My season of not blogging all that much continues despite there being so much blog worthy material around and my not letting up observing what is happening around me along with a deepening sense of foreboding because it is at an alarming rate. I sense huge change is in the air, especially in the spiritual realm and, while a lot of that is positive, I also recognise the danger of over pontificating, noting many voices around offering conflicting perspectives, while the one that truly matters is God’s. Yet as the good book reminds us: there is a time to blog and a time to refrain from blogging. Wisdom and truth is needed and knowing when to blog and when not to.

There have been two standout thoughts for me of late. Firstly, around the death of the Pope and what will happen next (which I will get to). I write as the Pope’s funeral, attended by many world dignitaries, takes place. Then there is the reoccurring one of the Great Reset, Great Awakening and Great Deception and which will dominate in the days to come. For those not familiar with my past blogs on the subject, I offered the following understandings:

Great Reset: this phrase began to be used during the Corona plandemic with ones like “build back better”. It was a repackaging of phrases like “New World Order” beloved of powerful, often non accountable, elites pushing globalism, exemplified by agencies, such as the WEF and WHO, and many of the world leaders.

Great Awakening: this phrase arose as a response to “Great Reset” and encompasses two main ideas: firstly that of a spiritual awakening by people like me that causes people to turn to the God of the Bible as well as New Age type people recognising a spiritual malaise, and secondly an awakening along the lines that the world is run by bad people who want to kill or enslave us and wakening up to this fact. People pushing this include what was called a basket a deplorables and Christians saddened by rising tide of evil.

Great Deception: this phrase encompasses all who believe in those things that are not true, especially concerning the state of the world and its causes, who are in one way or another blind to what is going on. None are immune, including sincere, sound Christians.

While my thoughts have evolved over time, I have been broadly consistent with my original understanding of these three “Greats” and believe these have been operating in tandem. I have been in little doubt that the idea of a Great Reset has been primarily pushed by the bad guys and as for Great Awakening, my views are mixed, for while I welcome an awakening of the right kind, I fear that the wrong kind could let the Devil in, not as the Prince of Darkness but rather as an Angel of Light. As for Great Deception, in line with Jesus’ teaching, e.g. Matthew 24, while many, probably all to some extent, have succumbed, this will no doubt continue.

I have also been wrestling with the question: which of these is going to prevail? I do so in the light of prophecy, both what we find in the Bible and the utterances of a class of people that I refer to as modern day political prophets, as well as those not necessary of the faith but who offer their what seems reasonable take on world events, typically representing alternative media, some accused of peddling conspiracy theory, pushing an interpretation of events different to those of the Unholy Trinity, in which I include most politicians, mainstream media and powerful elites.  

Before I map out the way ahead, both what I think might be (good and bad) and how I urge folk to respond, and is also the one which I am resolved to follow, I want to return to the death of the Pope and how that ties in with other world events. The announcement of the Pope’s death on Monday came as no surprise as it was known that he had been in poor health. As for people offering their views on, for example, the legacy left by Pope Francis, there has been no shortage and these differ widely. I will begin and end with my thoughts, and start by expressing my own mourning for the death of the spiritual leader of billions of faithful Catholics and billions more who hoped he is/would be, in the words of St. Francis, in whose footsteps he said he will follow: “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace”.

When Francis became Pope in 2013, my early impressions were favourable. He seemed like a breath of fresh air, speaking the language of common folk and addressing the concerns of many, especially when it came to matters of social justice, in particular on behalf of the poor, the marginalised and the vulnerable and including those outside of mainstream catholicism. But things begun to change as my own Great Awakening began. When it came to matters like: responding to those outside “the faith”, mass immigration, “the Climate Emergency”, that related to the Covid pandemic and taking the “vaccine”, globalism versus nationalism, the LBGT agenda, sound doctrine, etc., he was imho on the wrong side of most of the arguments. This was made worse because his pronouncements influenced many and despite sticking up for the underdog and victims of injustice, he played into the hands of the evil Cabal set to destroy and subjugate humanity that will eventually bring in the rule of the Antichrist. Before returning to what next, I share three views on the Pope: the good, the neutral and the bad.

