 TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
The Union of The Left and Islam… A Marriage Joined By Common Hatred Of Christianity – By David Reagan - https://harbingersdaily.com/the-union-of-the-left-and-islam-a-marriage-joined-by-common-hatred-of-christianity/
Someone once sent me a thought-provoking editorial cartoon. I can’t reproduce it because it contains some vile language. So, I will just describe it and clean up the language. The cartoon depicts in four panels a conversation between two young people in their twenties — a man and a woman. The woman was wearing the Democrat Party symbol. In the first panel, the man says, “I don’t believe that women should have any rights, and I think gays should be hanged.” The young woman responds, “Wow! What a complete primitive idiot you are! You must be a Republican!” “No,” responds the man, “I’m actually a Muslim, and those are my religious beliefs.” To which the woman replies, “Oh, I’m sorry! I apologize! I hope you don’t think I’m Islamophobic.” A few days later, I received a similar cartoon that showed a Muslim man holding a sign that read: “Islam demands: Death for Homosexuals! No free speech! Women stay home and submit to their husbands! Death to infidels! Standing next to him was a young woman of college age holding a sign with an arrow pointing to the Muslim. Above the arrow were these words: “I’m a liberal and he doesn’t really mean that.” Values in Sharp Conflict As these editorial cartoons so vividly illustrate, the love affair between the Left and Islam is mind-boggling because it is irrational. The Left claims to believe in freedom of thought, freedom of speech, sexual liberation, and democracy. All of these beliefs are the exact opposite of those that are held dear by Islam. There is not a Muslim-dominated nation in the world today where there is a true democracy, free speech, a free press, and equal rights for women. The history of Islam makes it clear that the moment Muslims become the majority in any society, they take action immediately to suppress freedom and repress all other religions. Further, the Left also scorns religion and exalts Man rather than God whereas Muslims believe in a god and hold their religion in high esteem. So, what explains the odd couple represented by the unity of the Left with Islam? The Unifying Force There can be only one explanation — they are unified by their common hatred of Christianity. The Left considers Christians to be outmoded relics of the past who stand in the way of their pet “progressive” programs like abortion, same-sex marriage, euthanasia, the right to suicide, and Socialism. Further, Christianity is viewed as pie-in-the-sky nonsense that encourages people to rely on wishful thinking instead of reason. Islam shares the Left’s hatred of Christianity. According to the Quran, Christians are infidels who should either be forced to convert or else be subjugated or executed. So, the Left rallies Muslims to its side in its effort to defeat all politicians with Judeo-Christian values. This means the Left united with Islam is a perfect example of the old saying, “Politics makes strange bed partners.” The union of the Left with Islam is a marriage crafted by Satan. A Time of Famine, and A Time Of War… - by Michael Snyder - https://endoftheamericandream.com/a-time-of-famine-and-a-time-of-war/ The tremendous suffering that we are seeing all over the world right now is only just the beginning. As I have documented repeatedly, we are in the midst of the worst global food crisis in modern history, and we haven’t seen this many countries engaged in military conflict since World War II. In other words, this is a time of famine, and it is a time of war. This represents a major problem for those that believe that humans are intrinsically good and that humanity is moving into a new golden era of peace and prosperity. If humans are intrinsically good, why is there so much evil all around us? Of course the truth is that the evil that we see all around is the product of the evil in human hearts. Humanity is the reason why there is so much war, so much famine, so much greed, so much corruption, and so much suffering. While billionaires in the western world live the high life, vast hordes of people on the other side of the planet are literally starving to death. In Sudan, right now more than 25 million people “are facing high levels of acute food insecurity”… In addition to the threat of violence, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification reported that 25.6 million people in Sudan are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, and 8.5 million people are facing emergency food shortages. The IPC also warned about the risk of famine across 14 areas, impacting residents and refugees in areas like Greater Darfur and Greater Kordofan. There have been some nightmarish famines in Sudan before, but this is the worst. The CEO of World Vision, Edgar Sandoval, says that