Christian Living

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Just like in the old western movie, the showdown is not too far away for all Christians. Especially for the western world believers now sailing on a “cruise liner” of easy living on balmy seas – no persecution, untroubled; but the SS Lukewarm is heading for stormy waters. The coffee-and cake Christianity will soon be no more.

Our high noon will be in the form of God’s test with regard to the “mark of the beast” referred to in Revelation. Remember, this is a Bible forecast from more than a thousand years ago. Consider this in Revelation 13:16-17:

”And 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, 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,”

“Aw come on, it’s light years away,” you say. No. We are rapidly moving toward a cashless society and a one-world government. It may well happen before 2009.The order to take the mark will come from that government. Without the mark no-one will be able to buy or sell. The technology to put that mark on every person is here now. How will it work?

The mark will be a microchip implanted under the skin by a syringe. It does in fact leave a mark. The chip is small as a grain of rice. It is presently being marketed by Applied Digital Solutions (Verichip Corporation) in the US – for “security” purposes, of course. The chip is scanned, then a database reveals name and address. It is but a small step to add bank account details to the information shown. Huge database buildings – to cater for millions - are being erected throughout the world.

The first stage in the hand/forehead process will be the implanting of the chip in a “smartcard” which everyone will use to purchase goods. Currently (2004) it is being trialled in three English cities. The plan is in 2007 every UK driving licence will contain the microchip. Satan never acts quickly, he is always insidious and sly. When people get used to the smartcard, the argument will be a card can be lost or stolen. The logical answer is – put the chip on the person.

You will line up at the supermarket or the local corner shop and your forehead or hand will be scanned as to whether your bank account can sustain the purchase. It will resemble presenting the credit card via eftpos, except it won’t be the card being scanned but you!

However, any Christian worth his or her salt will never get to that stage. Why? The bible tells us of disastrous consequences if we do. Revelation 14:9 says this:

Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “if anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. And he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.”

Awesome.

The test? We will all be faced with a choice. Follow the crowd, take the mark and be doomed eternally, or refuse it and be put in a concentration camp, starve to death or be executed. The refuser may survive for a while living off the land in some remote location, but will be caught eventually. The true followers of Jesus will be revealed by the decision taken. In a sense it will be a sifting of the wheat from the chaff referred to in Luke 3:17.

Some say we will be taken up before the choice has to be made. Maybe, but we must be ready if that doesn’t happen. Tough times are coming! It’s time for us all to get serious about God.

More on this at my website: http://bibleforecast.info

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