Carter Conlon believes the end times are imminent—and Christians must pray now more than ever for the next generation.

Conlon is the senior pastor of Times Square Church in New York City, a position he inherited from David Wilkerson in 1994. Wilkerson is well-known in Pentecostal circles for writing The Cross and the Switchblade and founding the ministry Teen Challenge. He founded Times Square Church in 1987 after seeing Times Square populated by prostitutes, drug addicts and X-rated movie houses. Today, the church is a thriving megachurch in the middle of Broadway, serving around 10,000 attendees locally and another 810 home fellowships across the country digitally.

Conlon says all this growth is purely God’s doing, since the church doesn’t even have a promotions department. He also believes the best is yet to come. He bases that on a prophetic word Wilkerson gave him.

“David Wilkerson told me before he died that Times Square Church was going to be a lighthouse in a very, very dark time,” Conlon says.

Conlon believes that destiny is tied to the church’s location in the heart of New York. Travel + Leisure lists Times Square as the third-most visited tourist attraction in the world—drawing 50 million visitors each year—and New York is the most populated city in the U.S. Conlon says whatever happens in New York City tends to touch the rest of the world—and what’s happening in the world is often crystallized in New York City.

“We call it the prophet of Baal,” Conlon says, pronouncing the Canaanite false god as “bale.” “But the way it’s actually pronounced is ‘ball.’ That’s very interesting.”

He pauses, clarifies—”It’s just a word picture I’m presenting you”—then continues: “In Times Square, everybody gathers every year, hoping for a better future, and they wait for Baal to drop every New Year’s Eve. Then everybody claps and shouts, and then they go home angry because they are not seeing it. I have seen the anger once Baal has come down and nothing has changed. And only hundreds of feet away from where Baal comes down is the presence of God.”

Conlon says every year metaphorically presents a “Mount Carmel situation” all over again, with Baal and God held in contrast. He calls it “ironic”—disappointed people turn to fear and anger when the true hope they seek is right there.

“There’s a collective cry,” Conlon says. “If we assume there are 8 million people in New York City, I’d venture to guess probably up to half of those people are crying when they go to bed at night.”

It goes beyond New York City. Conlon sees a generation in emotional and spiritual pain. He’s heard a single mother say she doesn’t know how she’ll feed her children tomorrow. He’s heard an 11-year old boy say he’s bullied daily and doesn’t want to live anymore. He’s heard of grandparents from Bible Belt cities found dead in their cars, overdosed on opiates to numb the pain of living. And he knows he isn’t the only one who hears them.

“The Lord said to Moses, ‘I have heard the cry of my people and I’ve come down to deliver [them],'” Conlon says. “Now Moses didn’t hear it, but God heard it, and He let Moses know that He had heard it. When we go back to prayer, I think we’re going to become aware that there is a cry now.”

Conlon says so many people crave help and hope.

“Whole cities in America have been declared zones of emergency because of opiate addiction,” Conlon says. “We’ve got all kinds of celebrities now wanting to commit suicide, losing reason to live. The hopelessness of this moment in our society is obvious.”

But Conlon also sees hope. In Luke 4:18, Jesus opens the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and reads, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.”

Later, in John 20:21b, Jesus says, “As My Father has sent Me, even so I send you.”

Conlon believes the American church has fallen short of that calling.

“If the Spirit of God was on Jesus for that reason, then the Spirit of God is on us for the same reason,” Conlon says. “When we turn inward and make the whole thing about ourselves, we fall into a terrible error and powerlessness that leaves the nation almost spiritually bankrupt—which is where we are today. Thank God there are pockets and places where the truth is still sought and preached, but by and large, if we were doing what we were called to do, this nation would not be in the mess it’s in today.”

But the situation is not hopeless. Conlon has gone through a personal transformation from being self-focused to others-focused, thanks to the power of prayer. Through it, God has transformed his church, his community and his city. And if what starts in New York spreads to the rest of the country, revival is yet possible.

“You see that all throughout history, one voice,” Conlon says. “Somebody came to the throne of God. Somebody started talking to God about the situation, and the Lord did a miracle. That’s what I’m believing for in America. I am honestly believing for a maybe-final spiritual awakening for this nation.”

Power of Prayer

Conlon starts his days with prayer. He has a standing teleconference call at 6 a.m. with seven strong Christian men. For one hour, they pray the Word of God and petition His throne room for solutions to problems ailing society. After that, Conlon transitions to a personal devotional time, which he devotes to reading and praying through the promises of God.

It wasn’t always like that, though. Conlon says he used to be an immature and self-centered person, and God used prayer to refine his character and draw him closer to Himself.

“When I came to the Lord at 24, I was really not a caring person,” Conlon says. “I really didn’t care about anybody. I didn’t much care even about myself at a certain point. Yet I began to read in the Word of God about the love that we’re to have one for another, the love that God has for us, and I simply just turned to the Lord and said, ‘God, I’m reading about something I’m not experiencing. You’re going to have to do it in my life.’ Little by little, line by line, moment by moment, what was simply a desire became a reality.”

He views prayer as “an intimate conversation,” one in which he invites the Holy Spirit to make what he reads in Scripture a part of his everyday life.