people in Sudan are literally fighting over anthills because it is the only source of food available in some cases… Sandoval also met another mother and her son, who weighed only 26 pounds. He said his heart broke as the mother wept, telling Sandoval that people in her community are fighting each other over anthills because they’re so hungry. She said they’ll eat the millets stored there by the ants. “And they’re fighting for that as the only source of food,” Sandoval said. “I think that speaks to the level of desperation that the Sudanese people are facing. It’s the situation that children and moms in particular are facing.” Can you imagine what it would be like to be that hungry? And can you imagine what it would be like to watch your own children beg for food? It is being reported that 730,000 children in Sudan are at “imminent risk of dying”… In June, the United Nations Children’s Fund announced that nearly 9 million children in Sudan face acute food insecurity and access to safe drinking water. More than 3,800 children have been killed since the fighting escalated in April 2023, and almost 4 million children under the age of 5 are suffering from acute malnutrition, with 730,000 projected to be at an “imminent risk of dying.” When I try to explain what is happening in Sudan to clueless people here in the western world, they look at me like I am from outer space. Many of them have never heard about the hordes of people starving on the other side of the planet because the mainstream media is absolutely obsessed with talking about Donald Trump and Joe Biden. But this is really happening. As I discussed in a previous article, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations is warning that over 2.5 million people could starve to death in Darfur and Kordofan alone by the end of September… The Ethiopian famine killed a million people between 1983 and 1985, according to UN estimates. Thomas-Greenfield said that in a worst-case scenario, a famine in Sudan could become even more lethal. “We’ve seen mortality projections estimating that in excess of 2.5 million people, about 15% of the population in Darfur and Kordofan – the hardest hit regions – could die by the end of September,” the ambassador said. “This is the largest humanitarian crisis on the face of the planet. And yet, somehow, it threatens to get worse,” she added. Meanwhile, military conflicts all over the world just continue to intensify. The Russians continue to gain ground in several areas of eastern Ukraine, and this is making a number of Ukraine’s neighbors very nervous. In fact, the head of the Polish military just stated that his forces need to prepare for “full-scale conflict”… Poland needs to prepare its soldiers for all-out conflict, its armed forces chief of staff said on Wednesday, as the country boosts the number of troops on its border with Russia and Belarus. Poland’s relations with Russia and its ally Belarus have deteriorated sharply since Moscow sent tens of thousands of troops into neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, starting a war that is still being fought. “Today, we need to prepare our forces for full-scale conflict, not an asymmetric-type conflict,” army chief of staff General Wieslaw Kukula told a press conference. Of course Poland is a member of NATO, and so if Poland ends up fighting Russia we will be fighting Russia too. This week, Chinese forces are engaged in very alarming military exercises that are taking place just miles from the Polish border… Belarus and China kicked off 11-day joint military training exercises Monday, Belarus’ defense ministry said – with activities taking place just miles from the border of Poland, a NATO and European Union member. The joint anti-terrorist training “Attacking Falcon” exercises in Belarus would see military personnel from both countries “act together” as one unit in certain stages, Maj. Gen. Vadim Denisenko of the Belarusian military said in a Telegram post. I think that Chinese forces are there to ward off a potential invasion of Belarus. Ukraine has been building up large numbers of troops and vast quantities of equipment near the border with Belarus for quite some time, and there had been fears that Ukraine may try to do something really stupid. In fact, officials in Belarus were so concerned that they were publicly warning that they would use tactical nuclear weapons if they were invaded. Meanwhile, NATO has started delivering F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine… NATO allies on Wednesday announced they had started transferring F-16 jets to Ukraine and stepped up promises to Kyiv on eventual membership in the alliance at a 75th anniversary summit clouded by political uncertainties in the United States. In response, Russia has been bombing the daylights out of the airfields where those F-16 fighter jets were supposed to be based. I really wish that leaders on both sides would sit down and try to find