that more unborn infants are sacrificed on the altar of Moloch everyday than people dying from that or any other influenza daily.  

This man took to the floor twice as a Junior Senator to advocate for abortions on demand. The two times were the only times he took to the floor.

While people were only mouthing the words from Colossians ……Our country was practicing Islam worship, infanticide aa well as Satan worship with the blessings of our once great institutions and churches during his tenure.    

After those times and until recently we Christians were still praying “If my people will humble themselves and pray, then I will hear from heaven and heal their land”, but halfhearted prayers don’t work without earnest conviction and action. 

After 9-11 and a time of mourning and reflection we went back to life as usual. Abortion mills were cranked up and we all but forgot our promises to God.

Even so, maybe, (even with his hardheaded idiosyncrasies President Trump was the answer to those prayers) and he began dismantling all the craziness that Obama had instituted to our ruin. Today, he is still battling the residual harm and subversive holdovers still in government – placed there by the previous president.

If this is true then we could be looking at a short respite from totalitarianism, a time for us to get our act together – and quickly – before things like life threatening epidemics continue to spiral out of control, during which we can expect there to be more and more violence. (Some of this violence will be due to the deep frustrations and anxiety people around the globe will begin to feel as they lose jobs, housing and sustenance.)

Many will continue to live under a rock and try to go on with life as usual, but it just won’t work. The police and eventually the military may have to intervene if things get any worse. 

Soon after a time “Cabin fever” will take hold and marauders will begin robbing things that they feel are necessary. People are already lining up in droves to buy guns. Anarchy and random killings will ensue.

If you stop to think about it for a moment, this catastrophe could even usher a new monetary system, one world religion and the New World Order. 

I know this news isn’t very encouraging, but we must face the fact that all the things that are happening today were prophesied many years ago in the holy bible and you can check it out for yourselves.

Today, 3/26/2020, the news headlines read, “The United States leads the countries of the world with Covid19, and why shouldn’t it, it being the number one nation of abortions, in distribution of pornography and promoter of homosexuality, murder and political corruption.

With people fighting for food because of shortages and high prices and no work to be had we can expect civil disobedience and an imposed police state with the military eventually stepping in. That could lead to the UN stepping in as well, and they- just happy to be here – will rape and pillage as well – which would lead to total chaos and anarchy.

The only people who will be able to endure such pressure are Christians and the closer they are to God the more internal peace they will have. Many others will lose all reason as Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders are doing. The hubris of these people is beyond understanding.

My friend, the best that you can do is pray for yourself, family and friends and draw closer to God.

We really can’t ask God to help us without repentance on our part, in fact He demands it.

NOTE:

Many of you don’t know I wrote a screenplay (movie) several years ago that became a blockbuster. It was stolen (plagiarized). Thinking I would never pass around a screenplay for possible production again I have been waiting to be able to produce and direct my own material but that requires money I don’t have – namely 3 mil. minimum for a theatrical release. 

Right now, I am writing the most timely, informative and evangelical screenplay (movie) I ever have. It is based on the very things we are experiencing today and I’m writing in all the spiritual implications surrounding our present situation as well. It will be heavy hitting with nothing held back. Repentance and Salvation will be at the core of the movie with bible verses scattered throughout.  

Books:

My latest reading was from the book “Profiles in Corruption” by Peter Schweizer and although I knew all the corruption that has and continues to take place in high office, this man laid it all out with names, dates and places. It was staggering the lengths these people will go through – to take advantage of us – the Taxpayer.

Worse still, is the way they are handling the Covid19 so called stimulus package. It’s as if they were doing us a favor in giving our tax money back to us while they slip in a clause to give themselves raises! The hubris of these people is beyond understanding.

YBIC 

Jim Towers           

Write me at jt.filmmaker@yahoo.com and visit www.propheticsignsandwonders.com  also www.dropzonedelta.com .

By Jim Towers

I never thought I’d see the day when people would fight over toilet paper. But we’re seeing it every day now with the virus scare. People filled with fright are panicking and can’t give a reason for doing so. 

Fear has these deserving people in its grip. Some are even looking for their long-lost bibles to see if we are living in the end times (pun intended).

It all kind of reminds you of the fairy tale about the king who worn no clothes – and it’s just as ridiculous. 

While it’s ok to be prepared for any eventuality – since when did people need so much toilet paper? So much so that they will fight tooth and nail for it and -heaven forbid- maybe even kill for it. None of these actions makes sense except that God has made it so – like the bible says,  

‘The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: The Lord shall have them in DERISION. (Psalm 2:2-4)

The world is already seeing manifestations of plagues, pestilences, earthquakes, floods, drought, illnesses and a myriad of various other troubles, but there are worse things right around the bend and we’d better get ready for the avalanche of troubles coming our way in the very near future. 

Soon paper and coin money will be outlawed too because of its germ carrying capacity and you can be sure our debit and credit cards will also be done away with as well. 

Yes, my friends, the stage is being set for the Third and final Temple to be rebuilt, a one world government to be put in place, as well as the one world religion the Catholic Pope and Ayatollahs are bringing together. I might add the other religious leaders as well.

You, (the reader) may also feel a tinge of fear for what is about to come of the world but take heart, you are looking in the right place for answers, find your long lost dusty bible and begin reading in the book of John then Romans which speak of salvation (deliverance) from the hell to come, then read Revelation prayerfully. It’s all right there in black and white. 

Forget what secular writers are saying about spiritual things, they are almost always wrong about everything. Secular writers these days are writing about these abnormalities. Trying to sound like they know anything about the bible. They misquote and amend most of what they say. While in reality they shun God’s word and at times even ridicule it. 

The only ones that really know what the scriptures say are those who have been given the Holy Spirit, otherwise it doesn’t seem to make sense. With the Holy Spirit taken away (at the rapture of the church – prior to the time of tribulation.) Then fear will become a common commodity to all who remain on the face of the earth, and the need for toilet paper will seem trivial by comparison…… Thank God I have a bidet.

YBIC

Jim Towers                       jt.filmmaker@yahoo.com and www.propheticsignsandwonders.com