Prophecy Update Newsletter
October 18, 2016
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
The Feast of Tabernacles - A Bible Study by Jack Kelley - https://gracethrufaith.com/topical-studies/holidays-and-holy-days/the-feast-of-tabernacles/
The Feast of Tabernacles takes place each year beginning five days after Yom Kippur and lasts for over a week. Adherents to tradition make a shelter in their back yard of branches and leaves decorating it with fruit and vegetables to commemorate the time when the Lord dwelt with them in the wilderness. Then they at least take their meals in the shelter and perhaps spend a night or two as well. For this reason, Tabernacles is sometimes called the Feast of Booths. Being a fall feast, Tabernacles also celebrated the harvest in ancient Israel and in fact was the inspiration for the Thanksgiving Day celebrations held in the US and other countries. Let's Have A Party Additionally, Tabernacles was the crowning event in the series of fall feasts that began with Rosh Hashanah, or New Year, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. As Yom Kippur was a solemn and awe inspiring day, Tabernacles was a time of celebration and thanksgiving. The Lord had freed their forefathers from the bondage of slavery in Egypt, He had given them a bountiful harvest, and He had accepted their annual sacrifice for the sins of the people. It was time for a party. And what a party it was. The Israelites came from all over the nation to Jerusalem to celebrate for an entire week. They built their booths on every available piece of ground and the aroma of delicious foods cooking over open fires permeated the whole city. For seven days where ever you went there was an air of joy and festivity as the people remembered El Shaddai (God our Provider) and gave thanks. You might wonder how they could drop everything and take a whole week off to celebrate. Simple; the Lord picked up the tab. In three passages from Deuteronomy, He explained how He was going to do this, commanding the people to put aside one tenth of their annual production for Him. (Deut. 8:6-18, 12:4-7, 14:22-29). He called it their tithe. Then they were to take the Lord's tithe to Jerusalem each fall after the harvest and use it for a big feast to celebrate His blessings upon them. The reason He commanded them to separate the tithe was that He wanted to remind them it was His. Also if He hadn't required them to do so, most wouldn't have set anything aside for the feast. It would all have been absorbed into their living costs and they would have missed out on the celebration. Obviously, the Lord didn't need their money. He only wanted them to remember Who had blessed them. By celebrating, they were reminded. Further, He commanded that the celebration be at His house, not theirs, so they wouldn't start thinking they had created their own blessings. What about the Poor? Every third year, instead of celebrating they gave the tithe to the priests in their city to help the poor and indigent, first within the community and then from among their visitors. There was always enough to last until the next contribution three years later. Because it felt good to obey, they learned the joy of giving. When it came time to donate the tithe to the poor, they did so with a generous spirit, knowing that they were giving away the Lord's share not theirs. (It's always easier to be generous with some one else's money.) Because each community helped its own poor directly everyone got the help they needed, and the people could see the effect of their generosity. What About Now? Contrast that with the way of giving today. We no longer believe that one tenth is the Lord's and we no longer credit Him for our blessings. We think we're being asked for some of our own money, and we're not clear about the benefit. We're told that the Lord's work will be hindered without our help. He's portrayed as a cash poor beggar in some circles and as an inflexible creditor in others. This approach makes us feel bad. We resent being made to feel guilty so we give only as much as is necessary to ease our guilt. No wonder the joy has gone from our giving. Some "religious" groups even require 10% of their members' income and conduct periodic audits to make sure they're getting it all. Some even teach that tithing is evidence of salvation. It's the most glaring example of man's religion working at cross-purposes with the intent of God's laws. A Blessing or a Curse? Today, tithing is thought by many to be a curse for believing rather than a celebration for blessing. People go around looking for a church that "doesn't talk about money all the time." Because they never learn the true purpose of their giving, they are deprived of the blessings of abundance the Lord promises to those who "bring the whole tithe into the storehouse." (Malachi 3:9-10 & Luke 6:38) For its part, the church merely survives when it should thrive. (The church would actually receive more income and their members would be a lot happier doing things the Lord's way) And perhaps most sadly, those in need don't receive the help from the church they could otherwise have ... help that could have come in the name of the Lord, and perhaps prompted a life change in the heart of the recipient. Satan wins again. The Rainmaker Because it doesn't rain in Israel from about the end of May till the middle of October, somewhere along the way a Water Libation Ceremony was incorporated into the Feast of Tabernacles celebrations. Each day a contingent of priests all dressed in white would go out from the Temple to the Pool of Siloam and with a silver pitcher would take some water from the pool back to the Temple. There a paving stone beside the altar had been removed just for this event. Arriving at the altar, a priest would pour the water from the silver pitcher upon the ground where the paving stone had been. As the dry ground absorbed the water the priests would pray for rains to moisten the fields in preparation for the fall planting. Thousands of people watching the ceremony would join in, praying and singing praises to God. On the last day of the Feast, the High Priest Himself would officiate in all his finery, and the entire priesthood would follow him to the pool and back, singing and playing their instruments. On this day the pitcher was golden and the whole nation would be in attendance. Compare it to a sports stadium of today, packed to the rafters with spectators, all watching as the High Priest lifted the golden pitcher high over his head to pour the water into the ground near the altar. And then as with one voice they would break into song praising God and praying for rain. Talk about a joyful noise! Then one year something happened as the priest was pouring the water that stunned the crowd and literally shocked them into silence. Listen to John's eyewitness account. "On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ' If anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.' By this He meant the Spirit Whom those who believed were later to receive." (John 7:37-39) On hearing His words, some of the people said, " Surely this man is The Prophet." Others said, "He is the Christ." (John 7:40) Even the Temple guards were impressed. Being rebuked for letting Jesus disrupt the ceremony, they declared, "No one ever spoke the way this man does." And so on the Feast of Tabernacles, it's fitting that we remember Jesus, the God Who dwells within us, the Giver of every good and perfect gift, and the Source of living water. O Lord, save us! O Lord, grant us success. Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord. From the House of the Lord we bless you. (Psalm 118:25-26) Despite UNESCO vote on Jerusalem, Israel hails small step forward - By Raoul Wootliff - http://www.timesofisrael.com/despite-unesco-vote-on-jerusalem-israel-hails-small-step-forward/
PA says decision reminds Israel it is an occupier, after UN cultural arm okays resolution that ignores Jewish, Christian ties to holy city The Palestinian Authority on Tuesday hailed the newly approved UNESCO vote on Jerusalem as a reminder to Israelis "that they are an occupying power," while Israel's envoy attempted to put a positive spin on the widely criticized decision. The resolution, passed Thursday in the committee stage of the United Nations cultural body, referred to the Temple Mount and Western Wall only by their Muslim names and condemned Israel as "the occupying power" for various actions taken in both sites. The resolution effectively disregards Jewish and Christian ties to Jerusalem holy sites, and has led Israel to cut ties with the cultural body. In spite of an Israeli effort to delay a final vote, the UN cultural agency on Tuesday adopted the controversial Arab-sponsored resolution, though without the support of Mexico, which changed its "for" vote to an abstention in a surprise move. The Palestinian Authority's deputy ambassador to UNESCO, Mounir Anastas, told reporters Tuesday the resolution "reminds Israel that they are the occupying power in East Jerusalem and it asks them to stop all their violations." These violations include archaeological excavations around religious sites, Anastas said. Israel's ambassador to UNESCO Carmel Shama-Hacohen said that although only Mexico changed its vote between Thursday and Tuesday, Israel is one step closer in its mission "to dismantle the automatic majority enjoyed by the Palestinians and Arab states." The ambassador also praised Brazil for expressing reservations over the language of the resolution, even though Brasilia did not change its vote. Such reservations will make it harder to Brazil to support such motions in future, Hacohen said. Mexico's changed vote means that 23 nations approved the motion on Tuesday, six voted against (including the US, UK and Germany) and 25 abstained. Mexico's ambassador Andres Roemer, who walked out of last Thursday's session and considered resigning in protest at his country's initial support for the resolution, was fired from his post on Tuesday. All resolutions passed at this year's General Conference were validated by the UNESCO executive board in a blanket vote. Despite Israeli diplomatic missions being closed Tuesday due to the observance of the Sukkot festival around the world, the Foreign