The times are quickening as wars and rumors of wars spread at an accelerated pace.

In less than a week’s time, Israel has declared war on Hamas for the terror attack that killed over 1,000 Israelis, with thousands more wounded and hostages taken into Gaza.

In response, Israel has carried out airstrikes while preparing for a ground assault into Gaza to utterly annihilate the Hamas terror organization.

Mere months before the Hamas terror attacks, Israel was a split country that many thought could descend into civil war over judicial reforms brought forward by the new government helmed by Benjamin Netanyahu.

Fast-forward to now, and Israel is united in a way that it has not been in a long time.

Differences have been put aside as news media reports the brutal, barbaric and satanic ways that Hamas slaughtered Israelis. Hamas has spared no one: not men, women, children or the elderly.

Israel as a nation, and an international group of people have responded much like the United States after the surprise bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Imperial Japanese Navy leading to World War II.

This steely resolve to eliminate Hamas, and those who were complicit in the slaughter of innocent civilians, saw Israel cross international borders to accomplish this goal.

Syria reported Israeli airstrikes on two of its key airports, Damascus and Aleppo, with Syrian air defenses responding to protect their skies. No casualties were reported in Aleppo, though the impact on Damascus Airport remains undisclosed.

The Israeli military typically maintains silence regarding such incidents, and as of Thursday, no official statement has been released. Israel’s actions have long been focused on what they consider Iran-linked targets in Syria, including these airports in Aleppo and Damascus.

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These strikes disrupt Iranian supply routes to Syria, where Tehran’s influence has grown since it began supporting President Bashar al-Assad during the civil war that began in 2011.

Notably, these attacks occurred just one day before Iran’s foreign minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, was scheduled to visit Syria, reflecting Israel’s strong stance against Iran’s expanding influence in the region.

In the aftermath of the airstrikes, technical teams were deployed to assess the extent of damage at both airport sites, according to Syria’s transport ministry.

But are these series of events part of a greater plan according to the words of Isaiah 17?

The entire chapter from the prophet Isaiah is concerning the destruction of Damascus, the capital city of Syria.

Israel has, as previously reported, been targeting Damascus for years, but never has the situation been like it is today.

The sheer determination galvanized in every department of the Israeli government to see the enemies who attacked them destroyed is palpable.

Righteous anger and determination have taken ahold of Jewish hearts the world over, and if there were a time when Israel is willing to destroy her enemies akin to the days of David which saw fierce warfare, it would look like today.

This is not to say that the fulfilment of the prophecy in Isaiah is occurring right now at this time; instead, Christians must be aware of what the prophecies in the Word of God say, and test the signs of the times to what the Word says.

Be knowledgeable on what is occurring in the world today, and be wise from reading the Scripture that God gave to His people to help guide them through times such as these.

You can read what the prophet Isaiah wrote in chapter 17 below:

The oracle of Damascus.

See, Damascus will cease from being a city;
it shall be a ruinous heap.
² The cities of Aroer are forsaken;
they shall be for flocks, which shall lie down,
and no one shall make them afraid.
³ The fortress also shall cease from Ephraim,
and the kingdom from Damascus,
and the remnant of Aram;
they shall be as the glory of the sons of Israel,
says the Lord of Hosts.

⁴ In that day the glory of Jacob shall decrease,
and the fatness of his flesh shall grow lean.
⁵ It shall be as when the harvestman gathers the corn
and reaps the ears with his arm,
and it shall be as he who gathers ears
in the Valley of Rephaim.
⁶ Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it,
as the shaking of an olive tree,
two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough,
four or five in its outmost fruitful branches,
says the Lord God of Israel.

⁷ On that day a man shall look to his Maker,
and his eyes shall have respect for the Holy One of Israel.
⁸ He shall not look to the altars,
the work of his hands,
nor shall he respect what his fingers have made,
either the groves or the images.

⁹ In that day his strong cities shall be as a forsaken bough and an uppermost branch, which they left because of the sons of Israel; and there shall be a desolation.

¹⁰ Because you have forgotten the God of your salvation
and have not been mindful of the rock of your strength,
therefore you plant pleasant plants
and set them with vine slips of a strange god;
¹¹ in the day that you plant it, you carefully fence it in,
and in the morning you make your seed to flourish;
but the harvest shall be a heap of ruins
in the day of grief and desperate pain.

