Don’t Let Thieves Steal Your Joyous Anticipation of Eternity

IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER... 
 

• Featured Article: Don’t Let Thieves Steal Your Joyous Anticipation of Eternity 
• Prophetic Noose Tightening 
• Sign of Things To Come? Amazon Drivers Forced to Sign 'Biometric Consent' 
• His Timing Is Perfect 
• Daily Jot: The Farm Chronicles: 8th Wonder of the World 
• Daily Devotion: Persevering in Prayer 

Don’t Let Thieves Steal Your Joyous Anticipation of Eternity – Jonathan Brentner - https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/https/jonathan-brentner-g8fgsquarespacecom/config/2021/3/24/dont-let-thieves-steal-your-joyous-anticipation-of-eternity
 
The practice of allegorizing prophetic texts not only diminishes the integrity of Scripture (see my previous post), but it also changes the biblical perspective of eternity into something far less glorious and abundantly less joyous. How did we get to the place where so many teachers and pastors today relegate the precious promises of eternity in the Bible to symbolism, which sterilizes our anticipation of paradise?
 
It began with Philo, an Alexandrian Jew who lived during the time of Christ. He admired the teachings of the pagan philosopher Plato who taught that all matter was evil and only the spirit or immaterial realm was good.
 
Much to the dismay of the Rabbis of his day, Philo used allegory to reinterpret the Old Testament in order “to offer the Greeks the best of Judaism and the Jews the best of Greek philosophy. This, he hoped, would make Scripture more appealing to the Greeks while at the same time encouraging Jews to embrace Greek philosophy.”[i]
 
Unfortunately, Philo’s use of allegory later spread to a couple of early church theologians who also lived in his hometown of Alexandra.
 
THE USAGE OF ALLEGORY SPREADS TO THE EARLY CHURCH
 
In the second century AD, Clement and Origen adopted Philo’s allegorical approach to Scripture. Clement (AD 150-215) “embraced Greek philosophy and maintained that Scripture must be understood allegorically so as not to contradict it.”[ii] Origen (AD 185-254) used allegory to make biblical prophecy comply with Plato’s dualism, which stated that only the spiritual realm was good.
 
Origen dismissed the idea of a physical millennium because its promised material blessings contradicted the teachings of Plato. He thus abandoned the words of Scripture so as not to contradict the pagan philosopher.
 
Origen also advocated reincarnation through which he believed that everyone, without exception, would receive eternal life in the end. The church Council of Nicea, which met in in AD 325, condemned the teachings of Origen and affirmed the place of the book of Revelation in the New Testament in direct contradiction to Origen’s rejection of Jesus’ thousand-year reign before the eternal state.[iii]
 
The ancient Syrian School of Antioch, on the other hand, championed a “literal and historical interpretation” of Scripture. Those who belonged to this group of early church theologians vigorously opposed the allegorical approach to Scripture of Clement and Origen, which they claimed, “reinterpreted Christian doctrine in terms of Platonic philosophy.”[iv] The majority of early church fathers rejected the allegorical interpretations fostered by the Alexandrian School choosing instead to interpret prophecy literally and according to the intent of the author.
 
As a result of this emphasis on the words of Scripture, the belief in a literal and future thousand-year reign of Jesus dominated the church until the early fifth century.
 
AUGUSTINE POPULARIZES THE PRACTICE OF ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATIONS
 
Although the Nicean Council condemned the beliefs of Origen, his use of allegory later inspired a more capable theologian who revived his amillennialism. Tragically, under the influence of Augustine, this errant view of the end times dominated the church for over a thousand years.
 
Although Augustine claimed to disagree with Plato on most key issues, he nevertheless incorporated the pagan philosopher’s scheme of reality into his theology. He regarded Christianity as an improvement on the teachings of Plato, but that did not keep him from accepting the dualism of the pagan philosopher that regarded the material world as evil.[v]
 
Augustine said the idea of a millennium “would not be objectionable” if somehow “the nature of the millennial kingdom was a ‘spiritual one’ rather than a physical one.”[vi] He objected to the thoughts of “carnal banquets,” which he visualized as a part of such a kingdom.[vii] Do you see how Augustine allowed the teachings of Plato to turn something good, our future festive celebrations with Jesus, into something bad that he needed to reinterpret so as to not contradict his false view of spirituality?
 
