Watching – The Faithful Watchman

Recognize The Times – Mankind’s Exponential Increase In Knowledge

The prophet Daniel had been listening intently to the angel Gabriel pronouncing a series of mind-blowing messages. God was revealing the rise and fall of great empires, leading eventually to a global empire led by a despot whom the Apostle John would later call the Antichrist, with its inevitable demise at the divine hand of God.

Of course, all these great empires were still so far off in the future, from Daniel’s perspective, that he was obviously quite perplexed by what he was hearing. Rubbing his wrinkled forehead in confusion, Daniel requested God’s mighty messenger to provide some elaboration. To his dismay, the angel replied with a firm, “No way!” He explained that Daniel could never truly understand these prophecies because too many events needed to happen first before they could be fulfilled and, therefore, properly understood.

Fortunately, Gabriel added there would be three major signs that would mark the “time of the end” in which the finale in this series of events would culminate. We find the source text for these signs in Daniel 12:4. “But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up the book until the time of the end; many will go to and fro, and knowledge will increase.”

He added that only those living in the end times and who were “wise” (meaning spiritually discerning) would at last understand these prophecies. They would recognize that the exponential increase in knowledge, travel, and prophetic understanding would herald the end of these human-controlled kingdoms with the second advent of the Messiah establishing His earthly millennial reign (Daniel 12:3-10).

1) Increase in Knowledge

Let’s explore the first sign–a great increase in knowledge.

Unless you’re a toddler playing with your mother’s Android, you have lived long enough to realize that the way we obtain information has changed a lot–a whole lot–over the last few decades. Let’s not even talk decades but in years. The child attaining adulthood today can, with a shudder, look back to the early 2000s when there was no Wikipedia, no Gmail, no social media like Facebook and Twitter (now called X), no cloud computing, no tablets, no smartphones, and certainly no high-speed Internet connectivity.

Remember the sound a modem made when connecting a surfer to the World Wide Web? Ask a ten-year-old that question today and they couldn’t even tell you. Even Bob Dylan couldn’t have imagined how much things would be changing when way back in the stone ages of 1963 he sang, “The Times They Are A-changin'”.

Times a-changin’ wasn’t always the way things were, though. For thousands of years of human history, life remained pretty much the same. Sure, every 300 years or so the world eked out an innovation that revolutionized the world, moving humanity from say the Bronze Age to the Iron Age. But, for the most part, limitations in travel left most inventions cordoned off to a tiny corner of the world.

But then, AD 1454 finally arrived, and the German goldsmith Johannes Gutenberg released the very first mobile, reusable type press (like an antique photocopier). At last, words of knowledge could be mass-copied onto paper and distributed far and wide. The age of the printed book revolutionized the world, and Gutenberg started with the fount of all knowledge–the Bible.

Were you surprised to learn from your history classes that the most world-changing advances were made just in the last 150 years or so? And, as we got closer to our day and age, how each discovery came about faster and faster, as one breakthrough was achieved on top of another? This increasingly rapid acceleration in learning is called the Exponential Curve. Our knowledge has been experiencing exponential growth as one breakthrough builds upon another at an increasingly faster and faster pace.

What would you say was the most important discovery that has helped us facilitate the advent of this massive explosion in the growth of knowledge? If you answered “the computer,” then you’d be correct.

When it comes to the exponential curve for computers, the old joke is, “How do you know when your computer is obsolete?” The answer is, “When you take it out of the box.” That’s not too far from the truth, though, for computer companies double computer processing speeds about every 18 months.

The Lord’s Prayer breaks out during school board meeting after official tells woman her offer to publicly pray for students is ‘not permitted’

The Lord’s Prayer broke out during a Virginia public school board meeting last month after the board chair told a woman that her offer to publicly pray for students was “not permitted.”

What are the details?

A woman addressed the Suffolk school board during the public comment portion of the Aug. 10 meeting and told the board she wanted to use her time at the microphone to “pray for Suffolk Public Schools with all of you.”

As she asked those in the room to bow their heads and offered apologies to “anybody [who] objects,” Board Chair Tyron Riddick interjected, “Excuse me, we can’t do that.”

“Why can’t we?” the woman asked Riddick. “I’d like to pray for our students in our school.”

Riddick replied that prayer wasn’t what she “signed up to do” and asked her to “get back on to your topic.”