¹² Woe to the multitude of many people
who make a noise like the noise of the seas,
and the rushing of many peoples
who make a rumble like the rumbling of mighty waters!
¹³ The nations rumble like the rumbling of many waters;
but God shall rebuke them, and they shall flee far off,
and shall be chased as the chaff of the mountains before the wind,
and like rolling dust before the whirlwind.
¹⁴ At evening time, sudden terror!
And before the morning, they are no more.
This is the portion of those who plunder us,
and the lot of those who rob us.

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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.

The United States of America was founded on the principle that one can worship according to their faith without interference from the government.

Freedom of religion has set the U.S. apart from other countries and ushered in an era of record prosperity and blessing, from the One and only God upon which the founding principles of this nation are based.

Yet with more faiths and religions taking up residence in the prosperous land of America, and Christianity being targeted by the forces of darkness through governmental figures, more and more institutions are rising up to replace Christianity as the dominant faith in America.

A massive Hindu temple has risen in Robbinsville, New Jersey, and it’s the biggest one outside India. It’s not just impressive in size, but the story behind its creation draws fascinating comparisons to the historic Temple of Solomon.

Unlike Solomon’s Temple which housed God to live with His people, Israel, this Hindu temple represents the pushing out of God for the worship of other gods, just as Israel did with the Baals and Ashtoreth’s. While no one should be persecuted or denied the opportunity to practice their faith, it is also true that Jesus told His followers to love as He loved, and tell others about Him in a loving way.

Setting spiritual aspects to the side for just one moment, this visually stunning temple, built by the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha sect, is a testament to human craftsmanship and dedication. It’s constructed from over 2 million cubic feet of stone and designed by skilled artisans on a vast 126-acre piece of land.

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What’s even more astounding is the effort that went into its construction. It took more than 4.7 million hours of work. But a lawsuit filed in 2021 has brought some controversy. It claims that the laborers, many of whom were low-caste Indian workers, were underpaid and overworked. It’s worth noting that 12 out of the original 19 people who filed the lawsuit have since taken back their claims.

Creating the Robbinsville temple was no small task. Builders imported marble from Italy and limestone from Bulgaria. These materials traveled over 8,000 miles, making it a truly international endeavor similar to how Solomon had materials for the Temple in Jerusalem brought in from the finest craftsmen and artisans in the world.

Except this time it is not to honor the Lord and give Him a place to live with His people.

This does however give Christians the opportunity to display that radical love to the community in which this temple is being built, displaying genuine acts of love so that others may see how Christians are different and how they got that way. Because the truth is simple: Jesus Christ, the way, the truth and the life.

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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.

In a recent interview, prophetic voice and end times expert Joseph Z sat down with Charisma News to discuss the supernatural occurrences going on in the world today.

The topic of CERN, the Large Hadron Collider located in Switzerland, took center stage. Looking at what is taking place in the underground facility from a Christian perspective, Z drew intriguing connections between scientific exploration and the spiritual realm. The conversation delved into the possible consequences of mankind’s quest to unravel the mysteries of the universe.

CERN, best known for its experiments in particle physics, has sparked curiosity and, for some, concern about the boundaries between the natural and supernatural worlds. The discussion touched on a variety of aspects, beginning with an exploration of biblical stories and their relevance to the CERN facility.

David and Goliath: An Unexpected Connection

One surprising parallel discussed was the connection between David and Goliath, the biblical giant, and CERN. Z suggests that just as David used the giant’s own sword to defeat him, CERN may unknowingly open doorways to other dimensions. It was this notion of “dimensional portals” that sparked the discussion’s more esoteric aspects.

The Large Hadron Collider: A Portal to the Unknown

The Large Hadron Collider at CERN has the scientific community intrigued and has led to intriguing discussions within the Christian community. The collider accelerates particles to nearly the speed of light and smashes them together. The results of these experiments, according to some, might provide insights into dark matter, the origins of the universe and even the existence of multiple dimensions.

The claim is that through mathematical calculations, scientists at CERN are discovering alternative dimensions beyond our three-dimensional space. While we perceive the world in three dimensions, it is believed that CERN’s experiments could inadvertently open gateways to dimensions unobservable by our natural senses.

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“What’s really going on is they’re discovering that there are different universes or different dimensions within this. And when they do this mathematically, they’re finding different dimensions that they can step into. Now we are three dimensional beings, we live in a three-dimensional space. And that’s how we operate. And through that three-dimensional space, we can only perceive so many things. So, when we begin to open up this the setting, so to speak, it’s highly probable and likely that they’re allowing, like the Tower of Babel, other dimensions,” says Z.

