Prophecy Update Newsletter
January 9, 2017
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
The Great and Terrible God of Love - Pete Garcia - http://www.omegaletter.com/articles/articles.asp?ArticleID=8368
Over the years, I've spoken to many non-Christians about God. For the most part, people believe there is something or someone out there, but aren't entirely sure who or what. Aside from the general understanding of a supernatural-being out there in the yonder, those who do believe in a 'God', seem to have serious mischaracterizations about Him. Some simply attribute God as the "big Man in the sky". Some think He is mean and over controlling tyrant. Still many think He set everything in motion and then just walked away. Some think He is only love and nothing more. Still others deny He exists as a person at all but rather is an impersonal 'force'. Even within Christendom, the biggest problems many have is by mistaking an attribute of God as the principal modus operandi of God. For instance, if you were to talk to 'post-modernist' or a liberal Christian, they seemingly only focus on God's love. If you talk to a strict Five-Point Calvinist, they seemingly only focus on God's sovereignty. Roman Catholics, Seventh Day Adventists, Hebrew Roots, and many others tend to focus more on the wrath of God, which then promotes a 'works-based' and ritualistic form of worship as a means either of salvation, or to keep their salvation by appeasing an angry God through 'good works'. Regardless of the audience, there are few--and I mean very few who ever start off by properly characterizing God by His most overarching and distinguishing attribute...which is that above all else, He is Holy. It is through God's holiness, that all the other attributes find their perfect symmetry with every other attribute. This might seem odd to some, but God's love for mankind is perfected through God's wrath. God's wrath is the natural response to those who reject Him (John 3:18; Col. 2:11-15). Before the universe began (Eph. 1:3-6), God realized that a living, breathing, thinking, free-will being made in His likeness would quickly fall from His perfect standard of righteousness. It was inevitable because if man were to ever truly love and worship God, He had to allow us to operate under design of free will. He also knew that once we fell, we would be powerless to ever attain His perfect level of righteousness in our own power. Rather than create us for the sole purpose of damnation, He chose rather to demonstrate His perfect love for us, by sacrificing Himself in man's place. We see an archetype of this played out in Genesis 15 where Abram is told to prepare a blood-oath ritual but then is made to sleep as God swears on Himself that He will bind Himself to the oath on Abram's behalf. This perfect wrath the Father poured out on the Son, demonstrated His perfect balance of grace and mercy for us and in turn validated the extent of His love, or rather the extent to which He would go to prove His love for us. Jesus had to die in our place because it was the only way to redeem a fallen race to a holy and righteous God. And in His death, Jesus conquered man's most frightening enemy, hell. And in His resurrection, Jesus conquered death, thus proving once and for all that neither death nor hell had any claim on those who placed their faith and trust in His finished work at the Cross. All of these attributes of wrath, mercy, love, sovereignty, and eternality are perfected to the utmost by God's holiness. Assessment The first time we see the word holy used in the Bible is when Moses is confronted by the supernatural anomaly we know as 'the burning bush' which out of, God spoke to him... So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." Then He said, "Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground." Moreover He said, "I am the God of your father-the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. Exodus 3:4-6 In Scripture, every time you see God present Himself as he truly is, which is to show the full might of His presence in His natural state...whether thru a vision or in person, that person immediately recognizes the vast and irreconcilable differences between us and God. We immediately recognize our fallen nature and would shrink ourselves up into a speck of a shadow if we could to escape from that terrifying experience of being in the presence of an all-powerful and almighty Creator God. After they fell, Adam and Eve hid from God in shame (Gen. 3:7-8) Moses was hid in the cleft of a rock so he wouldn't die as God passed by him (Ex. 33:21-23) The prophet Isaiah upon seeing the throne room of God said "Woe is me" (Isaiah 6:5) Daniel physically collapsed (Daniel 10:4-9) John collapsed as a dead man (Revelation 1:12-17) These examples each collapsed under the weight of their own fallen nature. These examples also weren't heathens. These weren't evil men and women. For the most part, they were innocent, righteous, and holy people in their own right that would make us look like rampant criminals compared to their own lives. And they couldn't took the brightness of His being. They couldn't take the glory of His presence...so much so...that it physically changed them. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!" And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. Isaiah 6:3-4 In Isaiah's case, he is shown the throne room of God. In it he sees that the seraphim who without ceasing, continuously declare NOT His: love, justice, fairness, eternality, sovereignty, wrathfulness, nor peacefulness...but His holiness. Again we see these magnificent creatures in Revelation 4:8... The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!" Revelation 4:8 Also interesting to note is the slight change in narrative between Isaiah's vision of the throne room, and that of John's in the Apocalypse. Isaiah: God's holiness (repeated in series of three) could be pointing to the triune nature of the God-head in that each (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) are equally holy. Secondly, that God's reign is sovereign over all creation. Revelation: Again, God's holiness (repeated in series of three) not only mentions the sovereignty (Lord God Almighty), but also to His eternality... (who was, and is, and is to come) which is highly fitting for the book of Revelation. Do they chant that for God's benefit? Does God need to be reminded that He is holy? No! They do this for our benefit so as to remind us that above all else, God is holy. And His holiness, affects all His other attributes so that they are carried out to the most perfect state each could ever be delivered in...which is absolute perfection. His wrath is as perfect as His love, as is His mercy, grace, and peacefulness. Each in perfect symmetry with the other. None lacking even a fraction or a degree of measured perfection. "First, let's look at God's holiness. What does it mean that God is holy? Passages like 1 Samuel 2:2 and Isaiah 6:3 are just two of many examples of passages about God's holiness. Another way to say it is absolute perfection. God is unlike any other (see Hosea 11:9), and His holiness is the essence of that "otherness." His very being is completely absent of even a trace of sin (James 1:13; Hebrews 6:18). He is high above any other, and no one can compare to Him (Psalm 40:5). God's holiness pervades His entire being and shapes all His attributes. His love is a holy love, His mercy is holy mercy, and even His anger and wrath are holy anger and holy wrath. These concepts are difficult for humans to grasp, just as God is difficult for us to understand in His entirety." An excellent response on God's holiness from a question posed to Gotquestions.org: Conclusion Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, "Be holy, for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:13-16 First and foremost, God is and probably always will be in a holistic sense, an enigma to us. We will never fully know the depths of God's wisdom, love, mercy, wrath, righteousness, and sovereignty even throughout eternity. We know what He has allowed us to know-which is considerable, but we are finite creatures trying to comprehend an infinite Being. Secondly, if we are to be holy, we must separate ourselves from the world. This does not mean becoming ascetics and hiding ourselves away on some mountain to seclude ourselves from the world. Just because we are in the world, does not mean we have to be of the world. We shouldn't be "earth-dwellers" whose sole mind-set is earthbound on the things of this life. We are separate in that we see what is coming, and we live with that expectation daily. This is hard, and I struggle with this as much as anyone else does, but we have to strive daily to do this. We must keep our eyes fixed on the things above and not on this world which is passing away. (1 John 2:17) Finally is that we are to embody God's holiness in our everyday life. We are to be living proof that God can and does change lives. We are to be loving without compromising. We aren't called to reform the world, because we know this is only possible when Christ Himself returns, but we should stalwarts, trees with deep roots who withstand the winds, and rocks who withstand the shifting tides of change. There will be time for action, because there are things in this life that will and should make us angry...such as the abuse of innocents, corruption, murder, and many other injustices that play out on a daily basis. But that anger should cause us to wage our war on a spiritual enemy through spiritual warfare (Eph. 6:10-18) and leave the vengeance part to God...and He will repay every ounce of it (Romans 12:19). We are to be salt and light, to be beacons of God's love and mercy in a darkened world that is dying and passing away into eternal destruction. We show God's love, because He loved us first. In so doing, we might help save some who would otherwise head to eternal separation from their Creator. He is as much their Creator, as He is ours. There will always be those who demand proof of God's existence. They want Him to physically show up and physically prove that He exists. These are they who like brutish beasts, do not know what they ask for. If God did show up this moment, the world would melt down in fear and trepidation. If these people refuse to accept the examples of God's existence either through His word, through historical and archeological examples, through Christians, or even creation itself...then one day the unrepentant will get their wish. One day He will peel back the sky and descend onto this earth where He will proceed to pour out His wrath in holy anger on a world who is in complete rebellion against Him. In that day, a remnant will be saved, those Jews and Tribulation saints who make it to the end, will enter into the Age of the Kingdom. But everyone, both the saved and unsaved, of all ages...all will stand before God either in judicious-commendation of the Bema Judgment (1 Cor. 3; 2 Cor. 5), or in eternal condemnation at the Great White Throne Judgment (Rev. 20:10-14). And every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11). Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen. Revelation 1:7 Even so, Maranatha! Kerry, Abbas warn of an 'explosion' of violence with Jerusalem embassy move - By Michael Wilner - http://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Kerry-warns-of-an-explosion-of-violence-with-Trump-embassy-move-477736
