 TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
The Rapture of the Church – Part 3 - By Jack Kinsella
You wouldn’t know it to listen to a debate on the subject, but all three parties in the Rapture Debate believe that they are the ones who have the right position and have the Scriptures to back them up. Whenever I write on the subject of the Rapture, I get email from those holding a different view and it never ceases to amaze me how nasty some of them are. I’ve been called a false prophet (for the record, I’m not any kind of prophet, false or otherwise), a false teacher, a liar, a purveyor of the doctrines of demons and more. More than one has accused me outright of knowing the truth (their position, naturally) and deliberately spreading deception to some nefarious end that never quite gets explained to me. But the fact is that those who believe in a pre-Tribulation Rapture are no more sincere than those who believe the Rapture comes at the midpoint in the Tribulation. The mid-tribulational view divides the Tribulation into two periods of 1260 days each, according to Daniel 9:27 and Daniel 12:7 and sees the Rapture of the Church occurring at that mid-point. There are plenty of Scripture verses that can be used to support a mid-Trib Rapture. “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Matthew 24:9-13 It would seem to indicate here that Jesus is exhorting us to “endure to the end’ tying our endurance to being saved from the Great Tribulation. Similarly, Jesus’ reference to the Abomination of Desolation (Matthew 24:15) is followed by a warning to flee, (21)”For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.” (40-41)”Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” The mid-tribulationist equates the beginning of the Great Tribulation when the antichrist abolishes Temple worship and begins his persecution of Israel with Rapture. The problem with the mid-Tribulation view is it fails to explain WHY the Church endures the first half of the Rapture. The final week of Daniel is clearly set aside for the national redemption of Israel. (Daniel 9:24) In order to make the mid tribulational view work, Jesus must be speaking to the Church when He is answering the question posed Him in Matthew 24:3 “What will be the sign of Thy Coming and of the end of the world?” If Jesus were addressing the Church in the last days, why would He say, “But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:” (20). Jesus makes plain the perspective from which He was speaking and to Whom, saying, “When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Then let them which be in JUDAEA flee into the mountains: (15-16) Jesus warning of being delivered up to be afflicted, and killed, and to be hated of all nations for His Name’s sake isn’t a reference to the Church. He is addressing Israel, who has been delivered to affliction for 2000 years as ‘Christ-killers’. He is NOT addressing the Church. The Church is not here at that time. But Jesus WAS addressing the Church when He said, “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 unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:2-3) In Rev. 2 and 3 we have Jesus talking to the Seven Churches, but what I want you to notice is where Jesus is in relation to these churches. “Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;” Now, from Chapter 4 to 19, Jesus is no longer on earth, but in heaven. So, if Jesus is no longer on the earth during the Tribulation period and He promised us we would always be with him, it would seem to indicate that we are going to be in Heaven with Jesus during the Tribulation period. No matter how many ways I look at it, I just can’t overcome a few problems reconciling Scripture with the mid-tribulation view. What purpose is served by having the Church participate in the first half of the Tribulation but not the second if the whole ‘week’ is set aside for Israel? Why have a Rapture at all? Why would Jesus be positionally in the midst of the 7 Churches for the entire Church Age, but positionally in heaven from Revelation 4:1 forward if the seven golden candlesticks remain on earth during Daniel’s 70th Week? Why is there no reference to the Church from Revelation 4:1 and forward? These are serious problems from my perspective. But again, that is not to say that those who hold to a mid-tribulational Rapture haven’t searched the Scriptures and found answers that satisfy those questions in their minds. They are as sincere as I. We simply disagree. In the next issue, we’ll look at the post-tribulational view and how it lines up with Scripture. The Rapture of the Church – Part 4 - By Jack Kinsella The third possible timing of the Rapture would take place at the end of the Tribulation. This is called the post-tribulational view. In this view, the Church goes through the entire Tribulation