IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Be Conformed to the Image of Jesus Christ - by Pastor Mike Taylor - https://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2021/10/be-conformed-to-image-of-jesus-christ.html
“For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He did predestinate, them He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified.” through (Romans 8:29-30) How I love the book of Romans, especially the 8th chapter. Here the Apostle Paul chronicles the blessings and promises of God. Many will look at their Christian walk and ponder why things don't seem to work out as they envisioned. They grow discouraged and become listless in their daily walk with God. They wonder if God is really on their side. They fail to take hold of the promises of God, grasping it with both hands and endure what they must suffer in this life. Let us examine some of these promises and why you should be joyful and singing the praises of Almighty God for His wondrous mercy. Look at the opening verses to this message and ponder for a moment the ramifications of what Paul is attempting to preach to them, and to us. This is not a confirmation of predestination, but God in His infinite knowledge, knew that you would accept payment for your sins through the blood of Jesus Christ. God who knows the beginning from the end, and saw you make that heart felt decision to accept the gift provided by His Son, long before you even knew it yourself. In no way does this foreknowledge affect your own self will to make that decision on your own. It's just that God saw you do it. God has a purpose for all this and it was for your salvation before time began. Some will say, “Then why does God allow suffering in this world, if He called me out of it before time began.?” Why does God allow Christians to go through trials and tribulations of this world? God has a specific plan in place for refining each of us into the image of His Son through sanctification. It's not random occurrences that we have no control over . “But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” (Isaiah 64:8) God is the Potter, we are the clay. He is the One doing the shaping, the molding, the creating. "It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves." I am a firm believer that God does not allow one thing to happen to a born again Christian unless He allows it. Why would God do that? BORN IN SIN Understand that man is a mortal being that has a sin nature that wars with the spiritual man daily. He will never totally escape it, until Jesus comes and perfects him by changing him from a mortal being into immortality and remove our sin nature for eternity. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. 2 "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (1st John 3:1-3) That will come when Jesus breaks through the clouds and calls His church to join Him at the changing of us, “in the twinkling of an eye” we know as the Rapture. But, Paul lamented over his sin nature in the previous chapter of Romans : 15 “For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 16 If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.”(Romans 7:15-20) Paul was distraught that he could not, nor could any other man escape his sin nature. But what does Paul say in the final verses? “24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” Many don't know that Paul was making reference to a Roman practice for those condemned to be chained to a corpse and the soldiers betting on how long it would take for the condemned to resort to cannibalism to prevent their own death. It was an analogy that many during Paul's day would have recognized and being chained to a sinful nature of death. Who frees them from that body of death? Jesus Christ is Who frees us. If God allows us to be tested, to be refined, and to experience difficulties in this life, then what is the purpose for God allowing this to happen? The Bible says that even a sparrow in the sky is so important to God that not one of them shall fall to the ground without His knowledge and permission. 29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31) What is the purpose here? Does God have a purpose? Concerning the analogy of a sparrow, it is more than mere rhetoric. If God cares about a sparrow and not one falls from the sky without it being part of His plan, then how likely is it that He allows you to undergo trials and tribulations for no purpose? God foreknew us and determined to call us before He ever made His summons known to us. By doing so, He was making a prognosis. We are in this elite group, (the called), only because the great God of heaven and earth specifically and personally summoned us by forcibly bringing the good news to our attention so we would be motivated to choose to respond freely to it. But that is only the beginning. We are then in the school of God's Holy Spirit that will refine us, smooth off the rough edges and make us into the image of God's only Son. It is a lifelong process of being molded, or sanctified. THE LESSON OF JOB Remember the story of Job? Here was a righteous man who endured unspeakable trials in his life. This was allowed to test Job and to refine him even through boils that raised up on his body, the loss of his family and all of his wealth. Now granted, this is an extreme case of God allowing adversity to come into a man's life, but can we draw a lesson from the book of Job? In the final analogy, Job learned that you must have total faith and reliance on your Heavenly Father. For He cares for us with a Divine love that was shown by the death of His only Son. It comes down to value. If God values even a little sparrow and we are worth more than many sparrows, and worth more than the life of His only Son, then what was God's purpose? It was that God saw you as valuable. Your value, in