The Time of Jacob’s Trouble Coming Soon

IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER... 
 

• Featured Article: The Time of Jacob’s Trouble Coming Soon 
• Before We Go To War, Let’s Take A Look At The Current State Of The U.S. Military… 
• The Church in The Metaverse 
• Trust and Obey 
• Daily Jot: In the interest of public trust 
• Daily Devotion: A Transformed Life 

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The Time of Jacob’s Trouble Coming Soon - Pastor Mike Taylor - https://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2022/02/the-time-of-jacobs-trouble-coming-soon.html
 
15 “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:)
16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:
18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!
20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:
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.
22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened.” (Matthew 24:15-22)
 
As the hour approaches for the start of the Tribulation and the end of this present age, I have many Christians that email me and wonder “Are we in the Tribulation now, or can it get any worse that what we see already at the present?”....Some come to the erroneous conclusion that we are in the first part of the Tribulation, as the world is going stark raving mad. Environmental disasters of earthquakes, volcano eruptions, drought leading to famine in third world countries, ISIS that beheaded Christians in the Middle East, and nuclear threats from Iran and North Korea (and now Russia and China) leave many wondering if we are indeed, in the first years of the coming Tribulation. Are we?
 
The Lord God gave us definite signs of when the beginning of the Tribulation would start, and although I would agree that we are bumping right up to the time the Bible calls Jacob's trouble, we have not crossed that red line that says we in the Tribulation. Why do I say that?
 
THE PURPOSE OF THE COMING TRIBULATION
 
The Tribulation has a primary, secondary purpose and even a third reason for the time. From the perspective of Israel, the Tribulation has a primary purpose. From the prophet Daniel, that primary purpose is six fold:
 
"Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people [Daniel and the Jews] and upon thy holy city, [Jerusalem] to (1) finish the transgression, and to (2) make an end of sins, and to (3) make reconciliation for iniquity, and to (4) bring in everlasting righteousness, and to (5) seal up the vision and prophecy, and to (6) anoint the most Holy." (Daniel 9:24)
 
That primary purpose had been going on from the rebuilding of the Temple after the Babylonian exile and ancient Israel's return to her own land for 483 years, when Jesus rode into the city of Jerusalem riding on the back of a donkey.
 
 “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” (Zechariah 9:9)
 
Thus Jesus fulfilled the prophecy in the 483rd year of the Prophecy and if Israel would have accepted their Messiah, then the Kingdom of God would have come upon the earth at that time, but that was not God's plan. Several days later, Jesus would be tried, convicted in a Sanhedrin court, sentenced by a Roman governor and crucified on a cross for the sole reason of being the Messiah they did not want to accept. Their image of their “political Savior” was a King David type, not this lowly carpenter who wanted to save them from their sins. They didn't need a Savior, (in their deceived thinking) as they had the law of Moses, which they didn't realize could not save them from being separated from God the Father for all eternity. They knew of the timing of the coming Messiah, and here He was standing right in front of them, but they didn't like His spiritual message of repentance.
 
When Jesus died on that cross, the time period of 490 years that Gabriel told Daniel would be required to fulfill that prophecy, stopped and has been on hold now for nearly 2000 years. That leaves a final 7 years of the prophecy to the nation of Israel on hold. God will complete His promise to the Jewish people in the near future.
 
But for the Church that was born at Pentecost because of the blood sacrifice Jesus paid, points 1-4 of the above verse was accomplished at the cross. The last two points of 5-6 are yet to be fulfilled, but neither of them apply to the Church anyway. The prophecy is for the Jewish people and of Jerusalem with a rebuilt Temple standing on the Temple Mount and the anointing of the Messiah taking place at the 2nd Coming of Jesus to reign and rule for a Millennium.
 
The primary purpose of the Tribulation, therefore, is to effect the national redemption of the Jews.
 
2 “But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:
3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years.” (Malachi 3:2-4)
 
Israel will be refined through much persecution, until they recognize their Messiah that their forefathers rejected in 33 AD and they still do today.
 
There is a secondary purpose as outlined in Revelation chp. 9:
 
"Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts." (Revelation 9:21)
 
In reading the whole of chapters 6- 9 of this apocalyptic book, gives you the reason for the coming Tribulation. God is putting down all rebellion upon the earth, known as the “nations” who will not repent of their sinful lives, or give God any glory. But those who love their unrighteousness and sinful practices will not repent even in the face of this horrific judgment that is being poured out on them, and it only gets worse, much worse.
 
