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The Saved will Soon be Evacuated (Raptured) from Planet Earth - By Daymond Duck - https://www.raptureready.com/2023/08/19/apocalypse-by-daymond-duck/
The word “Revelation” (as in the book of Revelation) comes from the Greek word “apokalupsis.” It means “the uncovering, the unveiling, or the disclosing.” “Revelation” is the disclosing of Jesus Christ. It can be taken two ways: 1) as the disclosing of the person called Jesus, or 2) as the disclosing of what He intends to do. Since the book of Revelation begins with the words “The Revelation of Jesus Christ,” and most of the book of Revelation (chapters 6-19) is about the terrible things that will take place during the coming Tribulation Period, many commentators refer to that coming seven-year period as the “Apocalypse.” As I am writing this (on Aug. 10, 2023), wildfires are devastating Hawaii’s main island (Maui). Early this morning (on Aug. 10), it was reported that 53 people have died, more than 1,700 buildings have been destroyed, hospitals are overwhelmed, the air people breathe is polluted with smoke, thousands of people have been removed from the island, thousands of people are unaccounted for, cell-phones are not working, people can’t call 911 for help, thousands on the island don’t have electricity, some waded into the ocean to keep from being burned to death, and the numbers will probably keep rising. Officials, residents, and witnesses are saying things like apocalyptic, catastrophic, decimated, shocking, looks like someone dropped a big bomb, etc. I have no problem with the use of these words. Pres. Biden has signed a declaration of disaster, and I cannot imagine how awful it is. But people need to know that the coming Apocalypse (Tribulation Period) will be a billion times worse. Following the seven seal judgments (the rise of the Antichrist, wars, famine, pestilences, etc.):
Jesus said, “Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matt. 24:22). Just like it was on the island of Maui, calling 911 or wading out into the ocean will not stop the “Apocalypse,” but know that those that have truly accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour will not be on earth when the Apocalypse takes place. (Note: On Aug. 13, 2023, it was reported that the death toll has risen to 93, and the search for people that did not survive is continuing. This is now the highest death toll on record for a natural disaster in Hawaii.) (Note: On Aug. 15, 2023, it was reported that the UK’s King Charles extended his deepest possible sympathies to the families of victims, former Pres. Trump offered his sympathy and warmest regards to the victims, and Pres. Biden said, “No comment.” Biden is being criticized for showing no signs of sympathy.) Here are some recent events that seem to indicate that the saved will soon be evacuated (Raptured) from planet Earth, and the Apocalypse (Tribulation Period) will begin. One, concerning homosexuality and the days of Lot at the end of the age: earlier this year (May 2023, I think), the Ugandan parliament passed a bill to protect families, children, and others from people pushing homosexuality upon them. The law does not outlaw homosexuality, but it outlaws people trying to force homosexuality upon others (Christians, children, and students). As might be expected, the Biden administration strongly objected to protecting Christians and children from the LGBTQ+ group and threatened to cut aid to Uganda if the nation’s president signed the bill. Pres. Museveni signed the bill anyway, and the World Bank notified Uganda that it was freezing all loans to his nation. On Aug. 10, 2023, Museveni told Ugandans his nation will not abandon its faith, culture, principles, or sovereignty for money. Uganda will do what is best for its citizens with or without the money. America desperately needs leaders that will put its Judeo-Christian heritage above the gay agenda and not try to force its immorality on others. Two, concerning deceit and a population reduction at the end of the age: on Aug. 11, 2023, it was reported that a U.S. Dept. of Justice (DOJ) attorney representing the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in a case before the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals said doctors do have the authority to prescribe Ivermectin for the treatment of Covid. Readers will recall that during the Covid crisis, the FDA discouraged the use of Ivermectin and contended that using it was medically irresponsible. According to the report, now a “large body of accumulated studies has found it (Ivermectin) to be irrefutably highly effective for treating Covid when given early and with the correct protocol.” According to the report, during the Covid Crisis, officials knew more about the safety and effectiveness of Ivermectin than they knew about the safety and effectiveness of the Covid vaccine, but they discouraged the use of Ivermectin and promoted use of the Covid vaccine, which is now known to be unsafe and ineffective in many cases. Because of the deceit and the globalist desire to reduce the population of the earth, many medical workers were fired, many were blasphemed and censored, and many people died that were not allowed to receive this proven “irrefutably highly effective” treatment. A lot of people have blood on their hands. Why do so many people ignore the fact that Bible prophecy teaches that government officials will deceive and kill multitudes during the Apocalypse? Three, concerning deceit and a population reduction at the end of the age: on Aug. 11, 2023, it was reported that