August 6, 2010
Read All the Headlines of Prophetic Interest at:
STAY INFORMED - DON'T BE LEFT BEHIND!
Let us make the short time we have left count for all eternity!
LIVING ON BORROWED TIME - DVD
A morally and spiritually bankrupt society …A worldwide economic meltdown…A planet racked with increasingly intense manmade and natural disasters…Are we the Final Generation?
Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matthew 24:42-44
Reviews: The DVD should be seen by small groups and youth ministries far and wide. The clear quoting and referencing of bible verses is especially strong. The collage of dramatic imagery - both in photography and artwork, grabs the viewers' attention and weaves the conclusion that God is about to continue His plan in a major way. The video is so fresh - the oil explosion and spill in the Gulf of Mexico is shown as one example of how this old world is wearing out and is in flames
The video next defends the authorship and reliability of the bible before showing eight unmistakable developments in our world that point toward the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The number one sign given to our generation is the return of the Jewish people to form the nation of Israel. Jesus Christ is now standing at the door waiting to take his beloved bride- His true believers. Like the admonition from the Book of Jude, verse 23, I pray that this DVD will be used by the Holy Spirit to pluck dying people out of the fire before the borrowed time runs out. - John Wicklund - Chair- Olive Tree Ministries Board of Directors - Maple Grove, MN
Great Job! We have watched all your DVD’s and we think this is the best one so far. After someone watches this DVD there is no way they could argue that we are not living in the last days! – Don & Cindy K. – Bakersfield, CA
The DVD came and it was great. GOOD JOB ! ! – Julie A. – Whitefish, MT
God bless you, the new DVD is amazing! I know that if there is anyone out there who doesn't know what the bible holds or has no clue about what is really going on after seeing this DVD they will surely be enlightened about what is truly going on in the world today. - The Taylor's - Bakersfield, CA
Now Shipping! New DVD "Living on Borrowed Time" for more information and to order your copy of this exciting new DVD, please click below!
www.prophecyupdate.com/living_on_borrowed_time.htm
FREE MOVIE! – THE FEATURED DVD FOR AUGUST – “THE RAPTURE: IN A MOMENT IN THE TWINKLING OF AN EYE…”
Each month Prophecy Update is going to feature one of our DVDS’s that you can watch for free online. This month’s featured DVD will be “The Rapture: In a Moment in the Twinkling of an eye…” – To watch this DVD click on the following link:
www.prophecyupdate.com/the_rapture1.htm
Iran calls for regional alliance to counter NATO – www.haaretz.com
Ahmadinejad courts Central Asian neighbors in hope of forming new bloc once foreign troops quit region.
Iran's president told the leaders of Afghanistan and Tajikistan on Thursday that the three neighbors could provide a counterweight to NATO in Asia once foreign troops quit the region.
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad hosted the leaders of the two other Persian-speaking countries at a time when Iran is seeking to increase its influence in the region and NATO troops are struggling in Afghanistan.
A bete noire of the West over Iran's nuclear activities, Ahmadinejad said the three countries had all thrown off foreign domination in recent decades and should strengthen economic and security ties and be independent of big powers.
"Many don't find this desirable -- three independent countries forming a powerful friendship in the region, and changing the current situation. None of them is happy about this," he said in part of the meeting which was televised.
Iran sees the United States, which has troops in Iraq to its west and Afghanistan to the east, as an enemy. Washington is suspicious of Tehran's regional ambitions and is determined to stop it getting a nuclear bomb, something Iran denies it wants.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who addressed the other leaders seated around a triangular table as "my dear brothers", has been trying to improve relations with Iran in recent months, to the occasional consternation of Washington.
Karzai welcomed Ahmadinejad to Kabul in March and said he would host him and Tajikistan's President Imomali Rakhmon at the next trilateral meeting in the Afghan capital.
Troops out
Ahmadinejad called on foreign troops to leave the region and allow the three nations to develop closer bonds.
"Those who came in from Europe representing NATO, they want to put pressure on China, Russia and India, and if they are confronted by three independent, empowered countries here, then that is an obstacle," he said.
Karzai has been looking for allies in the region in advance of an eventual American withdrawal.
Shi'ite Iran was a sworn foe of the Sunni Muslim Taliban when they ruled Afghanistan before 2001. U.S. officials say they suspect Iran has nonetheless provided some support for Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan, although not on anywhere near as great a scale as in Iraq, where Iran has Shi'ite allies.
"Foreigners who came to Afghanistan with the slogan of establishing security and democracy, now target civilians and their presence has brought nothing but mischief and corruption to the Afghani people," Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said at a separate meeting with Karzai and Rakhmon on Thursday, according to official news agency Irna.
Iran Holocaust-denying website angers Israel - Aron Heller – www.news.yahoo.com
JERUSALEM – A new Iranian website that denies and mocks the Holocaust with cartoons showing Jews as hook-nosed worms burrowing holes through a history book provoked outrage in Israel on Thursday.
The site, holocartoons.com, features caricatures including a Jew with a hook nose and a black hat emblazoned with a Star of David tracing fake bodies on the ground at a concentration camp. The website design uses Nazi imagery, with the icon for flipping pages marked with a swastika.
"The vulgar and cynical approach of the website, a combination of Holocaust denial and distortion, illustrated with anti-Semitic caricatures, further illustrates Iran's disregard for reality and truth vis-a-vis the Holocaust, Jews and Israel," Israel's Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem said.
It called the site "the latest salvo emanating from Iran that denies the facts of the Holocaust and attempts to influence those who are ignorant of history."
The semiofficial Iranian Fars news agency reported that cartoonist Maziar Bijani launched the site and said it is financed by a non-governmental cultural foundation. The site has English, Arabic and Farsi versions.
Iranian authorities would have had to approve the creation of the new site, but not necessarily its content.
However, the views are in line with those of Iran's clerical regime, which has repeatedly questioned or denied the Nazi genocide of 6 million Jews. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has called the Holocaust a "myth," and Iran has also hosted a conference endorsing Holocaust denial.
The site opens with the Pink Panther theme song and a dedication to those who have been killed "under the pretext of the Holocaust."
Iran accuses Israel of using the Holocaust as an excuse to abuse Palestinians and has compared Israeli soldiers to Nazi troops.
