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IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
The Book of Revelation Magnifies Jesus – Jonathan Brentner - https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/https/jonathan-brentner-g8fgsquarespacecom/config/2021/12/20/the-book-of-revelation-magnifies-jesus
My wife and I recently learned a new song at the church we attend, Christ be Magnified. As I sang along with the words on the screen, I wondered about what in my life truly glorifies Jesus. What honors Him above all else? And as you might suspect, I also thought about biblical prophecy. It’s my conviction that a literal approach to biblical prophecy, and by that I mean one that remains true to the original intent of the authors, greatly magnifies the Lord. The future restoration of Israel is a prime example. Ezekiel 36:22-38 reveals God’s ultimate purpose for blessing Israel with a still future and glorious kingdom: It’s all about His glory. Such a restoration, He tells us, “will vindicate the holiness of my great name” (v. 23). The last sentence in Ezekiel 36 again recounts God’s purpose for blessing Israel, “Then they will know that I am the LORD.” When I think of a book of the Bible that magnifies the Lord Jesus, Revelation comes to mind. It exalts Jesus as the summation of both human history and Old Testament prophecy. THE BOOK OF REVELATION EXALTS JESUS The book of Revelation magnifies Christ from the first verse all the way to the very last one. It refers to Jesus as the “Lamb” twenty-six times, more than any other book. This Lamb, however, intervenes in human affairs as a roaring Lion wresting control of the of nations from the grip of Satan in order to establish His righteous rule over all the earth. Verse one starts with these words: “The revelation of Jesus Christ.” From beginning to end, the book shows forth our Redeemer’s glory. It exalts Him as our risen Savior and all-powerful King. Chapters 2 and 3 reveal Jesus’ headship over the church as He admonishes and encourages churches of various types that existed in His day, as well as in ours. Revelation 3:10-11a contains a promise of the Rapture through which Jesus will take us out of the world before the wrath of the day of the Lord descends upon humanity. Chapters 4 and 5 exalt the Lamb as the only One worthy to open the seals binding the title deed to this world. The ensuing judgments begin the process of the coming King demolishing Satan’s kingdom, the first step in setting up His future reign. Chapter 6-19 demonstrate the Lord’s supreme power over all the forces that now actively rebel against Him. He will prove the righteousness of His Name as He destroys the kingdom of the antichrist along with its lawlessness, deception, and great wickedness. In Revelation 19:1-8, heaven roars with praise for the Lord Jesus. We will also be there loudly exalting our Redeemer as we joyously celebrate His future rule. Jesus’ ultimate display of power and magnificence comes when He returns, destroys the armies of the world gathered against Jerusalem, locks up Satan, and establishes His millennial rule (19:11-20:6). After putting down a final rebellion, He will judge the unsaved and forever eliminate death and sin (20:7-15). Revelation 21-22 describe the glorious eternal state of the new earth and the New Jerusalem. Jesus last words to us, His church, are these, “Surely I am coming quickly!” The magnificence of Christ finds its fullest expression in the events recorded throughout the book of Revelation, which also records the end of our arch adversary. Is that why so many today discredit its message and magnify the church instead? GLORIFYING THE CHURCH RATHER THAN ITS HEAD The scoffers of our day make the book of Revelation into something other than a book of prophecy. In my experience, I have found that such critics often change it into something that exalts the church rather than its Head. Let’s briefly look at some of the ways that those who mock our hope in Jesus’ imminent appearing also devalue the message of the book of Revelation. 1. IT’S ALLEGORY Through the use of allegory, many interpret the book the Revelation as symbolism rather than an eyewitness account of what John saw and heard. Some in this camp assign a literal understanding to the words of Revelation 21-22, others do not. Allegory began long ago as a way to combine pagan Greek philosophy with Christianity. Those who originally interpreted biblical prophecy in this manner were also followers of Plato and sought to change the millennium into something less offensive to the ancient Greeks that adhered to the teachings of their philosophers. Augustine, the one who later established allegory as the way to approach biblical prophecy, said the idea of a literal millennium “would not be objectionable” if somehow “the nature of the millennial kingdom was a ‘spiritual one’ rather than a physical one.”[i] Can you see from his words how Plato, who regarded the material world as evil, influenced Augustine’s view of prophecy as well as the book of Revelation? There are many substantial reasons to reject the allegorical approach to the book of Revelation:
