by Steve McCranie | Jun 24, 2019
Now, even FOX News is covering the inevitable. The following is from Doug MacKinnon and was posted on the FOX website on Sunday, June 23, 2019.
We will speak much more about this on our website beginning in mid-July. But for now, read this and consider what Doug says.
Will You Survive the Coming Blackout?
There are many never-ending debates between Republicans and Democrats. Impeach vs. don’t impeach; capital punishment vs. life in prison; wall vs. no wall; legalizing marijuana vs. not; self-driving cars vs. human drivers; Red Sox vs. Yankees; takeout vs. home-cooked; or Gone With the Wind vs. any other movie.
All of these issues are stunningly important, right up to the second where cataclysm falls and creates a nightmare scenario that so many fear.
That cataclysm is a complete loss of electricity and every mode of convenience and survival we take for granted.
The largest red flag on this issue in years just waved in South America. Last weekend, tens of millions of people in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay found themselves in a complete blackout. In one moment, they had electricity. The next moment, they had none, and they were catapulted back to the 1800s.
Only much worse.
People in the 1800s were not dependent upon electricity for their jobs, money, communication, Internet, transportation, education, security, medical services, prescriptions, water, and very lives.
The national power grid of the United States is truly a mess held together with, as the joke goes, by not much more than “baling wire and chewing gum.”
The average age of large power transformers in the United States is 40 years. Seventy percent of all large power transformers are at least 25 years old. It’s little wonder that, according to data from the Department of Energy, the United States suffers more blackouts than any other nation in the developed world.
The overall system is so weak, so taxed, and so vulnerable that in 2003, over 50 million people in the United States and Canada were hit with cascading blackouts simply because a tree branch fell on a power line in Ohio.
Because the infrastructure is so antiquated, weather triggers multiple blackouts per year in the U.S. Blackouts which collectively cost the nation upwards of $30 billion in spoiled inventory, lost wages, and repair of the grid.
Unfortunately, weather is becoming the least feared trigger of a blackout. In the age of terrorism and increasing cyber-threats, our power-grid getting taken down by a hack is no longer seen as a question of “If it will happen,” but rather, “When it will happen?”
The U.S. government is so rightfully fearful of this, that last November, it ordered DARPA (the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) to war-game a complete cyber take-down of the U.S. power grid.
An exercise they are now wisely running on a regular basis.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, just last year, hackers – strongly suspected to be Russian – gained access to a number of utility control rooms in the United States and got to the point where “they could have thrown switches.”
The DHS report further stressed: “Russian government cyber actors targeted government entities and multiple U.S. critical infrastructure sectors, including the energy, nuclear, commercial facilities, water, aviation, and critical manufacturing sectors.”
Aside from the Russians, the Chinese, North Koreans, other terrorist states, and even cyber-extortionists, are targeting our power grid on a daily basis.
That clock is ticking.
Unfortunately, much like any large terrorist attack, when an extended regional or national blackout hits, you and your family will be on your own. No one is going to ride to the rescue.
How will you survive?
In the blink of an eye, you will lose access to money, food, gasoline, communication, medicine, medical attention, heat, air conditioning, and security.
Gone.
Even though most don’t do it, residents of California and Florida are reminded every year to assemble their “two-week” survival kit. In California, it’s because of earthquakes. In Florida, it’s because of hurricanes.
Survival kits which include water, non-perishable food, medicine, first-aid kits, batteries, a radio, flashlights, candles, cash, a hand-crank charger, with smaller versions of all for your vehicle and office.
The federal and state governments should be issuing that same reminder to every citizen in the nation about the coming blackout. It truly is not a question of “if,” but of “when.”
A night on the town for a movie, dinner, a sporting event or a political debate is great fun until none of it matters and your survival is literally at stake.
Make a plan, because you will be on your own.
by Steve McCranie | Jun 6, 2016
Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, (why) for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:3). And a few verses later He adds, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, (why) for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:10).
Which raises a few questions:
What is the “kingdom of heaven”?
Is it the same as the “kingdom of God”?
And, if not, how is it different?
Why is Matthew the only Gospel writer that uses this phrase?
And how does this all apply to me today?
You will find the answer to these questions will change the way you live your life from this day forward. It will have a profound impact on your future and your eternity.
