fred torres ministries

What do the rescued Chili miners have in common with the “Great Commission”?

For sixty-nine days, thirty-three men waited while nothing short than an army of people worked tirelessly to affect their rescue.

Engineers specializing in mining, drilling and structure were assembled to combine their skill, training and professional experience to engineer a way to reach down into the bowels of the earth and pluck thirty-three men out of darkness and bring them into the light.

Scientist, engineers and specialist from not only Chili, but all over the world were called to assist. All of the stops were pulled on in securing the most brilliant of minds including the gathering of doctors and specialist from the

United States

and N.A.S.A. to affect the rescue.

Each one of these specialist, armed with training, education and skills in drilling, mining, survival techniques, design, geology and fields descended onto and into the site, all with the same goal in mind and in their heart. They gathered to save the thirty-three souls.

Volunteers gathered to serve food and set up accommodations for these people. Volunteers helped in many different ways. Some maintained the equipment needed to sustain those who worked so hard to design a method to get to the men. Some helped by preparing meals, delivering food and supplies. Some erected tents and temporary buildings. Those not at the sites kept churches open and provided comfort for friends and family.

A plan was devised, equipment assembled and designed and work began. Some of the experts conceived what they thought would be the best way to drill down and others engineered what would be to optimum size of the hole would need to be to prevent cave in and still be large enough to bring the men up. A method to bring the up needed to be provided. Again, engineers tirelessly worked to find a method assembling experts some of who were victims of a mine cave in themselves.

Knowing that this would be a time consuming project, it was necessary to provide food and aid as well as the necessity to keep the men in good spirit and physiologically sound.

The rescuers worked and were able to provide food and nourishment to sustain the victims while the rescue took place. Doctors from NASA who have expertise in sustaining life in confined areas for long periods of time provided the necessary knowledge that would provide the life sustaining food to keep them well while at the same time keeping the weight and the size of the men proportionate to fit in the capsule that was designed to lift them out of the hole.

The planning was so perfect that consideration for temperature change from the mine to the surface was thought of and clothes sent down for the ride up. Because they had been in darkness for such a long time, UV sunglasses were sent down to provide protection for their sensitive eyes once they were once again exposed to light.

As the victims began to emerge from the darkness one by one, not only the wives, family and friends celebrating and rejoicing, but the entire world breathed a sigh of relief and celebrated in the rescue of these men.

As you can see that the bringing of people to Jesus Christ is very, very similar.  The process is really no different. The only difference is the tools, equipment, people and methods. The goal is the same. To get trapped victims out of the darkness. (John 8:12)

God has armed us with the knowledge and the strength to go to the rescue site. He has provided us with not only the tools such as scripture and teaching, but has provided us with the Holy Spirit that will help and give us the ability to reach down to those in darkness.

He has constructed and furnished everything we need to testify and nourished us with the food necessary to witness to those who are trapped. And most of all, he gave the light that those who have been trapped in the darkness are able to see. (John 9:5)

He has brought all of this together to enable us to do the work to reach down and show those who have been living in darkness for so long the way to the top. (John 14:6-Luke 1:79-Luke 11:35-John 1:4-1:8-5:35-John 8:12)

His plan for our salvation is perfect. Everything has been considered and everything we need to be rescued and to rescue others has been skillfully and masterfully orchestrated without flaw or error to affect the rescue of anyone.

And what happens when we while sharing the gospel, like the miners, a person steps from the darkness. Just as the wives, families and the world celebrated with each emerging minor, the angles in heaven rejoice. Luke 15:10 says; Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Remember, you may not be the one who engineered the operation. You may not be the one who drilled the hole, made the capsule or designed the facility. But no matter what part of the operation as a whole you were involved with, the process may not have been completed without your effort.

So, when you minister and testify to people, and they tell you forget it or yeah, yeah… whatever, you may have just drilled the hole built the hoist or even oiled the rig. It may take others to finish the job but without you it may have never been done. Everyone’s job during that rescue made it possible. Just as in growing a plant, some will sow seed, others water and others will prune.

