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The Great Awakening – The Grand Deception - By Charles Gray Adams Jr - https://www.raptureready.com/2022/07/23/the-great-awakening-the-grand-deception-by-charles-gray-adams-jr/
God clearly defined how the last days would play out, in the Bible. In fact, the book of Revelation provides the best overview of the transition from the age of grace into the seven-year Tribulation, which ends with the inauguration of the millennial kingdom. However, the primary focus of the book of Revelation is the Tribulation, during which all governments succumb to the one world: government, religion, and economy of the antichrist (Rev 13). This suggests that all nations will be in a state of decline at the end of the age of grace, an end which is clearly upon us. Therefore, trying to revive the United States is akin to warring against God’s plan. This means those who are procreating the great awakening have fallen for a grand deception that will leave them hopeless when the delusion crumbles. This article will attempt to shed light upon the grand deception of the great awakening while simultaneously proving that believers are actually to be occupied with fulfilling the Lord’s will while looking for that blessed hope called the rapture. Everywhere you turn, someone is proclaiming that a great awakening is taking place in America. Indeed, the call for revival is rising to a crescendo as the voices of many spiritual and political leaders converge into a plea for the impossible, the resurrection of a once great nation. Sadly, America, once the greatest beacon of hope to ever exist, is now fallen and writhing as a blind one in death throes. The brilliant light of this nation, which was founded upon Judeo-Christian principles, has been extinguished because of continued rejection of God. Now, incredibly, even this call for revival is a sign of America’s departure from the true light provided by walking in the will of God. You see, the great awakening is not about following the biblical mandate of the Great Commission and reaching out to lost souls (Matt 28:19-20). Instead, it is about reviving a lost nation. This is not what God called the church to do. Throughout Scripture, the church is charged with being about His business of making disciples and told to ‘look up’ when the signs of the times became what they are now as the great falling away manifests. With this in mind, it is paramount to understand what is behind this grand deception known as the great awakening: the ‘Kingdom Now’ heresy. Briefly, the ‘Kingdom Now’ adherents allege that new apostles and prophets have brought forth new revelation from God, which changes the end God so laboriously set forth in Scripture. They believe the kingdom of God will manifest in those who adhere to ‘kingdom now’ beliefs. Thus, doing away with the messy aftermath of the rapture and the subsequent Tribulation. There is just one major problem with their belief system; it is not biblical. Here are the Scriptures that validate the viewpoint that the church purifies the world through a great awakening and establishes the kingdom now: Chirp…Chirp…Chirp…Crickets. That’s right; there are none. Therefore, this idea is completely man-made. This is one of the many ways false leaders have drawn men unto themselves. [1] They simply depart from the sound doctrines of Scripture (1 Tim 4:16; Titus 1:9), make up their own doctrines, and disperse their errant beliefs to the masses who, because they have itching ears, want to hear the message put forth (2 Tim 4:3). [2] Proponents of the kingdom now theology believe that Jesus will not return until the earth is conquered by the ever-expanding ‘Kingdom of God’ built by men. In reality, consulting God’s Word on the kingdom depicts a ‘coming’ kingdom rather than a ‘now’ kingdom. Perhaps the best place to look for defining information on how the final kingdom actually comes about is from the aforementioned last book of the Bible, the book of Revelation, which is a panoramic view of the last days. Close study of the entire book of Revelation establishes the fact that the authentic church does not usher in the kingdom of God into the world by infiltrating its systems and rising to supremacy. Instead, this most magnificent book describes, in great detail, how the kingdom of the antichrist is built and used to destroy those who come to true belief in Christ during the Tribulation, and the Kingdom of Christ will not ‘come’ into existence until Jesus returns at the very end of the seven-year Tribulation (Rev 20:1-6). Sadly, many who have been led astray are unknowingly building the faux kingdom of the antichrist, and they will even, without repentance, inadvertently worship the antichrist, believing he is the Christ they had so diligently built the kingdom for. [3] They will even fall for the mark of the beast, believing it is the seal of God. [4] Worse yet, they will also become so zealous that they are the very ones who pursue, persecute, and slay the Tribulation saints. [5] Throughout history, many of the greatest persecutors have been those who are the most zealous adherents to errant religious belief systems. Fox’s Book of Martyrs provides great detail about these instances. [6] Unimaginably, the coming Tribulation will cause all former persecutions to pale in comparison, as it will be global in scale: Revelation 13:15 “And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause all who do not worship the image of the beast to be killed (NASB).” emphasis mine Contrary to kingdom now theology, the church is clearly absent from the earth during the Tribulation. In fact, this absence coincides with John being called up to heaven in Revelation 4:1, which many believe is indicative of the rapture. By way of proof, the next time the church is mentioned as the church is in the closing statements of the book in Revelation 22:16, when Jesus reiterates the