Are you intrigued? Interested? Maybe a little curious? Good. Then keep listening.
The following is a study on Matthew 5:3,10 about the Kingdom of Heaven.
To download the slides to this message, click – HERE
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by Steve McCranie | Apr 4, 2016
Twice in the Proverbs we find the following warning:
A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished – Proverbs 22:3.
And again,
A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; the simple pass on and are punished – Proverbs 27:12.
But what does this mean? And does this warning still apply to us today? Absolutely— and even more so than when it was written so many thousands of years ago. In fact, it’s a vital warning to the church today.
Want to know more? Then keep listening.
The following is a study on 2 Timothy 4:1-4.
To download the slides for this message, click – HERE
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by Steve McCranie | Dec 1, 2014
Many of those who deny the doctrine of the Rapture of the church smugly say the word rapture doesn’t even appear in the Bible. And, to a degree, this is true. Unless you have a Latin Bible, and then everything changes. You see, the Greek word translated rapture in Latin is harpazo and means: “to seize upon, to snatch away, to draw away, to carry off, to catch up, to receive, to pluck out, to rescue, to forcefully take away.”
Rapture is the Latin form of harpazo and is found in the Vulgate which was translated by Jerome in the late 4th century and in the 16th century became the official Bible of the Catholic church.
Consider the following:
Matthew 13:19 – “When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away (harpazo) what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside.”
John 10:28-29 – “And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch (harpazo) them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch (harpazo) them out of My Father’s hand.”
2 Corinthians 2:2-4 – I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago— whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows— such a one was caught up (harpazo) to the third heaven. And I know such a man— whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— how he was caught up (harpazo) into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter.
1 Thessalonians 4:17 – Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up (harpazo) together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
Jude 1:22-23 – And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them (harpazo) out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
Revelation 12:5 – She bore a male Child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. And her Child was caught up (harpazo) to God and His throne.
Do you have questions about the coming rapture (harpazo) of the church? Good. Then keep listening.
The following is a study on the rapture of the church.
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by Steve McCranie | Oct 27, 2014
Message from Malachi
A Prophetic Warning to the Church
What Side of the Fence Are You On?
“But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings;
And you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves.”
Malachi 4:2
After three chapters of blistering rebuke towards the people and priests of Malachi’s day, the Lord now begins to wind down the book of Malachi and the Old Testament in general with a question and a choice. The question is simple: Where will you stand on the great day of judgment, on the great Day of the Lord? And the choice is simpler still: What are you prepared to do about it right now?
The Day of the Lord
Four times in the last eight verses of Malachi we find that great and powerful day referenced (Mal. 3:17; 4:1, 3, 5). The Day of the Lord is a day of judgment, of wrath, and of great calamity and describes some horrific events that take place at, or near, the close of history. Zephaniah describes it as “a day of trouble and distress, a day of devastation and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness” (Zeph. 1:15). But it’s also a time of great rejoicing when God fulfills His promise to true, believing Israel and ushers in His Kingdom. It’s a time when “all Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:26) and a time when God will forgive their sins and restore to Israel the land He promised to Abraham. In other words, the Day of the Lord is the time when God will punish evil, disobedience and unbelief but also a time when He will fulfill all His promises to those who are “called by His Name” (Isa. 43:7).
It will be a day of great dread and fear or a day of great joy and rejoicing— and all that depends on what side of the fence you’re on when the Day appears.
After God encourages His faithful remnant by reminding them “they shall be Mine on the day that I make them My jewels (or, special treasure)” (Mal. 3:17), God then begins to unpack exactly what the Day of the Lord will be like for those on both sides of the fence.
That Side: The Lost and Unbelieving— the Crowd
For those on the lost, unregenerate, unbelieving side of the fence, the Day of the Lord is described as a scorching, consuming fire, much like a furnace or great oven. So intense is God’s judgment fire that it “will leave them neither root nor branch” (Mal. 4:1), no present and no future. It’s a frightening picture of the total destruction of those who speak harshly against the Lord (Mal. 3:13) and defile and despise His Name (Mal. 1:6-7). Jesus speaks of it as a “furnace of fire where there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth” (Matt. 13:42). Paul says that day will come “as a thief in the night” (1 The. 5:2) and Peter concludes by stating, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10). Get the picture? Intense fire, scorching heat, wailing and gnashing of teeth, a massive furnace, a red-hot oven, great noise, consuming flames, total destruction.
