9 Essential Reasons for Understanding Biblical Prophecy

TODAY'S NEWSLETTER... 
 
 

• Featured Article: 9 Essential Reasons for Understanding Biblical Prophecy 
• Worldview with Amir Tsarfati: Determined To Learn The Hard Way 
• Prophecy Update Videos 
• Pastor Jack Hibbs sounds alarm on the Church abandoning scriptural truths for 'woke' culture 
• Why A Clear And Urgent Gospel Message Should Be The Centerpiece Of Every Bible Prophecy Sermon 
• Daily Jot: The Farm Chronicles: The sisters I never had 
• Daily Devotion: Our All-Knowing God 
• Prophecy Update New Headlines

---

9 Essential Reasons for Understanding Biblical Prophecy – Jonathan Brentner - https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/https/jonathan-brentner-g8fgsquarespacecom/config
 
The topic of Bible prophecy is more relevant to our lives now than at any other time in the history of the church. It’s never been more vital that churches teach it, and believers understand it.
 
It’s not just the convergence of a host of prophetic signs that make it so, but the existential dangers to our lives and livelihood that threaten everyone. I have watched recordings from the World Economic Forum (WEF) meetings during which time the elite talk openly about the need to drastically reduce the world’s population. One woman causally suggested that five hundred million would be a suitable goal while a pharmaceutical company president predicted a fifty percent reduction in the number of people living in America during the next year or two. It’s no secret that Bill Gates has long been an advocate of significantly reducing the earth’s population.
 
Please know these are not idle threats, but rather the intentions of the luciferin globalists that control the UN, the WEF, and the deep state in the U.S. Don’t fall for their benign-sounding platitudes of wanting to save the planet, the master they serve is the very same one that Jesus identified as a “liar” and “murderer” in John 8:44. They regard the majority of people in the world as “useless eaters,” which clearly doesn’t bode well for them.
 
The urgency for everyone to know what Scripture says about our future comes at a time when most churches refuse to talk about what the Bible says about the day in which we live. As a result, believers who attend these places of worship remain in the dark regarding their hope in Jesus’ soon appearing as well as the grave perils they face in a world where the great majority of its leaders bow before the murderous enemy of their souls.
 
There are 9 additional reasons for why understanding Bible prophecy is so vital to our lives today.
 
1. THE LORD COMMANDS US TO BE WATCHFUL AND READY
 
Bible-believing churches often dedicate one Sunday a year to the Great Commission. Because the words of Matthew 28:19-20 come directly from the Lord, they tell us, we must obey. However, many of these same places of worship ignore Jesus’ clear commands to “be ready” and watchful for His coming (Matthew 24:44, 25:13; Luke 12:40). He spent much more time talking about the signs of His return to the earth and told parables to encourage us to be ready for His sudden appearing.
 
The New Testament saints heeded these admonitions. They eagerly awaited His appearing with the hope that they might be alive at the time He came for them (Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Corinthians 1:7; Titus 2:11-14). In 2 Timothy 4:8, Paul refers to a crown for those that love Jesus’ “appearing.” How can believers receive this reward if they never hear about the Rapture as the Apostle Paul described in 1 Corinthians 15:19-54?
 
The fact that Jesus didn’t come for His church in the first century AD doesn’t signify that these early saints erred in their anticipation of His imminent appearing, rather it signifies their obedience to Jesus’ repeated commands for watchfulness and readiness.
 
2. THE BIBLE TELLS US TO ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER WITH OUR HOPE IN JESUS’ APPEARING
 
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11, Paul provides us with many details of the event we refer to today as the Rapture. In 4:18 and 5:11, he instructs the saints in Thessalonica to “encourage one another” and “build one another up” with the hope of Jesus’ appearing. The Lord intends for the Rapture to be a tool of mutual edification during perilous times, not a taboo topic for the pulpit.
 
If believers don’t hear about their glorious expectation of Jesus’ imminent appearing, how can they obey the Lord by encouraging their fellow saints with this joyous anticipation? Is this not something we should be doing as our future in this life grows increasingly foreboding?
 
3. BIBLE PROPHECY FACILITATES SPIRITUAL MATURITY
 
Many passages in the New Testament connect Bible prophecy with spiritual growth.
 
1 John 3:1-3 tells us that our hope in Jesus’ appearing leads to our purity.
 
In 2 Peter 3:10-13, the apostle explains how the Day of the Lord motivates holiness in believers.
 
Bible prophecy enables us to view the things of this life as temporary; a mindset that engenders spiritual maturity (2 Corinthians 4:17-18; Romans 8:18; Colossians 3:1-4).
 
The Rapture is vital to our endurance during tough times because it reminds us of the new bodies the Lord will give us when He appears (1 Corinthians 15:49-58; Philippians 3:20-21).
 
Knowing what Scripture teaches about our lives in eternity facilitates growth toward spiritual maturity because these things remind us that a much better existence awaits us in eternity.
 
I’m not saying that spiritual growth is impossible apart from knowing what the Bible says about our “blessed hope,” but many saints do require such an anticipation of future glory in order to loosen their grip on temporal things, especially during times of adversity. This was true for me; I remained stunted in my spiritual growth until I learned to value eternal realities over my earthly aspirations. I share my story of how this happened in The Triumph of the Redeemed.
 
I needed the truths of what the Bible teaches about the Rapture and eternity to bring me out of the despair I endured for many years.
 
