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Scripture Must Have The Final Say In All Things… Including How Christians View Israel – By Jonathan Brentner - https://harbingersdaily.com/scripture-must-have-the-final-say-in-all-things-including-how-christians-view-israel/
Years ago, Johnny Carson often played the role of “Carnac the Magnificent” on the Tonight Show. Ed McMahon would read three seemingly unrelated words or phrases to which Carson would reply with a question that put all three together in an unexpected and humorous way. I loved that part of the show. Thinking far outside the box, how might Carnac have responded to “Roman Catholicism, justification, and Replacement Theology?” I do not have a clever or witty response that ties these three items together. However, I believe that taken together, they lead us to a deeper understanding of what the Bible says about God’s future restoration of a kingdom for Israel. Even though I was unaware of such a link when I wrote my master’s thesis, Roman Catholic Justification in the Light of Scripture, it was the beginning of how the Lord connected the dots between Paul’s teaching on justification by faith and God’s promise to restore a kingdom to Israel. God’s Decree Of “Not Guilty” Can Never Be Reversed. Never! The word “justification” signifies God’s legal declaration of “not guilty” to all those that call upon the Lord in saving faith. In Paul’s day, the term referred to a verdict of innocence in a courtroom setting. For us, the pronouncement signifies the exchanging of our sins for Jesus’ righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). Once God declares the sinner righteous in His sight, that person will receive a glorious eternity (see Romans 8:29-30). Nothing whatsoever can stop the completion of our redemption once He declares us forever “not guilty.” It’s a done deal! God has declared you to be forever “not guilty” of all your sins, even those you have yet to commit. The Bible also confirms that our justification happens at the moment of our regeneration: “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1; see also Titus 3:4-7). What would be the point of Paul assuring us that it’s impossible for anyone or anything to overrule His pronouncement of our righteousness if it had not already happened? (Romans 8:31-39) Through the research for my thesis, I discovered that the timing of justification became a fundamental difference between the Reformers and the Roman Catholic Church. The Catholic theologians maintained that God’s justification of the sinner didn’t happen until the time of his or her death. This enabled the church to mandate sacraments through which it alone can administer grace and thereby increase the likelihood of one receiving a favorable verdict at life’s end. The Reformers believed what Scripture said and refused to compromise on this matter. The notion that we can lose our salvation, or walk away from it, aligns with the Roman Catholic understanding of justification rather than what Paul wrote about in Romans 4-8. If we are not eternally secure at the moment of our regeneration, then our final justification depends on our behavior, which is Roman Catholicism 101. How is it possible for “double jeopardy” to exist in God’s courtroom when He knew everything about us, including everything about our future, at the moment He declared us forever “not guilty?” If Our Justification Is Permanent, Then God’s Promises To Israel Must Also Be Eternal As I was working on my thesis, one of my professors at Talbot Theological Seminary assigned the reading of The Triumph of the Crucified by Erich Sauer. This book soon became instrumental in solidifying my beliefs in Premillennialism, the belief that Jesus will reign over the nations of the earth for a thousand years as the Apostle John tells us He will do (Revelation 20:1-10). The book opened my eyes to the biblical connection between the unchangeable nature of God’s justification of the sinner and His irrevocable covenant promises to the nation of Israel. Have you ever wondered why Paul transitioned from asserting the eternal nature of our justification (Romans chapter 8) to spending three chapters explaining why God has not rejected the nation of Israel? The explanation that Erich Sauer gives for the apostle’s reasoning still resonates in my mind: The question of the Millennial kingdom is therefore not only a question of final history, but touches at the same time the very heart of the gospel (freedom from law, universality of the gospel, gift by grace). To deny it makes either God a liar in relation to His prophets or Paul a false witness in relation to us. Rom. 9-11 is no mere justifying of God, but a justification of Paul’s doctrine of justification. Please know that I am not saying that all Jewish people will automatically inherit eternal life. In Romans chapters 9-11, Paul declares the unfailing nature of God’s promises to Israel as a nation with the added assurance that many Jews will someday turn to Jesus in saving faith. I believe the crucial link between justification and God’s restoration of a kingdom to Israel is this: Just as it’s utterly impossible for the Lord to change His mind regarding His declaration of our righteous standing in His sight, so He can never renege on His covenants with the likes of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Even a cursory reading of the Old Testament reveals that God knew all about Israel’s rejection of His Son when He promised a glorious kingdom to the nation. Just as the Lord cannot reverse His declaration of righteousness over us on the basis of what He already knew at that moment, so it’s also impossible for God to renege on His promises to the descendants of Jacob on the basis of what He knew at the time He made the promises to them. Both our hope of glory and Israel’s anticipation of a still future kingdom rest upon the unalterable nature of