2. IT’S APOCALYPTIC One pastor recently told me that the book of Revelation was “apocalyptic” thereby suggesting that he did not interpret several passages in the way that the Lord inspired them. It came as no surprise to me that his view of eschatology exalts the church rather than the Savior. The Greek word apocalyptic is translated “revelation” in verse one of Revelation. Contrary to how we regard the word’s English equivalent, in the Greek it signifies an unveiling or revealing. In other words, this term introduces the final book of the Bible as the manifestation of Jesus. It’s not, as many suggest, a book full of hidden meanings that one can change to fit whatever beliefs one chooses to bring to the text. 3. IT’S PAST HISTORY Some today tells us that John wrote the book in AD 65 and that the Lord fulfilled all or most of the words of the book of Revelation in first century. Although they recognize it as prophetic in nature, they regard it as fulfilled prophecy. There are many problems with this false and misleading approach:
This interpretation makes the book of Revelation all about the church and its first century AD experiences. In so doing, it glorifies the church and masks Jesus’ glory. 4. IT’S A SECRET CODE FOR FIRST CENTURY BELIEVERS Another popular approach states that John wrote the book of Revelation in code for the suffering saints who lived during the first century AD. All the previous arguments favoring a literal interpretation apply here. In addition, John’s choice of words totally negates this false approach to the book of Revelation. The apostle uses “saw” forty-four times by itself and twelve times with the word “looked.” He uses “heard” thirty times to indicate he was writing down what he heard. The apostle purposely used the words of someone communicating God’s message on the basis of what he both saw and heard. He went out of his way to say that he was not writing a code or some sort of allegory, but telling us what he both saw and heard. Yes, there are things in the book of Revelation that I do not understand and wish I could explain. However, I’m absolutely convinced that its intent is to glorify Jesus from beginning to end and that those who discredit its words do so at their own peril. Consider the dire warning in the last chapter of Revelation: I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book. (22:18-19) Would a book written as past history, as an allegory with hidden meanings, or in a secret code for suffering saints of the first century AD contain such a warning? I don’t think so. We would expect, however, to see such a strong word of caution in a book written as prophecy and one that greatly magnifies our Savior. PRACTICALLY SPEAKING Practically speaking, the book of Revelation greatly encourages us as we see a myriad of signs that point to the rapidly approaching Tribulation period. It tells us that Jesus will judge the deception and lawlessness already growing exponentially in our day, destroy the lawless and deceptive rule of the antichrist, replace the coming new world order with a righteous rule upon the earth, and in the end destroy death, pain, and all suffering. It’s because we know that the Apostle John wrote chapters 1 to 20 as an eyewitness of what he heard and saw, that we can have great confidence in the promises contained in the concluding chapters. Jesus’ ultimate victory, as dramatized throughout the first twenty chapters, assures us of the truth of this glorious promise in Revelation 21:4: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” My new book, The Triumph of the Redeemed-An eternal Perspective that Calms Our Fears in Perilous Times, is now available on Amazon. [i] Allen, D. Matthew, Theology Adrift: The Early Church Fathers and Their Views of Eschatology, a paper published on the Bible.org website, chapter 5. Can You See the Signs That Are Happening All Around Us? - by Michael Snyder - http://endoftheamericandream.com/can-you-see-the-signs-that-are-happening-all-around-us/ Just because most people have eyes does not mean that they are able to see. We live at a time when global events are going haywire all around us, but the vast majority of the population is still asleep. Even though our world is being rocked by pestilence, economic troubles, wars and rumors of wars, widespread civil unrest and great natural disasters, most people simply assume that life will eventually return to “normal” at some point. Sadly, that isn’t going to happen. I am entirely convinced that global events will continue to accelerate as we head into 2022, and most people will be absolutely blind-sided by what is coming because they just didn’t want to believe that things could ever get so bad. It seems like each new day brings us some sort of a new disaster. For example, on Monday the California coast was hit by a magnitude 6.2 earthquake… A magnitude 6.2 earthquake hit Northern California on Monday, bringing significant shaking but likely minimal damage to the sparsely populated area. The earthquake occurred just after noon and was centered off the coast about 210 miles northwest of San Francisco, just off a tiny town called Petrolia that’s home to fewer than 1,000 people. The nearest population center, Eureka, is about 45 miles north. The good news is that the area where this quake struck is sparsely populated and not much damage was done. So a lot of people will forget about this earthquake very quickly, but that is a huge mistake. Seismic activity is increasing all over the world, and this is especially true along the Ring of Fire. For much more on