4. BIBLICAL PROPHECY IS VITAL TO OUR TESTIMONY OF HOPE
 
In 1 Peter 3:15, we have these familiar words that I memorized as a child:
 
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.
 
The spiritual growth that comes via our excited anticipation of Jesus’ appearing will cause others to ask us about our faith during our times of oppression, suffering, or loss. If our hope resides in the church or in the right candidate winning a future election, we will react to suffering and the success of wicked people in much the same way as those around us.
 
The “no-Rapture” message that’s so popular today far too often produces believers who hold tightly to the things of this world and as a result, fail to exude Gospel hope during times of adversity.
 
5. BIBLE PROPHECY CONFIRMS THE INTEGRITY OF SCRIPTURE
 
No other book stakes its integrity on fulfilled prophecy. Jesus fulfilled numerous biblical prophecies regarding His lineage, birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection. Jesus chastised the Jewish religious leaders of His day for not recognizing that He was their Messiah (Matthew 16:1-3).
 
The one hundred percent record of Scripture in precisely predicting everything related to Jesus’ first advent as well as many other future events verifies its integrity as God’s Word.
 
The Bible provides us with a multitude of unfulfilled prophecies regarding the Tribulation period, Jesus’ Second Coming, the Millennium, and the eternal state. And today, we see an abundance of precursors to what the Bible says about these last days, which also verify the veracity of the Bible.
 
Why do so many spiritualize what the Bible tells us about the future and Jesus’ appearing rather than believe the words written on the pages of Scripture? How can they miss the signs that Jesus gave us so we would recognize the lateness of the day?
 
6. BIBLE PROPHECY DEMONSTRATES GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY
 
In Isaiah 46:8-13, there’s a remarkable statement from the Lord concerning His love to prophesy regarding the distant future. Below are the words of verse 10, starting with the last line of verse 9:
 
I am God, and there is none like me,
 
declaring the end from the beginning
 
   and from ancient times things not yet done,
 
saying, “My counsel shall stand,
 
   and I will accomplish all my purpose.”
 
. . . . I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
 
   I have purposed, and I will do it.
 
Bible prophecy proclaims God’s sovereignty. There’s nothing that can stop the fulfillment of His purposes as revealed throughout Scripture. Nothing at all. Furthermore, the Lord loves to predict the distant future from “ancient times.” Why do so many believe He stopped doing this after the first advent?
 
As we watch prophecies of the last days come to life before us, we watch God’s sovereignty at work in our world. The globalists believe they can make a name for themselves by setting up a world empire and forever changing humanity through transhumanism. The Lord will allow them a measure of success before crushing both them and the kingdom they are now preparing for the antichrist.
 
God is sovereign; the future for those now driven by the “spirit of the antichrist” will happen precisely as He revealed for us in Revelation 6-18. No one can thwart God’s purposes nor stop the precise fulfillment of biblical prophecy. He will pour out His wrath on this wicked world.
 
7. BIBLE PROPHECY HELPS US TO COPE WITH THE CHAOS OF A LAWLESS WORLD
 
I couldn’t even begin to cope with all I see happening around me apart from what my hope in Jesus’ imminent appearing and God’s sovereignty over the future of humanity.
 
Believers who understand what Scripture says about the last days know Jesus is coming for them in the near future and after that He will judge the rampant evil, deception, and killing of innocents in our world. We know that a far worse fate awaits the propagators of evil than spending many years in prison.
 
The prophetic texts of the Bible bring needed relief to us because they assure us of a cheerful eternity full of many delights and pleasureful experiences that we can scarcely imagine this side of the brighter shore.
 
8. A SOUND VIEW OF BIBLICAL PROPHECY EXALTS THE PERSON OF JESUS
 
It’s not just my personal testimony that produces a passion within me for Bible prophecy, it’s also because it exalts the Name of Jesus, my Savior. The New Testament saints glorified Him through their eager anticipation of His appearing. That kept their eyes focused on Him during times of persecution and in doing so exalted His Name.
 
As I have written in the past, John’s account of the future magnifies the Lord from its first chapter to the last. The book of Revelation is the grand summation of the Bible; it brings all the still future prophecies in both the Old and New Testaments to a wonderful completion in Jesus; the Name above all names.
 
Those that dismiss Jesus’ thousand-year reign (Revelation 20:1-10) by equating it with the church age or the eternal state do greatly err and reside on dangerous ground because those that hold to these teachings must spiritualize a great multitude of other biblical texts rather than accept the intent of the author. In doing so, they obscure how Jesus’ future reign over the nations will magnify His glory before all the nations of the world.
 
9. THE PROCLAMATION OF BIBLE PROPHECY IS A NECESSITY BECAUSE PEOPLE NEED JESUS
 
The most pressing need for the proclamation of Bible prophecy is the urgency for people outside of Christ to come to saving faith in Him.
 
A great many people recognize that something is seriously wrong in our world and urgently need to hear that this is what the Bible predicted for the last days. Pastors who connect current events to what Scripture says about the coming Tribulation are seeing significant new convert growth.
 
The Gospel that turned the world upside down in the early church included the proclamation of Jesus’ imminent appearing, what we today refer to as the Rapture of the church.
 