This secondary purpose is to purge this earth of unrepentant, rebellious mankind that rejects Christ as Lord of their lives. God will nearly wipe this planet clean of all human life. By definition, to be a Christian, one must repent of one's sins. So the Church has no purpose in God's judgment against these “unrepentant, lawless” sinners.
 
There is also a third reason for the Tribulation. It is to allow Satan full and free reign over the earth and its inhabitants. Among the many purposes of Heaven outlined in God's Word is the trial of Satan. At the conclusion of the Tribulation, there will no doubt remaining among the angels and the inhabitants of God's realm, (the saints of God) to the depth of Satan's guilt or the severity of the forthcoming punishment. This was prophesied in Isaiah what would become of Lucifer, now known as Satan (the adversary) when he was cast out of heaven when he proclaimed his infamous “I wills” to be like the Most High God....
 
"Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms; That made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof; that opened not the house of his prisoners?" (Isaiah 14:15-17)
 
HARPAZO OF THE CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD
 
The doctrine of imminency teaches that Jesus could come at any moment and “snatch by force” His redeemed bride which is HARPAZO in the Greek that Paul spoke of in 1st Corinthians and 1st Thessalonians
 
15 “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 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:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up (HARPAZO) together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1st Thessalonians 4:15-18)
 
What is the dictionary definition of what Paul wrote above of the HARPAZO, or being “caught up” in English..
 
1) to seize, carry off by force
2) to seize on, claim for one' s self eagerly
3) to snatch out or away
 
The fulfillment of this passage could come at any moment, from the day of Paul until the starting point of the Tribulation. How do I know that it is confined to that period of time? Glad you asked. Because the Bible expressly promises us that the Tribulation will not start until Satan has total control over this earth.
 
In order for Satan to have total control (and therefore no excuse) the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and His ministry of identifying and restraining evil must be removed.
 
Jesus promises that the Holy Spirit would indwell within me until He returns, as I am neither of the “house of Israel” or part of the Christ rejecting Gentile nations and have no part in the coming Tribulation, but the scripture says that the coming Anti-Christ will overcome the “saints” during the tribulation.
 
“And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” (Revelation 13:7-8)
 
If the Holy Spirit must be 'taken out of the way' BEFORE the Antichrist can be revealed, which is the only logical way to interpret what Paul wrote in 2nd Thessalonians 2:7-9,
 
7 “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 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:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,”
 
S0, if God is withdrawing the work of the Holy spirit, that would leave me comfortless, if as a Christian I am found to be still present during the time known as Jacob's Trouble, the Tribulation. If God has left me alone just when I need Him the most, then Jesus broke His Word, and we know Jesus cannot lie.
 
16 “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you FOREVER;(my emphasis)
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” (John 14:16-18)
 
No matter how I try to read the above verses otherwise, I cannot be present during this time. Until the Holy Spirit is “taken out of the way” then that Wicked cannot be revealed, which is the Anti-Christ.
 
This may be confusing to some, but let us identify the players in the preceding verses listed above in 2nd Thessalonians 2:7-9. The “mystery of inquity” or the spirit of the Anti-Christ (1st John 4:3) "He who letteth". First, "he" is a personal pronoun, so this isn't a 'thing' to be taken out of the way, but a 'Him'. 'To let' is an old English phrase that signifies indwelling, as in the phrase, "Room to Let."
 
When the verse speaks of “that Wicked” it is also a personal pronoun and in context, refers to the one whom Jesus will destroy at His Second Coming.
 
So in modern everyday English, the meaning of the passage says “the Anti-Christ won't be revealed until the Holy Spirit's presence is taken out of the way”...So the point of the passage that should not be any bone of contention, is that if the Holy Spirit is removed, and we have God's Holy Spirit within us, and Jesus will NOT leave us alone without comfort, then if the Holy Spirit is leaving, then so shall God's Church. Every born again believer on this planet will be removed at the very same instant as God's Holy Spirit. Since Satan cannot overcome God, and God is dwelling in me, then the Anti-Christ can't overcome me if I were still on the earth.
 
I cannot picture a situation in which I would lose the Holy Spirit's indwelling presence while I am still alive on this earth. It is unthinkable.
 