Ministry allowed the UNESCO mission in Paris to work in a last-ditch effort to try to prevent the resolution from being adopted, though a bid for a revote after Mexico's Monday night announcement of a change of heart was later withdrawn. "Our [diplomatic] efforts will continue and we expect all countries to support our position on this issue," the ministry said in a statement after the resolution was adopted. The resolution Thursday drew widespread Israeli anger, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling the body "absurd" and others accusing UNESCO of backing anti-Semitism. The director-general of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, also Friday signaled her dismay and opposition to the motion, saying that efforts to deny history and Jerusalem's complex multi-faith character harm UNESCO. "The heritage of Jerusalem is indivisible, and each of its communities has a right to the explicit recognition of their history and relationship with the city," Bokova said in a statement. Bokova's statement came after Israel announced it was suspending its cooperation with UNESCO over the vote, with Education Minister Naftali Bennett saying the motion was a denial of history that "gives a boost to terrorism." Israelis and many Jews around the world view the move as the latest example of an ingrained anti-Israel bias at the United Nations, where Israel and its allies are far outnumbered by Arab countries and their supporters. Israel Knows That Putin Is the Middle East's New Sheriff - Shmuel Rosner - http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/18/opinion/israel-knows-that-putin-is-the-middle-easts-new-sheriff.html?_r=0
In 2001, shortly after he was elected prime minister of Israel, Ariel Sharon traveled to meet with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia at the Kremlin. According to Danny Ayalon, who was an adviser to the Israeli prime minister at the time, Mr. Putin, as is the habit of world leaders, urged Mr. Sharon to hand over territory in the West Bank to the Palestinians. Mr. Sharon, as is the habit of Israeli leaders, got tired of it. Israel, he said, is a tiny place, and for it to give away territory can be dangerous. On the other hand, he said, Russia is such a large country. So it might want to consider giving back the Kurile Islands, which Russia claimed from Japan at the end of World War II. "Russia never cedes territory," Mr. Putin supposedly retorted. "How else do you think it has gotten so big?" Two years after that meeting, Mr. Sharon, who grew up speaking Russian, called Mr. Putin "a true friend of Israel." His unmatched humor made it possible for him to say such things with straight face. Mr. Putin has a similar ability to hide his true feelings. For evidence, see how he was able to string along the Obama administration over a plan for a cease-fire in Syria. For more evidence, see Russia's recent announcement that the Kremlin plans to initiate a summit meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Palestinian Authority president, Mahmoud Abbas, in Moscow. Mr. Netanyahu doesn't speak Russian, yet he still seems to have found a common language with Mr. Putin, one he speaks even more fluently than Mr. Sharon. That should not be a surprise. Necessity breeds friendship. In Israel's case, the Kremlin became a necessity for two very much related reasons: Russia's growing presence in Middle East affairs and the simultaneous American withdrawal from the region. To put it bluntly, Israel trusts Russia's intention to become a key player in the region more than it trusts the United States' intention to stop that from happening. Israel has long been a pawn in the great superpower game, and so we Israelis have occasionally suspected that the Russians have a sturdier backbone than the Americans. When it comes to foreign affairs, Russians often seem less sentimental and always seem more brutal. These aren't necessarily virtues, but they are traits that other countries must keep in mind. Nonetheless, not that long ago, Israel rarely questioned the United States' basic commitment to contain Russia's influence in the Middle East. The strategic arrangement was simple: Israel deals with the small dogs of the neighborhood, and the United States makes sure that no big dogs interfere to tip the balance against Israel. Mr. Putin began challenging this arrangement years ago. In 2008, Russia invaded Georgia. In 2014, it invaded Crimea. And it got away with both. For Israel, this was not a sure sign that things were changing. Israel could still hope that the United States was letting Mr. Putin toy around only with those countries that had the misfortune of residing too close to Russia's borders. Then, in the summer of 2015, Russia sent its armed forces to Syria. And while President Obama was still contemplating his response, Mr. Netanyahu boarded a flight to Moscow to meet with the Middle East's new sheriff. The two leaders may have disagreed in their meeting, but Mr. Netanyahu was clearly recognizing that he had to deal with the Russians. In daringly supporting President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, Mr. Putin