|
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Rapture or Wrath? - By Gary W. Ritter - https://www.raptureready.com/2022/04/20/rapture-or-wrath-by-gary-w-ritter/
One of the most important yet least discussed issues in Christendom is that of whether Jesus snatches believers away from this world in a pre-Tribulation Rapture or if they must endure the atrocities of this coming most horrific seven years of all times. The reason this is such an ignored topic is that the majority of people in the church apparently believe that God intends for Christ-followers to enter the 7-year Tribulation. There is some difference among the adherents to this idea, such as whether they might be Raptured mid-Trib or post-Trib, but the bulk of those who entertain this notion see the church hunkering down, gritting its teeth, and suffering the atrocities of plagues and martyrdom. Well, count me out of that consideration. If someone wants to call me an escapist, or even satanic as some have done, for my fervent belief in the pre-Tribulation Rapture, I say, “Go for it.” I am more than happy and willing to not experience the worst time ever on planet Earth, of which Jesus said in Matthew 24:22: “And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect those days will be cut short.” To address this topic to some extent, first we need to identify who is destined for the Tribulation, and based on the above verse, who are the elect? The Bible is extremely clear about who must go through the Tribulation. There are two groups:
As to the first group, anyone who reads and understands the Old Testament sees the fate of those in this category. My intention is not to discuss them right now other than to point out God’s everlasting covenant with Israel and His intention to redeem its people. Jews throughout Biblical history have inevitably been – as the Bible tells us – a stiff-necked people, always seeking other gods rather than the One true God. Israel rejected Jesus Christ, but God has promised that a day is coming when those remaining in this nation will acknowledge Him as Messiah, Savior, and Lord. This is uncontestable. For this to happen, Israel will go through the entire Tribulation period and experience God’s wrath in doing so. There are plenty of pro-pre-Trib Rapture passages in Scripture. However, I want to concentrate on why I maintain it is unbelievers who must enter the Tribulation. Let’s consider several verses that make this easy to see. First, here is Isaiah 13:9,11: “Behold, the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with wrath and fierce anger, to make the land a desolation and to destroy its sinners from it. I will punish the world for its evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; I will put an end to the pomp of the arrogant, and lay low the pompous pride of the ruthless.” The Day of the Lord is obviously speaking of the Tribulation period. Who does Isaiah tell us are the recipients of God’s wrath and anger? Sinners – the world for its evil – the wicked for their iniquity – the arrogant – the ruthless. That seems pretty clear. Now we’ll look at Romans 1:18: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.” Again, we’ll ask what this says as to whom the wrath of God is revealed? The answer is plain: the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men – those who suppress the truth. Next, we have Romans 12:19: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.'” Our prior verses showed for whom God’s wrath is directed. He says in this passage that He’ll take care of the vengeance that needs to be exacted upon such people. For those who have died in their sins, that was a straight trip to hell, and at the judgment, they’re headed to the Lake of Fire for all eternity. But God also has a time of wrath He’ll unleash upon this world, as Isaiah points out. For those living who enter this period and require the Lord’s vengeance, He will subject them to it. Just to reiterate, who requires God’s vengeance to be enacted upon them? Paul in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 specifies: “The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” Once the satanic Antichrist has come during the Tribulation, those who meet God’s wrath are the ones who are perishing, those who refuse to love the truth, those who will not be saved. Given this Scriptural proof of those upon whom God pours out His wrath during the Day of the Lord, it couldn’t be any more evident that it is unbelievers for whom this is intended. If you are a God-fearing, Christ-following, blood-bought believer in the Lord Jesus, you can see there is no place for you in these descriptions and as a recipient of what God intends for this world during those terrible days. From the very first, even Abraham knew this to be fact, as shown by his statement in Genesis 18:25, where he says to the angel of the Lord concerning Sodom and Gomorrah: “Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” Thus, a pre-Tribulation Rapture is the only position regarding this issue that is Biblical and aligns with the Word of God. In fact, I believe this is so concrete and evident that the pre-Trib Rapture should be considered solid, Biblical