 TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
A Tyrant Who Threatened Israel with Annihilation: Was Raisi’s Death An Act of God? – By Cookie Schwaeber-Issan - https://harbingersdaily.com/a-tyrant-who-threatened-israel-with-annihilation-was-raisis-death-an-act-of-god/
It really makes you wonder when you look back at Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s statement of April 23rd, less than a month ago, as he threatened Israel with annihilation. It was during a visit to Pakistan that Raisi referred to Israel as the “Zionist regime,” whose destruction he promised if they would dare to attack Iran. Because when thinking about the Biblical accounts of cause and effect, it’s only natural to make the comparison of someone who, after threatening the Jews, ended up hanging on his own gallows. But who was Ebrahim Raisi, and is it possible to connect his sudden and unexpected demise to a sovereign act of God – even in the year 2024? At age 63, Raisi, whose full name was Raisolsadati, was the son-in-law of a prominent Imam. He became Iran’s eighth president in 2021. As a prosecutor and Deputy Chief Justice of Iran, he rose to prominence as the country’s president when appointed by the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Earning for himself a fearsome reputation, he was labeled “The Butcher of Tehran,” “responsible for the execution of thousands of political prisoners, accused of crimes against humanity by international human rights organizations and United Nations special rapporteurs.” You’d be hard-pressed to find an individual who was more of a hardliner in Iranian politics than Raisi, and, perhaps, that accounts for the remark made by IDF Intelligence Chief Major General Tamir Hayman who commented, upon hearing his demise, that “it would be hard to find someone worse.” But it wasn’t only in April that Raisi threatened Israel’s existence. He made that same promise back in May 2023 when he, once again, warned Israel not to “launch a direct military strike on his country which would be overwhelmed and destroyed by Iran’s immediate response.” Always referring to Israel as the “Zionist regime,” it was Raisi’s intent to smear the Jewish homeland as an entity that had no right to exist, due to its foundational belief that there should be a protective refuge for all Jews who, for thousands of years, never had the security of knowing if they’d be banished from their host countries or even worse. As the mouthpiece for the Islamic Republic’s supreme leader, Khamenei, he would voice his threats, using his legal training, something which a cleric was incapable of doing but probably considered effective by the same man who appointed him to the office in which he served over the course of three years. The man who donned a black turban, signifying lineage to the prophet Mohammed, was notorious for terrifying the Iranian people, who suffered tremendously under his suffocating grip. Ruling with a tight fist, he made sure no one got out of line, putting an end to rising protests that erupted from time to time. In fact, it was during the period when 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, died following her arrest, for not adhering to the strict hijab rules of the country, that Raisi cracked down on the ensuing protests that arose by many Iranians, especially women, who saw Amini’s death as the ultimate price paid for the freedom which had been taken from them. Even though all opposition was quelled, there, nonetheless, remained a large, seething resistance by many of the Iranian people, who have lived under the hand of tyranny since the Pahlavi dynasty was overthrown in 1979 and Iran became an extreme Islamic state. So, one can only wonder how Iranian citizens are feeling on the morning after their greatest oppressor has fallen. Which raises the question – what should we think when a cataclysmic, game-changing event, such as the sudden death of a tyrant takes place, at a time when it almost appeared as if he held the fate of Israel in his hand? For one thing, Raisi’s death serves as a much-needed reminder that no man, regardless of how powerful, threatening or fearful he sounds, has the ability to override the plans and purposes of God, Almighty who established Israel and has sustained her throughout 2,000 years of dispersion to the four corners of the earth, returning her back to the land which He promised them! History has shown us that when individuals rise up, with the express goal of eliminating the Jews, it is those very people who end up in the dustbin of the ages, confirming that there is only one Sovereign Master whose authority is unrivaled and unparalleled. To attempt the usurping of that place is to ensure one’s own swift end, and that is why the timing of Raisi’s death comes into question, just weeks after he took it upon himself to stand in the place of the divine Creator! In fact, there is a Biblical account, found in the prophetic book of Daniel, which has startling similarities to this Raisi story. It unfolds in the fifth chapter when Belshazzar, the then king of Babylon gives orders to drink wine from the sanctified temple vessels – representing an act of defiance to the Most High God. It was what followed that act of desecration that bears the resemblance to today’s incident. “Suddenly, the fingers of a