Period, together with the ‘earthdwellers’ and Israel and is Raptured to meet the Lord in the air as He is returning at the 2nd Coming. As in the case of the other views, this view can be supported by Scripture. As I mentioned before, I’ve received email accusing me of deliberately spreading error and of being a false teacher because I espouse a different Rapture scenario than they do. Such nonsense is just that – nonsense. Believers are believers BECAUSE they believe. If someone is a sincere, Blood-bought, born-again believer, why would they adopt a position they don’t believe is supported by Scripture? Beyond that, why would a believer teach a position they KNEW to be wrong? Supporters of the post-Tribulation position are sincere, as are those who hold to either the pre-trib or mid-trib scenarios. In Matthew 24:30-31, Jesus speaks of a great gathering. “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” It certainly sounds like the Rapture, and it sounds like it occurs at the end of the Tribulation. But Matthew 24, as I pointed out previously, is given, not from the perspective of the Church, but from the perspective of the Jews. Jesus spoke of the abomination of desolation (25:15) — a distinctly Jewish blasphemy, followed by a warning to those in JUDEA (16) to flee, and for them to pray their flight be not on the sabbath day (20). Now compare Matthew 24:30 with Zechariah’s description of the coming of Christ from the perspective of the Jews. “and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” (Zechariah 12:10) In Matthew 24:31 we see that the ‘elect’ gathered by His angels are gathered, not from the earth, but from ‘one end of HEAVEN to the other’. Revelation 19:14 says “And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.” As we’ve already seen, those in white linen are the Bride. The post-trib position is that ‘one end of heaven to the other’ really means the Rapture of earthbound believers at the end of the Tribulation Period. But reading what Scripture SAYS, rather than interpreting what it ‘really means’, indicates the elect gathered AFTER the Tribulation are gathered FROM heaven, which is consistent with the pre-trib view that that is where the Church was all along. Bible prophecy is unfolding according to a systematic theology that shows that God dealt at different times throughout history in different ways through a system of progressive revelation. This systematic theology is called Dispensationalism. The main points of dispensationalism are: 1. The recognition of a distinction between Israel and the Church. 2. A consistently literal principle of interpretation — particularly of Bible prophecy. 3. A basic working and conception of the purpose of God as His own glory rather than as the single purpose of salvation. Dispensationalism demands: 1. The O.T. prophecies of the restoration of national Israel to the land in the last days will be literally fulfilled. (Any newspaper confirms that prophecy is being fulfilled before our eyes.) 2. The 70 weeks of Daniel spoken of in Daniel 9 refers to a period of 490 years and apply only to Israel. The first 69 weeks have been fulfilled historically, ending at the first coming of Christ. 3. When the Jews rejected the Messiah, the 70 weeks were suspended and a new age or dispensation called the Church age began. The Last or 70th week of Daniel, the last seven years, has yet to be fulfilled. 4. This last week will immediately precede the second coming of Christ. The book of Revelation after the letters to the seven churches is a prophecy concerning events that will occur during the last seven years before the second coming or 70th week. This 70th week is called the tribulation period. The last half of this week (the last 3.5 years) is the Great Tribulation spoken of in Dan. 9 and in the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24). This tribulation period is a time when God will pour out His wrath on a sinful world (earthdwellers). It is at this point that the mid-tribulationists believe the Rapture occurs. The coming of Christ will occur in two phases. The Rapture, and His Second Coming at the conclusion of the Battle of Armageddon. Dispensationalism concludes the Church cannot be here during the tribulation period because God has ended the Church age and resumed dealing with Israel. The Church is also raptured to keep the Christians from the wrath of God which according to Romans 5:9 Christians will not experience. The second phase is Christ’s second coming at the end of the tribulation with His saints to begin the Kingdom Age dispensation. History consists of different dispensations or ‘economies’. A dispensation is a period of time during which man is tested in respect of obedience to some specific revelation of the will of God. Systematic theology reveals seven distinct Dispensations of God.