fact that the entire message of the book of Revelation is to be testified to the churches. This means those who spread the false doctrine of the ‘kingdom now’ are doing so in direct opposition to God’s Word, which is very dangerous. The specific dangers associated with changing the way God depicts the end are varied and should be emphasized. First, the book of Revelation contains a specific warning about how it is to be preserved and shared: Revelation 22:18-19 “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” This warning is serious indeed. Think about it for a second; changing what the Lord said about how things are concluded, according to His plan, causes the plagues of this book to come upon the one who changes it. Do you realize what this is saying? It is saying the one who dares to change what God has said will not make the rapture and have to suffer the plagues of the Tribulation. Even more serious is the fact that those who alter what God has said will be removed from the book of life. Ironically, this means those who generate and share the kingdom now theology will, in their misguided attempt to establish God’s kingdom on earth, actually be excluded from it altogether. The second danger, believing there is no rapture and that building a physical kingdom now is the only hope for mankind, causes misplaced focus, which will have a devastating impact on the eternal future of those who are deceived. Imagine for a second that you were deceived into believing that you had to work very hard at rising to the top of whatever field of endeavor you are involved in for the sake of building the kingdom now. Thus, you are steadily working on promoting the physical kingdom while disregarding the future kingdom altogether. At the last hour, somehow, someway, you see the error of your ways and repent and make the rapture. At that moment, you realize that although you made it to heaven, you got there by the skin of your teeth with no heavenly rewards. This is true because you were busy building the earthly kingdom, which was never to come, instead of building the heavenly kingdom. After all, Jesus teaches that men should lay up treasures in heaven rather than on the earth where moth and rust corrupts (Matt 6:18-19). Sadly, you even missed out on the crown of righteousness which is given to those who long for His appearing (2 Tim 4:8). One last danger should be discussed here. Believing one lie from false leaders makes the deceived susceptible to other lies. Typically, those who are unsound about one area of the Bible are, because of their misconceptions, wrong about other areas. This often results in the remainder of the Bible having to be modified in order to justify the errant doctrine. This generally leads to increasingly worse deviation, which can cause the deceived to rely even more heavily on the deceiver to sort out all of the problems created by getting off track in the first place. The end result is that deception grows as the blind lead the blind further away from sound doctrine. The simplest way to avoid all of these dangers is to rely solely on Scripture as the standard of truth. After all, Scripture says, “Let God be true, but every man a liar” (Rom 3:4). Therefore, the best way to assure correct understanding of what God has relayed to man is to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15). This often-quoted Scripture is paramount because it indicates that every individual has a responsibility to validate each thought and belief by examining it through the light of God’s Word. This type of examination is what caused the Bereans to be included in the pages of the Bible. They simply verified everything said by everyone, even the Apostle Paul (Acts 17:11). This type of exploration of Scripture, regarding the last days, will lead the student to realize the falsehood of the kingdom now doctrine while simultaneously validating the doctrine of the pre-tribulational rapture, which will take place when the church is in the midst of decline rather than revival, a process that is already underway. [7] This is not to say that the remnant church is in spiritual decline. Instead, the point is that the remnant church will be in decline in terms of numbers, as many will fall away because they love this world more than the next (2 Thess 2:3; 2 Tim 4:10). Ironically, the false church that propagates the kingdom now doctrine will absorb those who fall away and continue to grow right past the rapture, and they will even achieve their goal of becoming dominant in this world. [8] Unfortunately, they will, without repentance, end up part of the apostate church of Babylon. Before concluding, it is very important to note that it is not improper to desire revival, which undoubtedly provides growth of the kingdom of God on earth. However, it is crucial to understand exactly what the kingdom of God is right now. Jesus made it very clear that His kingdom is not of this earth, and it will not come to earth until the full force of God’s wrath has reshaped everything we now know as earth during the seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments of the Tribulation. With this in mind, what is the kingdom of God right now? Simply put, God’s kingdom exists in the hearts of those who have chosen to make Him King (Luke 17:21). Therefore, the kingdom of God is not a physical, religious or political kingdom. Instead, it is a spiritual kingdom that may only be built and or expanded spiritually. One special note should be added here. Throughout history, the times of greatest revival have not caused people to rise up and take back their countries. On the contrary, those who have witnessed these great moments always affirm the fact that these times of refreshing are marked by bended knees and yielded hearts which, in turn, leads to the salvation of many in fulfillment of the Great Commission. This is how the ‘spiritual’ kingdom of God grows. This