a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report says 120,000 children in the U.S. have died suddenly following an mRNA vaccination for Covid. One must wonder why Biden and Fauci were saying the vaccination is safe and effective for all ages when so many children were dying. (Note: According to Klaus Schwab, head of the World Economic Forum, no one in the world will be safe if everyone is not vaccinated.) Four, concerning the Battle of Gog and Magog (Ezek. 38-39) in the latter days and latter years: on Aug. 12, 2023, it was reported that an intelligence document based on information gathered by Netherlands, Sweden, and Germany concluded that Iran may soon test a nuclear weapons device. According to a senior researcher in Israel, Iran probably views U.S. and EU policy toward her as weak, passive and unintimidating, which serves as a motivation to continue her development and testing of nuclear weapons. (Note: On Aug. 13, 2023, it was reported that Israeli Prime Min. Netanyahu canceled his upcoming vacation, stayed in Jerusalem, and called an unplanned security meeting to discuss Israel’s preparedness for war since some reservists are refusing to serve. There is widespread disagreement over Israel’s readiness for war and who is responsible for the reservists refusing to serve. Understand that Israel’s safety is in God’s hands, and her enemies would be wise to back off.) Five, concerning the spirit of antichrist and the persecution of believers at the end of the age: during the so-called Covid pandemic, several churches in Canada were fined hundreds of thousands of dollars for refusing to limit church attendance. The churches sued, their case went all the way to the Canadian Supreme Court, and on Aug. 11, 2023, the Court refused to hear their suit. Believers should understand that giving unbelievers the authority to determine what is a pandemic, when it begins, when it ends, and the authority to control every aspect of people’s lives during a pandemic will eventually cost believers their freedom to assemble, speak and worship. It will impact if they can meet, how many can meet, where they meet, what their preacher can say, how disobedience will be punished, and more. Six, concerning the coming cashless society and the Mark of the Beast at the middle of the Tribulation Period: on July 18, 2023, it was reported that Fla. Gov. Ron DeSantis said, “If I am the President, on day one we will nix Central Bank Digital Currency. Done. Dead. Not happening in this country.” DeSantis got Florida to pass a law that refuses use of a CBDC. He hopes to prevent the Biden administration from using an executive order to force a CBDC on U.S. citizens and to require Biden to go through Congress if he wants to establish one in the U.S. (Note: On July 25, 2023, it was reported that Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) called upon Congress to ban and criminalize CBDCs. If that has happened, I am not aware of it.) Seven, concerning the coming cashless society and Mark of the Beast at the middle of the Tribulation Period: on July 25, 2023, it was reported that Russian Pres. Putin approved the use of a digital ruble (Central Bank Digital Currency or CBDC) for money transfers. The digital ruble will not replace existing forms of money, the money citizens have in the bank will not be converted to digital rubles, no one will be forced to use digital rubles, and it will take 2-3 years before the use of digital rubles is widespread. Eight, concerning the coming cashless society and Mark of the Beast during the Tribulation Period: on Aug. 11, 2023, it was reported that four major banks in Australia have stopped allowing customers to withdraw cash from their bank accounts in preparation for a switch to a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC). So, what comes next? Customers must spend their money by a certain date or lose it, accounts will be seized if customers do not espouse the government narrative, etc., etc.? Nine, concerning wickedness (corruption) in crime-ridden Washington, D.C.: on Aug. 15, 2023, a federal appeals court ruled that Washington, D.C. was discriminating against citizens because the police arrested pro-life protestors for writing chalk messages on sidewalks, but the police never arrested Black Lives Matter (BLM) protestors for writing chalk messages on sidewalks, spray painting messages on public property, private property, etc. (My opinion: The laws in the U.S. should be equally enforced, and the illegal activities of some groups should not be overlooked because of their race, gender, or the fact that they support corrupt politicians.) Ten, concerning wickedness (corruption): on Aug. 14, 2023, Gov. Mike Huckabee posted the following:
Eleven, concerning deceit: in Canada, a biological man that calls himself a woman and competes against women in weight-lifting competitions keeps defeating his female opponents. Some women have stopped competing because they know they do not have a chance and the truth does not matter. FYI: God does not send anyone to Hell (all of us are born with a sin nature and destined to go to Hell because we sin), but God has provided a way (Jesus) for everyone to go to Heaven (and He is the only way to get there; John 14:6). Finally, are you Rapture Ready? If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this. [email protected] The Elites Seem Intent On Ripping Apart The Fabric Of Israel’s Democracy – By Hal Lindsey - https://harbingersdaily.com/the-elites-seem-intent-on-ripping-apart-the-fabric-of-israels-democracy/ On September 12, something without precedent will happen in Israel. That nation’s Supreme Court