had sent a strong signal about Russia's intentions. And with Russian warplanes flying not far from its northern border, Israel couldn't ignore it. For the Russian president, intervening in Syria and inviting talks between Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Abbas are ways to demonstrate Russia's stature and annoy the United States. What better sign is there of Russia's import when even longtime American allies, like Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Israel, consult with Mr. Putin? Secretary of State John Kerry tried to convene the Israeli and Palestinian leaders but failed. Mr. Putin can succeed, because he is the leader whose invitation Mr. Abbas and Mr. Netanyahu will find much harder to decline. But that doesn't mean that the proposal for Russia-backed peace talks is sincere. Mr. Putin may pretend that he wants to advance peace in the Middle East, but as we have seen in recent months, an unstable region works better for him. He may pretend to want a diplomatic settlement to Syria's civil war or to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but his allies in Syria - Iran and Hezbollah - will do everything in their power to prevent any peaceful arrangement in Syria except for total victory for the Assad government and, likewise, to prevent any peaceful arrangement between Israel and the Palestinians. Thus, Palestinian leaders are hardly enthusiastic about Mr. Putin's initiative. They understand that Russia's president has little interest in the plight of a people who lack political rights. Mr. Putin has little interest in a people who are irrelevant to making Russia more powerful. Yet they know that they still might have to play along. In the ladder of Middle East concerns, the Palestinians currently occupy the bottom rung. Mr. Netanyahu is hardly more excited about a meeting with Mr. Abbas in Moscow. His motivations are no less calculated. It is less the Palestinians that he wants to engage by having talks, and more the Russians - and with them the Egyptians and the Saudis, who are also getting closer to Russia and to Israel, and are also wary of and disillusioned with the Obama administration. All of this means that the next American administration will face a unique challenge in the Middle East. Rather than having to maintain American influence, Washington will have to regain it. For the next president, the challenge might be even more daunting: to make the region both more trusting and more fearful of her or him than it is of Mr. Putin. Does Scripture Reveal Middle East Nuclear Wars Before the Tribulation? - By Kit R. Olsen - http://raptureready.com/featured/olsen/k18.html
Select excerpts from Israel's Guaranteed Glory. (First printing June 3, September 2016 distribution, World Bible Society) God's protective angels: Israel is the center of the earth where God's covenant people live and belong. I would not be surprised if right now at this very moment-the LORD God of Israel has His heavenly host holding flaming swords, securely guarding and protecting every inch of Israel's borders in the spiritual realm. Some students and commentators of Bible prophecy suggest that there will be a nuclear exchange during the Gog-Magog battle and even attempt to derive a nuclear holocaust from the passages in Ezekiel 39:11-16; pure speculation which cannot be substantiated. We dare not allow any commentators to take away from God the great victory of this battle. Scripture tells us in no uncertain terms that it is He who will be magnified. Scripture tells us that it is distinctly God who will obliterate the enemy. Radioactive material from the nuclear weapons would affect not only the invading troops, but the Israelis as well. Even if nuclear weapons could be used successfully only against the enemy, then those who would deliver them would receive the credit, and not the Lord. If we stop and think things through carefully, it would become obvious that when anyone takes any particular Scripture and tries to turn it into a massive Middle East nuclear war before the Tribulation, he or she is doing so based on nothing but one's own imagination or a hypothesis determined outside of the Scriptures. If a nuclear war takes place before the Tribulation the radioactive contamination would linger and create so much damage (fallout) that too many areas would be affected and even rendered uninhabitable. The nations prophesied to invade Israel in the Gog-Magog incursion would be greatly affected and could not fulfill Ezekiel's prophecy. Some commentators mistakenly believe a nuclear incursion will happen during the battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39 (Gog-Magog), and some go so far out on a nonsensical limb saying a major nuclear event will happen in the Middle East even before the battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39, and before the Tribulation. But does that make sense? ISIS is the most vicious dangerous Hitlerian group on the planet today-frightening. It is true, ISIS is sending out messages that they are planning a nuclear holocaust somewhere. Only God can know where these demonically