“When your heart is sincere, it always opens the doorway to do something you could never do in your own strength,” Conlon says. “You could never even hope to achieve it. You could never hope to accomplish it. It’s something God chooses to do when you and I choose to pray.”

Conlon says that, like Esther entering the king’s throne room to plead for her people, believers have authority in prayer to fight for their nation.

“We’re fighting now for the very future of a nation,” he says. “We can stand at the throne of God and ask Him to act in the context of His character. He’s proven His responses throughout history. He’s shown that when we come to the throne of God to pray, He will answer us.”

Self-Focused Prayers

Sadly, many believers never witness the true power of prayer because they don’t understand it. Conlon says they have great intentions and a desire to become more like Christ, but they don’t grasp why God gave us prayer. That misunderstanding has left the church impotent and put the nation in jeopardy.

“I don’t think you need to be prophetic to see the danger that we’re in as a nation today,” Conlon says. “I think through casualness, self-focus and carelessness—just like previous generations—we’ve let the truth and the power of God slip through our fingers one more time.”

This misunderstanding is particularly pronounced in the U.S., Conlon says, because some have confused American values with Christian values.

“The focus in the house of the Lord turned inward,” Conlon says. “In the American Constitution, there’s this inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Unfortunately, we allowed that same pursuit to come into the theological focus of the house of God. Most of what was preached in the last three decades was about my life, my liberty and the pursuit of my happiness. When self-focus becomes the norm in the Christian church, it takes away the power of God from our lives, because the true power of God, of course, is found in living for the benefit of others. That’s what the cross was all about.”

The church swallowed this self-centered lie and let its guard down for decades. Now the country is reaping the consequences.

“When the church turned inward, we became weak,” Conlon says. “When we became weak, the forces of darkness started to advance. I feel almost like Belshazzar. Remember, they had the holy things of God, and they were drinking from them at this great banquet and feast. While they were doing that, their enemies surrounded the city. We’re in a situation like that now.”

Conlon says he does still see some churches in America fulfilling Christ’s commission. And he especially sees the church thriving internationally.

“You couldn’t take 90 percent of the sermons that are preached in this country and preach them in China today,” he says. “They don’t fly because the people are suffering there. Their church knows what its purpose is: They’re to stand for truth and light in the midst of a darkened time.”

Conlon believes it’s time for the American church to rediscover its identity and its power. It’s an idea so important to him that it’s the title of his new book: It’s Time to Pray.

“Instead of being on a battleship, we found ourselves on a Caribbean cruise,” he says. “We forgot that we’re called to fight for this generation. When Nehemiah was sent back to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem, he approached the people and he said, ‘Fight for your sons. Fight for your daughters. Fight for your families.’ In other words, we’ve got to get back to a focus that’s bigger than ourselves. We can’t just live the Christian life for ease, for personal happiness.”

But that means a radical reorientation to the way many think about prayer and God’s power. First, Conlon says, God gives His followers power for a purpose. Those who seek the power or Spirit of God just to have an amazing experience or “feel God” in their lives are just seeking a “sensory delusion.”

“The pursuit of power without purpose equals delusion,” Conlon says. “It’s like a man who goes to the gas station, but he’s pouring the gas in the back window of the car or in his trunk. You’re pouring the gas in every place other than where it’s supposed to go because the tank is already full. The purpose of that vehicle is to take you to a destination, but you’re not willing to go to that destination, so you keep putting gas in the wrong places until it becomes an absurdity.”

What’s more, Conlon says those sensory delusions will only become increasingly strange and absurd, because what they’re chasing isn’t God—it’s an experience more powerful than last time. There’s no purpose undergirding it. And that’s not what the Holy Spirit was meant for.

“In some churches, we have relegated the Holy Spirit to an absurdity,” Conlon says. “There’s no other way to describe it, because we’re seeking power without purpose. If we were all being put in jail tomorrow, it would change everything. All of the stupidity that goes on in God’s name would be over in a day, because the rubber would now meet the road. I need the power of God for a divine purpose now. I’m no longer just seeking God so I can have some absurd manifestation come on my life. I need the power of God to literally survive and to stand for Christ.”

Other-Focused Prayers

To unlock the true power of prayer, pray for others. Conlon believes authentic prayer should be focused on others and not ourselves. That’s why, at his church’s weekly prayer meetings, he tells everyone gathered, “Listen, we’re not here to pray for ourselves. We are here to pray for others.”

He’s never experienced a shortage of others who need prayer. At the Times Square prayer meetings—which stream worldwide to 197 countries—prayer requests come in from around the world, even from Muslim nations like Syria, Iraq and Jordan. Prisoners locked in solitary confinement send prayer requests for hope. Children as young as 8 ask for prayer to fight suicidal thoughts.

“There’s a biblical principle in the measure you give out, it will be given back to you again,” he says. “As we pray that others will be set free, we will be free. As we pray for others’ families to be healed, God will bring healing into our families. So the focus is not on ourselves. The focus is on others.”

When prayer is directed outward, Conlon has seen God do incredible things. Several years ago, he visited Jos, Nigeria, the site of a civil war between Muslims and Christians. Conlon intended to hold a public gathering with both sides—the first public gathering in weeks—to tell them about the gospel. He was quickly informed that this was a “suicide mission.” The last time there had been a public gathering, 6,000 people were killed.