God's eyes, is such that Jesus Christ died in your place so that you might have everlasting life. Your purpose is also clearly outlined in Scripture. When you were lost, your purpose was to be saved. God had a desire for a “family” and made man in His image. God was ultimately “reproducing Himself” when He made man. God was not content to just throw man away, when he fell at the temptation brought forth by Satan and man sinned against God. It is why God sent His only Son, to be the propitiation (substitute) sacrifice for our sins, so that we may be justified because of HIM. Jesus redeemed what had been lost, as our “Kinsman Redeemer”. It really isn’t that difficult a concept, if we are willing to accept God as He describes Himself and accept the Bible as a true record. You were to be conformed to His Son through being justified then for the rest of your life, sanctified as the opening verse testifies. “Conformed” is the English rendering of the Greek word, “summorphos” meaning, “jointly formed, fashioned like unto.” Note that you didn’t conform yourself to the image of His Son, it was done for you. You were foreknown, predestinated, called, justified, sanctified and destined for glory– all in the past tense indicating that it is already accomplished. It doesn’t say you will be justified, sanctified or glorified when you get to heaven. It says it was already accomplished in heaven before the world began. I have often mentioned that there is only one reason that you and I were born into this world, ultimately. That is, what will you do with the man, Jesus Christ? See, God knows everything...because He is God. He knows if you will accept, but He also knows you who will reject the call of the Holy Spirit. God will not override a man's freewill to choose. “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” (Titus 1:2) God cannot lie. Eternal life was promised, not according to our works, before the world began. You were foreknown, predestinated, called, justified, sanctified and glorified to the Glory of God the Father and His only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. It isn’t a linguistic trick. It isn’t a mistranslation or a misunderstanding of either the original Greek or in our English translation. To every thing there is a purpose, the Bible says, and for every purpose God has appointed a time. “ No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44) God works even to make sure that His people have the faith they need! God supplies everything except one's decision—and even in the decision a person makes, He keeps poking us in the ribs, shoving us in the back, to move us in the right direction. He does not give up easily once He sets his mind to do something. We must come to God by faith, but even that faith to believe on the FULL payment for our sins, by Jesus Christ was given by the Father God in heaven. THE COMING TRIBULATION If we are being refined now, sanctified into the image of His Son after conversion and being baptized, then what is the point of the Church going through the Tribulation that is coming at us like a locomotive? What is the purpose of the Tribulation? In my discernment of what the Bible teaches, the only answer is two objectives by God. To bring Israel to the knowledge and recognition of her Messiah that they had crucified 2000 years ago and to cry out in agony, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. To completely destroy all rebellion of a Christ rejecting world and purify the world of those who take the mark of the beast, as prophesied in Revelation. God will wipe this planet clean of rebellion. It is called the Tribulation Period. (Greek: thlipsis: “affliction, anguish, burdened, persecution, tribulation, trouble”). And, it is called, “The time of Jacobs trouble" for an obvious reason. It is the time when God will return His full focus on saving Israel as He promised. The affliction, anguish, burden, persecution, tribulation and trouble of this time is to be inflicted upon all those that dwell upon the earth. The Bible tells us that it will be meted out in the form of 21 judgments. God will purge Israel, not leaving them unpunished, but will save a remnant through this awful time. 25 “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes. 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” (Romans 11:25-29) Those that hold to a literal “refining” of the church during the Tribulation in addition to the defined two reasons noted above, negate the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus Christ. To embrace a mid-tribulation, Pre-wrath, or a post-tribulation model is to diminish the work of the cross. Was Jesus sacrifice not good enough? Was it lacking in its freeing the Christian from the penalty of enduring God's wrath that shall cover the whole earth? Is this not the same as the false doctrine of Catholic purgatory, which we know is a lie? When are we forgiven our sins? Is it not when we accept Jesus by faith and the Holy Spirit dwells within our spirit? Then why must we be refined? So if there are extra requirements that must be brought to the table, they are extra requirements imposed by you, not by God. God says, “whosoever will.” At the moment of salvation, the Bible tells us that the Holy Spirit takes up residence in us and bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. “ (Romans 8:16-17) That leads to another problem with the concept of error that the church of Jesus Christ must endure the Tribulation. Jesus promised us that He would send us the “Comforter” the Holy Spirit and He would never leave us or forsake us. “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17, Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18, I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” (John 14:16-18) Jesus said He would never leave us alone, but the Bible says that the Holy Spirit is taken out of the world to allow the indwelling of the spirit of Satan in the Anti-Christ and he will overcome the “saints” 4 “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1st John 5:4-5) But Paul reveals that the Holy Spirit will be taken out of this world!! 