possessed maniacs would do such a thing. We must trust what Scripture teaches. No one, including ISIS can stand in the way of the fulfillment of God's prophetic Word. Prophecy must be fulfilled as it is written, and the Gog-Magog war is a major prophecy that must take place. It will change the entire dynamics of the Middle East-when God destroys Russia from the North and Islam, "those who dwell securely in the isles [coastlands] (Ezekiel 39:6). When God sends fire upon the invaders, the destruction will be far-reaching. If you look on a map you can see that there is a densely populated Islamic ring surrounding the globe. At that point I think God will have had about enough of Allah's terror loving followers who desecrate and blaspheme his holy Name. It makes more sense that if ISIS does fire off nuclear weapons it would be possibly in the U.S., Europe or another part of the world. They are too hell-bent on taking over the world to destroy themselves; the key players of ISIS in the Middle East are not about to become martyrs and lose all the impact they have already made. If ISIS detonates a nuclear bomb in the Middle East, the fallout would affect them too much or even destroy them. Twisting the meaning of Scripture to make a case for a nuclear event cannot be claimed as a new discovery revealed by the leading of the Holy Spirit. For example, the verses from Jeremiah 49:34-39 are used by some with over active imaginations to fabricate outlandish suppositions claiming a massive nuclear war will precede the Tribulation and the Gog-Magog war. We have claims for yet another overlooked "prophecy!" Biblical scholars of old must have been a dumb old bunch to have missed that one. No doubt, Iran's nuclear program is a major threat. If Israel does have to attack Iran for self-preservation it would make much more sense that she would use bunker buster bombs but even much more likely, subterfuge, such as a Stuxnet type operation. The battle between Israel and Iran is not a battle of brawn which must result in nuclear devastation prior to the Tribulation; it is a battle of moxie and brain power. Israel is clearly superior in those areas. ------------------------------------------------ Anyone who loves God's chosen people will want to read Israel's Guaranteed Future Glory. Kit R. Olsen's wonderful new book highlights the State of Israel showing that God'sprophetic promises have not been broken, and that He still has a plan for mankind. The history of the Jews proves the validity of His Holy Word; and the geopolitical climate unfolding today falls in line with God's prophetic messages. Kit has been my dedicated editor/writer for the site for over four years (2012) and I am very pleased to share some of her additional work with our readers and feature her book on the site.." --Todd Strandberg Amazon link to: Israel's Guaranteed Future Glory: http://tinyurl.com/z5sq6ss European Union: Don't Label Muslim Terrorists as Muslim - Todd Strandberg - http://raptureready.com/rap16.html
The European Union's Brussels headquarters has asked the British government to bar the media from identifying Muslims terrorists as being Muslim. If witnesses recall a terrorist scream "Allahu akbar!" or asking people if they're Muslim before opening fire, the press is now expected to play dumb in their reporting. The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) justified this attack on free speech by saying there has been an increase in hate speech and racist violence over the past seven years. Pointing a finger at the press, ECRI Chair Christian Ahlund, said, "It is no coincidence that racist violence is on the rise in the UK at the same time as we see worrying examples of intolerance and hate speech in the newspapers, online and even among politicians." It's absolutely stunning that leaders in European would think that Islamophobia is a problem. The reason why there is an increase in racial strife is because of Muslims are attacking people. If a follower of Muhammad goes into a restaurant and kills 20 people, it's common sense to identify his religion. He didn't kill those people because he thought the food was bad. His faith is what motivated him to carry out his heinous act. When I read in the news that Jamel Ahmed Mohammed Ali Al-Badawi is wanted by the FBI for conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, it's all too easy to guess that he's Muslim. Last Week, German police units were hunting for a man suspected of planning a bomb attack. I didn't need to know he was Syrian-born, his name was Jaber Albakr, or that he had internet contact with the ISIS to conclude he was Muslim. The words "bomb attack" was all I needed to know that there was a connection to a certain Middle East based religion. One common argument for avoiding the Muslim label is that if we don't mention the name of their religion, Islamists won't be inflamed to carry out more acts of terror. Muslims don't murder people because they feel oppressed. They're motivated by the idea that the killing of infidels is a useful way to advance their religion. Our unwillingness to link Islam to terrorism only make the problem