US Secretary of State John Kerry and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas offered similar warnings to the incoming Trump administration over the weekend: Moving the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would ignite a violent uprising that no one would be able to control. In an interview with CBS, Kerry - preparing to leave the State Department after engaging in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict intensely for four years - said the violent movement would extend beyond the West Bank. "You'd have an explosion, an absolute explosion in the region, not just in the West Bank and perhaps even in Israel itself, but throughout the region," Kerry warned. "The Arab world has enormous interest in the Haram al-Sharif, as it is called, the Temple Mount, the Dome [of the Rock], and it is a holy site for the Arab world." Aides to President-elect Donald Trump say he is interested in moving quickly to relocate America's embassy to Jerusalem, Israel's seat of government and its declared "eternal and undivided" capital. The Palestinians insist that east Jerusalem, or al-Quds, would have to be the capital of a sovereign state of Palestine under any two-state solution to the decades-old conflict. "We heard a lot of statements relating to moving the US Embassy, which we hope are not correct and will not be implemented, but if implemented then the peace process in the Middle East, and even peace in the world, will be in a crisis we will not be able to come out from," Abbas said, according to an official Palestinian news agency, Wafa. " We say to those who said it, and this is the US president-elect, Donald Trump," he continued: "We invite you to visit Palestine, especially Bethlehem, next year, and that this statement is not on your agenda because any statement or position that will disrupt or alter the status of Jerusalem is a redline and we will not accept it." Abbas's statements come just days after senior Fatah officials stated in an interview that the Palestinians would start a "new violent uprising" if the embassy were moved to Jerusalem. Warnings are coming in fast to Trump and his transition team, filled with figures who support the move, including David Friedman, a leading bankruptcy lawyer and confidante to Trump who is his choice for ambassador to Israel. Several Jordanian officials have warned of "catastrophic" consequences should the US proceed with the move, with one calling the action a "redline" in the bilateral relationship. Jordanian Information Minister Muhammad Momani warned that the relocation of American personnel would be a "gift to extremists" and would "inflame the Islamic and Arab streets." 3rd Temple looming? 1 event considered a sign - http://www.wnd.com/2017/01/3rd-temple-looming-1-event-considered-a-sign/
End-times experts sound off on development coming from Canada Some are calling it the fulfillment of prophecy. A step toward the rebuilding of the Temple. A flock of sheep described in the pages of Genesis have returned to Israel for the first time since Jacob walked the Holy Land. In Genesis 30:32, Jacob leaves his father-in-law Laban's household and takes a very specific part of the flock as payment. The animals he takes are described as "every speckled and spotted one, and every dark one among the sheep, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and of such shall be my hire." The sheep followed Jacob from Canaan to North Africa. Though they have spread throughout the world, they had not returned to Israel - until now. An Israeli couple living in Canada, Jenna and Gil Lewinsky, raised a group of the "Jacob sheep," which, as a "heritage" breed, have retained most of its characteristics since ancient times. In a repeat of how the Jewish diaspora returned to its country after thousands of years, the couple sought to bring the sheep back to their ancient homeland. But it required detailed negotiations between Canada and Israel. Indeed, the case of the sheep reportedly cleared the way for a sweeping trade agreement between the two nations. A total of 119 of the distinctive four-horned sheep are now in their homeland. Gil Lewinsky says the sheep will eventually be part of a "Heritage Park" which will allow people to come see the animals. However, the the sheep will also be used to produce raw wool for Jewish religious garments and horns for the production of shofars. They would also be used in rituals if and when a Third Temple is reconstructed. Joel Richardson, the best-selling author of "The Islamic Antichrist" and the director of the teaching series "The Coming Battle For Jerusalem," says believers should indeed expect to see a physical Temple in the Holy Land. "Through the clear word of Scripture, we can be confident that there will indeed be a Third Temple rebuilt, perhaps in