Why the Rapture?

IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER... 
 
 

• Featured Article: Why the Rapture? 
• Iran's Nuclear Weapons Weeks Away 
• Why Are Food Prices Going Up So Rapidly? 
• Reflecting Christ 
• Daily Jot: The iron fist of COVID 19 
• Daily Devotion: A Promising Future 

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Why the Rapture? - by pastor Mike Taylor - https://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2021/09/why-rapture.html
 
47 “The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.
48 As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
49 And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1st Corinthians 15:47-54)
 
The above opening verses describe a reality that many of us will experience, I believe soon in this time of the end of this age. It describes the 'Harpazo” or the forceful removal of the church from this earth in a instant, or the twinkling of an eye. Some people just cannot wrap their minds around such a concept. Many don't believe what the Bible shows us to be truth.
 
Paul was the first to make this known to the world, as it had never been taught before Paul called it a “mystery” or something not revealed in the past. The prophet Isaiah approached the doctrine in chapter 26, when he described the coming of the Lord to those in his time period.
 
19 “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.
20 Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast.
21 For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.” (Isaiah 26:19-21)
 
I've noticed that as you read Isaiah, much of the words the prophet writes lines up with the prophecy that John wrote in the final book of your Bible or Revelation of Jesus Christ. But until Paul fleshed out the concept and actually addressed the coming of the Lord for His church, then many people who read the Old Testament couldn't see what Isaiah was saying.
 
A FIRST CENTURY BELIEF
 
I've spoken of the doctrine that was believed in the 1st Century church but was squashed in the Middle Ages by the ruling theocracy of a “church” whose main goal was power and authority over other men. The doctrine was revived in the 19th century, as the Reformation gave men the ability to discern through God's Holy Spirit what the Words of God written actually meant. This doctrine was written for our time, not when it was written, as we are the last generation before Jesus comes again.
 
I've always believed that the Bible clearly teaches a Pre-Trib (HARPAZO) rapture of the church, not because I look for a so called “great escape” as some scoff, but because I embrace the belief that it is “Victory in Jesus” and that the church is not appointed to wrath that falls on this earth starting in Revelation chapter 6 all the way through chapter 19 of the destruction in Divine retribution of those who are in rebellion against Almighty God and God judges them as His patience has come to an end.
 
The Bible clearly teaches a Pre-Tribulation rapture that puts the last days and the Tribulation into context that is consistent with the overall flow of Bible prophecy.
 
That is the only reason I teach and believe in the removal of God's church prior to the Tribulation as it makes no difference to me if someone else does not believe in the doctrine and embraces another point of view, as the timing of the rapture plays no role in our salvation. Of all the doctrines of the Bible, this one is hotly contested among “brethren” who do not believe what they read, or fail to discern the meaning of the Words.
 
We are saved by faith through grace and the person believes that He is coming again, as promised, and will keep all of the many other promises that are spelled out in your Bible, including being an Advocate before the Righteous Judge of all the earth.
 
The believers faith is in the scripture that I so love to quote and believed as a small boy that God the Father sent His Son into the world to save all who come to Him.
 
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)
 
But,( there's that word) the timing of the rapture of the Church is central to the understanding of the overall BIG picture of the last days.
 
We are in the last days and it is a different era than the coming Tribulation period. The “last days” are used throughout the whole of the Bible in the context of the “Church Age” that we are now coming to the end of the period known also as the “Age of Grace”.
 
It all began at Pentecost when the newly indwelt by the Holy Spirit apostles rushed from the upper room to the street proclaiming the salvation of God and the population thought they were drunk.
 
 "Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But THIS IS THAT WHICH was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass IN THE LAST DAYS saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:" (Acts 2:13-17)
 
The last days that we speak of is the Age of the Church that we are living in and near at its end, whereas the 70th week of Daniel prophecy is called the “Time of Jacob's Trouble also known as the Tribulation. These are two different “dispensations” of God and it is central to the understanding of the times that we now live in.
 
The apostle Paul referred to this age, as the “dispensation of the grace of God”.
 