What was the testimony that spread through ancient Greece as a result of the conversion of the saints in Thessalonica? It was that they “turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God” and as result were waiting for Jesus’ appearing (1 Thessalonians 1:8-10).
 
It’s clear from the rest of 1 Thessalonians that the believers in the city knew all about the event we call the Rapture and the future “Day of the Lord,” which includes the seven-year Tribulation. They knew many things about Bible prophecy despite the fact that Paul was only in the city for a very short time.
 
I don’t know the timing, but the Bible tells us that the Lord Jesus is coming for His church and after that He will judge the world during the Tribulation period. The blood of innocents and extreme wickedness in America cries out for God’s wrath. We live in borrowed time; He will surely judge the world after He takes His saints away to Heaven.
 
It’s my conviction that these things will happen in the near future.
 
Believers today urgently need a joyous anticipation of Jesus’ appearing rather than a sanctified version of “Your Best Life Now” that grounds them in the things of this life. Those outside of Christ need to hear the Gospel message that assures them of a joyous eternity. Pastors must lead the way by first exiting the bubble of normalcy from which they preach Sunday after Sunday.
 
If you have not yet put your trust in Jesus, please see my post, Jesus Is the Only Path to Eternal Life. In it, I explain how you can know for sure that Jesus has forgiven all your sins and that you possess eternal life. Jesus is my risen Savior, my peace, and the sum total of my anticipation of a joyful eternity in His presence.
 
Christ can give you bright hope for tomorrow regardless of your circumstances or the sins that weigh you down. He shed His bled on the cross for your sins and rose again proving that He’s everything He claimed to be. He’s the Savior of the world and He will make good on His promise to give His followers immortal bodies and eternal life. Count on it!
 
Please, please don’t delay; call upon Jesus while you may! We live in an exceedingly dangerous world; tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us.
 
My books:
 
My latest one is Cancel This! What Today’s Church Can Learn from the Bad Guys of the Bible. The book is all about growing to maturity in Christ. The bad examples of these characters reveal the mindset we need for living at a time when the cancel culture dominates our culture.
 
In The Triumph of the Redeemed-An eternal Perspective that Calms Our Fears in Perilous Times. I not only defend the pre-Tribulation Rapture, but share in great detail how the truths of biblical prophecy brought me out of a lengthy time of despair in my life.

 


 


 
Worldview with Amir Tsarfati: Determined To Learn The Hard Way – By Amir Tsarfati - https://harbingersdaily.com/worldview-with-amir-tsarfati-determined-to-learn-the-hard-way/
 
It has been a wild week in Israel ever since the military launched Operation Home and Garden to end the northern Samarian city of Jenin’s role as a terrorist sanctuary. The action began on July 2 with drones attacking from the air, while more than 100 military vehicles rolled into the area. Explosive laboratories were destroyed, munitions were blown up or confiscated, headquarters and hideouts were demolished, and 13 Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad leaders were killed.
 
The great success of the operation could largely be attributed to the fact that the terrorists weren’t expecting this strong of an attack. Under the previous “government of change”, these violent extremists began to feel comfortable and safe. But there’s a new sheriff in town, who just happens to be an old sheriff. Toward the beginning of Operation Home and Garden, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “We will hit terrorists everywhere and at any time. The equation has changed. Those who didn’t understand it two months ago will understand it in the coming days.” I’m guessing that the message was received loud and clear.
 
Those of you who have read either of my two novels, Operation Joktan and By Way of Deception, will be familiar with the old Talmudic adage, “If someone comes to kill you, rise up and kill him first.” Operation Home and Garden was Netanyahu and the military rising up and killing those terrorists who were determined to continue their heinous attacks on innocent Israeli civilians.
 
Sadly, when five rockets were fired from Gaza after the conclusion of the operation, it gave proof that these jihadists have not yet learned their lesson. Then, that same day, a 20-year-old Palestinian terrorist ran a car into pedestrians, then jumped out and began to stab people. By the time he was put down, he had wounded seven. The jihadists just seem determined to learn the hard way. What Netanyahu and company have showed us these past days is that they are fully prepared to bring school into session and give Hamas and Islamic Jihad as many lessons as are needed for them to finally get the point.
 
Israeli Woman Kidnapped in Iraq
 
A Princeton University doctoral student who holds both Israeli and Russian citizenship was kidnapped by Shi’ite Iraqi Hezbollah brigades back in March. Elizabeth Tsurkov, a well-respected expert on terrorist groups and the Middle East, was in Iraq to research her doctorate when she was abducted from the Kurdish portion of Baghdad. Prime Minister Netanyahu admitted to knowing little more about Tsurkov’s current situation other than that she is alive and currently she is safe. He also made it clear that he holds Iraq responsible for ensuring that her safety continues. In the past, Tsurkov tweeted that she agreed with Israel’s policy against making deals for prisoners.
 
Mossad Interrogates Would-Be Assassin in Iran
 
In a daring operation, the Mossad found and interrogated would-be assassin of Israeli businessmen, Yousef Shahbazi Abbasalilo, in his home country of Iran. Abbasalilo was one of a team of terrorists tasked with tracking down and murdering Israeli citizens on the island of Cyprus. After following his target for a time without finding an opportune time to pull the trigger, the Iranian operative was forced to flee to his home country when the Cypriot government got wind of the plot. That is when the Israeli spy agency caught up with the man. In a recently published video interrogation, Abbasalilo lays out the plot in detail and admits to his participation. It is not known what the fate of the failed assassin currently is.
 
