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Pressure Cooker — The Multifaceted Situation Israel Faces Is Unlike Any The World Has Seen Before – By Amir Tsarfati - https://harbingersdaily.com/amir-tsarfati-pressure-cooker-the-multifaceted-situation-israel-faces-is-unlike-any-the-world-has-seen-before/
(Galilee, Israel) — Israel is a pressure cooker right now. If you have seen Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lately, you’ll know the toll that this war has taken on him. He and those in his government are constantly having to consider in their decisions the needs of the families of the hostages, the needs of the military, and the ultimate goal of absolute victory against Hamas, Hezbollah, and any other enemy along our borders whose aim is to annihilate us. All the while, the PM and his people are feeling internal pressure from the opposition, who, after taking a brief moment off after October 7 to express their desire for national unity, have once again removed their daggers from their sheaths and are looking for any way to bring the PM down. If that weren’t enough, the pressure from outside the country, particularly from Washington, D.C., to wind down the war and implement a two-state solution is strong and constant. Internationally, Israel is in a no-win situation. The only ones who have any desire for a two-state solution live far from the eastern shores of the Mediterranean. Israel doesn’t want a two-state solution because that would allow directly on its border an autonomous nation whose single desire is to obliterate the Jews. Hamas doesn’t want a two-state solution either because rather than living next to Israel, they want to live instead of Israel. It is that “us instead of them” mindset that makes it impossible for Israel to allow the Gazans to press up against their border. If the people of Gaza were peace-loving, respectful neighbors, I believe that a huge majority of Israelis would vote to allow them their own land and governance. Instead, we find that all but a very small minority of Palestinians rear their children to hate Jews and to desire their violent extermination. It is so endemic in the culture that it would take 30-40 years for a new generation to be raised which would not hate Israel. But despite all this being said, please understand that Israel is experiencing victory after victory in Gaza. Hamas is on the run as they see thousands of their terrorist compatriots dying and thousands more being captured. As the Gazan civilians evacuate to the south, many are beginning to protest loudly and publicly against Hamas. Yes, the situation is complex and taxing on the leadership, but Israel is most definitely on the winning side. Please pray for the governmental and military leadership of Israel. Pray for safety and pray for wisdom. The multifaceted situation they face is unlike any the world has seen before. War Statistics According to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) figures, 9,000 terrorists have been killed since the October 7 massacre with thousands more injured. Among the dead were two Hamas brigade commanders, 19 battalion commanders, and 50 company commanders. On the Israeli side, 560 IDF soldiers have lost their lives and another 2,536 have been wounded. This goes to show the incredible difficulty and danger of this new form of warfare that demands simultaneous action on the streets above the ground and in the labyrinth of tunnels below. Since the war began, 14,000 rockets have been fired at civilian locations in Israel from Gaza, 2,000 from Lebanon, and 30 from Syria. In contrast, as the IDF moved through Gaza, they made 79,000 phone calls to civilians, dropped 7 million leaflets, and sent 13 million SMS messages, all giving notice of its intentions to enter an area and warning the non-combatants to clear out of harm’s way. And it is not just Gazans who have been forced to flee their homes due to war. There are 200,000 Israelis who have been evacuated to safety from both the southern and northern borders of the country. Gaza As rumors of ceasefires and the end of hostilities circulate through the media, Netanyahu took time to clarify Israel’s objectives. “I hear statements about various deals, so I want to make this clear: we will not end this war with anything less than achieving all our goals. This means eliminating Hamas, returning all our captives, and ensuring that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel,” he said in a speech in the West Bank. He went on to say, “We will not settle for anything less than an absolute victory.” There is a growing protest movement within Israel to block the “humanitarian aid” into Gaza. Why is this? Is it because Israelis just want the Gazans to suffer? No, it’s because most Israelis understand that the aid sent to the area inevitably ends up in the hands of Hamas and not the general population. This is an absurd situation. When in modern history has a country both fought and fed its enemy at the same time? That is a sure recipe for extending the length of a war and compounding