Augustine’s usage of allegory tore a hole the fabric of Scripture that continued to grow until it contaminated the purity of the Gospel by making the believers’ final standing before God based on one’s good works rather than solely dependent on Jesus’ righteousness.
 
THE REFORMERS RETAIN THE AMILLENNIALISM OF THE DARK AGES
 
Although the Reformers mended part of this tear by reaffirming the biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone, they failed to repair the damage caused by the introduction of Plato-driven, allegorical interpretations of Scripture in regard to biblical prophecy.
 
Both Luther and Calvin rejected the use of allegory for passages dealing with the Gospel; however, they did not shake off the influence of Plato and thus continued the Roman Catholic rejection of God’s promise to restore a glorious kingdom to Israel.
 
In his commentary on Acts 1, Calvin wrote this regarding the question of the disciples in verse 6:
 
 “There are as many errors in this question as words. They ask him as concerning a kingdom; but they dream of an earthly kingdom, which should flow with riches, with dainties, with external peace, and with such like good things; and while they assign the present time to the restoring of the same. . . . They are also greatly deceived herein, in that they restrain Christ’s kingdom unto the carnal Israel, which was to be spread abroad, even unto the uttermost parts of the world.”[viii]
 
Do you recognize the influence of Augustine and Plato in Calvin’s commentary on Acts 1:6? They, more than the words of Scripture, shaped his criticism of the disciples.
 
Jesus’ response to His disciples flatly contradicts Calvin’s false assessment of the disciples motives. The Lord said that they only erred in regard to the timing of the kingdom, not in regard to Israel’s future restoration (Acts 1:7).
 
E. J. Hutchinson, in his article Calvin’s Plato, cited several of John Calvin’s references to Plato. He summarized his findings with these words, “In conclusion, Calvin makes regular use of Plato’s philosophy both in philosophical and in theological contexts. Far from being mere window-dressing, he often finds in Plato an argumentative ally against his contemporary opponents. Plato was, in other words, a living source of truth for Calvin.”[ix] And, I might add, his affinity for Plato played a role in his use of allegory to reinterpret the biblical promises related to the future restoration of Israel.
 
We see the same tendency with Martin Luther, a former monk who had once belonged to the Augustinian Order. Though not as pronounced as that of John Calvin, Luther nevertheless maintained a high regard for the teachings of Plato.[x]
 
As a result of the continued influence of Plato, along with their strong antisemitism, the Reformers left in place the amillennialism of the Dark Ages based upon allegorical misrepresentations of biblical prophecy. As a result, the denominations that sprang from Luther and Calvin retained the Augustinian tradition of amillennialism based upon allegorical interpretations on biblical prophecy.
 
STANDING FIRM AGAINST THE JOY ROBBERS
 
At this point you might by thinking “So what!? What difference does all this make to me as a New Testament saint?” It matters greatly for the day in which we live.
 
The ongoing influence of Plato’s dualism in the modern church rips the heart out of one’s joyous anticipation of eternity. It robs believers of their imminent expectation of Jesus’ soon appearing as well as that of reigning with Jesus during the millennium. It makes our life after Jesus’ appearing seem far less “blessed” than how the Bible pictures it.
 
Some amillennial pastors say that the New Jerusalem of Revelation 21 is just a symbol of God’s presence on earth and not a real city. This turns the eternal state into something far less desirous than how Scripture portrays it and something the differs very little from our current lives.
 
Randy Alcorn, in his book Heaven, coined the word “Christoplatonism” to describe the ongoing influence of Plato on the church today.
 
In the quote below, Alcorn describes how Plato’s influence dims the outlook that many saints have for their future in eternity:
 
“Because of Christoplatonism’s pervasive influence, we resist the biblical picture of bodily resurrection of the dead and life on the New Earth; of eating and drinking in Heaven; of walking and talking, living in dwelling places, traveling down streets, and going through gates from one place to another; and of ruling, working, playing, and engaging in earthly culture.”[xi]
 
Perhaps the greatest myth of all regarding heaven is that it will be boring. Nothing could be further from the truth.
 
