Today's Passage: Revelation 13

In brief...The first beast is the antichrist, who will come to power during the tribulation.  As described on the beast, the antichrist will suffer a mortal wound and rise again.  This will strengthen his power and following.  All who do not belong to Christ will worship the beast.  The second beast is the false prophet who will testify of the antichrist, compelling people to worship his image. The world will turn to both of these for all  needs.  The only way to buy or sell anything will be to take the first beast's mark: 666.  The question is not when this will happen, nor is the question will we (Christians) be here for it.  The question is (one more time) is, "ARE WE READY?"

1 John 4:3 "but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world." Some get so wrapped up in who this antichrist might be or where he will come from, but the thing we need to remember is that this spirit is already present and waging war against God's glory in the world and on His saints!  This is why Ephesians 6 says, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." And therefore we must, "stand firm... [and] do everything to stand."