Tent Battle Along Lebanese/Israeli Border
 
Last month, two tents were set up by Hezbollah in Israeli territory in the Mount Dov area along the Lebanon/Israel border. The area was acquired by Israel from Syria during the Six Day War in 1967, but Lebanon claims that the land belongs to them. The tents were erected in an obvious provocation toward military conflict, and it seemed that it was close to achieving its desired effect. Then, Sunday, Hezbollah moved one of the tents out of the disputed area. Now, the UN’s UNIFIL peacekeeping force is getting involved by moderating the escalating tensions.
 
France Burns Over Police Shooting
 
On the night of June 27, a 17-year-old Algerian delivery driver was shot by police. The death of Naher Merzouk in a Paris suburb set off a series of very violent and destructive protests amongst many within France’s Muslim population that makes up 15% of the total. Public buildings were set on fire, shops were looted, cars were burned, and law enforcement was attacked. The riots quickly spread to dozens of cities within the country, and eventually made their way to Belgium and Switzerland. The blame French President Emmanuel Macron placed on “video games, social networks, and bad parenting” didn’t sit well with many, nor did his seeming inactivity. Rumors began to swirl that the military was ready to remove the president and take control if Macron did not move decisively enough. Despite the violence beginning to calm, France is preparing to take a financial hit. Beyond the cost of the damages, tourism is expected to wane due to people reconsidering travel to a country that is becoming a cultural battleground.
 
Wagner Group Systematically Dismantled
 
Following its failed coup attempt, the Russian mercenary Wagner Group is being dismantled. All weapons and equipment are being seized by the Russian military, while the civilian army’s membership is being “invited” to join the Russian ranks. Former head of the mercenary group, Yevgeny Prigozhin, was last rumored to have been on a plane to Minsk, Belarus, but his current whereabouts are unknown.
 
Ukraine Warns about Possible Russian Nuclear False Flag
 
Russia is placing explosives around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant possibly in preparation for a false flag attack, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Surveillance photos show what appear to be explosive devices on the third and fourth production units on Europe’s second-largest nuclear facility. Moscow, in turn, is accusing Kyiv of preparing for the same trick. Zelenskyy, however, is adamant, saying, “The world sees – can’t but see – that the only source of danger to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant is Russia and no one else.”


 


 
Prophecy Update Videos
Must Watch Videos!
Videos You Can Trust

 

• Prophecy Update Top News Headlines - 7/7/23 – Prophecyupdate.com
• Prophecy Update: There Is Trouble Brewing! – Tom Hughes
• Prophecy Update: You Can't Make This Stuff Up! – Tom Hughes
• Pastors’ Point of View (PPOV) no. 262. Prophecy update. Drs. Andy Woods & Jim McGowan
• Maranatha Prophecy Update | Special Guest Host AJ Karabin
• The Line Up: IDF Strikes Lebanon, Ukraine Nuclear Prep, Biden Sun-Blocking, Fukushima Water – Barry Stagner
• Bankruptcy of America – Pablo Frascini & Jerry Robinson
• Please STOP! Watchman River Tom Cote
• Verse by Verse Teaching | 2 Samuel 3-5:10 | Gary Hamrick
• Here’s The UGLY Truth About PRIDE!!! – James Kaddis

 


 
Pastor Jack Hibbs sounds alarm on the Church abandoning scriptural truths for 'woke' culture - By Leah MarieAnn Klett - https://www.christianpost.com/news/jack-hibbs-sounds-alarm-on-church-abandoning-scriptural-truths.html
 
Jack Hibbs has outlined how Christians can discern if a church is abandoning biblical principles and succumbing to “woke” ideology as many abandon scriptural truths to appease an increasingly secularized culture.
 
In an interview with The Christian Post, Hibbs, pastor of Calvary Chapel in Chino Hills, California, expressed concern about the current state of the Church in America.
 
“I see the Church today, predominantly the Church in America, on its heels, it's on its back, it's against the ropes because the Church doesn't seem to know its Scriptures or its place,” the pastor said during a sit-down interview at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention.
 
“It's as though it's a ship at sea without an anchor. Pastors today don’t know what they should say, ‘Can I get away with this?’ rather than just speaking the truth in love,” he said.
 
To combat this, Hibbs encouraged believers to immerse themselves in the Scriptures, whether by reading or listening to the audio version. The Bible, he said, provides discernment and enables people to identify falsehoods, such as the subtle nuances of woke culture.
 
“‘Woke’ now is kind of trying to refine itself; it's more subtle than it was when it first came out,” he said. “How am I going to know about these nuances in this ‘woke-ism’ world we're in? The Bible. The Bible calls for discernment, and God gives that. We don't have it. God, the Holy Spirit will give us discernment from the Bible to tell us when something’s off.”
 
“Ask God, ‘Lord, show me what's what here. Is there something goofy that I need to know about?’ And He's always faithful.”
 
While not all churches are the same and may adhere to different theologies regarding secondary issues like the gifts of the Holy Spirit, a true, biblically sound church will not waver on the authority of Scripture, the deity of Jesus and other major tenants, he said.
 
“God will lead you to a church that is a biblical worldview church,” he said. “When it's a biblical worldview church based upon biblical truth, then, Jesus said, ‘Be salt and light.’ Go into the world around you. And that's where you engage the culture.”
 