CERN and Its Occultic Symbolism

The conversation also touched on the symbolism and practices at CERN, suggesting that some of its actions and ceremonies might in fact be occultic rituals. The presence of a statue of Shiva, the “destroyer of worlds,” and bizarre, seemingly demonic performances raised concerns about the facility’s spiritual implications.

“There’s video clips about how they have occultic practices right in the front yard of CERN, how they have a statue [of] Shiva, with multiple arms. And she’s a representation of the destroyer of worlds, and how that, of course, is what some people believe, is going to be Apollyon, the destroyer. And there’s so many aspects to it when they open CERN. And this is all public source, you can find it, they did a celebration and a dance where a man was dressed like a half goat half man, and began to dance in front of a swirling portal, a giant LED wall. And they had all these demonic figures dancing with them. And they’re pretending that they’re hanging people,” shares Z.

The Real vs. the Counterfeit

In light of these discussions, the conversation turned to the importance of discerning the difference between the real and the counterfeit. While CERN might be seen as an attempt to reach the divine or access hidden knowledge, it is essential to seek a deeper connection with God in these complex and perplexing times.

“We say wild stuff, but we bring them back to the Word of God. We make sure people’s hearts are at peace, and they’re in comfort with the Lord, the peace of God that passes understanding. What we see is the counterfeit and the real we know [in] Isaiah 60 it says this deep darkness will cover the earth darkness of the people but a rise shine for your light has come and the glory of the Lord will be visited upon you. I believe as darkness rises, so is the light,” Z says.

The Role of Believers

As darkness seems to be on the rise, the light must shine even brighter. Believers are urged to unite, strengthen their connection with God and prepare to be instruments of divine intervention.

As darkness accelerates, so does the light. The anticipation of an imminent return of Jesus Christ was discussed, with the belief that supernatural phenomena, spiritual revival and divine provision are accelerating as well, just as Jesus said in Matthew 24.

The mysteries of CERN and their potential implications for the spiritual realm continue to be subjects of intrigue and debate within the Christian community. As believers strive to navigate these uncertain waters, the message of hope, unity and the Lord’s return remains a beacon of light in an increasingly complex world.

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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.

In a galaxy far, far away, a beloved franchise has taken an unsettling turn.

The latest installment of “Star Wars: Ahsoka” has left fans and concerned parents alike questioning the direction of this iconic saga. While “Star Wars” has always explored mythical archetypes, the new series delves into occult, witchcraft and pagan themes that are not sitting well with many viewers.

For those who haven’t delved deep into the extended “Star Wars” canon, the concept of witchcraft and pagan rituals may seem foreign to the series. After all, the Force, as explained by Obi-Wan Kenobi in “A New Hope,” is described more in Eastern and Buddhist terms as “an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together.” However, as the franchise expanded, storytellers built upon this foundation.

Witchcraft in name and practice was introduced to the Star Wars galaxy as far back as 1994 with the book titled, “The Courtship of Princess Leia.” This entry into the now-named “expanded universe” introduced the “witches of Dathomir,” now dubbed the “Nightsisters,” who used the Force by incantations.

This type of blatant occult practice never made it into mainstream Star Wars movies which were available to a much broader audience, until Dave Filoni took over as one of the main creators at Lucasfilm.

Filoni has used these witches in several of the series he has helmed, and made them much darker and occultic than their original version.

They now practice necromancy, voodoo, demonic baptisms and much more. They were also redesigned to be visually abhorrent, and fans of the show took notice when they were introduced in live action for the first time.

What makes this portrayal particularly unsettling is that it ventures deep into the realm of pagan practices, which sharply contrast with the original concept of the “Star Wars” universe brought to life by George Lucas. In “Ahsoka,” these witches don matching red robes with gray face paint and exhibit an unsettling unity. Their symbol, a triquetra, mirrors the traditional Trinitarian symbol, adding a layer of demonic misrepresentation of the Trinity.

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In a climactic scene, an antagonist of the series, Morgan Elsbeth undergoes a ritual with the witches that resembles a baptismal ceremony. She commits herself to the sisterhood of witches and the “old ways,” abandoning her former life in a pledge of loyalty. The ceremony concludes with a laying on of hands, resulting in a transformation that is both demonic and unsettling.