So now that I hope you can see that the Church will be removed prior to the Anti-Christ being revealed and we will not be subject to God's Wrath. Now some say that the first part of the Tribulation is promoted by Satan and evil men. Many try to say that God's wrath is not revealed until the 6th seal is opened, as the righteousness indignation of God's judgment is finally revealed...is that true? I ask you. Who is opening the seals of the “title deed to this earth” by removing all rebellion on the planet? From the first seal until the last, the author of this judgment is Jesus Christ the Lord. He is causing events to happen. He is using men to enact judgment on other lawless men, just as He used Babylon and Assyria as the iron rod of judgment on Israel for their lawless behavior and rejecting the laws of God. So here God is doing the same thing by using men to bring about the beginning of His wrath indirectly, but will show His indignation directly in subsequent seals of judgment. In chp. 6, the men of earth know who is causing the problems and the evil that befalls them, and they cry out:
 
15 “And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains;
16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:
17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” (Revelation 6:15-17)
 
LET US ANALYZE THIS COMING TRIBULATION.
 
Where do we get seven years of tribulation? Some ask me that question and assert that there is no basis for it...
 
Daniel says that Antichrist rules for one 'week' -- or seven years.
 
27 “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.” (Daniel 9:27)
 
I've even had some deceived notions that this above verse is speaking of Jesus causing a covenant to be broken in mid-week, but clearly it is speaking of an abomination of desolation that only happened one other time with Antiochus Epiphanes when he desecrated the Holy Temple and spawned the Macabbean revolt.
 
The first three and one half years are a period of false peace for Israel. Because of confirming a covenant with Israel, the coming Anti-Christ will reveal himself by enforcing a pre-existent covenant that is possibly the Oslo Accord from the earth 1990s or maybe even the Abrahamic Accords during time of Trump. The last three and one half years are a period of intense persecution and Great Tribulation for the Jewish people. It is the remaining 7 years left to fulfill the prophecy given by Gabriel to Daniel, that has been on hold for the Age of Grace that we have been living in for almost 2000 years now.
 
No matter how novel an interpretation one may develop to argue against the seven year period, Daniel also identifies it as a period of 2520 days, divided into two periods of 1260 days each. The first part is the Tribulation that causes a false peace for Israel, but is surrounded by unrest and war around the globe. The last 1260 days are known as the Great Tribulation, when the AC is revealed as the abomination that causeth desolation, and Israel will know they have made a pact deal with the devil. They will run for their very lives, but many will not believe the prophecy and will not escape into the wilderness, just as it was in 70 AD when those who believed fled to the mountain fortress in Petra, in the Jordanian wilderness. (see chp. 12 of Revelation v. 14-17)
 
Now to those who make a wishful thinking by asking the specific question “why cannot Christ's coming for His elect occur during the first half of the tribulation?” Scripture outlines a season (of tribulation) for the purpose of judgment that is to last seven years.
 
As mentioned, the tribulation is the not the time for the Church's redemption, it is Israel's time. The purpose in general is the refinement of Israel as silver is refined in the fiery furnace for purification, and the removal of rebellion and the judgment of the lost. The Church is being judged now in this Age of Grace. Those who have God's earnest deposit of His Holy Spirit residing within their own spirit have a guarantee of redemption and glorification when Jesus comes for His bride, His Church. The Church of the Living God is neither under judgment or in need of redemption. She has already been redeemed, and judged righteous by the blood of the Lamb, our Savior, Jesus Christ.
 
To not believe the above redemption of our bodies at the rapture of the Church is to believe that Jesus' sacrifice in His own blood on a roman cross was not good enough to save us to the uttermost. It is to believe in a type of Catholic purgatory that Jesus did NOT pay it all once for all time.
 
WHAT IF WE DO HAVE TO SUFFER SOME OF THE TRIBULATION?
 
Some hypothesize, and its pure speculation, that if there is not a removal of the Bride of Christ before the Tribulation starts, could it not cause some to turn away from their faith, as was talked about in the gospels. They say, “won't there be some suffering on the part of Christians?”...”and if so, we are causing those to become discouraged and fall away”.
 
I agree that we shall not escape all suffering, as that has been part of the human condition since man was created. There is persecution and modern day martyrdom in such places as the Middle East, Communist China, and Central Africa. This is not an ancient concept, but continues to this day by evil men.
 