worse. What we should be doing is condemning Islam every time one of its followers carries out a terrorist act. If a Christian Minister openly endorsed terrorism, the hate crime laws would put him in jail. The practice of banning the link between Islam and terrorism is already at work on the Internet. Several search engines have blocked words that relate to Muslim terrorism. Last week, I was trying to find an article I saw on Drudge Report. I typed in about a dozen different phrases and nothing came up. When I switched to Yahoo, twenty stories instantly popped up. This censorship has even found its way to images of Muslim terrorists. Several French news organizations have said they will no longer publish photographs of people responsible for terrorist killings, to avoid bestowing "posthumous glorification." I don't buy this glorification argument. There are thousands of photos of Adolf Hitler, and don't see them giving him glory. He has become the opposite-a symbol of evil. The French papers decided not show images of terrorists because they got into trouble over their coverage of the attack on Nice. Instead of showing photos of Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel in his Muslim clothes, they went with alluring images of him working out at the gym. I can only wonder what will be the end of this craziness. If we continue along this path, the press will start censoring the coverage of major terrorist attacks. The murder of 49 people at the Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida shows we are headed in that direction. The attack occurred in June and the media has already dropped all coverage of what was the deadliest mass shooting by a single gunman in U.S. history. I think the reason why the devil has been working so hard to shield Islam from criticism is because of his plans for the Harlot church, where all the major faiths will unite under the leadership of the False Prophet. The extreme measures now being taken to accommodate Islam tells me that the end must be very near. "And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration" (Rev. 17:1-6).
My Review of "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" Over the last 35 years, I have literally read hundreds of books on Bible Prophecy and End Time signs. I especially enjoy books on the Rapture, and I have read almost every Rapture-related book published. In all those years, devouring thousands of pages, and millions of words, I have not read a better book on the Rapture than, Rapture Ready...Or Not? Terry James might be physically blind, but he is spiritually sharp and well discerning beyond most authors. In "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" Terry has nailed the pre-trib Rapture, and removed any doubt what so ever about the Church going through the Tribulation. With great insight and Godly discernment, Terry explains with simple, yet profound words, why and how that he has come to believe the ways he does about the Rapture, the Tribulation, and the End Times scenario. I think after reading "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" you too will believe as Terry does, and be Ready for the Rapture like never before! - Randy Thomas - Publisher / Editor - Prophecy Update For more information and or to get your copy of "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" use this link: http://www.raptureready.com/terry/book35.html New Obama Executive Order Hints at Devastating Space Event - By Mac Slavo - http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=727
Once considered a fringe conspiracy theory, it appears that the Obama administration is now actively preparing for a massive solar event that could wipe out life as we have come to know it. Space weather events such as solar flares, solar energetic particles, and geomagnetic disturbances have long been believed to pose a significant threat to our technologically advanced society with the ability to not only affect global positioning satellites, but on-earth electronics that include the entire domestic (and global) power grid. In the latest Executive Order signed by Barack Obama, the President calls for coordination between various government agencies including the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland security should a major "space weather event" come to pass. Via WhiteHouse.Gov Executive Order -- Coordinating Efforts to Prepare the Nation for Space Weather Events By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to prepare the Nation for space weather events, it is hereby ordered as follows: Section 1. Policy. Space weather events, in the form of solar flares, solar energetic particles, and geomagnetic disturbances, occur regularly, some with measurable effects on critical infrastructure systems and technologies, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), satellite operations and communication, aviation, and the electrical power grid. Extreme space weather events -- those that could significantly degrade critical infrastructure -- could disable large portions of the electrical power grid, resulting in cascading failures that would affect key