a peaceful way out of this mess. But that isn’t going to happen. In the Middle East, western powers are desperately trying to avert a full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah… Israel and the Lebanon-based Hezbollah militant group have been exchanging near-daily fire along the Israel-Lebanon border since Oct. 8. The US and France are attempting to broker a diplomatic solution that would end the fighting. Should those negotiations fail, Israeli officials anticipate a full-blown war with the Iran-backed militia. Sadly, I am entirely convinced that such a full-blown war could be just months away. This war in the Middle East is still only in the early stages, and the utter carnage that we will eventually witness will shock the entire world. We really are living in a time of “wars and rumors of wars”, and famines will intensify as global conflict spreads. So no, a new golden era of peace and prosperity is not on the way. Instead, our future will be filled with war, famine and a tremendous amount of pain. PROPHECY UPDATE VIDEOS
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DONATE HERE Your can also mail your support to: Prophecy Update PO Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384 Apathy And the End Times: The Church's Wake-Up Call – Britt Gillette - https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=7087 Will Jesus Ever Return? In 1970, Hal Lindsey published The Late Great Planet Earth. The book sold millions of copies and introduced a generation to the miraculous fulfillment of bible prophecy throughout the ages and right up to the present time. Coming on the heels of World War II, the rebirth of Israel, the Six Day War, and widespread societal upheaval, many were convinced the rapture would take place before the end of the decade. But the 1970's came and went, and Jesus did not return. Then, in the 1980's and 1990's, numerous bible prophecy books with titles like "Countdown to Armageddon" and "Final Warning" sold all over the world. Again, many people were convinced Jesus would return before the end of the century. Yet Jesus didn't come. Then the world experienced Y2K, the September 11th terrorist attacks, and the phenomenal success of the Left Behind series. Once again, it seemed as though Jesus would return at any moment. But once again, he didn't. And then something happened. Complacency set it. End Times Indifference Because Jesus hadn't come, many Christians began to openly doubt whether He ever would. Why? I believe there are at least two reasons. First, we live in a culture that demands instant gratification. We don't like to wait as little as two minutes for a microwave oven to cook a meal it took our grandparents half a day to prepare. We're impatient, and we're used to getting what we want when we want. The second reason is the errant predictions of date setters. False prophets such as Harold Camping and Edgar Whisenant told the world Jesus would return on specific dates - even though Jesus said "no one knows the day or hour" (Matthew 24:36). The media loves to give widespread attention to these types of predictions. When the predicted dates come and go, the false prophets are exposed. Inevitably, this leads to ridicule of bible prophecy, and in some cases, even self-appointed Christian leaders publicly dismissing bible prophecy as a playground for crackpots and the ignorant. But these critics forget false prophets made these claims, not the Bible. The Bible's track record remains perfect. In fact, the Bible predicted this complacency long ago. The Bible Said This Would Happen Almost two thousand years ago, Peter issued a warning. He said in the last days people will deny the signs we see today. He said the world will mock the idea of Jesus returning. People will make fun of those who believe in the Second Coming and say the exact things we hear today - things such as, "I thought Jesus was coming back? What happened to His promise? Generation after generation has said He's coming. Yet, since the beginning of the world, everything has remained the same!" (2 Peter 3:3‐4). You've probably heard variations of this complaint yourself. Maybe you've heard it in church. But is it true? No. It's not. Nothing could further from the truth. Are Things the Same as They've Always Been? To say the world is the same today as in years past - that we don't live in unique times - is simply not true. More than any other generation, ours has reason to expect the Second Coming in our day and time. Jesus and the prophets said to look for specific signs heralding the end times. For over 1,800 years, you couldn't find one of the signs they said to look for. Today, in one form or another, you can find all of them. Here are just a few examples: The Jewish People Back in the Land - God promised to bring the Jewish people back into the land of Israel before He returned (Jeremiah 23:7-8). He said He would call them from "among the nations" (Ezekiel 