Scripture references:

Matthew 28:18

Mark 16:15

Acts 1:8

John 1:4 & 8 /John 5:35/8:12/9:5/14:6

 Luke 1:79 & 15:10

Additional scripture references: Proverbs 4:19/2:13/John 6:57,10:10,11:25-26/Samuel 22:29, Psalms 18:28, 82:5, 107:10-11

Footnotes:

The word “Darkness” appears 42 times in the New Testament.

The word “Light” appears 97 times in the New Testament.

The word “Saved” appears 58 times in the New Testament.

The word “Redeemed” appears 6 times in the New Testament.

The word “Salvation” appears 43 times in the New Testament.

The word “Grace” appears 124 times in the New Testament.

The word “Baptized” appears 50 times in the New Testament.

 "A VOICE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS"

On several occasions I have been asked if I believe the "Antichrist" is already here. My answer has always been; "no, I don't think any world leader around now is smart enough or slick enough". My opinion about some being slick enough, even smart enough is changing, but I still don't think anyone around is the Antichrist. (At least for now).

 I have also been asked several times why isn't the United States mentioned or implied in end times prophesy? And, I have always replied; I think there may be one of three or perhaps all three reasons why the United States is not mentioned. None being the United States was not around in Biblical times.

 First, ( and the one I don't like) is we have been defeated or perhaps a nuclear war has occurred and there is no United States.

Second; That the U.S. has become insignificant and the country simply doesn't matter any longer.

Third; That there was a revival in the U.S. and when the Rapture happens so many living in the United States will be taken that there isn't enough people left to be called a country.

Although I prefer option three to be right, I am beginning to think option two is what is going to happen. I believe over the next several years this country will be in such decline that the country will be of no significance.  That being broke or bankrupt (both financially and morally) that we simply will no longer matter or be of consequence. So, is President Barack Obama or someone else the Antichrist? I don't think so. But I think he or perhaps someone else who is here may be the forerunner who is laying the ground work for so much to take place.

Why do I say "forerunner"? Because I believe one will be needed. Here are my reasons.

 First, allow me to clarify my position. There is nothing biblical indicating what I am about to propose is prophesy or printed in the bible. This is not meant to be a teaching of scripture but rather a single possibility as I see it. Personally, it tends to make sense to me.

In the end times, there is mentioned the trinity of Satan. We have the Beast, the Antichrist and the false prophet just as there is God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. There is one place in the Bible where all three show up at the same time. That would be in Luke 3:21-22. Jesus was being baptized, God spoke and the spirit descended. All three made a physical appearance.  But there was another there as well. John the Baptist, the forerunner who prepared the way for Jesus. 

 In Luke 3:4-6 John quoted the prophet Isaiah saying:" The voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight. (5) Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight and the rough ways smooth."

Then in Luke 3:15-17 "Now as the people were in expectation, and all reasoned in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not,  John answered, saying to all, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to[ loose]. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire."

If there was a forerunner to Jesus, the Christ, and there is a trinity of evil that will show it's face at the tribulation, would there not be a forerunner, someone who might come to "prepare the way" for the Antichrist?

 Moral corruption cannot happen overnight. It must be a slow, calculated change or it would not be accepted. It needs to slowly creep into society to be accepted. Gay marriage, porn, nudity and partial nudity everyplace you look. Abortion and everything else that was once considered morally wrong is now accepted as the norm. But today, to prepare for the "lawless one" Homosexuality has been allowed to creep into the armed services and seems to be looming in the form of same sex marriages. People wanted it and all it took was someone "crying in the wilderness" to get it accepted.

What else could a forerunner be crying? "Financial crisis'? This too may be a necessity to manufacture, for without a financial collapse of an economy how could a nation be persuaded to begin a moneyless currency or perhaps a one world currency?

In order to have a moneyless society there must be a reason. One so catastrophic that the only solution to maintain the ability to buy and sell without the use of money on a global scale is to convert to another financial type of currency.

Devalue the dollar to such a degree where it becomes useless or worthless to the rest of the world and force the necessity to no longer base world currency on the U.S. dollar and form a currency scale where the dollar is of equal value, no matter what country you may be in. This would cause all governments to establish a credit system or a means to monitor the amount one spends or earns.

Perhaps at first it will be a card or something you might have on a key ring. You would merely go to the grocery store, present your identification, swipe your card and the credits deducted from your account. Impossible?

