Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Anchored to the Rock - By Todd Hampson - https://www.raptureready.com/2020/12/08/anchored-to-the-rock-by-todd-hampson/
Psalm 2:1-4 “Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying, ‘Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.’ The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.” Everyone sees the world deteriorating in a myriad of ways. Unfortunately, many do not understand that this is exactly what the Bible says the world would be like near the time of the end. So much has happened in 2020 that people are just ready for the year to be over. Relatively few are aware of some gigantic prophecy-related events on the horizon which 2020 merely set the stage for. If you think 2021 is going to offer a return to normalcy after the unprecedented events of 2020, I’m afraid you’ll be blindsided by what’s coming our way. I’ll resist launching into a commentary about how political corruption is at an all-time high, or how our country is crumbling before our eyes. Neither of those are exaggerations, by the way. If we don’t have a reliable voting system, we no longer have a democracy of “we the people.” I’ll also resist addressing (for now) the globalists’ planned “Great Reset” in June of 2021 (although just about everything we’re witnessing geopolitically is directly connected to that coming event). In this particular article, there’s something much more encouraging I’d like to focus on, and it is this: God is still on the throne. God is not pacing in the throne room wondering what to do next. He is sovereign over all things. God raises up and puts down leaders. His ways are high above our ways, and everything God allows moves history along to its prophesied end. Perhaps God wants us American Christians to put our trust solely in God, rather than our comfort and security. He is enough. Actually, God is MORE than enough. Whatever we might face in the coming years, God is allowing it. Perhaps we’ll face strong persecution. Perhaps the world will get worse and our light will shine brighter. Perhaps the Lord will come to take his Bride home and we’ll finally be raptured out of this corrupt world with its impending globalism, lawlessness, upside- down thinking, and strong delusion. Regardless of what lies ahead, we must trust in Christ alone like never before. He is our only real security, and he is all we need. In Exodus 17 as Joshua led the people to fight the Amalekites, the Israelites were winning as long as Moses held up his staff. Apparently, the battle went on for a long time, and as Moses’ hands grew tired, Aaron and Hur provided a stone for Moses to sit on as they held up his weary arms. When studying this passage, I’ve always focused on the help from Aaron and Hur as they held up Moses’ arms. But recently I noticed the other key detail—Moses sat on a rock. This may seem inconsequential, but I don’t believe it is. Every detail in Scripture is there for a purpose. Earlier in the same chapter of Exodus, we have the account of Moses striking the rock and water gushing out of it. Later (in Numbers 20) Moses struck another rock twice for water to pour out, but God chastised Moses because he was only supposed to speak to the rock. For this reason, Moses could not enter the promised land. This seems harsh until we realize that God was using the rock as a prophetic foreshadow of the Messiah. We read this in 1 Corinthians 10:4, “They drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.” Jesus was only struck once. He died once for all (Romans 6:10). Psalm 118:22 tells us, “The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” So, Moses sat on the rock. His foundation was Christ. Jesus picks up on this theme in his parable of the wise builder in Matthew 7. If you’ll recall, the foolish builder constructed his house on sand while the wise builder assembled his on the rock. The wise builder drove down deep until he hit bedrock to which he anchored his foundation. Both builders had the same construction materials. Both builders faced the same storm. The only difference was the wise builder had his foundation anchored to the Rock. Jesus is our firm foundation. Unshakable. Here’s the practical application question we need to consider in the context of the coming year—2021. What are we anchored to? Are we anchored to Jesus, the unshakable one? Or, have we placed our trust in the unstable and temporary things of the world (people, politics, candidates, money, comfort, our country, etc.)? Will we face even tougher times? We might, but if we are anchored to the Rock, we will not be shaken. If Jesus is not shaken, neither should we be. What if the worst happens? What if (insert your worst-case scenario here) actually comes to pass in our lifetime—or even in the next year? Will it occur apart from God allowing it to? No. Will we still be able to live out our calling in this generation? Yes. In times like these, we need to make sure we truly believe verses like Romans 8:28 or Psalm 139:16. As we head into the unknown of 2021, let’s take stock in what really matters and evaluate what we are really trusting in. Regardless of what lies in our immediate future, we can’t lose sight of God’s sovereignty and his appointed times. We should not be surprised that the world is headed full-speed in the direction of last-days developments. Perhaps we’re closer to the rapture than most people realize. Perhaps there is yet more time and we’ll have to face tougher times than 2020. In either scenario (rapture or growing persecution and lawlessness), God is in control. In either case, God will guide us. In either case, we are destined for this moment. In either