Friday, February 27, 2004

German Retailer Halts Radio Chip Practice
AP reports, "German retail giant Metro Group said Friday it will stop putting 'smart tag' chips inside customer loyalty cards, a practice that sparked protests by privacy advocates who say the cards could allow stores to secretly track consumers as they shop." :: Submitted for your Mark of the Beast (Rev 13:16-18) files on ID technology.
Israeli Police Storm Jerusalem Shrine
AP reports, "Israeli police stormed the compound of one of Jerusalem's holiest sites on Friday after hundreds of Palestinian worshippers threw stones at security forces, police said...The compound - known to Jews as the Temple Mount and to Muslims as Haram al-Sharif - is one of the most sensitive spots in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The shrine, site of the biblical Jewish temples, holds the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa mosques." :: Submitted for your files on the Holy Place - Temple Mount (Daniel 9:27, Matthew 24:15 & 2 Thessalonians 2:4).

Thursday, February 26, 2004

Indonesian Leader Consoles Dengue Families
AP reports, "President Megawati Sukarnoputri planned to convey her 'shock and concern' over the country's highest-ever death toll from dengue fever during a televised speech, a spokesman said Thursday. The outbreak had killed 260 people as of Thursday in 22 of Indonesia's 32 provinces and sickened more than 14,625 others since the disease was first detected last month, the health ministry said." :: Submitted for your files on Pestilence (Luke 21:11).
Rebels Preparing to Attack Haiti Capital
AP reports, "Haiti's rebel leader said his fighters were advancing on the capital Thursday and awaited an order to attack unless President Jean-Bertrand Aristide resigns. The United States questioned whether Aristide could 'effectively continue' in office." :: Submitted for your files on Nations in Distress (Luke 21:25).
China Indicts 2 Unofficial Church Leaders
AP/Yahoo News reports, "China has indicted two leaders of the unofficial Protestant church for allegedly obtaining state secrets amid a deepening crackdown on worship outside government controls, an overseas monitoring group said Wednesday." :: Submitted for your files on the Persecution of Believers (Matthew 24:8).

Wednesday, February 25, 2004

Thousands Flock to 'Passion' Showing
AP reports, "The people streaming out of the movie theater looked as if they'd just attended a wake - and many said they felt as if they had. Red eyes and muffled crying were common as Christians and the merely curious flocked to theaters nationwide for the Ash Wednesday opening of Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ." :: Submitted for your Gospel Preached to All (Matthew 24:14) files.
Haitian Rebels Won't Attack Capital Yet
AP reports, "The leader of armed rebels who have overrun half of Haiti said Wednesday he wants to "give a chance to peace" and indicated his troops would hold off attacking the capital to see if President Jean-Bertrand Aristide will resign." :: Submitted for your files on Nations in Distress (Luke 21:25).

Tuesday, February 24, 2004

AP Movie Review: 'Passion' Is Brutal
AP reports, "The frightened speculation from religious leaders and frantic banter from 24-hour cable news pundits can end now: The Passion of the Christ is arriving in theaters - about 2,800 of them - in a shrewd marketing move by Mel Gibson to let everyone see and judge the film for themselves." :: Submitted for your files on the sharing of the Gospel with all nations (Matthew 24:14).
Purported al-Qaida Audiotape Taunts Bush
AP reports, "Two audiotapes purportedly of Osama bin Laden's top lieutenant were broadcast on Arabic TV stations Tuesday, one taunting President Bush and threatening more attacks on the United States..." :: Submitted for your files on Wars and Rumors of War (Matthew 24:6).
Earthquake Kills More Than 560 in Morocco
AP reports, "A powerful earthquake devastated an isolated,picturesque region of northern Morocco on Tuesday, killing more than 560 people as they slept, injuring hundreds more and laying ruin to villages that suffered for decades under government neglect." :: Submitted for your Quake (Matthew 24:7) files.
MEMRI: Iranian Government Daily: The U.S. & 'Zionists' have Bribed the IAEA to Fabricate Lies About Iran's Nuclear Progress
That Iran blames Israel for their public-relations woes speaks volumes about their ultimate aim: to attack Israel. Ezekiel [chh. 38-39] tells us that they will participate in a Russian-led coalition to do just that--the Gog-Magog War. Ezekiel also tells us [ch. 39] that they will fail, and miserably so.