One image shows worms with black hats and big noses burrowing holes through a book labeled "The History of the World."
Another shows an Israeli tank filing up at a Nazi gas station. One cartoon depicts a soldier with a Star of David on his helmet and a tank of Zyklon B on his back — the same chemical the Nazis used to kill Jews in gas chambers at their death camps during World War II.
Japan tanker was hit by 'terrorist attack' - Mohamed Hasni – www.news.yahoo.com
DUBAI (AFP) – An explosives-laden boat carried out a "terrorist attack" that damaged a Japanese oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz last week, the United Arab Emirates, where the ship docked for repairs, said on Friday.
"The investigation and examination conducted by special teams have shown the tanker was attacked with explosives, prepared using traditional methods, which were loaded on a boat that approached the ship," a UAE coastguard spokesman said on the official WAM news agency.
"UAE explosives experts... found a dent on the starboard side above the water line and remains of homemade explosives on the hull," when they inspected the ship off the UAE port of Fujairah, the official said.
"Probably the tanker had encountered a terrorist attack from a boat loaded with explosives," he was quoted as saying on the agency's English-language website.
In Tokyo, Japanese Transport Minister Seiji Maehara said he had instructed ministry officials to ask the UAE authorities for details of the investigation, as requested by the prime minister, in order to conduct their own analysis on the cause of the attack.
Japan "should take a firm stance" in response to such incidents, Maehara was quoted as saying by Jiji Press, because they threaten Japan's oil imports.
The world's second biggest economy sources some 90 percent of its oil from the Middle East, much of it from the Gulf, where the oil tanker was sailing from.
Militant jihadists on Tuesday claimed a suicide bomber blew himself up on the ship owned by Mitsui OSK Lines, which reported that one of its tankers, the M Star, appeared to have been hit by a blast on July 28 in international waters between Iran and Oman.
US monitoring group SITE Intelligence said the Brigades of Abdullah Azzam claimed in a message on jihadist websites that it had placed a suicide bomber on the tanker, identifying him as Ayyub al-Taishan.
It said the attack was carried out in the name of Omar Abdul Rahman, the Egyptian "Blind Sheikh" imprisoned in the United States for his role in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing in New York.
The attack sought "to weaken the infidel global order which is thrust unto Muslim lands and which loots its resources," the brigade said, according to SITE.
"We delayed the publication of the statement until our heroes returned safely to their bases."
The militants claimed that due to the potential effect of this attack on oil prices and the global economy, "the enemies of Allah concealed the reality of the operation."
Mitsui OSK maintained the damage was caused by an attack despite reports it was caused by a freak wave.
The Japanese shipping firm said crew members saw a flash and heard an explosion shortly after midnight.
One crewman was slightly wounded in the blast, which caused minor damage to the vessel, including an indentation several meters (yards) across its hull, according to pictures published by WAM.
The Japan-bound boat -- crewed by 16 Filipinos and 15 Indians -- was carrying 270,000 tons of crude oil from the Gulf but did not suffer a spill.
The ship arrived under its own steam at Fujairah for repairs, and an investigation into the incident was launched.
The UAE coastguard spokesman said the tanker left the port on Friday after the repairs were completed.
The Strait of Hormuz, less than 100 kilometers (60 miles) across at its widest point, separates Oman from Iran and is the gateway to the oil-rich Gulf.
The Bahrain-based US Navy Fifth Fleet said the vital shipping route, through which an estimated 40 percent of global oil exports passes, remained open on the day of the explosion.
Coming soon to theaters throughout the Mideast: The rush to fill the vacuum of U.S. power - By Yossef Bodansky – www.worldtribune.com
The lingering impact of the Aug. 3, clash on the Israeli-Lebanese border lies in the greater context of, and wider strategic dynamics in, the Middle East. These aspects were highlighted by Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah in his speech later that day [see below].
Overall, the issue dominating the overall situation in the Middle East is the reaction by the local powers to the emerging new grand strategic reality: namely, the demise of the United States as the dominant regional power. This is a dramatic reversal of a concentrated U.S. policy of more than half a century.
Back in the Autumn of 1956, the U.S. intentionally undermined the strategic posture of two of its closest Cold War allies, Britain and France. In the late-1960s, the U.S. capitalized on the British unilateral withdrawal from the Persian Gulf and the active Soviet interceding in the Arab-Israeli conflict in order to consolidate the U.S. role as the dominant Western, and later global, power in the Middle East. This posture endured even after the U.S. betrayed its close ally — the Shah of Iran — and permitted the rise of the Islamic Republic in the late 1970s. Consequently, however, the U.S. has had to intensify its direct involvement in regional crises, culminating in the US active war-fighting in and against Iraq. Come Aug. 31, the U.S. will be abandoning it all with the disengagement from Iraqi security affairs and the beginning of a year-long withdrawal.
Led by an assertive and determined Iran, the aspirant powers of the region cannot wait to fill the void that is already emerging as the U.S. is disengaging from military operations in Iraq and the Persian Gulf. This strategic posture is aptly demonstrated by the U.S. Barack Obama Administration’s explicit abandonment of the twin-pillars of the U.S. regional posture — Israel and Saudi Arabia — leaving them to cope on their own with a nuclear Iran. Moreover, the U.S. is exerting immense pressure on Israel not to strike Iran for fear of derailing the rapprochement with Iran which the Obama White House is seeking, and the possibility of Iranian retaliation against the remaining U.S. presence in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as the Persian Gulf energy infrastructure.
Tehran is cognizant of the significance of these developments. Iran had already started its drive to exploit and fill in vacuums created by the U.S. in the early 1990s. At the time, Iran exploited the widespread trauma as a result of the U.S. undermining and shaming of both (Iraq’s) nationalist Sunni Islam and (Saudi Arabia’s) traditional-conservative Sunni Islam in the 1990-1 Gulf War in order to push its own Shi’ite-based doctrine of revolutionary-militant Islam. By 1992, Sudan’s Hassan al-Turabi adapted the Iranian jihadist tenets and adopted them into the Sunni neo-salafite doctrine, thus setting the grounds for the ascent of the jihadist trend now popularly associated with Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, and their supporters.