case, we must anchor deeply into bedrock. In either case, we must share the fantastic news of the cross with a lost world while we still can. As believers we must not live like practical atheists. If we say we believe God is on the throne; if we say that Jesus is King of kings and Lord of Lords; if we say we trust God with our lives and the future; if we say that we believe God is ultimately sovereignly in control of all things; if we say we believe what the Bible says about where all of this is headed—then we can live with joy, hope, courage, faith, and perseverance even now. We must not let the deteriorating world conditions get us down. Fear and faith cannot occupy the same space. Trust and anxiety are polar opposites. My first pastor used to say, “Worry is a Christian sin.” When we worry, we are not trusting God (see Matthew 6:25-34 and Proverbs 3:5-6.) Let’s rise up to be the Church that God intended for us to be at this moment in history. Though our number is shrinking in the West, we (along with believers everywhere) are still the salt and light of the World. We still have the guidance and enabling power of the Holy Spirit. We are still called to such a time as this. Don’t give up now. Seize this moment with our promised future in mind. You’ll be glad you did. The darker the night, the brighter the light. As our spiritual eyes adjust to the darkness, let’s shift our gaze from the shiny things of the world to the leading light of Christ who provides just enough light for us to take the next step of faith. Believer—it is time for your Christian faith to be more real, more raw, more grounded, and more authentic than it has ever been. Let’s rise to the occasion and sprint to the finish line together. Perhaps the rapture is soon—but if not, we must be tethered to the unshakable Rock of Christ and stand firm in these truly unprecedented times. Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.” Todd Hampson | toddhampson.com The Global Elite's Plan for Your Future: The Great Reset - Dale Hurd - https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2020/december/the-great-reset This will be your future if some powerful people at the World Economic Forum get their way: you'll own nothing and "be happy about it." Energy will be green, rationed, and expensive, and travel will be restricted. Your diet will be controlled, and currency will be digital. This left-wing dystopian dream is called the Great Reset, and you're supposed to be excited about it. The Great Reset Is Well-Documented The Great Reset has been labeled a conspiracy theory and parts of it sound like a conspiracy theory, but everything we know about it comes from the global elites themselves, who have been quite open about it. "This is not a conspiracy theory. This is a well-documented movement among many of the world's most powerful people," says Justin Haskins, the Editorial Director at The Heartland Institute and a leading authority on the Great Reset, "Fundamentally, this is a radical and complete transformation of everything that we do in our society," Haskins adds, 'It will change the way businesses are evaluated, it will coerce businesses to pursue left-wing causes." The Great Reset was unveiled at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, where many of the world's most powerful people go to offer solutions to the world's problems. They have said that the coronavirus pandemic as a historic opportunity to change the way the world operates. COVID-19 Pandemic as an 'Opportunity' to Change Everything A World Economic Forum video warns, "Right now we're facing a crisis of international proportions. It's going to have a long-term impact on us." And their solution is essentially global socialism. Think of the Green New Deal combined with the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions and throw in something called the Fourth Industrial Revolution, in which technology is supposed to radically change the way we live and work. Klaus Schwab, the founder of the World Economic Forum says the Fourth Industrial Revolution will lead to "…a fusion of our physical, our digital and our biological identities." It has the support not only of world leaders but of global corporations like Mastercard and BP and is brought to you by people who think they know what's best for you. Haskins says "The elites, the technocrats in society, the most educated people," see the chance to "control and manipulate society, pull the levers in society so that it's in their minds, perfect." Standing in the Way: A Trump Reelection But a Trump reelection would blow a massive hole in the Great Reset. One week before the election, Italian Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano wrote an open letter to the President, warning him that the Great Reset is "inhuman faceless tyranny" that seeks to "subdue all of humanity," and that President Trump and the United States are the wall against "the deep state, the final assault of the children of darkness." "Over the past four years, Donald Trump has been the single greatest roadblock for people who are pushing this internationalist globalist sort of agenda," Haskins says. The Elites New Slogan: Build Back Better The elites at Davos are now counting on a Biden victory for The Great Reset to go forward. The World Economic Forum and the Biden campaign even share the same slogan, "build back better." English Journalist and Breitbart contributor James Delingpole says "build back better" is "a phrase you've heard being used by Justin Trudeau, by the Pope, by the Prince of Wales, by leaders around the world." Delingpole says, "You'd be amazed by how many world leaders are on board with this