will decide if it (the Supreme Court) holds dictatorial powers unlike any other court in any other democracy — power not derived from any law ever passed. The court will decide whether to nullify a new basic law in Israel. That would be the equivalent of the US Supreme Court nullifying part of the constitution as “unconstitutional.” Instead of a constitution, they have what are known as “basic laws.” On July 24, Israel’s highest legislative body, the Knesset, legally amended one of Israel’s basic laws. The amendment restricts the high court’s ability to nullify a law. So, if the court rules against it, it will be ruling against the rule of law. In the United States, we have long accepted that our Supreme Court can nullify a law. But our high court has an objective standard by which to measure laws — the constitution. Since the constitution underpins everything in our government, all other laws and regulations must conform to it. If Congress passes a law that goes against the constitution, the court declares it unconstitutional, and it is automatically repealed. Israel’s Supreme Court uses an entirely different standard for nullifying a law. They call it the “standard of reasonableness.” If members of the court do not think the law is “reasonable,” they can kill the law with a simple vote against it. Over the last few years, they have increasingly used this standard to remove laws with which they had a mere political disagreement. “Reasonableness” is in the eye of the beholder. When the Knesset passes a law, a majority of the nation’s elected representatives obviously consider that law to be “reasonable.” The reasonableness standard itself was made up by the court and not based in law. It allows a small number of elites to override the will of the voters, sometimes on a whim. I call them elites because that’s what they are. In Israel, the President appoints Supreme Court judges. This sounds like a lot of power until you understand that he does not choose them. He only appoints them. They are chosen by something called the Judicial Selection Committee. That is a ten-member group consisting of the Justice Minister, another cabinet minister, the court’s current Chief Justice, another judge from the Supreme Court, the Attorney General, the Dean of the Faculty of Law at Hebrew University, two Knesset members, and two members of the Israel Bar Association. As you can see, it is not designed for accountability to the people, but to keep the elites of the legal establishment in charge of all law. The system negates the power of elected representatives in favor of the old guard. So, on July 24, the elected representatives of the people of Israel passed a law that limits the court’s ability to strike down laws. It passed the law as an amendment to one of Israel’s basic laws, which makes it part of the highest law in the land. The basic law has now been changed in a legally binding way. But on September 12, the court will decide whether to break the new law by striking it down. Obviously, there is no legal way of doing that. Imbued by propaganda from the old guard elites, thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets to protest the change. Many have become insurrectionists, advocating civil war. There have been talks of debilitating strikes even within the military. So far, the press has made it seem much worse than it is. But the elites seem intent on ripping apart the fabric of Israel’s democracy. The Bible indicates that after Israel’s rebirth, it would be greatly troubled but remain intact. Even so, this is a good time to follow the admonition of Psalm 122:6. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” Prophecy Update Videos Must Watch Videos! Videos You Can Trust
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DONATE HERE Your can also mail your support to: Prophecy Update PO Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384 We Have Reached The Stage Where There Is Literally No Pause Between Major Disasters Hitting The United States - by Michael Snyder - http://endoftheamericandream.com/we-have-reached-the-stage-where-there-is-literally-no-pause-between-major-disasters-hitting-the-united-states/ It is just one thing after another. When times were normal in this country, there would be a major disaster every once in a while, but now we have reached a stage where there is literally no pause between them. Authorities are still trying to assess the damage from the historic wildfires that we just witnessed in Hawaii. We are being told that they were the deadliest wildfires in the entire history of our country, and now suddenly more wildfires are burning tens of thousands of acres in western portions of the state of Washington. At the same time, the state of California is bracing for an extremely rare disaster. According to AccuWeather, the impact that Hilary is going to have on the state “has the potential to be an extraordinary event”… AccuWeather meteorologists say that a life-threatening flooding disaster is unfolding in some of the desert areas and mountains in Southern California to southern Nevada, where more than a year’s worth of rain could fall. “The impact from Hilary has the potential to be an extraordinary event, one that is rare and unprecedented,” AccuWeather Director of Forecasting Operations Dan DePodwin said. This is not something that happens every day. In fact, if Hilary is still considered to be a tropical storm when it hits California, it will be the first time this century that something like this has happened… If Hilary is still categorized as a tropical storm over California, that would be the first time that