Top of the Week: A Prophetic Warning to Americans, from the Underground Church

Here’s a quick summary of the top stories on charismamag.com:

A Prophetic Warning to Americans, from the Underground Church

There is a Satanic lullaby here in the West. A very subtle droning lullaby that is causing the church to drift asleep. That’s how one Iranian woman described the American church when her family moved here before deciding to go back to Iran. The simmering pressure and intensity in the underground church kept their faith alive and real, in a way that started to diminish in the lukewarm churches in the West.

That woman, along with two other women leaders in the underground church in Iran felt the Spirit of God placed an urgent prophetic message on their hearts to share with American Christians.

As they watched Biden’s speech in Sept. 2022, they were moved by him demonizing pro-life supporters as “potential terrorists.” Disconnected from American politics, they heard Biden’s words and felt an eerie similarity to verbiage they have heard in their country before.

3 Keys to Stand Strong Against End Times Deception

One Los Angeles pastor, working in the heart of Skid Row and leading sheep from all walks of life is warning Christians across America to start living for the imminent return of Christ. You’ve probably heard of a few “signs of the times,” but what does it mean to have the discernment like the sons of Issachar?

“It’s hard to know the beast when you’re in the belly of the beast,” Pastor Troy Vaughn says in a Charisma magazine interview. In 1 Chronicles 12:32 it says, “From the sons of Issachar, those having understanding of times and what Israel should do: 200 of their captains with all their brothers at their command.”

In every era of history, there is a unique set of circumstances plaguing the minds of the people. In 1 Chronicles 12 that circumstance was the death of King Saul and the future reign of David. The sons of Issachar perceived the tension in the moment and analyzed what was happening in Israel. They used that wisdom to fight with the rest of David’s army at Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him.

Never Underestimate the Power of a Hug

This past week I led a men’s conference in coastal Colombia, a nation with a high rate of fatherlessness. Colombian men rarely receive affection from their fathers because the macho culture requires guys to be tough, harsh and emotionally closed. On the first night I taught from the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15. I reminded the guys that Jesus told this story to paint a vivid picture of the Father’s unconditional love.

We all know what happened to the wayward son. After dishonoring his family by leaving home and moving to a Gentile country, the repentant son returned to his father—fully expecting that he might be disowned or forced to become a house servant. But the father was waiting patiently for his son’s return, and when he saw him from a distance, he “felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him” (Luke 15:20).

This was certainly the most powerful hug in the Bible, because it perfectly illustrates how our merciful Father feels about any sinner who returns to Him. The father didn’t recoil in disgust, or look smugly at his son with self-righteous anger. No, he threw his arms around him, even though he smelled like pigs! Then he gave him a robe, a ring and sandals—emblems of a restored family inheritance—and he invited the young man back into the house. The affectionate father even threw a party for his son in a lavish display of forgiveness.

Former Megachurch Pastor Who Had Affair Now ‘At Peace with God’

If there is one thing that God has engrained into Pastor Jeremy Foster over the past year, it’s grace.

He has received a lot of it, and he’s learning more and more every day how to give it back to others.

The founder of Hope City Church in Houston, Texas—a megachurch with weekend attendance of roughly 12,000—resigned his position as lead pastor over a year ago after confessing to an adulterous affair. During the past year, he has received counseling and has attempted to mend relationships between his ex-wife, his children and his ex-church.

In a heart-felt post on Instagram this week, Foster poured out his heart and did not excuse his behavior, but wanted people to know that God has forgiven him and he’s learning to forgive himself.

Gang Member Healed of Cancer and Fentanyl Addiction Now Serving Christ

Mario Murillo says it’s the most unique evangelistic situation he has ever seen in all of his years of ministry.

Last week during the Living Proof Bakersfield meetings, Murillo said there were wealthy people who came to find Jesus. There were homeless people who came to find Jesus.

But, to Murillo’s surprise, it was a large group of young men who came seeking Jesus in the tent crusade, and a majority of those men found Him. It stunned the evangelist and preacher of the Good News.

“Young men, more than any other demographic, came to Bakersfield and came to Christ,” Murillo told Charisma News’ John Matarazzo earlier this week at the Fire and Glory Conference in Ocala, Florida. “This runs against the grain of everything we know about modern evangelism in the United States.”