Hibbs recently unveiled the Real Life Network, a new platform designed to provide a space for truth and Christian content without the fear of censorship or cancellation. The network, which launched on May 28, offers a subscription-based model similar to popular streaming services like Hulu, Netflix and Amazon Prime.
 
The pastor explained that the Real Life Network was created in response to the current atmosphere where speaking up for truth often leads to backlash and cancellation. He noted that even before the COVID-19 pandemic, he and his ministry faced the risk of being silenced.
 
Hibbs is no stranger to wading into hot-button issues, addressing topics including COVID-19 and the Antichrist from the pulpit. In November 2022, he made headlines after urging his congregation to oppose a ballot measure that would enshrine abortion rights in California’s Constitution.
 
“I think the Church today needs to stand firm, preach what it believes, and if it doesn't believe it, the pastor needs to go on a cruise, figure himself out, or get a new job,” he said.
 
And to pastors who are hesitant to speak the truth on controversial topics, Hibbs reminded them of their biblical command to please an audience of One.
 
“If you're called, then you can take any heat,” he said. “You can take any criticism because when you lay your head down at night, you're free. You get your assessment every day when you shut down, as it were, with Jesus: ‘Lord, tell me how I might have misrepresented You today,’ or, ‘Tell me what things, God, you want to build upon today.’ I'm telling you, I wouldn't know how to live if that weren't true.”
 
A seasoned pastor, Hibbs acknowledged the reality of pastor burnout. He emphasized the importance of prioritizing family time, self-care and true accountability.
 
“I think accountability best works when it's done out of love,” he said. “If we love each other, we're going to tell each other about what's wrong and what's right … men don't have to be enslaved anymore to Satan's tricks. The Gospel is more powerful than that.”
 
Addressing those who have experienced church hurt or abuse, Hibbs lamented the reality that people, even with good intentions, can let others down. He emphasized that regardless of what people do, Jesus remains constant and should be the ultimate focus.
 
“Please hear this everybody: Get your eyes on Jesus,” he said. “I want to ask you this question: What did He ever do to you? The world has done evil to us, people have let us down, and even in the name of Christianity, we've been offended. But when I look and read what He has said and what He's done in the Bible, now my perspective is right. And my eyes are on Him.”
 
“It would take a lot for somebody to disappoint me because I'm not expecting anything from them,” he added. “I expect it to come from the Lord.”

 


 


 
Why A Clear And Urgent Gospel Message Should Be The Centerpiece Of Every Bible Prophecy Sermon – By JB Hixson - https://harbingersdaily.com/why-a-clear-and-urgent-gospel-message-should-be-the-centerpiece-of-every-bible-prophecy-sermon/
 
My grandfather was a pastor whose dispensational eschatology served as a central motif in his preaching. He earnestly believed the rapture could happen at any moment, and he often sounded the alarm about the urgency of the hour. His son, my father, carried on the tradition of raising his children to eagerly await the return of the Lord (Philippians 3:20). Thus, for as long as I can remember I have been a student of Bible prophecy.
 
Not just a student of Bible prophecy, some might say I am obsessed with it. Reading what God’s Word has to say about the end times really makes my heart dance. I love to make sense of world events and interpret the headlines by relating them to God’s prophetic plan. The arena of Bible prophecy experts consists of authors and speakers who share this same passion.
 
One of my favorite things about speaking at prophecy conferences is not what happens on the stage; it is what happens between sessions as I engage in stimulating repartee with other speakers and attendees about all things prophetic. Could the digital ID system be the precursor to the mark of the beast? When precisely is the battle of Gog and Magog? How much time will elapse between the rapture and the start of Daniel’s seventieth week? How close do you think we really are to the rapture? These questions keep me up late, long after the last session has ended, sitting in hotel lobbies sharpening my eschatological iron.
 
Given the signs of the times and given the fact that roughly 16% of the Bible pertains to unfulfilled prophecy, invigorating discussions about God’s end times plan are completely appropriate. Yet, I cannot help but wonder if sometimes we may be burying the lede when it comes to what matters most in God’s Word. As passionate as we are about eschatology, there is another area of theology that should take precedence: soteriology.
 
After all, what good does it do to proclaim the soon coming of our Lord, if we are not proclaiming the good news of salvation from sin? The clear, accurate, and urgent Gospel message should be the centerpiece of every Bible prophecy sermon, message, and conference presentation. We sometimes forget this. In our zeal to point people toward the eastern sky, we often forget to point them first to the cross.
 
For believers, end times prophecy is an exciting message of hope (1 Thessalonians 4:18; Titus 1:13). But for those who do not know the Lord, it is a somber warning of judgment. The same Jesus who will rescue the church from the wrath of God (1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9) also rescues individuals from the penalty of sin (1 Timothy 1:15). Are we doing the world an injustice by heralding the return of the King of Kings if we fail to introduce them first to the Savior of their souls?
 
The message of salvation is simple, clear, and pervasive in Scripture. We are all sinners in need of a Savior. The penalty for sin is eternal life in a literal place of torment called hell (Matthew 25:41; Luke 16:23; Revelation 20:11-15). Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead. He paid a debt He did not owe because we owed a debt we could never pay.
 
In His great love, God has offered each of us forgiveness and eternal life if we will simply receive it by faith (Romans 5:8). More than 160 times the New Testament conditions eternal life upon faith alone (e.g., John 3:16; 3:36). Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life” (John 6:47).
 