Conlon replied, “Is the Christian life just about how long we live, or is it about obeying God and doing what He asks us to do? If it is the end of my journey in Nigeria, and it is the will of God, isn’t that the better place to be than staying here and keeping myself safe and accomplishing nothing for the kingdom of God?”

He prayed. He believed God with all of his heart. And he went to Jos.

The first night, roughly 500,000 people came to hear the gospel. At least 100,000 came to Christ. The civil war raging in that region came to an end.

“God answers prayer in a powerful, phenomenal way, when the motives are right and when we’re moving in the right direction,” Conlon says.

Window of Mercy

The power of prayer can change the world. It’s not just a biblical fact for Conlon; he’s seen it with his own eyes. He is believing and interceding for a final spiritual awakening for his own country—but he can’t do it alone.

“An awakening is going to have to start in the house of God,” Conlon says. “It’s not going to start in the streets. It’s going to start among the people of God, where people have the courage to say, ‘Lord, would you forgive me for living my life for myself?'”

But it’s a race against the clock. Conlon believes the time may be running out for believers to reach the world.

“I think we’re watching this world fold up,” Conlon says. “I’m personally convinced we’re seeing the final launch of a worldwide rebellion against the lordship of Jesus Christ. I believe we’re entering the days Paul spoke about, the days of lawlessness in 2 Timothy 3.”

Conlon believes that the church lives in a closing window—and that makes the most important prayer of all a plea for more time to reach more people. It’s a plea for mercy on a fallen world.

“At this point, I’m asking God for the sake of people who can still hear His voice and still hear about His cross and salvation, ‘O God, have mercy,'” Conlon says. “‘Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on this generation. … You had mercy on me, Lord; have mercy on these people.'”

He’s praying for a corporate return to the throne room of God. He’s praying that the entire church rallies together to raise a “clarion call” for a lost society, that every man, woman and child would know they can have eternal life through Christ who loves them so much He died for them.

But he fears what may happen if the church misses its Christ-commissioned calling one more time.

“If we don’t take this window, there’s a darkness on the other side of this moment of mercy,” Conlon says. “If we don’t pray now, we will definitely wish we had prayed 10 years from now.”

Taylor Berglund is the associate editor of Charisma magazine and host of several podcasts on the Charisma Podcast Network.

CHARISMA is the only magazine dedicated to reporting on what the Holy Spirit is doing in the lives of believers around the world. If you are thirsty for more of God’s presence and His Holy Spirit, subscribe to CHARISMA and join a family of believers that choose to live life in the Spirit. CLICK HERE for a special offer.

Unbroken: Path to Redemption is the faith-focused sequel to 2014’s Unbroken, which was directed by Angelina Jolie and nominated for three Academy Awards. The new movie tells the story of Louis Zamperini’s journey of coming to faith in Jesus in America. Zamperini’s story eventually leads him to a fateful Billy Graham meeting. Watch Movieguide’s review here.

One day I was complaining to God about the huge platform minister so-and-so has. I lamented, “If I had a platform as big as hers, I could reach more people for You and call the church back to the place of prayer.” I didn’t expect God to answer my tale of woe, but He did.

“Who gave her that platform?” He cut right to the chase.

“Well, you did, Lord,” I humbly replied. God has a way of encouraging and correcting all at the same time.

“Can I give you a platform?” He poignantly asked.

“Yes, Lord, of course. You can do anything.” What seemed like a mountain was turning into a miracle. Hope was welling up inside of me.

Then God ended His part of our discourse with two, powerful words: “Ask Me.”

I paused for a moment to catch my breath. If God told me to ask, I was going to ask big. Small requests are an insult to our mighty God: “God, I ask You for a platform as wide as the world!”

End of conversation and done deal as far as I am concerned.

Since that day, God has given me glimpses of the platform He has in store for me. He is also teaching me how precious a God-given platform is and how to steward it well.

10 Things You Need to Know About Platforms

1. A platform is what you stand on, where you stand and the stand you have taken.

A platform is comprised of the vision, mission and ministry God has given you. It the vehicle from which the message God has given you gets out.

2. Don’t try and build the platform yourself.

God is the giver of platforms. Unless God builds the platform the laborers labor in vain. Let Him build it in His perfect timing. Idolatry is to look to man for that which only God can provide. We can manufacture a platform with the arm of the flesh, but it will produce fleshly results. Only God can give you a platform that will result in eternal, lasting fruit.

3. Be faithful with the platforms that are right in front of you.

Look around. God has already given you platforms in your family, church, neighborhood, workplace, social media and so on. If you are faithful with the little platforms, God will give you bigger one. Don’t wait until you have a worldwide platform to do what God has called you to do; start right now where you are.

4. Make sure your motives are pure when asking God for a platform.

We have all seen examples of people (singers, actors, athletes, even some pastors) who ask God for a platform, but use it for worldly purposes once they receive it. When God gives you a platform, take care to use it for His glory. A great example of someone who has been faithful with her platform is my friend, Cheryl (Prewitt) Salem, Miss America 1980. Cheryl lifted high the name of Jesus during her entire one-year reign as Miss America. Today, 36 years later as a former Miss America, she is still using her platform to glorify God, and as a result, many souls have been won to the kingdom. Unfortunately, this kind of platform stewardship can be rare. We will all be held accountable for the platforms God has given us.