man’s hand emerged and began writing opposite the lampstand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace. The king’s face grew pale and his knees began knocking together.” After summoning Daniel, the prophet began by recalling that Belshazzar’s father, King Nebuchadnezzar’s “heart was lifted up and his spirit became so proud that he behaved arrogantly, causing him to be deposed from his royal throne and having his glory taken away from him.” He went on to say that, just as his father, he, too, did not humble his heart, knowing what fate had unfolded upon his father as a result. The inscription read, “God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it. You have been weighed on the scales and found deficient. Your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians.” That very night, the king met his end. The lesson to be learned, here, is that whenever someone dares to arrogantly take the place of God, they should be prepared to face the consequences. So, yes, it’s entirely possible that the death of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi was a sovereign act of God which resulted in his defiance of the Almighty who is the giver and taker of life – not solely of people, but of governments, leaders and countries as well. No one and nothing can override or revoke God’s promise to guard and protect Israel from those who would destroy her, because it’s important to remember that “He who touches Israel, touches the apple of His eye.” Zechariah 2:8 There Sure Has Been A Lot Of “International Intrigue” Lately… - by Michael Snyder - https://endoftheamericandream.com/there-sure-has-been-a-lot-of-international-intrigue-lately/ World leaders have been targeted quite frequently this month, and that should deeply alarm all of us. I think that all of this geopolitical instability is a sign that there is far more going on behind the scenes than we are being told. The major powers appear to be making moves in anticipation of what they believe is coming next. Right now, the death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is dominating the news cycle, and at this stage we don’t know if that was an accident or not. But as a Twitter user known as “Cillian” has pointed out, there has been quite a lot of “international intrigue” during the past couple of weeks… Over the past two weeks: May 7th: Assassination attempt against Saudi Crown Prince. May 13th: Turkish President Erdoğan holds emergency meeting following warning of possible military coup. May 15th: Assassination attempt on Slovak PM Robert Fico. May 16th: Citizen arrested for threatening to assassinate Serbian President Vučić. May 19th: Saudi Arabia’s King Salman hospitalised for second time in four weeks. May 19th: Helicopter crash involving Iranian President Raisi and Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian. What is going on right now? And I have one more item to add to the list. On Sunday, a coup that involved at least three U.S. citizens was foiled in the Democratic Republic of Congo… American citizens were involved in an attempted coup d’état that left at least three people dead on Sunday in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a military spokesperson told CNN Monday. The attempted coup, which targeted the residence of Congolese politician Vital Kamerhe and the country’s presidential palace, was led by opposition leader Christian Malanga, who was killed in a gun battle between the armed putschists and the presidential guards, according to army spokesman General Sylvain Ekenge. Ekenge also claimed Malanga was a US citizen, though the State Department said later it had no records of him. “I confirm the death of Christian Malanga neutralized during the exchange of fire at the Palais de la Nation (presidential palace),” Ekenge told CNN, adding that Malanga’s son Marcel, “was among those arrested.” Ekenge named three other Americans, identified as Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, Patrick Ducey, and Taylor Thomson were involved in the foiled coup. It is being alleged that Zalman-Polun, Ducey and Thomson were CIA agents, but U.S. officials are denying this. With everything that has been going on, I think that it would be wise for all world leaders to be on a heightened state of alert. As for why Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi’s helicopter went down, that remains a mystery. What we do know is that he was flying during heavy fog in a very remote area in the mountains, and the helicopter that he was on was very old… Iranian state media reported that the helicopter that crashed in Iran was a Bell 212 model. It is a civilian version of the ubiquitous Vietnam War-era UH-1N “Twin Huey”. Such helicopters are in wide use globally by both governments and private operators. It was developed for the Canadian military in the late 1960s and introduced in 1971. Helicopter tragedies happen all the time, and we certainly cannot rule out an accident in this case. It is also being suggested that one of Raisi’s domestic enemies could have targeted the helicopter… According to a report in The Economist, Raisi had a long list of enemies in Iran, including relative moderates he has marginalised to the fellow conservatives who think he has been an inept president. It said that some Iranians believe that Raisi’s enemies