2 “If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)” (Ephesians 3:2-4)
 
Paul called the conclusion of this present time the “Dispensation of the fullness of times”.
 
9 “Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10 That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:9-12)
 
DISPENSATIONS OF THE BIBLE
 
During our current dispensation, believers are indwelt by God's Holy Spirit as the Apostle John reminds us:
 
2 “Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
4 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 4:2-4)
 
Note the context of what John speaks of? The spirit of anti-Christ is already in the world, even in John's day, but this spirit cannot overcome the Church saints, because He Who dwells in us (The Holy Spirit) is greater than the spirit of anti-Christ.
 
But this same prophet, writing of the same Anti-Christ who will come in the flesh during the Tribulation will over come the saints says:
 
"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)
 
Since the Apostle John wrote both passages, and they cannot be simultaneously true, the flow of the Bible is interrupted if the Church Age is concurrent with the Tribulation.
 
I've spoken of this in past messages, that if the 'Anti-Christ' is given power to overcome the saints, will he also be given power to overcome the Holy Spirit? Since John tells us that He (Jesus) had overcome the world, the Anti-Christ cannot overcome those who have God's Holy Spirit, but John tells us that he will overcome the saints. So the only explanation is that those who are saints in the Tribulation are not sealed with God's Holy Spirit and are not the church, but Tribulation saints. The Holy Spirit will still be moving, but each saint must guard their salvation to the very end as they will not be sealed with a guarantee of their salvation.
 
This is showing that God is not given the Anti-Christ power over Himself, the Holy Spirit of God. That leaves two possibilities apart from the Pre-Tribulation rapture in an analysis of the passage.
 
The first is that Jesus lied to us, that He would come to us and never leave us and we would always have the Comforter, that is until the tribulation comes and the Comforter would be withdrawn from the Church or the vessels He indwells and leaves them on their own to battle the Anti-Christ. Now we know that Jesus is God and does not lie, and He said He would NEVER leave us or forsake us. So strike that possibility.
 
The apostle Paul makes that clear that the Holy Spirit will be withdrawn back to Pre-Pentecostal manifestations on the earth, before the “WICKED' is revealed:
 
6 “And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
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,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” (2nd Thessalonians 2:66-10)
 
The Holy Spirit is the power of God holding back complete evil overtaking this world, and He indwells each believer who has come to Christ Jesus and proclaimed by faith, their Savior. For when the Holy Spirit indwelled believers are removed, then Satan will be allowed to attempt to destroy all mankind and receive worship for himself.
 
For a pre-Trib Rapture to be a false doctrine means our generation was chosen out of all others in Church history to face the greatest spiritual trial the world has ever known -- without the Comforter that Jesus promised would indwell us until He comes. That is a biblical contradiction.
 
The second possibility is that John was either lying or mistaken when he said the spirit of antichrist cannot overcome indwelt believers.
 
In either case, the promises of Scripture are broken. Since we know that Scripture cannot be broken, and that Jesus never lied, as He was sinless, then the only possible explanation is that the Pre-Tribulation rapture is the Truth of God's Word.
 
THOSE WHO DON'T BELIEVE.
 
In all my years in the ministry, I have heard every explanation of why the belief in a pre-Trib rapture of the church is nothing but a “great escape” and scoff that it is a false doctrine. Those who misunderstand the clear meaning of God's Word have not had their eyes opened to the words of Paul as I have spoken of this great Mystery, that only Paul reveals the truths of “Grace through Faith” and the “Harpazo or rapture of the church” which until the Apostle Paul had never been spoken of in the Words of your Bible. That is why in each case, Paul calls it a “mystery” or something that had been hidden. I believe the One who opened the “mystery” to Paul was none other than our Lord Jesus when Paul was in the wilderness for 3 years being taught before he even showed himself to the other apostles in Jerusalem.
 
But, its opponents will spare no effort to 'prove' that it is a false doctrine, as if the timing of the Rapture were somehow of eternal significance. It is not.
 