God’s Word. To deny either one makes Him far less then trustworthy. Scripture Must Have The Final Say In All Things Some might object to my reasoning by stating that the Reformers themselves correctly understood Paul’s teaching regarding justification by faith and yet they taught Replacement Theology, the belief that the Lord has rejected Israel and replaced the nation with the church, which represents His current kingdom on the earth. In response, I would say what I have written so far does not depend on the beliefs of Luther and Calvin, but rather upon what the words of Scripture. Furthermore, church history reveals that the Reformer’s passion for letting God’s Word speak for itself led to a widespread revival of belief that the Lord would restore Israel to the Land. They taught the finality of God’s Word in all things related to faith and practice through these two principles: 1. Sola Scripture: The Bible alone must be our sole source for faith and practice. 2. Scripture interprets Scripture: Because God’s Word does not contradict itself, we must use the clearer passages of Scripture to interpret those that are less so. During the Dark Ages, Catholic theology pertaining to both God’s justification of the sinner and Replacement Theology rested solely on human wisdom rather than upon the words of Scripture. Although the Reformers did not apply their own principles of biblical interpretation to future things, those that followed them did. In his book Dispensationalism Before Darby, Dr. William C. Watson provides a list of twenty-one theologians who, from 1584 to 1675, either asserted a belief in Israel’s restoration and the nation’s future return to the Land or stressed the need to love the Jewish people because they remained God’s chosen race. In his academic trek through church history, the author provides an abundance of quotes from those who espoused a pre-Tribulation appearing of Jesus and His thousand-year reign during both the early centuries of the church as well as during the centuries following the Reformation. In a recent article, “The Rabbi Who Sparked Israel’s Quest for the Land,” I wrote about how enthusiasm for Israel’s return to the Land swept through England during the early 1600s, less than a hundred years after the Reformation. The Rabbi’s story, which came from Dr. Watson’s research, demonstrates how Bible-believing churches ditched Replacement Theology in the decades following the Reformation. The arguments I used in my thesis to refute the Roman Catholic understanding of justification rested solely upon the inerrant and inspired words of Scripture. If we are to correctly understand what the Bible teaches about future things, we must adopt this same attitude toward its prophetic texts. Is it not the height of inconsistency to rely upon the words of Scripture regarding our salvation and then retrofit the same inspired words regarding the restoration of Israel with human wisdom? Do they not both come to us through the inspiration of the same Holy Spirit via words that read on the pages of God’s Word? Replacement Theology Exalts The Church Rather Than Jesus If there’s one pattern that remains consistent in the Roman Catholic teachings regarding justification and Replacement Theology, it’s the exaltation of the church far above the person of Jesus. The placement of justification at the end of one’s life makes the church, rather than Jesus, the primary focus of one’s hope of eternal life. The mandating of sacraments as the means of the Catholic Church dispensing grace is just one example of how this errant view of the Gospel exalts the church at the expense of the honor that belongs exclusively to Jesus. This also happens when pastors proclaim that the church is now God’s kingdom on earth and deny a glorious restoration for Israel in the future. Those that espouse Replacement Theology tell us that Jesus is now reigning over the nations on earth in fulfillment of the Bible’s numerous assurances that He would someday rule over the nations from Mount Zion (Psalms 2 and 46, for example). Not only does such teaching directly contradict the words of Scripture, but it also greatly demeans the person of our Lord Jesus as I explain a recent article: “The Claim That Jesus Now Reigns Over the Nations Dishonors Our Savior.” Today’s most popular variation of Replacement Theology is Dominion Theology, the belief that the church, not Jesus, will inaugurate the Millennium with the Lord returning at its end. In other words, all the kingdom grandeur will go to the church with Jesus appearing as but an afterthought to the earthly rule established by the all glorious church. It’s tragic how many Christians ascribe to such a shameless usurping of Jesus’ glory. Preterism, the belief that the Second Coming happened in AD 70, sprang directly from competing viewpoints regarding Replacement Theology during the Dark Ages. In response to the Reformers identification of the pope as the antichrist, a Jesuit priest named Luis de Alcazar (1554-1613) proposed preterism as an alternative to the protestant belief that the book of Revelation was all about the apostasy of the Catholic church. Not only did Alcazar place Jesus’ return to earth in the past, but he also attributed the words of Revelation 20-22 to the “glories of papal Rome.” Though today’s preterists do not ascribe honor to papal Rome, they hijack Jesus’ glory by removing Him as the focus of the believer’s hope. I say this based both on studying their beliefs and carefully listening to those that claim to be adherents if preterism. Biblically sound teachings, whether in respect to the Gospel or future things, are those that glorify Jesus and place our hope of eternal life exclusively upon Him. Our adversary does all he can to usurp the Lord’s grandeur and cause us to focus our hope of eternal life solely upon ourselves. He has done this through Roman Catholic beliefs that place our justification