Currently, there is being implemented a "Universal Health care program". All of your medical information will be maintained by the federal government and that information will be on a government issued card that you will present to your doctor or the hospital. Everything, your weight, height, medical history, basically everything you have ever taken or eat will be recorded and accessible with the single swipe of a card.

Soon, when you apply for the universal health care, a micro-chip may be implanted just under the skin that the doctor will scan and be able to obtain your complete medical history. First, only the elderly who has a greater need to have information available will be required to have a chip. Slowly, it will be accepted and the rest of the population will eventually be required to have such. Who knows what additional information may be stored on such a chip?

 To think, such began with someone "crying in the wilderness" convincing us we all need health care to be provided by the government that could lead to the financial crisis we just spoke of?

Impossible? Less than 100 years ago, a social security number was unheard of. There was no such thing. In the 1930's during the "Great depression" a means to implement a type of social insurance was proposed. The reason; there was a tremendous poverty rate among senior citizens. It was designed to prevent the dangers of American life such as old age, poverty, unemployment and to assist widows and fatherless children. Opponents of the idea said "isn't this concept socialism or a "teeny-weeny like socialism"? It was, but apparently the right person at the time was doing the right "crying in the wilderness" at the right time and social security became the law of the land.

The  need to track the amount a person earned in order to pay taxes became necessary. Hence, the social security card. This card was conceived under the cloak that you would contribute X amount of dollars and with this number you would be entitled to retire with a financial benefit.

You would apply for this entitlement using your card number that had been issued you and would guarantee your retirement benefit. In bold print on this card were the words "not to be used for identification".

At first, there was no need to obtain or have a social security number issued until you began work. Once you began work, you would obtain a social security number through the federal government. However, this number would soon be used by the IRS to "identify" you and now be called your Tax payer identification number. Now, you no longer had a name to the government, you were and are a nine digit number. This nine digit number is now issued at the time of a person's birth without exception.

This number that was "not for identification" soon became the way one's credit history would be maintained and remains that way even today. You college transcripts, work history, mortgage history almost every transaction or record you have is based on that 9 digit, not to be used for identification number printed on that card that was originally used to provide only your retirement benefit. You are no more than a nine digit number to the government for the womb to the tomb.

So, would it be that difficult to begin a "universal method to track every bit of information of a person's entire life? I don't think so. All it would take is someone "crying in the wilderness" to get it started.

After a micro chip, perhaps a bar code on one's right hand or forehead? Think how convenient that would be. All you would do is walk up to the cashier and your hand or forehead scanned with the portable scanning device at the register and your transaction is complete. It began with the social security card, then your health and finance card, the micro chip and then the bar code. All it took was someone "Crying in the wilderness".

Basically, each and every prophesy regarding the tribulation can or will be fulfilled with or by a "cry in the wilderness" from someone who might be considered to be preparing the way for the Antichrist.

The idea or concept of slipping things by is nothing new. All it takes is timing and the right person. Financial ruin and poverty allowed Hitler to come to power. Revolutions over poverty and oppression opened the door to Soviet Communism and Marx and Stalin.

Everyone is acting like this is such a big surprise. Nothing could be further from the truth. The stage has been set for this for the past four thousand years. Specifics predicting the mess the world (especially the United States) have been in print (or at least recorded) for the past three thousand years or so.  But yet we walk around acting like this was some great surprise.

Let's take one last look at a big surprise. Isaiah 17:1. Who was it "crying in the wilderness" in such want of the so-called "Arab-spring".

Currently, Syria is in turmoil and the revolt and rebels are outside the gates of Damascus. The city is being attacked by Rebels and the leadership of Syria is threaten the use of Chemical weapons against their own people. Will the final fire fight level Damascus? Seems like it is a likely candidate to "lay in rubble." But that will be a surprise as well.

Yes, there needs to be a forerunner, someone to prepare the way for the Antichrist in order to allow him to come to power with such ease and acceptance. And unfortunately for those non-believers, there isn't a thing that can be done to stop it.

 God has put his plan into motion. How long it takes is up to God. But it is coming. How do I know? Someone who was "crying in the wilderness" told me.