6, “And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7, For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8, And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: “ (II Thessalonians 2:6-8) But the Anti-Christ overcomes the Tribulation saints........ “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.” (Revelation 13:7) So which is it? God dwells with us forever, but leaves us defenseless and powerless to the conquest of the Anti-Christ? Since God cannot lie, it is obvious that if the Holy Spirit is removed to make way for the spirit of Anti-Christ that shall overcome the saints, then since the Holy Spirit was removed, then so is the Church. Each Child of God has an earnest deposit of God's Holy Spirit which is our guarantee of future glorification at the return of Christ. So if the Holy Spirit is withdrawn, as Paul reveals through Divine inspiration, then so are the vessels He dwells within. GOD HAS A PURPOSE Christians undergo trials and tribulations in this life according to His purposes. What is the purpose behind Blood-bought, eternally-saved, indwelt Christians being separated from the indwelling Holy Spirit so that they can undergo half or all of the judgment period set aside for those that rejected Christ? Why would the Lord subject His own Bride to judgment for sin after He had already redeemed that Bride from judgment for sin at the Cross? It is a conflict that those who don't discern the purpose of God make the error that the Church must be refined, right along with the rest of a God rejecting world. We endure the consequences of sin all the time because the world is created in sin, but consequences aren’t the same as judgment. WE ARE BEING TRANSFORMED NOW “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2, And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3, For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” (Romans 12:1-3) The church has a glorious future that no one can begin to imagine. As it is written “eye hath not seen, or ear heard, or entered into the heart of man, what God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1st Corinthians 2:9) And the Bible states further...... 14, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15, For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16, The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17, And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18, For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:14-18) WILL YOU BE AMONG THOSE WHO ARE HEIRS OF GOD? One fly in the ointment so to speak, those who are being made into the image of God are those who have accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and God knows in advance who that person is, each of us. Those who read this message, or have not taken the free gift of eternal life with a repentant heart (meaning change your mind about sin and about God) cannot embrace the glory that awaits those that have. God will not beat you into submission, but will continue to convict you of your condition, until you are beyond hope of recovery. God knows when that time is, that you are “irredeemable”. So you ask me, what must I do to have this type of eternal existence and a glorious future? Realize you are a sinner. “ For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) Realize that God made a way for those sins to be forgiven and live with God forever. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Confession before God in a broken and contrite heart calling out to God, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:9) You say, that “sounds simple”...yes, it is simple that a child can understand it...I did when I was 10 years old. But you must believe in your heart, not just in your head with “childlike” faith. It must enter into a humbled and contrite heart that knows that without God you are doomed for a devil's hell, or to experience that hell on earth, called the Tribulation and possibly even the Lake of Fire if those years of the Tribulation don't call you to repentance before God. The horrors of the period are too gruesome to even ponder, as hardly any flesh will be saved and many will be martyred by beheading. Sounds awful and it's all right there in your Bible in the last book of Revelation. You don't want to find out I'm right by first hand experience. The saints of the church are being sanctified, conformed and transformed into the image of Jesus Christ, one lesson at a time. I know that I will never be perfect in this life, but I will be perfect in the next life when Jesus comes for me and all who believe by faith in His death, resurrection, and ascension to the right hand of the Father in Heaven. But it's not about works, but His mercy and grace....and the best part...IT”S FREE FOR THE ASKING....We await the coming of our Lord with a trumpet blast, that could sound very soon...very soon. Because all the signs point to this great event on the near horizon. I've written extensively in detail of that coming period on my blog. If you have time, check them out. Don't wait too long, as you are not promised even tomorrow. To stand before a Holy God and not have Jesus as your substitute payment for your sins, is a vision I wish for no one, no matter what you have done. Jesus awaits your decision...call on Him today...be justified today by the sacrifice of our Lord, then submit to Godly instruction on how to be sanctified and being made into the image of His Son, as humanly possible this side of the coming of our Lord for His Church. This is pastor Mike Taylor, praying your acceptance of our Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. Should you need counseling, prayer, or just a listening ear, email me at [email protected], or visit me online for more biblical teachings from the Word of God, at www.pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com, . God bless you all........ TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET The Redcoats Are Coming! - By Dennis Huebshman - https://www.raptureready.com/2021/10/07/the-redcoats-are-coming-by-dennis-huebshman/ How about another famous cry, “The Sky Is Falling,” or maybe the little boy who cried ‘Wolf’? Today there are many cries saying all is about lost, but for true believers, all is just fine. (ESV, all emphasis mine) The cry, “The Redcoats Are Coming,” was no myth, as a nation was being warned that an invasion was about to take place. This sparked a small, fairly new nation to take up arms and to fight for the right to be a free country. Praise the Lord, they were able to ultimately defeat the enemy. I believe that if the founding fathers could see us now, they would be disgusted with what we have become. The “true believer” population in America is shrinking, and Matthew 7:13-14 is very evident. Jesus said that more would be in that broad pathway leading to destruction than those on the straight and narrow leading to eternal life with Him. If someone were to cry out, “The Demons Are Coming,” you would think this would at least raise an eyebrow or two. However, with all the different types of media available today, things that are satanic, violent, or very graphic are not a big deal. Movies and television shows are presenting themes that are very explicit pertaining to occult practices, sex, and science fiction, and they are commonplace. Computer video games are desensitizing the minds of our young generation as they barely raise an eyebrow to the carnage. Is it any wonder that crimes against persons, especially youths and females, have gotten so violent? After many hours, days and weeks of a mind being “programmed” to accept violence of every nature, and then to hear about unbelievable acts of violence towards other humans of all ages should not surprise us at all. Not too very long ago, we would hear about satanic and occult activities, but they were all behind closed doors, held in secret. Attitudes have changed, and now there are even “Churches of Satan” in many parts of our country. Peer pressure to join such groups is on the rise, while anything that even hints about Christianity is to be avoided. John spoke of false prophets and antichrists as being present even in the first century. Jesus said they would increase as we near the end of this age. What is obvious is that we are entering the last “Hurrah” of this world and are ushering in the New World Order. That will put this world into the final seven years before Jesus physically returns to earth to rule from Jerusalem for a thousand years. Before all this happens, Satan, who knows the Bible as well as anyone, is accelerating his evil agendas as fast as he can. He is just arrogant enough to believe that he may be able to change the outcome. However, our Heavenly Father is right on schedule with worldly events and is allowing the evil one more latitude. Paul tells us of a strong delusion in 2 Thessalonians 2:11 that will cause those who are completely bound to Satan to believe what they are doing is right. My personal belief is that at least part of that deluding influence is in place now and will only get stronger. How else could a small minority of “alphabet” groups grow to be such a major influence on our world? Today, without God allowing their actions, they would melt into the woodwork. For true believers, we have faith that God’s word is absolute truth, and all the abominations are not turned around to suddenly be acceptable and not sinful. It’s obvious that today we are in the minority. What groups are advocating and messages that are being preached in some previously Bible-based churches is that all the abominations were meant for the ancient world and could not possibly be meant for today’s “enlightened” people. After all, we are told our God is totally about love, and all relationships of our choosing, with whomever we choose, are perfectly all right. The biggest problem that the LGBT or whatever does not see is that Hebrews 13:6-8 tells us that Jesus, who is God, is the same today as yesterday, and will be forever. Isaiah 40:8 tells us our words are air, but His Word is forever. By the way, with God’s timing, to Him, He created our world about 6 to 8 minutes ago (2 Peter 3:8). Having been in my teens and early twenties in the 1960s, I witnessed demonstrations against our government and military, protesting the Viet Nam war. There were numerous signs held up saying we need to get out of Viet Nam. Because I was in the military the last half of the 60s, I had friends that I grew up with that would not associate with me. It was as if it were my choice that America was in an unpopular conflict. Slip forward to 2020-2021. I have seen photos of signs being held up in major cities of California stating that God needs to get out of that state. Since then, there have been fires, unusual heat and other severe weather patterns that are affecting the whole west coast. Coincidence? I doubt that very much. It hasn’t subsided yet. The attitude of the majority of this nation toward anyone who has received and accepted Jesus is that we are “haters.” Sadly, there have even been negative court decisions toward Christian businesses who refuse to go against their faith in providing products and services they believe are honoring sin. Some bakeries, photographers, and even some floral shops are being challenged because they will not cater to the wishes of the gay community. There are secular businesses of the