And those on that side of the fence? What does God say about them? He calls them the “proud, yes, all who do wickedly” and describes them as “stubble or chaff” (Mal 4:1). They are the short dry stumps of grain left in a field after harvesting, highly combustible, ready to be thrown, discarded, consumed in the great fire of His judgment. It’s not a pretty picture for those on that side of God’s fence.
This Side: Those Who Love and Fear the Lord— the Remnant
Note what the Lord says to those on this side of His fence, to those who fear Him and offer to Him “an offering in righteousness” (Mal. 3:3).
“But to you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves” (Mal. 4:2). They will rejoice when they see the wicked judged and God’s Name held high and glorified. They will sing for joy when the righteous are brought into the Kingdom and they hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21). And they shall praise His Name when God exalts His people over the wicked who have oppressed and persecuted them for so long. The Day of the Lord will be a day of great rejoicing, a day of singing and dancing, for those on this side of God’s fence.
The Question: What Are You Prepared to Do About It?
That’s right, what are you going to do? What’s your plan, your next move? The Lord has revealed two great groups of people (Mal. 3:18), two separate and distinct paths (Matt. 7:13-14), two options, two destinations, and only one choice. What will you choose?
Joshua told the people in his day to “choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Josh. 24:15). And the words of Malachi are telling each of us to do the same: Choose. Choose whom we will serve? Choose what side of God’s fence we want to live on. Choose heaven or hell, life or death, blessing or cursing— just choose. Why? Because all eternity rests on that very choice. So choose wisely.
And to help us choose correctly, the Lord ends the Old Testament with these words of warning and encouragement. First, the look back into His Word: “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, which I commanded him in Horeb (or, Mt. Sinai) for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments” (Mal. 4:4). Remember the Word of God, the Law, the promises, the prophecies, the foretelling of the Messiah, the blessings and the warnings, remember all God has done for you and how much He loves you (Mal. 1:1). Stop what you’re doing, turn around, look back and remember. This is the same God who says, “For I am the Lord, I do not change” (Mal. 3:6). He has loved you then, He loves you now. Remember.
Then, look forward to the day of His promise, to the day of the coming of His Son, Jesus. “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord. And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse” (Mal. 4:5-6). Before the Day of the Lord dawned it was promised that Elijah would first come and preach a message of repentance to prepare the way for the Messiah (Isa. 40:3). That day has already come. The promise has already been fulfilled. John the Baptist, according to Jesus, was the very fulfillment of that promise and, for those who “have ears to hear,” was the “Elijah who was to come” (Matt. 11:14-15) And who was this Messiah? His name is Jesus.
So now, it’s your choice. Do you remain on that side of the fence, the easy side, the sinful side, laughing along with those who arrogantly reject the sacrifice of Christ and strive to be a god in their own eyes? Do you throw your lot in with them? Are you part of the massive throng— blind, yet so proud, traveling aimlessly on the wide path that leads to destruction (Matt. 7:13)? Is the cross of Christ, the only way to escape the curse, foolishness to you (1 Cor. 1:18)? If so, Malachi has clearly told you what your future holds, and it’s not a pretty sight. Actually, it’s dreadful, gruesome, and terrifying. Or, are you one of the elect, the chosen, the few, the faithful remnant, the blessed beneficiaries of an incredible inheritance in Christ (Rom. 8:17) that is beyond description (Eph. 3:20-21)?
Which one are you? Which side of the fence are you on? And how will you describe the coming Day of the Lord?
Will it be a time of great blessing, of continuous rejoicing and singing, a time of childlike wonder and awe? Or will you, like so many others, try to run and hide, foolishly thinking you can somehow escape the burning, scorching, all consuming red-hot fire of His judgment? Will you be one of those that cry out to the very mountains and rocks to “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Rev. 6:16-17).
Which side of the fence are you on? And what are you prepared to do about it?
Choose quickly. Because time is short and He’s coming soon (Rev. 22:12). The clock is ticking. Time is running out. Choose today.
Come Lord Jesus.