5. Beware of standing on someone else’s platform.

If you are invited to stand on another platform (by a person, ministry, organization, movement or political party) investigate that platform’s building materials and the ground upon which it stands. Make certain the platform isn’t constructed with compromising principles but on sure biblical precepts. Don’t stand on a flimsy platform built on shifting sand. Rock is solid; sand isn’t.

6. Godly character is needed to sustain a godly platform.

Many Christians have fallen off their platforms because they lacked the character of Christ. Men and women mightily anointed of God have trampled on their God-given platforms due to compromised living. Allow God to mold and shape you into the image of His Son before He gives you a platform. Preparation is never lost time, but sorely needed for platform integrity and longevity.

7. Platforms look glamorous, but are anything but.

Nothing in the entire world compares to standing on your God-given platform. There is joy unspeakable when you living God’s dream for your life. But there is also hurt, persecution, disappointments and fiery trials, and at times you will feel drained, diminished and like quitting. Learn the much-needed skill of encouraging yourself in the Lord. If not, disillusionment can set in and sabotage your platform. Platforms are not glamorous, but Jesus is worth anything we must endure there.

8. God will use people to help construct your platform.

You will stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before you, and God will give you a pastor, teachers and mentors to speak into your life. Some He will use to construct things that need building in your life; others He will use to deconstruct that which is not of Him. God will also give you much- needed favor, resources and grace. Like Noah, trust and obey God through the building process.

9. The enemy will try and destroy your platform.

God uses people, but so does the devil. The enemy will send wolves in sheep’s clothing, false prophets, offended people, hurting people—anyone who allow themselves to be used for evil purposes. It takes prayer and spiritual warfare to protect a platform. Ask God to assign anointed intercessors and watchmen to pray for you and your platform. Intercessors are like the immune system of the body of Christ; they protect it from foreign invaders and keep it healthy and strong. Watchmen can stop the attack of the enemy, through prayer, before it even arrives.

10. Platforms are yours for the asking.

God has called each of us to be a voice in the wilderness to prepare the way for the Second Coming of the Lord, and He yearns to give you a platform on which to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am convinced that in these last days, believers will not lack platforms but the courage to climb its narrow stairs, the perseverance to continue in difficult times and purity of heart to take a stand for righteousness!,

Jamie Morgan is senior pastor of Life Church (Assemblies of God) in Williamstown, New Jersey. She graduated with her Master of Arts in Practical Theology from ORU and is pursuing her . at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary. She is the author of A Journey to Ministry: Discover Your Calling, Purpose and Destiny. Her website is .

A Karachi-based Christian woman, only 18, was thrown from the second-floor building of her own home for refusing to “marry” a local Muslim man who was running a trafficking ring.

Tahir Abbas, 22, resides in the same Pakistani city as Beenish Paul and became infatuated with the 10th-grade student when he saw her going to school one day.

He began stalking her and regularly pursued her. However, she understood this attention more innocently, and because of his persistence, she eventually accepted him as a friend because she had the impression that he sincerely liked her.

Feigning love, Abbas proposed to Paul and then attempted to blackmail her into marriage after she noticed some suspicious behavior. At this rejection, Abbas became angry and insisted they get married.

Paul continued to reject his proposition, and Abbas pushed the teenager from the second floor to the ground.

She was immediately taken to the local hospital, where doctors informed her that her backbone and leg bones were displaced and broken.

Abbas then bribed the hospital administration members to hide her medical report.

Police harassed Paul’s parents when they attempted to hold the criminal accountable. However, the family obtained a First Information Report, and police arrested Abbas.

Abbas filed a counter-allegation against Paul’s family, claiming they attempted to kill him at their house and that he killed Paul while escaping.

The case has drawn the attention of the community at large.

A statement by Muslim social activist Jibran Nisar identified Abbas as the ring leader of a trafficking grooming gang that lures young women with promises of marriage in order to trap them with criminal intent in mind.

In his statement to the press, Nisar said the gang is connected to a political party that wields a lot of power over people in the area.

Nisar’s statement also confirms the couple was in a relationship, but Abbas pushed Paul off the balcony when she attempted to confront him with the truth about his involvement in the gang.

Paul’s life hangs in the balance while her family still faces enormous pressure.

This incident has raised more questions about the story of Pakistani Christians and the country’s justice system, that has failed to avenge to the peaceful minority community in Pakistan.

“We believe that this mindset is the reason why Tahir Abbas was unafraid of harming Beenish Paul and these men dominating and supporting unjust thinking needs to be stopped,” Nasir says. “We are proud of Beenish Paul’s father, who didn’t stay quiet but raised his voice against the injustice that was committed against Beenish Paul to get justice for his daughter.”

Nasir is not the only one speaking out on Paul’s behalf.

Wilson Chowdhry, chairman of the British Pakistani Christian Association, says, “A grave injustice has been done against young Beenish. She has been groomed by Tahir, a member of a human trafficking gang made up from influential Muslims. Now, beyond simply being lured into a confusing and predatory relationship by this young Muslim man with notable ill-intent, through her folly, she has been implicated in a major fraud and almost certainly permanently disabled. With her mobility gone and now suffering extreme pain as she recovers from the physical and emotional pain from the wounds inflicted upon her by a sexual predator and misanthrope, she will struggle to maintain her fortitude and sanity during what will no doubt be a difficult court process.