same nature that would gladly accommodate them, but Christians are being purposely singled out for persecution, and some have had to close down. We are a direct threat in the minds of all the alphabet groups. We won’t roll over and “play” their game and “accept” their perversions. However, we are not “haters.” Our Jesus led by example by loving everyone for their immortal souls. However, He did not like their false religions. He was crucified because He was a threat to the “religious” group of His day, the Pharisees and Sadducees. They couldn’t stand any outsider proving them wrong in their self-ordained religious activities. They also did not know their scrolls because the person before them fit every prophecy about the coming Messiah. God’s word is not complicated to someone who is seeking the truth. Jesus is the only way to the Father and an eternal Home in Heaven (John 14:6). All have sinned, and without the grace and mercy we receive through His pure, sinless sacrifice, we would be totally lost (Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Romans 3:10). To not have Jesus as our Savior, no matter what false prophets and antichrists are saying, is to be destined for the Lake of Fire forever (Revelation 20:11-15). No; Muhammad, Buddha, or any other so-called god is not equal to our Heavenly Father; the Lord God Jehovah; Creator of the heavens and the earth. Man can make up and worship whomever or whatever he wishes but will face eternal condemnation. John 14:6 was given by Jesus Himself; “And Jesus said to him, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” This is given further by Peter in Acts 4:12; “And there is Salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under Heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved.” For Peter to stand before the Sanhedrin and make that claim should be an inspiration for all of us. Just a short time prior to that, he denied even knowing the Savior; and not just once, but three times. Jesus forgave Peter, and after receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter became a powerful force in proclaiming Jesus as the one and only True Messiah. Unless someone takes their last breath here without Jesus as their Savior, there’s no sin they cannot be forgiven for. To deny Jesus is blasphemy, and unless there is repentance, there will be no forgiveness. Other than that, “All who call on the name of the Lord, will be saved!” (Acts 2:21; Romans 10:13). Everything that had to be done before the Rapture has been completed. That event will be the next great prophecy to be fulfilled (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51-53). It is very close. To not be ready and to miss the Savior’s call to avoid the horror of the Tribulation would be a very tragic mistake. Today would not be too early to tell Jesus you are a sinner in need of His forgiveness and to be your Savior. It doesn’t have to be any formal speech, just a plea to a friend for His help. He is ready to forgive and receive all who truly call on Him. Then the cry we will hear will be, “Come Up Here!” by the Archangel, as the Trumpet of God is sounding. You will be ready, and you will have your guaranteed reservation to make the “flight” up to meet the Savior in the air. Hope to see you there! [email protected] As “Hoarding” Intensifies, Will Food Prices Go Up More Than 10 Percent “In The Next 60 Days”? - by Michael Snyder - http://endoftheamericandream.com/as-hoarding-intensifies-will-food-prices-go-up-more-than-10-percent-in-the-next-60-days/ Food is about to become a lot more expensive. Of course food prices always rise, but Americans are about to be really shocked by how aggressively they are going to increase in the months ahead. It is really just a matter of basic economics. Thanks to the most epic supply chain crisis in U.S. history, our grocery stores are having a really tough time staying stocked. Meanwhile, the more the mainstream media reports on “shortages”, the higher demand goes. When people hear that something is going to be scarce, it is only human nature to be motivated to stock up while you still can. There are accusations that some people are “hoarding”, but the truth is that we haven’t seen anything yet. When the American people begin to wake up to the fact that the supply chain problems that we are facing are not just “temporary”, the real “hoarding” will begin. This week, billionaire supermarket owner John Catsimatidis was asked about the current state of affairs during an interview on Fox Business. In response, Catsimatidis warned that food prices would be going up “over 10 percent” within the next 60 days… “I see over 10 percent [price increase] in the next 60 days,” he said in an interview with Fox Business on Monday, adding that the trend will not drop “anytime soon.” Catsimatidis cited rising inflation and supply chain bottlenecks that are currently plaguing supermarkets and other retailers around the United States. Catsimatidis then cautioned: “I see food prices going up tremendously” because food company CEOs “want to be ahead of the curve and the way they’re doing it is they’re dropping all promotions. They are dropping low-moving items.” 