 TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
MUST READ ARTICLES THAT I JUST DON'T HAVE THE ROOM TO INCLUDE IN THE NEWSLETTER...
The Intentional Drift Of The United States From Israel, Led By The Woke Liberal Left – By Amir Tsarfati - https://harbingersdaily.com/amir-tsarfati-the-intentional-drift-of-the-united-states-from-israel-led-by-the-woke-liberal-left/ Shalom from the Jezreel Valley! I have had a wonderful week filled with interviews—including discussions with Tony Perkins, CBN, and Pastor Barry Stagner. On Monday, I sat down with Dr. Einat Wilf, who is a very strong advocate of Israel in the political and academic realm. As the Jerusalem rain came down in the background, we discussed our love for our nation, but we did so from disparate points of view both politically and spiritually. While a great thinker, Dr. Wilf has no place for God in her philosophy. She views Zionism as a secular movement, which I strongly disagree with. Removing God from of the story of the Jews’ return to their ancestral homeland is like a child going to the cupboard, removing a package of crackers, then feeling proud that they were able to feed themselves. It is a woefully limited perspective with no vision of the bigger picture. Still, just as a father will continue to provide for that child whether or not the little one acknowledges his part, God will progress in His plans to bring His people home without our help and without us acknowledging His part. That is why the Bible says that first He will bring them back, and then He will pour His spirit on them. I look forward to the coming release of this video, because often Christians can find themselves in an echo chamber, forgetting that most of the world has a very different foundation from which they build their worldview. This interview will be most enlightening. Sadly for Hamas, they didn’t enjoy as good of a week as I did. In fact, theirs started out very poorly. Eighty thousand Muslims journeyed to the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. They were there for the first Friday prayers of Ramadan. The worshippers came, they prayed, then they went home. Hamas was crushed. They were desperately hoping for riots or protests or some sort of violence to break out – anything that they could point to that would show how the evil Israelis were determined to keep Muslims from worshipping at their holy mosque. Instead, it all went off without a hitch. Sorry Hamas. Better luck next Ramadan. Hezbollah, Hamas, and Other Militias A major criticism of the IDF has been the number of civilian casualties in Gaza and in the north in Lebanon and Syria. What these critics are failing to realize – or, more likely, failing to admit to – is the immoral human shield philosophy of Hamas and Hezbollah. The whole reason the IDF is in civilian neighborhoods and hospitals and humanitarian areas is because that is where the terrorists have placed their soldiers, their weapons and armament storehouses, their rocket and bomb making factories, and their military headquarters. When the IDF goes in, it does all it can to protect innocent lives. That is the opposite of the terrorists who hope for high civilian casualty numbers. For them, the public relations boost from a picture of a dead baby more than makes up for the loss of the child’s life. At the end of January, Newsweek published an opinion piece called “Israel Implemented More Measures to Prevent Civilian Casualties Than Any Other Nation in History”. The title says it all. And this isn’t just some biased rant by an Israeli sympathizer. Its author is John Spencer, chair of urban warfare studies at the Modern War Institute (MWI) at West Point and codirector of MWI’s Urban Warfare Project. In his article, Spencer wrote, “To be clear, I am outraged by the civilian casualties in Gaza. But it’s crucial to direct that outrage at the right target. And that target is Hamas.” Both Hamas and Hezbollah know they have no conventional weapons that can defeat the Israeli military. So, they will resort to their one ordnance powerful enough to bring them victory – public opinion. Five senior leaders of pro-Iranian militias were eliminated in a targeted airstrike by the IDF in eastern Syria. One was a senior commander of Hezbollah. Last week also saw two attacks on Hezbollah weapons depots in the same area north of Damascus just two days apart. Meanwhile, in Lebanon, IDF airstrikes continue on Hezbollah sites. Hamas Once the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had cleared Gaza City of Hamas, they directed their efforts south. As the battle raged in Khan Yunis, the terrorists sensed an opportunity. Quietly, they began sneaking back into Gaza City, reestablishing a secret base at Shifa Hospital. What they didn’t realize was that they were being watched. Once Hamas was settled in, the IDF sprung their trap. Military and Shin Bet forces surrounded the hospital and moved in. What they found inside was a lot of terrorists and a massive amount of weapons and armaments. Thus far, at least 90 Hamas members have been killed and 350 suspects have been arrested. Fa’ak Mabhouh, the head of the internal security operations department for the terrorist organization, was among the dead. This surprise attack was a major disappointment for Hamas. In the West Bank, the battle continues to rage against Hamas. Yesterday, in Jenin, a car carrying