this, please see my recent article entitled “With Just Weeks To Go Until 2022, The Ring Of Fire Is Suddenly ROARING To Life”. Last week, the eyes of the nation were on the extreme winds and violent tornadoes that erupted in the middle of the nation. According to the Weather Channel, what we witnessed was some of the strangest weather in the history of the upper Midwest… Wednesday’s widespread windstorm, severe weather outbreak, and unusual heat from the Rockies and Plains into the upper Midwest were so bizarre for December that even weather historians were in awe according to the Weather Channel. “I can say with some confidence that this event – the heat and tornadoes – is among the most, if not the most, anomalous weather events ever on record for the upper Midwest,” weather historian Christopher Burt said. The damage that was caused by the tornadoes was simply jaw-dropping, and the power of the windstorms completely shocked a lot of the experts. In fact, we are being told that last Wednesday the U.S. experienced “the highest number of hurricane-force gusts in a single 24-hour period” ever recorded. When wind speeds are that high, wildfires can easily get out of control, and almost 400,000 acres were burned in the state of Kansas “in less than three days”… As of Thursday, the Forest Service reported nearly 400,000 acres had burned across the state in less than three days. The bulk of that — almost 366,000 acres — was in the four-county area. Many farmers lost everything. In some cases, the fires moved so fast that there was not even time to move animals out of the way. One firefighter that was on the front lines said that he had never seen fire move so rapidly in his entire life… “It looked like a massive, massive ball of rolling fire and smoke,” said Keith Haberer, emergency manager for Russell and Ellsworth counties. Haberer, who has worked as a firefighter and emergency manager for more than 20 years, described the blaze as “incredible.” He said he had never seen fire move that fast. A record number of billion-dollar natural disasters hit the United States in 2020, and I believe that we are going to absolutely smash that record again in 2021. But this is all perfectly “normal”, right? Of course the entire globe has been hit by disaster after disaster during the past two years, and this has brought us to the brink of an unprecedented global food crisis. The following originally comes from the Washington Post… Because of the pandemic, global hunger shot up by an estimated 118 million people worldwide in 2020, jumping to 768 million people, the most since as far back as 2006. The number of people living with food insecurity — or those forced to compromise on food quantity or quality — surged by 318 million, to 2.38 billion. Global food supplies are going to get even tighter in 2022 and beyond, but don’t worry, because the elite are telling us that if things get bad enough we can just eat bugs. In fact, many different forms of bug will soon be available for purchase in supermarkets all over Europe… European member states certified house crickets, yellow mealworms, and grasshoppers as food fit to be sold at supermarkets. The bugs will be sold in frozen, dried, and powdered forms and will be packed with nutrients and low-cost, according to Bloomberg. Earlier this month, the World Economic Forum published two articles explaining how people must get used to eating bugs. Those who can no longer afford meat, such as ham or turkey, and other traditional holiday foods will come to find a new substitute. Before I end this article, let me mention one more thing that I am keeping an eye on. Not too long ago, scientists discovered an absolutely gigantic comet that will be traveling through our solar system… This discovery could be one for the record books, leading some to call it a “mega comet.” It is estimated to be between 60 and 230 miles wide, which could make it the largest comet ever discovered, EarthSky said. To put the size in context, Halley’s Comet is about 3.5 miles wide, Long Island is 118 miles long and part of the Florida peninsula is 160 miles across. Scientists are assuring us that we will have nothing to worry about when it makes its closest approach to the sun in 2031. But at this point it is so far away that they can’t even give us an accurate estimate of how big it is. So the truth is that they don’t really know how it will behave. We live in such unusual times, and every day there are more truly bizarre things for me to write about. But most of the population still wants to believe that someday we will all wake up and everything will be back to normal. Of course the truth is that this isn’t a dream that we can just wake up from at some point. The changes that we are witnessing are permanent, and the pace of change is only going to intensify during the months and years to come. Nearing Midnight: The Great Tornado Outbreak of 2021 – Todd Strandberg - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ I’ve always had a profound interest in weather. Many times when a thunderstorm comes rolling through here in Benton, Arkansas, you will find me out on my porch watching the storm. That was the case this past Dec 10th. A single thunderstorm had popped up over the central part of the state. I thought how lucky it was to have it pass over the town. My smartphone had a warning message