39:28), from "the farthest corners of the earth" (Isaiah 11:12), and from "north, south, east, and west" (Psalm 107:3). He promised to welcome them home from the lands where they were scattered (Ezekiel 20:34). When they did, He promised to return and establish His everlasting kingdom (Isaiah 11:11-12). For 1,878 years (A.D. 70 to A.D. 1948), the Jewish people lived in exile. On May 14, 1948, they reestablished the nation of Israel, fulfilling God's promise to bring them back into the land. The Jewish People Back in Jerusalem - Jesus prophesied armies would surround Jerusalem, destroy the city, and enslave its citizens. In A.D. 70, the Roman legions fulfilled this prophecy. In the days that followed, Jesus said Gentiles would control Jerusalem until "the times of the Gentiles are over." Then, the Jewish people would once again take control of Jerusalem. When they did, Jesus promised to return (Luke 21:24-28). In June 1967, the Jewish people retook control of Jerusalem. The Gospel Preached Throughout the World - When the disciples asked about the end of the age and the signs of His coming, Jesus told them to look for a very specific sign. He said the Gospel will be preached throughout the entire world. Every nation will hear it. Then, the end will come (Matthew 24:14). For centuries after the crucifixion, the Gospel mostly reached a small area surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. But in the past two centuries, Christians have carried the Gospel to every country on earth. Today, missionaries live in every nation. The Bible is translated in hundreds of languages, and the message of Jesus is sent around the world by radio, TV, satellite, and the Internet. Our generation is the first one on the verge of spreading the Gospel to every last person on earth. Increased Travel and Knowledge - Six hundred years before Jesus, an angel gave Daniel a special message. He said "travel and knowledge" will increase in the end times (Daniel 12:4). For centuries of human history, dramatic gains in travel and knowledge did NOT take place. Yet the last two hundred years have seen explosions in the speed and frequency of travel as well as the amount and availability of knowledge. For example, up until around two hundred years ago, a man could travel no faster than a horse could carry him. Today, we can travel faster than the speed of sound. Many consider the Library of Alexandria to be the greatest collection of written knowledge in the ancient world. While we don't know for sure how much knowledge was housed there, some estimates say it was as many 500,000 papyrus scrolls. Two thousand years ago, this was the height of human knowledge. Today, you probably have a bigger library in your pocket. Your smartphone can download almost any book that's ever been written in a matter of seconds. Our generation is experiencing an exponential increase in travel and knowledge. Israel Surrounded by Enemies - According to the Bible, enemies will surround Israel in the end times. Those enemies will say "Come, let us wipe away the nation of Israel. Let's destroy the memory of its existence" (Psalm 83:4) and "Let us take for ourselves these pasturelands of God" (Psalm 83:12). Ezekiel said Israel's neighbors will say "God has given their land to us" (Ezekiel 11:14‐17), and "Israel and Judah are ours. We will take possession of them. What do we care if their God is there?" (Ezekiel 35:10). Ever since the rebirth of Israel in 1948, the daily headlines have included these exact sentiments. Israel's Muslim neighbors claim the land of Israel for themselves, and they have no regard for the God of Israel. Israel's Exceedingly Great Army - Ezekiel said, in the last days, Israel will field "an exceedingly great army" (Ezekiel 37:10). Zechariah said Israel will be like a fire among sheaves of grain, burning up the neighboring nations (Zechariah 12:6) and even the weakest Israeli soldier will be like David (Zechariah 12:8). Since 1948, Israel has fought no less than four conventional wars against its neighbors. Despite being outnumbered more than 50 to 1, Israel has achieved overwhelming victory every time. Rise of the Gog of Magog Alliance - The Bible says a military alliance that includes Russia, Iran, Turkey, and a number of Muslim nations will attack Israel "in the latter days" (Ezekiel 38:8) when God brings His people home from among the enemy nations (Ezekiel 39:27). Today, we see those exact nations coming together. The alliance they form today is an alliance that has never existed in world history. Rise of a United Europe - The Bible says a revived Roman Empire will come to power in the end times (Daniel 2, Daniel 7, Revelation 17). According to Daniel, it will be a ten nation alliance of weak and strong nations. Some parts will be as strong as iron, while other parts will be as weak as clay (Daniel 2:42). We see the initial stages of this alliance in the European Union - the legal and culture inheritor of