three terrorists was destroyed in a surgical airstrike. In Tulkarm, more than 50 military jeeps, three bulldozers, and three Caterpillar D9 armored bulldozers entered the city for an operation. There were also reports of an aerial attack on the city’s militants. It is essential for the IDF to quell the terrorist tide building in the West Bank. A growing number of Gazans are turning their backs on Hamas due to the terrorists’ penchant for stealing aid. A week ago, armed Palestinians began shooting at civilians who were waiting for a delivery of humanitarian relief. The armed gunmen continued to shoot at innocent men, women, and children after the aid trucks had arrived at the Kuwaiti roundabout in Gaza City. Dozens were killed and at least 150 were injured. Some of the dead had been run over by the aid trucks. More recently, a huge amount of humanitarian aid flour was discovered in a warehouse that had been recently bombed by the IDF. It is no wonder that cries of “May God protect you, Netanyahu” and “May God protect the Jewish people” were heard among those who had discovered the flour. Israel While Hamas has experienced major disappointments at home, they’re encouraged by what they are seeing overseas. The Canadian government announced Tuesday that it will halt future arms exports to Israel. While disappointing, it is not surprising. With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in charge, it was not a matter of “if” but “when”. The sentiments of much of Western Europe are trending strongly in the same direction as Canada. Of greatest concern is the intentional drift of the United States from Israel, led by the woke liberal left. Last week, in a speech highly critical of Israel’s handling of the war, US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he better straighten up his act. Otherwise, “the United States will have no choice but to play a more active role in shaping Israeli policy by using our leverage to change the present course.” He also included in his speech a call for early elections in Israel. This prompted Netanyahu to remind the senator that Israeli elections fall under the purview of the Israeli people, adding, “We’re not a banana republic.” But it is not just Schumer who is trying to insert the United States into critical Israeli decision-making. Both President Joe Biden and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan made it clear that the IDF going into Rafah would be a big mistake. Biden even went so far as to call it a “red line” before backtracking and saying, “So there is no red line…”, and then adding, “But there’s red lines….” Um, thanks for the clarification. Netanyahu responded by assuring the US administration and the Israeli people that Israel will be going into Rafah. He added, “You know, I have a red line. You know what the red line is? That October 7 doesn’t happen again. Never happens again.” Yemen Early Monday morning, an explosion was heard in an open area near Eilat in the south of Israel. The cause of that explosion was a cruise missile fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels. The Israeli Air Force tracked the missile the whole way and, once it was determined that it was bound for open space, chose not to waste a rocket to shoot it down. Still, this marked the first time that a projectile fired by the Houthis has reached Israeli territory. U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) issued a press release Monday telling of a successful engagement against the Houthis in which seven anti-ship missiles, three UAVs, and three weapons storage containers were destroyed. These weapons posed an immediate threat to both merchant and navy ships. Russia Vladimir Putin won reelection to the Russian presidency on Monday with 87% of the vote. This was a surprise to absolutely no one. His closest opponent, Nikolay Kharitonov, who received 4%, was last seen walking through the Duma headquarters, mumbling, “Why did I insist on the tenth-floor balcony apartment?” Not all is rosy for President Putin. Saturday saw drone hits on two oil refineries, one in Krasnodar region and one in Samara oblast. These refinery strikes are happening more and more often, and the Russian military has yet to figure out an answer to stopping them. The next day, explosive drones hit Domodedovo International Airport in Moscow forcing it to suspend operations for a time. Revolution in Prophetic Affairs Vol. II – Pete Garcia - https://www.rev310.net/post/revolution-in-prophetic-affairs-vol-ii In the Upper Room Discourse (John 13-16), in the context of His impending trial, crucifixion, burial, resurrection, and departure (His Ascension), Jesus told His disciples that it was to their advantage that He go because when He does, the "Helper" (some translations say Comforter) would come. Jesus was referring to God the Holy Spirit who would convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment, as well as testify of Jesus and guide the believers into all truth (John 14:16-18, 16:5-11). This divine narrative progresses with the Holy Spirit's descent on the Day of Pentecost, as chronicled in Acts 2, initiating His role as both the Comforter and the Restrainer through this new creation called the Church (1 Cor 10:32, 2 Cor 5:17, 2 Thess 2:7). This period extends from then, up to the time of the catching up of the Church (the Rapture), an event that will dramatically