reflection upon true revival provides further proof that the kingdom now doctrine is false because the doctrine runs contrary to historical revival and the revealed will of God held in Scripture. The good news is that when one forsakes their own will to follow the will of God, He will always lead them to His revealed will in Scripture. In the case of the kingdom, He set forth a specific way for things to play out at the end of time, and that is exactly how things will happen. By the way, who is it exactly that has always tried to change God’s plan? That would be the great deceiver himself, the god of this world, Satan, who will empower the antichrist during the Tribulation. Dare I forget to mention that God has a plan for Satan as well. He will end up in the ever-burning lake of fire along with all who serve and/or worship him (Rev 20:10-15). Conclusion The ‘Grand Deception of the Great Awakening’ is growing in strength and scope. Incredibly, this is further affirmation that God is God as He foretold this nearly two thousand years ago in the Bible. Indeed, the Lord told us that many would depart from teaching sound doctrine while, simultaneously, many would flock to these false teachers because they want to hear the lies they tickle their ears with (2 Pet 2:1-2; 2 Tim 4:3). The best antidote for this grand deception is a healthy dose of the truth of Scripture which indicates that the remnant church will remain steadfast and continue to fulfill the great commission while simultaneously looking up until raptured. When this light of God’s Word is applied to the errant beliefs of the kingdom now doctrine, the doctrine crumbles because it has no biblical foundation. Be a Berean and search this out. God has already provided all the answers you seek. Isaiah 46:10 “I declare the end from the beginning, and ancient times from what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish'” (BSB). Website: In His Commission [1] For greater understanding, see the article “The Rise of Many.” [2] For greater understanding, see the article “The Greatest Lie Ever Told: The Origin of All Lies.” [3] For greater understanding, see the article “Thy Will Be Done: The Epicenter of Right and Wrong.” [4] For greater understanding, see the article “The Ultimate Mandate: The Mark of the Beast.” [5] For greater understanding, see the article “Only the Ready are Raptured.” [6] For greater understanding, see this free online resource, “Fox’s Book of Martyrs.” [7] For greater understanding, see the article “The Five W’s of the Rapture.” [8] Post rapture, see the article “Open Letter to Those Who Miss the Rapture.“ Echoes Of Ezekiel 38: Putin Declares Partnership with Islam In New World Order – PNW Staff - https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=5558 On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin sent a message of greetings to the participants and guests of the 2022 Kazan Global Youth Summit as it opened in Kazan. The event was hosted by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). "Islamic states have been our traditional partners in addressing many topical issues on the regional and global agenda, in attempts to build a more just and democratic world order," Putin said in his short address. "It is significant that young people are getting more actively involved in this constructive and comprehensive cooperation." The Kazan Global Youth Summit is organized for young Muslim people to keep them informed and facilitate interaction with other regions and cultures. Putin is strongly aligned with the Russian Orthodox Church, which supports him in his war in Ukraine. But he has both domestic and foreign interests in allying with Islam. Russia has the largest Muslim population in Europe, numbering approximately 14 million or roughly 10% of the total population. Recognized under the law and by Russian political leaders as one of Russia's traditional religions, Islam is a part of Russian historical heritage and is subsidized by the Russian government. The position of Islam as a major Russian religion, alongside Orthodox Christianity, dates from the time of Catherine the Great, who sponsored Islamic clerics and scholarship. President Putin consolidated this trend, subsidizing the creation of mosques and Islamic education, which he called an "integral part of Russia's cultural code," encouraging immigration from Muslim-majority former Soviet bloc states, and condemning anti-Muslim hate speech. Last month, Gazprom, a Russian state-owned multinational energy corporation, and the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) signed a $40 billion memorandum of understanding (MoU) that would enable the two countries to dominate the world market for natural gas and set the prices. In addition to the gas deal, Putin acquired drones for use in Ukraine from Iran. Intelligence organizations in many countries have speculated that, in return, Russia will help facilitate an Iranian nuclear weapons program. As Europe and America unite in sanctions against Russia, Putin is actively courting allies and trading partners. So when Putin traveled to Iran to finalize the gas and drone deals, he also visited Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Originally published by Israel 365 News From our previous article: Russia, Iran, and Turkey Forming A Biblical Alliance So why should you care that Vladimir Putin has been meeting with Iranian and Turkish leaders? You should care because more than 2,600 years ago, the prophet Ezekiel warned of a future time when a vast coalition of nations will attack Israel. The leader of this coalition is a man known as Gog, the ruler of Magog (Ezekiel 38:1). This is why the invading force is known as the Gog of Magog coalition. According to Ezekiel this alliance will send an overwhelming force to invade Israel in the last days. And today, for the first time in human history, we see this alliance forming. The Invading