casualties. More and more Israelis are now rising up against this ridiculous state of affairs which exists only due to pressure by the US and the international community. If it wasn’t for our great need for Iron Dome munitions and other arms in preparation for the looming war against Hezbollah, we wouldn’t find ourselves in this predicament. Meanwhile, Israeli fighter jets, drones, missiles, and ground troops continue to devastate Hamas and its infrastructure in Khan Yunis and central Gaza. Operation Atlantis is fully active, using sea water to flood underground tunnels. Soon, the IDF will complete its takeover of Khan Yunis, and turn its attention southward. Northern Front On Monday, an Israeli airstrike eliminated a number of Iranian advisers south of Damascus, Syria. The missiles targeted a base housing members of Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) killing seven inside. Several days earlier and across the border to the west, the IDF targeted several sites in southern Lebanon belonging to Hezbollah. At least four terrorists were killed in the airstrikes. Once again, I must stress that the north will almost certainly be the next front of the war. Because of the strength and training of Hezbollah, the IDF will not be able to just plow through like they did in Gaza. This is where the real war will take place, and it will bring hardship to both Israeli and Lebanese civilians. But this fight must go forward in order to remove terrorist Hezbollah and other Iranian proxy militias. Otherwise, Israelis will never feel safe in their own homes again. International Relations The South African ploy to force Israel into a ceasefire has flopped. Rather than declaring Israel’s actions in Gaza to be “genocidal”, as the South African ANC government claimed, the International Court of Justice demanded that Hamas release all hostages. Certainly, the high court had some negative things to say about Israel, but that is what we would expect from any body of jurists related to the United Nations. Despite the rumors that Washington was going to slow arms sales to Israel in order to pressure a ceasefire and a two-state solution, the US will send the IDF a huge supply of armaments. There will be a number of F-35 jets, 25 F-15 jets, 12 Apache helicopters, tens of thousands of guns and heavy machine guns, and large amounts of ammunition, projectiles, and other war materiel. “Israel has a right and obligation to defend themselves against the threat of Hamas…and we remain committed to support Israel in its fight,” said a White House National Security Council spokesperson. UNRWA The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is a front for terrorism. Thus far, twelve UNRWA employees are known to have directly participated in perpetrating the October 7 massacre, and it is likely that number will increase. Israel has been making this claim for months, and finally other nations are beginning to listen. So far, the US, UK, Germany, Italy, Japan, Finland, the Netherlands, Austria, France, Australia, Canada, Romania, New Zealand, and Switzerland have frozen their funding of the tainted relief agency. U.S. and Iran A drone attack on a US base in Jordan on Sunday led to the deaths of three soldiers and the wounding of 40 others. The Iran-supported terrorist militia, Kataib Hezbollah, took responsibility for the attack that occurred near the border with Syria. The US military is still trying to figure out how this drone made it through the air-defense system. Some believe it was human error due to a US drone returning to base around the same time. However, it is also quite possible that this is a new type of UAV that is able to mimic the signature of other drones. If that is the case, this could signal great difficulties in countering drone infiltrations in the future. The White House was quick to condemn the attack, with President Biden writing in a statement that the US “will hold all those responsible to account at a time and in a manner (of) our choosing.” Because the perpetrators were proxies of Iran, tensions in the Middle East have risen significantly. Iran has already promised a very strong response if they are direct recipients of the United States’ retaliation. At the same time, senior commanders in pro-Iranian militias in Syria are leaving for Iran in fear of an American attack. This situation places the US administration in a difficult place. If they put forth a tepid response, both the Middle East and the moderate electorate in the November election will see Biden as weak. If the response is strong, the president risks losing support of the American left while escalating the situation with Iran. International News At least six Christian students, three teachers, and the driver of a bus belonging to the Apostolic Nursery and Primary School were kidnapped Tuesday by Islamists in Ekiti state, Nigeria. The school was later contacted with ransom demands. This follows a pattern in Nigeria of the kidnapping and murder of Christians. “Last year alone, 5,014 Christians were killed in Nigeria–accounting for nearly 90 percent of Christian deaths worldwide as well as 90 percent of Christian kidnappings across the globe,” said US Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) in a statement. Children kidnapped; thousands murdered. Why isn’t this leading the news headlines? Two reasons. First, the victims are only poor Africans. Second, the perpetrators aren’t Jews. It’s truly appalling. Two Islamist terrorists entered Santa Maria church in Istanbul, Turkey, on Sunday and opened fire, killing one and wounding another. They then fled. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the act. Since the attack, both perpetrators have been arrested by Turkish authorities, and another 47 people suspected to be connected to the responsible group have been taken into custody. In order to protect its southern border, the state of Texas reinforced its barrier with concertina wire. Last week, the US Supreme Court ruled that the Border Patrol had the right to cut that wire. Governor Greg Abbott responded by placing even more wire along the border. This defiance has brought the state into direct conflict with Washington. While some on the left have urged President Biden to nationalize Texas’s national guard, the Texans have responded to the effect of “Yeah, try it and see how that goes.” Texas is not standing alone in their bid to defend their border. Twenty-five of the fifty states have signed a letter pledging their support to the Lone Star State. Iran Has Become A Proxy Of Russia… And They May Have Just Crossed The Line – By Mark Hitchcock - https://harbingersdaily.com/iran-has-become-a-proxy-of-russia-and-they-may-have-just-crossed-the-line/ Right now, the Middle East is a boiling cauldron whose lid could blow off at any moment, a powder keg whose fuse could be easily and quickly lit. Just this week, the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken issued a strong warning, saying that the “incredibly volatile” Middle East hasn’t been so dangerous since the 1973 Yom Kippur War. That’s quite a statement. The Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, whose country has been involved in the hostage negotiations with Hamas, said that regional tensions are “dancing on the edge and ready to boil over.” “The situation is very concerning, and every day it’s getting more concerning,” the Qatari Minister stressed. As we look at the Middle East today, we have to say he’s right. The Middle East is burning. We’re all well aware that last Sunday, one of Iran’s proxies, part of what’s called the Axis of Resistance—which includes militia groups in Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, Gaza, and Syria—hit a US military logistics desert outpost in Jordan called “Tower 22.” Three American service members were killed, and dozens were wounded. This finally, it seems, has crossed the line with the current administration. We are now waiting for the US response. There are a lot of different options on the table. There could be direct strikes against Iran, which is probably not likely. There could be attacks on these proxies or against Iranian personnel abroad—assassinations, like when President Trump took out IRGC General Qasem Soleimani. There could be economic measures that are taken. We could also strike some of Iran’s oil infrastructure. Citing an unnamed official, ABC reported this week that “the US response to a drone attack that killed three American service members in Jordan last weekend will be carried out ‘over the course of several days’ and striking ‘multiple targets.'” We will have to wait to see what happens. By using all these proxies to attack, Iran is gaining all the benefits of harassing the United States and Israel, but they are not having to pay a direct cost. The US must make Iran pay a direct cost. Since October 17, 2023, 10 days after Hamas attacked Israel, the Pentagon has recorded 165 attacks on US personnel in the region. There have been 66 in Iraq, 98 in Syria, and then Sunday’s deadly attack in Jordan. Approximately 80 servicemembers have sustained injuries as a result of these attacks. The US response must be strong and strategic. You and I need to be praying for our leaders and for our troops during this time, as Iran has to bear some cost for what they’re doing. At the same time that the US is responding to these attacks that happened in Jordan, Israel is talking about expanding the conflict beyond the war in Gaza. The Daily Mail published an article that read, “Top Israeli minister says Iran is a ‘legitimate target’ for missile strikes as fears grow of an all-out war between the countries.” “Israel’s economy minister, Nir Barkat, told The Telegraph that Palestinians from the West Bank would never be permitted to work in the country again and imported foreign workers would take their place,” the Mail described. “He also argued that the war against Hamas has not been aggressive enough.” This is the man that many believe is going to take over Benjamin Netanyahu’s place as the leader of the Likud party in Israel. “Iran is a legitimate target for Israel. They will not get away with