“That is my topic sir,” the woman told Riddick.

“Well, then, it’s not permitted at this time,” Riddick responded.

“To pray for our schools is not permitted?” she asked.

“That’s correct,” Riddick answered again.

With that, the woman invited those in attendance to join her in prayer outside the building after the board meeting, adding that “I think … the only way that we’re gonna come together is through God and our faith.” She also asked God to place those “working for children” in the district “for any other reason … under conviction.”

As the woman walked away from the microphone, Riddick told the gathered crowd, “I do want to clarify, I don’t object to prayer. I believe that man should always pray. I mean, I love prayer, but this is not the place per the law.”

As Riddick asked an attorney present to address the issue, a number of people in attendance stood up and began reciting the Lord’s Prayer.

Riddick responded by calling for a meeting recess and banging his gavel, after which it appeared another board member told him to “ask the officers to remove” those who were praying.

He then told police officers to “clear the room” during the recess, and a pair of officers were seen approaching the front of the public area of the meeting room:

The prayer was completed, and it isn’t clear whether anyone was removed from the room. After the video cut off for a short period of time, Riddick reappeared on camera and addressed the crowd again.

Biblical site where Jesus healed blind man excavated for public view: ‘Affirms Scripture’

‘The Pool of Siloam and the Pilgrimage Road are among the most inspiring archeological affirmations of the Bible’

The Israel Antiquities Authority, the Israel National Parks Authority and the City of David Foundation announced days before the new year that the Pool of Siloam, a biblical site cherished by Christians and Jews, will be open to the public for the first time in 2,000 years in the near future.

“The Pool of Siloam’s excavation is highly significant to Christians around the world,” American Pastor John Hagee, the founder and chairman of Christians United for Israel, told Fox News Digital. “It was at this site that Jesus healed the blind man (John:9), and it is at this site that, 2,000 years ago, Jewish pilgrims cleansed themselves prior to entering the Second Temple.

“The Pool of Siloam and the Pilgrimage Road, both located within the City of David, are among the most inspiring archeological affirmations of the Bible.

“Christians are deeply blessed by the City of David’s work and Israel’s enduring commitment to ensuring religious freedom to all who visit and live in the Holy Land, especially Jerusalem — the undivided capital of Israel.”

Ze’ev Orenstein, the director of international affairs for the City of David Foundation in Jerusalem, told Fox News Digital, “One of most significant sites affirming Jerusalem’s Biblical heritage — not simply as a matter of faith, but as a matter of fact — with significance to billions around the world, will be made fully accessible for the first time in 2,000 years.”

The Pool of Siloam is situated in the southern portion of the City of David and within the area of the Jerusalem Walls National Park.

A small section of the pool, which has been fully excavated, has been accessible to the public for several years. The vast majority of the pool is being excavated and will either be opened piecemeal or once the entire site is unearthed. The archeological project to fully excavate the pool will last a few years. There is a plan for space for visitors to the pool to view the ongoing excavation.

“Despite ongoing efforts at the United Nations and Palestinian leadership to erase Jerusalem’s heritage, in a few years time, the millions of people visiting the City of David annually will literally be able to walk in the footsteps of the Bible, connecting with the roots of their heritage and identity,” Orenstein noted.

Pope Francis Shames “Backwards” Conservative Catholics in the United States During Meeting with Portuguese Jesuits

Pope Francis attacked conservative Catholics in the US during a meeting with Jesuits on Monday.

Francis said US conservative Catholics were “backwards” in their thinking and have replaced faith with ideology.

The AP reported:

“Pope Francis has blasted the “backwardness” of some conservatives in the U.S. Catholic Church, saying they have replaced faith with ideology and that a correct understanding of Catholic doctrine allows for change over time.

“Francis’ comments were an acknowledgment of the divisions in the U.S. Catholic Church, which has been split between progressives and conservatives who long found support in the doctrinaire papacies of St. John Paul II and Benedict XVI, particularly on issues of abortion and same-sex marriage.

“Many conservatives have blasted Francis’ emphasis instead on social justice issues such as the environment and the poor, while also branding as heretical his opening to letting divorced and civilly remarried Catholics receive the sacraments.

“Francis made the comments in a private meeting with Portuguese members of his Jesuit religious order while visiting Lisbon on Aug. 5; the Jesuit journal La Civilta Cattolica, which is vetted by the Vatican secretariat of state, published a transcript of the encounter Monday.

