Ever wonder why Jesus was born when He was, or why He was born to a Jewish girl—and why to that particular girl in Nazareth of Galilee? Jesus did not just appear out of nowhere like a Greek god of mythology.

God had carefully been setting the stage over thousands of years. When the time was right, He sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilee, to the city of Nazareth and to a particular virgin girl named Mary.

If this baby—a royal descendant of David—was to be born in Bethlehem, then why did God choose Mary way up in Nazareth? The Bible does not give us all of the answers to these questions, but in this fascinating podcast, you will hear the story about the Galilee, the little village of Nazareth and the descendants of David who had moved there.

Discover why God may have chosen Mary and why she was so willing to carry this child as prophesied by the prophet Isaiah some 600 years earlier. God had been busy at work for hundreds of years setting the table for that amazing moment in history—the birth of the Messiah.

Join me this week on the Out of Zion podcast titled Setting the Stage, and we will tell the story behind the story of God’s choice of Mary in Nazareth of the Galilee. This study is part 1 of our 3D Jesus series.

Dr. Susan Michael is USA Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem and host of the Out of Zion podcast.

As we read through our Bibles, there are times when we come to an event or narrative that seems as if it is disconnected from all the text around it, as if the story were somehow filed out of place.

This week, as I was reading once more about Jacob and Esau, I came upon one of these “drop in” stories: the story of the rape of Dinah found in Genesis 34. If we read Chapter 33 and then skip to Chapter 35, with the exception of traveling back to Beth El, the story of Jacob continues fluidly.

In other words, we could read the story of Jacob without stopping for this single horrible event. Yet G-D, in His wisdom, felt this event was necessary to include at this time in the text. Please remember that there were millions of events that took place in the lives of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that are not included in the text, so if this was included, then we know G-D knew we needed to read about it.

It is also important, as we read through Genesis 34, we realize that no one in this chapter is behaving correctly. The chapter starts out:

“Now Dinah, Leah’s daughter whom she bore for Jacob, went out to look at the daughters of the land” (Gen. 34:1, TLV).

There is a strong hint in this verse that may be overlooked but is vital to our understanding. Notice the language Dinah went out to look at the daughters of the land. Dinah was a daughter of Jacob and a part of the children of Israel.

Why was she going out and looking at the daughters of the world? The daughters of the world should have been looking at her. And before we judge her too unkindly, let’s take a moment to note just how much the people of G-D are trying to “go out” and “look at” the world today. Let’s continue reading:

“When Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, the prince of the land, saw her, he took her and lay with her and raped her. But his soul clung to Dinah, Jacob’s daughter, and he loved the young woman and spoke reassuringly to the young woman. So Shechem said to his father Hamor saying, ‘Get me this girl for a wife'” (Gen. 34:2-4).

Shechem sees Dinah and desires her. He takes her, lays down with her and rapes her. But as we read on, the text says he loved her. How can he be a rapist one moment and a loving man speaking reassuringly the next? It is also interesting that Shechem goes to his father and tells him that he wants to marry Dinah. To us in the time we live, none of Shechem’s actions make sense.

But, if you were to place yourself into the culture of Shechem, he would have seen no sin in his actions. Why? Because in his culture, his actions were the norm. Stick with me, please, as we go on.

In verses 5-12, Jacob and his sons hear of Dinah’s rape by Shechem and Hamor, and Shechem visits Jacob and his sons in an attempt to arrange a marriage, including offering a large dowry. Then, we reach Genesis 34:13-16:

“But Jacob’s sons answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully as they spoke, because he had defiled their sister Dinah. They said to them, ‘We can’t do this thing—give our sister to a man who is uncircumcised—for this is a disgrace to us. Only by this will we consent to you: if you will become like us, by circumcising every male. Then we’ll give you our daughters and take your daughters for ourselves, and live with you, and become one people.'”