alter the Holy Spirit's operational role through the sudden disappearance of believers (who are sealed by the Holy Spirit- Eph 1:11-14, 4:30). Despite this functional change, the Holy Spirit's omnipresence assures His continued earthly presence. After the Rapture, His engagement shifts back to mirroring that of His Old Testament role of guiding and supporting the faithful through tribulation, rather than sealing believers as in the Church age. This shift highlights the adaptability of the Holy Spirit's mission across different biblical dispensations, maintaining His foundational presence while varying His approach to meet the spiritual needs of each dispensation. The reason I bring all this up is because, one second after the Rapture, everything will change forever. The natural will become the supernatural, and the normal will be replaced by the bizarre. The tried and true maxims that have guided mankind for millennia, can no longer be counted on to remain so. Everything will be turned on its head, and the world will be plunged into a time of monsters, mayhem, and madness. From Revolution to Revelation Before humanity and Earth's existence, a foundational cosmic upheaval was initiated by angelic beings within the celestial realm, pre-dating the universe's creation. This insurrection, led by Lucifer and the one-third of the angels who followed him, seeded the universe with discord and malevolence, for which we can trace the origins of evil back to this attempted insurrection. Following their rebellion, these fallen angels dispersed throughout the cosmos, observing Earth's creation and humanity's emergence. The creation of humans, particularly in God's image, and their granted Earthly dominion sparked further dissent among these fallen beings, prompting Lucifer to destroy humanity by undermining their relational status with God, beginning with Adam's helpmate, Eve. Lucifer's deception of Eve, employing the guise of a serpent, through promises of enlightenment, forbidden knowledge, and self-deification, catalyzed humanity's fall from grace, transitioning them from immortality to mortality, and from innocence to a corrupted state. This downfall set the stage for humanity's enduring quest to reclaim and restore what was lost in that Edenic glory, however, diverging towards a hedonistic paradise devoid of any divine governance. Fast forward to more modern times. From the Renaissance to modern times, Western civilization witnessed a relentless surge in technological progress, marked by milestones from Gutenberg's printing press in 1439 to recent forays into molecular manufacturing in the 21st century. This trajectory showcases humanity's knack for breaking barriers and expanding its technological horizons well beyond what was thought possible. This further underscores God's sobering comment on the profound capacity for human ingenuity and innovation, reflecting and also foreshadowing fallen man's commitment to advancing his understanding and manipulation of the natural world to the point of self-destruction. And the Lord said, “Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. Gen. 11:6 (my emphasis) Considering the historical geopolitical dominance of both the British and Americans since the 1600s, English has effectively become the lingua franca for global operations. The proliferation of translation technologies further nullified the protective impediment of language diversity as a means to prevent the consolidation of the human race back under one system. Thus, as the barriers separating peoples and nations diminished, the collaboration for the advancement in technology flourished. Post World War II, a battle-weary world capitalized on the promise of peace for the expansion of a clandestine military-intelligence-industrial complex to prevent further conflicts (i.e., peace through strength). Politically, Western governments reignited aspirations for the creation of a utopian world with the creation of the United Nations as a means to avoid war by bringing issues to the collective table rather than the battlefield. Across the varying spectrums of government and industry, leaders began to leverage advancements in technology and energy as a means to progress the human condition by ushering in a new era of peace and prosperity. Across the varying spectrums of academia, industry, and science, this newfound progress was also meant to advance (or evolve) the human condition by finally curing unremitting illnesses and diseases that had long plagued mankind. This evolution was also meant to extend man's life back beyond 70 years. This strategic shift aims to enhance human capabilities, aligning with broader objectives of restoration of the Antediluvian Age (or the Golden Age according to pagan mythology) and the advancement within defense and strategic development sectors along the following lines:
Thus, what mankind failed to do over the centuries through magic, alchemy, mythology, and religion, he would now attempt to do through technology and science. But what is this science and technology but a new, reimagined form of magic by the manipulation of the natural laws, the human body, and constructs of the physical realm? Future Wars As mentioned in Vol. I, the main differences between traditional warfare and mosaic, are along these four lines:
For the remainder of today's discussion, our focus will shift to Item 3, highlighting that as a species, we have crossed several irrevocable thresholds in the pursuit of advancing technologies destined for future conflict applications. Supersoldiers: At a recent Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC) annual conference in 2023, military and industry scientists met to discuss the very real possibility of creating super soldiers. One of the comments captured in the linked Vice article, best summarizes the "why" this is going to happen regardless of any ethical or moral dilemmas the United States and other Western nations may bring forth. Matook wrapped up his thoughts on pushing ethical boundaries by hinting that America’s enemies were doing eugenics to create better pilots. “We could find ourselves in a situation where our soldiers, as talented and trained as they are, are facing an unfair fight because another country is willing to say, ‘Hey, guess what, you, male, are a good aviator. You, female, are a good aviator. You’re gonna make the best aviator babies we’ve ever seen and I don’t care that you’re not married,” he said. The other panelists laughed nervously. “That’s a thing. Are they willing to go that extra step that we are not?” (My emphasis) Yes, they are. The US is quickly recognizing, yet again, that the ethical and moral standards central to its identity may become unsustainable constraints if it wishes to maintain global leadership. This realization echoes back to lessons learned from World War II, where the US and its allies encountered the Third Reich's and Imperial Japan's willingness to pursue victory at all costs, unhampered by ethical considerations. From the Holocaust, the Wunderwaffe program, and Nazi-occultism programs, to Japan's Unit 731, these historical instances demonstrate that strict adherence to morality could limit the US's strategic capabilities in the long run. This has led to the covert adoption of programs that prioritized (and will continue to prioritize) strategic advantage over traditional ethical constraints. Programs like:
If the US, historically more culturally uniform and conservative, was open to collaborating with members of the German Third Reich—one of history's most malevolent regimes—it raises the question: what would stop them from developing supersoldier programs, including augmented humans or hybrids, to preserve their geopolitical advantage amid emerging threats? 2. Summoning Demons: In man's bid to achieve god-like status, he has created a technology that could (theoretically) achieve sentience (i.e., the Singularity) and take on life-like status. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been likened by many of the top minds in that field to that of opening Pandora's Box meaning, once opened, mankind would be unable to close it. Hearkening back to the aforementioned possibility that our enemies are racing along the same lines, the United States could not, not race along with them. As Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin once noted, WATCH: https://youtu.be/sVO4SJqIIIw "Artificial intelligence is the future, not only for Russia but for all of humankind. It comes with colossal opportunities, but also threats that are difficult to predict. Whoever becomes the leader in this sphere will become the ruler of the world." Those threats, again, hearken back to the idea of unleashing something that cannot be contained. For example, if AI had been developed back in a time when the world was still largely analog, the threat would be minimal given the obvious lack of connectivity to many of the vital systems currently running the planet. Given that we are living in an age where almost everything is connected to the Internet, creating a new, sentient, Artificial Intelligence that would in theory, do what's best for itself, would immediately remove us (as its creators) since we pose the most obvious threat to its existence. Two of the great minds of our age had this to say about this potential risk. "With artificial intelligence, we are summoning the demon. In all those stories where there's the guy with the pentagram and the holy water, he's sure he can control the demon. Doesn't work out." Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, Space-X, X (formerly Twitter), etc. "Imagine summoning a demon or calling a superintelligent AI into existence... These things that we're building are not going to be human. They're going to be alien. And they're going to be, in all likelihood, not friendly." Geordie Rose, co-founder of D-Wave Systems and a prominent figure in the field of quantum computing and artificial intelligence So why do it? Because someone is going to do it, and as Putin said, whoever does it first, is going to become the new master of the universe. As such, this is where the United States Army's premier technology program, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) comes in with its AI Next Campaign: "This broad initiative represents DARPA's concerted effort to push the boundaries of AI research and development toward the creation of more sophisticated, autonomous systems that can perform a variety of tasks, potentially laying the groundwork for Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). The AI Next Campaign encompasses multiple projects aimed at enhancing the capabilities of AI systems, including reasoning, learning, and adapting to complex environments."