doctrine. Briefly, who are the elect that Jesus mentions in regard to this period? Since true believers don’t go into the Tribulation, and we see several scenes in Revelation of believers standing before the throne of God because they’ve lost their lives, they are obviously Tribulation saints who die at different timeframes during those seven years. In Romans 15:18, Paul describes exactly what occurs with such people: “For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed.” These late-comers have finally come to the saving grace found only in Christ Jesus. The Word of God penetrated their hearts, and they came to obedience by their deeds, i.e. by standing on their testimony, believing what the Lord did to save their souls. As a result, as Romans 8:1 tells us: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” It was a long time in coming for these folks, and they had to endure much in the way of trials and tribulations, but God no longer condemns them. How marvelous is that? Here are the money verses explained in Romans 5:8-10 for these new believers who now realize the Lord’s mercy: “… but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” For those of us who were born-again prior to the Tribulation and escaped it through the blessed hope of the Rapture, God’s wrath didn’t touch us. For those who didn’t choose that earlier rescue, He delivers even those who experience His wrath in the Tribulation with martyrdom. Yet, regardless of what they face, these newly minted saints, at the very least, escape the torments of eternity. They are the elect who are kept by God – for a shorter or longer period of Jacob’s trouble – by faith in the midst of the fiery furnace. Early or late in the Tribulation, they will bow down and glorify God, saying, “Holy, holy, holy.” It’s a miracle in itself that so many will come to the Lord during these seven years of judgment. Praise God for that. What I’m even more thankful for is that God has shown that He is merciful to those of us who choose prior to that time to follow hard after Him. It’s we for whom the promise is stated and remains that we are not destined for the wrath of God, this time of trial that will come upon the whole earth. -- Gary Ritter website: books & blog http://garyritter.com/ Kindle Vella story: Tribulation Rising https://www.amazon.com/dp/B099Z462WD Please note: For anyone wishing to hear this article read out loud, please click on this link: https://rumble.com/vzazj9-rapture-readings-12-rapture-or-wrath.html 'The Two-State Solution': A Figment Of The Western Imagination – Ken Cohen - https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=5317 The two-state solution--most recently advanced yet again by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Negev Summit--is a figment of the Biden administration's imagination that is of no value to the pursuit of true Middle East peace. In fact, it will only cause more blood to flow in Israel. Based on Palestinian leaders' pronouncements and recent Palestinian opinion polls, the danger of the two-state solution lies in how the Palestinians intend to make use of it: They plan to pursue the destruction of Israel following an interim period of "two states." With its Palestine Partition Plan of November 1947, the U.N. General Assembly tried for a peaceful resolution to the blood-letting between Arabs and Jews in Palestine. The plan was often referred to as a two-state solution. (In fact, two states and an internationalized zone in Jerusalem were proposed.) We now know that it wasn't to be: Like most of the hapless efforts by the United Nations, the proposal simply poured gasoline on the Palestine fire. Israel has suffered numerous terrorist attacks and wars ever since, with little sign of any resolution. Like the tango, it takes two to peacefully partition. Unfortunately, the Palestinian Arabs and their allies wore combat boots, not dancing shoes to the party. The Arabs' genocidal war on the newborn State of Israel failed. The Palestinians were left stateless, as Jordan and Egypt swallowed Judea and Samaria (known under Jordanian rule as the West Bank), the Gaza Strip and a large portion of the supposedly internationalized Jerusalem. The United Nations did nothing to stop the Arabs' blatant violation of its good intentions. In the 1960s, the world body finally tried to enforce Middle East peace, deploying a peace-keeping force to the Sinai. But when Egypt told them to leave, along with announcing a plan to murder every Jew in Israel, it withdrew. Miraculously, Israel survived the 1967 Six-Day War, and despite numerous wars and terror attacks since has gone from strength to strength, even while engaged in an utterly futile pursuit of the two-state solution for decades. Why have the United Nations, the United States and Israel failed in realizing this two-state nirvana? It's primarily because for each party, the two-state solution has meant completely different things. For Israel, which has offered numerous peace proposals over the decades, the two-state solution means a Jewish state and an Arab state, with some land swaps and permanent borders drawn for national security. Israel doesn't much care about the nature of a