it. The head of the snake is Tehran,” Barkat stated. “My recommendation is to adopt the strategy that President Kennedy used in the Cuban missile crisis. What he basically said then was a missile from Cuba will be answered by a missile from Moscow,” the economy minister urged. “And we should very clearly make sure the Iranians understand that they will not get away with using proxies against Israel and sleep good at night if we don’t sleep good at night.” “We believe them when they say they want to destroy Israel… we are not going to allow another Holocaust,” Barkat concluded. Israel is pushing closer towards launching missiles into Iran and also to a full-scale war with Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The economy minister argued a second war with Israel’s main enemy in Lebanon and Syria, which is Hezbollah, “must be eliminated.” An ABC News headline this week read, “Israel is closer to war with Hezbollah than ever before…” Tens of thousands of regular Israeli troops and sixty thousand reservists have been sent to the northern portion of Israel. Israel has evacuated more than 100,000 people from the region. It appears that Israel is planning to go into the southern part of Lebanon to try to eliminate Hezbollah. America wants to avoid a wider war. We hear American leaders say they don’t want this to escalate. However, it looks like Israel does want to escalate in order to take care of the menaces along its border. At the same time that all of this is developing in the Middle East, the Gog Magog alliance is building. Ezekiel 37 talks about Israel being regathered into her land. After this regathering, in Ezekiel 38-39, we are told that a coalition of nations is going to invade Israel. The Israel-Hamas war that started on October 7 of last year is boosting the ties between Russia, Turkey, and Iran—which are the three key nations mentioned in Ezekiel 38. They are mentioned under their ancient names and places. Rosh, Meshech, Tubal, Togarmah, Gomer, and Persia—these are the places today of Russia, Iran, and Turkey. These key nations are developing much closer ties as a result of the Hamas invasion against Israel. Just this week, Turkish President Recep Erdoğan and Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi met in Ankara, Turkey. In a great irony, you have the number one sponsor of terror in the Middle East, Iran, meeting with Turkey to discuss how they can “fight against terrorism” in the Middle East. The Jerusalem Post published an opinion piece on Tuesday titled: “Putin’s Russia and the Islamic Republic of Iran—The Geopolitical Tapestry Of Misinformation And Imperial Ambitions.” “It is imperative to recognize the dynamics of regional alliances, especially the relationship between Iran and Russia,” the writers noted. “Increasingly, Tehran [the capital of Iran] seems to be acting not just as an ally but as a proxy for Putin’s ambitions in the Middle East, similar to how groups like Hamas and Hezbollah serve as proxies for Iran.” This is fascinating. This is the first time I’ve read someone explaining that, while Tehran has its own proxies, Iran is really acting as a proxy for Russia to push its agenda in the Middle East. This is the Gog coalition that is predicted in Scripture. I said this before, but an article like this really brings it into clear focus. Ezekiel 38:4 describes how God is going to put “hooks” in the “jaws” of Russia to draw it into this conflict in the land of Israel. It appears to me that Iran could easily be those hooks in the jaws, as Russia is deepening its ties with the country. Iran is a proxy of Russia; therefore, when Iran wants to strike Israel at some point in the future, that’s going to draw Russia inexorably into this coalition to be part of the invasion of Israel in the end times. We have every reason to be looking for the coming of Jesus Christ at any moment. DOWNLOAD THE PROPHECY UPDATE APP Prophecy Update Videos Must Watch Videos! Videos You Can Trust
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DONATE HERE Your can also mail your support to: Prophecy Update PO Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384 You Might Want To Keep An Eye On The Very Alarming Natural Disasters That Are Happening In Hawaii And California - by Michael Snyder - https://endoftheamericandream.com/you-might-want-to-keep-an-eye-on-the-very-alarming-natural-disasters-that-are-happening-in-hawaii-and-california/ I believe that major natural disasters will be one of the dominant themes of 2024. Right now, a gigantic “Pineapple Express” storm is absolutely pummeling the state of California, and an even stronger “Pineapple Express” storm will hit the state right behind it. But authorities in California will really get bent out of shape if we say that these storms could potentially be part of a catastrophic multi-week pattern that many have suggested may or may not be developing. Meanwhile, the state of Hawaii is being rocked by hundreds and hundreds of earthquakes. In fact, we are being told that there were more than 220 earthquakes in just one 24 hour period