I love the way Randy Alcon addresses this fallacy:
 
“Our belief that Heaven will be boring betrays a heresy—that God is boring. There’s no greater nonsense. Our desire for pleasure and the experience of joy come directly from God’s hand. He made our taste buds, adrenaline, sex drives, and the nerve endings that convey pleasure to our brains. Likewise, our imaginations and our capacity for joy and exhilaration were made by the very God we accuse of being boring. Are we so arrogant as to imagine that human beings came up with the idea of having fun?”[xii]
 
The reason that platonic amillennialism has damaged the church so severely since the time of Augustine is that it replaces our hope of a glorious eternity with a dull, at best, vision of eternity. As a result, it redirects the focus of believers to this life rather than eternity. Why should they live in anticipation of a future lacking in joy and rich fulfillment?
 
Please, do not let platonic depictions of eternity rob you of your joyous anticipation of eternity by turning the biblical picture of our glorious future into something drab that falls far, far short of the way the authors of Scripture described the millennium and the way that John pictured the eternal state in Revelation 21-22.
 
Furthermore, Jesus is preparing a place for us and will take us there when He appears (John 14:1-3). How can that be anything less than spectacular?
 
 
 
Note: Please consider signing up for my newsletter on the home page of my website at https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/ . It will greatly help me in reaching more people. Thanks!
 
[i] Randy Alcorn, Heaven (Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, 2004), p. 477.
 
[ii] Ibid.
 
[iii] Grant R., Triumphant Return: The Coming Kingdom of God (Colorado Springs: Waterbrook Press, 2001), p. 127.
 
[iv] Randy Alcorn, p. 477
 
[v] Williams, Thomas, Augustine and the Platonists, A lecture given to the Freshman Program of Christ College, the Honors College of Valparaiso University, 23 October 2003
 
[vi] Allen, D. Matthew, Theology Adrift: The Early Church Fathers and Their Views of Eschatology, A paper published on the Bible.org website, Chapter Five
 
[vii] Ibid.
 
[viii] John Calvin, Calvin’s Commentary on the Bible, Acts 1, at: https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/cal/acts-1.html
 
[ix] E. J. Hutchinson, in his article Calvin’s Plato, on The Calvinist International website: https://calvinistinternational.com/2017/08/07/calvins-plato/
 
[x] See Eric Parker, The Platonism of Martin Luther, on The Calvinist International website: https://calvinistinternational.com/2013/05/20/the-platonism-of-martin-luther/
 
[xi] Randy Alcorn, p. 467.
 
[xii] Ibid., p. 410.

 


 
Prophetic Noose Tightening - by Terry James - https://terryjamesprophecyline.com/2021/03/22/prophetic-noose-tightening/
 
Those keeping an eye on the way biblical prophecy is unfolding have plenty of developments to watch to gauge what might happen in the relatively near term.
 
Perhaps the most obvious area of prophetic progression is seen in the preparations for the coming Antichrist regime of control. By that, I mean the proverbial noose is tightening by the satanically driven minions of governments across the world. This is, collectively, a sure signal that the time of Tribulation approaches.
 
I believe the COVID-19 crisis is at the nucleus of that satanic drive to develop the means for locking down the world, to ultimately put the collar and chain of control around the necks of the Beast’s victims during that last seven years of terror.
 
Again, that’s not to say that I think the disease isn’t real. But the attention given to a strain that is, in actuality, less widespread than flu—and not much more virulent, the studies have shown—is, to me, an overreach of great magnitude. I believe this has been done in order to command obedience to a globalist cabal of demonic and human minions who are intent on bringing America and the world into compliance for constructing the Antichrist world order.
 
While this pandemic is moving into new stages of efforts to meld the many peoples into one locked-down agglomerate, many peripheral noose-tightening aspects are emerging.
 
Let’s look at a few of these in excerpts from news reports.
 
The Israeli parliament just passed a law mandating that all arrivals to the state wear electronic tracking bracelets while undergoing mandatory Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) quarantines at home.
 
The legislation allows the government to force all new arrivals from abroad or from specific countries to choose between quarantining at home or in a state-run hotel…
 
Those who choose to quarantine at home must wear electronic tracking bracelets to ensure their compliance. People who refuse to wear the bracelets will be forced to quarantine at a state-run hotel for two weeks…
 
According to the bill, the tracking operation will be carried out by SuperCom, a private company hired by the Israeli Ministry of Health. The information collected by the operation will be stored in servers owned by the government but maintained by designated private corporations.
 