services such as water supply, healthcare, and transportation. Space weather has the potential to simultaneously affect and disrupt health and safety across entire continents. Successfully preparing for space weather events is an all-of-nation endeavor that requires partnerships across governments, emergency managers, academia, the media, the insurance industry, non-profits, and the private sector. Though often dismissed as nothing more than fear mongering, the threat of space weather events is not only possible, it is quite probable, as evidenced by a massive solar flare which narrowly missed earth in 2012. "The speed of this event was as fast or faster than anything that has been seen in the modern space age," said Baker. ... Had it hit Earth, the July 2012 event likely would have created a technological disaster by short-circuiting satellites, power grids, ground communication equipment and even threatening the health of astronauts and aircraft crews. ... We have proposed that the 2012 event be adopted as the best estimate of the worst case space weather scenario... Is it possible that the Obama administration has scientific evidence supporting the fact that a space weather event is imminent? One Congresswoman thinks so, having claimed that there is a 100% chance of a crippling event. The Executive Order signed by Obama on October 13, 2016 certainly suggests this may be the case: It is the policy of the United States to prepare for space weather events to minimize the extent of economic loss and human hardship. The Federal Government must have (1) the capability to predict and detect a space weather event, (2) the plans and programs necessary to alert the public and private sectors to enable mitigating actions for an impending space weather event, (3) the protection and mitigation plans, protocols, and standards required to reduce risks to critical infrastructure prior to and during a credible threat, and (4) the ability to respond to and recover from the effects of space weather. Executive departments and agencies (agencies) must coordinate their efforts to prepare for the effects of space weather events. Coupled with a previous Executive Doomsday Order signed by the President in March of 2012, the federal government now has the ability to take full control of all critical national infrastructure elements including food resources, energy resources, farms, health facilities, water resources and even the nation's workforce. While millions of people have been preparing for the possibility of a catastrophic event by relocating to rural homesteads or farms, as well as stockpiling food, water, personal defense armaments and other essential supplies with the intention of utilizing these preparations if the worst happens, the latest executive order signed by President Obama on March 16, 2012 makes clear that in the event of a nationally deemed emergency all of these resources will fall under the authority of the United States government. Recent projections from a secret Homeland Security report suggest that as many as 100 million Americans could be left without power should a powerful enough solar storm strike earth. Another report paints an even more terrifying picture, indicating that without access to power via our grid, America would literally come to a standstill. Critical supplies including medicine, gas, and food would be undeliverable and within one year as many as 90% of Americans would be dead if the grid were not restored. The problem, according to The Prepper's Blueprint author Tess Pennington is that over 90% of Americans are not only lacking any preparation for such a catastrophic scenario, but even if advance warning was sent to the population 12 hours ahead of time, it would simply be too late: Unfortunately, that "12 hours" number doesn't tell the whole story. It's probably true that during a worst case scenario, it would take 12 hours for a solar storm to reach Earth. The only question is, can our scientific instruments detect a solar storm in that time frame? Currently, our planet's early warning system consists of a satellite called DSCOVR, which launched in February of this year, and reached its destination between the Earth and the Sun last June. The satellite it replaced could give us a 15 minute warning, but the DSCOVR satellite isn't much of an improvement. It only gives us a 30-45 minute warning. Pennington warns that a breakdown could happen very quickly and catch most people by surprise: This is the point in this cycle where herds of people go to the grocery stores frantically grabbing supplies. Most grocery stores will not be able to meet the demand of the people's need for supplies, and many could go home empty handed. Bracing for the disaster, the prepared and unprepared will be hoping for the best outcome. What many do not realize is the hardest part of this event is soon to be upon them. Within days, the descent into the breakdown will begin. And it is this very descent into breakdown that will require an unprecedented government response and Obama's Doomsday Executive Order has given them the pretext to do so. Do government officials know that a life-threatening solar event is becoming increasingly more probable? Or is the Obama administration simply taking proactive steps to prepare? Whatever the case, it is important to note that Americans are not prepared to deal with the aftermath of such a scenario. Perhaps the actions being implemented on the federal level should be a wake up call to all Americans to prepare for disaster now. Daily Jot: The truth behind positive media for Clinton - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com