“The very fact that innocent victims like Beenish have to undergo stressful court proceedings with little hope of justice is evidence enough for me that Pakistan is not ready to be received as a democratic nation with any real belief. If anything, the prolonged persecution of minorities should be met with the stiffest sanctions from more equal nations in the West. However, as always, real politick based on trade and the need for dialogue continues to ruin any positive effects of diplomatic relations with Pakistan,” he concluded.

On Oct. 2 and 4, Fathom Events will feature The Trump Prophecy.

“It’s really a vote for America, a vote for, as Mary [Colbert] was really compelled to call for prayer, at such a time as this,” Rick Eldridge says.

Eldridge is the CEO-producer of ReelWork films. He recently sat down with Colbert and the Bakkers on The Jim Bakker Show to discuss the importance of the film that tells the story of firefighter Mark Taylor’s prophetic dream of Donald Trump becoming the president of the nation.

Eldridge says he believes the timing of the film is significant.

“Right before our midterms, [we need] to really come together and pray for our nation,” Eldridge says.

“We need to pray for that, that God would be healing our land,” he continues.

Watch the video to see more.

Last week, the nation remembered the anniversary of the terrorist attack of Sept. 11, 2001.

We have been praying through the 40-day Jewish season of repentance, Teshuvah, which ends on Yom Kipper. As we complete the prayer journey, we want to share a prophecy given in 1998 which warned us of the 9/11 catastrophe and launched the Teshuvah Prayer Initiative.

In the summer of 1998 a well-known prophet, Chuck Pierce, warned the church to cleanse itself during a 40-day period corresponding to the Hebrew repentance season of Teshuvah, which ran from Aug. 22, 1998, to Sept. 30, 1998. He warned the church of the coming rise of the Islamic spirit and the spirit of lawlessness in the U.S. He also warned that, if the church did not repent and find God’s plan, it would be unable to stop the disaster which would come at the end three years.

On Sept. 11, 1998 the special prosecutor appointed to review to the scandals of President Bill Clinton announced that the president had committed perjury about an affair with an intern and committed other abuses of power. Instead of removing the president, as the Republicans had done when Nixon was caught lying, the Democrats lined up behind him. By doing so, they endorsed his lawlessness and released the spirit of lawlessness on the country. And the church, divided by politics, made no effective response.

Exactly three years after the announcement by the special prosecutor, just as the prophet had said, a catastrophe hit the United States. The Islamic spirit warned of in the prophecy rose up and killed 3,000 Americans on Sept. 11, 2001. Few understood the judgment that had fallen on America. Many politicians made a show of defiance by quoting from a Scripture, Isaiah 9:10, about rebuilding bigger and better. What they failed to understand in their ignorance was that the Isaiah 9:10 Scripture was a condemnation of their attitude of defiance against God.

Last year, the prophecy came to our attention as we prepared to pray for repentance, unity and healing the land during the 2017 Teshuvah season. For more information, get a free download of our book Teshuvah Eclipses. This year, we have again prayed through the Teshuvah season, which ends with the Hebrew Day of Atonement on Sept. 19.

We believe that God has begun to deal with the spirit of Islamistism in answer to our prayers. The so-called caliphate of the ISIS terrorist groups in Syria and Iraq has collapsed, and the worldwide terrorism wave is receding. The U.S. has also scotched the terrible Iranian nuclear deal and has brought the terrorists in Tehran under tremendous pressure. Much remains to be done, but much progress has been made against the Islamist scourge.

Here in the U.S. we are seeing the exposure of the lawlessness loosed by the Clintons and fostered under President Obama. Senior officials of the Justice Department and FBI have been caught colluding with the Clinton presidential campaign to excuse Clinton’s wrongdoing while working to undermine the Trump presidential campaign and his presidency. Many Obama-era regulations, promulgated illegally, have been rolled back. And the appointment of a second originalist Supreme Court justice promises to bring back the rule of law into our judicial system.

We thank God that in His mercy, He has brought relief from the threats of Islamistism and lawlessness which the church failed to deal with 20 years ago.

Let us pray that the church will continue the Teshuvah prayers of repentance, unity and healing of our land and will seek God for His plans for our generation. {eoa}

Ron Allen is a Christian businessman, CPA and author who serves in local, national and international ministries, spreading a message of reconciliation to God, to men and between believers. He is founder of the International Star Bible Society, telling how the heavens declare the glory of God; the Emancipation Network, which helps people escape from financial bondage; and co-founder with his wife, Pat, of Corporate Prayer Resources, dedicated to helping intercessors.

Country music star Carrie Underwood recently opened up about how her faith has seen her through some of the darkest times of her life.

Despite selling more than 60 million records worldwide and being honored with seven Grammy awards, these past couple of years have been a real test for Underwood and her husband, former NHL star Mike Fisher. A series of miscarriages and dangerous accident caused her to re-examine her relationship with God and find hope when she felt all had been lost.