As we read these verses, we see that Dinah’s brothers have purposely chosen to be deceitful, while Shechem and his father were trying to act rightly (according to their culture). The brothers say, “If you enter the covenant of Abraham through circumcision, you will become like us and we will let you marry our sister.” But, while they fully intended to let them become circumcised, they had no intent of letting them become a part of the covenant people of G-D, as we see from their actions in Genesis 25-26:

“Then on the third day while they were in pain, two of Jacob’s sons, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, each took his sword and came against the city undisturbed and killed every male. Hamor and his son Shechem they killed with the sword, then took Dinah from Shechem’s house and left.”

Just think about how awful this entire chapter is. In most biblical stories, there are good guys and bad guys. There is a clear lesson for us to learn from this event. But, in this narrative, we only see people behaving badly, starting with Dinah, all the way through the way her brothers murdered the men of Shechem.

So, you may be asking yourself, “Why is this story here? And what are we to learn from it?” Let me suggest that the story is here and so dramatically unusual that we would pay attention to its events. Let me assert that there is a great lesson to be learned, especially for us today. Let’s look beyond the plain text to the allegorical lesson inside.

Dinah, who was a child of Israel, went outside of Israel to look at those of the world. Even though Dinah was walking with the ungodly, they, especially Shechem, still saw something beautiful, different and desirable within her. But, because Dinah was acting like the world, Shechem responded to her in a worldly way. (Side note: the root Hebrew word translated “rape” is עָנָה, which means to afflict or misuse.) She had entered his culture, and he acted according to his culture. Shechem then continued to follow his culture and offered to marry Dinah. In response, the sons of Jacob invited Shechem into a covenant relationship, so they could become “like them.” But when Shechem and all the men of his city made the choice to enter that covenant, instead of welcoming them, the sons of Jacob killed them.

This overview really provides warnings for us today as, according to the Bible, sons of Abraham, either naturally or by adoption. First, if we act like Dinah, we will send mixed messages to the people of the world that we want to be like them and that their sinful ways are acceptable. Second, the world is the world and will act like the world; don’t be surprised by that.

Third, when those of the world come to us seeking to become like us, we should welcome them into covenant with us. Fourth, when we welcome them into covenant, we cannot then kill them by our actions or by not teaching them biblical truths. In biblical thought, death comes when we remove someone from the tree of life or the Bible. Proverbs 3:18 says:

“She is a tree of life to those who embrace her, and blessed will be all who hold firmly to her.”

Think of it this way: If we lead people to the knowledge of Yeshua as their Messiah and they enter into covenant with Him through circumcision of the heart (Deut. 30:6 and Rom. 2:28-29), but then we refuse to teach them how to walk fully in that covenant, we are doing to them exactly what the sons of Jacob did.

If we don’t teach them how to walk in covenant with G-D and His people, we cannot get upset when they, in their attempt to love the things of G-D, end up misusing, or “raping,” them. The only way we can truly teach this is by starting in Genesis and teaching through Revelation.

My last thought on this topic: It is important to also note that the story doesn’t end with the murder of Shechem; it ends with the sons of Jacob plundering the Hivites. If we, as children of G-D, are not willing to welcome people into full covenant relationship with G-D by teaching them the ways of Torah (instructions from G-D), then we should not take their money in tithes and offerings (plunder their finances). {eoa}

Eric Tokajer is the author of Overcoming Fearlessness, What If Everything You Were Taught About the Ten Commandments Was Wrong?, With Me in Paradise, Transient Singularity, OY! How Did I Get Here?: Thirty-One Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me Before Entering Ministry, #ManWisdom: With Eric Tokajer, Jesus Is to Christianity as Pasta Is to Italians and Galatians in Context.

Note: This is the first of a four-part series.

These weeks before the celebration of Christmas are known in Christian liturgy as the Advent season. The term comes from the Latin advenio, meaning “to come to,” and its observance is meant to keep believers focused on the hope of our Lord’s future Second Coming, while special decorations, programs and parties celebrate His first coming.

The Advent is a multi-week seasonal observance composed of the four Sundays before Christmas in Western countries and runs from Nov. 15-Dec. 24 in the Eastern Orthodox practices.