Presently, Tehran is ready to surge and exploit the far more significant vacuum which will be created by the U.S. de facto withdrawal from Iraq and Persian Gulf. The continued global preoccupation with Iran’s nuclear program serves Tehran’s interests for it constantly reminds friends and foes alike about Iran’s claim to regional and global preeminence. Tehran uses the nuclear crisis to project self-confidence and threaten its neighbors against counting on the U.S. to protect them.
The Obama Administration is playing into Iran’s hands. For example, on Aug. 1, the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, publicly acknowledged that the U.S. had contingency plans for “the military options [which] have been on the table and remain on the table”, but quickly qualified that any military action against Iran could have “unintended consequences that are difficult to predict in what is an incredibly unstable part of the world”. This caveat did not prevent Tehran from issuing counter-threats on Aug. 3. “If any threat strikes against Iran, the Islamic Republic armed forces are fully prepared to counter them on the ground, sea and air,” IRGC Brig.-Gen. Ahmad-Reza Pourdastan stated. “Military threats of U.S. officials against the Islamic Republic are nothing new, we’re certain that the U.S. military forces are in an appalling condition. The increasing number of deaths and suicide among American forces attest to the failure of the U.S. in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Just to be sure that Tehran’s message was not lost on the West Iran orchestrated on July 28, a non-lethal attack on the Japanese-owned supertanker M. Star while it traveled through the Strait of Hormuz. Apparently, the IRGC fired a few rockets/missiles with inert warheads at the supertanker, thus reminding everybody of Iran’s ability to do greater damage should Tehran choose to. No less important was the U.S. Fifth Fleet’s inability to prevent the attack, or identify and strike at the perpetrators. The recent claim by the Abdullah Azzam Brigades that the attack was carried out by a martyr-bomber named Ayyub Al Tayshan cannot be taken seriously because the dent in the tankers outer wall and damage to the crew’s cabin are the result of an external explosion and/or the impact of a projectile fired from sea-level; that is, a boat or a shore battery.
Concurrently, Tehran demonstrated its dominance over the key political developments in the Arab world using Damascus as the implementing proxy.
First came the Iran-sponsored mediation between various Shi’ite factions in Iraq. In late-July Tehran oversaw a series of meetings in Damascus between Iyad Allawi, Moqtada Sadr and Nouri al-Maliki in which the outline of a Shi’ite-wide coalition dominated by Tehran was formulated and agreed upon. It was in Damascus that all leading Shi’ite politicians agreed to Sadr’s demand that the U.S.-backed Maliki would not be elected to a second term specifically because of the U.S. endorsement. Former transitional Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, who had been unseated under U.S. pressure for his pro-Iran policies and replaced by Maliki, has emerged as the compromise candidate. Tehran’s overt dominance over the Iraqi Shi’ite political maneuvers — albeit in Damascus rather than Tehran — are a slap in the U.S. face.
In early August, Saudi Arabia’s King ‘Abdallah bin ‘Abd al-’Aziz al Sa’ud traveled to Damascus in order to confer with President Bashar al-Assad. King ‘Abdallah’s primary objective was to explore ways to prevent the eruption of violence in and from Lebanon. Riyadh is most worried about Tehran using the Hizbullah in order to provoke a regional war with Israel, a war which Iran would then be able to exploit in order to further its regional aspirations to the detriment of Riyadh’s vital interests.
Given Tehran’s penchant for exploiting U.S. election seasons for strategic gambits, and given Washington’s indecisiveness and weakness, the King had just experienced first-hand in his visit with Obama, King ‘Abdallah’s apprehension is warranted. Bashar al-Assad made it clear he would not break his close ties with Iran which he considers to be the guarantor of his survival. However, Bashar agreed with King ‘Abdallah that the eruption of violence in Lebanon would be counterproductive. Essentially, King ‘Abdallah and Bashar have a common short-term objective but conflicting and contradictory long-term goals. Both want to prevent in the near-term a major war which would involve Israel and Iran. In the near-term, King ‘Abdallah fears the ensuing ascent of Iran at the expense of Saudi Arabia, while Bashar fears the destruction of Syria by a vengeful Israel which might lead to his toppling by the Sunni majority.
In the long-term, however, King ‘Abdallah dreads the ascent of Shi’ite Iran while Bashar considers Shi’ite Iran and the Hizbullah as the saviors of the Allawites’ hold onto power against Syria’s Sunni majority.
Hence, King ‘Abdallah and Assad traveled together to Beirut in order to convince Prime Minister Saad Hariri not to challenge Nasrallah’s ascent, fearing that Nasrallah would react with fury to any limit on his power and thus instigate a crisis that would escalate out of control. Just to make sure there was no “misunderstanding” by Hariri, Bashar or King ‘Abdallah, on August 3, 2010, Nasrallah instigated the clash on the border with Israel in order to demonstrate that he could both provoke and flare-up a war (as he did in the Summer of 2006), and that the Hizbullah was in control of the Lebanese Armed Forces or at the least their Shi’ite units.
That evening Nasrallah delivered a major speech in which he stressed the strategy and objectives of Iran and Hizbullah.
“Today we are marking four years since the Lebanon’s victory over the strongest and most terrorist military in the region,” Nasrallah declared. He quickly tied this anniversary with the clashes on the Israeli-Lebanese border earlier that day. “I wanted to start on this topic, but what happened today on the border between Lebanon and Palestine, in which officers and soldiers from our national military fought a battle of heroism, necessitates mention of their strong stance and their sacrifice.” Nasrallah stressed that the latest clashes were an integral part of a continued Israeli aggression against Lebanon. “Israel’s aggression against Lebanon, its land, and its sovereignty never ceased, but continues in various ways. It has manifested itself in no less than 7,000 Israeli violations of Lebanese sovereignty since Aug. 14, 2006, over which the world prefers not to open its mouth. These violations occur in the air, land, and sea, and what we saw today was just another expression of this.” Hizbullah, Nasrallah stressed, had been the primary guarantor of Lebanon and its interests throughout this period.