Palestinian state--as long as it lives in peace. Israel is indifferent to internal Palestinian societal decisions--as long as their violent internecine disputes don't spill over into Israel. Israel expects the Palestinian state to ingather the millions of descendants of exiled (or self-exiled) Palestinians, with Israel only admitting a relative handful of true refugees. Israel plans for most Israeli Arabs to remain an organic part of the Jewish state. Jerusalem will remain the undivided capital of Israel. The Temple Mount/Al-Aqsa complex will guarantee free access to visitors of any faith. The Muslim Waqf will continue to exercise control of the mount, subject to Israeli security needs. For the Palestinians, the two-state solution has little in common with Israel's vision, and Palestinian leaders have repeatedly demonstrated this disconnect by walking away every time Israel and the United States have made two-state solution offers, decade after decade. The Palestinians' land demands are based on a fantasy map created by Egyptian and Jordanian conquest--using so-called "armistice borders"--after the 1948 war. Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas has stated, "Israel will not keep one centimeter of Palestinian land from June 4, 1967, under any agreement." Note that Abbas declares land that was never Palestinian to be the starting point of negotiations. He continued, "Israel is just a nation of Jews and others. We will not go one step further in recognizing Israel," which disregards his own Basic Law, which openly declares Palestine to be an "Islamic State" based on "Sharia Law." The Palestinian state, unlike Israel, won't welcome its 5-million-strong diaspora's homecoming. Palestinians demand that both their refugee-camp dwellers and the large, successful Palestinian diaspora in the West "return" to Israel, where most have never set foot. Jewish residency--in the unabashed apartheid tradition--will be prohibited in the new Palestinian state, according to Palestinian leaders. A Palestine-appointed religious authority can be expected to enact further restrictions on Jewish Temple Mount and Western Wall access, as Abbas has frequently demanded. Abbas has stated his disgust at "filthy Jewish feet defiling our holy Al-Aqsa." Based on history, Palestinians would also bar Jews from Hebron and Joseph's Tomb near Nablus. The Biden administration, Blinken and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Thomas Nides have offered little meaningful context when describing their version of the two-state solution. Lacking any concrete terms for a peace plan and unwilling to make any demands on the recalcitrant Palestinians, they have made do with chastising Israel for not accepting whatever the Palestinians want. As former President Bill Clinton learned with the Oslo Accords and at Camp David, the Palestinians, then and now, see little reason to give an inch on any version of the two-state solution. According to U.S. expectations, only Israel's willingness to make sacrifices for peace will enable any version of the two-state solution. All of these points render the phrase "two-state solution" nothing but a naive figment of the Western imagination, empty of meaning or force. Why would the Palestinians, proposing to create a brand-new nation, demand that their claimed refugees--of whom perhaps 50,000 are still alive--along with their millions of descendants, flood into Israel, rather than their new, needy homeland? There are two answers, each showing why the use of the phrase "two-state solution" should be banned: The Palestinians want to use their version of the two-state solution in order to wage war with Israel, demographically alter the Israeli electorate, and subvert the very nature of Israeli society. As Abbas, the P.A.'s Basic Law and the Hamas Charter have made clear, the two-state solution is intended to provide the Palestinians a sovereign state as a temporary platform for the eradication of Israel. The phrase "two-state solution" is no longer helpful or clarifying. It is just noise. Above all, the Palestinians need to get realistic and acknowledge their desperate, increasingly unfavorable negotiating position. Achieving two states will require humility on their part, and the ability to make serious compromises before they lose more leverage... and more territory. “World War Three” Is About To Escalate To A Dangerous New Level -by Michael Snyder - http://endoftheamericandream.com/world-war-three-is-about-to-escalate-to-a-dangerous-new-level/ The dogs of war have been released, and many fear that our planet will never be the same again as a result. From the very outset of this article, I want to make it exceedingly clear that I am pro-peace, because I am extremely concerned about what a global war would mean for America. If we eventually get to a point where nuclear weapons are used, billions of people could die. That is a scenario that we should be trying to avoid at all costs. Even now, countless innocent civilians in Ukraine are being ruthlessly sacrificed as politicians on both sides engage in a reckless game of global domination. If the politicians that start wars were forced to actually fight in