“During this time, the faithful are admonished to prepare themselves worthily to celebrate the anniversary of the Lord’s coming into the world as the incarnate God of love,” reads one religious encyclopedia of the early 20th century, “thus to make their souls fitting abodes for the Redeemer coming in Holy Communion and through grace, and thereby to make themselves ready for His final coming as judge, at death and at the end of the world.”

Among Christian Protestants, the most common symbol of Advent is a wreath with four candles, one for each Sunday.

The first is the “Prophets’ Candle,” symbolizing the hope for the Messiah’s coming of the Old Testament, found in the anointed, prophetic writings of seers, such as Isaiah, Jeremiah and Haggai.

The second is the “Bethlehem Candle,” named for Christ’s birthplace where his parents had traveled to take part in a required census for taxation (Luke 2:1-7). It stands for faith and encouragement for the small and otherwise insignificant things and people among us, as Micah 5:2 foretold: “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, although you are small among the tribes of Judah, from you will come forth for Me one who will be ruler over Israel. His origins are from of old, from ancient days.”

The third candle of Advent is the “Shepherds’ Candle,” representing the joy that the shepherds outside of Bethlehem had at the dramatic announcement of their promised Savior’s birth (see Luke 2:8-20). “But the angel said to them, ‘Listen! Do not fear. For I bring you good news of great joy, which will be to all people'” (Luke 2:10).

The fourth candle in this Advent liturgy is the “Angel’s Candle” or sometimes called the “Peace Candle” for the peace the angels proclaimed with the coming of the Christ child. The heavenly host declared in Luke 2:14, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and good will toward men.”

The optional, fifth candle is “Christ’s Candle.” When it is used, it is placed in the center of the wreath, since He is our Creator and central to all “that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible” (see Col. 1:16b). This candle is white for His purity and lit on Christmas to represent Jesus’ incarnation in that first Advent.

Collectively, these Advent candles remind us that the Son of God “became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14a). This incarnate God in human flesh declared “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12b).

The last verse of Pastor Jack Hayford’s carol “The Light Has Come” meaningfully affirms these first Advent truths:

“The light has come and to every man life has been revealed, O hallelujah! Tho’ some resist it, they never can overcome its pow’r, O hallelu!/ For God in flesh once walked on the earth as Jesus, Son of man. The splendor of His glory displayed continues—ages to span./ The light has come and to every man life has come to light, O hallelujah! And as it comes unto me I can be renewed in life, O hallelu!” (Jack Hayford, 1980, Living Way Ministries) {eoa}

Gary Curtis served in full-time ministry for 50 years, the last 27 years of which he was part of the pastoral staff of The Church on The Way, the Van Nuys’ California Foursquare church. Now retired, Gary continues to write a weekly blog at worshipontheway.wordpress.com and frequent articles for digital and print platforms.

In his stunning new best-seller The Harbinger II: The Return, Jonathan Cahn warns that America is right now facing the most critical time ever in its history, hanging in the balance between life and death, revival or calamity.

This astonishing sequel reveals that the ancient mystery of timing from the Scriptures—and first laid out in The Harbinger—marked 2020 as the year of shakings. It uncovers even more about the ancient secret that lies behind everything that’s happening today, from the coronavirus and economic collapse, to the division and unrest we see being played out before us.

Cahn says if we don’t respond and rise up to the call of God to return to Him and to His ways, we may pass the point of no return. But he also believes, in spite of everything, there is hope for America and it’s not too late to return to God—if we humble ourselves and pray.

A Critical Time

In a recent interview on Praise on TBN, Cahn told host Erick Stakelbeck that there’s a Scripture in the new book—a call to prayer—that is critical to this present moment in America’s history.

“If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:14).

“In The Harbinger II I tell how this Scripture actually changed the course of American history more than once,” Cahn told Stakelbeck. “Once was in the time of Abraham Lincoln, when he called for national prayer.