The eternal significance of the Rapture is this:
 
14 “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
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 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 4:14-18)
 
POINT AND COUNTER-POINT
 
Now with these two opposite opinions clearly in view, let us try and pull this all together by starting with the Words of Jesus in Matthew:
 
3 “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.
5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” (Matthew 24:3-6)
 
Jesus warned that there will be one who comes in his own name and will deceive many, as most of Israel will be fooled:
 
"I am come in My Father's name, and ye receive Me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive." (John 5:43)
 
Even today, Israel has been looking for a “political messiah” much as they did in the time of Jesus that would rid them of the Roman occupation and today, to give them “peace and security” in their own land from their enemies that surround them. There will come a man, possibly soon, who will give them what they have been longing for, at least temporarily, and will receive him as their “messiah”.
 
They have never believed up to this point that they needed a “spiritual Messiah” to save them from their sins, as they had the Law of Moses, even though we know the law kills and no one is able to keep the law perfectly. Jesus was the only “Man/God” on earth who ever did. It is why the Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah, as they were looking for a warrior King, much like King David to destroy the Romans. Jesus just didn't fit their pre-conceived notions of who their “Messiah” would be, as they needed a warrior, not a suffering servant who came to die for the sins of the world.
 
So if one looks at the coming Anti-Christ, should you be so unfortunate to actually see him in the flesh, then if he is standing on the ground, instead of meeting you in the air, then you will know that he is an imposter, no matter what magic trick he performs to attempt to deceive you.
 
In summary, the Pre-Tribulation rapture is NOT a “great escape” for the church, is is a necessary evacuation of the Holy Spirit's restraining influence and allowing Satan to have full sway of men and women upon the earth to deceive and destroy them. So since the Holy Spirit resides in each of the Church members, or the body of Christ as a deposit of future glorification, then with the Holy Spirit being withdrawn, so will every believer that has His Spirit residing within our spirit.
 
If you remove the doctrine and the removal of God's people from this earth in the coming rapture of the church, then the chronology of Bible prophecy is thrown into chaos.
 
Although the doctrine of the rapture of the church has no “salvation value” as we are saved by “Grace through Faith” not of works, lest any man should boast, it has no eternal consequences to anyone that they must believe in the Pre-Tribulation rapture. They can believe or choose not to believe in this doctrine, as it has no salvation attached to it. I find no particular need to convert a believer to my own understanding of the last days. BUT, I stress the doctrines, as those who have not come to faith in Jesus Christ will be faced with the coming horror known as the Tribulation and the even more destructive Great Tribulation that will destroy nigh 80-90% of all mankind. Prophecy is a great witnessing tool to those who are lost.
 
I believe those who are found in Christ, when the trumpet sounds and they realize that they are being taken to meet Jesus Christ in the air will be as I am, raising my hands and praising God, knowing that they have been wrong to reject the doctrine. I have people in my own family who fear the coming tribulation and what will happen to their children and other loved ones. Sadly, they have no blessed Hope of being removed from this planet before the wrath of God falls upon all who are left.
 
10 “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.
11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” (Revelation 3:10-11)
 
Our Risen Lord proclaims to the Apostle John when speaking of the coming Tribulation that He will remove each of us from this planet, not through the Tribulation as some believe, but completely away from the time and space of this coming event. I have proclaimed in the past of the Greek Word that tells us this in the phrase “will keep thee” which states to be forcefully removed from point A to point B away from the time period or place.
 
But those who fear the coming Tribulation, those who do not have the assurance that “we are not appointed to wrath”. will be in great fear till then.
 
8 “But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” (1st Thessalonians 5:8-11)
 
Yes, my reader, Jesus is coming soon and will catch many believers asleep, and the whole world will wonder where millions of people have gone to. The left behind leadership will attempt plausible excuses and explanations of what has happened, but they speak falsely and attempt to blind the masses to the “snatching away” of the Church of the Living God who has been their blessed Hope.
 
11 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:11-14)
 
To re-emphasize I must restate that salvation is given by God as a gift of His grace. It is through faith in the finished work of His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, when He shed His blood on a Roman instrument of death, the cross. His shed blood is full payment for our sins, and His resurrection is our guarantee of our future glorification to be just like Him.
 