globalist plan. Even people that claim to be conservatives, but are clearly not. This is worse than Naziism. This is worse than communism. And this is worse than fascism. These guys are planning on taking over the whole world." We'll know more about the Great Reset when the World Economic Forum meets again in January. Nearing Midnight: The Censorship and Tyranny Is Not Going Away – Todd Strandberg - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ There has been a massive amount of suppression against liberty on the part of academia, the liberal media, and leftist politicians. The general presentation is that it is only necessary to deal with the lies from Trump and to regulate the dangers from COVID-19. I am very doubtful that we could ever return to a state that could be classified as normal. We’re so close to total insanity, I doubt a new president or an effective vaccine will make any difference. We could solve the old problems and the left will find new ones to carry on its campaign of tyranny. Several years ago I saw the danger of people using platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube to house their content. For a while it appeared promising to be able to share your views with millions of other users on these massive platforms. Now conservatives are being penalized because of their fundamental beliefs. If you post something about election fraud on Twitter, a message will appear beneath your comment saying “Voter fraud of any kind is exceedingly rare.” If you post the same thing on YouTube, a link will point to an electoral college map that shows Biden with a commanding lead. Many people have turned to a more conservative-friendly home: Parler, a Twitter rival that bills itself as “an unbiased social media focused on real user experiences and engagement.” Parler almost lost control of its web address when their domain register gave it only 24 hours to move to a new business. This dirty move was like the power company cutting your electricity because they don’t like your politics. The mainstream media is now obsessed with trying to marginalize Parler. Just in the past week, there have been several articles in major publications trying to portray Parler as a home of the dangerous fringe of conspiracy theorists. That’s pretty ironic, since the platform these articles defend, Twitter, is a cesspool of anti-Trump conspiracy theories and has been for 4 years. On Twitter, the liberal media spread a claim that Parler was hacked, and Twitter obediently made the hashtag trend. Liberals were ecstatic that Parler had been hacked and that private Direct Messages of conservatives would be published — but it was all fake. There was no hack. Some of the most authoritarian actions have come from state governors. They have used the pandemic set rules that Hitler would have judged as going too far. Vermont Governor Phil Scott placed a limit on how many people could gather for Thanksgiving and wanted kids to snitch on their parents. The governor of Oregon shocked a reporter by calling in an interview for people to rat out their neighbors if they have more than six people for dinner. One of the most universal warning signs of despotism is the banning of books. We have reached the point where many people now see it as a positive step to censor authors. A decade ago if you had told people an accomplished professor would be labeled as controversial for merely saying men are men and women are women, you would be laughed at. Jordan Peterson has come under attack for making statements on human sexuality that were once seen as common sense. Peterson’s publisher, Penguin-Random House, recently announced that they would soon release a new book by the professor. Many employees of the firm demanded that the book not be published. Some of their reasons for wanting the ban is Peterson’s popularity with right-wing groups, and mental anguish he has caused them with his so-called hateful ideas. I think the greatest reason for the lack of outrage over this trend toward tyranny is people’s general belief that good will always triumph over evil. As far as God’s view of things, this saying is true. In mankind’s world, evil has always had the edge. The United States is a very rare nation to have gone 244 years without any period of tyrannical rule. We are likely running out of time because Bible prophecy dictates that all nations will fall under Satan’s command during the tribulation hour. “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him” (Revelation 12:9). “Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time” (Revelation 12:12). Bracing For A Very Painful Year: 38% Of Americans Say That They Will Spend 2021 In “Survival Mode” - by Michael Snyder - http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/bracing-for-a-very-painful-year-38-of-americans-say-that-they-will-spend-2021-in-survival-mode If nearly 40 percent of the entire nation anticipates spending the next 12 months in “survival mode”, that is not a good sign for what the coming year will bring. Traditionally, Americans have looked forward to the turn of the year with tremendous optimism, but this time around things are very, very different. 