happened in almost 26 years, since the former Hurricane Nora tracked near the Colorado River in California as a tropical storm in Sept. 1997. Norman and Kathleen, in 1978 and 1976, respectively, brought impacts to Southern California, but neither officially made landfall as a tropical storm. There were only two times landfalls happened prior to 1950, including a Sept. 1939 tropical storm in the L.A. Basin and an Oct. 2, 1858 hurricane, which tracked from San Diego to Long Beach. But no matter how it is categorized, everyone agrees that that there is going to be an extremely unusual amount of rain. In fact, meteorologists are warning that we are likely to see “dangerous to catastrophic” flooding… Historic Hilary − downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm but still carrying the potential for “dangerous to catastrophic” flooding − made landfall in the Mexican peninsula of Baja California on Sunday while churning north toward the U.S. Hilary was 115 miles south-southeast of San Diego when the National Hurricane Center released its latest update at 2 p.m. Pacific Time, warning of “catastrophic and life-threatening flooding likely over Baja California and portions of the Southwestern U.S. through Monday.” The flooding has already begun in some areas of California as I write this article. Authorities are warning that extremely heavy rainfall will trigger landslides and mudslides, and this is especially true in areas that have recently experienced wildfires. High winds will be an issue as well. San Diego County has already seen gusts of up to 84 mph, and Yuma, Arizona has already seen gusts of up to 62 mph. California Governor Gavin Newsom has officially declared a state of emergency, and Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo has done the same. This crisis is going to play out over several days, and it is going to hit a population that is largely unprepared for such a storm. Once residents of southern California began to realize what was about to hit them, thousands upon thousands of people descended upon local grocery stores to stock up on needed supplies… But panic buying has set in and some supermarket shelves in San Diego and Los Angeles were stripped bare of essentials such as water and tinned food. Videos of people panic buying at grocery stores started emerge from California, with one tweet making jest of the ‘essentials’ being bought by people in Los Angeles. ‘A sign you’re in LA and not the southeast US during hurricane / tropical storm preparation: WHITE BREAD is left at Trader Joe’s!!! Focaccia – all gone!!! But even during storm prep, Angelenos ain’t bringing home the white bread!’ the post read with a picture of empty shelves and around seven loaves of white bread. Of course those that had prepared ahead of time didn’t need to battle the crowds. Something else just happened that is very important for me to mention. On Sunday afternoon, a magnitude 5.1 earthquake struck near Ojai, California… As Southern California braced for a highly unusual summer storm Sunday afternoon, residents were struck by a much more familiar phenomenon: a magnitude 5.1 earthquake, according to the US Geological Survey. The epicenter of the quake was in Ojai, between Santa Barbara and Ventura, and it occurred along the Sisar fault, USGS data showed. Studies have shown that large amounts of water can stir up fault lines. Personally, I believe that we have now reached a point where the people of California should be extremely concerned about the possibility of the arrival of “the Big One”, and this is something that I discussed on my Substack a few days ago. Speaking of major disasters, authorities are still recovering dead bodies that were killed during the recent wildfires in Hawaii. The official death toll currently stands at 111, but local residents are saying that the real death toll is at least four times higher… Maui authorities are dramatically underplaying the number of people known to have died in the inferno that ripped through Lahaina last week – with locals telling DailyMail.com that the actual death toll is at least 480 and that morgues had run out of body bags. The figure is quadruple that of the official number of 111 – and some of the relatives of the victims have been left to uncover the remains of their loved ones themselves due to the glacial progress of the search and recovery operation. I don’t think that any of us will soon forget the images of the destruction in Hawaii. But now brand new headlines about devastating wildfires are crying for our attention. In Washington, raging wildfires are ripping across the western portion of the state at a pace that is absolutely breathtaking… Terrifying wildfires which have so-far killed one person are continuing to tear across Washington state with more than 20,000 acres burned this weekend. The entire North Western state remains under an alert, while the largest parkland area – Mount Spokane State Park – has been closed off to the public as firefighters battle to contain the inferno. In Spokane County, east Washington, the largest wildfire has razed 10,892 acres of land, destroying nearly 200 buildings and killing at least one person in its wake as thousands evacuated the danger zone. Sadly, this is how it is going to be now. There is just going to be one thing after another, and most people will have absolutely no idea why any of this is happening. “Rapture Verdict” Overturned – Terry James - https://terryjamesprophecyline.com/2023/08/20/rapture-verdict-overturned/ “There are a lot of people coming against the pre-Trib Rapture,” a friend I was on the phone with said. I asked