them, there would be a whole lot less military conflict all over the globe. Having said all that, let me give you an update on some of the latest developments. Violence has been erupting in Jerusalem for days, and ABC News is admitting that Israel and Hamas could soon “once again go to war”… Days of violence in Jerusalem and an exchange of fire in Gaza overnight have raised the possibility that Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers will once again go to war, as they did less than a year ago under similar circumstances. Let us hope that such a conflict can be delayed for as long as possible, because it could easily develop into a major regional war. In the aftermath of the recent rocket attack that came from Gaza, Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz warned that the Israeli military is ready to do whatever is necessary… “The IDF is ready with a wide range of means and targets, to ensure that peace and stability will continue,” Gantz warned. “If the incitement and [rocket] fire continue, the terror organizations will be severely harmed, as will the residents of Gaza, who are currently benefiting from the moves we have taken to develop the economy,” Gantz added. On the other side, fighters in Gaza have been feverishly constructing new tunnels in anticipation of the coming conflict… The underground passageways leave no trace on the surface. But in a wooded area near Khan Yunis, seven masked men in military fatigues carried a collection of machine-guns and grenade launchers into a tunnel entrance discretely tucked into the foot of a small hill. The fighters wear headbands of the Al-Quds Brigade, the armed branch of Islamic Jihad which is the second-largest armed faction in Gaza, after the Hamas Islamist movement that rules the territory. A full-blown war would be absolutely horrible for both sides, but it is just a matter of time before such a war erupts. Of more immediate concern is the conflict in Ukraine. On Tuesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that the second stage of Russia’s “special military operation” has now begun… Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that Moscow was starting a new stage of what it calls its special military operation in Ukraine which he predicted would be a significant development. “Another stage of this operation (in eastern Ukraine) is beginning and I am sure this will be a very important moment of this entire special operation”, Lavrov said in an interview with the India Today TV channel. Unfortunately for the Ukrainians, the Russians are striking with a ferocity that is shocking much of the globe. Just check out what Politico journalist Christopher Miller is reporting… A Ukrainian army lieutenant on the frontline in Donetsk region tells me he and his soldiers are being hit as we speak with Russian howitzers, mortars, and MLRS “at the same time.” They endured a similar bombardment earlier today “plus two Su-25… and our day became hell.” Can you imagine being right in the middle of that? I can’t. In another tweet, Miller reported that one of his contacts in the Ukrainian military is claiming that his troops are literally being fired upon “14 hours a day”… I just spoke to a Ukrainian commander on the frontline near Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, who said their positions are being hit by Russian airstrikes and heavy artillery 14 hours a day. They are “desperate” for more help, he said, outgunned, and running low on ammunition. After weeks of fighting, the situation for Ukrainian troops in eastern Ukraine is becoming increasingly desperate. At this point, getting new ammunition and fuel to those forces has become exceedingly difficult… Nearly all of the Ukrainian ammunition and fuel supplies have been bombed and destroyed. What is trickling in through its western borders has difficulties to reach the eastern front and is anyway not enough to supply an actively fighting and maneuvering army. And it turns out that the western powers were not prepared for a conflict of this nature. In fact, in some cases NATO countries are literally running out of stuff to send to Ukraine… Germany has declined to transfer tanks to Ukraine on grounds that it simply cannot spare them. Canada quickly ran short on rocket launchers and other equipment that the Ukrainians desperately need. The U.S. has provided one-third of its overall stockpile of Javelin anti-tank missiles. It cannot easily deliver more without leaving its own armories badly depleted — and it may take months or years to significantly ramp up production. The Ukrainians are being asked to fight a proxy war for us that they can’t possibly win. Meanwhile, the remaining Azov fighters that are trapped at the Azovstal factory in Mariupol are about to be bombed into oblivion… The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) on Tuesday released a purported communications intercept of a Russian ground unit commander, who said Russian aircraft were planning to “level everything to the ground” around Azovstal, the steel factory that is a redoubt of Ukrainian defenders in the besieged port city of Mariupol. The audio recording released Tuesday purports to feature the voice of