“Another was about 40 years ago, when Jimmy Carter was president, and it seemed like everything was falling apart in our country, with a troubled economy, the hostages in Iran, and people there (in Iran) chanting death to America. At that time, a group of people gathered in Washington, D.C., to pray, and I was a part of it. I was just a new believer.

“Using 2 Chronicles 7:14 we prayed that the hostages would be released, and we all pointed our hands to the Capitol building and prayed, ‘Lord, put who you want into office there.’ Several months later Ronald Reagan was elected and America began to come back to our biblical values. That same hour, the hostages were released, and everything turned around including the economy. I literally saw a change in history.

“Now we’re in an even more dangerous time, and we need this more than ever,” Cahn continued. “Look at the context of that verse in 2 Chronicles 7. Verse 13 says, ‘When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people.’ In 2020 there have been places with no rain, so there’s been famine and food shortage. And it’s been the year of the greatest plague of locusts in generations. Plus, of course, we’ve had the plague—the worldwide pandemic.

“So, we’ve seen all three,” said Cahn, “and the time is critical—we need to do what that verse calls for. Our nation’s only hope is to repent and pray—to turn back to God.”

That’s why Cahn called for the “The Return: The National and Global Day of Prayer and Repentance.” Millions of Christian leaders and believers came together at the National Mall or via live stream to acknowledge personal and national sin, and to pray for God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness. More than 150 nations participated in nearly 90 languages.

“The one hope America or any nation has is to return to God,” Cahn said. “In the case of ancient Israel, that could take place in sacred gatherings devoted to repentance. Our gathering in Washington, D.C., was a solemn assembly to repent to God and ask for salvation of our country,” said Cahn. “Repentance and revival begins with us.”

The Mystery of an Ancient Hebrew Holy Day

Cahn went on to compare the ancient biblical mystery to today. “What do all these recent events happening together have to do with an ancient Hebrew holy day?” he asked. “Only once before in human history was there a time that people were told to stay in their houses because of a plague passing through the land. That was Israel in Egypt. It never happened again … until 2020.

“In 2020, the people of Israel were again told ‘go into your house and stay there’—and it was on the very day of Passover. But this time it wasn’t just Israel. It was the whole world brought into the mystery. We’ve all been in our homes, and it all exploded at the time of Passover. And it’s all focused on a plague.

“But what’s the point of Passover?” Cahn continued. “The point of Passover is the Lamb. It’s not science. It’s not politics. It’s the Lamb. The Lamb is Jesus. Jesus died on Passover because He’s the Lamb.

“This has been a wake-up call. God is saying, ‘Listen, you have fallen away from the Passover Lamb; you need Him more than ever. You need to come back to Jesus Yeshua. He’s the only hope of America.'”

Time Is Running Out

According to The Harbinger II, all signs are pointing to an ending in the window of time, a period grace, given to America after the shaking of 9/11. “We have grown so deafened to God that He has to shout now,” said Cahn. “America has just gotten worse. We’re at the edge now. More than ever we must be praying, taking this seriously. This is our prophetic moment, now more than ever, and we have to rise to it. If we make the wrong choice, if we choose the wrong way there will be even more shakings.

“I believe the shakings—and more shakings—are not finished,” he continued. “My feeling is that there are dark things coming. But there could be revival in the midst. These are the end times, and things could get bad, but I believe both things can happen at once—persecution and revival. But you can’t have revival or the blessings of God in your life without repentance. Repentance is a great thing.

“After 9/11 we didn’t have any return—we didn’t have repentance. And so, we got worse. It begins with us, with the house of God. We have to say, ‘Lord, I repent from anything in my life that shouldn’t be there.'”

According to Cahn, God is seeking to bring His people back to the beginning, as in the days of Acts. “He’s saying, ‘Listen, guys, I’m calling you back. This is your chance, return to Me, and I will return to you, America. Return to Me, says the Lord.’ It’s America’s only hope.” {eoa}

Find out more at theharbingerreturns.com

A former drug addict, Leon du Preez doesn’t care what it takes to carry out his mission. No matter what, he has vowed to bring the gospel and a supernatural encounter to the next generation in South Africa, even if it costs him his life.