The data collected will supposedly be deleted at the end of the quarantine period—as long as there are no reported infractions—or in no longer than 30 days.
 
(“Israel Passes Law Mandating New Arriving Passengers Wear Tracking Bracelets During Quarantine Period,” NaturalNews.com, March 20, 2021)
 
***
 
With every new smart piece of smart technology we acquire, every new app we download, every new photo or post we share online, we are making it that much easier for the government and its corporate partners to identify, track and eventually round us up.
 
Saint or sinner, it doesn’t matter because we’re all being swept up into a massive digital data dragnet that does not distinguish between those who are innocent of wrongdoing, suspects, or criminals.
 
This is what it means to live in a suspect society.
 
The government’s efforts to round up those who took part in the Capitol riots shows exactly how vulnerable we all are to the menace of a surveillance state that aspires to a God-like awareness of our lives.
 
Relying on selfies, social media posts, location data, geotagged photos, facial recognition, surveillance cameras and crowdsourcing, government agents are compiling a massive data trove on anyone and everyone who may have been anywhere in the vicinity of the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
 
The amount of digital information is staggering: 15,000 hours of surveillance and body-worn camera footage; 1,600 electronic devices; 270,000 digital media tips; at least 140,000 photos and videos; and about 100,000 location pings for thousands of smartphones.
 
And that’s just what we know.
 
More than 300 individuals from 40 states have already been charged and another 280 arrested in connection with the events of January 6. As many as 500 others are still being hunted by government agents. (Tyler Durdan, “Digital Trails: How The FBI Is Identifying, Tracking, & Rounding-Up Dissidents,” Zero Hedge, March 29, 2021)
 
***
 
Last month, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) announced the launch of “Daily Pass.” Developed by Microsoft, the tracking app will scan children in schools, using a barcode, to coordinate health checks, COVID-19 tests and vaccinations.
 
“Sort of like the golden ticket in ‘Willy Wonka,’ everyone with this pass can easily get into a school building,” stated LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner during his weekly update on Feb. 22.
 
Daily Pass will gather data and share it with LAUSD collaborators
 
Daily Pass generates a unique QR code each day for each student and staff member. This code authorizes entry to a specific Los Angeles Unified location. To gain entry to class, each individual should have a negative test result for COVID-19, show no symptoms and have a temperature under 100 degrees.
 
School officials stated that data gathered by the app will be reported as required to health authorities. In addition, anonymized Daily Pass data will be used by the LAUSD’s research and healthcare collaborators “to provide insights and strategies” to implement. These partners are Stanford University, the University of California, Los Angeles, Johns Hopkins University, Anthem Blue Cross, Healthnet and Cedars Sinai.
 
The app will also be used by the LAUSD’s school-based vaccination program to register and schedule appointments, track vaccine supply, perform check-in and data capture, sort high-risk individuals, offer waitlists for low-risk individuals as well as provide dashboards for administrators and staff to view data…
 
App’s data gathering raises questions
 
While the LAUSD states that the Daily Pass app is being deployed for health and safety reasons, others have raised flag about the amount of data it’s collecting.
 
According to John Whitehead, constitutional law attorney and founder of The Rutherford Institute, parents should be asking why the app is gathering all this data. He says that they need to know what the entities involved are going to do with the data, where it is going and whether it should be given to government agencies.
 
“We are moving into a total surveillance state and an entire generation of young people are acquiescing to the police state,” he warned. “Privacy as we know it will be deleted and no one will be overlooked.” (Franz Walker, “Vaccine Prison Camp: LA Schools to Track Students Using Microsoft’s ‘Dailyl Pass’ Tracking,’ Natural News, March 18, 2021)
 
***
 
Pope Francis reportedly called for a “new world order” for a post pandemic world in a book set to come out on Tuesday in Rome.
 
According to Breitbart, the head of the Catholic Church insists for the establishment of a new world order after the pandemic because things will never be the same after it. Breitbart tagged the Pope’s call for the new world order as the Great Reset except that the pontiff’s moves away from the culture of inclusiveness that works towards the building of a green economy with focus on financial speculation, fossil fuels, and military build-up.
 