earlier this week… More than 220 earthquakes have rocked Hawaii in the last 24 hours; the increase in seismic activity and other signals at the Kilauea Volcano have prompted USGS scientists at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) to increase the volcano alert level there. While the volcano is not erupting yet as of press time, USGS warns that an “eruption can occur in the future with little warning.” According to HVO scientists, seismicity began to increase just before midnight. Since 3 am local-time, 25-30 locatable earthquakes have occurred per hour at depths 1–2 miles below the surface. Earthquake clusters have migrated between the area just south of Halema’uma’u, a pit within the summit caldera crater, and the region southwest of the outer caldera boundary. The most intense activity occurred between 6 and 8 am when earthquakes were clustering just south of Halemaʻumaʻu. There have been over 180 locatable earthquakes in this region in the past 6 hours, with magnitudes ranging from a maximum of 3.4 to less than 1. Several of these earthquakes were large enough to be felt by HVO staff in the field, who also reported rockfalls on the south side of Halemaʻumaʻu. There have been 502 earthquakes on the Big Island of Hawaii over the last 7 days; 228 of those have happened in the last 24 hours. The Hawaiian islands were created by volcanic activity, and there has been so much instability in the region in recent years. Now USGS scientists are telling us that “magma is moving toward the surface” and Kilauea could soon blow… USGS scientists have raised the alert level of Kilauea volcano from “yellow” to “orange” after increased earthquake activity was detected at the summit early Wednesday morning. This means that there is a potential threat of an eruption and scientists are closely monitoring the activity. Officials said while the volcano is not erupting, the quakes and evidence of inflationary ground deformation signal that magma is moving toward the surface. I don’t know why so many people consider Hawaii to be such a safe place to live. In my latest book, I rated it number 41 out of all 50 states for survivability. I probably could have rated it even lower. But Hawaii is where Mark Zuckerberg has decided to build his 270 million dollar survivalist compound… Zuckerberg has been constructing a 1,400-acre compound — featuring a 5,000-square-foot underground shelter, “blast-resistant door” and “escape hatch” — across his property, known as Ko’olau Ranch, according to an investigation by Wired. The compound will be equipped with “its own energy and food supplies.” This is not your usual bug out spot. The cost of the project, including land purchases and extensive development, exceeds $270 million, according to Wired. Good luck with all that. Of course living in the state of California is not exactly a good choice either. In my latest book, I rated it number 50 out of all 50 states for survivability. Right now, the state is being hit by gigantic storm after gigantic storm. For example, late last month a state of emergency was declared after an “unprecedented storm” caused horrifying flooding in the San Diego area… A day after declaring a state of emergency due to an unprecedented storm that inundated San Diego County, the city’s mayor Todd Gloria visited the hard-hit communities in Southeastern San Diego and detailed what is being done to help. “I’m heartbroken by the losses I saw this morning,” Gloria said. “This is very real. What we have is a large number of San Diegans that are going to be in recovery mode – not hours or days, but measured in weeks or months.” So much damage was caused that it was actually being called a “thousand-year storm”… San Diego chief operating officer Chris McFadden said the infrastructure impacts were significant. In San Diego alone, anywhere from $6 to $7 million in damage was done. “This is what we’d classify as a thousand-year storm,” McFadden said. “What’s clear now is what rain patterns were is not what they are today. We need to prepare for that.” A thousand-year storm means that a storm of a specific magnitude has a 1 in 1,000 chance or higher of occurring in a given year, according to the U.S. Geological Service. But that wasn’t the end of it. At this moment, an atmospheric river is bringing more flooding to the state… A Pineapple Express storm system is thumping California with 10 inches of rain and 70mph wind gusts, leading to 22million people being placed under flood advisories. All lanes of the 710 Freeway at Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach have been closed, and numerous streets and highways across the state have become inundated due to the pouring rains on Thursday morning. Both Los Angeles and San Diego face flooding from the historic storm that pounded northern California a day earlier. The National Weather Service office based in Los Angeles warned: ‘Start preparing now. Adjust plans. Grab sandbags. Mountain communities, grab extra supplies in case you are stranded.’ And right after this storm leaves, another atmospheric river which “could be much stronger than the first storm” is going to come barreling in… A second atmospheric river, which meteorologists said could be much stronger than the first storm, was expected to barrel into California on Sunday and into Monday. Impacts from the pair of storms include travel troubles, mudslides, power issues, coastal erosion and property damage. But if anyone out there dares to speculate that this could be part of a catastrophic multi-week pattern known as an “ARkStorm” (atmospheric river 1,000 year (k) storm), authorities in California will get really, really mad. So I’m not going to do that. Let’s just watch and see what happens. If more atmospheric rivers continue to hit the state, that would be really bad news. The state of California normally doesn’t receive very high levels of precipitation, and so when lots of rain arrives in a short period of time it can cause tremendous flooding. Our world is being shaken in so many ways, and I believe that we will see a lot more global instability throughout the remainder of 2024. What’s Missing? - Nathele Graham - [email protected] I see many signs in front of various church buildings with catchy phrases that are meant to get a person to think about things and hopefully start attending services. One sign I’ve seen says “What’s missing from ch ch? The answer is UR. Yes, that’s an attention grabber, but I have a different answer. Maybe UR missing from ch ch because the Holy Spirit is missing. I saw this in front of a denomination which has many erroneous beliefs. For instance, they think they are the only ones that will go to Heaven, they don’t believe in the finished work of Christ on the cross, and there are many other errors in their teachings. I attended this denomination for a while, and the preacher organized a weekly prayer meeting and all denominations were welcomed. He was fired. It’s important to hold Scripture as the guide to our faith. There were no denominations in the early church, and if any teachings were contrary to the teachings of Christ, you can be sure that one of the Apostles would be sure to write a letter or visit the congregation in order to fix the problem. These men took God’s truth seriously, and expected the congregations to take it seriously, too. When Paul found that the Galatians were moving away from the Gospel, and were following false doctrine, he was very upset. “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel. Which is not another, but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we or an angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:6-8. The way to avoid deception is to study Scripture. If the denomination you attend teaches anything different than what is seen in Scripture, then you need to be very, very cautious. One thing that is troublesome in understanding Scripture is we only read translations of the original texts. There are some very good translations, but many are erroneous. The King James translation is good, but most of us don’t speak that way, and the meanings of many of the words have been changed over the centuries. Having a good grasp of ancient Greek and Hebrew helps. If you, like me, don’t speak those languages, then a Bible dictionary and a good concordance help. The above verses can be confusing if you don’t understand the meaning of the word “another”. There are two Greek words used in these verses and each has a different meaning, but they are simply translated “another”. In verse 6, Paul marveled that they had turned from the grace of Christ to “another” Gospel. The Greek word “heteros” is used. Heteros means another but different. For example, if there was a plate of various kinds of sandwiches, and I ate a tuna sandwich, then asked for a heteros sandwich, I would want a sandwich that wasn’t tuna. In verse 7, Paul says “which is not another”. Here the Greek word “allos” is used. This means another of the same kind. For instance, if I had a tuna sandwich, and asked for an allos sandwich, I would want another tuna sandwich. So, Paul took them to task for accepting a false teaching as the truth. Even if that teaching seems to come from an angel, don’t embrace it. I’m put in mind of the Mormons who claim an angel gave Joseph Smith the true gospel. Don’t be deceived. Their doctrine is not Christian teaching. Study Scripture and don’t follow false teachings. Many congregations today are “woke”. That is definitely not the pure Gospel of Christ. They teach a very different truth. Sin isn’t considered sin, and repentance isn’t important. What does Scripture say? The Gospel is defined in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians. This congregation was very “woke” and was following a different Gospel. Paul took the Gospel to Corinth, but they didn’t respect it. “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:” 1 Corinthians 15:3-4. That’s the Gospel. Christ’s love and what He did to rescue us from eternal death brought on by sin. We are saved by grace and not by works, but we show our faith by our works. “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” James 