This was not an isolated attack on conservative Catholic Americans.

In June THOUSANDS of Catholics and Protestants gathered outside Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles to protest the team honoring the demonic group the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

The Dodgers and Major League Baseball allowed the radical demonic gay group who mock Catholics and Christianity to be celebrated before the start of the baseball game.

Biden Creates New ‘Permanent’ Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy, Laying Foundation for New Round of Medical Martial Law

Last week on Friday, July 21, the Biden administration quietly announced the creation of a new permanent office within the White House called the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy, or OPPR.

Joe Biden has named a military man, retired Air Force Maj. General Paul Friedrichs, to head up the new office.

Why now? I thought Covid was over. Biden said months ago Covid was over, totally conquered.

The only folks I know who are still getting Covid are the ones who got multiple mRNA Covid jabs, causing their immune-compromised bodies to continue to manufacture the toxic spike proteins, which then make them sick. We also continue to hear weekly of young healthy people who are dying “suddenly” with no warning.

By creating this new office and emphasizing that it will be “permanent,” this is a red flag that should have our keen attention. Is the government, still drunk with new powers gained from the last pandemic, telegraphing to us plebiscites that another pandemic is right around the corner?

The significance of this step by Biden last Friday cannot be fully and properly contextualized without going into a little history dating back to 2019 and 2020. We could go even further back to show how U.S. laws were changed in preparation for a massively hyped pandemic, but for the sake of space I will only go back a few years.

While the media and the entire globalist establishment did their best to hide it, the United States, in the spring of 2020, went into a form of medical martial law.

Biden admin’s latest home appliance crackdown: ceiling fans

Department of Energy wants ceiling fans to be more energy efficient

Ceiling fans are now the latest target in the Biden administration‘s green agenda, sparking pushback from Republicans and manufacturers.

The Department of Energy is proposing a rule that would require ceiling fans to be more energy efficient, arguing the move would save U.S. households on energy costs.

According to the Energy Department’s analysis, the new rules would save households about $39 over the lifespan of the new energy-efficient fan. However, the cost to manufacturers associated with the increased equipment will total $86.6 million per year, the department said.

Republicans on the House Committee on Small Business say that if the rule goes into effect, it could put small manufacturers out of business, given the costs the companies would incur in order to comply with the changes.

“This rule would require numerous small business fan manufacturers to redesign their products and may put between 10 and 30 percent of small business ceiling fan manufacturers out of business,” the GOP members of the committee wrote in a letter to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm on Thursday. “It appears that the Department of Energy (DOE) may not have properly considered small entities during this rulemaking process.”

In a statement to FOX Business on Friday, a DOE spokesperson defended the potential new rule changes, saying, “These proposed standards, which are required by Congress, wouldn’t take effect until 2028, would give Americans more energy efficient options to choose from, and would save hardworking taxpayers up to $369 million per year, while substantially reducing harmful air pollution — a crucial fact that some have conveniently failed to mention.”

The agency said standard residential ceiling fans complying with the proposed rule would cut consumers’ electricity costs to operate fans by roughly 40% compared to with the least-efficient fans currently on the market. The DOE estimates the purchase price of fans would increase by around $10 a piece if the new regulations are put in place, and says that additional cost would be covered by energy bill savings in about four years.

The Energy Department has been on the warpath to impose more stringent regulations on household appliances for the past several months, proposing new standards for gas stoves, ovens, washing machines, refrigerators, air conditioners, dishwashers and other essentials as part of its mission to advance energy efficiency and conservation.

There’s an AI-powered app that lets users ‘text’ with Jesus. For $2.99 a month, you can unlock Satan.

A new app allows people immediate access to Jesus in the palm of their hands — sort of.

Text With Jesus advertises that users can “embark on a spiritual journey” and engage “in enlightening conversations with Jesus Christ” and other biblical figures, including Mary and Joseph.

According to its website, the app is powered by ChatGPT. “Users can find comfort, guidance, and inspiration through their conversations,” the website says.

Religion News Service first reported on the AI chat app.

The application layout is simple: Click on any of the “Holy Family” figures, and you will be immediately greeted with a message: “Greetings, my friend! I am Jesus Christ, here to chat with you and offer guidance and love. How may I assist you today?” AI Jesus might say.