Breitbart said the new book, entitled “God and the World to Come,” contained the Pope’s interview with Italian journalist Domenico Agasso and that the English translation of the transcript’s excerpt of is available in the Vatican News website. (Anton Carillo, “Pope Francis Calls For ‘New World Order’ For Post-Pandemic World,” Christianity Daily, March 16, 2021)
 
So there we have it. The noose is tightening around the necks of people of this judgment-bound planet. The man considered the top leader of all of Christendom, the Roman Catholic pope, is all in for creation of a changed world order. It is a reminder of the man who will head up the religious arm of that new world order, the false prophet of Revelation chapter 13.
 
The crisis that will complete the movement into global gulag will arrive when that one great escape becomes instantaneously available. That will be the Rapture of all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ for their personal salvation.
 
All who are left behind to face the false prophet and his partner, Antichrist, will experience the tightening of this duo’s evil to an excruciating extent never suffered by any people in human history.
 
The COVID pandemic is the crisis currently being used to herd us all into that corral of compliance—the Tribulation imprisonment from which there is but one escape.
 
For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Matthew 24:21) 
 
But the satanic noose tightening around humanity’s throats will have no soul-destroying effect on those of this Age of Grace (Church Age). Jesus promises all who are saved:
 
Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. (Revelation 3:10)
 
Here again is the way to be certain of escaping the coming judgment and wrath.
 
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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10:9–10)   



 
Sign of Things To Come? Amazon Drivers Forced to Sign 'Biometric Consent' – Lauren Kaori Gurley - https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=4632
 
Amazon delivery drivers nationwide have to sign a "biometric consent" form this week that grants the tech behemoth permission to use AI-powered cameras to access drivers' location, movement, and biometric data.
 
If the company's delivery drivers, who number around 75,000 in the United States, refuse to sign these forms, they lose their jobs.
 
The form requires drivers to agree to facial recognition and other biometric data collection within the trucks they drive.
 
"Amazon may... use certain Technology that processes Biometric Information, including on-board safety camera technology which collects your photograph for the purposes of confirming your identity and connecting you to your driver account," the form reads.
 
"Using your photograph, this Technology, may create Biometric Information, and collect, store, and use Biometric Information from such photographs."
 
It adds that "this Technology tracks vehicle location and movement, including miles driven, speed, acceleration, braking, turns, and following distance ...as a condition of delivery packages for Amazon, you consent to the use of Technology."
 
In February, Amazon announced plans to install the AI-powered four-lens cameras, made by the tech company Netradyne, in all of its Amazon-branded delivery vans.
 
 
The company says cameras are being used to improve "safety" and the "quality of the delivery experience." 
 
But as Thomson Reuters reported earlier this month, some drivers are quitting their jobs because of privacy concerns.
 
The Netradyne cameras are able to sense when a driver yawns, appears distracted, or isn't wearing a seatbelt, according to a product description, and monitor drivers' body and facial movements.

 


 
His Timing Is Perfect - By Dennis Huebshman - https://www.raptureready.com/2021/03/20/his-timing-is-perfect-by-dennis-huebshman/
 
There are people today, including myself, that wonder why we’re still here. After all, Jesus, Paul, James, John, Peter and other prophets gave us signs to look for, and every one of them, except for the Rapture and the appearance of the antichrist, are here right now. (all emphasis mine)
 
The Ezekiel coalition has been formed for the first time in history, and God has made sure that Russia, Iran and Turkey are in desperate need of resources to survive. Then, there sits tiny Israel with all those natural gas and oil reserves, and they appear ripe for the picking. The “big three,” and some lesser nations that will join them, are having the “hook” set, just as God said it would be. Ezekiel 38:4; “And I will put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army, horses and horsemen; all of them clothed in full armor; a great host; all of them with buckler and shield, wielding swords.”
 
This will be the attack on Israel by what would appear to be overwhelming forces that, under normal circumstances, would be able to wipe Israel out in no time at all. However, the Heavenly Father has other plans, and when the dust settles, it will be obvious that He, not Israel, defeated the masses that attacked them. Ezekiel 39 describes the destruction, and at the end of the conflict, all Israel will know that the Lord God Jehovah protected them. The tribulation will still take place, and before it’s over, the Jews will be severely persecuted. However, the surviving remnant will enter the Millennial reign under the guidance of Jesus Himself.
 
Sadly, even with Jesus on the throne at Jerusalem, there will still be those who will turn away from Him during that 1,000 years. The final conflict will take place at the end, and Jesus will put it down with just a word from His mouth.
 