Because the enemy’s influence is very strong in South Africa, du Preez, the 36-year-old host of the Encounter Now Podcast with Leon du Preez, takes his life into his own hands whenever he preaches. But this courageous prophet believes he has no other choice than to take God’s Word to the South African people.

“We have a very strong satanic presence, especially among the Caucasian people there in South Africa,” du Preez told Dr. Steve Greene on a recent episode of Greenelines on the Charisma Podcast Network. “Satanism is very strong there. So, we would get tremendous death threats, kidnapping attempts. I don’t travel with bodyguards, but the last two years we have put in security and intelligence on my behalf on my phones, whether we are being traced or not. There would be certain times where I would be moved to a certain place of safety.

“But I’ve still had some encounters while I’ve preached,” du Preez said. “At one church I was preaching, there were seven people, and five of those were there to kill me. I remember standing in the pulpit, and the power went off in the building. It was pitch black, and I said to the church, ‘There are five people here to kill me right now.’ I said, ‘I dare you to come the front.’ In a split second, they ran to the front with knives to stab me. … I remember jumping down from the stage, and they were frozen in front of me, or the presence of God froze them. We laid hands on them to minister to them, and four of the five got saved.

“God saved me in another meeting when seven people with guns came to us in a 2,000-member church,” du Preez added. “Seven people with guns came to our house. But the presence and the glory of God protects you; it really does. I’ve had guns come against me; I’ve had people with knives try to stab me. I’ve had people trying to kill me, but if the glory is on you, they cannot touch you.”

Listen to the entire podcast to hear more of du Preez’s incredible story. And tune into du Preez’s podcast, Encounter Now with Leon du Preez, on the Charisma Podcast Network. {eoa}

As the persecution of the Bible-believing church becomes more intense, there will be a greater manifestation of the “Remnant Church.” By “remnant,” I am referring to the surviving vestige of the body of Christ who remains true to biblical principles despite cultural opposition.

There is always a faithful remnant left during times of apostasy and persecution. The prophet Elijah found that God, by His grace, always preserves a remnant that holds true to the faith (see 1 Kings 19, Rom. 11:2-5).

By Remnant Church, I am not merely referring to so-called “cultural warrior” churches that seem always to be battling for a cause. (This can be part of it, but the gospel is much bigger than one social cause.) I am also not referring to so-called Christian churches that do idiotic things, like burning the Qur’an. I am not referring to the intentionally hostile un-Christian behavior exhibited by so-called churches like the Westboro Baptist Church. (I cringe even calling this group of hatemongers a church!)

I am referring to faith and obedience to the word of God that is practiced by humble, people-loving, community-serving, compassionate members of churches who do not compromise the Word of God.

The following are the characteristics of the modern-day Remnant Church:

1. It will become more entrenched in the Word the more the world opposes it. The more resistance it faces, the Remnant Church becomes more resolute in its faith. This is similar to the way the muscles in our body get harder with resistance training. Instead of compromising the message, it may change its method of presenting the gospel without ever watering down biblical ethics, values and the message of the cross.

2. It will become vilified by society. The Remnant Church used to be merely unpopular in the past, but now it has gotten to the point where it is hated. Christian values are mocked continuously by shows like The View, The Late Show with Steven Colbert, The Rachel Maddow Show and more. It is now popular to hate biblical Christianity.

3. It will preach counter-cultural biblical messages. The pastors in the Remnant church will continue to preach the gospel of Christ. The preaching of the pure gospel always has vast implications related to human sexuality, the sanctity of human life and the definition of marriage and family. The challenge would be for the church to continuously apply the gospel to cultural issues in a wise, winsome way. The Remnant Church will remain faithful in preaching the gospel despite any possible backlash it may receive from attendees as well as the public.