How did Star Wars get this deep into spiritual darkness? To be sure, Disney’s acquiring of the Star Wars intellectual property assets has injected radical feminist storylines and characters, LGBTQ themes and scenes and now elevated the occult to be front and center for the series. But one person has had a particular influence on the series creator Filoni.

Filoni’s wife, Anne Convery, was caught by internet sleuths as the Ahsoka series premiered.

On her Instagram, which few had seen as her husband was the face of the new series, she had posts of herself sipping coffee from mugs that read “Hail Satan” while wearing shirts that read “Abortion is Healthcare.”

Star Wars fans: this is Dave Filoni’s wife on Instagram.

— Konspiracy Kyle (@Konspiracy_Kyle) September 20, 2023

Meanwhile, millions, if not billions across the world who still watch Star Wars movies or series, were exposed to some of the most spiritually-dark, anti-god, demonic and downright heretical scenes in media history.

There are many Christians who have never watched Star Wars, because of the supernatural aspect of the Force, but to say the original movie that came out in 1977 and changed cinema and culture forever is even remotely similar to the demonic-version people witnessed this past month is disingenuous.

Expect this trend to continue for the Star Wars universe, as many are anticipating another new series from the Disney-owned franchise called “The Acolyte,” which is being dubbed as the “darkest” and “most adult” Star Wars content to date.

Like many other aspects of American culture and cinema, Star Wars has become an outlet for the anti-God forces waging spiritual warfare in the United States.

Every aspect of media is targeted by Satan and his minions, and he wants to flood his demonic programming to as many eyes and ears as he can. Disney’s monumental reach can only help extend that cause.

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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.

Generational curses are a real thing.

Sitting down with Charisma media, Apostle Alexander Pagani, author of the bestselling book “The Secrets to Generational Curses,” is going Beyond the Article to share these important revelations with the body of Christ.

Jumping right into the fray of recent discussions on whether a Christian can be under the effects of a generational curse, Pagani explains using Scripture why Christians still suffer under these conditions.

“The Bible is very clear that Jesus broke the power of sin, not the presence of sin. Jesus broke the power of the curse, not the presence of the curse. Up until the consummation of all things that we see in 1 Corinthians chapter 15, where death is swallowed up in victory, then the presence of sin, the presence of curses will be completely eradicated,” says Pagani.

In the meantime, generational curses continue to be an area that many Christians are unfamiliar with and do not fully understand.

“I deal with that in the first chapter of my book. We demystify [generational curses] through the help of the Holy Spirit and through Scripture. The arch-nemesis to the revelation of generational curses will probably be misinformation,” Pagani says.

“The second reason why we struggle with that is because [of] the sensationalism and the unbiblical practices and methods by those who maybe have an idea about generational curses, but don’t know how to substantiate those ideas with Scripture,” he adds.

When believers increase their time and efforts into understanding the Scripture, they increase their understanding of God’s will and righteousness. But, Pagani warns, it is important to keep your eyes on God and not drift into tunnel-vision about curses or other demonic entities.

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“Not everything is the direct result of a generational curse. We do not want to become curse conscious, just like we do not want to become demon conscious. Some stuff is personal choice, irresponsibility or just not knowing,” Pagani explains.

There are three common ways that generational curses take up residence in people’s lives, says Pagani.

“Number one: through has to initiate the curse. Why? Because God is just in the courtroom of means that you are not going to get cursed by something that was not initiated.

“The second way is through ignorance. Which means you’re doing something, you’re initiating something, but you don’t that initiation of what you’re doing is actually wrong…[Many] Christians sometimes practice sin that opens a door to a curse without realizing it.

“Number three is by inheritance, which means someone in the bloodline is doing it. And that has been transferred to the third and fourth generations. So, here you are, born into a family or household that is with some things that they find themselves. …It doesn’t mean that you’re not safe. It doesn’t mean that you don’t love the Lord. It means that there is something genetically coming down the bloodline through inheritance that Christ is wanting to deal with when He feels the Christian is ready to deal with it.

“And through the power of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will reveal it.”

To learn more from Apostle Alexander Pagani on The Secrets to Generational Curses, click here.

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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.

Continuing in his “Signs of the Times” sermon series, Pastor Jentezen Franklin of Free Chapel in Gainesville, Georgia, could not have picked a more appropriate time for such a teaching.