Nasrallah then stressed that Hizbullah intentionally stayed out of the latest clash out of respect for the wishes of the Lebanese Armed Forces. Hizbullah notified the Lebanese Army during the first moments of the clash of its willingness to help. “From the first moment, the opposition went on high alert in the region, followed all the events, and was in contact with the command headquarters. We notified the Lebanese military: We are prepared, we are with you, and we will help you with everything, if needed. Our people and our equipment stand at your disposal,” Nasrallah said. The decision on the extent of Hizbullah’s involvement was reached in direct consultations between Hizbullah and the highest ranking officials in Beirut.
“We also contacted the president, the parliament chairman, and the prime minister and updated them on this. We told them that we will not initiate any move, despite the painful images we saw. They asked for a quiet and responsible opposition. The message was clear to the Israeli enemy: Lebanon, all of Lebanon, will not leave any aggression on its occupied land unanswered and will stand by this courageously,” Nasrallah explained.
Nasrallah then addressed Israel and warned of the dire consequences of any Israeli aggression against Lebanon. “You are the ones threatening war, but Lebanon is not afraid of confronting you. All of the military alignments you dealt with are above the surface, but they are within fortified embankments. Even though we don’t have equipment on the same level, our fighters fight with courage and shocked them.” Nasrallah threatened that Hizbullah “is on alert and is ready to help the military in all the villages on the front. We are not concerned and are not hysterical like their coward settlers. The nation, the opposition, and the military have paid in blood for this act of heroism, but they did not bear fruit. Officers and soldiers in the Lebanese military are our brothers and loved ones. How could it be that the opposition will sit with its armed crossed from now on as the military is bombed? I will saw honestly: We will not sit with arms crossed, and the Israeli hand outstretched to strike the Lebanese military will be cut off by the opposition.”
Nasrallah then shifted to the original theme of his speech: the possibility that Hizbullah officials would be indicted by the International Special Tribunal investigating the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri in February 2005. Originally, the Tribunal identified and was ready to indict senior Syrian intelligence officials and their accomplices in Lebanese intelligence. However, this option was put aside for political reasons and alternate low-risk approaches — such as blaming Hizbullah — were explored. Nasrallah, however, is adamant on avoiding any accusation of the Hizbullah. After all, Syrian intelligence killed Hariri while the Hizbullah’s security command only provided look-outs and perimeter security. Therefore, Nasrallah made Bashar a veiled offer which he knew Bashar could not refuse. Hizbullah would launch a propaganda campaign shifting the blame onto Israel. Any attempt by Damascus to interfere with this campaign would result in the exposure of the Syrian role.
Nasrallah blamed Israel for exploiting the tragic demise of Hariri for its own nefarious objectives. “They [Israel] speak of a big explosion, a civil war, crisis, and more. We want to expose the truth surrounding the circumstances of al-Hariri’s death, something that from our perspective is the right of every Lebanese. We want to protect the unity of Lebanon and the well-being of its citizens.”
Nasrallah then promised to reveal in a week time the whole truth about Hariri’s assassination and the responsibility of Israel. “This coming Monday [Aug. 9], I will hold a press conference during which I will present evidence of Israel’s involvement in the al-Hariri assassination and the goings-on in the international tribunal in The Hague. We will present significant proof that Israel, via its agents, tried to convince al-Hariri already in 1993 that Hizbullah wants to assassinate him. We blame the Israeli enemy for the assassination, and the figures I will reveal will open new horizons in the investigation that will lead to the identity of the true murderer.”
And with that promise, Tehran and Hizbullah have wrested control over the political dynamic in Beirut, Damascus, and in effect the entire Arab world. And the threat of a regional explosion keeps rising.
ALL OF OUR DVD’S NOW FOR ONLY $14.95 EACH
www.prophecyupdate.com/prophecy_update_dvd.htm
SAVE EVEN MORE WITH ONE OF OUR SUMMER DVD SPECIALS
Special #1 - The Last Days Trilogy
The End of Times
Perilous Times
Living on Borrowed Time
All 3 DVD's for only $29.95
Special #2 - Amazing Prophecy
As in the Days of Noah
The Rapture: In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye...
After the Rapture
All 3 DVD's for only $29.95
Special #3 - There will be Tribulation
Israel God's Timepiece
The Soon to be Revealed Antichrist
Gog and Magog
All 3 DVD's for only $29.95
www.prophecyupdate.com/dvd_special1.htm
Warning! Watching these DVD’s could change your life forever!
Our Best Deal! Now you can own all 9 of the DVD’s in our prophecy series for only $69.95…
THE COMPLETE PROPHECY UPDATE DVD SERIES
COMPLIMENT YOUR DVD LIBRARY WITH OUR INFORMATIVE AND INSPIRING PROPHECY SERIES
“The DVD’s were just wonderful – well done! I’m proud to show them to anyone.“ Sandra M, Florida
ALL 9 DVD'S FOR ONLY $69.95
www.prophecyupdate.com/prophecy_update_dvd_series.htm
Thank You So Very Much!
A great gift for your family or your church or favorite ministry!
Are you aware that HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF TAX-PAYER DOLLARS are going toward training armies that don't hide their goal of destroying Israel? - By Caroline B. Glick
What you need to know about Israel's American-made foes
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | It wasn't a US Army sniper who killed IDF Lt. Col. Dov Harari and seriously wounded Capt. Ezra Lakia on Tuesday. But the Lebanese Armed Forces sniper who shot them owes a great deal to the generous support the LAF has received from America.
For the past five years, the LAF has been the second largest recipient of US military assistance per capita after Israel. A State Department press release from late 2008 noted that between 2006 and 2008, the LAF received ten million rounds of ammunition, Humvees, spare parts for Lebanese attack helicopters, vehicles for its internal security forces "and the same frontline weapons that US military troops are currently using, including assault rifles, automatic grenade launchers, advanced sniper systems, anti-tank weapons, and the most modern urban warfare bunker weapons."
Since 2006 the US has provided Lebanon some $500 million in military assistance. And there is no end in sight. After US President Barack Obama's meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri in June, the White House proclaimed Obama's "determination to continue US efforts to support and strengthen Lebanese institutions such as the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Internal Security Forces."
