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Personally, I see victory in the progress of the church- notably from the Reformation (on Oct. 31, calculating from the date of the 95 theses, we just completed a 490 year cycle, btw- 70x7 years...) on into the new season we're in. As we continue to slough off the trappings of tradition and religion, and get more in tune with the ruling anointing of every believer being a priest/prophet/king, we see greater influence and leverage in society. Not necessarily as the institutional church, but rather as individuals walking in power among the halls of law, education, board rooms, extending even to back alleys and every place in between. (The key here is walking in the power of the Spirit.)

Even in China, as you personally know very well, the underground church exercises great authority- enough to drive the commies to fear them, thus the persecution.

The escapist, denial theology of the Madeline Murray O'Hare era is thankfully being rejected, as we embrace the revelation and responsibility of sonship and being a joint/heir. It's a progressive revelation to be sure, but the strength of the former rain shall even be overshadowed by what is coming to us now.

Does it mean that every President throughout history will be a holy roller? No, but neither was Pharaoh during Joseph's time. Yet YHWH had His way.

Now, I understand that it's not all dancing through the daffodils, there will be lives, blood and treasure lost, but the Kingdom of God will advance into and overtake the kingdoms of this world. Christ in us, I believe, will accomplish this- as opposed to Christ personally after He physically comes back. I have to think like this, because anything less would be abdicating my commission from Him.

AMEN!

Christians on earth are indwelled by the Holy Spirit and commanded to preach the word of God to all men, confident that whomever has been given ears to hear will prosper by it. It's simply a numbers game. One hundred Christians 2,000 years ago; one billion Christians today.

I've been mulling over how to answer our FRiend Quix's many adjectives (biting my tongue when words like "demonic" are tossed around since eschatology isn't science or even definitive history, but conjecture over the future.)

And you seem to have answered him admirably without resorting to questioning his salvation or impugning his obvious love for the word of God.

So I'll just join you in greeting Quix as a "Kingdom builder," whether he knows he is or not. 8~)

And I really like your tag.

As a very minor aside, I was reading an article in this month's "Vanity Fair" about Michelle Phillips (of the Mamas and the Papas) who certainly has plenty to "talk about in the locker room" (Maude from "Harold and Maude.") She's weathered turbulent times, drugs, divorces, fame, poverty, riches, and the bottom line of this long magazine story was that she is happily living now surrounded by friends and family and spends a lot of time regularly working in a soup kitchen.

Considering the '60's, this is no small accomplishment. But the surprising thing about this story came at the end, when she talked about her daughter Chynna Phillips (of the girl rock band, Wilson-Phillips) and her son-in-law, Billy Baldwin, who are both born-again Christians with three children! I knew one Baldwin brother was a well-known Christian (Stephen), but I had no idea another one was along with his wife, Chynna, daughter of Michelle and John Phillips.

And so this story made me happy. Not only is Michelle Phillips a gracious human being, but she's managed to raise a daughter who, in spite of her heroin-addicted father (John Phillips), became a productive and fervent Christian raising a family of Christians.

That's progress. And when we look for it, we will find it.

“but the but the Kingdom of God will advance into and overtake the kingdoms of this world. Christ in us, I believe, will accomplish this- as opposed to Christ personally after He physically comes back.”

Where in the scripture does it ever say that the “Kingdom of God will advance into and overtake the kingdoms of this world.... as opposed to Christ personally after He physically comes back”

Rev.20:7-9, “And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them.”

If the Kingdom of God has advanced and overtaken the kingdoms of this world, how can this be?

Appreciate your patience, understanding and graciousness.

Nevertheless . . . such progress is part of the sweep of history, rush of history toward the prophecied END TIMES, not proof of the opposite.

Given the prospect of The Gospel being preached to/in the hands of every people group within the next 12 or so years . . .

CHRIST’S OWN PROPHECY VERBALLY GIVEN BY HIMSELF will be cominig true in our era . . . as sure a sign of the END TIMES as there can be.

I wish I could avoid the sense about the demonic. I did not want to go there. I have no other explanation nor any other sense in my spirit. It’s exceedingly disturbing TO ME.

The fact that others do not speak up on that score is not an accurate indication of their feelings on the matter, BTW. It seems that a lot my cohorts are happy to have me point man with their mostly silent/prayerful/freepmail supportiveness on a lot of points in this ball park.

I hope you know I would not be as strident if I didn’t feel compelled so in my spirit and particularly because I believe folks are needlessly at risk of hell because of that perspective. I realize it doesn’t match your theology but it does mine and is additionally exceedingly disturbing, TO ME.