4. It will produce the most committed Christians while making disciples. It is a known fact that liberal, progressive and compromising churches are shrinking while conservative evangelical churches grow in numbers. When a church is on the tip of the spear regarding biblical truth, it has more of a propensity of producing true disciples. This is because it takes great sacrifice to believe in Jesus amid hostile environments (think of Christians living in Iraq, Syria, Iran, Northern Nigeria and Sudan). Compromising churches produce wimpy believers, while the Remnant Church produces committed disciples. That’s all there is to it.

5. It will experience a greater presence and power of God than the non-remnant church. The first-century church was a hated minority, but the book of Acts illustrates God’s great power and presence that accompanied its ministry (see Acts 3-5). I have found that the more difficult it is to confess the truth of the gospel, the more God shows off His stuff. Where sin abounds, grace does more abound (Romans 5:20).

6. It will become more visible and distinct as the culture becomes more decadent. I believe that in most organizations (secular or religious), about 25% of its members are the most committed to its vision and mission. They are the ones willing to endure the most pain for the organization’s cause. This also means that most of the people in an entity easily detach themselves when the going gets tough. The harder it becomes for the church to practice biblical Christianity, the Remnant Church will become more evident.

7. It will be more excluded and separated from mainstream secular evangelical churches and denominations. The more uncool it becomes to be a biblical Remnant Church, the more the so-called “cool” (compromising) churches will distance themselves from the uncool, Remnant Church. Presently, it is still not as easy for the average person to discern between the Remnant Church and the compromising church. Most people still lump them together. However, as the heat gets turned up, compromising pastors and churches will accommodate culture while compromising Scripture. This will thus cause a more apparent distinction between the Remnant Church and the mainstream church. These compromising pastors and churches will continue to do their best to distance themselves from remnant pastors and their churches publicly. This happened in Nazi Germany when the nationalistic churches separated from the confessing churches to avoid persecution and death.

8. The Remnant Church will change the world. Sometimes God allows difficult circumstances to weed out the uncommitted followers from committed followers. An example of this is seen in the story of Gideon’s army in Judges 7. When we observe the Old Testament during the days of Elijah and the early century church, and the confessing Remnant Church in Nazi Germany, we can accurately conclude that the Remnant Church has what it takes to change the world. Only the Remnant Church has the conviction, the willingness to sacrifice, the devotion, the endurance, the message and the power to change the world. The compromising church will enjoy its temporary popularity in the present time, but those who are wise and turn many to righteousness will shine as the stars forever and ever (Dan. 12:3).

9. The Remnant Church will endure while the compromising church will fade away.

God promises in Malachi 3:16-18 that He has written a book of remembrance for those who speak of Him and fear His name. The reward for them is that He will spare them as a man spares his son. The implications of this are vast. While the spiritual children of the compromising church will probably become agnostic, the children of the remnant will carry the torch of Christ to the next generation. They will increase in strength and do more wondrous works (John 14:12). The Remnant Church goes from strength to strength and faith to faith, while the compromising church goes from strength to weakness and faith to apostasy, eventually into oblivion (Romans 1:17).

May God help us all remain faithful to the end and participate in the Remnant Church. {eoa}

Dr. Joseph Mattera is an internationally known author, interpreter of culture and activist/theologian whose mission is to influence leaders who influence nations. He is renowned for addressing current events through the lens of Scripture by applying biblical truths and offering cogent defenses to today’s postmodern culture. He leads several organizations, including The United Coalition of Apostolic Leaders (uscal.us). He also has a blog on Charisma magazine called “The Pulse.”

As a minister of the gospel of Christ, this tumultuous year of 2020 has affected Lee Grady as much as anyone else. His travel has been restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, limiting his worldwide ministry in places like Africa and Asia.

But none of the chaos has dampened the founder of the Mordecai Project’s enthusiasm for Jesus, and he says there’s a particular place where he has found solace and sanctuary—a place where all believers should be abiding right now.

“Hopefully, this year has caused us to focus on the right things. Instead of being fearful, we need to get our eyes on the most permanent thing in the universe, which is the throne of God,” Grady told Dr. Steve Greene on a recent episode of Greenelines on the Charisma Podcast Network. “That’s where I’ve been living. I’ve been living in Psalm 2, where it talks about God being on the throne, that He is laughing at his enemies.