And indeed, in late June, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates informed Congress that the Pentagon intends to provide the LAF with 24 120mm mortars, 24 M2 .50 caliber machine guns, one million rounds of ammunition, and 24 humvees and trailers. The latest orders should be delivered by the end of 2011.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the administration has already allocated $100 million in foreign military assistance to Lebanon for 2011. According to Lebanon's Al Safir, in written testimony to Congress, last week Obama's nominee to command US Central Command, General James Matthis claimed that relations between US Central Command and the LAF focus on building the LAF's capabilities "to preserve internal stability and protect borders."
And how is that border protection going?
Tuesday's unprovoked LAF ambush of Lt. Col. Harari's battalion within Israeli territory showed that the LAF is fully prepared to go to war against the US's closest ally in the region in order to deter IDF forces from crossing the border. Indeed, they are willing to commit unprovoked acts of illegal aggression to harm Israel.
As the Jerusalem Post reported on Wednesday, there is no reason to be surprised by what happened. Since 2009, LAF forces have frequently pointed their rifles at IDF forces operating along the border. In recent months they have also cocked their rifles at IDF forces. It was just a matter of time before they started shooting.
The same aggressive border protection is completely absent however along Lebanon's border with Syria. Since 2006, the LAF has taken no actions to seal off that border from weapons transfers to Hizbullah. It has taken no steps to protect Lebanese sovereignty from the likes of Syria and Iran that are arming Hizbullah's army with tens of thousands of missiles.
Then there's Centcom's "internal stability." For the past four years, in open breach of UN Security Council Resolution 1701 which set the terms for the ceasefire that ended the Second Lebanon War, the LAF has done nothing to block Hizbullah from remilitarizing and reasserting control over southern Lebanon.
Moreover, the institution that the State Department views as the anchor of a multiethnic, independent Lebanon did not lift a finger against Hizbullah when Hizbullah staged a coup against the Siniora government in 2008. In a sense, by effectively collaborating with Hizbullah, the LAF did ensure "internal stability." But it is hard to see how such "internal stability" advances US interests.
In stark contrast, as the Los Angeles Times reported last week, the US-supported Lebanese Internal Security Forces have used US signals equipment to help Hizbullah ferret out Israeli agents. According to the Times, "A strengthening Lebanese government is helping Hizbullah bust alleged spy cells, sometimes using tools and tradecraft acquired from Western nations eager to build up Lebanon's security forces as a counterweight to the Shiite group [Hizbullah]."
To date the US has refused to reckon with the consequences of its actions. As the Times reports, last week US Assistant Secretary of Defense Alexander Vershbow visited Beirut and said that continued US aid and training to the LAF would allow the Lebanese army to "prevent militias and other nongovernmental organizations" from undermining the government.
It bears recalling that Hizbullah has been a partner in the Lebanese government since 2005. Since its successful coup in 2008, Hizbullah has held veto power over all the decisions of the Lebanese government.
It also bears recalling that during the 2006 war, the LAF provided Hizbullah commanders with targeting data for their missiles and rockets. The LAF also announced on its official website that it would pensions to families of Hizbullah fighters killed in the war.
Unfortunately, the LAF is not the only military organization aligned with Israel's enemies that the US is arming and training. There is also the US-trained Palestinian army.
As Israel Radio's Arab Affairs commentator Yoni Ben Menachem reported last month, the IDF is deeply concerned about the US-trained Palestinian force. Ben Menachem recalled that since 1996, Palestinians security forces have repeatedly taken leading roles in organizing and carrying out terrorist attacks against Israel. Hundreds of Israelis have been murdered and maimed in these attacks.
The Palestinian force being trained by the US army represents a disturbing, qualitative upgrade in Palestinian military capabilities.
OC Central Command Maj. Gen. Avi Mizrachi warned IDF ground forces about the new US-Palestinian threat in May. As Mizrachi put it in a speech at Tze'elim training base cited by Ben Menachem, "This is a well trained force, better equipped than its predecessors and trained by the US. The significance of this is that at the start of a new battle [between the Palestinians and the IDF] the price that we will pay will be higher. A force like this one can shut down a built up area with four snipers. This is deadly. These aren't the fighters we faced in Jenin [in 2002]. This is an infantry force that will be fighting us and we need to take this into account. They have offensive capabilities and we aren't expecting them to give up."
The IDF assesses that the US-trained force will be capable of overrunning small IDF outposts and isolated Israeli communities.
To date, the US has spent $400 million on the Palestinian army. The Obama administration has allocated an additional $100 million for the next year. And the US is demanding that Israel support its efforts. In a General Accounting Office report issue in May, Israel was excoriated for hampering US efforts to build the Palestinian forces. The GAO railed against Israel's refusal to permit the transfer of a thousand AK-47 assault rifles to the Palestinian forces. It criticized Israel's rejection of US plans to train a Palestinian counter-terror force. It complained that Israel does not give freedom of movement to US military advisors to the Palestinian forces in Judea and Samaria.
The US claims that what it is doing cultivates stability. It argues that the Palestinian and Lebanese failure to date to prevent terror armies from attacking Israel is due to their lack of institutional capacity to rein in terrorism rather than the absence of institutional will to do so. The US claims that pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into these Lebanese and Palestinian armies will enable them to become stabilizing forces in the region that will engender peace. What the administration ignores however is the fact that the members and commanders of these US-trained forces share the terrorists' dedication to Israel's destruction.
To its undying shame, Israel has publically supported or, at best failed to oppose these American initiatives. By doing so, Israel has provided political cover for these US initiatives that endanger its security. Although it is crucial to call the US out for its sponsorship of terror-aligned armies, it is also important to understand Israel's role in these nefarious enterprises.
Israel has gone along with these US programs for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it has been due to domestic politics. Sometimes it owed to Israel's desire to be a team player with the US government. But generally the Israeli rationale for not loudly and vociferously objecting to US assistance to enemy armies has been the same as Israel's rationale for embracing Yassir Arafat and the PLO in 1993 and for every other Israeli act of appeasement towards its enemies and allies alike.
Successive Israeli governments have claimed that by supporting actions that strengthen Israel's enemies, they gain leverage for Israel or, at a minimum, they mitigate the opprobrium directed against Israel when it takes actions to defend itself. In Lebanon for instance, Israel agreed to the US plan to support the Hizbullah-dominated Siniora government in the hopes that by agreeing to give the Lebanese government immunity from IDF attack, the US would support Israel's moves to defeat Hizbullah.