3. The 4th Industrial Revolution & the Internet of Things (IoT): As previously noted, the Industrial Revolutions over the last two centuries have elevated Western Civilization to unparalleled prominence in human history. The key change brought about by these revolutions was not merely in technology but in their foundational dependencies. While the first two revolutions relied on power and machinery to replace human and animal labor, the latter two have been driven by advancements in information processing. Perhaps a visual graphic below depicts it more clearly. The Information Age By the late 20th century, the U.S. began integrating information technology across various sectors, including defense, recognizing its strategic importance. In the 1990s, operations like Desert Storm and Restore Hope showcased minimal military reliance on cyber systems, with cyber-warfare not yet mainstream among Army ground commanders due to the initial impracticality of computer technology. The formation of the 609th Information Warfare Squadron in 1995 and the Coalition Vulnerability Assessment Team in 1996 indicated an early focus on cybersecurity, anticipating its future significance in military strategy. The emergence of the Global Positioning System (GPS) as becoming mission-essential by the late 1990s exemplified the increasing dependence on advanced information technologies. This shift, from the embryonic use of GPS in the mid-1990s to its indispensability today, mirrors Moore’s Law—first proposed by Intel's Gordon Moore—suggesting computing power doubles every two years, a concept further refined by Jonathon Koomey to indicate computing efficiency doubling every 18 months. This rapid technological progression marked the transition from the industrial to the computer age in the post-1980s, propelling us into the information/cyber age by the 2000s and heralding it as the Fourth Industrial Revolution in American history. Now, given that computer technology (both computing power and efficiency) is doubling at a rate of every 18-24 months, what will our next war look like regarding capability and threat? Simply put, it will be terrifying. Inevitably, computing power and efficiency have reached a plateau and the world will pause momentarily until the next big technological breakthrough occurs. It is this author’s opinion that when (not if) quantum computing goes mainstream, it will become the Fifth Industrial Revolution further demonstrating the exponential nature of these expanding revolutions. Now, there are two fundamental truths when it comes to quantum physics, mechanics, computing, and theory, and these are: 1) it works 2), we still don’t understand how it does For those not clear or understanding the basics of quantum theory, it is this: Quantum computing operates on the principles of quantum mechanics, using quantum bits or qubits. Unlike classical bits that are either 0 or 1, qubits can exist in multiple states simultaneously thanks to superposition. This allows quantum computers to process vast amounts of data at once. They also utilize entanglement, a property where qubits become interconnected and the state of one can depend on the state of another, no matter the distance between them. This combination enables quantum computers to solve complex problems much faster than traditional computers, even though the full extent of how quantum mechanics works remains not entirely understood. It is both superposition and entanglement that gives quantum physics its enigmatic nature. Albert Einstein famously called quantum entanglement, a spooky action at a distance. Conclusion My theory posits that the Holy Spirit (i.e., the Restrainer), does so by acting through the Church's global influence as salt and light for the past two millennia. As such, He not only restrains widespread evil but also curbs humanity's technological advancements. This is why for four thousand years, man was limited to the speed of horse, and in just the past 124 years, mankind has mastered flight, sent men and rockets into space, and is now capable of exploring the quantum realm. However, this Quantum Revolution will not come until after the Rapture occurs. But when it does, it will quickly revolutionize all political, economic, religious, and militaristic applications on the planet. Considering that major geopolitical changes will come about in the aftermath of the Rapture, one plausible theory is that:
Consequently, the quantum realm will emerge as the dominant operating system for the ultimate human empire on Earth, the ten-tiered kingdom of the beast. Our inability at present to regulate AI effectively at both the corporate and state levels will only exacerbate the issue when it is combined with the powerful capabilities of a demonically supercharged Quantum network. The world’s failure to rein in the demon of AI—or rather, the crude technologies masquerading as such—should serve to be a profound warning. There is an even more powerful emerging technology with the potential to wreak havoc, especially if it is combined with AI: quantum computing. We urgently need to understand this technology’s potential impact, regulate it, and prevent it from getting into the wrong hands before it is too late. The world must not repeat the mistakes it made by refusing to regulate AI. Although still in its infancy, quantum computing operates on a very different basis from today’s semiconductor-based computers. If the various projects being pursued around the world succeed, these machines will be immensely powerful, performing tasks in seconds that would take conventional computers millions of years to conduct...Because of the technology’s immense power and revolutionary applications, quantum computing projects are likely part of defense and other government research already. (Source) So if this seems all so inevitable (i.e., the Restrainer), then what is physically preventing it from happening now in the present? Why has this technology plateaued so to speak? First, it is the limitation of the availability of qubits (or quantum bits that are required to run quantum systems) is a hindrance. Quibits are finite and don't last once used. Here are some issues (thankfully) with qubits in the present:
Hypothetically, dividing the world into ten regions and assigning a quantum system to each could be tailored to regional data processing needs while maintaining a global network, and enhancing governance, economic policies, and surveillance. These quantum systems would allow for efficient management of security databases, economic simulations, resource distribution, and atmospheric monitoring. The feasibility of this network depends on advancements in quantum algorithms, secure networking to protect data, and international data sharing and privacy protocols. If AI could be powered by a new generation of computing power—quantum processing—then it would leave today’s innovation in the dust. That day may be coming sooner than you think. It may not be next year, but could we see practical applications within the next decade? Quantum computing, an entirely new way of processing information, when combined with AI, has the potential, without exaggeration, to bring about a new computing revolution. Transformation may be an understatement. (Source) While theoretically possible today, and almost certainly inevitable after the Rapture, implementing such a global quantum network requires significant progress in technology, cybersecurity, and global cooperation. This is why the concept that the Rapture of the Church facilitates such a condition by removing the spiritual constraints, seems to make this scenario more when, not if given the promise of power it will present to whichever government wields it. Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name. Now the beast which I saw was like a leopard, his feet were like the feet of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion. The dragon gave him his power, his throne, and great authority. And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast. So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” Revelation 13:1-4 (my emphasis) DOWNLOAD THE PROPHECY UPDATE APP Prophecy Update Videos Must Watch Videos! Videos You Can Trust
RECOMMENDED READING & LINKS
Your Support is Important to this Ministry - We Could Not Do This Without Your Support! Let Us Make the Short Time We have Left, Count for ALL of Eternity! Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift! II Corinthians 9:15 Worthy of Your Support? It has been said, 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. I genuinely believe that Prophecy Update and many other like-minded ministries, are needed now more than ever! The world is getting darker daily, almost hourly, but never has the light of the Word of God shone so brightly. Never in our history has there been such a thirst for Truth and a need for a Savior! The Prophecy Update website, newsletter, and Video Channels are all dedicated to providing the truth, encouraging and informing believers, and prayerfully opening the eyes and hearts of non-believers with the Gospel, but none of it would be possible without your prayers and support. DONATE HERE Your can also mail your support to: Prophecy Update PO Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384 Between the Resurrection and the Ascension - By Rick Segoine - https://www.raptureready.com/2024/03/12/between-the-resurrection-and-the-ascension-by-rick-segoine/ The forty days between the time God our Heavenly Father raised His Only Begotten Son Jesus from the dead and the moment He called Jesus to depart the earth by ascending up to heaven were an amazing forty days. John 20:1-17 tells much of the story. That short period of time begins when Mary Magdalene, at sunrise, was the first person to go to the tomb and find it empty. Upon approach, she noticed the stone enclosing the tomb where Jesus had been laid had been rolled away. Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white sitting where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put Him.” One of the angels informed her and the other Mary who also had arrived at the tomb that Jesus had risen from the dead. Imagine the shock but also the thrill Mary must have felt upon hearing such news about Jesus rising from the dead. Her precious Lord and Savior, whom she loved so dearly. Mary’s heart must have been bursting with hope and excitement, and her mind certainly must have been racing as she thought to tell the other followers of Jesus all about the things she had just seen and heard. On her way back to the others, she ran into a man on the trail whom she at first mistook for the gardener. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking He was the gardener, she said “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him.” Then the man spoke her name. “Mary,” he said, in what to her would have been a very familiar voice. When she realized it was Jesus, we can only imagine what went through her heart and her mind and her soul. Mary’s entire being must have leapt with truly unimaginable joy. She turned toward Him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” which means teacher. Jesus said to Mary, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father.” “Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'” Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news; “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them about the things He had said to her (John 20). Up to this time, none of the disciples or other followers of Jesus fully understood what it meant that in three days, Jesus would rise from the dead. The news of Jesus’ rising must at first have sounded too good to be true, mixed with excitement and hope and anticipation of seeing Him again. The disciples and the women followers of Jesus were all gathered in a large room behind locked doors. The doors were locked due to the concern about what the Sanhedrin-led Jews who crucified Jesus might do to them. It was in this locked room where the risen Jesus first appeared to them all together. Only Thomas was missing. Because the doors were locked, and yet there in their midst appeared Jesus, they at first thought he must have been a ghost and were frightened. Although Jesus, before the crucifixion, as written in Luke 9:22, had said to them, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised on the third day,” the disciples still were finding it hard to believe what was actually happening in that locked room. He showed them the nail marks on His hands and feet and the spear mark on His side, and had them touch Him to show them that it was He and that He still had flesh and bones and was not a spirit or a ghost. When He saw that they were still in doubt and acting terrified, He said this: “Have you any food here?” So, they gave Him a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took and ate it in their presence. Then, the disciples realized that it really was Jesus, and they were overjoyed. I am thinking that overjoyed is an understatement. It