our near future," he told WND. "Although this structure could be as simple as a tent, it could also be an actual brick and mortar structure so-to-speak. Four times the prophecy of Daniel speaks of this Temple being defiled and desolated (cf. Daniel 8:12-13; 9:26; 11:31; 12:11). Jesus likewise referred to a future time when Daniel's prophecy concerning the time when the Temple would be defiled and desolated (Matthew 24:15). Paul the Apostle also spoke of the day when the Antichrist, whom he refers to as 'the man of lawlessness' and 'the son of perdition' would set himself up in 'God's Temple' as he seeks to exalt himself above the God of Israel (2 Thessalonians 2:4). Finally, the Book of Revelation speaks of a future rebuilt Temple (Rev. 11:2)." "We should not be surprised then, that all of the various needed animals required to engage in the many sacrifices of Torah essentially re-emerge in our days. The Lord Himself will sovereignly oversee the fulfillment of His word. I think the return of these ancient 'heritage' breed of sheep and goats is indeed the providence of God." The return of the "Jacob sheep" is not the only sign in recent years. There were recent moves by the nascent Sanhedrin towards appointing a high priest in case the Temple is rebuilt. An altar has already been constructed for use in sacrifices if necessary. And there is an effort to bring another group of biblically important animals, the "red heifers" which can restore a state of purity after ritual slaughter, to Israel. Richardson also sees geopolitical significance in the physical appearance of the "Jacob sheep." "I find it fascinating that this particular breed of sheep and goat has the very rare quality of having four horns," he said. "Within the prophecy of Daniel, we find just such a goat. This goat is described by the angel Gabriel as representing a highly successful military excursion into the larger Middle East by Iran. No doubt, Iran is fulfilling this prophecy in our very day, largely through proxies. "Today Iran controls the capitals of Baghdad, Beirut and Damascus, all through its proxies. There are some prophecy teachers out there such as author Mark Davidson, who believe that a more full blown regional assault by Iran is imminent. Based on my reading of Daniel 8, I suspect that Davidson may be correct. Could it be that the return of this four-horned goat to Israel is a sign of this looming regional conflict? The Lord knows, and time will most certainly tell." Other experts are less sure. Pastor Carl Gallups, author of "When The Lion Roars," says he finds the story interesting but doesn't believe the sheep must have any specific significance. Gallups also said Jesus may have been referring to the church, the community of believers, rather than a physical Third Temple. Gallups admits he may be mistaken about this. However, he says he is decidedly not mistaken about the many other signs he claims show the end times are near. "In my estimation, there are certainly more important 'signs' of last days occurrences (rather than a certain breed of sheep) that are right under our noses this very moment," he told WND. "Those signs include, but are not limited to: the return of Israel, the alignment of the Ezekiel 38 nations against Israel, the continual international outcries against Israel and its sovereignty, the partnership between Russia and Iran, the presence of Russia and China in the Middle East, the re-Islamization of Turkey, certain developments in technology, the growth of global government, and so many more. "These are the real signs of our times. And this is why I and so many others believe we are in prophetic times, the most prophetic in our history since Jesus came the first time." With big gains in North Sinai, ISIS drives south - http://www.debka.com/article/25879/With-big-gains-in-N-Sinai-ISIS-drives-south
Egyptian control of the vast Sinai Peninsula is slipping fast. After gaining virtual sway over the north and its main roads, Islamic State Caliphate terrorists are moving ahead with an ambitious plan to devour a broad stretch of land on the eastern flank of central Sinai, debkafile's military sources report. Achieving this objective would bring the jihadists in position to directly Egyptian beach resorts along the Gulf of Aqaba coast and its celebrated tourist resort of Sharm El-Sheikh. It would also bring them up to another section of the Egyptian-Israeli border. These days, Egyptian forces move around the northern and eastern regions of the peninsula in heavily-armed convoys with tanks and air and helicopter support. Still, on Monday, Jan.9, a suicide bomber killed 13 Egyptian soldiers by blowing up a stolen garbage truck packed with explosives outside a police station in the northern Sinai center of El Arish. The blast was followed by an RPG ground attack on the checkpoint outside the building. ISIS manages to inflict terror on Egyptian security forces despite the close military and intelligence cooperation between Egypt, the US and Israel for securing the north and keeping it out of ISIS control. Egyptian forces have their backs to the wall after failing to cement their authority there - or even carve out "sterile zones" for keeping the Islamists at arms length - although the Egyptian 2nd Army responsible for security in the north has been beefed up with tanks, air and helicopter reinforcements. With northern Sinai virtually under their jackboots, ISIS is engaged