Nations Which nations does Ezekiel describe? He identifies the invading nations as "Magog, Rosh, Meschech, Tubal, Persia, Cush, Put, Gomer, and Beth-togarmah" (Ezekiel 38:1-6). If you look on a 2022 map of the globe, you won't find any of these nations. So how can I say this alliance is forming? Because these are the ancient biblical names of these nations, and while their names have changed over the years, we can still locate them on a map today. Below is a list of each nation, followed by its modern day name: Rosh = Russia Magog = Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Afghanistan Persia = Iran Cush = Sudan Put = Libya Meshech, Tubal, Gomer, and Beth-togarmah = Turkey Putin's visit to Tehran will mark the third nation he's visited since the Ukraine war began, and all three - Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Iran - are part of the Gog of Magog alliance. Moreover during the course of these three visits, Putin will meet with two additional members of the Gog of Magog alliance - Kazakhstan and Turkey. Is this a coincidence? I don't think so. It's been centuries since Ezekiel first recorded these prophecies. Yet, this alliance has never existed. It certainly hasn't invaded Israel. But now? Today, we see it coming together. An Unlikely Alliance Putin's trip to Tehran to meet with Iranian and Turkish leaders should be of particular interest to those who study bible prophecy. Why? Because, until recently, these three nations made an unlikely alliance. First, these three nations have never been aligned in all of human history. Second, Turkey is a member of NATO, and until recently, actively sought EU membership. Third, for most of recorded history, Russia and Iran had a turbulent relationship with little cooperation. In fact, until the death of Ayatollah Khomeini, who deemed Islam incompatible with the atheism of the Soviet Union, the modern nation of Iran had little to do with Russia. But in recent years, Russia's ties with both nations have strengthened. Following the death of Ayatollah Khomeini and the end of the Iran-Iraq war in 1989, Russia (then a part of the Soviet Union), started selling arms to Iran. In 1995, the Russian Ministry for Atomic Energy signed an agreement with Iran to finish the Bushehr nuclear power plant. The civil war in Syria was another area of cooperation between the two countries. Russia and Iran share a common interest when it comes to keeping Syrian President Bashar Assad in power. Russia has a vested interest in retaining access to the Syrian naval base in Tartus and stopping the spread of ISIS. As a longtime ally of Assad, Iran also has military forces in Syria. In addition, Iran is the primary sponsor of Hezbollah, a radical terrorist organization. Hezbollah has openly operated in Syria under Assad. It's clear Russia and Iran have strengthened their diplomatic, economic, and military ties. But what about Turkey? Of all the members of the Gog of Magog coalition, Turkey is the most interesting. Why? Because it seems even more unlikely ally of Russia in an invasion of Israel. Following World War I, Turkey established a secular western democracy and became a model democratic republic in the Middle East. In 1949, Turkey became the first Muslim majority nation to recognize Israel. In 1952, it joined NATO. For the latter part of the 20th Century, Turkey was a strong ally of Israel, the U.S., and other western nations. As the 21st Century dawned, Turkey explored membership in the European Union. This would have further solidified the nation's western ties. Instead, an event took place that reshaped the future of Turkey. In 2003, Turkey elected Recep Tayyip Erdogan prime minister. A former member of a banned Islamist political party, Erdogan's administration has been hostile toward Turkey's secular and democratic institutions. Under Erdogan, Turkey has turned from its traditional western allies and cultivated relationships with nations that oppose western democracy. In July 2016, Erdogan cracked down on his political opponents following what he claimed was a coup attempt. He imprisoned thousands of citizens and consolidated his grip on power. A 2017 referendum further extended that power. Now the president, Erdogan is the undisputed ruler of Turkey. The nation, once hailed as a model of freedom and democracy in the Muslim world, has quickly devolved into a totalitarian regime eager to befriend America's enemies. In September 2018, Turkey met the leaders of Russia and Iran in Tehran to discuss the future of Syria. In February 2019, Turkey met the leaders of Russia and Iran in Sochi to coordinate joint military plans in Syria. Now, these nations are meeting once again in Tehran. The relationship between Putin and Erdogan is strong and growing. All that's left to permanently move Turkey into the Russian ally column is a clear break between Turkey and NATO. What could cause that? We may be witnessing it now. Turkey is experiencing massive inflation. They also counted on Ukraine for a significant portion of their food supply. Inflation and food shortages threaten Erdogan's grip on power. Where can he get a steady supply of energy and food? Russia. It may be what finally drives Turkey into Russia's corner. When that happens, the key players in the Gog of Magog alliance will be in place. When Will All This Happen? So when will this invasion take place? The Bible says it will come "in the latter days" (Ezekiel 38:8). The original Hebrew word in this verse is "acharith" which means "after-part, latter part, last, close, or end." In other words, this alliance will form in the last days just prior to the return of Jesus Christ. Ezekiel uses this same word "acharith" eight verses later, when he says the invasion will come "in the last days" (Ezekiel 38:16). This is confirmed again when Ezekiel reveals the Russian leader's thoughts. Gog says to himself, "I will attack the once abandoned cities now