may have their exacted revenge. “It is not unreasonable to wonder if domestic foes conspired to kill him,” the report said. I think that this is also a very strong possibility. Iranian politics is a very messy business, and those that are jockeying for power can be absolutely ruthless. Of course the dominant narrative that will eventually emerge from inside Iran is that either the U.S. or Israel is responsible. According to Reuters, one Israeli official has already stated that “it wasn’t us”… As conspiracy theories began to circulate online Israel – a long time foe of Iran – denied any involvement in Raisi’s death. An Israeli official told the Reuters news agency: “It wasn’t us.” Needless to say, no matter how many times the Israelis deny responsibility most Iranian officials will never believe them. And without a doubt, the Israelis are not sad to see Raisi go. In fact, they were quite outraged when there was a moment of silence at the UN on Monday… Amid the international messages of condolence and support for Iran after the death of President Ebrahim Raisi, the United Nations Security Council on Monday held a solemn moment of silence to observe his passing. Israel is outraged by the gesture, saying that it was tantamount to honoring a terrorist, or “Hitler” – as stated by Israeli Ambassador to UN Gilad Erdan. “You read correctly, the UN Security Council today held a moment’s silence to remember a mass murderer, Iranian President Raisi,” Erdan said in a video published to social media. “This body, which makes no effort to free our hostages, tipped their heads today to a man who was responsible for the deaths of thousands in Iran, in Israel, and around the world.” It is well known that Raisi was responsible for the deaths of vast numbers of people, and under his rule the persecution of Christians in Iran got even worse… Christians in Iran faced intensified persecution in 2023, as highlighted in a joint annual report by advocacy groups Article 18, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Open Doors, and Middle East Concern. The report, released on Monday, revealed a surge in arrests, with 166 documented in 2023 compared to 134 in the previous year. Disturbingly, one-third of those arrested were targeted for possessing multiple copies of the Bible. The arrests unfolded in waves, increasing over the summer and spiking during Christmas, creating a higher number of “faceless victims” as fewer cases were publicized. By the end of the year, 17 Christians faced prison sentences or punitive measures for “propaganda against the state.” The Biden administration was also not very fond of Raisi, but on Monday U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin denied that the United States had anything to do with his death… United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Monday denied Washington’s involvement in the tragic helicopter crash that killed Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the country’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian. The defense secretary, however, declined to comment on the reporter’s question about whether Tehran would blame Israel for the helicopter crash. “They have to conduct an investigation to see what the cause of the crash was, it could be a number of things,” Austin added. This is a mystery that may not be solved any time soon. But the Iranians will inevitably want to blame someone, and that will bring us even closer to all-out war in the Middle East. I don’t think that all-out war is coming immediately. But emotions on both sides are reaching a fever pitch, and I fully expect the conflict in the Middle East to go to an entirely new level by the end of this calendar year. It's Time to Replace our Main Computer! How you can help! Thank you!!! Dear Reader / Supporter, It’s that time, time to replace our main computer, it’s been five years since we last replaced our main computer, it has served us well producing hundreds of newsletters and countless hours of videos, but it’s starting to show its age and is becoming sluggish and sometimes unresponsive making everything I do take much longer than it should! Now, more than ever, especially trying to keep up with all the news and countless hours of research and exhaustive video editing and rendering, I need to access the speed and processing power of the newer generation of computers that are available today. Computers become outdated very quickly with the advances in technology that we’re experiencing today, five-year-old computers are considered ancient! A new system of the type that we use must have a lot of power to render the amount of video that we process and create, and they run about $3500 dollars. We need your help to purchase this system and I have set up a special donation link just for the computer. So, if you are able and willing to help us out, we would greatly appreciate it! You can use the link below or if you mail in a donation, please mark it for “new computer” – thank you so much! I pray this is the last new computer we will ever have to purchase, and the way things are going, that is a great possibility! Anything over our goal of $3500 dollars we will put towards new software, and upgrading our ever growing media library! DONATE HERE Or write us at: Prophecy Update P.O. Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384-0516