2:17. James wrote this letter specifically to the Jewish believers, but all Christians need to pay attention to his words. Jesus paid the full price for our redemption, but shouldn’t we thank Him for His sacrifice by doing what we can for His glory? Yes, we should. There’s a trend today to rely on God’s grace for salvation. That’s not wrong. In fact, it’s found in Scripture. If our faith doesn’t show in our actions, the question comes up “Did you truly accept Christ?” What if Paul accepted Christ but continued in the hatred that drove him to sin? Would his missionary work have produced fruit? God called him to take the Gospel to the Gentiles, and they weren’t loved by Paul prior to his conversion. Paul was changed by Christ. What if Matthew had continued in his dishonest practice of being a tax collector while saying he was a Christian? He collected taxes, but added to the amount owed and kept the profit. We can see what happened to Judas. He was not changed by Christ. Judas was a disciple, but wouldn’t allow himself to be changed. Judas betrayed Christ and committed suicide. When Jesus was about to be arrested, He had a serious talk with His disciples. He knew the difficulties they would face after He was gone, and gave them hope. “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever. Even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” John 14:16-17. There’s that word “another” again. This time it’s allos, which means another of the same kind. So, Jesus, God incarnate, was going to be executed, but would send an allos Comforter just like Himself…God. The Trinity is real. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The disciples heard the words, and I’m sure they didn’t fully understand. “These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said unto you.” John 14:25-26. It wasn’t until many days after the resurrection, on Pentecost, that these men understood what Jesus meant. “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with on accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:1-4. It was such a power that people in the street saw what was happening. Everyone was astonished and thought the disciples were drunk. It was Peter, wild and rash Peter, who stood up and gave a very non-politically correct, non-woke sermon that brought many to repentance. It wasn’t a seeker friendly sermon, and it didn’t tickle the ears of those listening. It did prick their hearts. “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” Acts 2:38-39. That day, about 3,000 souls were saved. “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” Acts 2:42. They were changed. Maybe instead of seeker-friendly, new age, woke agendas, preachers need to get back to preaching Gods unchanging truth and be led by the Holy Spirit, rather than by a spirit of deception. Deception is a big problem today. Jesus warned about not being deceived. When His disciples asked about the end of time, the first thing Jesus warned about was deception. “And he said Take heed that ye be not deceived, for many shall come in my name, saying I am Christ, and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.” Luke 21:8. There is a lot of deception preached from pulpits today. Making money seems to be the goal of many preachers, while the Gospel truth has gone missing. When Paul wrote to Timothy, he told him to preach God’s truth. “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.:” 2 Timothy 4:2-4. That seems to be happening today. Sound doctrine has been replaced by watered-down teaching, and by all means, be politically correct. So, I ask you. What’s missing from ch ch? Is it you or is it the Holy Ghost. Probably UR missing because the Holy Spirit isn’t allowed to guide the teaching. God bless you all, Nathele Graham [email protected] Recommended prophecy sites: www.raptureready.com www.prophecyupdate.com www.raptureforums.com All original scripture is “theopneustos” God breathed. If you would like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries just drop me an email and let me know. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.” Psalm 122:6. Daily Jot: The Farm Chronicles: Pond Creature - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com About 100 or more yards from the barn was a pond. This pond was both a temptation and a necessity on an old farm where the wells were shallow and water for horses and cattle was always needed. It was a temptation because there was a deep end fed by a small spring and a shallow end about up to a young boy’s waist. Mom and dad forbid me to go into the pond—it was too far away from the house if something went wrong. But that didn’t mean that I couldn’t walk around the pond and try to catch frogs and turtles and snakes and whatever rose to the top. That pond was the object of many adventures in my childhood, some resulting in life-long, unforgettable lessons. One day the grandson of Mr. Folk next door came over and introduced himself. Johnny was a couple of years older than me, but he saw me out by the pond and wanted to know what was