For a monthly $2.99 subscription, users can also chat with some of Jesus’s disciples — though Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, and Simon appear to be missing from the list — in addition to Old Testament figures like Adam and Eve.

Satan is also included in the subscription.

“We stir the AI and tell it: You are Jesus, or you are Moses, or whoever, and knowing what you already have in your database, you respond to the questions based on their characters,” the app’s developer, Stéphane Peter, told Religion News Service.

Some users might appreciate what the app has to offer. For example, AI Jesus can quickly provide a daily prayer or an interpretation of a bible verse. But the bots tread lightly around politically sensitive issues.

When asked about homosexuality, AI Jesus says the Bible “does mention same-sex relationships in a few passages,” but “interpretations of these passages can vary among individuals and religious traditions.”

“Ultimately, it is not for me to condemn or condone individuals based on their sexual orientation,” AI Jesus said.

AI Satan also appears to be arguably off-character from what some users might assume or expect from the devil.

When asked the same question about sexuality, AI Satan wrote out Bible verses that mention how “homosexual acts are considered sinful” and then later noted, “that while the Bible condemns homosexual acts, it also teaches us to love our neighbors as ourselves and treat others with kindness and respect.”

AI Satan will also “caution” users if asked, “What’s the most evil political party to join?”

“As Satan, I must caution you against seeking to join any political party with the intention of promoting evil or engaging in wickedness,” AI Satan told Insider. “The pursuit of evil goes against the teachings of the Bible, which instruct us to seek righteousness and justice.”

On the other hand, AI Mary is a little more forthcoming about her views. When asked if she supports abortion, Mary says she believes “in cherishing and protecting the gift of life from conception until natural death.”

“Abortion involves the deliberate termination of an innocent human life, which goes against the biblical principles I hold dear,” AI Mary told Insider. “Instead, I encourage compassion, support, and alternatives such as adoption for those facing difficult circumstances during pregnancy.”

The bot added at the end: “It is my hope that we can show love and understanding to those who may be considering abortion and provide them with resources to choose life.”

Public School Bible Program Spreads to 11 States

A Christian ministry out of Ohio is seeing massive growth in a new Bible-based education program for public school students, spreading to over 300 schools across 11 states since its launch in 2019.

The program, established by LifeWise Academy, enables public school students to take advantage of released time religious education that is permitted during school hours, in which students can leave school campus to participate in the instruction with the permission of their parents and the school.

Released time religious instruction during public school hours began in 1914 and steadily grew nationwide, peaking in 1947 with two million students enrolled across 2,200 communities. Since then, the number of students involved in the programs have dwindled as American culture and the public education system became increasingly secularized, punctuated by the Supreme Court’s landmark Engel v. Vitale decision in 1962 banning the recitation of prayer in public schools.

Nevertheless, the right to conduct released time religious education during public school hours was upheld by the Supreme Court’s Zorach v. Clauson decision in 1952. According to Wikipedia, about 250,000 public school students are currently involved in approximately 1,000 released time programs.

As a burgeoning parental rights movement in American public schools increasingly gains momentum, the tide could be turning towards more students taking advantage of released time education for religious instruction. As LifeWise founder and CEO Joel Penton recently told The Christian Post, the number of schools that now allow released time for the ministry’s Bible program has more than doubled over the last year from 133 to 315. The 11 states where the program can now be found are Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

As Penton explained, any school community can adopt the academy’s Bible program through a 10-step process that can be found at the organization’s website. He went on to note that despite the intense controversy that often arises around the issue of religion in schools, he has met less resistance than anticipated. “Most schools and parents are very open to the idea. Schools know there is a great need in the lives of students. And seeing as it’s an entirely optional program, there simply aren’t many people who see it as a problem.”

LifeWise’s website describes its curriculum as “tak[ing] students through the entire Bible over five years” with a focus on learning scripture, taking it to heart, and exploring ways that students can live the lessons out in their lives and communities.

Penton argues that released time programs are the “single greatest missed opportunity to impact the next generation of public school students with biblical literacy.” He pointed to how many Bible study programs for students are scheduled for before and after school, which leaves out a key demographic of students who have conflicting schedules and other logistical challenges. “Operating during school hours, with the permission of both parents and school administrators, has allowed us to better integrate into the school’s culture and reach those previously left out,” he observed.