There is a major difference between the sufferings of men at the hand of other evil men, by one phrase ...”The Wrath of God”. Tribulation saints differ from the Bride of Christ saved during the Age of Grace, or the Church Age. Those saved during this horrific seven years will have their metal tested as like no other period of time memorial. Evil is rampant. Satan seeks to destroy all mankind, but in the process gain worship for himself, and attempts to destroy all of the nation of Israel to make God out a liar. And I must point out again a major distinction between the saints of the Church age, and the Tribulation saints by God's Holy Word:
 
Of the Church Age saints, John writes:
 
"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world." (1st John 4:4)
 
During the Tribulation, it is the saints that are overcome:
 
"And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." (Revelation 13:7)
 
The same Apostle John wrote both verses. Is it not 'pure speculation' to assume that the differences in status are irrelevant? Two set of saints are not the same. The church Age is the Bride, the Tribulation saints will be the guest at the ceremony as they are in martyrdom.
 
A final question that has been kicked around on Christian forums I host, that is “if the pre-tribulation rapture of the church is true, how does that give God any glory. Wouldn't it be more glory to Him, if Christ appears amidst the persecution of His saints and rescues them from the Anti-Christ and Satan?” I am reminded of a verse that Jesus spoke to the Apostle Thomas, you now, doubting Thomas?
 
"Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." (John 20:29)
 
Paul speaks of this very thing in Romans 8, which if we are saved by grace through faith, when Christ actually appears, how much faith will be necessary when you see Him in all His glory?
 
24 “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” (Romans 8:24-25)
 
As bad as it seems, and my friend, it will get exponentially worse, from chp. 6 of Revelation till chp. 19 when the Saints of God come back on white horse clothed in linen, white and clean following the Lord of Lords, and King of Kings….Jesus our God and Savior..
 
11 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” (Revelation 19:11-15)
 
Jesus has come, rebellion has been put down. The saints rule the earth along with our Lord Jesus, and the Millennium starts and returns the earth to what it came from, perfection.
 
But of this writing, the Anti-Christ has not yet been revealed. The peace treaty has not yet been confirmed. Temple worship has not yet been restored. All these are events that take place BEFORE the Great Tribulation begins. It is that termination of sacrifice that begins the Great Tribulation.
 
The Antichrist can't cause the sacrifice to cease until AFTER it has begun. That can't happen until the Jews possess the Temple Mount. The Antichrist cannot take his seat in the Temple of God, causing Israel to reject him, which kicks off the Great Tribulation, until AFTER there is a Temple to sit in.
 
None of this has happened, but make no mistake, it could happen almost overnight. These events noted just in the preceding two paragraphs are totally INDEPENDENT of the rapture of the Church. None of them exist because we are not in the Tribulation just yet, but it's right over the near horizon and is looming larger and larger with each passing day. We are indeed close, but we are not quite there yet...Reader take warning. I urge you to believe on the only begotten Son of God, slain from the foundation of the earth, and miss this coming Tribulation, by grace through faith.
 
16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18)
 
8 “But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” (Romans 10:8-11)
 
This is Pastor Mike Taylor, praying to see you standing in front of our Lord Jesus, when we all receive the rewards done in our body for service...If you should need prayer, counseling, or just a friendly listening ear, contact me at [email protected], or visit me online at www.pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com, for more biblical messages straight from your Bible...God bless you all…TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET

 


 
Before We Go To War, Let’s Take A Look At The Current State Of The U.S. Military… - by Michael Snyder - http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/before-we-go-to-war-lets-take-a-look-at-the-current-state-of-the-u-s-military/
 
If we are going to have a war with Russia, perhaps we should determine if our military is actually prepared to fight such a war first. Unfortunately, as I will detail below, the answer is very clear. At one time, the U.S. possessed the greatest fighting machine ever assembled, but decades of neglect, incompetence and cultural deterioration have taken a devastating toll. Just look at what happened in Afghanistan. After nearly two decades of fighting, we couldn’t even defeat a ragged bunch of drug dealers and goat herders known as the Taliban. In fact, the Taliban appears to be even stronger today than when we first invaded. And now we think that we can take on the Russian military?
 
Sadly, the truth is that we aren’t ready for any sort of a major conflict at this stage. Earlier this week, I came across an article that explained that only about 7 out of every 10 Air Force planes is even capable of flying right now…
 
The latest numbers show that the Air Force has made no progress in improving the readiness of its planes with a rate of 71.5% or 7 out of 10 planes in 2021.
 
The United States Air Force is supposed to have mission capable rates of 75% to 80%, but about the only aircraft that meet that criteria are the unmanned drones. The high ratings of the drones disguise the fact that the actual numbers, when broken down by aircraft, are worse.
 