the leader of a Russian platoon four kilometers (or about 2.5 miles) from Azovstal. The man’s voice says, “We are expecting ‘surprises’ from Russia here.” “What kind of surprises?” a woman’s voice replies. “Three-ton ones, from the sky,” the man replies, adding that his command “said to level everything to the ground.” Many Americans aren’t paying too much attention to the conflict in Ukraine because they believe that it will never affect them personally. But they should be paying attention, because this war has very serious implications for all of us. The Russians fully recognize that a proxy war between the United States and Russia has begun, and Russian television presenter Olga Skabeyeva recently used the term “World War Three” to describe what the battle for Ukraine has become… She justified the unanticipated length of the “special operation” by claiming it had expanded into a much greater conflict. “What [the war in Ukraine has] escalated into can safely be called World War Three,” going on to insist, “that’s entirely for sure.” She added, “Now we’re definitely fighting against Nato infrastructure, if not Nato itself. We need to recognize that.” Sadly, she is right on target. World War Three has arrived, and politicians in the U.S. just keep on talking about escalating things. In fact, Joe Biden’s closest ally in the U.S. Senate has announced that he actually supports sending U.S. troops into Ukraine. This isn’t going to end well, but most of you already knew that. Nearing Midnight: Is the Dollar about to Be Dethroned as the World’s Reserve Currency? – Todd Strandberg - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ The dollar has been the world’s reserve currency since the U.S. and its allies agreed at the 1944 Bretton Woods conference. According to the International Monetary Fund, the dollar’s share of global reserves stands at 59%, far above the euro at 20.5%. After the euro, there’s a steep drop to the No. 3 slot, which is occupied by Japan’s yen at 5.83%. What really cements the dollar as the world’s reserve currency is an agreement reached with Saudi Arabia. The U.S. promised to protect Saudi Arabia if it would require that all oil sales be made in dollars. If a nation wants oil from the kingdom, they would have to go to the F.X. market and buy dollars. The majority of global oil sales—around 80%—are done in dollars. As the world’s primary reserve currency, the U.S. enjoys the “exorbitant privilege” that goes along with that, such as interest rates that are lower than they might otherwise be and the government being able to fund budget deficits in perpetuity. The U.S. has a massive shortfall in trading with the rest of the world. The U.S. goods trade deficit reached a record $1.09 trillion in 2021—an increase of $168.7 billion (18.3%) from the 2020 trade deficit—according to new U.S. Census Bureau data. In 1991 our trade deficit was only $28 billion. There is very little concern about the deficit because we can simply print the money to pay for our imports. We do export a lot of goods and services to our trading partners. In December of 2001, the value of our exports was $228.1 Billion, but we imported $308 Billion worth of stuff, leaving us with a deficit of $80 Billion. Over the years, the quantity of dollars has built to a huge amount. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, foreign countries held a total of $8 trillion dollars. It would be very natural to assume that the $1 dollar bill has the highest quantity in circulation. There are actually more $100 bills in circulation than $1 bills. The dollar has been slowly losing its status as the reserve currency. After peaking at 73% of all currency transactions in 2001, the dollar has been in constant decline. The one thing that is preventing a collapse in the dollar is that no other currency is set to capture the world’s reserve currency title. One of the greatest dangers to the dollar is inflation. High levels of inflation are eating away at the purchasing power of the dollar. Once people realize what is happening, they will use their dollars to buy hard assets like gold, silver or real estate. Another reason for nations to back away from the dollar is sanctions. The U.S. has frequently used the dollar to punish rogue nations. Over the years, the White House has increasingly turned to economic sanctions to punish other nations. In the 90s, there were about 20 sanctions issued every year. In 2021 there were over 100 sanctions issued. One explanation for the massive increase in the number of sanctions is the start of issuing them against individuals. Russia is currently the top target because of its invasion of Ukraine. Putin has been very crafty at avoiding sanctions. He sold off all of Russia’s holdings of U.S. bonds and purchased large quantities of gold, which has no financial loyalty to any nation. The latest move by Putin is to require all purchases of Russian commodities to be made in rubles. This is very clever because many nations need Russian natural gas, oil, and fertilizer. By forcing them to buy rubles, Putin will gain access to foreign currency. China is making moves that may harm the dollar. It is in active talks with Saudi