But this did not happen. Indeed, it could not happen. The pro-Western Lebanese government ministers are beholden to Hizbullah. Whether they wish to or not, former prime minister Fuad Siniora and his successor Hariri both act as Hizbullah's defenders to the US. And once the US committed itself to the falsehood that the Sinioras and Hariris of Lebanon are independent actors, it inevitably became Hizbullah's advocate against Israel as well. The logic of appeasement moves in one direction only - towards one's enemies.
The same holds for the Palestinians. Israel believed that once it capitulated to international pressure to recognize the PLO the US, the EU and the UN would hold the PLO to account if it turned out that Arafat and his minions had not changed their ways. But when Arafat ordered his lieutenants to wage a terror war against Israel rather than accept statehood, the US, the EU and the UN did not rally to Israel's side. They had become so invested in their delusion of Palestinian peacefulness that they refused to abandon it. Instead, at most, they pinned the full blame on Arafat and demanded that Israel support their efforts to "strengthen the moderates." And so, in this demented logic, it made sense for the US to build a Palestinian army after the Palestinians elected Hamas to lead them.
And so on and so forth. In every single instance, Israel's willingness to embrace lies about the nature of its enemies has come back to haunt it. Never has Israel gained any ground by turning a blind eye to the hostility of the likes of Salam Fayyad and Sa'ad Hariri.
It is true; the US is abetting and aiding the war against Israel by supporting the LAF and the Palestinian military. But it is also true that the US will not stop until Israel demands that it stop. And Israel will not demand that the US stop building armies for its enemies until Israel abandons the notion that by accepting a lie told by a friend, it will gain that friend's loyalty.
This week on 'The Hal Lindsey Report' – Hal Lindsey – www.hallindsey.com
On this week's edition of "The Hal Lindsey Report": If there's one contemporary cultural phenomenon that gets under my skin, it's "Political Correctness." This week, I want to take a closer look at how "PC" is slowly destroying our society and eroding our freedoms as Americans.
Don't make the mistake of thinking that "political correctness" is simply a product of the evolution of our culture and our growing sophistication as a society. It's not. Rather, it is a TOOL being used by the 'progressive' (read that 'liberal') elements of our society to intimidate most of us into silence. If we're afraid to speak out, then we can't stop them from pursuing their evil agenda.
As a political device, "political correctness" flows directly from Karl Marx. Speech-manipulation is nothing more than a tool of classical Marxism.
There are two raging issues in our country today that literally depend on "political correctness" for the traction their proponents have gained. Those issues are illegal immigration and the Islamification of America. This week, I'll show you how they stand or fall on the definitions of the terms thrown about everyday in the media and at the highest levels of government.
When I watch TV and see the protest signs, listen to the protesters being interviewed, read what the movement leaders have to say, and see how the government officials react like deer caught in the headlights, it almost makes me nauseous. Words and their meanings are vitally important. Yet the very words that are needed in these debates have been so horrendously and maliciously skewed that the truth is nowhere in sight. And how can anyone make rational decisions if the basic premises are out of whack to start?
Jesus said that "you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." In a politically correct society, truth is the first victim. We live in a politically correct society.
Many of you write to me to express how helpless you feel as you watch these charades unfold on the nightly news. I completely understand. I have an idea. It's not a new one. I know others are doing this around the country. When you feel in despair over how quickly our nation is sliding into this pit of confusion, deception, and denial, and you ache to do something about it, make it a point to pray specifically that God will cause the truth to be revealed. You don't have to pray 'against' anyone or any organization, just pray that the lies will be exposed and the truth will be revealed. We know that God loves the truth and if He, by His grace, intervenes to cause the truth to be revealed in our culture, our society, and our government, then maybe we can begin to see a return to sanity and our Judeo-Christian heritage in our beloved America.
Our national anthem closes with these words: "O, say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?" If we, as Americans and Christians, don't make this the 'home of the brave' by fearlessly defying political correctness, then soon we will no longer be 'the land of the free.'
Don't miss this week's Report on TBN, Daystar, Inspiration, CPM Network, various local stations, www.hallindsey.com or www.hischannel.com .
Being rich of soul, but poor, blind, naked and miserable--A call to action – Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com
A year and a half ago, Americans were wanting change. And they got it. Things are really messed up. We have a homosexual judge on the Supreme Court; a homosexual judge negating the vote of over 7 million people in California; the federal government owning some 60% of General Motors; the Social Security coffers in the red; Fannie Mae begging for another $1.5 billion; the President spending tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to support an abortion constitution for his cousin's Kenya; the federal government funding the Lebanese military, which is now firing on our ally Israel; Afghan war casualties at record levels; unemployment at 9.5%; and the list goes on. Things are really messed up. I guess I said that.
There was a time in America where the rule of law meant something. Now we have politicians and judges interpreting laws to mean the exact opposite of the words used to write them. How in God's name can we justify abortion, for example, using a Constitutional Amendment that protected Americans from unreasonable search and seizure (Fourth)? Well, that's the problem. God's name is in vain in this country when it comes to the modern interpretation and prosecution of the law. How ironic that God's laws were those used to form the U.S. Constitution and those very tenets of God's law are now being used to justify the very things that God's law prohibits.
I have heard the arguments that Christians ought not be involved in government--that their main objective, according to the word of God--is to spread the gospel. But we can see from experience that a withdrawal of Christian focus in governing the affairs of our nation leads to disaster. And it is also apparent that preaching the gospel is not the focus of Christianity in America, otherwise our nation would know the word of God and be doers of it. We as a church are failing. It is our fault that disastrous events hoover over our nation ready to kill, steal and destroy. The "Church", it seems, is so caught up in distractive doctrines and programs and agreements with other religions that it is by and large ineffective.
These are hard words. These, however, are hard times. We must take responsibility for our inaction. We must repent from our Laodicean ways where Jesus said in Revelation 3:15-17, "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked..."Its high time to quit playing games with our nation; quit playing church with the word of God; and either retake our government or truly preach the gospel to every creature. We will all someday answer to the Lord.
Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!
Bill Wilson
Word of Life Ministry
People Reaching People – Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org
"So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ."