that said we were at the southern end of a tornado watch. I didn’t think we were in any danger, but I was impressed by the inflow energy of the storm. It seemed like one of those thunderstorms that a tropical storm or hurricane would generate as it comes on land. A few days later, I was watching a YouTube video from a weather station out of Louisville, Kentucky. A woman showed the radar of the storm that devastated Mayfield and other communities. I immediately realized that the thunderstorm was the same one that passed over Benton. Terry and I weren’t in any real danger because the storm was not rotating when it came through. It turned tornadic when it got 80 miles down the road. It will take several weeks to document the storm damage. What we have already learned is shocking. The tornado, being called the “Quad-State Tornado,” ripped across four states in four hours (Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky). There is a path of catastrophic damage that is 230 miles long and as wide as three-quarters of a mile. Meteorologists are trying to verify if all this damage is from one single tornado. If this is the case, it would rival the 1925 Tri-State tornado that killed 695 people as it traveled 219 miles across Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. So far, they had proved that the same tornado traveled at least 125 miles. The Mayfield tornado sent debris 30,000 feet into the air, the cruising altitude of many passenger jets, and scattered prom photos, handmade quilts, and wrapped Christmas gifts scores of miles away from the tornado’s path. One photo was found on a car window 130 miles away from its owner. The death toll in Kentucky has now exceeded 70, including 12 children, and is expected to keep growing. Gov. Andy Beshear has called it “the deadliest” in the state’s history. The total death toll from the Dec 10th outbreak will likely be over 100 lives lost. The average number of tornadoes in most of the states hit was less than one per year for December. It is amazing to have Kentucky hit by over a dozen twisters. There was a total of 44 tornadoes on that day. The last EF4 tornado to strike the U.S. during the month of December was during the Christmas Outbreak of December 2015. Since the strength of a tornado is constantly changing, it may take several weeks to find out if any tornado had the rare EF5 wind speed. The last EF5 tornado in the U.S. hit Moore, Oklahoma, in 2013. Five days later, we had another tornado outbreak. Half of the Lower 48 endured historic and dangerous weather as an extremely powerful storm system swept through the middle of the country, unleashing damaging winds and, in some areas, tornadoes, dust storms and out-of-control fires. Winds of 70 to 100-plus mph sheared off roofs, overturned vehicles, toppled trees, and caused hundreds of thousands of power outages while contributing to hazardous ground and air travel. From New Mexico to Michigan, more than 36 million people were under high-wind warnings. In Colorado, several locations clocked gusts over 100 mph. Due to a fast-moving complex of violent storms, known as a derecho, the National Weather Service logged at least 55 reports of hurricane-force wind gusts (75-plus mph), the most in a single day on record. A tornado touched down in Plainview, Minnesota, just outside Rochester on Dec 15th, according to the National Weather Service. This was the first time Minnesota has recorded a tornado in December. There were at least three tornadoes that touched down in Iowa. I grew up in Iowa and don’t recall ever having even a tornado watch in December. The two derechos that I experienced in the 47 years that I lived in the area were both in the summer. All these tornadoes are part of the end-birth pangs that warn that the tribulation hour is drawing near. Many people wonder why disaster strikes the good people of the heartland. A 9.0 quake striking San Francisco would seem to be more appropriate. I don’t think there is any area of the country that is righteous enough to deserve God’s special protection from calamity. If a twister had touched down from that thunderstorm as it passed over my house, I would have looked over at my cat Bud sitting in the next chair and said, “I guess we’re going home early.” “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple . . . The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether” (Psalms 19:7, 9). An Enduring Kingdom - By Matt Ward - https://www.raptureready.com/2021/12/19/an-enduring-kingdom-by-matt-ward/ “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). One of the most important messages ever given by Jesus before he ascended into heaven has brightened Christmas every year for centuries. It has given hope for two millennia now. That message, often lost today, is that Jesus is alive, and He is coming again soon! As the disciples stood gazing into the clouds after the resurrected Lord had ascended from the surface of the earth, rising higher and higher into the sky, two angels suddenly appeared with a vitally important message, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). There is a hope embedded in this message that one day Jesus will return for his own. Just a short time earlier, while Jesus was celebrating Passover with His disciples, he revealed to them, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward” (John. 