A new period or dispensation begins when God introduces a change in the principles or ordinances valid up to that time. For example a number of ordinances are introduced at the time of Noah. With the coming of the Church Age, the Mosiac Laws or ordinances are annulled. In order to hold to a mid or post position it is necessary to deny Dispensationalism, claiming it is a recent invention. But at the same time, all three scenarios recognize the Church Age as a distinct dispensation. We began this series with the intent, not to change anybody else’s view, but to explain why we hold to the view that we do. Our mission at the Omega Letter is to equip the saints with evidence and hard facts that point to the reality that these are the last days, not to engage in a pointless debate. The Rapture will happen when it happens and nobody will know for sure who was right until it doesn’t matter any more anyway. Our purpose was not to argue FOR a pre-tribulation rapture so much as it was to clearly outline what we believe and why we believe it. We view unfolding prophecy through the systematic theology of Dispensationalism because, without rightly dividing the Word, prophecy makes no sense. For example, Jesus said the Comforter would remain with the Church until He comes. Yet the only reference to the Holy Spirit during the Tribulation is Revelation Chapter 7 when Jewish evangelists are miraculously ‘sealed’ (indwelt) by the Holy Spirit the way Church Age believers are now. That indwelling gives the Jewish evangelists ‘power’ to preach. Together with 2 Thessalonians 2:7 we see the Restrainer is taken out of the way, saying that once that is accomplished, “And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.” (8) If the Church goes through the Tribulation, then Jesus’ promise of a Comforter until He comes needs rewriting to say, “I will send you a Comforter Who will stay with you until you need Him most, and then you are on your own for seven years.” Without an understanding of the divisions between the Dispensations, (like the Church Age and Daniel’s 70th Week) prophecy is contradictory. Jesus promised the Church in Matthew 16:18 that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” But we then read in Revelation 13:7 “And it was given unto him (the religious beast) to make war with the saints, and to overcome them.” Which is it? Do we prevail, or does the antichrist? Apart from Dispensationalism, the two statements contradict. But if the Church Age is over and the Tribulation period is the time of ‘Jacob’s Trouble’ and judgment against ‘them that dwell upon the earth’ rather than for the Church, then Scriptural harmony is restored. As I pointed out in Part Three, the major problem with the mid-trib view is that it fails to explain what role the Church plays in the time of Jacob’s Trouble — even the first half. The major problem in the post-tribulational view adds to that problem the problem of mathematics. Revelation 13:15 says of those who do not worship the beast and accept his mark that he would “cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed”. So we see two kinds of people in the Tribulation period. Those who take the mark and those who are killed. When the Tribulation is over, where are the living believers who get raptured? For there to be believers left to Rapture, they will have to escape the antichrist’s global positioning surveillance systems, satellite thermal imaging systems, police and military dragnet, unable to buy or sell, living in caves for seven years. A couple of decades ago, that seemed at least possible. But not so likely today. We saw how effective a strategy that was for al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. And the antichrist is unlikely to follow the same civilized rules of engagement Washington must observe today to avoid global condemnation. We conclude the Pre-tribulation Rapture scenario is the view that is most harmonious with Scripture, particularly when given the added dimension of actually watching the preparations unfold before our very eyes. But our faith isn’t in WHEN Christ comes, it is in the fact that Christ IS coming soon. And the Rapture Debate is one more evidence of that fact. Notice that the debate isn’t over whether or not the Lord will come in this generation. For most, that is not even an issue. A century ago, they were debating over whether He was coming at all. Today, we’re fighting over His coming within a seven-year time frame. Regardless of what you believe concerning the timing of the Rapture, the soon coming of the Lord is proved by the fact such a debate exists at all. And no matter what you believe about the timing of the Rapture, and no matter who turns out to be right in the end, the important thing to remember is WHAT we are debating. We are living in the last generation in history. There are people reading my words — right now — who will never, ever die in the traditional sense, but will be caught up bodily to be with the Lord. “Wherefore comfort one another with these words” – 1Thessalonians 4:18 Prophecy Update Videos Must Watch Videos! Videos You Can Trust