“He is not worried about what is going on,” he said. “God is not wringing his hands. He is not nervous. He’s not pacing the floor. He is secure as Jesus is installed as King.

“God is actually laughing at anybody who thinks that they get the last word,” Grady said. “God is going to have the last word. This has been a very crazy year as far as racial tension and political tension. We’re all worried about who’s doing what behind this curtain and conspiracy theories, and everybody is sharing their conspiracy theories. But again, I’m not worried about any of those people because I know who is on the throne. …

“I felt like God said there are big things coming, and we’re going to need our tanks to be full,” Grady said. “So a focus for me in 2020 is to get full, and everywhere I’ve preached, I have told God’s people, ‘You need to be like the five wise virgins and go get your oil.’ … There are Christians who are so distracted and apathetic and are so busy that they don’t have time to get their oil. They were the ones who were left out in the end. I don’t want to be left out. I’m encouraging everyone that it’s time to get full. There is no oil shortage.”

For more of Dr. Greene’s incredible interview with Lee Grady, listen to the entire podcast. {eoa}

When Mark Virkler got saved at age 15, he wasn’t even aware there was an entity called Holy Spirit. The church he attended simply didn’t introduce him to this third person of the Trinity.

But Virkler, who has been in active ministry for nearly 50 years, began to read the Bible more and more. He read about and witnessed many aspects of the supernatural and realized there must be something more than the teaching he was receiving. It was a startling revelation and, Virkler says, many believers disappointingly live their daily lives without ever realizing the power and gifts they can receive from Holy Spirit to further the kingdom.

It’s what led him, along with his daughter, Charity, to write his most recent of 55 books, Overflow of the Spirit: How to Release His Gifts in Every Area of Your Life.

“As soon I began reading, I saw they were doing miracles, they were hearing God’s voice and getting dreams and they were prophesying,” Virkler told Dr. Steve Greene on a recent episode of Greenelines on the Charisma Podcast Network. “There was an instant hunger for me to operate in all nine manifestations of the Spirit.

“I was taught that, if you’re lucky, you might get one of the nine, and that it was impossible to get all of the nine,” he said. “The truth is, it’s not impossible. And it’s not difficult. It’s incredibly easy to operation in all nine.”

The nine gifts Virkler speaks of are: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues.

“Galatians 5:25 says if we walk by the Spirit, we should live by the Spirit,” Virkler said. “So what does that mean? What we can do is to teach you how to connect with the Holy Spirit moment by moment and intentionally draw upon His supernatural abilities. We want to teach you how to tune into the indwelling Holy Spirit and release Him into every situation of your life. Rather than life being you in action, it will be the Holy Spirit in action through you. Blessings will overtake you as you live and walk by the Spirit.”

Register here for the free video series of Mark Virkler teaching through Overflow of the Spirit beginning Dec. 6.

For more about how to walk in all of the gifts of the Spirit, listen to this entire podcast.

This has been a year of shakings. In 2020, right before our eyes, we’ve watched as America has been overtaken by a virus, paralyzed by a lockdown, rattled by an economic collapse and shaken by violence and the breakdown of civil order.

Is there an ancient Bible mystery that foreshadowed all these events? And if so, where is this all headed? Will there be even more shakings in our future?

Jonathan Cahn reveals the answers to these questions and more in his long-awaited sequel The Harbinger II: The Return. This stunning new book uncovers not only what has been and what is now taking place in our midst—but also the future—what is to yet to come and how to be ready for it.

What was foretold in Cahn’s first book, The Harbinger, is now coming true—and The Harbinger II further uncovers how the same mystery lies behind the events that are now shaking America: the plague of COVID-19, the economic collapse, the civil disorder, the riots and much more. It even reveals how an exact ancient template determined the timing of the virus and the nation’s shaking.

Revival Is the Answer

As chilling as the future appears, it’s not all bad news. In the latter part of the book, Cahn reveals the one answer and hope to America’s crisis. In a recent interview on The Jim Bakker Show, he shared what he believes God is saying in this crucial hour.