The F-35As, the fifth-generation fighters that would be crucial in countering any sizable aerial engagement with Communist China, dropped catastrophically from 76% to 68.8%.
 
We are supposed to be the most technologically advanced military on the planet.
 
That is terrible.
 
And when members of the U.S. Army were asked if their units were ready to fight, the survey results were depressingly low…
 
In a survey of more than 5,400 soldiers and civilians of different ranks conducted by the U.S. Army in July and August 2020, 14 percent of respondents said their unit would be ready to deploy, fight, and win anywhere in the world immediately. Some 13 percent of those surveyed said they would need more time, while 3 percent said they would be ready to go in a week, and 4 percent in a month.
 
How can things possibly be this bad?
 
Our military has one job. They are supposed to be ready to fight when we call on them.
 
So precisely how are they spending their time if they have not been using it to do that one job?
 
The U.S. Navy is not in great shape either.
 
Right now, our Navy consists of only 296 vessels…
 
In FY 2022, fleet size stays about the same, at 296 ships. Previously ordered ships arrive in large numbers, but the Navy retires 15 ships, 10 early. Navy active-duty personnel decrease by 1,600 to 346,200.
 
296 ships may sound like a lot, but for a superpower like the United States it is actually a pathetically low number.
 
In fact, the number of ships in our fleet has almost been cut in half since Ronald Reagan’s second term in office...
 
The 600-ship Navy was a strategic plan of the United States Navy during the 1980s to rebuild its fleet after cutbacks that followed the end of the Vietnam War.[1] The plan, which originated with Republican leaders, was an important campaign plank of Ronald Reagan in the 1980 presidential election, who advocated a larger military and strategic confrontation with the Soviet Union.
 
The actual number of ships peaked at 594 in 1987, before declining sharply after the end of the Cold War in 1989–1991.
 
Looking forward to the future, things look even more grim.
 
At this point, over 70 percent of young Americans are automatically disqualified from military service for one reason or another…
 
More than 70% of young Americans remain unable to join the military due to obesity, education problems, or crime and drug records. Turning that around should be an issue of national importance, said Rear Adm. Dennis Velez, the head of Navy Recruiting Command.
 
“It is something that, as a nation, we should continue to work though … to make sure our children are healthier,” he said.
 
If that doesn’t alarm you, it should.
 
And thanks to the soft and comfortable lifestyles that our young people enjoy today, those that make it through the recruitment process are more physically fragile than ever before…
 
According to a U.S. Army major, America’s youth are living a sedentary life that makes them fragile, prone to injury, and harder to successfully and easily transition from civilian life to the military. The news comes from an official press release posted on the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service, a hub of official pictures, videos, and news published by the Pentagon
 
When one military official was asked about this, he stated that this generation actually has weak skeletons which “break more easily”…
 
When asked about the youth of today, Maj. Thibodeau was straightforward. “The ‘Nintendo Generation’ soldier skeleton is not toughened by activity prior to arrival, so some of them break more easily,” he said.
 
Capt. Lydia Blondin, assistant chief of physical therapy at Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital, detailed the kind of injuries she’s seen in the so-called Nintendo Generation. “We see injuries ranging from acute fractures and falls, to tears in the ACL, to muscle strains and stress fractures, with the overwhelming majority of injuries related to overuse,” she said.
 
Wow.
 
But at least our military is extremely good at making diversity videos…
 
After seeing how “inclusive” we are, I am sure that the Russians must be shaking in their boots.
Sending our sons and daughters off to die in a war on the other side of the globe is not something that should ever be done lightly.
 
And a war with another superpower is something that we should try very hard to avoid even if our military was in top shape.
 
Unfortunately, our military is nowhere near ready for such a conflict at this point, and our leaders should be honest with the American people about this.
 
But of course most of the population is going to continue to assume that the U.S. military is still the mighty fighting force that it once was, but that hasn’t been true for a very long time.

 


 
The Church in The Metaverse – John Stonestreet - https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=5224
 
Futurists and tech industry gurus have long promised a utopia where humans aren't dependent on pesky biological or geographical realities. Behind yesterday's cyberspace and today's "Metaverse" is the same idea: In a brave new world of digital existence, humans can be freed from bodies, specific locations, and other physical limitations.
 