In the wake of Israel being the target of an unprecedented and unprovoked attack by the demonically-driven Hamas terror group, Franklin shared the words of Jesus pertaining to the end times and how every believer needs to be aware of His words, and be ready.

It starts with biblical literacy.

“You ought to know this chapter (Matthew 24). Chapter 24 ought to be read by every Christian. You need to read it this week. You need to read the book of Revelation. Personally. Every person in this church should say ‘I have read the book of Revelation,'” Franklin implored the congregation.

“Even if you don’t understand it, Revelation 1:3 says that blessed is he who reads and hears these words. If you’ll just read the book, it’s the only book in the Bible that you’re guaranteed to have a blessing come on you when you read that book,” teaches Franklin.

Franklin is joined by many other Christian leaders, ministers and evangelist proclaiming that the return of Jesus is getting close.

Using the words of Jesus, Franklin explains that the generation that sees the fig tree come to life, which is representative of the nation of Israel, will not pass away.

“Jesus Himself began to tell them [disciples] that there would be a generation of people that would witness a rapid fulfillment of prophecy, all of them, suddenly one after another,” shares Franklin.

Pastor Franklin confirmed that, after the third creation of the nation of Israel came to fruition in 1948, only the Father knows the day and time of the rapture, but—are we ready for it?

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“As Pastor, I feel the urge in the need to warn you and to proclaim and to compel you to be ready for the coming of the Lord,” reveals Franklin. “But what if He came today?! Do you understand the return of Jesus is imminent?”

A recent Lifeway survey discovered only 30% of Protestant preachers teach on the rapture. This begs the question: How many people who claim to be followers of Jesus Christ are prepared for the rapture?

“How close are we?” asks Franklin after revealing the book of Psalms describes a generation as 70-80 years.

“How soon could Jesus return? I mean, seven years we could be in the Millennium if Jesus came today. This thing could happen at any moment and Jesus said you better be ready,” he continues.

As prophecies of earthquakes increasing come to pass, as prophecies of wars and rumors of wars come to pass, as prophecies of pestilence and famine come to pass, all at the same time in this generation, Franklin encourages believers to be like the virgins who took with them enough oil to await the coming Bridegroom.

“I’m telling you, what I’m preaching to you, we’re seeing fulfillment of prophecy that is now, nobody really is looking for Jesus to come. We [the church] really don’t believe He’s coming back.”

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James Lasher is Staff Write for Charisma Media.

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey’s incredible four-touchdown performance at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday left thousands of fans showering him with praise.

However, amid the cheers and accolades, McCaffrey remained steadfast in his routine, one that revolves around faith and maintaining his humility.

McCaffrey’s faith in God plays a central role in his life, and he doesn’t let the spotlight of the NFL distract him from his relationship with the Almighty. In an interview with the “San Francisco Chronicle,” he reveals that he prays throughout the game, both on the sideline and in the huddle. His prayers are not for personal glory but for gratitude and the well-being of everyone on the field.

“My faith is very important to me and that’s why I’m praying all the time,” McCaffrey explains. “When you have a bunch of people chanting your name, it’s important that you give the honor and glory back to the person, God, that’s allowing me to do this.”

In Philippians 4:6, the Bible encourages us with these words: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and supplication with gratitude, make your requests known to God.” McCaffrey’s actions mirror this verse, as he continually turns to prayer, thanking God for the opportunity to play the sport he loves.

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A post shared by Christian McCaffrey (@christianmccaffrey)

Last season, San Francisco fell just one win short of reaching the Super Bowl, facing a heartbreaking defeat in the NFC championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The loss came after quarterback Brock Purdy sustained an elbow injury.

While McCaffrey and Purdy have developed a strong connection on the field, they share a deeper bond rooted in their faith in God. Purdy spoke about McCaffrey during a recent conversation with Sports Spectrum, highlighting McCaffrey’s influence within the 49ers organization and how he has played a crucial role in Purdy’s spiritual journey.

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“I didn’t know what to expect going into a professional locker room, who’s a believer, who’s not or any of that stuff,” Purdy tells Sports Spectrum in the interview. “And I was very fortunate and blessed to have guys like Charlie Woerner, Christian McCaffrey, pastor Earl Smith, Oren Burks, these guys that are just solid believers. We’d meet before road games and just have our little Bible studies. But the biggest thing for me was, man, having fellowship. You’re in a crazy business, you’re on the road, you’re going to different places. But to have guys that believe in the Lord and can help you and pour into you with their experiences and everything, I found that huge.”