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
2 "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
3 And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” (1st John 3:1-3)
 
SO WHY TEACH THE RAPTURE?
 
But I have said all this to answer the question, “Why teach a pre-tribulation rapture of the church?” Because without this doctrine that draws the Bible's prophecy into a coherent chronology of events, then Bible prophecy has no context, as without it, it makes no sense. I believe God has been most clear in the concept of the removal of the Church and I warn those who are playing church, warming a pew, or use the church as nothing but a social event, have missed the message of salvation and are doomed to endure, or most likely die in the coming Tribulation.
 
Those whose eyes are opened by God's Holy Spirit feel the dread of being cast into the tribulation without God. And those who do eventually find God in the coming period of “Jacob's trouble” will most likely die a martyrs death. I warn those who are lost in their sins and have not made Jesus Christ, Lord of their life, changed their mind about God, repented of their sins, and asked Jesus into their heart and lives that there is coming a time that I would not want my worst enemy to endure. Not them and not you. The obligation to preach the Word of God in prophecy looking forward to the coming of our Lord for His Church and the beginning of the Tribulation is what I have been called to do. As a minister of Christ I can do no other.
 
Search your Bible, and be a good Berean and find out if what I have said is true. Ask God to lead you into all Truth...as Jesus said “Thy Word is Truth”.
 
"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2nd Timothy 2:15)
 
We are to study diligently, as it is our insurance of not being fooled by false teachers or false prophets and succumb to end time deception that Jesus said would be a sign of our times. As a Watchman on the Wall, I plead with you to look to Jesus now, the Author and Finisher of our faith. The Harpazo of the Church, (rapture) is close, even at the door, as Jesus will someday soon burst through the clouds and cry with a loud voice “Come up hither”.....WILL YOU BE READY?
 
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.
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:8-13)
 
This is Pastor Mike Taylor, praying you find Jesus before the Trumpet calls. If you need prayer, counseling, or just a listening ear, email me at [email protected], or visit me online for more biblical messages from the Word of God. God bless you all. TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET

 


 
Iran's Nuclear Weapons Weeks Away - by Majid Rafizadeh - https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/17732/iran-nuclear-weapons-weeks-away
 
Since the Biden administration assumed office, the nuclear talks with Iran have gone nowhere. Six rounds of negotiations have been concluded with no results. In contrast, two other issues have gone too far: the Biden administration's appeasement policies towards the Iranian regime, and the advancement of the mullahs' nuclear program.
 
When the Biden administration took office, it announced that it would curb Iran's nuclear program by returning to the 2015 nuclear deal -- known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), which by the way Iran never signed -- and by subsequently lifting sanctions against the Iranian government.
 
Apparently desperate to revive the nuclear pact, the Biden administration at once began appeasing the ruling clerics of Iran. The first concession was delivered when the administration changed the previous administration's policy of maximum pressure toward Iran's proxy militia group, the Houthis. Even as the evidence -- including a report by the United Nations -- showed that the Iranian regime was delivering sophisticated weapons to the Houthis in Yemen, the Biden administration suspended some of the sanctions against terrorism that the previous administration had imposed on the Houthis.
 
Soon after, the Biden administration revoked the designation of Yemen's Houthis as a terrorist group. In addition, in June 2021, the Biden administration lifted sanctions on three former Iranian officials and several energy companies. Then, in a blow to the Iranian people and advocates of democracy and human rights -- a few days after the Iranian regime handpicked a mass murderer to be its next president -- the Biden administration announced that it was also considering lifting sanctions against Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
 
From the perspective of Iran's mullahs, Biden's desperate efforts to resurrect the nuclear deal manifested his weak leadership and therefore a delectable opportunity for Tehran to buy time, get more concessions, advance its nuclear program and become a nuclear state.
 
Notwithstanding all these policies of incentives and appeasements, Iran's mullahs continued to make excuses seemingly to drag out the nuclear talks. One of the latest overtures was that the world powers ought to wait until Iran's newly elected president, Ebrahim Raisi, took office before resuming the nuclear talks.
 