Monday, February 23, 2004

U.N. Warns HIV on Rise in Western Europe
AP reports, "The virus that causes AIDS is spreading again in Western Europe and is rampaging through Eastern Europe and Central Asia, where it infected 250,000 people last year, a United Nations health official said Monday." :: Submitted for your files on Pestilence (Luke 21:11).
Jerry Golden: A Diabolical plan to destroy Israel, and Gaza may be given to Egypt
He asks why Egypt, for example, was not investigated by the International Atomic Energy Agency, as was Libya. He also questions the wisdom of abandoning settlements in the Gaza Strip. One thing that we ought not to miss, however, is that Israel will never be destroyed, but will be a stumblingblock to the nations [Zechariah 12]. Furthermore, even if the Arabs attack Israel militarily, they will fail [Ezekiel 38-9].
Jerry Golden: Islamic Palestinian Terror Strikes Again
In light of the latest suicide bombing in Jerusalem, Jerry Golden reminds us that Islam has declared jihad, or holy war, against all non-Muslims.
If they are successful in Israel and if George Bush and Ariel Sharon has their way they will be, you are next.

More likely, the Western world will see more terror strikes, as it did in the 1980's. When it does, a military leader might arise who will draw millions to follow his lead to crush Islam once and for all. But this leader will then set up the last evil dictatorship, and people will say of him, Who is like unto the Beast? Who can make war against him? [Revelation 13:4]::Submitted also for your Jerusalem as the stumblingblock to the nations [Zechariah 12] files.

Sunday, February 22, 2004

Jerusalem Suicide Bomber Kills Seven
Reuters reports, "A Palestinian suicide bomber killed seven people on a crowded Jerusalem bus Sunday..." :: Submitted for your Battle for Jerusalem (Ezekiel 38:8; Zechariah 12; Luke 21:20) files.

Friday, February 20, 2004

Faithful Get Sneak Peek at 'Passion'
Yahoo News/AP reports, "The release of "The Passion of the Christ" is just days away, but anticipation is so strong that churches from Maine to California have struck deals to see the film in their local theaters ahead of time." :: Submitted for your Gospel Preached to All (Matthew 24:14) files.

Thursday, February 19, 2004

Mel Gibson's 'Passion' Already Big at Box Office
Religion Today reports, "Mel Gibson, the producer and director of The Passion of the Christ -- a graphic depiction of the final 12 hours of Jesus' life -- defended the film this week during an hour-long interview with Diane Sawyer on ABC's Primetime Live. Gibson told Sawyer that he simply tried his best to interpret the Gospels. 'Critics who have a problem with me don't really have a problem with me in this film,' he said. 'They have a problem with the four Gospels.'" :: Submitted for your Gospel Preached to All (Matthew 24:14) files.

Wednesday, February 18, 2004

Haiti Uprising Spreads As PM Seeks Help
AP reports, "Haiti's prime minister warned Tuesday of an impending coup and appealed for international help to contend with a bloody uprising that has claimed 57 lives." :: Submitted for your files on Nations in Distress (Luke 21:25).
Video Reveals Chinese Government Destroying Church
Crosswalk Relgion Today reports, "A shocking video of the destruction of an unregistered Chinese church has been smuggled out of China to a persecution watchdog group. The Tu Du Sha Church in Zhejiang Province was bulldozed to the ground June 26. The church, in Hangzhou City, was founded around 1930 by the group launched in the 19th century by famed missionary Hudson Taylor, China Inland Mission." :: Submitted for your Persecution (Matthew 24:8) files.
Bird Flu Death Toll Reaches 22 in Asia
AP reports, "Two 4-year-old boys became the latest victims of the bird flu virus sweeping Asia, bringing the human death toll to 22 on Wednesday." :: For your Pestilence (Luke 21:11) files.