Being an expert in eschatology, being conversant and well-studied in God’s end times plan, will not open the doors of heaven. Only faith can do that. Have you trusted in Jesus Christ, and Him alone, as the only One who can give you eternal life?

 


 


 
Daily Jot: The Farm Chronicles: The sisters I never had - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com
 
I grew up with two older brothers—Chuck was 14 years older than me, Larry is 9 years older. So, it was like being an only child. My brothers were all grown up and mostly out of the house by the time I was old enough to be fun. That’s one of the reasons why my buddy Sonny and I were so close. I always thought it would be cool to have a sister. But that wasn’t in the cards. The Wilson’s did not have a girl born into the family for some 100 years until my niece Jodi, Larry’s daughter, was born in 1965. But there were a couple of young ladies who became like sisters to me and I will never forget the fun we had and the kindness they showed to a geeky, pesky cowboy kid.
 
In November 1965, Chuck was killed by a drunk driver. He was 24, had landed his dream job as basketball coach of the high school we all attended, and he and his wife had just two days before announced they were having their first child. It was a very, very difficult time for all of us. In the spring of 1966, the Heft’s—Bill, Martha and their daughters Jean and Nancy–invited us to their house for dinner. We knew the Heft’s, but not as well as some others in the community, so it was kind of a mystery as to why they invited us. They lived in a beautiful farm house on top of a hill about four miles from our farm. Bill was an executive at Packard Electric and part time farmer. Martha was a well-educated and proper lady.
 
Bill and Martha wanted to take Mom, Dad and I on vacation with them for a week at Myrtle Beach, SC. They felt it would be good for all of us to get away. Jean and Nancy were about nine and five years older than me, respectively. They were beautiful, not only like models on the outside, but the most wonderful people on the inside. They, it seemed, always wanted a little brother. So it was a good match. It brings tears to my eyes when I think of how they were so enthusiastic to meet me and how they talked to me, really made me feel welcomed. I was star-struck by both of them. It was the beginning of a friendship and a several-year tradition of Myrtle Beach vacations. The sisters I never had.
 
Sisters and brothers, I’m told, have that caring, mischievous, adversarial, teasing relationship all rolled into one. Jean, Nancy and I were all that. I must have been a real pest to them, but they gave it all back and then some. We had a lot of adventures. Nancy and I would sneak into hotel pools and swim like we were residents, thinking we got away with something big. I would do ornery things like pour cold water on Jean when she was sun bathing. One time they ganged up on me and dragged me into the outdoor shower in my street clothes. As Christ said in Luke 6:31, “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” At the end of the day, I guess we enjoyed all the pranks we did to each other. It was a simpler time then, and at least for a week out of the year, I found out what it was like to have sisters, and Jean and Nancy, had a brother.

 


 


 
Daily Devotion: Our All-Knowing God - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org
 
He counts the stars and calls them all by name.
—Psalm 147:4
 
https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/our-all-knowing-god/ - Listen
 
There isn’t a single thing that happens on earth that escapes the knowledge of God. Proverbs 5:21 tells us, “For the Lord sees clearly what a man does, examining every path he takes” (NLT). God is aware of everything that is happening.
 
Romans 11:33 says, “Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!” (NLT).
 
The Bible tells us that God “counts the stars” and calls each one by name (Psalm 147:4). God knows everything. In this massive universe, He knows the name of every star.
 
God also knows what’s going on in the animal kingdom. Jesus said, “What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it” (Matthew 10:29 NLT).
 
At the same time, God knows what’s going on with the people that He created in His image. He is vitally aware of what’s taking place in our lives. He’s interested in us as individuals.
 
David began Psalm 139 by saying, “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away” (verses 1–2 NLT).
 
God even knows what we’re thinking, when we get up in the morning, what we eat for breakfast, and what route we take to work or school.
 
He also knows the words we speak. Someone has pointed out that the average person speaks enough words in a day to fill a good-sized book—over the course of a lifetime, a person’s words would fill a college library.
 
Isn’t it comforting to realize that God knows about us and cares about us? He knows the intimate details of our lives.

 


 
PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS HEADLINES
Yesterday's Prophecies - Today's Headlines

 
HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 
TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY
7/7/23
 
http://trackingbibleprophecy.org/birthpangs.php 

 