is the best description we have, perhaps, but think about the actual reality of what was happening there in that place. In all fairness to the disciples, no one had ever seen anything like this. Though they had walked with Him and seen Him do many miracles along the way, His appearing to them, after witnessing what had been done to Him at Calvary, was miraculous and supernatural on a level that, for lack of a better term, blew their minds. The followers of Jesus thought that they had lost Him after witnessing the brutality and seeming finality of the crucifixion. When they, the disciples and all of the women followers of Jesus, came to grips with the reality that He had indeed risen just as He told them He would do, they really began to understand who He was and who He still is, on a whole other level. They really began to fully comprehend what Jesus meant when He had said, “I and my Father are One” (John 10:30). Then Jesus said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.” Then Jesus opened their minds so they could understand the scriptures. He told them this is what is written: “The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with the power from on high” (Luke 44:44-49). They realized that Jesus was not just the Son of Man and the Son of God but that Jesus was God, the second part of the Holy Trinity. All creation was spoken into existence through Him who appeared risen from the dead and standing in their very midst. Jesus appeared to them again one week later when Thomas had returned. The story of Thomas is a familiar one. Jesus dispelled the doubts of Thomas by having Thomas touch the wounds, and Thomas fell on his knees and proclaimed, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). Jesus again appeared a third time to some of His disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, where Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, and the sons of Zebedee (James and John) had been fishing during the night but had caught nothing. Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore and told them to cast their net on the right side of the boat (John 21:6). The net filled to the brim with 153 fish. Then John said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” Jesus had some bread and a fire with burning coals and fish cooking on it there on the shore. He called to them, “Come and have breakfast” (John 21:7-12). After breakfast was when Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love me? Then feed my sheep” (John 21:1-17). On day forty after the Resurrection, when He had led His disciples out to the vicinity of Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken up into Heaven. Then, they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple praising God (Luke 24:50-53). The last paragraph in the gospel book of John says that Jesus did many other things as well. “If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written” (John21:25). In summing up this article called “Between the Resurrection and the Ascension,” I cannot help but wonder if meeting the Lord Jesus and seeing Him face to face for the first time will fill our hearts with a similar kind of joy and amazement and wonder as Mary Magdalene felt when she met Jesus on the trail right after He had risen. I anticipate that it will be the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to each of us who is blessed with the gift of Eternal Salvation. Whoever may read this, I pray that you will be part of God’s Forever Family. If you have not given your life to the one who gave you your life, today would be a perfect day to do that. Romans 10:9-10 is a beautiful way to begin. “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.” Jesus, I stand in complete awe of you… Your friend, Rick Segoine We Are to Reach Today’s Culture… Not Compromise to It – By Greg Laurie - https://harbingersdaily.com/we-are-to-reach-todays-culture-not-compromise-to-it/ It’s a real challenge to reach today’s culture. There was once a time when you could assume most people had a general idea of the Bible (if you referenced Adam and Eve, the Garden of Eden, Noah and his ark, or even Jesus Christ, they would have a sense of what or who you were referring to). Not anymore. People are largely oblivious to the Bible, not only as God’s Word, but even as great literature. The obsession of some to implement the “separation of church and state” has contributed to this illiteracy concerning God’s Word. The Challenge with Today’s Culture When I present the gospel today—especially to young people—I can no longer assume that they understand what I mean when I say something along the lines of, “You need to repent of your sin and put your faith in Jesus and become His disciple!” They might wonder what it means to repent, or what sin even is. So, our challenge as believers in reaching this generation is to make sense without compromising our message. No matter which generation we’re sharing the gospel with, the message does not change. The gospel that the apostles delivered in the first century is still the one being shared today. But still, we need to adapt and become, as Paul said, “all things to all men.” Finding Common Ground with the World Without Conforming to It Paul said, “…I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.” (1 Corinthians 9:19-23). Note that Paul says “I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ.” There is a place to draw the line when you are around nonbelievers. We want to be careful to try to influence them more than they are influencing us. Sometimes, in an attempt to “relate” to nonbelievers, Christians will make unnecessary compromises. Listen, if you become too much like them, they will never want to become like you. Let’s reach people, but stand our ground and hold to our principles as followers of Jesus. The Christian’s Common Excuse for Compromise Some who may want to rationalize compromise in their life as a Christian may protest this and say, “Well, Jesus hung around sinners!” That is not really true. Jesus did not “hang around sinners” for the most part. Actually, He “hung around” His disciples. When Jesus was with sinners separated from God, they did not stay that way for long. He confronted the woman at the well about her sin. Sure, He loved her, but He pointed out she was living in sin with a man at present. She also came to faith after that. Yes, Jesus forgave the woman caught in adultery, but it was only after she called Him “Lord,” and then He said to her, “Go, and sin no more. . . ” When He