10 percent in 60 days would equate to roughly a 60 percent rate of food inflation on an annual basis. So that seems like a pretty extreme projection to me. But Catsimatidis lives and breathes the food industry every day and I do not. He is in a position to know the trends, and I think that we should all take his ominous warning very seriously. Another industry executive that was interviewed by Bloomberg says that “people are hoarding” and he is openly admitting that “all prices will go higher”… Many food suppliers are planning for these hiccups and shortages to last. Saffron Road, a producer of frozen and shelf-stable meals, is holding extra inventory, keeping about four months of supply on hand instead of the typical one or two months. “People are hoarding,” said CEO and founder Adnan Durrani. “What I think you’ll see over the next six months, all prices will go higher.” One of the biggest problems that the food industry is facing right now is simply a lack of workers. There aren’t enough bodies to do the things that need to get done, and that is causing major problems. In fact, one U.S. meatpacker was so desperate for workers that it was actually trying “to lure new employees with Apple Watches”… Labor issues are also roiling the meat supply. Plants are running but not at full capacity due to a lack of workers and truckers, Meyer said. The problem is so bad that at least one U.S. meatpacker has tried to lure new employees with Apple Watches. We have never seen anything like this before. Throughout our history, we have always had a chronic problem with unemployment, but now this pandemic has come along and suddenly all of our employment problems have been magically solved. So where did all the workers go? Things have gotten so bad in Denver that people that call 911 are frequently put on hold because there aren’t enough workers to man the phones… Denver’s 911 system is out of compliance with nationally recognized standards for answering calls as thousands of callers are finding themselves on hold when they call in to report an emergency. Andrew Dameron, Denver’s Director of Emergency Communications, said “Obviously no one in the Department of Safety wants anyone to end up on hold when they call 911.” Looking ahead, a lack of functioning farm equipment threatens to make our food shortages even worse. The global microchip shortage has greatly suppressed the production of new farm equipment, and getting parts to repair old farm equipment has become increasingly difficult. As a result, many farmers may have difficulty planting and harvesting crops in the coming months… Quality farm equipment is getting hard to find amid the supply chain shortage, many farmers and experts said, and its scarcity is driving up prices and raising questions about whether farmers’ harvests and next year’s planting season could be affected. Because purchasing new equipment and parts has become so challenging, the market for used farm equipment has been turned totally upside down. In fact, many used tractors are now selling for far more than when they were brand new… Joel Everett said he was astounded when a lightly used 2009 John Deere tractor sold at his last auction in Strawberry Point, Iowa, for tens of thousands of dollars more than it had cost fresh off the production line more than a decade ago. Bought new for $109,000, the tractor sold for $143,000 at auction, he said. It’s not an isolated incident, said Everett, who has run Joel’s Tractor and Auction since 1992. A lot of farm equipment, particularly used tractors, is selling for 30 percent to 50 percent more than it was two years ago at his auction house. Isn’t that nuts? This is the “new normal”, and we are rapidly moving toward the kind of economic anarchy that I described in my most recent books. You can have blind faith in the system if you want, but the truth is that the system is now failing in thousands of different ways all around us. As we move toward the end of this year, store shelves are just going to continue to get barer. Even the Biden administration is admitting that things will get worse before they get better. But will they get better? I am strongly encouraging everyone to go out and purchase the things that they are going to need before those things disappear from the stores entirely. They can call it “hoarding” if they want, but I call it common sense. We have now reached a critical turning point, and things are going to be quite crazy from this point forward. Why Isn’t God Blessing Me? - Nathele Graham - [email protected] - ”And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD they God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: and all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.” Deuteronomy 28: 1-2. This was, of course, directed to God’s chosen nation of Israel. God told Israel what to do to receive His blessing, and Christians should pay attention. God had done miraculous things for His chosen people, but they still had a problem trusting Him. The Israelites had been suffering in slavery in Egypt. Pharoah had issued decrees that were evil, such as baby boys were to be killed at birth. Killing babies is a way to weaken a nation, and Pharoah didn’t want the Israelites to become strong. Today we kill babies in the womb and call it a woman’s right. In spite of Pharoah’s attempts to weaken the slaves, God sent a deliverer…Moses. It took a lot to convince Pharoah to allow the Israelites to be set free. In fact, there were ten plagues, each of which proved that God was more powerful and trustworthy than the pagan idols and false gods the Egyptians worshipped. The tenth plague finally caused Pharoah to set the Israelites free. It was the death of the firstborn. What was the only way to be saved from this death? The blood of the lamb. Whether the household was Egyptian or Jewish, if God’s rules were followed and a lamb was properly sacrificed and its blood put on the doorpost of the home, death would not touch the household. Today, it’s still the blood of the Lamb that is the only way to live eternally. Only the sacrifice of Jesus Christ applied to your heart will save you from eternal damnation. When Pharoah’s son died, he decided to get rid of the problem…he set the Israelites free. What joy resounded among the Israelites. They obeyed God and left their “comfort zone”. Egypt wasn’t a place where they were treated kindly, but it was what they were used to. God had showed His power and they were ready to obey. Off they went. Everyone was