• Australia should recognise state of Palestine as part of 'fair go' ethos, de facto ambassador says
• Israel and UAE sign agreement to expand industrial cooperation and investment
• New Hampshire governor bans state investments in companies that boycott Israel
• Gantz calls on Netanyahu to renew judicial overhaul talks, halt legislative push
• Bloodshed at protests will be Netanyahu's responsibility, Gantz charges
• As cabinet plans to discuss police response to protests, AG warns against interference
• IDF soldier killed in West Bank shooting attack; troops kill the Palestinian gunman
• The UN chief issues a rare condemnation of excessive force by Israel in its Jenin raid
• UN chief says Israel 'obviously' used excessive force in Jenin
• UAE pledges $15 million through UNRWA to help rebuild Jenin refugee camp
• In rare statement, Hamas claims responsibility for string of recent deadly attacks
• Rocket Fired From Lebanon Lands in Israeli Territory, IDF Retaliating
• Israeli artillery strikes Lebanon after rocket launch
• Israel Shells Southern Lebanon Amid Fears of Multifront Escalation - Tensions are high after an Israeli military operation in the occupied West Bank
• Report: Israeli Air Force hit targets near Damascus overnight
• German police arrest 7 allegedly planning Islamic State-inspired terror attack
• Sweden jails Kurd for financing terrorism after Turkey calls for crackdown
• Iran's Revolutionary Guards seize commercial ship in Gulf - US Navy
• Iran says it tried to intercept oil tanker after collision, ship fled to Omani waters
• UK vows to 'lead international opposition' to Iran as head of UN Security Council
• Iran summons UK envoy to protest 'destructive and interventionist' sanctions
• 4 countries take Iran to top UN court over 2020 downing of Ukrainian passenger jet
• Dramatic Video Shows Russian Fighter Jets 'Harassing' U.S. Drones Over Syria
• Ukraine's attacks on Russian commanders have the US Army worried about its own 'fat and ponderous' command posts
• US expected to provide cluster bombs to Ukraine
• Putin troops 'fake out' Ukraine as they plant 'false explosives' at nuclear station
• Foreign Policy Elite Call for Bringing Ukraine into NATO Immediately
• Uyghurs: 'China Is Obliterating the Future of Our Nation' - and Corporations Are Helping
• Iran Joins Russia, China Alliance, Major Goal Is to Supplant US Dollar: Former Foreign Service Officer
• China, Russia and India aren't developing a dollar rival, top official says: 'There's no idea of a BRICS currency'
• China Defaults on Trillion Debt to US Bondholders, But Will Biden Demand Pay Up?
• Declassified JFK Documents Reveal Swedish Man Predicted JFK's Assassination, 10 Days Beforehand Said 'Within Two Weeks President Kennedy Would Be Assassinated on a Trip Among His Own People'
• Biden's DOJ Is Pressuring Journalists to Help Build Its Case Against Assange
• 'Missing' Whistleblower Speaks Out About Being 'Hunted' for Biden Corruption Accusations
• Retired FBI exec says Justice Department's handling of Hunter Biden case almost 'ludicrous'
• Ex-Border Chief: Is Admin Blocking Probe Into WH Cocaine?
• Experts baffled by White House invoking Hatch Act to dodge Hunter cocaine question: 'ridiculous'
• WH Press Sec says Biden wants 'to get to the bottom of' cocaine found at White House
• Media Now Says We May Never Know Who Brought Cocaine to White House because Area "Wasn't Covered By Cameras All That Well"
• Rep. Burchett: Cocaine at WH Will be 'Swept Under the Rug'
• Ex-CBP head: 'Literally should take' about 30 minutes to ID who brought cocaine into White House
• Trump Security Cam Footage Shows Associate Moving Boxes, Prosecutors Claim It is Evidence of Cover-Up
• Matt Braynard Claims J6er Was Offered a Plea Deal that Included "Condemning President Trump" Saying "President Trump Made Him Do It"
• Target to Drop Mark Levin Book for Fear of Offending Democrats
• The Biden Administration Appeals Federal Court Ruling That Restricted Censorship of Americans' 'Protected Speech'
• DeSantis: Fed 'Collusion' With Tech 'Gross Abuse of Power'
• Zuckerberg's 'Threads' Rival to Twitter Already Censoring and 'Unpersoning' Conservative Voices
• 'Sanely Run:' Mark Zuckerberg's Twitter Clone Censors Donald Trump Jr. on Day One
• Twitter Issues Cease & Desist Letter to Meta Over New Social Media Platform 'Threads'
• Twitter warns it could sue Meta over 'copycat' Threads app
• Ice Cube says record industry uses 'social engineering' in rap to encourage criminality, control society - The rapper said 'follow the money' to find out who is benefitting
• France Set To Allow Police To Spy Through Phones
• French Legislation Grants Police Power to Remotely Activate Mobile Device Cameras and Microphones, Access to Geolocation Data for Surveillance
• Kowtowing to Commies: Elon Musk Gushes over 'Wisdom and Determination' of Chinese AI Workers
• Google Erodes User Privacy to 'Train AI Models' in Quiet Policy Update: Report
• Masters of the Universe: Google Says It Will Scrape Everything Posted Online to Train AI
• Rise of the robots: UN tries to tackle 'mind-blowing' growth of AI
• One Careless Act of War Could Destroy All Satellites in Just 40 Years
• China's Commercial Space Ventures Pose A Variety of Threats, DOD Officials Say
• More than 4,700 earthquakes detected between Fagradalsfjall and Keilir in 48 hours, Iceland
• 5.9 magnitude earthquake hits the Balleny Islands region
• 5.8 magnitude earthquake hits near Antofagasta, Chile
• 5.5 magnitude earthquake hits near Popondetta, Papua New Guinea
• 5.3 magnitude earthquake hits near Kepulauan Babar, Indonesia
• 5.2 magnitude earthquake hits near Port Mathurin, Mauritius
• Ubinas volcano in Peru erupts to 25,000ft
• Popocateptl volcano in Mexico erupts to 22,000ft
• Sabancaya volcano in Peru erupts to 20,000ft
• Ruiz volcano in Colombia erupts to 20,000ft
• Fuego volcano in Guatemala erupts to 15,000ft
• Reventador volcano in Ecuador erupts to 14,000ft
• Mayon volcano in the Philippines erupts to 10,000ft
• Strong explosion produces pyroclastic flows at San Cristobal volcano, Nicaragua
• 'Apocalyptic' damage reported in Alberta, Canada, after powerful EF4 tornado
• Storm Poly: Flights and trains cancelled as record-breaking storm hits Netherlands and Germany
• Fatal floods hit Chinese city of Chongqing as President Xi Jinping warns all country's main rivers are at risk
• Severe floods kill at least 15 in China's Chongqing, state media reports
• Heat Records Are Broken Around the Globe as Earth Warms, Fast
• Earth hit an unofficial record high temperature this week - and stayed there
• Earth Experiences 3rd Consecutive Hottest Day on Record
• July 4th broke world heat record. So far, it's Miami's hottest year and a sign of the future
• Florida expected to fry yet again Thursday as sultry humidity makes it feel nearly 110 degrees
• Phoenix to get even hotter next week. These temps might break 50-year weather records
• Massive dust cloud heading toward US may dim the sky this weekend
• Climate activist Greta Thunberg has been criminal charged and could face prison time
• BlackRock CEO Fink: We Don't Say 'ESG' Anymore, 'Weaponized' by Far Left, Far Right - 'We Lose the Conversation'
• Toxic Gas Leak in South Africa Has Killed 16 People, Including 3 Children, Police Say
• French Military Investigates Whether Off-Duty Troops Turned Vigilante During Riots
• Tunisian mobs target African migrants in Sfax to 'avenge' deadly stabbing
• Law Enforcement Experts Warn of 'Another 9-11' After Bungled Release of Migrant Tied to Terrorism
• Accused Murderer Among 2.2M Illegal Aliens Released into U.S. by Biden's DHS
• Border Patrol Released Immigrant on Terrorism Watch List Due to Processing Overwhelm: Retired ICE Agent
• Gunmen Hang Dismembered Body from Overpass in Central Mexico
• Body Parts Strewn Around State Capital Outside Mexico City, Apparently Left by Violent Cartel
• Colorado Grocery Store Employee Fired for Filming Shoplifters Stealing $500 in Laundry Detergent
• Hollywood Upset: "Indiana Jones" Beaten at Box Office on July 4th by Christian Film From Small, Upstart Outlier Utah-Based Movie Company
• Kirk Cameron vows to hold American Library Association accountable for 'religious discrimination'
• Largest Teachers Union in America Recommends Illustrative Pornography Book "Gender Queer" and "White Fragility" for Educators
• Psaki attempts to scare Muslim parents from opposing transgender ideology in schools: GOP 'trying to recruit'
• Social Credit: Bank Blocks Account for Parents' Organisation Opposed to Child Transgenderism
• North Carolina Democrat Governor Vetoes Bill Banning Sex Changes for Minors, Limiting School Instruction on Gender Ideology
• NC Governor Vetoes Bill Barring Male Athletes From Competing in Women's Sports
• Concerned Women for America: Politicians Who Reject Biological Reality Are 'Going to Lose' in 2024
• Graphic artist who refused to design gay wedding site says she's been threatened since SCOTUS ruling
• United Methodists Lose One-Fifth of US Congregations Over LGBTQ Issues
• CDC Issues Guidance on How Biological Males Can 'Chestfeed' Their Infants
• CDC accused of 'blurring politics and science' over advice that suggests trans women CAN safely breastfeed - but fails to mention health risks to baby
• Sacramento Sheriff is sharing license plate reader data with anti-abortion states, records show
• Cannabis Is Linked to Mental Illness - A major new study shows that people who abuse the drug are more likely to be diagnosed with depression and bipolar disorder
• Sheba Pandemic Research Institute and partners developing pan-coronavirus vaccine
• 'Nudge Unit' Chief Says UK Will Obey Future Lockdowns: Citizens Have 'Learnt the Behaviour'