The Loss Of Common Sense And National Unity – Amir Tsarfati - https://harbingersdaily.com/worldview-with-amir-tsarfati-the-loss-of-common-sense-and-national-unity/ Shalom from Jerusalem! Over the course of the last week, I’ve been engaged in a tour being led by my dear friend, Pastor Steve Berger. Teaching the prophetic word of God to people from all over the world never gets old to me. That said, I’ve been a bit quiet over the past few days. I can’t hide it – I am heartbroken! Earlier this week, Jews around Israel read the book of Esther in every synagogue. This came at the end of a day of fasting known as the Fast of Esther. This queen fasted and God intervened. The secret to Israel’s salvation was in an intimate plea for God to act! The more I see the political chaos in Israel, the more I can see why God will have to win the Ezekiel war for us. We won’t be able to fight. I’m lamenting the loss of common sense and national unity that was our strength and power against all of our enemies. However, I rejoice in knowing that, “He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep” (Psalm 121:3-4). It’s good to know that when we can’t act as a nation, He can intervene! Remember, we may win the coming Ezekiel war. However, what comes after is described by Daniel the following way: Daniel 12:1 KJV – “… and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time…” So, yes, this week I am a lamenting, heartbroken Jew. I rejoice in Israel’s existence, yet lament over the craziness and lunacy the liberal, progressive left leads so many into. I will conclude with the words from the book of Hosea the prophet: Hosea 5:15 KJV – “I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.” No doubt – only the Tribulation will lead to Israel’s salvation! In the meantime, allow me to bring you some updates from my neck of the woods. I recommend you listen to my latest Middle East Update, as it provides some of the latest news from the region, especially pertaining to the inevitable future between Iran and Israel. The Middle East Israel and the Nations Recent reports suggest that Hungary is now considering moving its embassy to Jerusalem. However, Budapest has communicated that no decision has been made as of yet. Furthermore, there are unconfirmed reports regarding negotiations for normalizing ties between Israel and Niger, Mauritania, Indonesia, and Somalia. Israel, Iran, and the Nuclear Saga For the first time ever, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi met with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi last week. Pathetically, Grossi recently said that an Israeli attack on Iran would be “illegal”. I’m proud of the response of my prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu – “Grossi just said in Tehran that an Israeli attack on the Iranian nuclear facilities is illegal. Outside what law? Is it allowed for Iran, which openly calls for our destruction, to defend the instruments of destruction that will slaughter us? Are we not allowed to defend ourselves? Of course, it is allowed!” In addition to the rising tension, there are reports that Azerbaijan will allow Israel to use its military airports to attack Iran. However, Israel continues to preemptively attack Iran in Syria, as the Israeli military struck several targets in Aleppo early this week. Another attack occurred in Deir ez-Zor in Eastern Syria, which was aimed at Iranian weapons and was carried out by the US in coordination with Israel. It’s worth noting that what happens between Israel and Iran doesn’t stay between the two. You can already see how many countries are part of the equation, and now Jordan has shared its concerns with the US concerning the Iranian threat to the Kingdom. Make sure to watch closely in the coming days. As noted by an Arab blogger, there has been some unusual flight patterns involving Israeli fighter jets in recent days. Most significantly, the head of Israel’s national security council said yesterday, “Israel is ready to strike Iran and the Americans know about it! Israel will not rely on anyone in order to take care of its security!” Dissension in Israel As on every Saturday evening, liberal progressive anarchists demonstrate in Tel Aviv against the judicial reform of the new government. They shout “democracy”, yet they don’t respect the democratic decision of the majority who voted for this government. That’s the face of the left all around the world – it’s either their way or the highway! Sadly, the current US administration is enabling the left in Israel by supporting the ridiculous demonstrations. Russia & Ukraine Ukrainian Zaporizhzhia is crushed by the Russians, and is facing abandonment. As far as the Russians are concerned, it’s part of the four districts that they unilaterally annexed, so they will not stop destroying it until it surrenders in the future. The scope of the destruction is enormous, which can be seen in photos online. Things are continuing to escalate in a way that’s