the Roman Empire's legacy. The EU today is a coalition of both weak and strong nations. A volatile alliance, it struggles to stay together. The Rise of Global Government - The Bible says a single government will rule the world politically (Revelation 13:7), religiously (Revelation 13:8), and economically (Revelation 13:16‐17) in the last days. It will rule over "all people, tribes, and languages" on the face of the earth (Revelation 13:7). Its authority will be so complete no one will be able to buy or sell anything without its permission (Revelation 13:16‐17). For centuries, a true global government was impossible. Today, world leaders openly discuss it, and the technology exists to implement and rule such a government. Alone, each of these signs indicate the end times are near. Together, they prove ours is the end times generation. Jesus Himself said to look for these signs. He said when you see them, you can know His return is near (Matthew 24:33). In fact, He said the generation that sees these signs will not pass away before He returns (Matthew 24:34). This convergence of signs is the #1 reason to believe our generation is on the verge of witnessing the Second Coming. But instead of getting excited and ramping up our efforts to spread the Gospel, the overwhelming majority of Christian "leaders" remain silent on this issue. A large part of the church is complacent, and the Bible warned about this as well. It's Time to Stay Awake The night before the crucifixion, Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane. He went to pray. But before He did, Jesus asked the apostles to stay up and pray with Him. He warned them not to fall asleep. Nevertheless, they did. They were finally awakened when soldiers arrived to arrest Jesus. In a similar way, Jesus warned us not to be caught sleeping when He returns (Mark 13:36). To illustrate, He told a story of ten bridesmaids. Of the ten bridesmaids, five were foolish and five were wise. The five foolish bridesmaids didn't take enough oil for their lamps when they went to wait for the bridegroom. When they left to buy more oil, the bridegroom came and they missed out on the marriage feast. Jesus warned us not to be like the foolish bridesmaids (Matthew 25:1-13). He said: "You, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return" (Matthew 25:13). In another parable, Jesus once again commanded us to watch: "You, too, must keep watch! For you don't know when the master of the household will return. It could be evening, midnight, dawn, or daybreak. Don't let the master find you sleeping when he arrives without warning. I say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for him!" (Mark 13:35-37). Personally, I've written about the nearness of the Second Coming for over two decades. Obviously, Jesus didn't return in those two decades, but none of the reasons to expect His return have gone away. In fact, the opposite is true. The signs Jesus and the prophets said to look for have markedly increased. Yet to great amazement, many Christians seem more complacent toward and ignorant of the signs than ever before. Why? I don't know. But I'll continue to point out the signs, and you should too. The Bible says if we recognize the signs and don't tell others about them, we're no different than a watchman who sees an invading army and doesn't sound the alarm. If we fail in our role as watchmen, God says He will hold us accountable for all those who perish (Ezekiel 33:1-6). If you feel weary, burned out, or tired because you've been waiting for the return of Jesus, make sure you're spending time in His Word, in prayer, and focused on Him. In Jesus, you can find a fresh, bubbling spring of eternal life: "But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life." (John 4:14) Trust in the Lord, and you will find new strength: "But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31) We're running a marathon, and the finish line is within sight. Now is not the time to stop and take a nap. Instead, it's time to dig down deep for the final push. It's time to push harder toward the goal. It's time to double your efforts to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ because our time here is limited. All the signs Jesus and the prophets said to look for are present right now. For almost 2,000 years, no Christian could say that. Our generation is an eyewitness to signs previous Christians could only dream about. If the signs tell us the Tribulation and the Second Coming are near, it means the rapture of the church is even closer. Don't fall asleep. Don't let anyone around you fall asleep. It's never been more important to stay awake. Jesus is coming! The Day of the Lord (New Testament) – Pete Garcia - https://www.rev310.net/post/the-day-of-the-lord-new-testament According to my understanding of Scripture, the Day of the Lord is both a period of time, as well as a singular day. The first mention of it (by this specific phrasing) is