populated with the Jews who returned from exile among the nations" (Ezekiel 38:12). This tells us Russia and its allies will attack the land when it's filled with the exiles who return from among the nations. In other words, the target is modern day Israel. This means the invasion is coming in our day and time. Ezekiel stresses this fact again and again when He says the invasion will occur "after Israel's people have been gathered from among many nations" (Ezekiel 38:8) and "when I bring my people home from among the enemy nations" (Ezekiel 39:27). This return home from among many nations has happened only once in all of human history - modern day Israel. While we wait for that moment, the military forces of the three most powerful members of the Gog of Magog alliance - Russia, Iran, and Turkey - are now cooperating in Syria. This puts their joint military forces right on Israel's border. And not just any border - Israel's northern border. This is where Ezekiel said the invading force will come from - north of Israel (Ezekiel 38:15; Ezekiel 39:2). Is this a coincidence? Again, I don't think so. Never in history have these three nations formed an alliance. Now, they're all stationed directly to Israel's north. The stage is now set for the fulfillment of the Ezekiel 38-39 prophecies. Turkey has made a strategic choice to align itself with Russia and Iran. Eventually, Russia, Iran, Turkey, and the other nations in the Gog of Magog alliance will send an overwhelming invasion force against Israel (Ezekiel 38:8-9). When they do, God will destroy them and display His power and glory for all the nations to see (Ezekiel 38:23). It's one more sign of how close we are to the Second Coming of Jesus. Nearing Midnight: America—Sheep or Goat? – Terry James - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ Will the United States of America be a sheep nation or a goat nation? That is perhaps a Shakespearian question in the vein of “To be or not to be?” The question, of course, is rooted in context of the Millennium, at the beginning of which Jesus Christ will judge which will be, symbolically, a sheep nation or a goat nation—based upon how these entities dealt with God’s chosen nation, Israel. Believers in Christ who survive the horrendous Tribulation will inhabit the sheep nations. All who survive the Tribulation but who have not accepted Christ will be placed in the goat nations, then be cast into what is described as “outer darkness,” and will remain in that state until the white throne judgment at the end of the one-thousand-year reign of King Jesus upon the millennial earth. Our quest here is to wonder just a bit on whether America is destined to be a sheep nation. You can guess without much speculation what I, personally, hope is the answer. One thing that comes to mind in these contemporary times regarding the United States is its magnetic attraction to peoples around the world. This nation might be likened to the planet Jupiter. It is huge in most of the ways human beings see as alluring, giving it the greatest gravity—materially speaking—of any nation-state to grace earth’s surface. God has indeed blessed America “from sea to shining sea.” While all other nations orbit this one, realization about the liberty that is synonymous with the US to worship, move about, work, play, or even just be slovenly doesn’t escape even those kept from knowing much about things going on around the rest of the planet. Indeed, America’s gravity dynamically has drawn all peoples toward its irresistible opulence. With the exception of very few, no one makes noises about leaving this nation to live elsewhere. Billions look in America’s direction as the “shining light on the hill,” as President Ronald Reagan once called it. Even the defectors who sought to dodge the draft during the Vietnam era have since done all they could to come back to the nation they deserted. The Hollywood types—like Barbra Streisand, for example—who periodically threaten to leave America because they don’t get their way politically, decide to stay when it comes down to the moment of leaving or staying. In southern parlance, they know on which side their bread is buttered. Perhaps to get right to the heart of what has made America the center of the universe of nations, and to try to determine its status so far as involvement in Bible prophecy might be concerned, I would like to consider a well-known historical observation by a man outside this country—a Frenchman, no less. French social philosopher Alexis de Tocqueville, while touring the United States in the 1800s, said about America: “America is great because America is good. If she ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.” De Tocqueville no doubt was speaking of how he viewed cultural and societal good. But, upon observing the nation’s Christian church foundation he encountered, he must have based his conclusion on the fact that America’s goodness in the societal sense was a result of Christianity running throughout the country’s cultural fiber. What he likely didn’t understand was what that “goodness” really means in God’s economy. God’s Word speaks of this “good”: “And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God” (Mark 10:18). Jesus was not saying to the man who fell on his knees before the Lord that He, Jesus, was not “good,” but the Lord was acclaiming that God, alone, is the only good. Jesus was—and is—the only “good” flesh-and-blood person to ever walk the earth’s surface following the Fall of Man in the Garden of Eden. That is because Jesus IS God. De Tocqueville now looks from the past at America’s once pretty face, and his words of warning are reverberating: “If America ever ceases to be good, she will cease to be great.” America, A Golden Cup Again, is the name “America” given anywhere in Scripture? Of course not. But the influence this nation has exerted since coming to its full bloom as earth’s greatest