Digital technology made it possible for churches to pivot and continue in the early, uncertain days of the pandemic. Many congregations have chosen to keep their live-streaming option on offer, in order to accommodate their older, more vulnerable, or physically distant constituents. Other churches have taken it a step or two further.
 
Some have opted for an online-only congregation, abandoning a physical building and physical gatherings altogether. Others are starting "churches" in Facebook's new Metaverse, where people, or their avatars, can "come" to church from anywhere in the world with other people, or their avatars, who join from anywhere in the world. D.J. Soto, a pastor at what is called VR Church in the Metaverse, recently claimed, "The future of the church is the metaverse... in the church of 2030, the main focus is going to be your metaverse campus."
 
On one hand, such innovation is just the latest chapter in a longer history. Churches have long employed new technologies and methods to reach the sick or infirmed, particularly in times of crisis, and keep them connected with the wider Church. Evangelicals, in particular, have a long tradition of using new technologies in the service of evangelism, including the printing press 500 years ago, the newspaper 300 years ago, the radio in the early 1900s, and the TV in the late 1900s. This commentary, BreakPoint, got its start on the radio.
 
But new technology and communication methods must be evaluated on more than whether or not something new "works." This new chapter is also about what the Church is.
 
Decades ago, Canadian philosopher Marshall McLuhan said, "The medium is the message." Put another way, the means used to tell a story will shape what is said. When it comes to Church, it can change the nature of what we kind of people we are. People aren't just inviting the world into the Church through new technology, they're moving the Church into the new realm of that technology. Such a move can have unexpected consequences.
 
While there's certainly cause for attempts to "reach people where they are," what we reach them with is what we reach them to. We must make sure any effort to communicate the Gospel doesn't reduce the Gospel to anything less than It is. Remember, Christ spoke of those who, in the Parable of the Sower, initially received the Gospel with joy, but, lacking root, turned aside when growing stopped being as convenient.
 
But there's also something else to consider. A disembodied Church assumes that a disembodied faith is possible. A Christianity lived only online encourages America's already existing "choose your own adventure" understanding of religion. Christianity is about more than content. Rather, its content cannot truly be lived outside of the context of real people in the real world.
 
As Tish Harrison Warren put it recently in the New York Times, "Bodies, with all the risk, danger, limits, mortality and vulnerability that they bring, are part of our deepest humanity, not obstacles to be transcended through digitization."
 
In contrast, a cyberspace "church" can be something akin to 2013's "Her," where an imaginary relationship with an online persona becomes preferable to the often painful and inconvenient nature of tangible reality. As someone from that movie puts it, "You always wanted to have a wife without the challenges of dealing with anything real," a line that could describe what too many seek from the Bride of Christ.
 
The faith of our fathers is not simply attending a performance, or even embracing a set of ideas about God or Jesus. A church without doctrine is a mere social club or an arbitrary special interest group, but a "church" that remains doctrinally correct but only connects online is a mere chat room. 
 
A disembodied online existence makes it too easy to hide who and what we really are from those God has called us to love and be loved by. The Christian life cannot be fully lived online. God has called us to this time and this place, to times and crises that are uncomfortable and to people whose issues and ailments are unpleasant. The world in which God is making all things new is filled with real people and real problems, and these won't be mended in the illusive world of an online existence.

 


 
Trust and Obey - Nathele Grahams - [email protected]
  
As Christians, we have a guide for life. We have the Holy Spirit living inside of us to guide our steps day by day. We also have God’s word…Scripture. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word.” Psalm 119:105-107. The Book of Psalms is a hymnal with deep meanings in each verse. Today we have many songs that we sing on Sunday mornings, but I often wonder how many people really pay attention to the words. I was one who sang the songs and didn’t really think about the words. The tune was memorized, and I sang the words without really paying attention to what I sang. Shame on me! I’ve found that hymns can be little “mini-sermons”. When we feel a joyful praise for God, what better song than to sing “How Great Thou Art”. It speaks to the majesty of God. In times of distress, it’s comforting to sing “It is Well With My Soul”, And in times of awe over the amazing love and forgiveness God shows us, there’s very few songs that can match “Amazing Grace”. Sometimes we can become upset when God seems to not hear our prayers. When we feel far away from Him obeying, that’s when by faith we need to trust Him. We also need to examine our life and see if we are His word.
 