13:36). The disciples must have felt crushed. This was the Man most of them believed would usher in a new Messianic age, and here He is telling them He is departing and leaving them in their greatest hour of need. The disciples must have been distraught, feeling as though the very ground they stood upon had been pulled out from underneath them. But then Jesus reassured them: “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:1–3). Jesus was departing from them with a specific purpose in mind, and he had a definite plan to return. He wasn’t intending to just leave them but described a very real scenario through which they would once again be united to him and with him. Jesus referred to a Jewish wedding to help His disciples understand. Using this imagery, Jesus attempted to convey not only the absolute certainty of his return but the inexpressible joy that would accompany it. In Jewish weddings, after paying tribute to the bride’s father and establishing the marriage covenant with his father-in-law, the Jewish bridegroom would return home to his own father for a time to prepare a dwelling place in his own father’s house that was fit for his bride. This is where the Jewish bride and bridegroom would eventually live, in the father’s house. After completing the dwelling places to his father’s satisfaction, and allowing for his fiancé to adjust to and prepare for married life, the father of the groom would indicate that it was time for the bridegroom to return for his beautiful bride. With a shout, the bridegroom would announce his arrival and, along with his trusted companions and friends, would take her away to her new home. The bride would leave her old home on hearing the voice of her new husband and immediately leave for her new home with her new husband. This is the imagery that Jesus used to convey the meaning of His absence. This imagery perfectly fits the concept of the Rapture of the church, when Jesus Christ, after leaving to prepare a place for his Bride, would once again return so, “…that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:3). Later, Paul also describes how Christ “loved the church and gave Himself for her … that He might present her to Himself a glorious church” (Ephesians 5:25, 27). The apostle John, in his Apocalypse, glimpsed this glorious future when he saw the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. “The Lamb [Christ] has come, and His wife has made herself ready … arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright” (Rev. 19:7–8). If you are a believer in Jesus Christ—this is your destiny. From the first members of the bride of Christ huddled together in the upper room during the final Passover celebration to each member of the Church today, each one has now become a member of a royal priesthood through Jesus Christ. “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:10). There are very real foreshadows of this modern bride of Christ found in the Old Testament. As John Walvoord states: “Some expositors have found, for instance, in the marriages of Isaac and Rebekah, Joseph and Asenath, Moses and Zipporah, and Boaz and Ruth a typical representation of the plan of God to present Christ with a bride, the church, composed largely of Gentiles. In each of these illustrations, the bride is non-Jewish, that is, not a descendant of Jacob.” God is forming his Church from all the nations of the world, from Jew and Gentile. This has always been his plan. “I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd” (John 10:16). When Jesus departed, he emphasized that his purpose was to prepare a place for his Bride and that he would shortly return for them. The phrase… and if I go and prepare a place for you…conditionally links His departure with His return: “I will come again” (John 14:3). In the Greek, the word translated “will come” is actually in the present tense. Jesus is literally saying, “I am coming,” which carries a future force … to emphasize the certainty of Jesus’ return for his disciples.” The analogy of the ancient Jewish wedding ceremony that Jesus uses guarantees Jesus’ return for his Church. Therefore, “Be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:8). We are entering a time in history that the Bible speaks much about. Indeed, the Bible talks more about the events of this generation and Jesus’ Second Coming than it does His first appearance on this earth. We stand on the cusp of world-changing momentous events. No doubt, in view of the change we are seeing every day now, the world will be a dramatically different place just twelve months from now. For some of us, this may mean persecution is ahead – each and every passing day seems to make this reality more of a certainty in my own mind. But we have a living, dynamic, and real hope. We have Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Lord and Savior. Never will he leave us, never will he forsake us. And our destiny lies in an enduring Kingdom that cannot be destroyed and that will never come to an end. Whatever the future may bring, we are servants of the King. And that fact, alongside the very real promise Jesus made that He will come back at some point soon and take us to be with Him so that we will be where He is, should fill us with hope and peace. As the early church would say, “Maranatha!” meaning, “Our Lord, come!” “Abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming” (1 