“2017 just wasn’t how I imagined it,” Underwood told CBS This Morning. “I’d kind of planned that 2017 was, you know, going to be the year that I work on new music, and I have a baby. We got pregnant early 2017, and didn’t work out.” {eoa}

Click here to read the rest of this story from our content partners at Faithwire.

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Many Christians in the Western world don’t even realize that the persecution of the end times has already started.

All over the world, Christians are being attacked, Bibles are being burned and churches are being shut down. This persecution has been escalating for quite some time, but what prompted me to write this article today was the dramatic change that we have witnessed in China this year. Up to this point, the Chinese government has largely tolerated the booming house church movement, but now that era of toleration is officially over.

New religious regulations that went into effect in February are being brutally enforced, and this is causing some to point out the frightening parallels between Communist China and Nazi Germany.

According to Fox News, during this new crackdown Chinese government officials have been “destroying crosses, burning Bibles, closing churches and forcing Christian believers to sign papers renouncing their faith”…

The Chinese government is destroying crosses, burning Bibles, closing churches and forcing Christian believers to sign papers renouncing their faith as the crackdown on religious congregations in Beijing and several provinces intensifies.

The suppression of religious freedoms is part of an official campaign to “Sinicize” religion by demanding loyalty to the atheist Communist party and removing any potential challenge to the party’s power in the country.

Doesn’t that sound quite similar to Nazi Germany and other tyrannical regimes?

If Christians refuse to sign these papers, they could lose their jobs or be cut off from all government benefits.

So let us pray for strength for our brothers and sisters in China, because many of them will be confronted with some very hard choices.

According to the Express, authorities have also “raided Christian homes to remove religious symbols, arrested church members and seized churches”. In Henan province alone, more than 7,000 crosses have been destroyed, but other than Fox News most of the mainstream media outlets in the United States have been completely silent about this very important story.

You can see some footage of Bibles being burned in China on Twitter right here. This is evil on a level that is hard to describe, and it seems to be getting worse with each passing month.

Earlier this month, one pastor was heartbroken after authorities burned crosses, Bibles and furniture after a raid on his church…

A Christian pastor in the Henan city of Nanyang, whose name was not identified out of fear of retaliation by the authorities, reportedly confirmed that crosses, Bibles and furniture were burned during a raid on his church on Sept. 5.

He added that local authorities were in discussions with the church about reforming it, but no agreement had been reached.

According to Chinese laws, religious believers are allowed to worship only in government-sanctioned congregations. But many millions of Christians belong to underground or house churches that ignore government regulations.

So exactly what kind of “reform” did the authorities have in mind?

Basically, China wants churches to look like something out of a George Orwell novel. The following comes from CBN…

Chinese Christians report authorities have urged church leaders to remove pictures of Jesus from their sanctuaries and replace them with patriotic posters or posters of President Xi instead. They’ve suggested hymns be replaced with patriotic songs about the “wonderfulness of the Chinese Communist Party.”

Nettleton also said Chinese authorities are using advanced artificial intelligence software to monitor church attendees.

“One pastor in Beijing not long ago was told by the government, “Pastor, we don’t mind if you continue holding your services, we just want to put this camera on your platform looking out at the audience and it’s attached to facial recognition software so that we can tell who comes to church on Sunday and who’s there and what they are doing and how involved they are,'” he said.

Could you imagine going to a church like that?

I couldn’t.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is it.

This is the persecution of the last days, and it is only going to get worse.

In addition to everything else, the Chinese government is banning just about all expressions of faith on the Internet:

In addition to these attacks, the Chinese government is implementing tight restrictions on online content related to religion. Images and descriptions of religious activities will be largely prohibited, with exceptions for organizations that have obtained licenses from the government—and even then, what kinds of religious content they may share is restricted. As the Telegraph reports, “Individuals would be forbidden from posting photos, videos and even text related to religious activities, or sharing links related to preaching.”

This will happen here in the United States too eventually if we don’t fight it.

And of course it isn’t just in China that we are seeing a rise in persecution.

Just a couple weeks ago, Islamic radicals viciously attacked home churches in Egypt:

Homes of Copts in the Minya region were attacked by hundreds of furious locals, leaving two Christians with knife wounds in the head and face, World Watch Monitor reports.

Four homes were ransacked, looted and partially set on fire by a Muslim mob during the three-hour-long attack, which was reportedly in protest of one of the properties being used as a home church.

A local source for Christian persecution watchdog World Watch Monitor said the small Coptic community had been warned about the attack on Aug. 31, a few days before it took place.

And earlier this year in Ethiopia, a total of 69 churches were torched by radical Islamists:

On March 2, Muslims went on a rampage in an Islamic area of Ethiopia, beginning with an assault on churches in Asendabo. ICC and others alerted the world and called on the Ethiopian government to intervene. Unfortunately, the local government did not intervene and the attacks continued for a week. When the smoke cleared, the damage was evident. The Muslims had burned down the homes of 30 Christian leaders, they had killed one Christian, wounded several others, and torched 69 churches, a Bible school and a Christian orphanage. One of the many wounded in these attacks was the grandson of a church elder who put himself in between the Muslim militants and his grandfather when they arrived to kill the elderly man. The Islamists attacked the young man with machetes—seriously wounding his head and hand and leaving him for dead. His family was forced to make a three-hour journey on foot to bring him to a hospital in a nearby city.