Matthew 24:43-44 and Luke 12:39-40 say that if the homeowner knew what day and hour the thief was coming, he would have been ready at that time. Jesus went on to say that we need to be ready for the “Son of Man” to come at an hour we do not expect. Human nature being as it is, if we knew for certain the moment that we would die or the moment the Rapture was to take place, many would wait right up to the last hour to call out to be saved. This is why it’s obvious that Jesus said we must be ready; right now.
 
No one knows for certain when they will take their last breath here. God provided many examples in His word about people who were unprepared. He also gives us the formula to follow so that we are constantly ready to leave here and be with Jesus. More about this further on.
 
Through Satan’s influence, false prophets are twisting God’s word to fulfill his evil plan to pull as many away from the Savior as possible. Saying that there’s plenty of time, or that we all worship the same god, or it really isn’t necessary to have Jesus in our lives are some of his most popular lies. How about, there’s really no such thing as hell, and even so, a loving God would not send anyone there. Before the creation of this earth, Lucifer went against the Father because of destructive self-pride and even had about 1/3 of the angels follow him (Revelation 12:4).
 
Today, there are more people that follow Satan than follow Jesus, which doesn’t surprise the Lord at all (Matthew 7:13-14). For Satan and his angels, or demons, there is no pathway to forgiveness. Jesus’ sacrifice was for all humans, as Satan and his demons had already been in the presence of the Lord God. They had witnessed His majesty and glory yet turned against Him anyway (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:13-19; Revelation 12:7-9; Jude 1:6; and others). Hell was prepared specifically for Satan and his fallen angels, as stated in Matthew 25:41.
 
Having worked in several hospitals and then a number of years in law enforcement, I witnessed the deaths of hundreds of people of all ages and under a variety of circumstances. Some had terminal illnesses, yet even then, they weren’t sure exactly when they would die. More than a majority were people who started out a day not realizing it would be their last one here. If they could, they would most likely tell you they believed they had more time.
 
God knows the exact moment each of us will depart from this planet. As stated, He gave us ample signs of what would be happening at the end of this age. To prepare us, He has given us a great outline that would help us to be ready.
 
First and foremost, He knows we are all sinners, yet He loves us anyway (Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; John 3:16-18). He sent a part of Himself, Jesus, to be the perfect sacrifice that would be able to cover our sins. There is no way possible that any other human could provide a pathway to the Father that would be acceptable.
 
Jesus is the only way, as stated in John 14:6, Acts 4:12, and Romans 5:8. We can do no works nor pay any price for our Salvation, as it’s provided by the Grace of our Savior and through the Mercy of our Father (Ephesians 2:8-9).
 
For the formula mentioned earlier, we have the ABCs of Salvation given in Romans 10:9-13.
 
A – Admit we’re all sinners and cannot save ourselves.
 
B – Believe and have faith that Jesus’ gift at Calvary was made for all who will receive and accept Him as their Savior. He died for us and was raised by God to conquer sin and death for us once and for all.
 
C – Confess we’re sinners, and call out to Him and ask for forgiveness and to save us.
 
Verse 13 says, “All who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” That’s an absolute promise from our Heavenly Father.
 
He also says in numerous places that all who reject His Son will end up in the Lake of Fire after attending the White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20:11-15. Those that will already be in hell are the antichrist and false prophet (Revelation 19:20); then, 1,000 years later, Satan will join them (Revelation 20:10). There will be no pardons given; no forgiveness available for all who are at the Great White Throne. That judgment is final, and the sentence of hell is forever. And, no, God will not have sent anyone there other than Satan and the demons. It will be a choice that was made by every soul that will be in that long line.
 
God would rather have all to repent and seek forgiveness from Jesus and spend eternity in Heaven (2 Peter 3:9). He will force no one, as that wouldn’t be true love. All who go through the Judgments of Jesus will receive or lose rewards for what they did while here, yet their outcome will still be forever with the Savior, in their forever Home prepared by Him (John 14:1-3).
 
And now, a plea from one who has witnessed so many souls depart from their earthly bodies. Please, don’t wait another minute without Jesus in your life. Call out to Him and ask His forgiveness and to save you right now. An hour from now could be too late. He’s waiting and will accept all who put their faith and trust in Him.
 