By now, Raisi has been president of Iran for more than a month but there has not been the slightest effort by the Islamic Republic to restart any talks; in fact, all the while, the regime appears to have accelerated its enrichment of uranium to weapons-grade. This escalation has even caused concerns among some European leaders and has, surprisingly, led the EU to pressure Tehran immediately to return to the negotiating table. "We vehemently ask Iran to return to the negotiating table constructively and as soon as possible. We are ready to do so, but the time window won't be open indefinitely" a ministry spokesperson from Germany warned.
 
After stating that they would resume talks when Raisi assumed office, Iran's leaders are now saying that they are not likely to restart the nuclear negotiations for another 2-3 months. "the... government considers a real negotiation is a negotiation that produces palpable results allowing the rights of the Iranian nation to be guaranteed," Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said during an interview broadcast by Iran's state television. He added that the nuclear talks are "one of the questions on the foreign policy and government agenda... the other party knows full well that a process of two to three months is required for the new government to establish itself and to start taking decisions."
 
As Iran's nuclear policy, however, is not set by the president or its foreign minister, this declaration sounded like just another excuse by the regime to buy time and advance enrichment. It is, of course, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who enjoys the final say in Iran's nuclear and foreign policy issues.
 
At the moment, the Iranian regime is reportedly 8-10 weeks away from obtaining the weapons-grade materials necessary for a nuclear weapon. "Iran has violated all of the guidelines set in the JCPOA and is only around 10 weeks away from acquiring weapons-grade materials necessary for a nuclear weapon," Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz told ambassadors from countries on the United Nations Security Council during a briefing at the Israeli Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem on August 4, 2021. "Now is the time for deeds – words are not enough. It is time for diplomatic, economic and even military deeds, otherwise the attacks will continue."
 
Once again it seems that the mullahs of Iran are masterfully playing the Biden administration and the EU by stalling the nuclear talks, buying time to get more concessions, and accelerating their enrichment of uranium and nuclear program to reach a weapons-grade nuclear breakout.

 



 
Why Are Food Prices Going Up So Rapidly? - by Michael Snyder - http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/why-are-food-prices-going-up-so-rapidly/
 
For a long time I have been warning that global food prices would rise dramatically, and that is precisely what we have witnessed over the past 12 months. Unfortunately, global wages are not rising nearly as quickly as global food prices are, and so this has pushed millions and millions more people into poverty and hunger. Here in the United States, nobody is currently in danger of starving to death, but many Americans have been getting a severe case of sticker shock when they go to the grocery store. Not since the Jimmy Carter era of the 1970s have we seen prices escalate like this, and people are starting to get angry.
 
Since the beginning of the pandemic, global food supplies have been getting tighter and tighter. When I first started writing about this, certain individuals derisively dismissed what I had to say, but now the truth is becoming apparent to everyone.
 
Very tight supplies and growing demand have pushed global food prices 32.9 percent higher over the past year…
 
Central banks and mainstream media continue to peddle the notion that soaring food inflation is temporary and the average Joe and Jane should not worry about it. But in a new report via the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), global food prices are on the rise, once again, and back to near-decade highs.
 
FAO released a statement Thursday that detailed after two consecutive months of declines, world food prices in August jumped due to solid gains in sugar, vegetable oils, and cereals.
 
FAO’s food price index, which follows international prices of globally traded food commodities, averaged 127.4 points in August, up 3.9 points (3.1%) from July and 31.5 points (32.9%) from the same period last year.
 
Unfortunately, experts are telling us that food prices are going to continue to climb.
 
In fact, one is estimating that food prices will continue to go up like this “for the next two years or so”…
 
Grocery prices have been on an upward trend for most of the year, and some experts say that this will continue for at least the next several years.
 
“We’re going to continue to see price increases, probably for the next two years or so,” says Phil Lempert, an analyst and food trends expert perhaps best known as the Supermarket Guru.
 
This is really bad news.
 
So why is this happening?
 