at the time of our death and Replacement Theology that makes Jesus’ rule over the nations far, far less glorious than what the words of Scripture tell us about it. The imminent expectation of believers during New Testament times was upon Jesus’ appearing (Philippians 3:20-21). The same is true today. Biden's 'Two-State Solution' To Reward Palestinian Terrorism, Destroy Israel - by Bassam Tawil - https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20366/biden-two-state-solution In the span of two days, both the US administration and the British government came out with similar statements that they are considering recognizing a Palestinian state. The statements send a message to the Iran-backed Hamas terrorist group and other Palestinians that the Americans and British want to give them a prize for the October 7 attack on Israel in which 1,200 Israelis were murdered, decapitated, raped, tortured and burned alive. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has asked the State Department to conduct a review and present policy options on possible US and international recognition of a Palestinian state after the current Israel-Hamas war, the American Axios media outlet reported on January 31. According to the report: "The Biden administration is linking possible normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia to the creation of a pathway for the establishment of a Palestinian state as part of its post-war strategy. This initiative is based on the administration's efforts prior to Oct. 7 to negotiate a mega-deal with Saudi Arabia that included a peace agreement between the kingdom and Israel." Hours after the Axios report surfaced, UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron regrettably announced that his country could officially recognize a Palestinian state after a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip without waiting for the outcome of talks between Israel and the Palestinians on a two-state solution. "What we need is do is to give the Palestinian people a horizon towards a better future, the future of having a state of their own," Cameron said. The declared policy, however, of the US and Britain, ever since the painstakingly negotiated the 1993-95 Oslo Accords, has been that a two-state solution should come as part of a negotiated settlement between Israel and the Palestinians. If the Oslo Accords are so cavalierly abrogated, what do any international agreements mean, and why would any country sign one in the future? To many, this appears to be yet another lawless decision by Biden to advance his chances for reelection without any thought to the outcome for the people on whom these decisions are being inflicted. The plan appears to many in the same vein as claiming that illegal migrants are ostensibly legal in order to flood the US with future voters for the Democratic Party and to create an extremely undemocratic, authoritarian one-party government in America – all in the name of "democracy." The Axios report also indicates a change in US government policy. The US government had previously stated that it remains committed to a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and believes that Israelis and Palestinians alike deserve equal measures of freedom, security and prosperity. In 2021, the UK government also clarified that it is committed to the objective of a sovereign, prosperous and peaceful Palestinian state through a negotiated peace agreement. Cameron's remarks suggest that Britain is now ready to recognize a Palestinian state without waiting for a negotiated Israeli-Palestinian agreement. This turnabout in US and British policy aims to create facts on the ground by establishing a terrorist genocidal Arab state on Israel's doorstep, on either side of Israel, and encourage the Palestinians not to resume peace negotiations with Israel. Can the Biden administration and the British government guarantee that Iran and its Palestinian proxies will not use this new Palestinian state as a launching pad to attack Israel and murder Jews? No. It is clear that we are looking at another Afghanistan: all promises from the Taliban, and no delivery. There was a Hamas-led potential Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip before October 7. Instead of using the billions upon billions of dollars that were given it by the international community to build a "Singapore in the Mediterranean," that "state" built hundreds of kilometers of terror tunnels, initiated war against Israel, and has continued to attack Israel for more than four months after its terrorists bulldozed over its border with Israel. The Biden administration and the British government are now saying that they nevertheless want to copy-paste the Hamas-led state and import it to the West Bank and to the heart of Jerusalem. Do they see that this would mean bringing Iran and its terror proxies right to the hilltops overlooking Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities in a country smaller than New Jersey? No country, including Saudi Arabia, would be able to prevent a Palestinian state at this time from turning into another terror state. Some Arab states, such as Qatar, have shown no interest in preventing the Gaza Strip from turning into a Hamas terror enclave. The assumption that normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia in return for the establishment of another failed and corrupt Arab state would bring peace, security and stability to the Middle East is a deadly fantasy. Why should any Palestinian leader return to the negotiating table with Israel when the Americans and British are already offering them a state on a platter, unilaterally and unconditionally? By making such statements, the US and Britain are sending a message to the Palestinians that they can continue to carry out terrorist attacks against Israel and do not need to renounce terrorism, dismantle the multiple