The Earth is in Travail - Watchman Research Media

Hurricane Irma is now bearing down on Florida. It is so powerful, the weather community doesn’t even have an accurate classification for it. There’s no such thing as a Category 6 hurricane, so they’re calling it a “Catastrophic 5!”

Last night, a magnitude 8 earthquake rocked the southern coast of Mexico. It was felt in Cancun, 1,700 miles away.

Two weeks ago, Hurricane Harvey battered Southeast Texas. In its aftermath, an unimaginable flood fell on the U.S. Gulf coast. Experts are calling it a “thousand-year flood!”

Cedar Bayou, Texas, received the highest rainfall total ever recorded in the continental United States: almost 52 inches.

The Neches River in Beaumont, Texas, broke its previous high-crest record by 8 feet! Not 8 inches, but 8 feet!

And this has all happened in just the Western Hemisphere — in just two weeks!

In Romans 8:22, the Apostle Paul described the earth in these days: “The whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth until now.”

The earth is in travail.

Isaiah describes a time when, “The earth reels to and fro like a drunkard.” (Isaiah 24:20 NASB)

This gives a sense of planetary distress. But it also describes what it’s like during a monster earthquake.

The citizens of Mexico felt that last night. But Americans may feel it in the future.

As I reported in July, Yellowstone National Park has been suffering an “earthquake swarm.” In June, Yellowstone experienced 878 small quakes in one month. It has continued and last week Newsweek reported that the swarm “is now one of the biggest ever recorded, with over 2,300 tremors since it began in June.”

What makes this worrying is the fact that Yellowstone National Park sits atop a “supervolcano.” That means it’s thousands of time more powerful than a regular volcano.

Scientists say the magma (molten rock that we call ‘lava’ once it reaches the earth’s surface) chamber below Yellowstone is mind-boggling. They estimate that it is 37 miles long, 18 miles wide, and 3 to 7 miles deep.

NASA is so concerned that it has proposed drilling into the chamber to relieve some of the pressure. But critics fear that it could touch off an eruption.

Yahoo News reported that if Yellowstone erupts, it is “capable of burying states like Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, and Colorado in three feet of harmful volcanic ash….”

That could paralyze the nation.

I’ve often said that America does not appear to be a major factor in the end-times scenario. Something must occur to remove the U.S. from its superpower status. Is it possible that it could be a massive, staggering earthquake that cripples America?

But Jesus said that in these days, earthquakes would also happen in “various places.” (Matthew 24:7 NASB)

A few days ago, a large earthquake hit North Korea. But the magnitude 6.3 temblor was not a natural occurrence. It was man-made.

We now know that North Korea apparently tested what it claims to be a hydrogen bomb.

Though the rest of the world has not officially confirmed that to be true, it is generally accepted as fact. This earthquake was ten times larger than the one that occurred when they conducted their largest previous atomic test — just one year ago.

Less than one week before the alleged H-bomb test, North Korea launched a missile that passed over Japan and fell into the Pacific Ocean.

The Associated Press reports that it rattled the Japanese so much that their leaders are now publicly discussing the feasibility of building and buying cruise missiles so that Japan can achieve “a limited pre-emptive strike capability….” AP goes on to note that this idea “was anathema in the pacifist country before the North Korea missile threat.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently warned that North Korea and the United States are “on the brink of a large-scale conflict.” The Chinese Foreign Minister said that war could break out “at any moment.”

A high-ranking German official cautioned that a U.S.-North Korean war could result in more casualties than all of World War II.

How’s that for a “rumor of war?” (Matthew 24:6)

Speaking of “war,” that’s exactly what the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is waging against the Bible, Christians, conservatives, and America’s heritage.

Probably one of the most morally, if not criminally, corrupt organizations in recent memory, SPLC has positioned itself as the arbiter of “hate groups” in America.

In fact, it actually produces a “hate map” on which it identifies 917 “hate groups” in America. SPLC and SPLC alone determines what constitutes a “hate group.” And Southern Poverty Law Center has no moral compass and no standards by which to make those determinations. All they have is their own opinions. And those lean hard to the far Left.

SPLC has no tolerance for people who believe the Bible. If you utter a word against Islam, you might be a “hater.” If you speak out in favor of Biblical, traditional marriage, you almost certainly are a “hater.”

Of course, that only applies to non-Muslim groups. Islamists enslave women and children and often respond to homosexuality with violence. In fact, in some Muslim nations they throw homosexuals off the roofs of tall buildings.

But Islam is not on the “hate map.”

However, the Family Research Council (FRC) is. The FRC is one of the most respected promoters of the family in America. It was co-founded by Dr. James Dobson. It was once led by conservative Presidential candidate Gary Bauer. The FRC opposes much of the LGBT agenda, but does so with thoughtful argument, not violence.

Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is on SPLC’s “hate list.” ADF is a moderate Christian legal-rights group. It was founded by Dr. Bill Bright, who also founded Campus Crusade for Christ. Dr. Bright was my friend. He dedicated his life to spreading the love of Christ and the Good News of the Gospel to millions of college students over several decades.

Another founder of ADF was Dr. D. James Kennedy. Is there anyone on the religious right or left who did not respect and appreciate the gentleness and thoughtfulness of Dr. Kennedy?

Apparently the fact that Dr. Kennedy was a forceful advocate for traditional family values earned him a spot on SPLC’s “hate map.”

Imagine the gall of anyone who would place these men of God on a “hate list” with the Ku Klux Klan and neo-nazis! It’s disgusting and should anger every American!

If the SPLC had the integrity to apply their standards consistently, then the Catholic Church would be on the list. The Republican Party would be on the list. Practically every Muslim mosque in America would be on the list. You and I would be on the list, too!

Though they promote themselves as teachers of tolerance, they ignore the fact that they are biased, too. But despite their obvious flaws — and hypocrisy — SPLC’s statements go unquestioned. Their pronouncements are accepted by the mainstream media, the entertainment industry, academia, and a huge portion of the U.S. government.

SPLC placed an organization called “Jihad Watch” on its “hate list.” Then PayPal banned Jihad Watch from receiving donations using its service.

After SPLC designated D. James Kennedy Ministries a “hate group,” Amazon kicked that ministry out of its charity donation program.

With their “hate map,” SPLC is hurting real ministries that are helping real people.

But we knew this time would come. Jesus Himself warned that one day we would not be the haters, but we would be the hated. He said, “You shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.” (Luke 21:17 KJV)

Folks, those days are just around the corner. Are you ready?