Hatred for Christians and the Christian faith is rapidly rising all over the planet, and this was something that I warned about in my book about Bible prophecy. We should do all that we can to put pressure on governments to stop persecuting Christians, but if we really are in the end times, ultimately the persecution is just going to continue to escalate.

The good news is that persecution always brings out the best in the people of God, and I believe that the greatest chapters of the church are still ahead.

So let us pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters all over the world, and let us also prepare ourselves for the immense persecution that is on the horizon for all of us. {eoa}

Editor’s note: The following column has been adapted from a presentation by David Lane at the San Diego Pastors and Pews event on September 13, 2018.

In his Gleanings from Genesis, Arthur W. Pink said: “It would indeed be strange if we apprehended how that on the one hand Canaan was a free gift unto Israel, which they entered by grace alone; and on the other, that they had to fight for every inch of it!”

Although the American founders walked by faith, “they did not retreat from involvement in society and politics. They did not turn civil government, the making, enforcement and adjudication of laws, over to Satan and those who serve him. They did not surrender the ministry of civil government to those who are in rebellion against God.” These are the words of Archie P. Jones in the new Foreword to Benjamin F. Morris’ monumental work, The Christian Life and Character of the Civil Institutions of the United States, published in 1864.

Thirty-five years ago, I was one of the wildest men imaginable: drugs, wine, women and song. I deserved judgment, I got mercy.

“An excellent wife is the crown of her husband,” it says in Proverbs 12:4 (NASB). It couldn’t have been better said of my wife, Cindy. The word “excellent” in Hebrew stands for “virtuous and noble.” The godliest adornment on a man is his godly wife. It isn’t her physical beauty, although Cindy is beautiful; it is her steadfast, rock-steady character.

Anyone who thinks that what’s happening in America has anything to do with Republican vs. Democrat is very confused. It is a spiritual war. Two distinct religions, Christianity and secularism, are vying for control over the public square in America. The immutable former and the ever-changing latter cannot coexist. One will ultimately go down as a consequence of the elevation of the other.

It would be naive to believe that a once-a-year “election sermon” will affect the culture to any larger degree than an evangelistic crusade without follow-up would affect the community. Evangelical pastors and pews will have to take our civic game to the next level if America is to survive.

If America is going to be resurrected, spiritually, it will have to be done by other means than any of those now employed. A Sunday sermon is not a denomination of political currency; mustering and marshaling parishioners to the public square is. The largest denominations of political currency are, first, how many votes can you bring to the table, and second, how much money can you bring that brings votes to the table?

I am an elder at Calvary Chapel Thousand Oaks. If you know anything about Calvary Chapels, you’ll know that the main thing is teaching the Word. The main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing. That said, no one I know believes that the kingdom of God will arrive on Air Force One, to paraphrase Chuck Colson.

Evangelicals have been playing checkers over the last 75 years when the game is chess. For both games, the same board is used, but it is played with completely different pieces and strategies. The difference between the two approaches is the difference between, say, “lightning bolt” and “lightning bug.” Press conferences, press releases and getting a shout-out on Fox News are not denominations of political currency. And if they would be, they’re like a nickel on a dollar.

Let’s put it in perspective. There are an estimated 65 to 80 million evangelicals in America. Half of those are not registered to vote; and 50 percent of that half don’t vote during a presidential election year, while again 50 percent of that 50 percent won’t vote during an off-year election as it will be this year in 2018. Only 12 to 15 percent of California evangelicals will vote in 2018, unless we do something about it.

To put this in yet another light, there are an estimated 10 million union members in America. Two or three times a year their members’ households receive a call, asking whether anyone turned 18. That’s how unions keep enlarging their base. Yet, the 65 to 80 million evangelicals would still dwarf their numbers.

Let’s take an even closer look. Did you know that there are more evangelicals in California than in any other state of the Union, with the exception of Texas? California counts 7 million evangelicals. If 30 percent or 40 percent of them would move on Election Day in 2018, it’d be all over for the left. Biblical conservatives would be elected left, right and center.

Spiritual men and women must come to the fore if America is to survive. America needs Gideons and Rahabs to rise and stand. This leads us to Issachar training, to the men and women of Issachar. Since 2015, some 3,000 pastors have participated in Issachar training. In 2016, two hundred pastors ran for local office, including city council, school board, parks and recreation and so forth. This year, three hundred or so are running for office across the nation.

With Gideons and Rahabs now running for local office and entering the public square, there will be, 20 to 30 years from now, a spiritual resurrection in America. I’m absolutely sure of it. {eoa}

David Lane founded the America Renewal Project in 2005. Twenty thousand pastors, plus spouses, have participated in the Pastors and Pews events across the nation—free of charge. Follow on Twitter @AmRenewalProj

Listening to Barack Obama’s message as he hits the campaign trail railing against President Donald Trump, Republicans and conservatism, millions of value voters in America wish the former president would likewise decline to go public with his message.

I prayed daily for over eight years for President Obama and encouraged multitudes to do the same, but we can’t remain silent with his current conduct. And be aware that his wife, Michelle, is teaming up with liberal Democrat Tom Hanks and other celebrities doing the same in multiple cities advancing the “progressive” agenda as the critical midterm elections approach.