— Romans 10:17
It is worth noting that no person in the New Testament came to faith apart from the agency of a human being. Have you ever stopped and thought about that? We can find example after example.
There was the Ethiopian (see Acts 8:26-39). There are many ways that God could have reached this man from a distant country. He could have sent an angel to meet him. Instead, the Lord sent an angel to Philip and told him to go. So Philip went and proclaimed the gospel to that man, and he believed.
Then there was the Philippian jailer (see Acts 16:27–34). God could have reached him in many ways. Instead, He allowed Paul and Silas to be incarcerated and to ultimately proclaim the gospel, bringing that man and his family to faith.
We can think of Cornelius, a man who was searching for God (see Acts 10). An angel spoke to him and told him he needed to meet a man named Simon Peter. The angel explained where to find him. The angel could have given him the gospel. But God chose to use Simon Peter.
What about Saul? While it is true that he was converted through an encounter with Christ on the Damascus Road, his conversion was sandwiched between experiences with two people who influenced him. First, it was the witness of Stephen that softened Saul's heart and made it receptive to the seed of the Word when he was confronted by Jesus Christ. Afterward, God sent Ananias to follow up on Saul and pray for him to receive the power of the Holy Spirit.
So you see, God used people. And He wants to use you.
CSN RADIO - Where God's Word is Heard
PROPHECY UPDATE is a proud sponsor of CSN RADIO, Solid Bible Teaching, Passionate Praise & Worship, 24/7. Find a station near you or listen live on the internet
We Sure Could Use Your Support – Thanks!
“Folks, it's all beginning to unravel. America is in more danger of falling than at any time in its history. But I believe Bible prophecy predicts this very decline. From this point on, we believers have to get serious. We are going to face discouragement, disillusionment and, most certainly, persecution in the time between now and the Rapture. But don't be discouraged or disillusioned. The coming turmoil will provide us unrivaled opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel. So be ready to share your faith and your hope with those who need Christ. We still have time to reap a great harvest of souls for God's kingdom!” – Hal Lindsey
If ever there was a time to invest in God’s Kingdom, it’s now!
What on earth are you doing for Heaven’s Sake?
"Share in the Blessings and Rewards that will last Forever!"
1) We need your prayers! – We proclaim the Truth of the Word of God and we are under constant spiritual and sometimes even physical attack.
2) We need your encouragement! - We need to hear from you, let us know how the Lord is blessing you through this ministry so that we can share it with others.
3) We need your input! – If you have a prophetic article or story or if there is a news related item we missed, let us know.
4) We need your financial support! - To put it quite simply, without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update.
I ask that you would prayerfully consider partnering with us to get the Word out and keep the world informed. Remember, your gift, no matter how small, does make a difference! You will be helping to touch lives, around the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thanks to the internet your generosity carries a global impact! – Thanks!
Our Prayer for You - "Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." 2 Corinthians 9:10-13
If you have been blessed by Prophecy Update and would like to help support this ministry financially. You can make a secure donation online by going to:
www.prophecyupdate.com/donations.htm
Or write us at:
Prophecy Update
P.O. Box 40516
Bakersfield, CA 93384-0516
Above all things I ask for your prayers, Thanks!
Women Pastors - Ron Graham - twotug@embarqmail.com
“But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” 1 Timothy 2:12-14.These Bible verses have certainly seen their fair share of controversy over the years. Battles rage over just exactly what Paul meant here and was he just speaking culturally to those folks at that particular time in history? For the answer to that question the Apostle Paul takes us clear back to the book of Genesis.
Many people don’t really have a clue about the deception that took place in the Garden of Eden. “Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” Genesis 3:1. First of all we must ask the question “Why did the serpent (Satan) seek out the women to confront with his lies instead of Adam?” Satan brought his temptation against the woman because he perceived she was more vulnerable to attack. This is because she did not receive the command to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil directly from God, but through Adam.
“And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:15-17. God gave the clear command to Adam. Then, when God created Eve, Adam made God’s prohibition of that particular tree and fruit clear to her. But Eve probably didn’t really pay all that much attention to Adam when he passed on God’s command not to eat of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because when the serpent (Satan) questioned Eve as to whether or not God said they couldn’t eat of the fruit of that tree, she responded with “We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.” Genesis 3:2-3.
We must take notice of the fact that Eve’s knowledge seems to be lacking. She doesn’t name the tree of whose fruit she and Adam were to abstain from eating.
Actually, Eve’s first mistake was in carrying on a discussion with Satan. “The Lord rebuke you” should be our only words as we address Satan. As we can see, Eve’s apparent lack of knowledge makes her all the more vulnerable to deception. She then went from bad to worse as she misquoted the command God gave to Adam. Her words, “Ye shall not eat of it” and “lest ye die” are close enough, but she added to the command and put words in God’s mouth when she said, “neither shall ye touch it.” The major consequence we see that arises from putting words in God’s mouth is we begin to teach the doctrines of men as if they are the commandments of God. “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Matthew 15:9. It’s interesting just how many of mans idiosyncrasies have become doctrinal mandates in our Churches today.
Secondly, Eve was deceived but her husband was not deceived “And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression” 1 Timothy 2:14. Satan perceived Eve to be the weaker link in the chain and so he approached her with his lies, sure enough she fell into transgression.
By taking us back to the beginning, Paul precludes any arguments that might arise concerning women teaching or usurping the authority of men as being a cultural issue of that society. Paul’s admonition was not a cultural issue then, nor is it now; it’s God speaking through Paul.
God knew what would happen if women were allowed to teach men and to usurp authority over them. Sure enough, the majority of the cults today were begun by women who have manipulated the scriptures so that they could, without fear of condemnation, rise to positions of authority over men.
Over the past few decades women have become pastors of churches because of a lackadaisical attitude on the part of the Church, not to mention men’s ignorance of scriptures. So what do we see happening today? The completely erroneous rendering of the truth of the scriptures by those who wish to supplant God’s word. “But I suffer not a woman to teach:“ The word “suffer” used by Paul is from the Greek word “epitrepō” and it actually means “permit”. Paul says he does not permit a woman to teach or usurp authority over a man. Women are not free to usurp authority over men nor are they at liberty to become pastors of Churches.