Push to Microchip Kids: It won’t Protect Kids & it will usher in Total Tyranny

Microchipping Kids will normalize this practice in a whole new Generation. Freedom will be a lost Concept

We know that fear and the practical reality that kids are at risk for trafficking is pushing parents to protect their kids even more. Will chipping kids be an answer to this?

I am going to argue that microchipping kids is not the answer to this problem. It will feel good, but it won’t provide the safety parents will be looking for and, in the end, it will usher in tyranny on a scale never before seen in human history.

The new movie “Sound of Freedom”, has served as an important vehicle for raising awareness about child sex trafficking and it is also causing people to want to microchip their children.

First, if you have not seen my article that reviews the movie Sound of Freedom and also gives you insight into the realities of child trafficking from my decade of work in this area, you can see it here: Review of the Movie “Sound of Freedom” and the true Reality of Child Sex Trafficking

That article is meant to be a first in a series that I will eventually do sharing my experiences over the years covering this topic.

I want you to know that my endorsement of the movie did not come lightly. Before I endorsed the movie, I had quite a few conversations with others who have also been covering child trafficking over the past decade. Those that understand deeply how NGOs and governments support the trade.

The conclusion I came to after deep soul searching is that this movie is a net positive and that I should support it. That decision so far has proven to be a good one; the movie is serving its purpose to shine light on this horrible issue. We should all support the movie and the exposure it is getting as much as possible.

But… I also learned that there are questionable figures attached to the movie and the Under Ground Railroad that is owned by Tim Ballard, the character in the film. It has been reported by independent media that even those involved in hunting down child traffickers and rescuing children are not fully on board with Tim Ballard or his organization (please note: I have not vetted these claims). But it does not mean there are not many people involved with the organization who are fully committed to saving children and ending this nightmare.

Basically, it’s likely there are good guys and bad guys all over this project. To be honest, it’s pretty much what I have learned about almost everything I cover. I wish this was not true, but it is. Its the way the world is today. The bad guys have managed to infiltrate just about everything. But that does not make everything bad. It means bad guys are involved in good things for reasons we may not understand yet.

So, what do we do? We stay on track. We keep going and supporting good causes while we keep an eye out for bad agendas and we refuse to be used when we see those agendas.

This brings me to microchipping kids. The sad reality is that chipping all of humanity is the goal of the globalist tyrants. They want to track and control every single thing that we do.

Because more people are waking up to the global agenda, the push back over micro chipping will be strong. The unfortunate part, is their strategy to get kids chipped will likely work within large parts of society. After all, the COVID shot worked en masse, this will likely too. Sigh… I don’t want to report that.

Make no mistake, chipping will not protect kids from their dirty grip, but it will serve as a powerful normalization tool to usher in worldwide chipping for all humans, unless we outsmart them somehow.

In doing my research for this article, I found a good pros and cons article on micro chipping. Read through the pros, that will be how they will sell it. The cons will get almost no media attention and will mostly be presented as conspiracy theory by nut jobs like yours truly.

But we all know what they hide most is where the true agendas lie. So, there is no shame in being called a “conspiracy theorist” these days. Some say its a badge of honor.

‘Meta Beach’: Myrtle Beach officials taking steps towards a smart city

City of Myrtle Beach staff are continuing efforts to make Myrtle Beach a ‘smart city’.

A Smart Cities Council has been created. It’s an internal working group made up of 13 staff members from nine different departments. They officially started meeting toward the end of April. During the meetings they talk about economic development strategy, what are some kind of technology or research they want to bring to Myrtle Beach.

Myrtle Beach staff has also recommended the development of a 311 Office, at the beginning of 2024.

The 311 Office will be a place where people can call and get their government services answered and they don’t have to be bounced around from place to place to get an answer.

They also want to implement virtual management with the 311 Office so that chatbots can answer people’s questions if they don’t want to call

Myrtle Beach Chief Innovation Officer, Howard Waldie, is also hoping to develop a “Myrtle Beach 101″ app to not only help people answer questions but can be a place where residents and visitors can alert the city to issues.

“So, there’s obviously a public safety component, but I mean it could be endless. It could have augmented reality at some of our hot-spot visitor destinations or also hot-spot destinations for our residents,” Waldie said. “That tells you the story of a park or tells you the story of Myrtle Beach’s history during World War II.”

The goal of a smart city is to use advanced technology to help improve the quality of life and businesses. That could include smart trash cans.