superpower in history makes it a prophetic nation. The Creator of all things continues to use America in His mighty hand to accomplish two very distinctive, supernatural purposes. As a matter of fact, the United States, in my view, has an overwhelming presence in Bible prophecy. Its place is at the very heart of the end-times things that we see developing—matters unfolding in daily, even hourly, news reports. In this sense, I am of the conviction that God is speaking of America—in type, if not by name, when His Word tells us the following: “Babylon [hath been] a golden cup in the LORD’S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad” (Jeremiah 51:7). Certainly, the United States of America has been a “golden cup” in the Lord’s hand. No other nation of modern vintage can come close to claiming that achievement. Some nations of Europe were formative in bringing forth Christianity into the world, thus shedding a degree of gospel light into a world of sin-darkness. But it is America that, despite its great shortcomings and more recent degeneration, has been a shining beacon, reflecting from that golden cup in God’s hand. Being the first nation in spreading to the whole world the gospel message—that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross makes possible the only way to redemption for lost mankind—is a feat no other country can claim. This, ultimately, has been done not by the offices or under the auspices of American ingenuity, but by the omniscience and the omnipotence of the One holding the “golden cup.” It is God’s grace and mercy that have put America as a beacon of God’s light upon that mountain of gospel dissemination. God’s providence gave this nation the industrial and technological genius—a fact that is denied, or that is so taken for granted today. All of the grace God has shed upon America from sea to shining sea, it must now be noted here, means nothing in addressing the question we are seeking to answer: Will America be a sheep nation or a goat nation? The United States has been extremely generous with its wealth at every turn. Whether rebuilding war-torn nations far away, such as through the Marshall Plan, or providing billions of dollars whenever there are tragedies to be funded, our country has seemed to be the good Samaritan. But our largesse as a people also will not determine whether America is destined for sheep-nation status. Again, according to the prophetic Word, it seems national status in this regard is to be based on how other nations have dealt with God’s chosen nation, Israel. It is based upon this factor—US/Israeli relationship—that I have great hope in trying to answer our question. America was chosen by God, Himself, I have absolutely no doubt, to act as national midwife in Israel’s rebirth into modernity. Any true reading of history will attest to this reality. The revisionists, the Marxists, the evil from the mind of Satan cannot change this fact. America has, despite its egregious acts of late against the God of Heaven, has been friend and protector of the fledgling Jewish state as it entered again as a nation in the mid-twentieth century. Will America face God’s judgment? Again, there can be no doubt. We have allowed the murder of more than sixty million children in their mothers’ wombs, just as a start on listing the absolute wickedness we have seen recently. God will judge this nation. But there will be a glorious rebirth for America, I’m believing, once its sins are purged and the Lord again counts our nation as “good.” Are you Prodigal? - [email protected] - [email protected] It’s always easy to point fingers at others while we turn a blind eye to our own misdoings. Jesus told a parable about a son who decided to rebel against his father and live a wild and extravagant life his own way. We know this as the parable of the prodigal son. Actually, there were two sons, and each had their own way of rebelling. Jesus had already told two parables of losing something of value and searching for it diligently. One was about a man with 100 sheep and one got lost and the shepherd left the 99 to find the one that was lost. When the sheep was found, he rejoiced. When he arrived home, he called his friends together and they all rejoiced over the sheep that was found. “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.” Luke 15:7. We know that the parable is about Christ as our Good Shepherd and His care for every one of the flock.. The next parable Jesus told was about a woman who had ten pieces of silver. That was a nice amount of money, but even just one piece of silver was very valuable. She lost one of the coins, and diligently searched her home for it. She found her coin and rejoiced. “And she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.” Luke 15:9. What joy and relief that woman felt. This is the joy God feels when someone comes to salvation through Christ. “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:10. God the Father gave His Son, for our salvation, and Jesus gave His life. Their love is amazing, so when one lost sinner is found, there is much rejoicing in Heaven. The next parable is known as the Prodigal Son. A prodigal is someone who lives recklessly and spends money rashly. They have all the friends that money can buy, and seem to be having a great life. Are they happy? Are they fulfilled? The focus of this parable is the youngest son. He had probably been living in the shadow of his older brother, and is tired of it. There were rules in his father’s house, and this young man was ready to live his dream. “And he said, A certain man had two sons: and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.” Luke 15:11-12. This wasn’t a wise choice by the son. The father loved his sons and allowed them free will. The younger son decided to go out on his own and live life his own way. That didn’t work out the way he wanted it to. With his freedom he lived life by his own