The Center for Public Integrity's mission is "To serve democracy by revealing abuses of power, corruption and betrayal of public trust by powerful public and private institutions, using the tools of investigative journalism." It prides itself as being one of the nations oldest and largest nonpartisan, non-profit Pulitzer Prize winning investigative news organizations. So when it reveals that the vast majority of journalists contributing to the presidential election are supporting Democrat Hillary Clinton, one has to look at the gravity of what is being reported. The Center reports some 430 people who work in journalism have donated about $382,000 to Clinton-that's 96% of all the money donated to both candidates from journalists. The results are as would be expected. One example, reported by the Center says, "New Yorker television critic Emily Nussbaum, a newly minted Pulitzer Prize winner, spent the Republican National Convention pen-pricking presidential nominee Donald Trump as a misogynist shyster running an "ugly and xenophobic campaign." What Nussbaum didn't disclose in her dispatches: she contributed $250 to Democrat Hillary Clinton in April." While $250 doesn't sound like much, it is a statement of tremendous import. In my days of reporting, my personal policy was that I would never show any kind of bias toward a candidate by contributing to the campaign or becoming too cozy with members of a campaign staff. We can see that isn't the case in this election. Even Trump mentioned in the last debate that it was three to one against him, a reference to how the so-called "impartial moderators" were favoring Clinton. This comes as no surprise, however, as even a May 2015 poll by Rasmussen suggested that the majority of Americans expect biased coverage. Rasmussen reported, "When it comes to the 2016 presidential campaign, only 23% believe most reporters will try to offer unbiased coverage. Fifty-nine percent (59%) think that coverage will be slanted instead, with 36% who say most reporters will try to help Hillary Clinton during the campaign and 23% who say they will try to hurt her bid for the White House instead." There is an old adage that covers just about anything: Follow the money. The money says that journalists favor Clinton by some 96% of the donations they give. And these are just the ones who do not see it as a conflict of interest to give to a political candidate. Those polled thought the media would be slanted, and the contributions by journalists prove it. They wouldn't be giving to Clinton if they didn't support her. That automatically biases anything they would report. As Isaiah 59:14 says, "And justice is turned back, and righteousness stands afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter." Truth, indeed, has fallen in the street, and these so-called "journalists" don't even try to hide their iniquity. Daily Devotion: Following the Captain - Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish which they had taken. . . . So when they had brought their boats to land, they forsook all and followed Him. -Luke 5:9, 11 Peter was a seasoned fisherman. He knew all about the movement of fish. He knew the best time to fish. He knew the right moment to pull the nets in. He was an expert. But one day Jesus showed up and said, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch" (Luke 5:4). Peter had been fishing all night without catching anything. Think about it. If you were a sailor and some guy came along who was neither a sailor nor a fisherman and told you what to do, you might think, Do you really know what you are talking about? Peter was the fisherman. Jesus was effectively the landlubber. I love Peter's response. He said, "Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net" (verse 5). By the way, it is implied in the original language that Peter was using a nautical term with Jesus, as if to say, "You are the captain of the boat. You are the admiral here. At Your word, we will do it." You probably know the rest of the story. They pulled in so much fish that the boat began to sink under the weight of them. Peter was blown away. Jesus had just invaded Peter's world in a way he could understand. Peter fell down before Him and said, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" (verse 8). In other words, "Don't waste your time on me. I'm going to let You down." But Jesus told him, "Do not be afraid. From now on you will catch men" (verse 10). Will you let Jesus be the captain of your boat? He won't force His way on board. He's waiting for you to invite Him. FROM THE HEART
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