in hard bargaining with local Bedouin tribes, primarily the chiefs of the Tiyaha tribal federation, to advance its plans to seize another large chunk of the peninsula. debkafile's intelligence and counterterrorism sources reveal that the ISIS team of negotiators is led by senior officers recently relocated from Iraq and Syria, who traveled through Jordan to Sinai and have taken command of the organization's operations. On the table is a proposal for the Tiyaha to permit ISIS to using its territory for launching strikes against the Egyptian army in the south. Their target here, say our military sources, would be the Egyptian 3rd Army which is responsible for all of central Sinai from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Sues Canal. Unlike the 2nd Army in the north, the Third is thinly scattered in disorganized spots across a large area and would be easy prey for terrorist attacks. If the Bedouin chiefs agree to open up their lands to ISIS, the terrorists will be free to sabotage the Egyptian army's main highways links between Egypt proper to Sinai. The Islamic State's creeping advance is directly tied to Palestinian terrorist operations in Israel and Jordanian counterterrorism security. Against this backdrop, the Palestinian truck attack Sunday, Jan. 8 on a group of IDF soldiers and officer cadets must be considered relevant. Four 20-year old IDF officers and officer cadets were killed and 13 injured under the wheels of a large truck driven by a Jerusalem Palestinian at the local Armon Hanatziv promenade. Another 30 were traumatized. Fadi al Qunbar, 28, resident of the nearby Palestinian neighborhood of Jabal Muqabar, became an ardent adherent of the Islamic State in recent months. His newly radical ways went unnoticed by Israeli anti-terror intelligence services. Our sources note that the process of Islamist self-radicalization has begun spreading among Palestinians in the 18-35 age groups, often through ties with Jordanians of their age. This process has received little public attention in Israel until now. Its first manifestations occurred last year: On Jan. 1, 206, three Israelis were murdered by a terrorist and seven injured on Dizengoff Rd., Tel Aviv's main high street; and, on June 8, four Israelis died and 13 were injured in another terrorist attack in Tel Aviv, this one on the open air Sarona market. The perpetrators of both attacks declared they were acting for ISIS and pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The Jerusalem attack Sunday is part of the same pattern. Holy Land Miracles - By Daymond Duck - http://raptureready.com/featured/duck/dd262.html
More than 3,000 years ago, the city of Jerusalem was established under the rule of King David. He wanted to build a temple for God in Jerusalem, but that was left to his son, King Solomon and the existence of a Temple was dependent upon the faithfulness of the Jewish people (II Sam. 7:12-13; I Kings 5:5; 6:12-13). They were faithful for many years, but because of sin, God gave Israel, Jerusalem and the temple into the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and he destroyed them (Dan. 1:1-2). After many years, the temple was partially restored and Jerusalem was rebuilt, but the Jews, their city and the temple remained under foreign domination. After many more years, King Herod made improvements to the temple and when Jesus came along it was recognized as one of the most beautiful buildings on earth. The Disciples called this to His attention on His last visit to the temple and He said it would be destroyed again (Matt. 24:2). The Roman Empire did that in 70 A.D. But not all of the surrounding towns and communities were destroyed. It wasn't easy, but some towns and communities continued on and they even grew over the next 1700 years or so. Miracle of miracles the Jews were never completely put off of the Promised Land. Some stayed there continuing to believe that Israel would become a nation again, and Jerusalem and the Temple would be built again. But there were also squatters in the land and it would take a miracle to ever re-establish Israel, rebuild Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. One miracle occurred in 1917 when the British government issued the Balfour Declaration saying it looked with favor on the establishment of Palestine as a national home for the Jewish people. Another miracle occurred in 1922 when the League of Nations formalized the Balfour Declaration and the word "Palestine" was understood to mean all of Palestine including Judea, Samaria and the area now occupied by Jordan would be a national home for the Jewish people. Another miracle occurred in 1948 when Israel was in full possession of all of the land that the UN had allocated for Israel, and the Jews proclaimed the existence of the nation of Israel. Pres. Truman immediately recognized it and five nations attacked Israel the next day. Miraculous things happened and Israel which was now just one day old quickly defeated all of them. The miracles kept coming. Israel was attacked by Jordan, Egypt and Syria in 1967. Israel conquered East Jerusalem, the Temple Mount, the West Bank and the Golan Heights. And because Israel captured those areas in a defensive war Israel now legally owned those areas under International Law. God gave those areas to Israel in the days of Abraham (Gen. 17:7-8) and now God had given those areas to Israel under Man's own International Law. Since International Law says the land now legally belongs to Israel, the UN is not supposed to take it away from Israel. If the UN doesn't want Israel to have it, they have to try to help the Palestinians steal it or try to put pressure on Israel to try to force Israel to voluntarily give it back. This is significant because God said the day will come (at the end of the age) when He will put the Jews back on the land, they will rebuild their cities, live in them, plant vineyards and never be put off of the land again (Amos 9:14-15). Daniel, Jesus, Paul and John even taught that they will rebuild the Temple at the end of the age (Dan. 9:26; Matt. 24:15; II Thess. 