Well, the Biden administration is blaming the greed of the meat processing industry…
 
During Wednesday’s press briefing, National Economic Council Director Brian Deese and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack spoke about the actions the administration was taking to help alleviate what Deese called ‘pandemic profiteering’ from the top meat processing companies.
 
‘One of the interesting findings of the report that we put out today, is that about half of the overall increase in grocery prices can be attributed to significant increases in prices in three products – in beef, in pork and in poultry,’ Deese said from the podium.
 
Certainly greed is playing a role, but as Zero Hedge has pointed out, a whole host of other factors are contributing to this crisis as well…
 
A combination of global droughts, volatile weather, labor shortages, and supply chain disruptions persisting from COVID, among others, have contributed to the rapid rise in food prices over the last year.
 
Heading into fall, soaring food inflation shows no signs of abating and may worsen. This may cause socio-economic turmoil in emerging market economies, mainly because people in those countries allocate more of their daily budgets to food.
 
The pandemic was supposed to be subsiding by now, and so by this time of the year prices were supposed to be starting to stabilize.
 
But instead the Delta variant is causing widespread panic, and this is causing more disruptions throughout our entire society…
 
The summer that was supposed to mark America’s independence from COVID-19 is instead drawing to a close with the U.S. more firmly under the tyranny of the virus, with deaths per day back up to where they were in March.
 
The delta variant is filling hospitals, sickening alarming numbers of children and driving coronavirus deaths in some places to the highest levels of the entire pandemic. School systems that reopened their classrooms are abruptly switching back to remote learning because of outbreaks. Legal disputes, threats and violence have erupted over mask and vaccine requirements.
 
We already had a shortage of nurses and other health care workers before this pandemic, and now all of the various mandates that have been instituted threaten to cause a meltdown of the entire system…
 
Fortune.com reported last week that about 39 percent of U.S. hospitals have announced vaccine mandates for staff members.
 
“It’s not just nurses at stake with vaccine mandates. Respiratory techs, nursing assistants, food service employees, billing staff and other health care workers are already in short supply. According to the latest KFF/The Washington Post Frontline Health Care Workers Survey, released in April, at least one-third of health care workers who assist with patient care and administrative tasks have considered leaving the workforce,” according to Fortune.
 
I can’t even begin to describe how foolish it is to institute mandates that could potentially force thousands upon thousands of health care workers to leave their jobs right in the middle of a pandemic.
 
But that is what we are now facing.
 
The way that we have responded to this pandemic has been a complete and total nightmare, but those running things seem entirely convinced that they are on the right track.
 
Moving forward, there is going to be more panic, more chaos, more shortages and more price increases.
 
So even though food prices are already ridiculously high, now is the time to stock up, because food prices are only going to go higher from here.
 
I have been doing my best to sound the alarm, but sometimes I feel like I am pounding my head into a wall.
 
Most people just have an absurd amount of faith in the strength and durability of our system, and so they refuse to believe that it could ever fail.
 
But it is failing, and what we have experienced so far is just a preview of coming attractions.

 


 
Reflecting Christ - Nathele Graham - [email protected]
 
“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14.
 
People were created in the image of God. We didn’t evolve from a fish or a monkey, but were created by God. We learn in the Gospel of John that Jesus Christ is God and the Creator of all things. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” John 1:3. Because He loves us, Jesus Christ stepped into His creation to bring us everlasting life. All we have to do is earnestly believe that fact. If you have accepted His death, burial, and resurrection for your salvation, then the Holy Spirit indwells you and you are a new creation in Christ. That rebirth should mold your attitude. Instead of making choices based upon the human sin nature, you should now make choices that reflect Christ living in you.
 
Christians need to take a look at our attitudes and choices and be sure that we reflect the love of God. When I examine my life, which I do often, I don’t always like what I see. My words don’t always reflect my love for Christ. I get angry at things that really don’t matter, pride gets in my way of forgiving others, and I don’t serve Christ like I should. Way too often I expect other people to live up to my expectations, rather than trying to live up to Christ’s example in my own life. Secular people have no standard by which to measure their words and actions, but Christians have Scripture to guide us. If you call yourself a Christian, shouldn’t you follow Christ as your example of living? The answer is yes, we should. Christ sacrificed His life for us and we need to honor that sacrifice by living for Him. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1. The Apostle Paul is an example of a man whose life was changed when he met Christ. Paul had murder in his heart and words of hatred in his mouth, but after meeting Christ on the road to Damascus, Paul learned of Christ’s love and forgiveness. Paul’s life was a reflection of Christ’s love as he boldly shared the Gospel.        
 