John. 2:28). Merry Christmas! [email protected] Daily Jot: Stupidocrisy: The winter of death and illness - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com Joe Biden went on the attack once again against the unvaccinated in his pre-Christmas COVID speech. In doing so, he stretched the truth many times trying to get people to realize they must get vaccinated or face a winter of death and illness. After repeating over and over again that you need to get vaccinated, he said, “So, folks, let me summarize: We should all be concerned about Omicron but not panicked. If you’re fully vaccinated, and especially if you got your booster shot, you are highly protected. And if you’re unvaccinated, you’re at higher risk of getting severely ill from COVID-19, getting hospitalized, and even dying.” His fear porn campaign is in full swing. Let’s try to have some straight talk about this. Biden said he wanted to answer “your” questions about what’s going on with COVID, but he asked himself his own questions and gave his own propagandized answers. On Omicron, he said, “If you are not fully vaccinated, you have good reason to be concerned. You’re at a high risk of getting sick. And if you get sick, you’re likely to spread it to others, including friends and family. And the unvaccinated have a significantly higher risk of ending up in a hospital or even dying.” Let’s break this down a bit. Nearly every report about Omicron is that it is highly contagious but not severe. It is being transmitted through the vaccinated in the majority of cases. The COVID vaccinations do not prevent or help much with Omicron, according to news reports quoting many doctors. However, Pfizer and Moderna claim they work after many booster$. What about Christmas? Biden says, “And I know some Americans are wondering if you can safely celebrate the holidays with your family and friends. The answer is yes, you can, if you and those you celebrate with are vaccinated, particularly if you’ve gotten your booster shot. If you are vaccinated and follow the precautions that we all know well, you should feel comfortable celebrating Christmas and the holidays as you planned it. You know, you’ve done the right thing. You could enjoy the holiday season.” But if you are unvaccinated, don’t you dare show your face. COVID Czar Anthony Fauci says to tell unvaccinated family members to stay home: “I think we’re dealing with a serious enough situation right now that if there’s an unvaccinated person, I would say, ‘I’m very sorry, but not this time, maybe another time when this is all over.’” Are we so wrapped up with COVID that we cannot see the facts? These people in power are normalizing division among us and our families by using your health as a lever to induce fear and hate. If you are over 60 and/or have preexisting issues such as heart disease or diabetes or some such similar thing, BE CAREFUL take precaution. Know too, these vaccines do not prevent illness or transmission and there are many risks associated with them. The government is gaslighting people to get them to take it, even to the point of dividing families. In Matthew 24:10, Christ said of the end times, “And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.” While we have not yet reached that time of which Christ speaks, it is what this government and media are trying to do. Don’t fall for it. It’s..say it with me…Stupidocrisy. Daily Devotion: The Prince of Peace - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org And His name will be called . . . Prince of Peace —Isaiah 9:6 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-prince-of-peace/ - Listen During the storms of life, we long for peace within. In our crazy culture with so many uncertainties in the air, it’s great to know that Jesus can be our Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 tells us that Jesus is the Prince of peace. That takes care of the disturbances of life. When the angels appeared to the shepherds one night as they watched over their flocks, the Bible tells us they praised God and said, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased” (Luke 2:14 NLT). The way you have peace is by having a relationship with God. And when your life is well pleasing to God, you can experience this personal peace. A little bit later in the Christmas narrative when the wise men came to visit Jesus, they brought Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Those seem like curious gifts to bring to a child. But I think they had insight into the mission that Jesus came to fulfill. They gave Him gold because He was a king, frankincense (or incense) because He would be our high priest, representing us before God, and myrrh, which was an embalming element. Also in Isaiah 9:6, we read that “the government will be upon His shoulder” (NKJV). A lot of time has passed since the birth of Jesus. And when He returns again to Earth and establishes His kingdom, He will reign righteously as King of kings and Lord of lords. But first, Jesus took the cross upon his shoulders. He came to die on a cross. We don’t like to think about that. But the beautiful little baby, born in a manger, came with a purpose. And that purpose, that mission, was to die for the sins of the world. 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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