by Peter in Acts 2:20 when he is preaching to the massive crowds at that first Pentecost after the Resurrection by quoting from the Old Testament by saying, the sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord (Acts 2:20). Here, the Apostle Peter hearkens back to the Old Testament prophet Joel (Joel 2:31) by reiterating, or perhaps trying to make sense of the supernatural outcroppings associated with the giving of the Holy Spirit (as cloven tongues of fire) on that day of Pentecost. The next offering of this particular phrase comes from the Apostle Paul in his first letter to the church at Thessalonica. Being one of the first, if not the first letter by Paul (as some contend it's Galatians). It's also one of his most eschatological as each chapter has a reference to the return of Jesus Christ. In the context of the letter, Paul had spent chapter four by introducing the 'blessed hope' in the form of a clarification on what it is and why we (believers) should not mourn like those who have no hope. Transitioning into chapter five, Paul then uses the phrase "day of the Lord" as a contrast to the vast difference between the Rapture of the Church and all that follows it. One is hope, the ultimate hope of any Christian generation (including his). The day of the Lord, while covering a vast period (at least 1,007 years), and begins in absolute horror. But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, “Peace and safety!” then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 (my emphasis) Here is the admonishment by Paul that he felt it even unnecessary to write them concerning this as he had already taught them all about the mystery known as the Rapture of the Church. Church history has it that he did not stay long with this group of believers due to rising persecution by unbelieving Jews, perhaps only a matter of weeks. But when their members began to die off due to natural causes, they were worried that those who had died beforehand would miss out on the Rapture itself, hence the need to write this letter. The Apostle Paul would go on to write a second epistle, as someone would come along later writing a letter as if from Paul claiming the resurrection had already happened. Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come. Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? 2 Thess. 2:1-5 (my emphasis) Some attribute the false teachings that the resurrection was already past (an early form of preterism?) to that of Hymaneaus and Philetus who in 2 Timothy 2:15-18, called their cancerous teaching's "idle babblings" and had "strayed from the faith" by stating the resurrection had already happened. Regarding the wording, day of Christ versus day of the Lord, it should be noted the distinction that is made in Scripture between the two. The day of Christ is used three times in the New Testament (Phil. 1:3-6, 2:14-16, and 1 Cor. 1:4-8), and is viewed as a positive event associated with the conclusion of the sanctification process by way of the Rapture itself, thus the beginning of the glorification process of the Church. The day of the Lord, on the other hand, is almost always associated with the negative aspects regarding the return of the Lord. So if the day of the Lord is negative, and the day of Christ is positive, what is the correlation between the two? If the day of the Lord is the manifestation of God's judgment upon a Christ-rejecting world and is the most chronicled time in Scripture, how does that come "like a thief in the night"? Since the day of Christ refers to the Rapture of the Church, and no one can know when that will happen, it remains in a state of imminence, in other words, meaning it could happen at any time and nothing need precede it. The day of the Lord on the other hand, could not begin (see 2 Thess 2) until after the Rapture had occurred because in so doing, the removal of the Church would entail the removal of the restraining ministry of the Holy Spirit whose ministry prevents the Antichrist from being revealed. This is why Paul contrasts the two in 1 Thessalonians 4-5. The Rapture (Greek-harpazo, Latin-rapturro, English-caught up) would be the divine mechanism that removes the righteous before God's wrath is poured out upon the earth and concludes the ministry of restraint by the Holy Spirit. Later, the Apostle Peter would conclude in his final letter a mention of the day of the Lord as a capstone (as it were) to his first preaching in Acts 2:20. Here, Peter writes a sobering chapter regarding the last days and what would be one of the key markers surrounding it- those who mock the return of the Lord. Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.” For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. 