RECOMMENDED READING & LINKS
Your Support is Important to this Ministry - We Could Not Do This Without Your Support! Let Us Make the Short Time We have Left, Count for ALL of Eternity! Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift! II Corinthians 9:15 Worthy of Your Support? It has been said, one of the most reliable ways to determine if a ministry is worthy of your financial support is to examine its fruits. If Prophecy Update is keeping you informed and if that information inspires you and causes you to draw closer to the Lord, if Prophecy Update equips you with valuable information and knowledge to share with and encourage other believers and open the eyes of non-believers and if Prophecy Update keeps you connected to current events relating to Bible Prophecy then you are partaking of the fruit produced through this ministry. None of this would be possible without the Lords blessings and your support. I believe where the Lord guides, the Lord provides and most of the time He provides through the willing and generous hearts of believers just like you and me. I genuinely believe that Prophecy Update and many other like-minded ministries, are needed now more than ever! The world is getting darker daily, almost hourly, but never has the light of the Word of God shone so brightly. Never in our history has there been such a thirst for Truth and a need for a Savior! The Prophecy Update website, newsletter, and Video Channels are all dedicated to providing the truth, encouraging and informing believers, and prayerfully opening the eyes and hearts of non-believers with the Gospel, but none of it would be possible without your prayers and support. DONATE HERE Your can also mail your support to: Prophecy Update PO Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384 End-times Betrayal – Terry James - https://terryjamesprophecyline.com/2024/05/20/end-times-betrayal/ The one signal that most powerfully proves where the world is currently located on God’s prophetic timeline is Israel’s present position within the panoply of nation-states. It is undeniably obvious that Israel today stands in the bull’s eye of rage. This is true in the case of being targeted by the Jewish state’s perennial antagonists, the Arab and Persian Islamist enemies. It is true in the case of the entire international community, whose constituent nations see Israel as the congestive blockage to regional and world peace. But it is the growing antagonism by this United States presidential administration’s operatives that is most disconcerting while this beleaguered planet wobbles toward a time of unprecedented trouble. As a matter of fact, that coming time of unparalleled strife that will bring all nations to Armageddon is termed “the time of Jacob’s trouble” by Isaiah the prophet: Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble. (Jeremiah 30:7a) And, it is Jacob’s trouble—the prophesied end-of-days dastardly treatment of Israel by the nations of earth—that will cause the God of Heaven to bring them to Armageddon. This is what the prophet Joel foretells: I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. (Joel 3:2) This will be the gathering of the nations of earth predicted in the book of Revelation: For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty…And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. (Revelation 16:14, 16) This will be the culmination of humankind dealing treacherously with God’s chosen people, the Jews. The Lord’s promise to Abraham includes severe repercussions for anyone who would curse the progeny of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:3) God’s declaration is most dramatically validated by looking at twentieth-century history. Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime made hatred of and genocide against the Jews the focus of the unalloyed evil they spewed. The ashes of the Führer and his Nazi colleagues are scattered in ignominious disgrace across the landscape that Josef Goebbels and the Nazi propagandists arrogantly boasted would be über alles—the all-powerful homeland for their thousand-year Reich. Any consideration in research of Germany’s history involving the last two years of World War II and the years immediately following must acknowledge that it was as if the very wrath of God was upon the nation. Such documentation includes black-and-white film footage of German men and women forced by Allied Commander General Dwight D. Eisenhower to walk by the skeletal remains of thousands of Jewish corpses. That, Eisenhower stated, was so that the German people and the world would never forget the Holocaust. Its aftermath would forever be recorded. Yet today, mainstream news journalists are more and more denying the genocide that took perhaps six million Jewish lives as well as the lives of other peoples. They show their loss of memory—even their anti-Semitism—by not jumping full-force down the throats of the elite Ivy League professors who regurgitate the lie that the Holocaust is a fable conjured by the Jews of the world. Rarely is there a repudiation of such blatant lies coming from the would-be destroyers of the Jewish State and the Jewish people. Tragically, the refusal to educate generations that came after World War II on the truth about the insane treatment of the house of Israel is leading to a future time of even greater atrocities, thus judgment, according to God’s Word. The God of Heaven will react violently—more violently, even, than He reacted to the death-dealing of the Nazi demoniacs: The burden of the word of the LORD for Israel, saith the LORD, which stretcheth forth the heavens, and layeth the foundation of the earth, and formeth the spirit of man within him. Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it… it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. (Zechariah 12:1–3, 29) Now we come to the matter of “end-times betrayal.” This blog entry’s title is emphatic in its pronouncement, because the maneuvering actions by this president’s political party in dealing with Israel are wrapped in an impenetrable fog of political doublespeak. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham made manifest the doublespeak in his grilling of the Democrat secretary of state, who is a former top general in the American military establishment. Lindsey Graham [grilled] Defense Secretary Austin on the Biden Administration’s freezing of weapons shipments to Israel, [asked] if Austin would support dropping the atom bombs on Japan. Graham asked, “What’s Israel interested in? Do you believe Iran really wants to kill all the Jews if they could? The Iranian regime. Do you believe Hamas is serious when they say we’ll keep doing it over and over again? Do you agree that they will if they can?” Austin answered, “I do.” He also answered in the affirmative when asked if Hezbollah was a terrorist organization. (“Lindsey Graham: ‘Blocking weapons to Israel obscene, Hiroshima, Nagasaki on steroids,’| Israel National News – Arutz Sheva, May 8, 2024) This former general admitted in the committee probe that Israel, in effect, had a right to defend itself. But at the same time he, as secretary of defense for the Biden administration, withheld promised vital weapons shipments Israel needs to keep its raging enemies from a repeat of October 7, 2023, when Hamas slaughtered and raped 1,200 or more Israelis and others in an unprovoked attack. Hamas, as of this writing, is believed to continue to hold many hostages, including a number of corpses. The terrorist captors reportedly continue to rape and torture their captives. President Biden himself said he would never give Israel offensive weapons, only defensive ones. This itself is an insanely irrational response to the matter of America remaining faithful in its commitment to its chief ally in the Middle-East–the only truly democratic nation-state in the region. Israel is one thing more. It is the only invincible nation on earth. And America has nothing to do with its invincibility. Here are the words of the One who will never betray His chosen nation’s promise of invincibility: This is what the Lord says, “He who appoints the sun to shine by day, Who decrees the moon and stars to shine by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—the Lord Almighty is His Name; Only if these ordinances vanish from My sight,” declares the Lord, “will the descendants of Israel ever cease to be a nation before Me.” (Jeremiah 31:35–36) If You Stand with God’s Biblical Promises For Israel… Congratulations, You’re A Zionist – By Amir Tsarfati - https://harbingersdaily.com/if-you-stand-with-gods-biblical-promises-for-israel-congratulations-youre-a-zionist/ We hear so much about the zionists and Zionism these days. Let’s break it down—The good, the bad, and the Zionist. The term “Zionism” stems from the concept of Zion, “Ṣīyyōn” in Hebrew, the hill upon which the city of Jerusalem is built. For 2,000 years, after being exiled from their ancestral Homeland, Jews around the world yearned and prayed towards Zion, pleading with God to allow them to return to Jerusalem. We hear this heart cry of our people in Psalm 137:1, “By the rivers of Babylon, we sat and wept when we remembered Zion.” How truly prophetic those words are! The Zionist movement initiated the realization of the long-awaited dream of reestablishing a Jewish Homeland in the land of Israel. It is clear to us, now more than ever, that the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 was the fulfillment of God’s promise to gather His people back to Zion. This miracle was described in Ezekiel 36:24, “For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land.” However, opponents of the biblical vision of the Jewish return have often used the term “the Zionist entity” to deny the rights and historical connection of the Jewish people to the land. This narrative portrays Zionism as an illegitimate Colonial project. Figures such as Osama Bin Laden adopted this rhetoric. For example, in his 1996 FATWA, which was his Manifesto of war against the West, Bin Laden frequently condemned the zionists rather than mentioning the name Israel. Despite this hostility, it’s important to recognize that Israel’s modern rebirth is intertwined with the Zionist vision grounded in God’s biblical promises. Israel’s blessing is directly connected to God’s blessing to the world. Isaiah 2:3 predicts people gathering in Jerusalem to learn God’s ways, “For out of Zion shall go forth the law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” Believing in Israel’s right to the land means embracing Zionism, a movement that is not just political but