“Now is the time we must return to God,” said Cahn. “I’ve been telling people I believe dark events are coming—but the point is for revival. Without revival, America is lost. But with revival, all things are possible.”

Cahn points to 2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV) as the pivotal Scripture for this day and time: “If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

“The verse before that talks about a plague on the land, droughts which cause food shortages and famine and even locusts,” said Cahn. “And we’ve seen all of that in 2020. God is giving us a warning. He’s saying that this is the year; this is the time; we cannot miss it. He’s telling us to return to Him. This is the moment, and I felt it even before this year began.”

Cahn said that people have been asking him to write a sequel for years, but he could not write this book before now. “This book could not be revealed until the right time,” he says. “I’ve been holding back from sharing for eight years. It was only in 2019, several months before 2020 began, that I got an unction from the Lord that I had to write it now.

“The book opens up a prophetic revelation of America’s future,” Cahn said. “It contains things have been waiting for years, mysteries that have never before been revealed … from the beginning, to what has happened since and up to this day. It tells what is behind the mystery, where we are heading and how to get ready. It opens up the revelations of God, the voice of God, the plan of God, where we are and what we need to do. It’s truly for such a time as this.”

Rise Up and Shine!

Cahn noted that much of America is not coming to the Lord but rather moving farther away. “And so I believe, as much as that’s the case, that shaking and judgment are coming,” he said. “But at the same time, I believe that in the midst of that, if we will come before God in prayer and repentance, if we will rise up and be strong, God will hear and heal our land as He promised.

“Everything’s being weakened. The only people who are going to be left standing are the people of God—those who are uncompromised.

“So, God is calling us to do that,” Cahn encouraged. “If we do, God’s going to light us up! He’s going to cause a revival, even in the midst of shaking and people will come to God.

Cahn admits that there will be persecution for Christians. “But if the people of God rise up, others will see Him and will look to Him for an answer!” he said. “If the people of God are bold and proclaiming and standing in prayer and supplication, God is going lift you up. Second Chronicles 16:9 says, ‘the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.’ God will have you shine!

“One of the words God gave me on 9/11 was from Isaiah 60:1: ‘Arise and shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.’ While darkness covers the nation, God’s glory will rise upon you.”

Our Greatest Hour

Cahn expects that revival will spring up in the midst of the future shakings. “I do believe we’re going to see darkness and light,” he admitted, “but I also believe that God is calling from the Spirit for everybody to start praying. As more people start joining in and praying, battling in warfare, then fires of revival will start.

“I believe this is a crucial prophetic moment,” Cahn concluded, “and this is our chance to rise up for the world. There may be darkness, but if the people of God will rise up and come together in prayer and repentance as never before, this can be our greatest hour! “

Find out more at theharbingerreturns.com. {eoa}

It is important that we come to know God for who He is and not who we want Him to be. Many of us have a “God box” in which we define who we say God is. The walls of our box have been constructed by our culture, personality and experiences in life, including past relationships.

God is so much bigger than our limited experiences and our human reasoning. It is time to let God out of your “God box.” Get to know Him for who He really is.

The Bible tells us God is sovereign, and there is nothing in this world that does not fall under His authority. He is the God of history—in fact, all of history is just “His story,” and the more history we learn, the more we see the hand of God at work in the affairs of this world.

There is one character of God, however, that our 21st-century culture rejects, and that is His judgment. Our society wants a God who is only loving and forgiving, not one who judges sin. However, there can be no forgiveness without a debt, no mercy without judgment.

When God gave the law to Moses, He instructed him to construct a mercy seat from where He would speak to His people. It is out of His mercy today that He invites you and me to draw near and get to know Him better.

Join me this week on the Out of Zion podcast titled The God of the Bible, and we will discuss how to take God out of our limited understanding and come to know Him for who he really is. This study is Part 7 of our 3D Bible series. {eoa}

Dr. Susan Michael is USA director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem and host of the Out of Zion podcast.