armed groups in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, recognize Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people or do anything at all. The Americans and British are evidently no longer demanding that the Palestinians halt their homicidal incitement against Israel and Jews, or even stop paying financial rewards to Palestinian terrorists who murder Jews. One month before the Hamas carnage, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas justified the Holocaust when he told leaders of his ruling Fatah faction: "They say that Hitler killed the Jews because they were Jews and that Europe hated the Jews because they were Jews. Not true. It was clearly explained that [the Europeans] fought [the Jews] because of their social role, and not their religion. The [Europeans] fought against these people because of their role in society, which had to do with usury, money and so on and so forth. This was not about semitism and antisemitism." The Americans and the British are also ignoring the fact that most Palestinians are opposed to the idea of a two-state solution because they want a Palestinian state to replace Israel, not have a state next to it. A public opinion poll published by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research in December 2023 showed that 64% of the Palestinians oppose the idea of a two-state solution. Another 69% of the Palestinians said they support a return to "confrontations and armed intifada" (terrorism) against Israel. The US administration and the British government are also ignoring that the Palestinian leadership has refused to resume the peace negotiations with Israel and turned down every Israeli offer for a settlement that could have given them a state many years ago. Perhaps they have refused to negotiate precisely in the hope of receiving such a silver-platter resolution, in which they not be required to make any concessions whatsoever. In 2014, Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations were suspended after the Palestinian Authority concluded yet another "unity agreement" with Hamas, a US and European Union-designated Iran-backed terrorist organization. The agreement called for the establishment of a "unity" Palestinian government. "Israel will not negotiate with a Palestinian government backed by Hamas, a terrorist organization that calls for Israel's destruction," Israel's security cabinet announced then. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated: "Instead of choosing peace, Abu Mazen [Abbas] formed an alliance with a murderous terrorist organization that calls for the destruction of Israel. The agreement between Abu Mazen and Hamas was signed even as Israel is making efforts to advance the negotiations with the Palestinians. Abu Mazen has refused to even discuss recognizing Israel as the national state of the Jewish people. Whoever chooses the terrorism of Hamas does not want peace." Abbas's PA continues to see Hamas as a legitimate player in the Palestinian arena. On January 27, Palestinian Authority presidential spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudaineh revealed that the PA was planning to "hold contacts with Hamas" to discuss ways of achieving Palestinian "unity." PA Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said on December 10, 2023 that "Hamas is part of the Palestinian political fabric, and when Israel says it is determined to eliminate it, it is impossible and unacceptable." Another senior PA official, Jibril Rajoub, said on December 14, 2023: "Our contacts with the Hamas movement have not ceased, and we look forward to work with our brothers in Hamas to formulate a [joint] political and organizational policy to achieve the unity of the [Palestinian] cause, and the unity of leadership and decision-making." It is no wonder then that the PA has until now refused to condemn Hamas's October 7 atrocities. It is not because the PA is afraid of Hamas. Instead, it is because Abbas and his cohorts consider Hamas an integral and indispensable part of Palestinian society, as well as a future partner in a Palestinian government. Abbas has, over the past decade, repeatedly voiced opposition to recognizing Israel as a Jewish state. Saying he withstood international pressure in the past to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, Abbas said: "They [the international community] are pressing and saying, 'No peace without the Jewish state.' There is no way. We will not accept." Abbas has since turned down Israeli offers to resume the peace talks and insisted that Israel accept unconditionally, and without negotiations, the creation of an independent Palestinian state on the entire West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem. During the botched Camp David summit in 2000, PLO leader and PA President Yasser Arafat rejected an offer from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and US President Bill Clinton for the establishment of a demilitarized Palestinian state on some 92% of the West Bank and 100% of the Gaza Strip, as well as the establishment of the Palestinian capital in east Jerusalem. An enraged Clinton banged on the table and said to Arafat: "You are leading your people and the region to a catastrophe." Commenting on Arafat's rejection of the offer, Barak said: "He [Arafat] did not negotiate in good faith; indeed, he did not negotiate at all. He just kept saying no to every offer, never making any counterproposals of his own..." "What they [Arafat and his colleagues] want is a Palestinian state in all of Palestine. What we see as self-evident, [the need for] two states for two peoples, they reject. Israel is too strong at the moment to defeat, so they formally recognise it [referring to Arafat's 1993 letter to Israeli PM Yitzhak Rabin, claiming that the PLO recognizes Israel]. But their game plan is to establish a Palestinian state while always leaving an opening for