spiritual. If you stand with God’s biblical promises for Israel, congratulations, you are a Zionist. Remember, Zionism isn’t just a good thing; it’s a God thing. Daily Jot: Biden and WHO lie and people will die - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com On May 10, the World Health Organization (WHO) posted a news release saying that “Governments of world today agreed to continue working on a proposed pandemic agreement, and to further refine the draft, ahead of the Seventy-seventh World Health Assembly that starts 27, May 2024.” Meantime, the United Kingdom said it would not support the agreement, largely because it mandates “richer nations” to share 20 percent of their vaccines and treatments with “poorer” countries. WHO is scrambling to get the nations in agreement with its sovereignty-busting accord and outside of the press release WHO is not commenting on the agreements because, as Reuters reports, “no proposals have been agreed.” This smacks of Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi’s comments prior to passing socialized healthcare in America—“We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy.” The fog of the controversy is created by the gaslighting of the world that allowing WHO to direct pandemic decisions is a deadly game. WHO continues to fear monger by bringing up COVID and how it handled the pandemic. Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said in the release, “During more than two years of intensive negotiations, WHO’s Member States have shown unwavering commitment to forging a generational agreement to protect the world from a repeat of the horrors caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.” Let us remember that much of the horrors were caused by WHO and people like the Centers for Disease Control’s Dr. Anthony Fauci. The forced untested experimental vaccines were neither safe nor effective, left devastating side effects and are killing people even to this day. The censorship of healthcare professionals who had proven and effective methods of treating COVID was another horror at the expense of millions of lives. Mandated hospital treatments of remdesivir and ventilators may have killed more people than it saved. These so-called “scientific” treatments are being challenged in study after study from experts around the world. Tedros is right, we don’t want a repeat of these horrors. So we don’t want a repeat of any WHO mandates on our bodily autonomy. Trouble is, Joe Biden has already implemented the WHO sovereignty via his Global Health Strategy, which states, “The United States, together with its international partners, will enhance the prevention, detection, preparation for and response to infectious disease threats, whether naturally occurring, accidental, or deliberate in origin, across sectors at home and abroad in order for our collective efforts to be more efficient, effective, sustainable, and equitable.” In his detailed Global Health Strategy, he is implementing the WHO treaty even before it is signed. The WHO treaty already is built into US policy. Proverbs 29:2 says “When the wicked bear rule, the people mourn.” Biden and WHO lie and people will die. Daily Devotion: Risk and Failure - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org Immediately after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. —Matthew 14:22 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/risk-and-failure/ - Listen Have you ever attempted something in life that met with failure? All too often we beat ourselves up when we fail because we didn’t come up with the greatest success of all time. In chapter 14 of Matthew’s Gospel, we find the story of a failure, a spectacular failure, in fact. Trouble was brewing. The people wanted to make Jesus king by force. So Jesus effectively said to the disciples, “Okay, guys, get in the boat. You’re out of here.” Jesus knew this would destroy them because, on more than one occasion, the disciples argued about who would be greatest in the kingdom. They expected to go from being ostracized to being men of great influence. And it would have destroyed them. Thus, for their own protection, Jesus had to get them out of there as soon as possible. He sent the disciples across the lake and sent the people home. Then He went away by Himself to pray. Meanwhile, a storm was brewing. Did Jesus know that a storm was on the way? Yes. But He who allowed the storm would be there with them. And, as the terrified disciples strained against the storm, Jesus showed up, walking on the water. They thought it was a ghost, but Jesus told them, “Don’t be afraid. . . . Take courage. I am here!” (verse 27 NLT). Peter was so moved by this that he wanted to prove his courage to Jesus. He said, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water” (verse 28 NLT). Peter was willing to put it all on the line. He was looking at Jesus, and that gave him confidence and courage. Let’s also notice that Peter didn’t do this presumptuously. He didn’t say, “Lord, I’m coming! Hang on!” Instead, he asked Jesus for permission. Maybe Jesus smiled at this point. We don’t know for certain. But He said to Peter, “Yes, come” (verse 29 NLT). We do know that Peter took a few steps because Matthew goes on to say, “Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus” (verse 29 NLT). Now, this