2 Peter 3:1-7 (my emphasis) No doubt, Peter would have been referring to those like Hymaneaus and Philetus, who were teaching blasphemous things such as the resurrection being already past. After almost two millennia, many scoffers have come in every generation mocking the return of our Lord. However, from the 20th century onward, this mocking seems to have escalated to the point of becoming mainstream across Christendom with most mainline Protestant denominations as well as the Catholic church. Both skeptics and academics often dismiss the return of Christ. They frequently argue, "It hasn't happened before," or "People have been predicting it for ages, and He still hasn't come," implying that past non-occurrence is evidence against future fulfillment. This is a form of normalcy bias and is strongly advised against throughout Scripture on all manner of topics, but can be encapsulated in one small paragraph from our not-too-distant past. Harry R. Truman, an 83-year-old owner of a resort on Spirit Lake, became a folk hero due to his refusal to evacuate during the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption. Despite warnings, Truman, known for his colorful language and strong personality, remained adamant about staying. He was ultimately killed when the volcano erupted, burying him and his lodge. His story has since been immortalized through media coverage, memorials, and continued public interest, highlighting his defiant character and the dramatic circumstances of his death. (See more here). Although Harry represents the very epitome of man's hubristic foolishness, he is not alone. Every day, thousands of people leave this life and move on to their eternal destinations only to realize that their defiance against God has resulted in their eternal separation from their loving Creator. Moreover, how many countless millions today refuse to believe that this world will eventually come to its prescribed ending? As Peter indicates, even those within Christendom will hearken back to history as evidence that Christ will not return. This is how the day of the Lord will come as a thief. Not that there weren't signs, but that man refused to heed them. Lastly, we see that the day of the Lord, although not phrased specifically as such, is identified as "the Lord's day" when the elder Apostle John receives the Revelation (Greek- apocalypse) from our Lord while imprisoned on the isle of Patmos. Jesus tells John, what to write, and how to divide the writings up (Rev. 1:19) into what he saw, what is, and what is to come after these things (or after the Church age). From chapters four onward, is the "day of the Lord" reminiscent of all the Old Testament prophetic warnings. It is a time filled with divine wrath broken up into at least 21 divine judgments (7 Seals, Trumpets, Bowls, and perhaps Thunders) meant to shatter satan's grip on the world and drive mankind toward repentance...but like ol' Harry, most will not repent. Conclusion As I said at the outset, my understanding, given the abundance of descriptions about the day of the Lord in Scripture, is that it is both a period of time as well as a singular day. The time begins immediately after the Rapture of the Church (the day of Christ) and goes all the way forward until the end of the millennial kingdom. The singular day of the Lord is the actual day on which Christ returns with the armies of heaven (the glorified church and the angelic hosts) as described in Revelation 19:11-16 which is the culminating event of all human history. Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. Amen and amen! Maranatha! Lord bless, Pete PS: Here is a sampling of the two different uses for the phrase The Day of the Lord (specific usage or reference) Joel 1:15, 2:1, Matt 26:64, 2 Peter 3:10, Rev. 1:7, 19:11-19 The Day of the Lord (general reference) Isaiah 2:12, 13:9, Jer. 46:10, Ez 30:3, Amos 5:18, 20, Zeph 1:18, Mal 4:5, 1 Thess 5:1 Daily Jot: Supreme Court dismantling deep state? - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com We have seen first-hand over the past several years the dark sinister actions of what has been called the deep state, administrative state, the permanent bureaucracy, and most notably, the swamp. We witnessed how the FBI, in conjunction with Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama used the secret FISA Court to spy on the Donald Trump campaign; to conjure up false documents for impeaching Trump on Russian collusion charges; how the FBI pressured social media companies to censure private citizens who dissented on COVID measures. And we see how unconstitutional government agencies like OSHA and the IRS make interpretations of law actual law. The Supreme Court has taken action against this. Two SCOTUS decisions June 26 and 27 significantly weakened the deep state. In the first case, at question was a 40 year old precedent known as the Chevron deference doctrine. This so-called doctrine required courts to defer to a government agency’s “reasonable interpretation” when there are ambiguities in the law. In other words, the unelected “experts” got to determine what was law, not Congress. The Congressional Research