rules. It’s always interesting to me that people like the young son are drawn to sin. There was food, comfort, and safety in his father’s household, but the temptation to sin drew his heart away. So, off he went to a distant land and wasted all he had on a wild lifestyle that his father would not have allowed. That young son was about to learn a harsh lesson. “And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.” Luke 15:14. We aren’t specifically told that this was a Jewish family, but it probably was, since Jesus was telling it to a Jewish crowd. Well, the young man hit rock bottom. “And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.” Luke 15:15. This is something a Jewish person wouldn’t do unless they had no other option. Swine are unclean animals. The young man was not only feeding the swine, but was so hungry that he wanted to eat the slop he fed them. This was a hard lesson to learn, but he made his own choice and had to learn by his mistakes. Fortunately, this son finally woke up before it was too late. He could have died in his rebellion, and been separated from his family, but he realized his sin and had separated him from his father. “And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.” Luke 15:17-19. This young man was very repentant. To repent means to change your mind. He changed his mind about his rebellion and the “fun” of living a sin-filled life. He humbly returned to his father. There was quite a commotion at home. The father had been looking for his son’s return. “And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.” Luke 15:20. The father had never stopped loving his son and was looking for his return. The son was still his son even though sin had separated them. It was the son’s choice to rebel and sin, but it was also his choice to humbly return home. “And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.” Luke 15:21-24. End of story, right? No, it isn’t. Remember there were two sons. The older son hadn’t rebelled, but stayed with his father without rebelling. Was the older son concerned about his lost brother? Was he concerned that his brother might be hungry, cold, and sick? “Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.” Luke 15:25-27. How would you feel if you were in this brother’s shoes? Would you resent the joy the younger brother’s return brought to the father? Would you be happy your brother was home and safe? Maybe you would be a little jealous that he went out and had “fun” and came back and was treated as if nothing had been wrong. Many of our Christian brothers and sisters have rebelled against God and need to come back to the safety of the Father’s House. The older brother showed that he had his own sin to deal with. “And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: but as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.” Luke 15:28-30. The older brother seems to know a lot about what his younger brother did. Unless he had spies in the land, how would he know his brother spent all the money on harlots? Instead of spying and accusing, maybe he should have tried to help. It's easy to look at these two sons and pass judgment. There’s a good chance one of them describes you. Are you the prodigal who has professed to be a Christian, but turned your back on the Father and embraced a life of sin? Are you spending your riches on harlots, or maybe you’re the harlot. If you’re still in that lifestyle, it’s time to repent and humbly return home before you die in rebellion. God knows what you’re doing, and all the excuses you have to justify your right to sin. There will come a time of judgment. “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” 1 Corinthians 3:13-15. Good works won’t bring salvation, but they will bring rewards on the day you stand before the Bema Seat of Christ. Humbly repent of sin and return to a right relationship with God. Christians all belong to the family of God. “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” John 1:12-13. How do you react when you see a brother fall into sin? Do you encourage them to return to the family or do you condemn them as sinners deserving of damnation? Maybe you smugly look down on a weaker brother or sister knowing that you don’t do any of those vile things called sin. Pride is also a sin that God hates. “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.” Proverbs 29:23. Be careful when judging a brother or sister that you don’t let self-righteous pride get in your way of God’s love and forgiveness. In the parable, the father’s feelings are evident. His joy over the prodigal son’s return was evident, but the hurtful words and attitude of the older son caused him grief. “And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.” Luke 15:31-32. In looking at the two previous parables, I see the two brothers reflected there. In Luke 15:4-7, a man has 100 sheep but one goes missing. You might say it was a prodigal sheep. The sheep was lost but the shepherd looked for that sheep. When the sheep was safe at home, there was great joy. The next parable (Luke 15:8-10) was about a woman who lost a coin. Unlike the sheep, the coin had no idea it was lost. The woman knew, and searched diligently for that lost coin. Like the older son, the coin was cold and unfeeling, but still valuable. If the older son sees his coldness and returns to a right fellowship with his family, there will be joy and celebration. Are you prodigal and rebelling, wasting the blessings that God the Father has given you? Are you hard-hearted and cold to a prodigal brother who has returned? Which sin is greater? God the Father loves you and wants to welcome you Home. Your faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ needs to rule your life. Show your love to Him by being faithful and share His love with others who are struggling and lost. God bless you all, Nathele Graham [email protected] [email protected] Recommended