2:4; Rev. 11:1-2). In 1987, a group of religious Jews founded an organization called The Temple Institute. Their group soon started constructing equipment, furniture, vessels, clothing, etc. to be used at a rebuilt Temple. Their group even started working to re-establish Jewish worship on the Temple Mount. At one time, its Executive Director was a rabbi named Yahuda Glick that was born to Jewish parents in Brooklyn, New York. In Oct. 2014, a Muslim terrorist tried to assassinate rabbi Glick by shooting him four times at point blank range. Miracle of miracles rabbi Glick survived. In 2015, an unusual series of events (should we call them miracles) caused this strong advocate for rebuilding the Temple to suddenly be thrust into a political position in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political party. Yes, a rabbi that wants to rebuild the Temple suddenly and unexpectedly became a Jewish politician. In 2005, a young Baptist farmer from Tennessee named Tommy Waller moved to Israel. He planted a vineyard (Amos 9:14-15) and started a ministry called Ha Yovel. He met Yahuda Glick and they became good friends. Is that a coincidence or a miracle? On Nov. 8, 2016, a man named Donald Trump who was born in the same state Yahuda Glick was born in (New York), was elected president of the U.S. Among other things, candidate Trump promised to be a good friend to Israel, support the building of Jewish settlements on the West Bank and even to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. On Jan. 20, 2017, Donald Trump is scheduled to be inaugurated as president of the U.S. and Tommy Waller's group, Ha Yovel, has arranged for Yahuda Glick and two others to attend the inauguration, the inaugural ball, Congressional meetings, receptions and rallies in Washington, DC. This Jewish rabbi and or politician that wants to rebuild the Temple will meet the president of the U.S. and several U.S. politicians about 68 years after the founding of Israel (on May 14, 1948). Is this event a miracle? A politician from Israel has never before attended a U.S. Presidential inauguration. Is this timing a miracle? Many believe 68 years is almost one generation and everything Jesus said in Matthew chapter 24 must soon be fulfilled. In what is supposed to be the last week of Pres. Obama's Administration it appears that there may be more efforts to restrict Israel's activities in East Jerusalem and on the Temple Mount. This writer doesn't know what will happen, but it is clear that Mr. Obama can't stop God from performing miracles to fulfill His Word. FYI: June 7, 2017 will be the 50th (one Jubilee) anniversary of the 1967 reunification of Jerusalem. Mr. Waller is asking pastors and churches to join with Israel in recognizing that event. The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus happened in Jerusalem, the church began in Jerusalem, our roots are in Jerusalem, etc. Prophecy Plus Ministries Daymond & Rachel Duck [email protected] ![]()
My Review of "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" Over the last 35 years, I have literally read hundreds of books on Bible Prophecy and End Time signs. I especially enjoy books on the Rapture, and I have read almost every Rapture-related book published. In all those years, devouring thousands of pages, and millions of words, I have not read a better book on the Rapture than, Rapture Ready...Or Not? Terry James might be physically blind, but he is spiritually sharp and well discerning beyond most authors. In "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" Terry has nailed the pre-trib Rapture, and removed any doubt what so ever about the Church going through the Tribulation. With great insight and Godly discernment, Terry explains with simple, yet profound words, why and how that he has come to believe the ways he does about the Rapture, the Tribulation, and the End Times scenario. I think after reading "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" you too will believe as Terry does, and be Ready for the Rapture like never before! - Randy Thomas - Publisher / Editor - Prophecy Update For more information and or to get your copy of "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" use this link: http://www.raptureready.com/terry/book35.html Apostasy Defined (Part I) - A.V. Rauf - http://bibleprophecyfortoday.com/2016/12/30/apostasy-defined-part-i/