It’s easy to make excuses and justify our misdeeds, but repentance is better than excuses. Excuses try to give a good reason for not reflecting Christ. If our words are bitter or used to condemn others, then we certainly don’t glorify Christ. We will never reach His level of perfection, but we need to seek Him and serve Him. “For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21. Die is gain? True faith in Christ assures believers of eternal life with Christ, and the cares of this world, with which we struggle daily, will be left behind when we enter our eternal life after death. We should get ready for that eternal peace by reflecting Christ today. When people look at us, they should see Christ living in us. Christ forgave all manner of sin in those He came in contact with. It’s not up to us to judge other people, but discern behavior based on Biblical truth. Most often we pass judgment on others even though we don’t have all the facts. Christ forgave those who drove the nails into Him, and more than that, He forgives every sin we commit. We need to allow Christ to change our hearts. We need to show His love and forgiveness to others.
 
Scripture is filled with accounts of people who were changed by knowing Christ. We can read the words of love written by the Apostle John, but we tend to forget that Jesus nicknamed John and his brother James “The Sons of Thunder”. When the names of the twelve men chosen by Christ are listed in the Gospel of Mark, this fact is mentioned. “And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is The sons of thunder:” Mark 3:17. We get a hint about the reason for the nickname, when we read of their attitude when Jesus was on His final journey to Jerusalem. They were going to pass through a village in Samaria. Messengers were sent ahead with the news that Jesus was on His way, but the villagers weren’t impressed. “And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them even as Elias did?” Luke 9:54. We usually think of Peter as the rash one, but James and John must have been a rowdy pair! Calling fire from Heaven was a Biblical event done by Elijah against the prophets of Baal, but it certainly wouldn’t have reflected God’s love to that Samaritan village! James and John did learn to control their temper and to live as examples of the love of Christ. Do you spew words of condemnation from your mouth instead of submitting to the love of Christ and honoring Him by showing love? It’s time to let Scripture teach you about reflecting Christ’s love, rather than being Boanerges.
 
It’s important to learn from Scripture and mold yourself after the example of Christ. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17. It’s easy to behave like the world if we don’t conform our life to Jesus’ example. We can say “I’m a Christian”, but those words need to be reflected in our actions. If you have head-knowledge of Christ but don’t allow Him to change your heart, then you’re not a reflection of Christ living in you. If you won’t reflect His love today, will you be happy spending eternity with Him? We need to model our lives after Christ. There’s an inscription in a cathedral in Germany that should be taken to heart.
 
Thus speaketh Christ our Lord to us:
          Ye call Me Master and obey Me not.
          Ye call Me Light and see Me not.
          Ye call Me the Way and walk Me not.
          Ye call me Life and choose Me not.
          Ye call Me Wise and follow Me not.
          Ye call Me Fair and love Me not.
          Ye call Me Rich and ask Me not.
          Ye call Me Eternal and seek Me not.
          Ye call Me Noble and serve Me not.
          Ye call Me Gracious and trust Me not.
          Ye call Me Might and honor Me not.
          Ye call Me Just and fear Me not.
          If I condemn you, blame Me not.
 
Our sins are forgiven in spite of our actions. We cannot do anything to earn our salvation. Anything we try to add to the grace we find in Christ is the same as saying Christ’s sacrifice wasn’t enough to pay for our sins. We aren’t saved by works, only by grace. Only faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ brings salvation. The love He showers on us should change us. The only way we can show our gratitude for His sacrifice is to reflect His love. “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Romans 6:6. If you’re grateful for the love of Christ, then reflect that love through your words and actions.
 