prophecy sites: www.raptureready.com www.prophecyupdate.com www.raptureforums.com All original scripture is “theopneustos” God breathed. If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries just drop me an email and let me know. Daily Jot: Brace yourself: Connecting the dots on the FBI raid on Trump - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com Many believe the FBI has been politicized to harass and terrorize people without true due process as evidenced by the recent raid on former president Donald Trump’s residence. The raid, launched by a search warrant issued by a judge who publicly criticized Trump, was based on a an internally-created FBI affidavit that used news stories for justification. In turn, the raid generated news stories implying Trump had acted illegally. Now the government is closing in on indictments against Trump for obstructing the FBI investigation. Political and legal analysts contend this Biden-supported FBI effort is aimed at preventing Trump from running in 2024 and sending a clear message of intimidation to anyone who would vote for him. The FBI raid on Trump’s residence was authorized when an unnamed FBI agent swore an affidavit that classified documents “may have been stored” at an unauthorized location. The FBI agent expressed that “there is probable cause to believe that the locations to be searched at the PREMISES contain evidence, contraband, fruits of crime, or other items illegally possessed…” He also cited several media stories to back up his claim. The affidavit sought to search any location at Trump’s residence “where boxes or records may be stored within the PREMISES” and “Any physical documents…or other containers/boxes with the aforementioned documents.” In other words, the FBI sought a warrant to search any place they suspected “evidence” leading to breaking the law. Then the FBI tried to keep the documents sealed from the public. In its Notice of Receipt and Preliminary Order on August 29, US attorney Juan Gonzalez admitted that FBI agents seized attorney-client privileged information, and was in the process of reviewing it. Then the Justice Department (DOJ) argued in a court filing that neither Trump nor the court had legal standing for judicial oversight in determining whether the FBI illegally had taken and reviewed Trump’s client-attorney privileged information. In other words, the FBI took privileged information, reviewed it under the auspices of some “official” Privilege Review Team, to determine whether it was privileged information, and Trump has no legal standing to challenge it in court. This was determined by DOJ, which oversees the FBI. DOJ believes the FBI has the authority to review any private information they want with impunity. The government is using an obstruction statute singed in 2002 by George W. Bush in building the case to indict Trump. In a Washington Times column, former judge Andrew Napolitano wrote that “This statute does not require the preexistence of a judicial proceeding. It only requires that the defendant has the government’s property, knows that he has it and baselessly resists efforts by the government to get it back.” Let us remember that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton actually did store classified documents at an unauthorized and far less secure location and she hardly was reprimanded for it. Brace yourself, this Trump hunt is far from over. The federal government is about to exercise its absolute power. May it be as Christ spoke in Luke 12:2, “For there is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known.” May truth prevail. Sources: https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.618763/gov.uscourts.flsd.618763.31.0_6.pdf https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/22267180-search-warrant-affidavit https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/64911367/48/trump-v-united-states/ https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/aug/31/why-donald-trump-will-soon-be-indicted/ Daily Devotion: The Right Path to Follow - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living. —Psalm 19:8 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-right-path-to-follow/ - Listen You will sometimes come across Scripture passages that you don’t fully understand. In such cases, talking to a pastor or a mature Christian can probably help you. But what about those times when you encounter a verse in the Bible that you don’t agree with? In such cases, you have to change your opinion. We don’t adapt the Bible to the way we think because the Bible is always right, and we aren’t. Sometimes, people make statements such as “My God would never judge a person” or “I believe in a God who . . .” and start describing their own made-up god. However, there is only one God, and He is revealed in the Bible. We don’t make God conform to us; we make ourselves conform to God. Psalm 19:7 says, “The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple” (NLT). In the original language, the word translated into “simple” comes from a word meaning “an open door.” This describes people with a mind like that. Everything comes in and goes out. They don’t know what to take in or what to keep out and are thus naïve. They are open to everything and closed to nothing. However, the Bible says that when simple-minded people, who are too open-minded, immerse themselves in Scripture, they can become biblically grounded and develop a biblical worldview. The next verse tells us, “The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living” (verse 8 NLT). The Bible has set up the right path for us to follow. We don’t have to lose our bearings in the fog of human opinion. As we read the Scriptures, we can know they’re reliable. God’s Word gives us incredible wisdom, so let’s devote ourselves to its study. 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? 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