The event of 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 is just about here right now. It could be any second. This would be the Father keeping His promise to prevent all true believers in His Son from going through the Wrath/Tribulation. Once it starts, the events that will take place will be more terrible than has ever been on this earth. Your eternity – your choice.
 
Come, Lord Jesus!
 
[email protected]

 


 
Daily Jot: The Farm Chronicles: 8th Wonder of the World – Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com
 
South Dakota in 1963 was probably not a whole lot different than it is today—lots of open space and a bunch of prairie between towns. On our Great Western Tour with our friends the McCarthy’s, one of the places we visited was about the most unusual I had ever seen or will ever see. Out in the middle of nowhere a little over an hour west of Sioux Falls is a two-horse town called Mitchell. Taking old highways 16 and 38, you were likely to run into a lot of farm country. I remember the debate between my folks and the McCarthy’s about whether to go out of our way to Mitchell, that it would alter our trip and maybe we wouldn’t have time to see parts of San Francisco later, but Warren McCarthy was adamant.
 
Mitchell looked like any other town out west. Square buildings stacked down a main street. Parking along each side of the street. Two- and three-story brick buildings with storefronts on the first level. The normal kind of town trying to get some tourists and we were ripe for the picking. Approaching this huge block-sized building across the side street from the Standard Oil gas station, one could see these Russian-style domes that looked like onions and Ottoman minarets piercing the Southeast Dakota’s blue sky. We had arrived at our out-of-the way destination, a building that looked like the Russians landed in the middle of the plains and took control, except that it resembled a Native American and cowboy theme.
 
It was the “world renown,” “one of it’s kind,” Corn Palace. Everything was done in corn. The designs in the front of the building were brown corn depicting silhouettes of Indian warriors with spears on horses against a white corn backdrop. There was a huge mural, maybe 30 feet by 20 feet, of cowboys on horses guiding a herd of cattle across a vast range with the South Dakota hills in the background. There were huge floor to ceiling window insets, each having a specific corn mosaic image, such as a cowboy walking down a western town’s street, an Indian in full regalia dancing, and a long mural of buffalo hunters in the South Dakota prairie. The welcome sign, also done in corn, said, “South Dakota, Yesterday and Today.”
 
On the heels of Wounded Knee in 1890, the Corn Palace was first built in 1892 to attract visitors and demonstrate that South Dakota was a safe place to settle with your family. I remember standing inside this huge building in awe of the greater-than-life-sized murals all made of corn. It was one of the most unusual stops in our trip west, and one that Warren insisted would be worth missing part of San Francisco. It was what we considered a wonder of the world at the time, and is known to this day as is as a folk-art wonder on the prairie of South Dakota. Psalm 65:13 says, “The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.” And this is the image the Fathers of Mitchell sought to portray after a most tumultuous time with this palace covered of corn in the valley of the prairie. 

 


 
Daily Devotion: Persevering in Prayer - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org
 
So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one. —Ezekiel 22:30
 
https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/persevering-in-prayer/ - Listen
 
In John 4, we find the story of a desperate father whose son was very sick. Although he was a nobleman, he amazingly humbled himself and asked Jesus to touch his dear son.
 
Jesus’s response, however, was quite unusual: “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe” (John 4:48 NKJV). Now, what kind of thing is that to say to a dad who just wanted his son to be healed?
 
The fact is that Jesus wasn’t really addressing this father. Rather, He was addressing the fickle crowd that only wanted to be entertained.
 
Meanwhile, the persistent father was standing there, waiting, and he wouldn’t give up. He said, “Sir, come down before my child dies!” (verse 49 NKJV).
 
So Jesus told him, “Go your way; your son lives” (verse 50 NKJV).
 
Why didn’t Jesus simply respond to this father immediately? I think it’s because Jesus wanted to draw him out and teach him that sometimes you need to keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking.
 
Because we need to be persistent in our prayers. There are times when we don’t see them answered in the affirmative. And sometimes what looks like a barrier actually may be a bridge. So don’t give up.
 
Is there someone you need to be praying for today? Do you have a child who’s rebelling against God? Do you know someone who needs to hear the gospel?
 
Keep praying for them because when you pray for people to believe in Jesus, you are praying according to the will of God. The Bible says that God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9 NKJV).
 
Are you willing to pray with persistence for other people to come to the Lord? God is still looking for people to stand in the gap and pray. 

 

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

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"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
 
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"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?
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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

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