Arabia to price some of its oil purchases in yuan. This move would dent the U.S. dollar’s dominance of the global petroleum market. Because America is not mentioned in Bible prophecy, it is very likely that the U.S. is going to suffer a financial meltdown or some other calamity. If the Antichrist is able to control the world’s financial centers, the Mark of the beast will clearly become the world’s reserve currency. “He causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name” (Rev 13:16-17). Daily Jot: Stupidocrisy: Possible Nuclear War - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com This week’s Stupidocrisy goes to Russian “president” Vladimir Putin. From the beginning of his invasion of Ukraine, he has acted the world-class bully. Just Saturday, the US Sun reported and showed pictures of a Russian TU-160 nuclear bomber buzzing the skies near the Ukraine border in what could be construed as one of the most chilling and intimidating war moves yet by the embattled Putin. Putin has been seen carrying his attaché case with the nuclear code. Putin’s diplomats have repeatedly made mention of the word “nuclear” if the US or NATO got involved in directly assisting Ukraine. There have been reports of extreme atrocities by Russian soldiers and the targeting of Ukrainian civilians. Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky has been sounding the nuclear alarm since the sinking of Russia’s Moskva battleship last Thursday. On Saturday, Zelensky told Ukrainians to prepare for a nuclear attack by stockpiling iodine to mitigate radiation. He said, “We shouldn’t wait for the moment when Russia decides to use nuclear weapons…We must prepare for that.” In addition, TASS news agency cited Russian ambassador-at-large Nikolai Korchunov as saying on Sunday that increased activity of NATO forces in the Arctic risks “unintended incidents” occurring in the region. Korchunov said, “The recent increase in NATO’s activity in the Arctic is a cause for concern. Another large-scale military exercise of the alliance was recently held in northern Norway. In our view, this does not contribute to the security of the region.” Korchunov was referring to combined NATO military drills with Finland and Sweden beginning in March. The drills were long-planned, but Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 drew more heightened awareness of the NATO military exercise. This is an age-old Soviet tactic of propagandizing everything and using it to justify their actions. Thousands of Ukrainian civilians have died because of Putin. It would appear that Putin’s Soviet-style military doctrine is not as successful as he would have hoped. It appears that Putin misjudged his military strength and the will of the Ukrainian people to defend their homeland—something socialists, communists, and fascists often underestimate. Putin is trying to bully people into submission. He is doing so at the extraordinary threat of nuclear annihilation. In any other time in history, this would be considered not only dangerous, but the musings of a madman. To threaten the world with such destruction without provocation, but projecting one’s own provocation, Putin is putting everyone’s well-being at risk, especially given the vacuum of good leadership around the world. And the sad thing is, sometime or someday, somebody is going to pull the trigger on something bad because of all this push. As Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Desperately wicked indeed. Here we have one person, Putin, who like Hitler or Stalin or Hirohito or Mussolini, has become a danger to all humanity. It is, say it with me…Stupidocrisy. Daily Devotion: Authentic Christianity - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome —1 John 5:3 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/authentic-christianity/ Listen Can a Christian lose his or her salvation? When you put your faith in Jesus, you don’t have to worry about losing your salvation. God gives us this promise: “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God” (Romans 8:16 NKJV). And 1 John 5:13 tells us, “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God” (NKJV). We can know this as a fact. But what about people who make an initial profession of faith, look as though God has really changed their lives, and then bail out a few weeks or months later? Were they saved and then no longer are? The better question is this: Were they really Christians to begin with? It reminds me of what Jesus said in the parable of the sower. He talked about seed that a sower scattered, which landed in the gravel and didn’t take root. It shot up and then quickly withered. Jesus explained, “The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word” (Mark 4:16–17 NLT). If you really are a follower of Jesus Christ, then you will confess Him as Lord (see 1 John 4:15 KKJV). And if Christ lives inside of you, then you will obey God’s commands (see 1 John 5:3). Salvation is not simply having an emotional experience. Although we can’t earn it, we do need to live it out and continue in the commitment we’ve made to Jesus Christ. 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
March 2025
Categories |
RSS Feed