 


 


 
FROM THE HEART
    
Let Us Make the Short Time We have Left,
Count for ALL of Eternity!

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  
 
WORTHY OF YOUR SUPPORT?
 
One of the most reliable ways to determine if a ministry is worthy of your financial support is to examine its fruits. If Prophecy Update is keeping you informed, and if that information inspires you, and causes you to draw closer to the Lord, if Prophecy Update equips you with valuable information and knowledge to share with and encourage other believers, and open the eyes of non-believers, and if Prophecy Update keeps you connected to current events relating to Bible Prophecy, then you are partaking of the fruit produced through this ministry. None of this would be possible without the Lords blessings and your support. I believe where the Lord guides, the Lord provides, and most of the time He provides through the willing and generous hearts of believers just like you and me.
 
Humbly Seek 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 write us at:
 
Prophecy Update
P.O. Box 40516
Bakersfield, CA 93384-0516 
 
 
We are very pleased to offer all our readers this FREE download on Bible Prophecy from the Evangelical Bible College of Western Australia - Just download and enjoy and be blessed! Feel free to share it with all your friends and family members.
 
Click below to download!
 
"AS YOU SEE THE DAY APPROACHING"
 
 
 
 
If You Died Today, Would You Go To Heaven?
Find out, visit:
www.thegoodtest.net
www.gotquestions.org
www.wayofthemaster.com 
How to know God
 
 
 
DID YOU KNOW?
You can submit an article, leave a comment or praise report at email:
[email protected]
 
 
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