further 'legitimate' demands down the road. They will exploit the tolerance and democracy of Israel first to turn it into a 'state for all its citizens'... Then they will push for a binational state and then demography and attrition will lead to a state with a Muslim majority and a Jewish minority. This would not necessarily involve kicking out all the Jews. But it would mean the destruction of Israel as a Jewish state. This, I believe, is their vision...." Clinton and Barak were right. The Palestinians are not interested in a two-state solution. As Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal explained on January 18, 2024: "The West says that October 7 has opened up prospects for a political vision, so they have returned to talk about their old commodity, which is the two-state solution. The 1967 borders represent 21% of Palestine, which is practically one fifth of its land, so this cannot be accepted. Our Palestinian project, which has a quasi-Palestinian national consensus, is that our right in Palestine from the [Mediterranean] sea to the [Jordan] river cannot be waived." Those who are promoting the idea of creating a Palestinian terror state next to Israel -- in addition to again capitulating to terrorists and rewarding terrorism -- are paving the way for more October 7-like massacres. They are essentially asking Israel to commit suicide at a time when its soldiers are fighting to eradicate Hamas and ensure that the Gaza Strip will no longer serve Hamas, or its terror master Iran, as a base for murdering Jews, Americans or anyone else in the West. 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 12 Absolutely Insane Examples That Show Just How Far The U.S. Has Fallen - by Michael Snyder - https://endoftheamericandream.com/12-absolutely-insane-examples-that-show-just-how-far-the-u-s-has-fallen/ When I was young, I often wondered what it must have been like to live during the fall of the Roman Empire. Unfortunately, now I have a pretty good idea. Just like the Roman Empire, the United States is falling. Every day our decline gets even more pronounced, and you can see evidence of this all around us. Virtually all of our major institutions are crumbling, and virtually all of our most critical systems are failing. We tend to blame our problems on our politicians, but the truth is that the rot that is rapidly spreading throughout our society runs a lot deeper than that. Millions upon millions of us have completely rejected the values that this nation was founded upon, and so now we have a giant mess on our hands. The following are 12 absolutely insane examples that show just how far the U.S. has fallen… #1 A social media influencer that returned a couch to Costco after using it for more than two years is telling her followers to buy all of their furniture from Costco because “you can return it when you don’t like it anymore”… A woman named Jackie shared she bought a couch from Costco over two and a half years ago, in a video posted last week to TikTok that’s attracted nearly 3 million views. Jackie admits she was nervous to return the large item to the warehouse store and felt intimidated by other shoppers staring at her while waiting in line. “But who cares. Return it. They have an awesome return policy,” she tells her followers. “Buy your furniture from Costco, girl. You can return it when you don’t like it anymore.” #2 The U.S. Navy is having a really difficult time recruiting young people, and so they have decided that a radical new approach is needed. From now on, a high school diploma will no longer be necessary… “We get thousands of people into our recruiting stations every year that want to join the Navy but do not have an education credential,” said the branch’s chief of personnel Vice Admiral Rick Cheeseman. “And we just turn them away.” Now the Navy will accept some of those potential recruits lacking a high school diploma or GED, assuming they’re able to score 50 or above on a qualification test. The move comes after the service previously lowered their qualification requirements in 2022, again amidst recruitment challenges. The Navy is the only branch of the US armed forces that admits applicants who score below 30 out of 100 on the qualification test. Officials say some positions, such as in maintenance or food preparation, don’t require a conventional education. #3 Three years ago, the city of Portland decriminalized the possession of all drugs. Let’s check in and see how that is working out… Oregon leaders have declared a 90-day state of emergency in Portland to battle the city’s debilitating fentanyl crisis three years after decriminalizing possession of all drugs. Governor Tina Kotek, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson made the declaration and are directing their agencies to work with first responders in connecting people addicted to the synthetic opioid with resources including drug treatment programs and to crack down on drug sales. #4 Western Oregon University has found a way to keep students from failing. D- and F grades will no longer be earned by anyone because they are being abolished… Citing a wrongheaded “GPA fixation,” Western Oregon University leaders have announced plans to abolish D- and F grades for students. They will replace them with “no credit” in an effort to support student success and encourage struggling undergrads to continue their education despite obstacles, they said. The public university announced in a news release this month the changes would start in the fall. #5 From this point forward, every police officer in El Paso, Texas will be forced to ask for the preferred pronouns of every person that they encounter… The policy, called “Constitutional Policing,” was introduced in December 2023; however, it was not implemented until January 2024 and will require officers to ask every person they encounter, “How would you like to be referred to?” The gender-inclusive