going on. As I showed him how I caught frogs and looked for turtles, he got this idea that we could stand in the shallow end and use a net to catch turtles. I told him I wasn’t allowed in the pond, and like a Little Rascals script, he talked me into it. So we were out bobbing around in the shallow end looking for turtles when my mom saw our heads just above the water. Mom screamed my name, and I knew I was in deep trouble. And Johnny high-tailed it back to his grandpa’s ‘cause he didn’t want any part of what was coming. Now the pond at this time of summer was pretty low in water, but equally deep in mud. And once my barn boots filled up with water and got stuck in the mud, I fell in. So what was the use in trying to stay out of the water at that point? By the time I got back to the house where my mother was, the mud had dried a good deal. There was mud in my ears. There was mud in my eyebrows. There was mud in my eyelashes. There was mud in every crack and orifice of my body. My jeans were encrusted with it. My white T-shirt looked like it was Army issued. I couldn’t tell if my mom was so furious because I had disobeyed the family rule or, being the clean freak she was, because she couldn’t see her son through the mud. I knew one thing, though, I was about to find out. She made me strip down naked right there in the yard and used the milk house hose to pressure wash me. She didn’t say a whole lot except she repeated over and over again, “What a mess. What a terrible mess.” So I thought I was going to get off easy, except for the cold sting of the spring-fed well water from the milk house. It was a fleeting thought because when she got done hosing me down, she had me wait for her to go in the house and get a towel. But it wasn’t just a towel she brought back. One of my Dad’s old belts was in her right hand and I got the biggest whooping of my life. I learned that day that my mom loved me with a Proverbs13:24 love: “He who spares his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him promptly.” That was the only time I ever went swimming in the pond. And I sure learned the meaning of “don’t do that.” Daily Devotion: Closeness with God - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org Hebron still belongs to the descendants of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite because he wholeheartedly followed the LORD, the God of Israel. —Joshua 14:14 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/closeness-with-god/ - Listen One of the reasons this world still appeals to many of us, one of the reasons the offerings of this world system still tantalize many of us, is that we’re lacking closeness with God. However, if we can get our priorities right, we can see the world for what it is. That is what Caleb did. The Bible said that he “wholeheartedly followed the Lord, the God of Israel” (Joshua 14:14 NLT). The key to wholeheartedly following the Lord is maintaining a love relationship with Jesus Christ. When you do, this world will lose its appeal. Caleb was looking forward. He wanted fellowship, intimacy, and closeness with God. And that sustained him through the most difficult times. In contrast, it was a lack of fellowship, a lack of closeness with God, that caused the other Israelites in the wilderness to turn to idolatry, immorality, complaining, and ultimately testing God. When you are in love with Jesus Christ, you will see Him for who He is. And as a result, you will see this world for what it is. It’s like the hymn that says, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” On the other hand, when you’re only giving God your bare minimum, when your love for Jesus is not burning brightly, then this world and its temporary pleasures will look more and more appealing. To fully follow the Lord means that you will not compromise. You will stand your ground, wanting the approval of God more than the approval of others. It also means that you will take God at His word and stand on it. And you’ll desire fellowship and communion with God, which will give you the strength to carry on. Finish well. We don’t know how much time we have left—both as His church on this earth and as individuals before the Lord. God is able to complete whatever we have committed to Him. Let’s learn from the examples of those who did not finish well—people like Saul, Samson, and Gideon. And let’s also learn from the examples of those who did finish well—people like Caleb, Joseph, Peter, and Paul, who fully followed the Lord. We find the key to finishing well in Hebrews 12:1–2: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith” (NLT). May we all finish well. May we not be casualties in the spiritual race. If we keep our eyes on Jesus, we will make it. So run the race for Him. This is where we started, and this is where we must end. PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS HEADLINES Yesterday's Prophecies - Today's Headlines HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY 2/2/24 http://trackingbibleprophecy.org/birthpangs.php
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