becoming more and more concerning. Even former US President Donald Trump voiced his perspective that World War III will be inevitable if something doesn’t change soon – very soon. The Ezekiel 38 Coalition According to at least one source, Russia and Iran have reached a secret agreement in which Moscow is now able to return the stockpile of enriched uranium that it transferred from Tehran after the signing of the nuclear agreement in 2015. Time and time again we’ve seen God bless this ministry through your abundant and faithful prayers and your generous financial gifts. I can’t thank you enough for the way you express support for what God is doing with Behold Israel. While the events of this world are heading in a crazy direction (and have been for some time), let’s not forget that they’re heading in a prophetic direction. As believers, we have a front row seat to the fulfillment of what the Scriptures have communicated for thousands of years. As we face adversity and trials in these last days, may we be actively waiting to meet the Lord any moment now. Hebrews 12:1-2 KJV – “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” The Living God Versus Yuval Harari – Jonathan Brentner - https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/https/jonathan-brentner-g8fgsquarespacecom/config/2023/3/8/the-living-god-versus-yuval-harari During the past couple years, I’ve become all too well-acquainted with the Luciferic boasts of Yuval Noah Harari, bestselling author and chief advisor to Klaus Schwab, the head of the World Economic Forum (WEF). Mr. Harari is a man of tremendous influence; his books sell in the millions and his role at the WEF gives him significant influence with government leaders all over the world, including those in the U.S. He is the favorite author of Barak Obama. It’s not so much his blasphemous words that I want to address here, but rather his extraordinary low view of the God as revealed in the Bible, which causes him to think that humans can become gods. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Harari sees himself as vastly superior to others, a deity who can lord it over those of lower status. Even if we give Harari credit for his intellect and communication skills, how does he compare to the God we read about on the pages of Scripture? To say he falls far short is a vast understatement! THE CREATOR VERSUS THE MOCKER The Lord created the earth and the universe out of nothing; He simply spoke everything into existence. The beauty of the Rocky Mountain National Park with it views of snowcapped mountain peaks and herds of elk speaks to the majesty and greatness of our God as do all the wonders of creation. It inspires our worship of the Creator! Can Harari create anything that compares with scenic mountain views, picturesque lakes and Rivers, or any majestic creature on the face of the earth? Of course, he can’t. But He continually mocks the One who created the heavens and the earth. Psalm 147:4 says, “He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names.” The God we worship not only created the trillions of stars in the vast universe, but He also gave “all of them their names.” That alone boggles my mind; it’s far beyond my imagination to conceive of Someone so awesome and incomparable to anything we can imagine. Psalm 135:5-7 also speaks to the Lord’s greatness and sovereignty: For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth, who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses. OMNISCIENT, ALL-POWERFUL GOD VERSUS THE HUMAN How can anyone say that a human can even begin to compare himself to the all-powerful, righteous, wise, and omniscient God of Scripture? It’s ridiculous, but such as the deception of human wisdom when combined with great pride and a foolish belief in evolution. It’s the result of the debased mind of Romans 1:28-32. Isaiah 40 speaks to the exalted nature of our Lord: It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble. (vv. 22-24) After reading Isaiah, chapter 40, the word pipsqueak comes to mind when I think of Harari. (It’s not every day I get to use the word pipsqueak.) Can you imagine the Lord asking him the same questions He posed to Job (see Job 38-39)? I would love to overhear such a conversation. REDEEMED OF GOD VERSUS “USELESS EATERS” The most startling difference between Mr. Harari and the living God is love. Yuval is famous for saying that the majority of people in the world are “useless eaters.” The implication is that the vast majority of us are disposable entities much like a scrap of paper that one would toss into a wastepaper basket. John 3:16 reveals a vastly different perspective, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” In Luke 19:10 Jesus said, “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Harari believes that the elite powerbrokers of our day can dispose of most human beings that they claim contribute nothing to society. Our Savior came to die the cross so that He might forgive our sins and give us eternal life. The difference in mindboggling, is it