happy and praised God. Then, reality hit. Pharoah realized what he had done, and went after them. Their escape seemed to be cut off at the Red Sea. Logic should have told them that God wouldn’t have saved them from slavery just to let them die at the Red Sea, and He didn’t. With another miraculous event, God parted the Red Sea and allowed the Israelites to cross as if on dry land. Not mud, but dry land. The Egyptians didn’t fare so well. After they Israelites were safe, and the Egyptians were crossing the sea, God let go and the waters came in and drowned the army. One day soon, Christians will escape the misery of this life in the Rapture. Anyone left behind will face horrors like never seen before. You would think that the parting of the Red Sea alone would have convinced the Israelites that God was with them, but they, like us today, forget what God has done. After that there were many more miracles. God provided manna for them to eat each morning, water gushed from a rock so they could drink. The only time they had problems was when they didn’t have faith or obey God. They were no different than us. We praise God and rejoice when all goes smoothly, but when Satan attacks and life turns sour, we pout and get angry with God. Quite often the trouble is caused by our own sin nature and rebellion to God’s ways. We run with the devil, but expect God’s blessings. Christians need to remember the miraculous thing Christ has done for us, and that He will never leave us. “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5. God is always with His people. When the Israelites were preparing to enter the land that God had promised them, God spoke through Moses, and told them “And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying Keep all the commandments which I command you this day. And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister: and thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law, when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee.” Deuteronomy 27:1-3. Quite often, we think of crossing the Jordan into the Promised Land as a time of entering God’s peace. Not so. The Israelites had many battles waiting for them. Moses wouldn’t be allowed to enter the land because in anger he had disobeyed God, but Joshua would lead the battle. The Law had been given to Moses as the Israelites set out on their journey to the land God promised to them, and it was important for them to write it on their hearts. They were to raise great stones in the Jordan River and inscribe the words of the Law upon them. To be blessed, they had to be right with God. The only way to be right with God is to accept Jesus Christ for salvation. Scripture is our source to know God’s ways and we are to stand firm on God’s word. Keeping the Law isn’t required, only accepting Christ. We aren’t to go back under the Law, but we are to follow Jesus. The Israelites did win the battles, and eventually they settled in their land. The battles were hard and, as always, the true enemy was Satan. We face our own battles today, but so many of them are caused by our own disobedience. God has rules, but those rules aren’t there to “cramp our style” or to stop us from enjoying life to the fullest. His rules are there to keep us safe and healthy. It’s easier to live a happy life without liver damage caused by drunkenness, or AIDS caused by total disregard for God’s rules. Christians have freedom in Christ, but if we abuse that freedom and live life in rebellion to God, we pay a physical price. Jesus said we need to deny our human urges to sin and die to self and live for Him. Jesus said it best. “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23. That means if you have desires that are in opposition to God’s word, you deny those desires. If you don’t feel as if you’re receiving God’s blessings, look to Scripture and adjust your life to honor God. It's a little more understandable that non-believers embrace sin, but not at all understandable that a Christian should live in a carnal manner. God told the Israelites to set great stones and write the words of the law upon them. Christians have Scripture, and the Rock of our salvation is Jesus Christ. “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:1-2. Does God honor our freedom? Yes. He is the one who gave us freedom. But He also told the prostitute taken in adultery “…Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.” John 8:11b. Under the law, her “profession” was punishable by death…God takes this seriously. She found grace in the presence of Jesus, but would only find blessings if she died to her selfish lusts and followed Christ. Our choices in life need to be made by allowing Scripture to guide us. I’m not talking about being under the Law, but about walking close to God. “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” Galatians 5:13. We can’t use our liberty in Christ to live for Satan. If you choose to live sinfully, then you choose to turn away from God’s blessings. Jesus Christ gave His life for our salvation, and His sacrifice deserves our gratitude. We can never work hard enough to earn salvation; His grace and mercy are free. Still, we miss out on many blessings because we lust after what the world has to offer. What do we desire? Fame and fortune? More impressive cars and houses? Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. When you desire God and seek after the things of God, your personal requirements for happiness change. Instead of the unsatisfying material things the world has to offer, seek after the blessings of God and be satisfied with what He provides. ”Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? Or, What shall we drink? Or Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:31-33. God may bless you with fame and fortune, but use those blessings to glorify the One who provides them. Why isn’t God blessing you? It could be because you are blocking His blessings by seeking approval of the world instead of serving Him with all your heart. A better question is, why aren’t you blessing God? Study Scripture and learn His ways. Make His ways, your ways and you’ll be surprised at how satisfying it is to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. God bless you all, Nathele Graham [email protected] [email protected] Recommended prophecy sites: www.raptureready.com www.prophecyupdate.com www.raptureforums.com All original scripture is “theopneustos” God breathed. If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries just drop me an email and let me know. Daily Jot: The dark Biden purgatory - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com “Oh, we are for the little guy. Corporations should pay their fair share. We want to tax the rich. This $3.5 trillion budget won’t cost you a cent.” As my Dad used to say when I was little, “It’s all a bunch of BS.” When I asked him what “BS” meant, he would look over to my mother’s unapproving glare, and say, “Brown Sugar, son.” Well, it’s worse than brown sugar. These Democratic Party policies are going to throw the US into a dark recession with record level inflation—and it all hurts the “little guy” that the Democrats repeatedly say they support. No thanks, I’m good. These policy moves also clear the way for the biggest socialist power grab since Obamacare—and that’s horrible for your Constitutional rights. First and foremost, the whole COVID 19 vaccination mandate that the Biden Administration is threatening not only tramples your civil rights, it will cost businesses millions in extra money to implement. There will be testing costs. There will be administrative costs. There will be legal costs. And who do you think is going to pay for these costs? They all will be passed through to the cost of goods and services paid for by, guess who? The little guy. You and me. And that corporate tax increase Biden and the Democrats want to make sure companies pay their fair share? You and I will pay it because the same companies will have to raise their prices to compensate. So, it’s going to cost and it will cost big time. What about the supply chain disruption? There are a record number of supply ships floating around in America’s harbors. You can see the impact of that by just going to the grocery store, or any store for that matter. We are starting to look like a third world country. Anything from food items to spare tires for your lawnmower are backed up in this black hole of consumer goods. Looking for White House leadership to help fix this crisis? Don’t hold your breath. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has been on paternity leave with his husband for a couple of weeks. When asked who was in charge, press secretary Jenn Psaki said, “there are a range of officials leading different components…” In other words, nobody is in charge and there is no real solution. You are on your own, America. Biden’s supply chain crisis and failing labor policies (including COVID mandates) is costing us little guys a small fortune. The Labor Department says prices are up for: gas: 42.1%, used cars: 24.4%, hotels: 18%, TVs: 12.7%, furniture: 11.2%, meats, poultry, fish and eggs: 10.5%, electricity: 5.2%, restaurant prices: 4.7%, rent: 2.9%. If you can even get these goods, a Moody’s economist says the increased prices have raised the cost of living for the average American by $175 a month in food, fuel and housing. We are entering an economic purgatory because of Biden, his administration, and a one-party controlled Congress. 1 Corinthians 12:26 says, “And if one member (of the body) suffer, all the members suffer with it.” If we are to suffer, let us as the Body of Christ suffer for righteousness sake. Take a stand. Daily Devotion: Praying the Scriptures - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org I will delight in your decrees and not forget your word. —Psalm 119:16 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/praying-the-scriptures/ - Listen Traditionally we close our eyes when we pray, and that’s a good thing. It takes other things out of our view and helps us focus. But it’s also okay to pray with our eyes open. In fact, we can pray basically anywhere and in any position. We can pray publicly or privately, verbally or silently, and with our eyes closed or open. We can pray anywhere. The Bible tells us, “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere” (Ephesians 6:18 NLT). We read in the Bible that Daniel prayed in a lions’ den, David prayed in a field, and Peter prayed both on the water and under the water. Then there was Jonah, who prayed from the gut of a sea monster—and God heard his prayer. Interestingly, Jonah, wrapped in seaweed, prayed the Word of God eight times. He concluded by saying, “Those who worship false gods turn their backs on all God’s mercies. But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise, and I will fulfill all my vows. For my salvation comes from the Lord alone” (Jonah 2:8–9 NLT). Jonah quoted Scripture, and specifically he quoted from Psalms. I think it’s a really good idea to quote the Bible when we pray. Is this because God needs to hear His own Word? No, but you do and I do. For example, let’s say that you have a financial need. Instead of praying, “Lord, provide for me financially,” you could say, “Father, you promised in Scripture that you would supply all of my needs according to your riches and glory in Christ Jesus. So because of that promise, I pray this.” Jonah’s prayer demonstrated that he had God’s Word in his heart. He had memorized Scripture, and that’s a very good thing to do. 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. 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