As we brace ourselves for what promises to be an exciting year in 2017, it goes without saying that prophetic events are beginning to to unfold in rapid fashion as we approach what many Bible prophecy students know as the end of the Church Age. Jesus made a very powerful statement regarding the church in the New Testament: Matthew 1:13-18-When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?14 And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. 15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? 16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Our adversary was wary of this statement and knew full well that the forces of darkness could not and would not prevail over the Church. As a matter of fact, at the onset of the birth of the true church as evidenced in the Book of Acts, the enemy made several attempts to wipe out the Church, However, the end result of the attempted persecution eventually enabled the Church to grow stronger. Of course, the next plan of the enemy was as such: "IF YOU CANT BEAT 'EM, JOIN 'EM!" A thorough reading of the seven letters to the seven churches written in the Book of Revelation reveals Christ's assessment of Church conditions. Of course, that would be a separate post in itself and a deep, lengthy study in itself as well. With all due respect to any given Church, it has been said that one wil never find the "perfect,' Church. The call to preach and teach the Word of God and to make disciples is a mighty and noble one. To be chosen by God almighty to lead a Church is an undaunting task in itself. The purpose of this post is not in anyway to undermine or judge and/or critique any organization claiming to be a Church. However, we will examine some things through the lense of Scripture. The reality of the matter is as such: in a certain sense, America may no longer be a Christian nation but it can be considered a nation that honored Christianity, the Bible, the God of the Bible, as no other nation in history past. It can be said that the institutions of this nation were based on top of the foundation of Christian faith. For example, the very concept of religious freedom in America stems from Christianity. Such freedom cannot be found in other nations. Not everyone was a believer of Christ as their personal Savior in this nation but the majority did accept the Christian principles that formed the foundation of this nation. For the most part, Biblical/Christian principles were acepted as part of what this nation is about. Psalm 11:1-3-In the Lord put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? 2 For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. 3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? It is clearly evident that within the last generation alone, things began to change dramatically. In government, morality, law and even education this country has now arrived at what the Scriptures referred to as The Apostasy. The word "apostasia," means " to stand away from, to fall away from,". In simplest terms it is used to describe a departure from the truth. Apostasy is a compound word, apo- (away from and stasia or histemi (to stand), thus a standing away from or a positioning oneself away from," 2 Thessalonians 2:1-10-Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time: For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 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: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. Paul uses the word apostasy in the third verse of 2 Thessalonians where he was explaining to the church at Thessalonica that apostasy was to precede the seven year tribulation period, the Day of the Lord and the unveiling of AntiChrist. The New Testament makes it very clear that apostasy will take place near the end of the Church Age. We are currently experiencing this apostasy in our country as well as in many of our churches. There happens to be a form of religion but believers are denying the reality and the power of genuine and personal Christianity. All Bible scholars agree that the apostasy has to do with a religious and spiritual departure. The Church too can fall in line with what is transpiring around the world. It is evident that with both the rapid development of technology and the explosion of communication, humanity may feel it is divine and not need any other god. Even today, many are despising the truth and are willfully turning away from it. Sin is ever increasing and evil is manifesting as the world itself is turning against Christianity, the God of the Bible and doctrinal truths and principles of the Holy Writ. In God's eyes humanity can be seen in three groups: The Jew, the Gentile & the Church. The enemy knows that his time is short. Satan already has the world (gentiles) deceived. He has everlastingly worked to deceive the Jews. He is now attempting to deceive the church. In simplest terms, I believe that there are three types of churches one may come across: the informed church, the misinformed church and the misinformed church. Information can simply be defined as facts provided or learned about something or someone. On the contrary, misinformation is to give out incorrect information; on the other hand, disinformation is to provide contrary information with a view to 'remove' (dis-) the existing information possessed by the receiver, i.e., make people believe something that is contrary to what they had (correctly) believed so. Whereas both misinformation and disinformation refer to information that is incorrect or misleading, disinformation much more strongly indicates that the information is made so and spread in order to deceive people. Also, if disinformation is information that is "wrong, with a deceptive strategy behind its wrongness." then it it is pretty obvious as to who is behind this deception...... We know that