TRUST AND OBEY
Written by John H. Sammis
 
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
 
When we first come to Jesus, there’s usually a joy that carries us through whatever crisis we might be facing. As time goes on, sometimes we slip back into old ways of living. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;” 2 Corinthians 5: 17-18. Faith in Christ should bring about a change in our ways. Scripture should guide our ways…it should be a lamp unto our feet and it should light our path so we follow Him. The “old man” is the sin nature we once found nothing wrong with, but if you’ve found salvation through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, then you are a new creation. Anger, pride, jealousy, and love of worldly things should have no place in your life. There are things inspired by Satan. “But ye have not so learned Christ; If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:20-24. In the King James language, “conversation” means your way of life, so the old sinful way of life needs to give way to the way of Christ. Your way of life needs to be living for Christ.
 
Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away;
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear,
Can abide while we trust and obey.
 
There will always be challenges in life that can cast a shadow over our faith. Health issues, death of loved ones, financial troubles, war, fear of news headlines, and much more. I have faced all of these issues in my nearly 70 years in this life. There have been many challenges to my faith, as I’m sure you’ve faced trials. Something I’ve learned is that Scripture is where truth is found. The truth is that I can always trust God to always be there. It’s my attitude towards all the turmoil in life that makes a difference. As I watch prophecy unfold, I can either watch the secular news and let my mind and soul be troubled with all trouble and woe that Satan can unleash, or I can turn to God. I can trust Him, and if I obey His word, my soul is at peace with whatever this world has to throw my way. “Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7. God’s peace cannot be found anywhere or any way, but trusting and obeying Him.
 
Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.
 
We are saved by our faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We cannot earn our salvation, but we can earn treasure which is laid up in Heaven. It may sometimes seem as if this life isn’t worth the pain. On the other hand, if we only see our own little world and the troubles therein, we cause our own pain and suffering. If we never experience the joy of our salvation if we don’t look outside of our troubles and reach out to others in need. Instead of seeing things as being all about you, show compassion to others. Instead of being angry because someone hurt you or bruised your pride, look upon them as someone with their own hurts and wounded pride. As Jesus hung on the cross, He looked down upon the people who had beaten Him, mocked Him, whipped Him, and driven spikes into His hands and feet, He didn’t call down curses upon them. He loved them. “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.” Luke 23:34. His blood flowed out of Him, and it was for you and me that He died. He forgives you of the many sins you commit daily, but if you ask Him, He will forgive you. He’s forgiven me of so much, and I’m so grateful. “And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Mark 8:34. Everyone who heard knew exactly what the cross meant…it meant death. We are to put our selfish pride to death and follow Christ. Let go of the old things that keep you angry and upset, and, as Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus, “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4:23-24. Trust Him and obey Him and you will find that your life will be filled with many blessings.
 
But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows,
Are for them who will trust and obey.
 
The Holy Spirit will open many doors for you to comfort others, because of what you’ve experienced in life. The good things and the bad things will allow you to empathize with other people. Give all to Jesus. Lay every hurt, every heartache, every angry word you’ve even spoken in hatred and anger upon the altar. Let these things live inside you no more. Let the Holy Spirit guide you to guide you to using your experiences in life to glorify God. You’ll find that all the hurtful thoughts and words that boil up inside you, only hurt others, and they hurt you. “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Luke 16:13. Allow Jesus to be your master and obey Him. Only He can be trusted.
 
Then in fellowship sweet we will sit at His feet,
Or we’ll walk by His side in the way,
What He says we will do, where He sends we will go;
Never fear, only trust and obey.
 
Fellowship. The Greek word is” koinonia” and means association, community, communion, joint participation”. Can you even imagine the joy of one day sitting at Jesus’ feet in pure and sweet fellowship? I long for perfect fellowship with Christ. Will that day come after my death, or will I be taken in the Rapture? I have no way of knowing, but I yearn for the Rapture. It will be then that my human nature to sin will be gone, and I will do His bidding with no doubt. Until then, I will do what I can here in this life to serve Him. Scripture tells us to be careful who we fellowship with “And be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?” 2 Corinthians 6:14. Have fellowship with fellow believers and help each other to trust and obey Jesus.’
 
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey
 
Are you happy in Jesus? If not, then maybe it’s time to trust Him and obey Him. “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.” Jude 1:24-25.
 