not? Harari’s days will come end. The Lord who gives him each and every breath he takes will allow him to continue his luciferin hissings for a while longer. He will deceive many with lies as old as the Garden of Eden. A horrific and deadly future awaits him unless he repents and calls out for forgiveness from the One that he continually mocks. Those of us who look to Scripture for our understanding of God understand the absolute folly of comparing frail and prone to sin human beings to Him. We remain in awe of what the Bible reveals about His power, wisdom, holiness, mercy, and amazing love toward us. We also await Jesus’ appearing to take us home. We know that in the end, we will reign with Jesus in His kingdom while those causing today’s widespread death, deception, extreme wickedness, and lawlessness will be in their graves awaiting the great white throne judgment. Daily Jot: The Farm Chronicles: Mailboxes and floorboard holes - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com Gran’pa Billy, my dad’s dad, was born in 1889 and died just short of his 97th birthday. He was 65 years old when I was born, so I never knew him as a younger man. But he was quite the character. Standing all about 4’10”, chewing Happy Jim tobacco and smoking Camel no-filters, Gran’pa saw a lot during his life—horse and buggy to automobile to airplanes to landing on the moon. Electrification, indoor plumbing, telegraph, radio, television, Spanish-American War, WWI and WWII, Korea, Vietnam—a lot of history. He held several jobs from farmer, trolly car operator, bus driver, and even in his late 80s, he was training trotters and pacers for the horse races. He was short, but people gave him a wide berth. Part of the reason for the wide berth was that Gran’pa was very independent. He would not give up his driving. Neither his chaws of Happy Jim. The two together made an interesting combination. I never knew Gran’pa to have a new car. He bought used. One of the first things he would do when he got his car home from the lot was sit in the front seat and spit to the floor. Wherever the tobacco juice would land, he would cut a hole in the floorboard so he could spit his Happy Jim whilst driving down the road. I remember riding with him as a youngster in the cold of the winter, salt and cinder ashes and slush splattering up from the road when he was spitting, then he would move the floor mat over with his foot until the next spit. In his 90s, Gran’pa stubbornly continued to drive. As you can imagine, if you start out at 4’10” when you are in your 20s, by the time you get to your 90s, you may be a bit shorter. So Gran’pa’s driving became even more of an issue. While the floorboard hole to spit in seemed to be closer, he had trouble rising above the dashboard to really see where he was going. He would peek between the top of the dashboard and the steering wheel to guide him along the country backroads. Everybody knew his car—in fact, most who lived in the area were related to us—so they would look out for him. But it got to the place where he might be driving down the road clipping off mailboxes as he went. Dad would get calls to replace them. Then one night Dad was woke out of his sleep by a call from one of our neighbors, a distant cousin who had a farm on both sides of the road with a deep creek running across it. Gran’pa had missed the bridge and flipped his Vega into the creek. My good-humored Gran’pa was standing on the bank dripping wet when we arrived, laughing about how these new-fangled cars couldn’t drive through water. Dad didn’t find his humor so funny that night. And after Bob Williams, local mechanic, pulled the Vega out of the drink and a heated discussion the next day, Gran’pa surrendered his keys under protest. Ephesians 6:2 exhorts us to “Honor your father and mother.” But sometimes you just have to take away the keys to keep the community safe and the Gran’pa safer. Daily Devotion: Finding Joy in God’s Will - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart. —Psalm 40:8 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/finding-joy-in-gods-will/ - Listen Does God have a master plan for our lives? And if so, how do we discover it? How can we know the will of God? Often, we have two views about the will of God that aren’t accurate. The first view is that finding God’s will is difficult, as though God were hiding it from us. We imagine God looking down from Heaven and saying, “You’re getting warmer. Warmer. Hot! Hot! No. Cold. Cold. Cold.” The opposite view is that God’s will is something undesirable, like going on a diet. Every diet seems to be either boring or miserable. And we can think of God’s will that way. But here is what we need to know: On one hand, there is joy in the will of God. For example, the apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Rome, “By the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other” (Romans 15:32 NLT). God’s will is joyful, and He wants to reveal His will to us. On the other hand, when we’re not walking in God’s will, there is misery. In fact, the most miserable place to be is outside of God’s will. The will of God is not an option for the true Christian. Therefore, not only should we want to know the will of God, but we also should be anxious to do the will of God. The psalmist David wrote, “I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart” (Psalm 40:8 NLT). God’s will is not something that we are forced to do, but it should be something that we want to do. And we’ll find joy in doing the will of God. PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS HEADLINES Yesterday's Prophecies - Today's Headlines HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY 3/10/23 http://trackingbibleprophecy.org/birthpangs.php