went into the home of Zacheus, a notorious sinner, the little guy emerged transformed. See, He was around sinners, not to conform—or “hang out”—but to transform. So, let’s work on building a bridge to our lost world, not burning one. At the same time, let’s not lower our standards in order to extend our reach. Daily Jot: The American Chronicles: Modern wagon trains and camps - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com There is a campground on the Georgia-Florida state line that takes us back in time to the days of Roy Rogers and the rugged individualism of the old west. In fact, the owner of Country Oaks, Lonnie Gay, is a bit of a throwback to those days when much of America romanticized the Cowboy Way. Lonnie and his family carved out the 18 acres for the campsite in nearly 30 years ago and it remains a family-run business. Lonnie, in his spare time, runs with a wagon train outfit that takes local trips and often ends up at his nearby farm for Bar-B-Q and entertainment around the campfire. He leads an American pioneer life and shares it with the rest of us through neighborly love at Country Oaks. Campsites are nestled in among old oak and palmetto trees and guests can fish at a fully-stocked lake. Not far from the lake is the barn where Lonnie keeps his wagon train mules Ruby and Rusty. We didn’t see Ruby and Rusty or Lonnie during our recent trip because Lonnie had taken the mules to Tennessee to get them shod. He said that his farrier in Tennessee is the only one who can do the job right so the shoes will stay on during wagon train trips. Many people don’t know it, but there still are folks who do wagon trains because they enjoy the rugged camping life. There are also others, who do wagon trains in their modern campers as families take trips together across the country in a more comfortable manner. Throughout Country Oaks are reminders of the past. There are old horse-drawn wagons, plows, and other farm implements. Worn saddles and relics from the past give the wrap-around porch of the main lodge an old West feel. Rocking chairs invite a relaxing place to sit and enjoy the serene country view of the trees adorned with Spanish moss. The atmosphere is certainly recalling America’s kind hospitality, yet no nonsense era. A sign near the front entrance of the lodge reads: Warning You are entering a RED NECK AREA You may encounter American Flags, Armed Citizens, The Lord’s Prayer & Country Music Proceed at your own risk. Don’t let the sign scare you. The folks running the campground are as down-home and friendly as your best friends from high school. It seems like you have known them all your life. The inside of the lodge is like a museum for Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. There are pictures on the walls of the two heroes of the big screen. There are posters, buttons and pictures from the celebration of Roy and Dale’s glory days. There are old farm tools and a heat stove to take off the chill in the cool mornings. The American experience is fully alive at Country Oaks. Galatians 5:13 says, “For brethren, you have been called unto liberty; only do not use liberty for an opportunity to the flesh. Rather, serve one another through love.” With all the division in our nation these days, it’s refreshing to see there are places and people who cherish God’s gift of freedom and apply that liberty to the sincere service of others. Daily Devotion: When the World Closes In - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org After saying these things, Jesus crossed the Kidron Valley with his disciples and entered a grove of olive trees. —John 18:1 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/when-the-world-closes-in/ - Listen Jesus knew the crucifixion was coming. In fact, He began to aggressively address it at a place called Caesarea Philippi. Matthew’s Gospel tells us, “From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day, he would be raised from the dead” (16:21 NLT). Jesus knew exactly what was about to happen. He had to come and taste death for everyone. As commentator Alfred Edersheim wrote, “He disarmed Death by burying his shaft in His own Heart.” John 18 gives us a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the personal struggle of Jesus as He contemplated the cup that He had to drink. The Bible tells us that Christ was “a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief” (Isaiah 53:3 NLT). But the sorrow He experienced in Gethsemane on the night before His crucifixion seemed to be the culmination of all the sorrow He’d ever known, which would accelerate to a climax the following day. I don’t think we can begin to grasp the anguish that Jesus experienced at that moment. Being God, He knew everything. And He was fully aware of what lay ahead. Someone has pointed out that ignorance is bliss, and in some ways, that is true. But there was no ignorance with Jesus. He was omniscient. And He knew that in just a few hours, Roman soldiers would whip Him and nail Him to a cross. He knew that His disciple Judas Iscariot would betray Him and that another disciple, Simon Peter, would deny Him. And He knew that He would bear all the sins of the world. Next to the cross, His time in Gethsemane was the loneliest moment of His life. In our moments of loneliness, when it seems as though our friends or family have let us down—or when it even seems as though God has let us down—we must remember one thing: Jesus has been there. And He has been there for you. Hebrews 4:15 says of Jesus, “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin” (NLT). We are all going to face our Gethsemanes in life, those times when things just aren’t making sense, when our problems seem too much to bear. Jesus gives us an example of what we ought to do when we face our personal Gethsemanes, those moments of ultimate stress in which the cup that we are to drink seems to be too much to bear, when we seemingly can’t go on another day. He prayed. During those dark nights of the soul when our friends have abandoned us and our family has let us down, when we are lonely, when it seems as though the whole world is closing in on us—that is the time to pray. PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS HEADLINES Yesterday's Prophecies - Today's Headlines HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY 3/22/24 http://trackingbibleprophecy.org/birthpangs.php
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
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
December 2024
Categories |
RSS Feed