Even in the midst of tremendous success, McCaffrey remains humble, acknowledging that his talents and achievements are gifts from God. He understands that the honor and glory should ultimately go back to the One who enables him to excel on the field.

McCaffrey’s humility is not just evident in his words but in his actions. He consistently includes Bible verses in his social media posts, such as Philippians 4:6, using his platform to share his faith with others. His life serves as a testament to the freedom that comes with surrendering everything to God.

In a world where many seek personal recognition and fame, Christian McCaffrey stands as an example of how faith and humility can coexist with remarkable achievements. His unwavering dedication to both his sport and his Creator reminds us that true greatness is found in giving glory where it is due, and that is to God.

As we witness his journey, may we be inspired to embrace humility in our own lives, recognizing that all our abilities and successes are ultimately gifts from a loving and gracious God. Just as McCaffrey finds strength in surrendering to God’s plan, may we too find peace in letting go of the illusion of control and placing our trust in the one who holds our future in His hands.

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James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.

To sip or not to sip? That is the question.

According to pastor and theologian John Piper, his idea of allowing coffee in a church sanctuary was the question that set the world of X (formerly known as Twitter) ablaze in dissenting opinions.

“Can we reassess whether Sunday coffee-sipping in the sanctuary fits?” Piper posted while following it up with a Bible verse from Hebrews 12:28 which reads:

“Let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.”

As of the writing of this article, the post has been viewed on X by more than 2.5 million people, many of whom were sharing their thoughts on the matter with equal amounts of passion.

Can we reassess whether Sunday coffee-sipping in the sanctuary fits?

“Let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe.” Hebrews 12:28

— John Piper (@JohnPiper) September 30, 2023

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Some believe that drinks of any kind have no place in a sanctuary during a service. And that having one reduces the holiness of the moment and cheapens the experience that is supposed to be holy before the Lord.

Others spoke quite the contrary.

One user pointed out that Jesus fed 10,000 people during His sermons, and others claim that their attention can be firmly placed upon they Lord while they sip coffee after getting their kids dressed and transported to church.

A few even mentioned the first church services were held in people’s homes where they ate and communed with one another, and that did not seem to hinder the spread of the gospel in the early church.

With all the theological debate taking place between issues such as cessationism vs. continuationism, chalk up one more area where Christians of all types of backgrounds and denominations just can’t seem to get on the same page.

Who knew that coffee in church was such a hot topic?

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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.

Archaeologists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem recently made a remarkable discovery in Israel’s Judean desert. Unearthed at a remote site dating back to the early sixth century, this Byzantine Greek inscription carries immense historical and religious significance.

Situated in an area accessible only by donkeys due to its lack of roads, the inscription adorns a building stone from an ancient monastery. Marked with a cross, it comprises a phrase paraphrasing the first two verses of Psalm 86: “Jesus Christ, guard me, for I am poor and needy.” This remarkable find is unique in its grandeur and serves as a testament to the enduring power of faith.

An inscription dated to the Byzantine era at discovered Hyrcania in the Judean Desert. It adapts Psalm 86:1–2 addressing it to Jesus; saying “Jesus Christ, guard me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am faithful to you”.

— Dr. Haim Cohen دكتور حاييم كوهين (@Haim44) October 3, 2023

Epigraphist Avner Ecker of Bar-Ilan University notes the inscription’s “minor grammatical errors,” suggesting that the individual responsible for it likely spoke a Semitic language rather than native Greek. The location of the discovery, about 10.5 miles southeast of Jerusalem and five miles from Qumran and the Dead Sea, holds historical significance as well.

“This psalm holds a special place in the [Hebrew] Masoretic text as a designated prayer and is notably one of the most frequently recited psalms in Christian liturgy,” Ecker says. “Thus, the monk drew a graffito of a cross onto the wall, accompanied by a prayer with which he was very familiar.”

The site, known as Hyrcania, was a fortress dating back to the late second or early first century BC. Around AD 492, a Christian monk named Holy Sabbas established a small monastery there. Even after the Islamic conquest of the Byzantine province Palaestina Secunda in AD 635, the monastery continued to operate, demonstrating the persistence of the Christian faith amidst changing times. However, by the early ninth century, the monastery was apparently abandoned.