him to name names, and he said, “Guys like Joel Richardson and Walid Shoebat.” These and many others, my friend said, are saying things like those of us who believe in and teach a pre-Trib Rapture are heretics. And some are saying worse, like we’re leading people to Hell with our false teaching. I, of course—as reported in these commentaries—have heard those invectives and worse against those of us who believe in and teach the pre-Trib Rapture of the Church. However, I’ve met both Joel Richardson and Walid Shoebat. Mr. Richardson never came across as a man who would make such strong condemnation. And I haven’t heard much about Mr. Shoebat, an admitted former Mideast terrorist who is now a Christian, since we met at a prophecy conference some years ago. He was passionate, to be sure, and I knew he didn’t believe there will be a pre-Trib Rapture, but I never heard from him any such diatribe accusing us of being heretics, as my friend said he and others were declaring. So I did some research to see, in particular, what Joel Richardson (not his real name for his own reasons, I’ve heard) was saying. I could find no written documents of significance by Joel on the subject, so listened to his in-depth discussion with a podcast host as they dealt specifically with Joel’s opposition to the pre-Trib Rapture of the Church. I totally disagreed with all of his reasons the pre-Trib view is unbiblical. I found them so weak as to wonder why anyone should even worry about his view making inroads against the truth regarding the timing of the Rapture. I did agree with him on one thing, though. The pre-Trib view is diminishing amongst believers. But it is not, in my view, Richardson and others providing anti-pre-Trib Rapture teaching that is causing the diminishment. Rather, it’s a part of the end-times falling away from the faith in general that is caused in part by the lack of biblical prophetic truth being preached and taught in churches. That said, however, when I met Joel Richardson, I found him to be a gentleman and a gentle man, as Paul Harvey used to say about those he found to be so. And, upon listening closely to him and the podcast host who was of the same anti-pre-Trib Rapture mindset, I heard the same gentleness in his presentation. As a matter of fact, he lamented that some within the pre-Trib prophecy preacher camp had called him a heretic and much worse. Someone who had hosted, or cohosted, a seven thousand-attendee prophecy conference had said these things about him. Mr. Richardson said when he confronted the Christian brother, the conference host admitted he was wrong, but had just “needed a scapegoat” to make his point while speaking at the gathering. I don’t know of any prophecy conference of that size, or what the man meant by “needing a scapegoat” in this case, but I believe Joel Richardson to be a brother in Christ in every respect, and one who tells the truth as he understands it. (It’s just that, after listening to him and the host of the podcast, neither understands the truth in the matter of when Christ will call the Church to Himself.) Another anti-pre-Trib Rapture Bible-prophecy proponent I find to be otherwise quite accurate on the way things are trending toward the Tribulation is Michael Snyder. He is excellent at gathering information and reporting news of developments in the Ephesians 6:12 minions’ attempts to bring in Antichrist’s regime of control. He wrote a book with the title The Rapture Verdict, in which he attempted to tear apart evidence from God’s Word for the pre-Trib Rapture. His “verdict,” of course, was that he had managed to prove there will be no pre-Trib Rapture. Neither Mr. Richardson nor Mr. Snyder denies there will be a Rapture. But they lump Israel and the Church together, so to speak. Their verdict is that both Israel and believers who comprise the Church will go through the Tribulation. Mr. Richardson, at least—I can’t remember the position of Mr. Snyder—denies that God deals with people in dispensations. They both put forth that the Rapture will take place within the Tribulation, as I understand. Their belief is based upon the “last trump of Revelation,” to a large extent. Mr. Richardson, as I heard him in the interview—and the host agreed wholeheartedly—said the best we pre-Trib Rapturists could come up with was Revelation 3:10. He admitted it did seem to indicate believers will escape God’s wrath. However, he said that Scripture didn’t mean we will not go through the seven years of Tribulation, but that we will be kept “through” that time, which will be, according to the Lord Jesus, the worst in all of human history. To me, Mr. Snyder and Mr. Richardson’s “Rapture verdict” is overthrown–overturned—in one simple word in the following promise from our God: Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. (Revelation 3:10) As I understand, Joel Richardson believes the word “wrath” means in the eternal sense, not in the sense of the physical—i.e., we won’t suffer the eternal wrath reserved for the lost, but must be here for the physical punishment phase. But even more confusing is the that he said, if I heard him correctly, that this Scripture says we will be kept “through” this period of horror during which God judges and makes war on unbelievers and on Satan and his angelic hordes. I find this to make little sense, as millions of new believers will die during that era. But one word totally overturns the Rapture verdict of the anti-pre-Trib argument, in my view. That term is the simple little word “from.” It is the Greek word ek, which means “out of,” not “through.” We will be kept “out of” that hour that will come