policy was created with the help of the Borderland Rainbow Center, an “LGBTQ Community Center,” in El Paso, Texas, and exists so that LGBTQ “people and their allies can heal, grow, and empower themselves and others.” The director of the center, Amber Perez, told a local news station, “This is just the start.” “The most important thing is that we can’t change the past,” Perez said. “[B]ut what we can do is take this first moment and run with it and continue the conversation and be able to speak to each other with respect.” #6 A group of migrants that was caught on camera physically attacking cops in Times Square was shocking released without even having to post bail… Police officers and other critics are slamming Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for refusing to seek bail for the rowdy migrants arrested after allegedly being caught on camera attacking NYPD cops in Times Square. Veteran police officers fumed to The Post Saturday that Bragg made a mockery of the entire justice system by letting five migrants walk after they were arraigned Wednesday on charges of second-degree assault on a police officer and obstruction of governmental administration in the shocking Jan. 27 beatdown. “Alvin Bragg just showed all New Yorkers that the Police Department doesn’t matter to him,” said an NYPD detective with more than two decades on the job. It has been reported that the migrants were seen getting on a bus to California, and so hopefully someone can track them down before they disappear completely. #7 A group of pro-life activists in Tennessee face 11 years in prison for praying and singing outside of an abortion clinic… Nearly three years ago several pro-Life activists held a prayer rally at a Tennessee abortion clinic. The Christian protesters prayed and sang hymns. They were sitting peacefully in the lobby of the abortion center. The protesters included: Chester Gallagher, 73, of Lebanon, Tennessee; Heather Idoni, 58; Calvin Zastrow, 57; and Caroline Davis, 24; all of Michigan; Coleman Boyd, 51, of Bolton, Mississippi; Dennis Green, 56, of Cumberland, Virginia; and Paul Vaughn, 55, of Centerville, Tennessee. #8 The 24-year-old aide to U.S. Senator Ben Cardin that was filmed having gay sex in a Senate hearing room will not be charged with breaking any laws… As reported earlier – The United States Capitol Police have concluded their investigation into a controversial incident involving Aidan Maese-Czeropski, a 24-year-old former aide to Democratic Senator Ben Cardin of Maryland. Maese-Czeropski had been embroiled in a scandal after a sexually explicit video recorded in the Senate hearing room surfaced online. The video, which depicted Maese-Czeropski and his partner engaging in anal sex inside the Senate Hearing Room, sparked nationwide controversy. Clad only in a g-string jockstrap, Maese-Czeropski was seen atop the senator’s desk, a setting traditionally reserved for grave legislative deliberations and Supreme Court confirmation hearings. #9 Violent carjackers are fearlessly roaming the streets of Washington D.C., and anyone that resists one of those young carjackers can end up dead. Sadly, that is precisely what just happened to an official that worked in the Trump administration… Former Trump Administration official Mike Gill has died after being shot in front of his wife during a carjacking in Washington DC. Gill, a married father of three, was shot by Artell Cunningham on K Street NW about 5.45pm last Monday and died in hospital on Saturday. He was collecting his wife, an education lawyer, when he was shot inside the car by the attacker. He stumbled outside the vehicle and collapsed. #10 The Chinese and other foreign buyers are purchasing millions of acres of U.S. farmland, but nobody knows exactly how much farmland they now own and very few of our politicians are interested in stopping this practice… America is seeing more and more of its most fertile land snapped up by China and other foreign buyers, yet problems with how the US tracks such data means it’s difficult to know just how much, according to a report. Foreign ownership and investment in property such as farmland, pastures and forests jumped to about 40 million acres in 2021, up 40% from 2016, according to the US Department of Agriculture data. But an analysis conducted by the US Government Accountability Office — a non-partisan watchdog that reports to Congress — found mistakes in the data, including the largest land holding linked with China being counted twice. Other issues include the challenge of enforcing a US law that requires foreigners to self-report such purchases, the report said, citing USDA. #11 So many radical Muslims have moved into Dearborn, Michigan that the Wall Street Journal is referring to it as “America’s Jihad Capital”… A Michigan suburb with the largest Muslim population in the US has upped its security in fear of hate attacks after it was branded America’s ‘jihad capital.’ The headline of a Wall Street Journal opinion piece published on Friday read ‘Welcome to Dearborn, America’s Jihad Capital’ – a title given to the city by the publication because of its residents’ pro-Palestine stances. #12 A teacher in Massachusetts that had a spotless record for 23 years was fired after she revealed the truth about what was really going on in her school… “Bonnie Manchester had a spotless record in 23 years as a teacher at Baird Middle School. She laid it all on the line when she saw what was now happening to vulnerable children,” the organization reported. “Bonnie Manchester is a Christian middle school teacher who was fired from her job in 2021. Her ‘crime’ was informing a father and mother that school officials were referring to their daughter as a boy and keeping it secret from them.” How are people supposed to have faith in a system that is this broken? Unfortunately, things are only going to get worse. As a society, we are the most divided