behind the physical realm there lies a much more existing spiritual realm that may not be seen through the natural eyes. Ephesians 6:10-12-Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. The Bible clearly tells us tht the leader of this kingdom of darkness is none other then Satan. Furthermore, he operates through lies and deceit and is the god of this world. John 10:10-The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 2 Corinthians 4:1-4-Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. This current apostasy will be one in which there will be a falling away from faith in Jesus which is characterized by a rejection of scriptural truth and expressed by a betrayal of the faith and faithful believers by those who have been apostatized. Daily Jot: The playbook against Trump - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com
While the anarchists and communists are lining up to protest the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, their counterparts in the US Senate are gearing up to undermine Trump's first cabinet nominee. Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions is nominated for Attorney General and the communists in the Senate don't like him because he has been a big proponent of border security and tight enforcement of immigration laws. They are going to throw everything, even the kitchen sink, at this man, calling him a racist, a bigot, a xenophobe and implying that he is akin to some of the worst men in history. Let's set the record straight: Jeff Sessions is a Christian, a man of great integrity, a compassionate countryman. All that is not going to matter to the Democratic Party wolves who will come after one of the most honorable men in the Senate. Sessions, as they see it, is a threat to the globalist Marxist agenda because they believe he will shut down the US borders to illegal entry, enforce immigration laws, and generally reverse the anarchist and racially-charged policies of the past eight years. The progressives (translated communists) believe they were well on the way to remaking America into a Marxist Islamic state. The Trump victory got in the way of that, and Sessions becoming a pivotal hub in the control of law will put the US on the sidelines for years to come in the global struggle for Marxist hegemony. The soft spoken, studious, honorable, congenial Jeff Sessions is exactly what America needs to counter the globalist evils knocking at our door-or quite frankly, waiting with a battering ram to put the finishing touches on destroying our rule of law. Sessions is well aware of the Islamic threat to this country. He acknowledges the laws already on the books that should be enforced, not only in this time of roughshod illegal immigration and placement of refugees in name only from terrorist sponsoring states in our most conservative communities, but the laws that were selectively not enforced by the lame duck "president" and his puppet Attorney General. The true haters in the Senate and the full complement of special interest groups who accuse others of being exactly what the special interests themselves are will be coming after Sessions. The news media will accuse Sessions of racism and bigotry. It will look bad for Sessions. This is a forerunner to the rest of the nomination fights, including those for the Supreme Court. This is a time when we as Christians need to pray and act. We can start by praying for Trump and Jeff Sessions, and when the debate starts, by flooding Senators' offices with phone calls day and night. We must stand. As the Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 6:18, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplications for all saints." Sessions is one of us, let's speak boldly on his behalf. Daily Devotion: A Heavenly Perspective - Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. -Matthew 5:8 In his book called Heaven, my friend Randy Alcorn wrote, "We may imagine we want a thousand different things, but God is the one we really long for. His presence brings satisfaction; his absence brings thirst and longing. Our longing for Heaven is a longing for God." When we long for heaven, we're longing for God. The Bible promises that a day is coming when we will see God face to face. Jesus said, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" (Matthew 5:8). Heaven isn't just a state of mind; it's a real place. And one day we will see God. Seeing Him will be like seeing everything else for the first time. Not only will we see God, but He will be the lens through which we see everything else-people, ourselves, and the events of this life. When we get to heaven, everything will suddenly make sense to us. We will see everything from a different perspective. When things happen in life that don't make sense, we'll say, "This is wrong. This is not fair. This is so hard." But one day when we get to heaven, we will see these things from God's perspective. I don't think we will forget everything in heaven. The fact is that we will know more in heaven, not less. The Bible says, "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known" (1 Corinthians 13:12). I'll take it a step further, even. I believe we will learn in heaven, that we will continue to grow. But we'll have a divine perspective when we get there. That is the hope of the follower of Jesus Christ when we see God face to face. FROM THE HEART
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