is a great moment. Whatever follows cannot undo it. We can find fault with Peter for a number of things, but no one else attempted this. Now, did Peter sink? Yes. But if you’re going to fail, then this is the way to do it. Peter made his mistakes, but this was impressive. And really, when we look at his shortcomings, we see that most, if not all, seemed to come from a heart that wanted to do the right thing. He just didn’t always go about it in the right way. We can sit like armchair quarterbacks and critique people who attempt things for God. But what have we done lately? Have we taken a risk for the kingdom of God? Have we taken a step of faith? It would be better to try and fail than to sit around and do nothing. Peter was doing his part. And so should we. PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS HEADLINES Yesterday's Prophecies - Today's Headlines HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY 5/21/24 http://trackingbibleprophecy.org/birthpangs.php
FROM THE HEART Let Us Make the Short Time We have Left, Count for ALL of Eternity! IF YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED THROUGH THIS MINISTRY, THEN WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD PLEASE REMEMBER PROPHECY UPDATE IN YOUR GIVING - WE ARE TRULY, TRULY, THANKFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT WORTHY OF YOUR SUPPORT? One of the most reliable ways to determine if a ministry is worthy of your financial support is to examine its fruits. If Prophecy Update is keeping you informed, and if that information inspires you, and causes you to draw closer to the Lord, if Prophecy Update equips you with valuable information and knowledge to share with and encourage other believers, and open the eyes of non-believers, and if Prophecy Update keeps you connected to current events relating to Bible Prophecy, then you are partaking of the fruit produced through this ministry. None of this would be possible without the Lords blessings and your support. I believe where the Lord guides, the Lord provides, and most of the time He provides through the willing and generous hearts of believers just like you and me. Humbly Seek Your Support Prophecy Update has no corporate sponsors. This ministry is paid for and prayed for by readers and supporters. Without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update, Please pray about becoming a monthly supporter - thanks! If ever there was a time to invest in God's Kingdom, it's now! What on earth are you doing for Heaven's Sake? "Share in the Blessings and Rewards that will last Forever!" "Folks, it's all beginning to unravel. America is in more danger of falling than at any time in its history. But I believe Bible prophecy predicts this very decline. From this point on, we believers have to get serious. We are going to face discouragement, disillusionment and, most certainly, persecution in the time between now and the Rapture. But don't be discouraged or disillusioned. The coming turmoil will provide us unrivaled opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel. So be ready to share your faith and your hope with those who need Christ. We still have time to reap a great harvest of souls for God's kingdom!" - Hal Lindsey 1) We need your prayers!- We proclaim the Truth of the Word of God and we are under constant spiritual and sometimes even physical attack. 2) We need your encouragement!- We need to hear from you, let us know how the Lord is blessing you through this ministry so that we can share it with others. 3) We need your input! - If you have a prophetic article or story or if there is a news related item we missed, let us know. 4) We need your financial support!- To put it quite simply, without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update. I ask that you would prayerfully consider partnering with us to get the Word out and keep the world informed. Remember, your gift, no matter how small, does make a difference! You will be helping to touch lives, around the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thanks to the internet your generosity carries a global impact! - Thanks! Our Prayer for You- "Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." 2 Corinthians 9:10-13 If you have been blessed by Prophecy Update and would like to help support this ministry financially. You can make a secure donation online by going to: DONATE NOW Or write us at: Prophecy Update P.O. Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384-0516 We are very pleased to offer all our readers this FREE download on Bible Prophecy from the Evangelical Bible College of Western Australia - Just download and enjoy and be blessed! Feel free to share it with all your friends and family members. Click below to download! "AS YOU SEE THE DAY APPROACHING" If You Died Today, Would You Go To Heaven? Find out, visit: www.thegoodtest.net www.gotquestions.org www.wayofthemaster.com How to know God DID YOU KNOW? You can submit an article, leave a comment or praise report at email: [email protected] Maranatha! (Lord Come Quickly) "On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand, All other ground is sinking sand." "Let Us make the short time we have left count for all eternity!" YBIC-Randy
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
December 2024
Categories |
RSS Feed