I know that I’ll receive a massive amount of letters disputing Paul’s stance on women in a pastoral position. Many will attack me for even suggesting there’s a problem with women being in a position of authority over men. They’ll march out Debra, Esther, Lydia, and Priscilla. None of whom were priests or pastors of Christian Churches. And knowingly or not they will be attacking God.
“This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;” 1 Timothy 3:1-2. A bishop must be the husband of one wife. Bishop, Elder, Pastor is what the text refers to. The Greek word for husband is “anēr”, a masculine noun with the following description: of a male, of a husband, of a betrothed or future husband, any male. And the Greek word of wife is “gynē”, a feminine noun. A description of the word “gynē” is: a woman of any age, whether a virgin, or married, or a widow, a wife, a betrothed woman. There can be no doubt as to what Paul was saying: no to women pastors, no to women teaching men. The text is clear.
We are all called to proclaim the Gospel to all nations, men and women alike. This means we explain the Gospel of Christ to anyone who will listen. Jesus Himself told us to do this simple thing. Speaking the truth of the Gospel is witnessing and possibly sharing your testimony with others. This is a far cry from where we see women have advanced to in today’s Christian Churches. Senior pastors, presidents of Christian seminaries and universities usurping authority over men.
“One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)” 1 Timothy 3:4-5. So we can see plainly that Paul only wants men who are capable of rearing their children in the admonition of the Lord. Not once does Paul include women in the mix of Bishop/Elder/Pastor, or Deacons for that matter. There are probably many well meaning women in leadership roles in churches who only wish to serve God with all their heart. But God’s word is firm and to the point, no women pastor, elders, bishops, or deacons in My Church.
“Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double-tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.” 1 Timothy 3:8-11. Women who bypass the clear exegetical rendering of scriptures to pursue and obtain the office of Pastor/Elder/Deacon are in full contradiction to God’s word, and so are the men who’ve allowed this error to escalate.
Here’s a little side note: In this same verse “the husband of one wife” has also been quite controversial in regards to men who’ve been divorced being excluded from holding the position of pastor of a Church or even that of Elder or Deacon. Paul was keenly aware of the pervasiveness of the cultural acceptance of taking in marriage multiple wives. But Paul in no way excluded men who were biblically divorced from entering the ministry or holding the office of elder or deacon. After all it was Jesus Christ (God Almighty) Himself who said that in the case of adultery divorce was acceptable. Who was it acceptable to? To God. Jesus put no restrictions on a man who divorces his wife for infidelity on her part, especially by excluding him from the ministry of preaching, or holding the office of elder, deacon or even a Bible teacher. This exclusion by many denominations has left many capable men who were called by God Himself into the ministry out in the cold. God says go and preach my word, and the Church says no. Makes a lot of sense doesn’t it?
Interestingly too, if the whole counsel of Scripture is bypassed, should we not also exclude Paul (who wasn’t married) and Jesus Christ Himself from being leaders of the Church or teaching? Of course not, what we must do is work within the boundaries of scripture instead of the boundaries of men.
Certainly by now the majority of the readers should see that Paul is quite adamant about the exclusion of women in the preaching ministry. Remember this verse? “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16. In other words, these verses I’ve included in this commentary are not just written by Paul the Apostle, but they were God breathed. If Paul says he does not allow women to teach or usurp authority over men, then we can be assured those words came from the Creator of the Universe.
If you are in a Church where your pastor is a woman then you are fundamentally standing with her, thus you’re standing against God. Ignoring the scriptures placed above even after looking into the Greek only makes your case weaker. Corrupting and manipulating those same scriptures, twisting them to say what you want them to say, or interpreting them contrarily to the exegetical norm won’t cut any ice with God when you try to explain your disobedience to Him concerning His word.
Lastly, I feel I must address the idea of homosexual pastors. A homosexual bishop/pastor/elder/deacon cannot possibly fulfill the requirement set down by God Almighty in which a man must be the husband of one wife. God sets the parameters, not man. God created male and female for a reason. “Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Genesis 2:24. The word used here in the Hebrew for man is “'iysh” and means male, man, opposite of female. And the Hebrew word for wife is “'ishshah” and the description in the concordance is – woman, female, opposite of male. Absolutely no confusion here.
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it…” Genesis 1:27-28. Homosexuals cannot multiply, they cannot replenish the earth, and they are actually a deterrent to replenishing the earth. Thus they stand diametrically opposed to God Almighty.
Homosexuals are an abomination to God, an affront to His inerrant word, and He would never condone the ordination of a women pastor, let alone a lesbian, to pastor a church. How in the world does a lesbian fulfill the requirement of “the husband of one wife?” It’s impossible. Again, it’s a case of people thinking that the Bible is not to be taken literally. God knew what would happen to His Church if these abominations were allowed to spread, and He tells us of the apostasy in the last days. People, we are there. Now women pastors and even homosexuals are taking over many of the mainstream denominations all because they either misinterpret the scriptures or they dismiss the word of God as simply metaphors and allegories and mostly irrelevant to society today.
Do you really want to be taught the scriptures by someone who avoids those verses that are clearly contrary to their position? Does “be ye not deceived” come to mind? Where’s all this headed? God knows.
“Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8.
God bless you all,
Ron Graham
All scripture is from the KJV
“My hard drive crashed a few weeks ago and everything was lost. I had backed up my address book a while before the crash but it was not current. To get back on my mailing list just resend your email address to me.”
If You Died Today, Would You Go To Heaven?
Find out, visit: www.prophecyupdate.com/if_you_died_today.htm
Prophecy Update – GoodSearch Toolbar
http://www.goodsearch.com/toolbar/prophecy-update
Our Prophecy Update Toolbar is free to download and allows you to raise money for our cause every time you search or shop online!
DID YOU KNOW?
You can read all the news articles, analysis and commentaries at: www.prophecyupdate.com
You can visit the news archives at: www.prophecyupdate.com/prophecy_news.htm
You can submit an article, leave a comment or praise report at: prophecyupdate@bak.rr.com (Note: Due to the large amount of emails that I receive, I can't possibly reply to every email, but I do read each and every one!)
Maranatha!
(Lord Come Quickly)
"On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand, All other ground is sinking sand."
"Let Us make the short time we have left count for all eternity!"
YBIC-Randy
