Kiev and Russian actions unsettle many in eastern Ukraine and some prepare to flee: Will you be ready when it is time for Christians to flee?

Kramatorsk Highlighted on Ukraine Map (Skluesener)

The violence and threat of violence in the land of Ukraine is emboldening some and unsettling others:

April 16, 2014

Pro-Russian separatists raised the Russian flag on Ukrainian army armored vehicles in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, mocking the pro-Western Kyiv government’s attempt to reassert control on the eve of crucial talks in Geneva on the country’s future.

Amid escalating rhetoric between Moscow and Kyiv, the incident highlighted defiance by pro-Russian separatists, undermining central government efforts to push armed rebels out of captured buildings in 10 eastern towns without bloodshed.

Government troops had driven armored personnel carriers flying the Ukrainian flag into the town of Kramatorsk in the early morning after securing control of a nearby airfield from the rebels on Tuesday, prompting Russian President Vladimir Putin to warn of the risk of civil war…

A soldier guarding one of six troop carriers now under the control of the rebels told Reuters he was a member of Ukraine’s 25th paratrooper division from Dnipropetrovsk.

“All the soldiers and the officers are here. We are all boys who won’t shoot our own people,” he said, adding that his men had had no food for four days until local residents fed them.

A spokesman for the separatists and a witness in Kramatorsk said the Ukrainian troops had given up their vehicles to the rebels after talks.

Overhead, a Ukrainian jet fighter carried out several minutes of aerobatics above the town’s main square in a show of strength by Kiev’s forces. A government official said the Ukrainian Defence Minister was travelling to Kramatorsk to try to clarify the situation.

The muscle-flexing and inflamed rhetoric heightened fears of violence after Moscow-backed gunmen occupied public buildings in 10 eastern towns and cities in the last week.

The Kyiv government is seeking to reassert control … http://www.voanews.com/content/putin-ukraine-at-brink-of-civil-war/1894430.html

April 16, 2014

Kramatorsk, Ukraine (CNN) — Helicopters and a fighter jet circled the skies above the tense eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk on Wednesday, while on the streets below a column of tanks rolled through the city — one with a Russian flag affixed.

A convoy of armored personnel carriers also entered the city of Slaviansk, some carrying Russian or regional separatist flags.

Events are moving fast in Ukraine’s restive Donetsk region, and confusion is rife…

Many protesters are calling for greater federalization, or devolution of power to the regions — a demand Russia has also voiced and which Kiev has said it will consider. However, the Ukrainian government is determined to prevent the country from breaking up.

At the same time, while there is a strong pro-Russian sentiment in the region, it is not as widespread as was seen in Crimea — annexed last month by Russia after a controversial referendum…

Although Ukraine has been more subdued in its characterization — no doubt in part because of concerns that Russia might use violence as a pretext to intervene directly — it’s clear that the leadership’s patience is wearing thin.

After days of urging pro-Russian militants to vacate buildings they have seized, on Tuesday they sent in troops. http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/16/world/europe/ukraine-crisis/

April 16, 2014

Russia has staged tanks, fighter jets and an estimated 40,000 troops on its border with Ukraine. But don’t expect them to charge across and start a conventional war — Russia is already achieving what it wants by causing chaos.

That’s the read from a retired Army general.

“I think Putin’s smarter than to have an invasion,” Gen. Montgomery Meigs told NBC News, referring to Vladimir Putin, the Russian president. “He has the whip hand with all his special-ops guys running around firing up the Russian speakers in eastern Ukraine.”

The Ukrainian government is trying to establish control over the east, where pro-Russian militants have seized government buildings in at least nine cities — a sort of slow-motion invasion from within.

On Wednesday, Ukraine sent troops into the city of Kramatorsk, near where “Russian sabotage groups” commandeered six armored personnel carriers and flew the Russian flag from them. http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/ukraine-crisis/ukraine-invasion-unlikely-russia-achieves-goals-general-n82086

Kiev Offensive Unnerves Ukrainians; Getting the Car Ready for Escape

For residents of Kramatorsk in eastern Ukraine, a government offensive against pro-Russian separatists stirred concerns that their safety may be at risk and prompted emergency preparations.

Andrei Khabarov, 40, a farm-equipment vendor, said he was keeping his daughter home from school this week and parking his car on the street in case his family needed to escape quickly…people in Kramatorsk, a city of about 170,000 people about 150 kilometers (95 miles) from the Russian border, were making preparations should the violence intensify. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-16/ukrainian-offensive-unnerves-residents-of-eastern-city.html

It appears that many in eastern Ukraine are concerned about the government in Kiev and tend support those who prefer either independence from Kiev or joining the Russian Federation. Some are so concerned about the situation that they wish to flee–either to Russia or elsewhere in Ukraine.

Lest people think military threats cannot affect them, the Bible tells of a time immediately prior to the start of the Great Tribulation when God’s most faithful will have to flee to be protected:

15 “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), 16 “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. 18 And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. 19 But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! 20 And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened. (Matthew 24:15-22)

Will not ALL Christians be able to flee to gain protection?

According to the Bible, the answer is no.

Notice that the Philadelphians are promised protection:

7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,

‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie — indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. (Revelation 3:7-10)

This promise was only made the the Philadelphian church. This is despite the fact that the Bible indicates that there will be Thyatiran (Revelation 2:18-29 ), Sardisian (Revelation 3:1-6), and Laodicean (Revelation 3:14-19) Christians around at the time of the end.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 2:29; 3:6; 3:13; 3:22)

Many today do not seem willing to heed and truly “hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Furthermore, the following passages in Revelation clearly show that not all Christians get protected:

14 But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent. 15 So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. 16 But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. 17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:14-17)

The ‘woman’ above is the Church of God with the Philadelphian mantle, the group that truly is the “the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). Documented articles about various COG groups, as well as those on other groups that claim Christianity, at the www.cogwriter.com website should make it clear to those with “eyes to see and ears to hear” (Deuteronomy 29:4), that this mantle could only now be within the Continuing Church of God (CCOG). The CCOG is group doing the Philadelphian work and leading the final phase of the work.