that we have been in modern times, and with each passing day more foreigners that have come into this country illegally pour into U.S. cities that are already overwhelmed by crime, drugs, violence, homelessness and depravity. The stage is being set for chaos on a scale that most Americans never even dreamed would be possible. The election of 2024 is going to be the most divisive election that any of us have ever seen, our economic problems are rapidly accelerating, and global events threaten to turn all of our lives completely upside down. So I hope that you have been getting prepared, because things will soon start breaking loose in a major way. Your Glorious Future! – Terry James - https://terryjamesprophecyline.com/2024/02/05/your-glorious-future/ In constantly thinking on and writing about Bible prophecy, one can lose sensitivity to the reality that people –even the saved– often view such matters as gloomy at best and terrifying at worst. Maybe “lose” is the wrong word. We who believe we are given the assignment by our Lord to write on these topics perhaps “misplace” sensitivity to the fact that things are gloomy or terrifying to people, rather than “lose” that understanding. We easily forget believers need to be uplifted, not terrified. And there is a way in presenting Bible prophecy to accomplish the former rather than the latter. In speaking not long ago to a good number of people, I was nudged in my spirit to begin by trying to make it clear that while I was there to talk about things involved in Bible prophecy, the ultimate outcome of all the end-times things we see going on only point to the glory that is to come. Paul, the great apostle and writer of much of the New Testament, for example, wrote: Eye has not seen nor ear heard, nor has it entered into the mind the things that God has prepared for those who love Him. We are told that there is a “crown of righteousness” for those who love Christ’s appearing. Jesus, Himself, told us through the Apostle John that He –Jesus—will keep us from the time of the great trouble that is coming (Revelation 3: 10). Now all that encapsulates a glorious prospect, not gloom and doom! I was told recently that my friend Dr. Ed Hindson, one of the greatest Bible prophecy teachers of our time, in his last moments of life opened his eyes and exclaimed something like: “I had no idea it was so glorious!” I can relate perhaps only slightly to Dr. Hindson’s reported last-moments vision of Heaven, but certainly agree from firsthand experience. Many know of my dying clinically on Good Friday of 2011, April 22. What I saw was indeed glorious. (I don’t apologize for here over using the term “glorious”. One can’t overuse the term because there is none more appropriate to convey Heaven’s…well…glory!) I was, it has become apparent, “sent back” to tell exactly that truth to all who will listen. I cannot help but do so. Going to that place of glory was and remains something that comes to my mind at moments, particularly when things look to be gloomy, prophetically speaking. The trip to that sphere on three occasions of my heart stopping was truly glorious, and it was instantaneous upon each heart stoppage. My thoughts on recalling those heavenly visits always go back to Paul telling us that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. There isn’t even a twinkling of an eye of time between the last heartbeat and bursting onto that glorious scene –not one fraction of a second. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, as he was being stoned, saw the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself, stand from the right hand of God’s throne to welcome Stephen into glory. I am certain that, had God intended to keep me on that Good Friday, I would have been instantaneously in His holy presence. This will be the indescribably glorious reception each believer will experience when the final heartbeat instantaneously transfers us from this fallen sphere into the presence of the eternal magnificence our God has prepared for us. Jesus said the following. Let not your heart be troubled. Behold I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you I will come again, and will receive you unto myself, that where I am, there you may be also (John 14:1-3) The glorious dwelling place Jesus has prepared for you and me is beyond comprehension, as Paul has assured. We can get but an inkling of that stupendous vista that will burst in our super-enhanced eyesight. Being blind for more than 30 years now, I’m particularly looking forward with great expectation and Anticipation to that scene, whether experiencing it through the instantaneous portal of death or the even-swifter entry into that heavenly presence in the Rapture. Like the song lyrics of “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” express: “The things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.” The Lord is not willing for anyone to perish; He wants all to come to repentance. This desire to bring the lost to Christ should be in the deepest reaches of our own spirits. That’s why we must always carry out the Lord’s Great Commission to all who are lost in sin. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28: 18-20) The future is glorious for all who put their trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. Here is how to become part of God’s eternal, heavenly family. Let us who are in that family point the unsaved in the direction of the heavenly gates with Scripture like the following. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. (Romans 10: 9-10) Daily Jot: Iran and Turkey move the prophecy clock - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com In his first state visit to Turkey, Iranian “president” Ebrahim Raisi met with Turkey’s “president” Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the two countries signed ten agreements of cooperation worth some $30 billion. This somewhat under-reported meeting has prophetic implications because these are two nations the prophet Ezekiel says will come against Israel in the end times and their meeting wasn’t just about cooperating economically. They also agreed to support the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas and to cooperate on ending the so-called “occupation” of “Palestinian” land by Israel. They agreed that ending the “Zionist” regime as a most important issue affecting the Islamic world. The two “presidents” reportedly agreed to fight terrorism and avoid escalating the Israel-Hamas conflict. In November 2023, Erdogan told members of his parliament, “I say clearly that Israel is a terrorist state.” Iran, the world’s foremost sponsor of terrorism, has often called for the annihilation of Israel. Tasnim News Agency (TNA), an Iranian propaganda arm, surprisingly had the most in-depth coverage of the meeting between the two heads of state. Herein, we can discern a deeper purpose to the meeting. TNA reported that Raisi said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran and Turkey agree on supporting Palestine, the Islamic resistance, the realization of the rights of the Palestinian people, lifting the 75-year occupation of the occupiers and they believe that the continuation of the crime will neither legitimize nor bring ownership.” TNA further reported, “Lauding the Turkish nation for supporting the Palestinian people and expressing disgust and hatred for the aggression of the Zionists, the (Iranian) president added, “Today, after more than 100 days of crimes against the people of Gaza, the victor of this field is the oppressed and powerful people of this region and the defeated party in this field is the Zionist regime and we believe that the final victory will belong to the Palestinian nation.”” In November 2023, Turkey recalled its ambassador to Israel and Israel reciprocated. Erdogan and Raisi both support Hamas’ terrorist actions against Israeli citizens while calling Israel’s defense and subsequent attack on Hamas a humanitarian genocide. Ezekiel 38 prophesies about a tremendous end-time battle where a coalition of nations led by an antichrist figure coming from areas in modern Turkey invades Israel and is destroyed by God. The coalition, led by “Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal (v 38:3)” is comprised of Persia, Ethiopia, Libya, Magog, Gomer and Togarmah. Ancient history and maps confirm that Magog, Meshech, Tubal, Gomer and Togarmah are located in modern Turkey. Persia is modern Iran. Libya is Libya and Ethiopia is likely modern Sudan. For this coalition to come against Israel, Shiite Iran must submit to and unite with Sunni Turkey. This was something that appeared nearly impossible even seven years ago, but not so difficult now. Thus, the prophecy clock moves forward as these two countries grow closer in their hate for Israel. Daily Devotion: A Sweet-Smelling Sacrifice - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. —Philippians 4:18 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/a-sweet-smelling-sacrifice/ - Listen We can talk all day about walking with God and relying on His strength, but if it doesn’t affect the way that we live and the way that we give, it means nothing. There is perhaps no clearer evidence of spiritual maturity than financial generosity. Martin Luther, speaking of the Christian life, pointed out, “There are three conversions necessary: the conversion of the heart, the mind, and the purse [or wallet].” Writing to the Christians in Philippi, the apostle Paul said, “As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once” (Philippians 4:15–16 NLT). Our finances are often the last area that we’re willing to turn over to God. We want to retain complete control. In fact, we are uncomfortable when someone brings up the topic. It may be that our discomfort is an indication that this area is not in its proper order in our lives as Christians. The Bible does address it quite frequently. Not only does Paul address it in this passage, but it’s worth noting that money is the main subject of nearly half the parables that Jesus told. In addition, one in every seven verses in the New Testament deals with this subject. How does that compare with other topics? The Bible offers about 500 verses on prayer, less than 500 verses on faith, and 2,000 verses on money. God wants this area to be in balance in our lives. Paul continued, “At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God” (verse 18). Epaphroditus had brought a special offering from the believers in Philippi. This deeply touched the apostle because it was a sacrificial gift. These believers gave sacrificially and cheerfully when others who were more able to give weren’t giving at all. That meant a lot to Paul because there were others who could have helped him but didn’t. Paul was saying, “God bless you for this. It is a sweet-smelling aroma to God that you have given in such a way.” Today, most churches are supported financially by a relatively small percentage of people who give their tithes and offerings on a weekly basis. Others, at best, give sporadically, while some don’t give at all. However, there is a core group that understands what the Bible teaches about giving, and they faithfully engage. And it’s because of their faithfulness that we have a ministry today. God knows who they are. And through their faithfulness to Him, they make it possible for a lot of other people to be ministered to. They have discovered the joy of giving. And we might even venture to say that, as a result, they have probably discovered the secret of contentment as well. PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS HEADLINES Yesterday's Prophecies - Today's Headlines HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY 2/6/24 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
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