2020 brought us the COVID pandemic, tremendous violence and civil unrest in our major cities, and the greatest economic downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Sadly, a large chunk of the country is anticipating more difficulties in the coming months, because one recent survey found that 38 percent of all Americans plan to spend 2021 in “survival mode”… Of the 3,011 surveyed adults, over 38% said they will spend the year in “survival mode,” meaning they’ll focus on the day-to-day rather than long-term goals to try to get themselves and their families through 2021. The biggest reason why so many anticipate being in “survival mode” is because of the financial problems that they experienced this year. According to that same survey, a whopping 68 percent of all Americans say that they experienced some sort of “financial setback” in 2020… Although some respondents maintained their usual income over the past year, 68% had setbacks. Of those, 23% lost a job or household income; 20% had an unexpected non-health emergency; 18% had to provide unexpected financial aid to family or friends; and 16% had a health emergency in their family. As I keep reminding my readers, Americans have filed more than 70 million new claims for unemployment benefits this year, but even many of those that have been able to keep their jobs have fallen on very hard times. Another new survey found that approximately one-third of all full-time workers in the U.S. “have experienced a pay cut” in 2020… Roughly 1 in 3 full-time workers have experienced a pay cut due to the coronavirus pandemic this year, according to a recent MagnifyMoney survey of 984 professionals surveyed Nov. 6 to 11. If you were employed throughout all of 2020 and you are still able to pay all of your bills on time, you should be very thankful for your blessings, because you are now in the minority. For most Americans, the past 12 months have been exceedingly painful, and this new round of lockdowns promises to extend the economic suffering long into 2021. Some industries that were absolutely devastated by the first round of lockdowns are officially in panic mode at this point. For example, we have already permanently lost approximately 17 percent of all of the restaurants in the entire country, and the National Restaurant Association is warning that 10,000 more could permanently shut down “in the next three weeks”… About 17% of America’s restaurants have already permanently closed this year, with thousands more on the brink according to a new report. The National Restaurant Association is publicly pleading with Congress to pass new stimulus to help the industry that has been damaged by the pandemic. The group said Monday that 10,000 restaurants could close in the next three weeks, in addition to the 110,000 that have already shuttered in 2020. Even during the best of times, running a successful restaurant is exceedingly difficult. The margins are razor thin, new competition is always popping up, and employees are constantly coming and going. When you add a global pandemic on top of all of that, it has become almost impossible for many eateries to keep going, and we are being told that the future for the industry looks quite “bleak”… · 87% of full-service restaurants (independent, chain, and franchise) report an average 36% drop in sales revenue. For an industry with an average profit margin of 5%-6%, this is simply unsustainable. 83% of full-service operators expect sales to be even worse over the next three months. · Although sales are significantly lower for most independent and franchise owners, their costs have not fallen by a proportional level. 59% of operators say their total labor costs (as a percentage of sales) are higher than they were pre-pandemic. · The future remains bleak. 58% of chain and independent full-service operators expect continued furloughs and layoffs for at least the next three months. · Of course it isn’t just the restaurant industry that is laying off workers in large numbers. Just about every day there are more major layoff announcements in the news, and many experts are expecting the job loss numbers to accelerate as we make the transition into 2021. Without paychecks coming in, millions of unemployed Americans are unable to pay the bills, and we are being warned that we could be facing a historic tsunami of evictions starting just after the holiday season… The day after Christmas, the extended unemployment benefits that have kept 12 million people and their families afloat are scheduled to expire. Then, mere days after that cliff, on New Year’s Day, a national ban on renter evictions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is also set to lapse. Overnight, an unprecedented bill of $70 billion in unpaid back rent and utilities will come due, according to estimates by Moody’s Analytics Chief Economist Mark Zandi. In all, up to 40 million people could be threatened with eviction over the coming months, research from the Aspen Institute says. The politicians insist that they are keeping us caged up for our own good, but the truth is that they are absolutely destroying millions upon millions of lives in the process. There is a lot of debate about whether or not the lockdowns have helped to prevent the spread of the virus, but what we do know is that thousands of businesses have been permanently destroyed, millions of jobs have been lost, more people are committing suicide, and Americans are increasingly engaging in self-destructive behaviors… Overall, one in three Americans report binge drinking during the coronavirus pandemic. The average person also reports spending about four weeks in lockdown this year; spending 21 hours a day at home. More than seven in 10 people in the survey did not even leave their home for work. If we cannot even handle the COVID pandemic, how in the world is our society going to be able to handle what else is coming? As things continue to unravel all around us, people are going to be in great need of hope. Millions of Americans are already in “survival mode”, and the road ahead is certainly not going to get any easier. Daily Jot: The Texas election challenge – Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com The State of Texas has filed a lawsuit directly with the Supreme Court alleging that Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia and Pennsylvania violated the Election Clause of the US Constitution and disenfranchised Texas voters by unconstitutionally abrogating election statues for mail-in ballots. Texas cites Article II, Section I, Clause II of the Constitution that states: “Each state shall appoint, in such manner as the Legislature thereof may direct,” making “it clear that only legislators of the states are permitted to determine the rules for appointing presidential electors.” And Texas also cites Article III that the Supreme Court’s judicial power extends to “controversies between two or more states.” Joining in support are AK, AL, MO and LA. In layman’s terms, the Texas lawsuit intends to establish that Texas citizens were denied equal protection under the law because Secretary of States in Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia, and the Elections Commission in Wisconsin unilaterally changed election laws without legislative approval. This causes Texas voters (and all of America) to have to accept the results of the election when the elections in those four states are illegal. As a remedy, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is requesting SCOTUS to prohibit Electoral College votes cast by those states and for them to appoint new electors. SCOTUS has given the states until Thursday at 3:00 PM EST to actively respond, meaning it is taking up the case. Jordan Sekulow, lawyer for President Trump, Tuesday told Newsmax TV, “This is the case we’ve been talking about to reach SCOTUS. This is the outcome-determinative case, 62 electoral college votes, enough to change the outcome of the election.” Newsmax reported; “The Supreme Court, in a case of “original jurisdiction,” Sekulow said, will weigh the lawsuit’s proposed remedy of the four state legislatures seating new electors, because the “electors clause” was violated, along with “due process” and “equal protection.”” Notably, a search of the news about this case at the time of this writing yielded only Breitbart, Epoch Times, and Newsmax were covering the story. Mainstream media is still reporting that SCOTUS turned down a challenge to the Pennsylvania election. Each of the states in question have publicly dismissed the suit as nonsense. Paxton said in a statement, “For presidential elections, each state must appoint its electors to the electoral college in a manner that complies with the Constitution. The Electors Clause requirement that only state legislatures may set the rules governing the appointment of electors and elections and cannot be delegated to local officials. The majority of the rushed decisions, made by local officials, were not approved by the state legislatures, thereby circumventing the Constitution.” Proverbs 21:15 says, “It is a joy for the just to do justice, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.” Let us pray that SCOTUS puts the law above politics and acts justly to do justice. Daily Devotion: At Home in the Church - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. —Matthew 18:20 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/at-home-in-the-church/ - Listen Have you ever been to a home where you didn’t really feel comfortable? You wanted to get out of that house as quickly as possible. Then there are other homes that feel so warm and inviting, and you want to be there as long as you can. The apostle Paul prayed for the believers at Ephesus that “Christ may dwell in [their] hearts through faith” (Ephesians 3:17 NKJV). Now, that seems like something odd to pray for people who are already Christians. When you become a believer, the Lord dwells in your heart. But the term Paul used here for dwell means to “settle down and be at home” or “be comfortable.” So Paul was essentially saying, “My prayer is that Christ will be at home in your heart.” I think when Christ is really settled down and at home in your heart, then you’ll be at home in the church. Many times in the Bible, the words home and church are linked. David wrote, “I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6 NKJV), or literally, “I have a home in the house of the Lord forever.” I think a real barometer of your spiritual life is whether you have a desire to be in fellowship with other Christians. Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20 NKJV). Of course, Jesus is with you wherever you are because God is omnipresent. But He’s saying that He will manifest Himself in a special way when His people gather together for prayer, worship, and Bible study. The closer you are to God, the closer you’ll be to God’s people. The farther away you are from God, the farther away you’ll be from God’s people. FROM THE HEART
IF YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED THROUGH THIS MINISTRY, THEN WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD PLEASE REMEMBER PROPHECY UPDATE IN YOUR GIVING - WE ARE TRULY, TRULY, THANKFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT Prophecy Update has no corporate sponsors. This ministry is paid for and prayed for by readers and supporters. Without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update, Please pray about becoming a monthly supporter - thanks! 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!" "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 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: DONATE NOW Or Visit our website: http://prophecyupdate.com/donations/ Or write us at: Prophecy Update P.O. Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384-0516 |
|