Notice that Revelation 12:17 shows that the rest, who are true Christians as they “keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ,” DO NOT GET PROTECTED. They will go into the hands of the Beast for “a time, times, and half a time” (Daniel 7:25)–which is 3 1/2 years–and the same time that the faithful get protected according to Revelation 12:14.

Jesus said to pray to be accounted worthy to escape:

36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man. (Luke 21:36)

While many have deceived themselves into thinking that they will know when it is time to flee, Zephaniah wrote that those who may be protected needed to ‘gather together’ before the decree is issued to possibly be protected:

1 Gather yourselves together, yes, gather together,
O undesirable nation,
2 Before the decree is issued,
Or the day passes like chaff,
Before the Lord’s fierce anger comes upon you,
Before the day of the Lord’s anger comes upon you!
3 Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth,
Who have upheld His justice.
Seek righteousness, seek humility.
It may be that you will be hidden
In the day of the Lord’s anger. (Zephaniah 2:1-3)

And my point?

While various ones in Ukraine now see danger and are considering various steps, those who claim to be Christian, yet are not truly supporting the Philadelphia work of the Continuing Church of God, are placing themselves are greater risk than they imagine. Now is the time to take steps, do not wait until it is too late.

Many in Ukraine are scared and frightened and need our prayers at this time. Yet, most who claim to be Christian will NOT be able to flee to be protected from what is coming because they will not have done what the Bible teaches. Most Christians will NOT be ready or accounted worthy to flee according to scripture.

Hopefully, that does not now include you. If so, you can change now. Today truly is the first day of the rest of your life.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 2:29; 3:6; 3:13; 3:22)

Some items of possibly related interest may include:

Russia and Ukraine: Their Origins and Prophesied Future Where do the Russians come from? What about those in the Ukraine? What is prophesied for Russia and its allies? What will they do to the Europeans that supported the Beast in the end?
Ukraine in Prophecy? What is happening in Ukraine? What is known and what is unsure about its future? What is the origin of those who live in Ukraine? What does the Bible teach about the role of the Medes in the end times? Will Ukraine split? Why might part of Ukraine end up in the European Union? Why might part of Ukraine end up in the Eurasian Union? Is war in the prophesied future for Ukraine? What is the ultimate destiny for nearly all Ukrainians?
The Eurasian Union, the Kings of the East, and Bible Prophecy Is there a Eurasian union that will be formed? Is one being formed right now? Are any leaders working on that in the 21st century? Does the Bible teach that there will be a Eurasian union? If some type of Eurasian union is formed, who might it benefit and who will it destroy? A related video would be Is The Eurasian Union Rising?
Is Russia the King of the North? Some claim it is. But what does the Bible teach? Here is a link to a video, also titled Is Russia the King of the North?
There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra This article discusses a biblical ‘place of safety’ and includes quotes from the Bible and Herbert W. Armstrong on this subject–thus, there is a biblically supported alternative to the rapture theory. There is also a video on the subject: Might Petra be the Place of Safety? Here is something related in the Spanish language: Hay un lugar de seguridad para los Filadelfinos. ¿Puede ser Petra?
This is PETRA! This is a 1962 Good News article by the late Dr. Hoeh.
Is There A Secret Rapture for the Church? When and Where is the Church Protected? What does the Bible really teach? Does the Church flee or is it taken up just prior to the great tribulation? Who really is left behind? There is also a YouTube video with information Did Jesus Teach a Pre-tribulation Rapture?
Does God Have a 6,000 Year Plan? What Year Does the 6,000 Years End? Was a 6000 year time allowed for humans to rule followed by a literal thousand year reign of Christ on Earth taught by the early Christians? Does God have 7,000 year plan? What year may the six thousand years of human rule end? When will Jesus return? 2021 or 20xx? There is also a video titled The 6000 Year Plan: Is the end of humanity’s reign almost up?
When Will the Great Tribulation Begin? 2014, 2015, or 2016? Can the Great Tribulation begin today? What happens before the Great Tribulation in the “beginning of sorrows”? What happens in the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord? Is this the time of the Gentiles? When is the earliest that the Great Tribulation can begin? What is the Day of the Lord? Who are the 144,000? Here is a version of the article in the Spanish language: ¿Puede comenzar la Gran Tribulación en 2013 o 2014? ¿Es el Tiempo de los Gentiles? You can also see the English language sermon video: The Great Tribulation from the Mount of Olives.
Blood Moons and Prophecy There are four ‘blood moons’ expected in 2014 and 2015. Do they signal the Day of the Lord or the return of Jesus Christ? A related YouTube video is also available: Blood Moons, Prophecy, 2014, and 2015.
4. The Thyatira Church Era was predominant circa 1050 A.D. to circa 1600 A.D. The Church during the Inquisition.
5. The Sardis Church Era was predominant circa 1600 A.D. to circa 1933 A.D. Discusses early history of the Seventh Day Baptists, Seventh-day Adventists, and COG-7th Day.
6. The Philadelphia Church Era was predominant circa 1933 A.D. to 1986 A.D. The old Radio Church of God and old Worldwide Church of God, now basically the most faithful in the Church of God, like who hold to the beliefs and practices of the Continuing Church of God.
7. The Laodicean Church Era has been predominant circa 1986 A.D. to present. These are non-Philadelphians who mainly descended from the old WCG.