Disregarding Presidential Protocol

Since America’s founding, presidents have been sensitive not to directly criticize their successor. There is a clear-cut code of presidents (standard operating procedure) to not bash other presidents once they leave office. To his credit, former President George W. Bush was exemplary in honoring this protocol, as have been all the other living ex-presidents, George H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.

Because Obama threw this sacred tradition overboard in his campaigning, Vice President Mike Pence gently but forthrightly criticized the former commander-in-chief for delivering scathing criticism of President Trump and his administration.

“It was very disappointing to see President Obama break with the tradition of former presidents and become so political and roll out the same tired arguments that he and liberals have made over the last eight years,” Pence said.

As to be expected, Trump-hating USA Today (9/12/18) likened his coming out speech to the euphoria of Beatlemania.

Fox News commentator Judge Jeanine exclaimed, “It has never happened in the history of this country, an ex-president viciously attacking his successor, trashing our commander-in-chief, his party and all those Americans who put him in the Oval Office.”

And former New Hampshire Governor John Sununu was even more blunt, “What is the (expletive) fool doing coming out of retirement to break the tradition of not attacking sitting presidents?”

Millions of patriotic and principled Americans believe in rules of dignity, propriety, decorum and statesmanship.

Obama, raised on the Rules for Radicals of Saul Alinsky (playbook dedicated to Lucifer), disregards these principles, along with following Alinsky’s tactic of deception to achieve one’s objective. Like it or not, we are engaged in a deepening cultural war for the soul of our nation with the former president, the Left, a radicalized Democratic Party, #NeverTrumpers and an overwhelmingly corrupt press. These are the brutal realities of our day.

For those who say, “What about President Trump and his in-your-face, antagonistic Tweets?”

I remind them that during wartime, a leader’s conduct can sometimes be undignified and rash as patriots make allowances not normally deemed acceptable in peaceful times. Scores prayed for a miracle to save us from rabid pro-abortionist and Democratic socialist Hillary Clinton. Multitudes believe God gave us a “wrecking ball,” “drain the swamp,” “take no prisoners” president for this urgent time of social upheaval and ever-intensifying cultural war.

Remember Abraham Lincoln’s handling of the heavy drinking General Ulysses Grant (“I cannot spare this man. He fights!”)? Or how about FDR excusing the “shoot from the hip” vulgar talk of General George Patton as his battlefield tactics were obliterating Rommel’s tanks in World War II?

Obama’s Accusations and Track Record

With the critical midterm election just two months away, Obama went on the campaign trail, blaming Trump and the GOP for dividing the nation while declaring his tenure brought unity and prosperity to our land. He referred to himself over 100 times in a 64-minute speech.

Do you remember when President Obama stated his “unifying” words about conservatives not supporting his “fundamental transformation of America?” “They get bitter; they cling to their guns or religion or antipathy towards people who aren’t like them …”

Or how about how he “brought us together” with repeated disparaging remarks about conservatives in areas like the following:

• Labeling opponents of gay marriage bigots as he lit up the White House celebrating the LGBTQ victory legalizing the unholy union

• Calling immigration enforcement advocates racist

• Branding the GOP the enemy of Hispanics

• Blasting supporters of a pro-life position as those engaged in a “war on women” as he pronounced “God bless you!” over Planned Parenthood

I applaud the recent comments by Florida Senator Marco Rubio who exposed this revision of history by Obama as he hit the campaign trail distorting reality, misleading masses and attempting to continue pushing policies that brought such devastation to America.

In his speech Mr. Obama also stirred emotions by declaring “I want to see a restoration of honesty and lawfulness in our government!” This is another “jaw-dropper” when the truth is he repeatedly refused to enforce federal laws on immigration, drugs and over 76 areas where he let lawlessness prevail.

Setting the Record Straight

Time tends to cloud memory.

Communist revolutionary Vladimir Lenin said, “If you can separate people from their history, they are easily persuaded.”

No matter what picture Obama tries to paint as he crisscrosses the land again promoting socialism, globalism and secularism, we must be bold in upholding the truth.

As America’s economy is booming and this current administration promotes policies, principles and political appointments aligning with our nation’s Constitution and Judeo-Christian heritage, it’s imperative that we refresh our memories with the damage Obama did during his time in office so we’re not hoodwinked again.

My conviction is that he was irrefutably America’s worst president. If you have doubts, may I call your attention to a commentary I wrote that is one of the most posted and shared of my journalistic career. Simply go to “10 Reasons Why Barack Obama Was America’s Worst President.” Decide for yourself.

This is not about bashing a former president but rather bringing forth truth and rejecting any bologna regarding America, our past and what can be a wonderful future as restoration occurs.

Here’s the deal: America’s greatest need is a spiritual awakening coming from prayer and national repentance. This is not a time for complacency but rather consistency from parents and pastors equipping children and churches to discern truth on the 30 critical issues of today. Senior leaders nationwide strongly encourage using the free and immediately accessible Bullseye Challenge resource, as the midterm election is less than two months away.

Pastors, please exhort your people to prioritize voting in November, and you lead the way. Two years of righteous “gains” can be reversed almost overnight so we can’t drop the ball at this critical time!