Despite attempts to revive the monastery in the 1930s, local Bedouins thwarted those efforts.

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The recent archaeological excavation led by Oren Gutfeld and Michal Haber marks the first academic and methodological exploration of the site. Their team, with assistance from Carson-Newman University and American Veterans Archaeological Recovery members, hopes to further decipher the site’s inscriptions using advanced technology.

This remarkable discovery not only sheds light on the rich history of Christianity in the region but also illustrates the importance of preserving and exploring our shared heritage with Israel.

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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.

Spiritual warfare is a deeply personal and spiritually charged experience for Christians.

At its core, it is the ongoing struggle between the forces of God and Satan in the spiritual realm, where Christians find themselves embroiled in an ancient battle. This battle manifests in various forms, including temptation, doubt and spiritual attacks, all aimed at testing one’s faith and resolve in the hopes of causing them to fall away from God.

To shed light on this profoundly intimate aspect of faith, Bill Wiese, the founder of Soul Choice Ministries and the author of the best-selling book “23 Minutes in Hell,” sat down with Charisma media to discuss the personal effects of spiritual warfare.

Through his extraordinary personal experience and unwavering commitment to sharing his story, Bill offers invaluable insights into the challenges and triumphs of spiritual warfare faced by Christians in their everyday lives.

Particularly, when something bad happens in a believer’s life, there is oftentimes a knee-jerk reaction to blame it on the devil.

Wiese cautions that it is not always the devil who is behind these events however, but instead a lack of biblical wisdom.

“Most of the time, it is our own lack of knowledge, lack of obedience, to the Word of God or just flat out not doing what the Word of God tells us. Not hearing what the Holy Spirit tells us,” explains Wiese.

Reading from 2 Corinthians 10:4-5, Wiese shares that Christians need to be focused on a more personal battle, not focused solely on tearing down citywide strongholds, but taking control of our imagination and refusing to give the devil a place in our minds.

“The warfare is casting down imaginations. So, the devil comes with these thoughts, doubts unbelief of the Word of God, and we have to cast down those doubts, because it is an attack on our faith,” Wiese says.

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“So, when the devil comes, we have to know what the Word says to resist him, and have him go. It’s the casting down imaginations, that is the real warfare. Getting the Word in our heart, and so many Christians don’t really read the Word. So, it’s [the Word] not down in their hearts,” he adds.

Without the Spirit-inspired Scriptures rooted within our hearts, Wiese says that we are not equipped to handle the attacks of the devil when they inevitably come.

“If we do not have the the devil is not going to flee. We won’t know what to say [when] sickness comes or disease tries to hit your body. We have to combat that with the words they know [Scripture]. …That’s the resistance,” says Wiese.

Spiritual warfare, in this case, is no different than conventional warfare in the physical realm. Armies do not enter the battlefield without equipment, training and the necessary weapons to overcome their enemies. To do so in the spiritual realm against the most dangerous enemy humankind has ever faced, is more than folly, but it is spiritual suicide just as it would be to charge an enemy stronghold in a t-shirt, shorts and water pistol.

One of the driving factors that incapacitates both spiritual and physical warriors is fear. This is a tactic the enemy uses to keep Christians from ever even engaging in spiritual warfare, and allows him to win a battle without ever firing a proverbial “shot.”

“I experienced that [fear] in hell,” recalls Wiese. “It’s all the horrors in hell that you have no angels to protect you, no God to pray to. The fear is beyond anything we can imagine.

“It’s the devil that tries to place fear on us all the time. Look what we saw with COVID. So many Christians wouldn’t even go to ‘re so afraid. What about the Word of God? What about standing on the Word and saying, ‘No. This is not going to bother me. I’m going to church.’ So that spirit of fear is real,” Wiese continues.

Laying out some of the best weaponry Christians can equip in their spiritual loadouts, Wiese says the battleplan must be led with obedience to God’s Word.

“I’m not talking about performance. I’m talking about obedience, simple things like honor your your to the poor [and tithe],” shares Wiese.

“So being submitted to God is being obedient to all of His Word, not just picking out the things you like,” he continues.

By submitting ourselves before the Lord, and genuinely wanting to please, honor and glorify Him through our actions, we open ourselves up to the best equipment available in our battle against the devil and his minions: the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

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James Lasher is Staff Writer for Charisma Media.