God bless you all,
Nathele Grahams
[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: In the interest of public trust - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com
 
The New York Times has finally caught up with what many of us have suspected all along—The Centers for Disease Control is withholding key COVID 19 data from the public, largely because CDC needs time to spin the data so it is not “misinterpreted.” Recent data released by the CDC about the effectiveness of boosters in the under-65 age range omitted large portions of the 18-49 year old population group. Earlier, CDC stopped releasing data on breakthrough infections of the vaccinated. The Times reported that Kristen Nordlund, a CDC spokeswoman, confirmed the agency has been reluctant to make public the data it has collected “because they might be misinterpreted as the vaccines being ineffective.”
 
This is government-speak for the data not measuring up to the propaganda. For example, the CDC not releasing information on breakthrough COVID infections only delayed the inevitable: the vaccines neither prevented infection or transmission, casting cold water on the CDC narrative of the vaccines being “safe and effective,” which remains a staple of CDC vaccine promotion. Withholding data on the 18-49 population is very likely covering up what a Columbia University study, data from One America Life Insurance, many funeral homes, and Pfizer’s own confidential submission to the FDA already have confirmed: There is a huge side effect and death rate increase among the vaccinated of this age group.
 
A Columbia University study concluded that VAERS deaths are 20 times higher than estimated (up to 400,000 deaths in the US) and that the risks of COVID vaccination outweigh the benefits in children, young and middle age adults, and in older age groups with low occupational risk. An analysis of 2021 deaths by actuaries of OneAmerica, a $100 billion, 145-year-old Indiana life insurance company, indicates a death rate increase of 40% from pre-pandemic levels, with an alarming majority of deaths in primarily working-age people 18-64. Another study of death certificates by The Epoch Times corroborates this phenomena, reporting deaths among people aged 18-49 increased “more than 40% in the 12 months ending October 2021 compared to the same period in 2018-2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.”
 
Meanwhile, random reports from certified funeral directors and embalmers are surfacing that there is up to a 90% increase in deaths of COVID vaccinated people with veins and arteries clogged by “strange, rubbery, worm-like clots.” Executive Director of the Vaccine Research Center Steve Kirsch estimated that vaccine related deaths could be as high as 676,000 in the past six months. This outcome could easily have been predicted by the Pfizer adverse event report to the FDA—had it been publicly released. Reported side effects on pregnant women, heart conditions, blood clots, anaphylactic shock, and lack of efficacy were withheld from the public as the government propagandized that the vaccine was “safe and effective.” In fact, the Appendix of the report lists 9 pages–472 lines and 2072 words–of “Adverse Events of Special Interest.”
 
The funeral directors all said that they were concerned about speaking up about the vaccine-related deaths because those who come forward questioning the government’s vaccine narrative are mocked, ridiculed, and reputations ruined. This has been the same treatment doctors received when questioning CDC’s mandated COVID protocols they believe caused thousands to die in hospitals. At a time when the Department of Homeland Security warns in its terrorist advisory that COVID misinformation undermines public trust in the government, these studies and facts indicate the government is undermining its own trust. Give us the information, let us decide for ourselves. As Christ said in John 8:32, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” Truth is in the best interest of the public trust. If you can handle it.

 


 
Daily Devotion: A Transformed Life - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org
 
Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me. —Matthew 12:30
 
https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/a-transformed-life/ - Listen
 
A while back I received a letter from a young woman who attended one of our Harvest events. She wrote, “My life lately has been in the slumps. I was freaked out about school. I was having boyfriend trouble. I was stressed to the max, and to top it off, my family life hasn’t been the greatest. I started to cut myself to cope with all of this. It was just hurting me more. I tried to stop, but I was addicted.”
 
She went on to say, “I heard that Christ saves lives. So I decided to give it a chance, and after attending your service, I felt my like my life has made a complete turnaround. I committed my life to Jesus, and I decided to stop hurting myself. At the time I thought God would never forgive me for what I had done to myself and all the sins I committed. . . . God opened my eyes, and I’m now living my new life as a Christian.”
 
Maybe you’ve lost hope in life. Christ is the answer. But you have a choice. Either you can ask Him to come into your life, or you can turn Him away. Jesus says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20 NKJV).
 
To not open the door and invite Him is a clear rejection, and Jesus said, “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me” (Matthew 12:30).
 
So what will you say to Jesus? Will you ignore Him or tell Him to go away? Or, will you say, “Come into my life right now”? No matter how big your problems are, God is bigger still. He can transform you. But you must call out to Him.

 




 
FROM THE HEART
    
Let Us Make the Short Time We have Left,
Count for ALL of Eternity!

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