Service states that this particular doctrine was cited over 18,000 times against various entities. By ending the Chevron doctrine, SCOTUS is saying that federal agencies can no use their power to force political outcomes or agendas when Congress gave them no power to do so. In short, the ruling makes it difficult for unelected bureaucrats to make law through their regulations. SCOTUS also ruled against the assumed power of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to use in-house administrative law courts to determine a defendant’s civil penalties. In the majority opinion, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that “A defendant facing a fraud suit has the right to be tried by a jury of his peers before a neutral adjudicator.” The decision refers to the 7thAmendment to the Constitution which upholds the right of trial by jury for civil claims. This decision takes away the bias of unelected government bureaucrats in deciding civil penalties using biased in-hour tribunals. Both decisions will have tremendous ripple effects throughout government agencies as well an impact on how Congress makes laws. These decisions should limit the power of unelected bureaucrats and targeting of companies and citizens by politically-motivated and agenda-driven federal agencies. Of course, it was the six “conservatives” on the court that did away with this socialist concept while the three leftists on the court dissented. This is the problem: Liberals want to undermine representative government by allowing unelected bureaucrats to determine the law and how their agendas are to be followed. If there is any undermining of “democracy,” this is a prime example of how its done. Maybe SCOTUS will help reverse the process as these injustices are exposed. May we have many Luke 8:17 moments where “nothing is hidden which will not become manifest, nor secret which shall not be known and come to light.” Daily Devotion: An Undeniable Faith - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God. —Acts 1:3 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/an-undeniable-faith/ - Listen Christianity is not some feel-good belief system that asks you to check your brains at the door. Rather, it is based on reliable and documented evidence of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, thereby justifying His claims and promises. Granted, there is an element of faith that we must apply to believe, but Christianity is based on clear facts. Acts 1:3 tells us, “During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God” (NLT). In the original language, the word for proved in this verse includes the idea of convincing. That’s because, going back to the earliest centuries, some have stated that Jesus never rose from the dead. Some have asserted that it was a hoax the disciples concocted. Others have suggested they never saw His risen body but were just hallucinating. But Luke, who wrote the Book of Acts, was saying, “Listen to me. I have done primary research on this topic, and I have proof.” Jesus had been crucified and put to death. They heard the blows of the hammers. They saw the spikes go into His hands and feet. And they saw the blood and water spill from His side. They watched as His traumatized, beaten body was taken down from the cross. And they knew that He never would live again, much less walk and talk with them. But sure enough, there was Jesus, alive. And He appeared to them not just once or twice. No, He showed up everywhere. Mary saw Him at the empty tomb. Then, He walked with two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Then, He joined the disciples in the upper room. And because Thomas wasn’t there the first time, He returned to the upper room a second time. And He wasn’t just a spirit. He ate with the disciples. He invited Thomas to put his hand in the wound in His side and examine His hands where the spikes had been. Jesus was in a real body. Yet He could appear in a room and disappear again. Five hundred people witnessed His appearance on a single occasion. That was no mass hallucination; that was evidence. Luke was saying, “We saw Him. We couldn’t deny it was true.” If it were a hoax the disciples had dreamed up, certainly one of them would have given in and admitted as much. Yet every apostle died the death of a martyr except John, who survived a pot of boiling oil and was then banished to the island of Patmos. Not one of them broke ranks because they could not deny what they knew was true. Jesus was alive. They had seen Him. It transformed their lives, and they had to go out and share this message with others. They were real people like us, yet God used them to change the world. PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS HEADLINES Yesterday's Prophecies - Today's Headlines HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY 7/11/24 http://trackingbibleprophecy.org/birthpangs.php
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