FROM THE HEART Let Us Make the Short Time We have Left, Count for ALL of Eternity! IF YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED THROUGH THIS MINISTRY, THEN WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD PLEASE REMEMBER PROPHECY UPDATE IN YOUR GIVING - WE ARE TRULY, TRULY, THANKFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT WORTHY OF YOUR SUPPORT? One of the most reliable ways to determine if a ministry is worthy of your financial support is to examine its fruits. If Prophecy Update is keeping you informed, and if that information inspires you, and causes you to draw closer to the Lord, if Prophecy Update equips you with valuable information and knowledge to share with and encourage other believers, and open the eyes of non-believers, and if Prophecy Update keeps you connected to current events relating to Bible Prophecy, then you are partaking of the fruit produced through this ministry. None of this would be possible without the Lords blessings and your support. I believe where the Lord guides, the Lord provides, and most of the time He provides through the willing and generous hearts of believers just like you and me. Humbly Seek Your Support Prophecy Update has no corporate sponsors. This ministry is paid for and prayed for by readers and supporters. Without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update, Please pray about becoming a monthly supporter - thanks! If ever there was a time to invest in God's Kingdom, it's now! What on earth are you doing for Heaven's Sake? "Share in the Blessings and Rewards that will last Forever!" "Folks, it's all beginning to unravel. America is in more danger of falling than at any time in its history. But I believe Bible prophecy predicts this very decline. From this point on, we believers have to get serious. We are going to face discouragement, disillusionment and, most certainly, persecution in the time between now and the Rapture. But don't be discouraged or disillusioned. The coming turmoil will provide us unrivaled opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel. So be ready to share your faith and your hope with those who need Christ. We still have time to reap a great harvest of souls for God's kingdom!" - Hal Lindsey 1) We need your prayers!- We proclaim the Truth of the Word of God and we are under constant spiritual and sometimes even physical attack. 2) We need your encouragement!- We need to hear from you, let us know how the Lord is blessing you through this ministry so that we can share it with others. 3) We need your input! - If you have a prophetic article or story or if there is a news related item we missed, let us know. 4) We need your financial support!- To put it quite simply, without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update. I ask that you would prayerfully consider partnering with us to get the Word out and keep the world informed. Remember, your gift, no matter how small, does make a difference! You will be helping to touch lives, around the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thanks to the internet your generosity carries a global impact! - Thanks! Our Prayer for You- "Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." 2 Corinthians 9:10-13 If you have been blessed by Prophecy Update and would like to help support this ministry financially. You can make a secure donation online by going to: DONATE NOW Or write us at: Prophecy Update P.O. Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384-0516 We are very pleased to offer all our readers this FREE download on Bible Prophecy from the Evangelical Bible College of Western Australia - Just download and enjoy and be blessed! Feel free to share it with all your friends and family members. Click below to download! "AS YOU SEE THE DAY APPROACHING" If You Died Today, Would You Go To Heaven? Find out, visit: www.thegoodtest.net www.gotquestions.org www.wayofthemaster.com How to know God DID YOU KNOW? You can submit an article, leave a comment or praise report at email: [email protected] Maranatha! (Lord Come Quickly) "On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand, All other ground is sinking sand." "Let Us make the short time we have left count for all eternity!" YBIC-Randy
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
September 2024
Categories |
RSS Feed