upon the whole world of rebels during the Tribulation. Of course, there is an overwhelmingly extensive body of evidence that could be brought into play that proves the pre-Trib Rapture is truth. And that evidence has been presented over and over, beginning with the great Apostle Paul’s words that we should “take comfort.” No “comfort” can come from knowing you are going through the worst time of all human history. Here are Paul’s words of comfort: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:16–18) Daily Jot: The responsibility of freedom - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com There are many descriptions of God. “God is love” is one that we often here. “God is freedom” is another. With that freedom, however, there is responsibility. It is the concept that to be truly free under the gift of God’s liberty, obedience to God’s precepts is mandatory. In that is choice. Our choices, made freely, determine the depth and extent of our freedom. Galatians 5:1 says, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, death and resurrection made us free from the bondage of sin, an ultimate freedom. But this is a freedom where choosing to live our lives according to God’s laws determines our destiny. In the beginning, God created a world of order. Then He created humans with the gift of freedom. However, the first humans used their freedom to bring chaos to the order God had created. From Adam and Eve’s disobedience, to the first murder by Cain, and the ensuing world of violence leading to the flood, chaos grew like a choking weed amidst the freedom. God set apart a human, Abraham, to leave the corrupted world and go to another land of promise so that his descendants could form another nation–a just nation that sustained personal liberty as governed by the laws of God. On Mount Sinai the Israelites consented to become a nation under God, accepting the responsibility for obeying God’s laws, and becoming a set apart, holy nation. To have the right kind of government to achieve this freedom, the structure of accountability had to be divided to prevent corruption. With God being the ultimate power, He delegated earthly authority to kings, priests and prophets who were to govern with the laws of God in service to the people. Hence was born the concept that the people do not exist to serve the state, but the state exists to serve the people—who’s true service is to God. Never had freedom been so clearly defined, not just individually, but also collectively for a nation. Sound familiar? The United States form of government was founded on these very same principals by the forefathers who read and understood the Hebrew Bible. But how is freedom to coexist with orderly human affairs? In short, God’s sovereignty does not remove human responsibility. Certainly, God established the perfect structure, but ultimately the answer lies in the new covenant that would be written on people’s hearts as in Jeremiah 31:33, “I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts,” enabling them to want to live in righteousness rather than be required to do so. That new covenant was ratified by the blood of Jesus who set us free as confirmed in 2 Corinthians 3:17 we are informed “…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” In truth, as Christians we live with the ideal of God-given freedom written on our hearts as we willingly abide in God’s laws. Each of us are moral ambassadors for one another. Love God. Love one another. Champion justice—not man’s justice, but God’s. Stand fast and be courageous in this responsibility. Daily Devotion: What Makes God Happy - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom —Luke 12:32 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/what-makes-god-happy/ - Listen Sometimes when we look back on our lives, we might think, “If I would have known then what I know now, I would have done things differently to have a better life.” When you get down to it, that is what we all want: a better life. In John 10, Jesus tells us what life ought to be about and essentially reveals the meaning of our lives. He said, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life” (verse 10 NLT). Often the Bible will contrast two things to teach us a certain principle. For example, in Matthew 7 Jesus spoke about the narrow way that leads to life and the broad way that leads to destruction (see verses 13–14). And in the same chapter, Jesus contrasted the wise man who built his house on the rock with the foolish man who built his house on the sand (see verses 24–27). When we read these passages, we need to look at the contrast, at the choices that life presents. Here in John 10, Jesus contrasts two options for life. He was saying, “Here is the devil’s plan. And here’s My plan.” The devil’s plan is to steal, kill, and destroy. On the other hand, Jesus has come to give us a rich and satisfying life. Why does He want to do this for us? He gives us the answer in the next verse: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep” (John 10:11 NLT). The word “good” that Jesus used is full of meaning here. It not only means good in a moral sense, but it also could be translated “beautiful,” “winsome,” “lovely,” and “attractive.” Therefore, Jesus is our beautiful, attractive, winsome, lovely Shepherd. And the Shepherd’s purpose for us is that we would flourish. PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS HEADLINES Yesterday's Prophecies - Today's Headlines HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY 8/21/23 http://trackingbibleprophecy.org/birthpangs.php
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