The good (posted by someone leading a Catholic charity serving the poor, on its social media page): “We join the world in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis. A humble servant and powerful voice for the voiceless, Pope Francis reminded us that “the Church is called to be the house of the Father, with doors always wide open.” His deep commitment to the poor, the homeless and those on the margins shaped a papacy rooted in mercy, simplicity and action. His teachings and example have profoundly inspired our work – where we strive each day to live out his call to “go to the peripheries,” walking alongside those experiencing poverty, addiction, isolation or homelessness. Pope Francis championed care for creation, interfaith dialogue and solidarity with the suffering. His legacy lives on in every act of compassion, every open door and every life transformed. May his soul rest in peace. May we honour him by continuing his mission of love”.

The neutral (from a posting by an evangelical leaning publication): “The papacy of Jorge Mario Bergoglio has been extraordinary, in terms of both the time and world in which it has taken place, as well as the man himself. It is likely that Pope Francis will be remembered as the Pope of the ‘culture wars,’ the ideological and political conflicts that have dominated Western societies during the time he has been Pontiff. Chosen for his role in 2013, he was in place for an oft-cited marker for the escalation in this strange battle between ‘liberals’ and ‘conservatives’ – the election of Donald Trump as US President in 2016. For those passionate about social justice, which is so much part of the culture wars, he is perceived as one of the great popes. He has spoken out against war and poverty and in favour of action on climate change and welcoming refugees into the West.   Added to his unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship and the fight against economic inequality he will be remembered for his perceived ascetism and eschewing some of the pomp and luxury of his post. Taken together, he is viewed by many as worthy of the namesake of the humble St Francis of Assisi, the much-loved 13th Century saint who famously rejected his father’s wealth and dedicated his life to poverty and service of the poor, and reputedly talked with animals. This is the saint from whom Bergoglio took his papal name.”   

The bad (from X): (excommunicated) “Catholic Archbishop Viganò says Pope Francis will have to answer for the “crimes he has committed.” He issued a scathing rebuke shortly after news broke that Pope Francis had passed away following a prolonged battle with illness. Viganò declared that Francis was guilty of usurping “the throne of Peter in order to destroy the Catholic Church and lose so many souls.” Viganò warned that the damage is far from over – Francis’s “heirs” remain deeply embedded within the Church – or what some might call the “Deep Church.” And they are conspiring to carry forward his radical synodal revolution and further dismantle the papacy itself, he warned. This isn’t the first time Viganò has taken aim at Francis. He’s long accused him of pushing a New World Order agenda, compromising doctrine, and aligning the Church with globalist forces”.

We await with much anticipation on the announcement of Pope Francis’ successor as cardinals enter into discussion on who that will be. Whether it will be more of the same, better or worse, remains to be seen, but the spiritual warfare that is written about in the Bible will continue regardless. But back to my opening salvo – “huge change is in the air”. The war is intensifying and for Christians who are called to be soldiers serving in Jesus’ army, it is time to prepare for battle if we haven’t done so already, including putting aside any sin and encumbrance, and our leading godly lives and being faithful witnesses, leading lost souls to Christ. There is good news for Great Awakeners. There is the exposure of evil happening and doers at an accelerated rate, detailed in my blogs, and a spiritual awakening, an example being among Gen Z men, detailed in my last blog. And news keeps coming in of many people supposedly turning to God, including among Catholics, Orthodox, woke Evangelicals and old school charismatics – the very people my early mentors warned me against for none of these groups were deemed as being sound.

May our plea be to God – bring it (Thy Kingdom) on! God ever works in mysterious ways and uses unusual means and instruments. We are living in the Last Days and Jesus is coming back to set up His Kingdom, King of kings, Lord of lords. While light is important, life is even more so as long as it is the life of the true Christ. Amen.