Time is quickly coming to an end. Scripture describes the signs that the Rapture is near. Those signs are all swiftly coming about. We live in exciting times, and we need to take those signs to heart. Submit your life to Christ and use your words to glorify Him. The Rapture could happen at any moment, but so could death. An automobile accident or a heart attack come unexpectedly, so it’s important to live each moment for Christ. He loves you. Reflect that love to others.
 
God bless you all,
Nathele Graham
[email protected]
[email protected]
                         
All original scripture is “theopneustos” God breathed.
 
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Daily Jot: The iron fist of COVID 19 - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com
 
This Daily Jot is written before the expected Biden announcement of new COVID 19 restrictions for the unvaccinated. This unprecedented move, no matter how little or far reaching. is a bad precedent for American health and freedom. First and foremost, let us take inventory of what we know: 1) The COVID 19 “vaccine,” in retrospect, is a stopgap measure that appears to prevent death, but does not prevent the spread of COVID 19 and long-term side effects are unknown; 2) the vaccinated and unvaccinated are spreading the disease; and 3) the politicization of the disease has cost lives and will continue to cost lives irrespective of what heavy-fisted move Biden takes against the unvaccinated. Time to face facts.
 
This COVID 19 problem reaches far, far beyond the disease itself. It has become so politicized that no one knows what to believe except what they want to believe. The “left” condemns, ridicules, hates the unvaccinated to the point of wanting to deny them public services, food, medical treatment and freedom. The “right” focuses on every theory about the disease development, the vaccine ingredients, the studies and counter-studies that support one theory or another. MEANWHILE, THE DISEASE PROGRESSES AND NEITHER SIDE CAN SET DOWN THEIR RHETORIC LONG ENOUGH TO ASSESS THE SITUATION AND SOLVE THE PROBLEM. The disease doesn’t care what political side of the fence you are on, it is a common enemy.
 
This is why a political solution to COVID undermines the health of ALL Americans and is a threat to the freedom of ALL Americans, vaccinated or unvaccinated. That the US government can manipulate politics, policy and law to withhold basic freedoms, and potentially life sustenance, from its citizens is not only bad precedent, but a sea change in the guaranteed freedoms of the Bill of Rights. Vaccinated and unvaccinated American Citizens must resist this temptation for what is used against one today will be used against the other tomorrow. There is no end to the despotism that uses the combination of fear and personal health to control a society. In communist countries people are eliminated over such.
 
Christ prophesied in Matthew 24:7-9, “and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in diverse places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and you shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.” Do you see where this is headed? It is time for those of us in America to put our foot down and demand a reasonable non-political solution to fight COVID 19. All well-intended people from the medical community—allopathic, homeopathic, naturopathic—must get out of their group think and come together to develop protocols that work to end this deadly threat. We need to demand politicians stand down their rhetoric and lead the medical community to sensible conclusions. And we need to put aside our own offenses for the time being and work together to end the iron fist of COVID 19 before it becomes the iron fist of tyranny.

 


 
Daily Devotion: A Promising Future - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org
 
Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. —John 14:1
 
https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/a-promising-future/ - Listen
 
Do you have any unused gift cards lying around? I do. In fact, billions of dollars in gift cards sit unused in drawers, wallets, and cars all around the United States.
 
It can be that way with the promises of God. We have thousands of promises that are left unclaimed.
 
Personally, I love this promise that God gave to the nation of Israel, which I think in principle applies to every believer: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV).
 
Here’s another one. Jesus said, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am” (John 14:1–3 NLT).
 
The word troubled can be translated as “agitated” or “stressed out.” So Jesus was saying, “Listen to Me, stressed-out people. I’m coming back again, and I keep My promises.”
 
Some have wondered whether the coronavirus is a sign of the end times. In a broad sense, the answer to that question is yes. But you might say that it—and other signs of the times—foreshadow what is to come. They’re setting the stage for the end times.
 
So no matter what you’re going through, remember that God loves you and has a future and a hope set out for you. If you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, then your future is bright. Your best days are ahead of you because Heaven is the future destination of every follower of Jesus.

 


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

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 "On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand, All other ground is sinking sand."
 
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