Prophecy Update Newsletter
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2021: Revolution, Resolutions or Fulfillment of Prophecy? – Olivier Melnick - https://www.newantisemitism.com/antisemitism/2021-revolution-resolutions-or-fulfillment-of-prophecy
Usually, when we start a new year, there is a sense of renewal, a fresh start and new resolutions to get us going on the proper footing. Let’s be realistic, there is nobody on this planet who doesn’t want 2021 to be better than 2020. The pandemic, the race riots, the economic rollercoaster and the presidential elections have made last year a memorable one, and not so much from a positive perspective. And yet, for several reasons, January 2021 is looking like an extension of 2020. The upcoming changing of the guard at the presidential level is currently punctuating every aspect of American life. People have never been so polarized since the Civil War and there doesn’t seem to be much of a light at the end of the tunnel. Many people are being silenced, crippled and isolated. Where is this going? When I look at the current exponentially growing censorship of conservatives by Big Tech, I am immediately taken back to what happened to my family in the 1930s and 40s in France. I know that some will be tempted to accuse me of using ghetto and Holocaust analogies flippantly when the topics should be left alone. Truly, too many people are using Holocaust comparisons cheaply to make their case more dramatic, but when the shoe fits! I still remember my father telling me how his father–who fought the Great War of 1914-1918 as a French citizen– was one of many Jews being asked to bring their bicycles to the nearest Paris police station. Most of them, including my paternal grandfather, complied quietly, and self-imposed a forced limitation of their movements within their country, and it worked well for the Nazis. Next, the Jews of France were asked to bring their transistor radios to the same police stations. Again, most of them complied and soon found themselves staying home with no means of knowing what was going on in the world. This was a time when exiled General Charles De Gaulle was broadcasting information from the United Kingdom on a daily basis. The next step was to isolate the Jews even further by grouping them in ghettos, so that they could be concentrated in a specific area, with almost no way to communicate with the outside world. It worked very well for the enemies of the Jews. It still wasn’t enough as it led to Kristallnacht in Germany and the “Final Solution to the Jewish question” all over Europe. Yes, I absolutely see some similarities between the times we live in and the 1930s and 40s. Christians and conservatives are being silenced and censored with a final agenda of isolation with almost no possible communication. Glenn Beck accurately compared where we are today to the era of World War Two when he said,“This is like the Germans with the Jews behind the wall, they would put them in the ghetto. This is the digital ghetto. ‘You can talk all you want, Jews, do whatever you want behind the wall’…And that’s where we are. That’s where millions of Americans will be.” It does appear as if we are being forced into a “digital ghetto.” While most Jewish people lean more towards liberal, progressive views; we are usually the first ones to suffer and often for different reasons that are not connected to the economy, politics or a pandemic. We are targeted because we are Jewish, and even though it is incredibly irrational, Jews have been accused of bringing the virus to the world–strangely reminiscent of the Black Plague libel. We have also been accused of controlling the banks and the economy–also reminiscent of the Middle Age libel about Jews being greedy and controlling European wealth. What about the vaccine? how many people will not want to take it? Will we have a choice? It is hard to tell this early in the game, but we cannot ignore the Bill the state of New York is working on, known as Bill A416. It is currently only at the committee level and has a long way to go before it becomes law, if it ever does. The gist of it is simply the establishing of a system by which the Governor of the state of NY has the right to isolate people he deems dangerous to the health of other people, and place them in detention centers until they are assessed and deemed fit to re-enter society. No wonder quite a few people are feeling like a revolution is brewing in America. Our liberties seem to be at stake, but now is supposed to be the time when we all make new year’s resolutions, not new year’s revolution, so which is it? Frankly, America might very well be on the cusp of a new revolution, and yet, I strongly believe that it is still the appropriate time to make new year’s resolutions. I need to confess that I have been pulled down into the cesspool of the current political debate for a good share of the last few months. I went from amazement to frustration to anger to resentment to bitterness. As a result, I completely lost my focus on what God has really called me to be, an ambassador of the Good News to the Jewish people and also to the Gentiles, as well as a watchman and soldier against antisemitism of all sorts. New resolutions are not easy to make; and this is why people make them and often break them soon after. Going on a diet, quitting smoking or changing any habit or addiction requires sacrifice and self-discipline. As believers, we also can rely on the Holy Spirit to convict us and enable us to stick to our resolutions. Things might change. Only time will tell; but for now, I believe that new resolutions may be more important to believers in Yeshua than a new revolution. For the time being, I desire to commit to the only agenda worth my time as a modern disciple of Yeshua, and that is the furthering of His kingdom on earth. This doesn’t necessarily mean that I will become a hermit, ignore the news and put my head in the proverbial sand of ignorance. I am a legal citizen of the United States of America for the remainder of my time on earth, and I have to respect that and the laws that come with it. Yet, if I am forced to do things that boldly go against what Yeshua teaches, I will be forced to make a choice. Mine is already made. How about yours? There is plenty to do for those of us who can focus on what the Lord would have us do. I will continue to fight antisemitism the best way I can in writing, speaking, preaching and educating; because I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that it is one of the burdens that God has given me. I also believe that it will continue to open doors for me to share the love of Yeshua. I might be a legal citizen of the United States, but I am also a citizen of heaven who was purchased by the blood of Yeshua at His sacrificial death 2000 years ago. My citizenship in heaven should always be my focal point, as I am reminded by the great prophet Moses in Psalm 90 (the only psalm written by Moses) where he said, “As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years, yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; for soon it is gone and we fly away…. Let Your work appear to Your servants and Your majesty to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; and confirm for us the work of our hands; yes, confirm the work of our hands.” Furthermore, our time here is but a breath or a vapor as James 4:15-17Open in Logos Bible Software (if available) tells us, “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil. Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” We as believers have been entrusted with the propagating of the Good News of Yeshua the Messiah. It would be wise to remember that those who started following Him at the onset of His ministry in Israel, did so – no strings attached and without worrying about their legal rights. Again, I am not advising that believers give away all their rights as per the US Constitution, but some things are worth fighting for while others are not. At the end of the day, fighting so that we can share the Good News is of the utmost importance. However, we also need to realize that some of the most successful evangelists were those who were persecuted, imprisoned and/or went underground. Prophetically, the Bible promises much turmoil during the end times. It doesn’t predict an American revolution (America is not even mentioned in the Bible). We are promised that the Lord will never forsake us, but that we will also suffer persecution because of Him. 2021 promises to propel us even closer to the final pages of the Bible. To be honest, sometimes I feel like the prophetic future isn’t so future anymore. Even if time is of the essence, the Good News is still the best message to be shared. So, if I must spend any time focusing on the future, let it be because I care about those who do not have theirs secured in Messiah’s embrace. Is God trying to get us on our knees? That is entirely possible and that shouldn’t scare us because it is when we are on our knees that we are the closest to Him! I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Messiah Yeshua. (Philippians 3:14) ‘Next big step’: Experts advocate relocating Israel to US military’s Central Command – Yaakov Lappin – https://www.jns.org/next-big-step-pro-israel-think-tank-advocates-relocating-israel-to-us-militarys-central-command/ As Iran tensions remain high, moving Israel to CENTOM’s area of responsibility would enable Israel, the United States and Arab partners to conduct joint exercises and planning for Iran-specific threats, thereby boosting readiness, says Jonathan Ruhe, director of foreign policy at JINSA. As the Middle East remains on edge due to sky-high tensions between the United States and Iran, and with the U.S. Air Force holding a joint drill with Saudi Arabia’s Royal Air Force, the Pentagon and the Israeli defense establishment remain in close touch as they monitor developments. Yet a report released by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America—a pro-Israel think tank based in Washington D.C., that includes senior former American military commanders—has called for that cooperation to be tightened further by relocating Israel away from the area of responsibility of the U.S. Military’s European Command (EUCOM) and to that of the Central Command (CENTCOM), also known as America’s Middle East Command. The report said that while Israel’s inclusion in EUCOM has yielded clear mutual benefits over the years, CENTCOM’s priority is “countering Iran and other forces for extremism in the Middle East, and all our partners in the region—Israel included—are coalescing around a common view of that threat and taking bold steps like the Abraham Accords to counter it cooperatively.” While America’s core interest in Middle East stability remains unchanged even as it pivots away from the region, the report said that “Israel’s future role will include defending U.S. interests by rolling back Iran’s footprint in CENTCOM’s area of responsibility.” Meanwhile, EUCOM is reverting back to its traditional focus—strengthening NATO to counter Russia, according to the report. ‘Increasingly shared threats from Iran and its proxies’ Jonathan Ruhe, director of foreign policy at JINSA, told JNS that institutional tradition has largely kept Israel under EUCOM’s jurisdiction, a set-up that has endured since EUCOM’s creation in 1952. “More recently, there have been real mutual benefits, especially after 9/11, [that] keeping Israel in EUCOM was a clear asset for the United States and other NATO members that suddenly needed a partner with hard-won counterterrorism expertise. And EUCOM and Israel have developed robust missile-defense cooperation that clearly benefits both sides,” he explained. The IDF and EUCOM hold a biannual joint missile-defense exercise, called “Juniper Cobra,” which sees the United States practice the rapid deployment of missile-defense systems and personnel from Europe to Israel to assist in air-defense missions. But a relocation to CENTOM would enable “much stronger, regularized cooperation between Israel and U.S. forces in the Middle East,” argued Ruhe, “which together confront increasingly shared threats from Iran and its proxies.” “Moving Israel to CENTCOM could facilitate something approaching a truly regionwide missile-defense network, which could bolster shared early warning,” he said while making efforts to counter Iran’s proliferation of missiles and drones more effective. Such a move could also encourage the United States to position weapons on Israeli soil, he said, “especially precision munitions that both Israel and CENTCOM would need in abundance in a major conflict with Iran and/or its proxies; currently, EUCOM has little or no reason to replenish these stockpiles since it wants those munitions in Europe for a possible conflict with Russia.” One caveat for the relocation would have to be that CENTOM continues strong, mutually beneficial missile-defense cooperation with Israel, he stressed, adding that “it helps that CENTCOM forces have participated in Juniper Cobra in the past, and that CENTCOM and its Arab partners certainly would benefit from stronger ties to Israel’s world-class missile-defense architecture.” Under the present tensions, reassigning Israel to America’s Middle East Command would reinforce military deterrence and send out the message of regional unity against Iran that’s been so clearly communicated by the Abraham Accords, stated Ruhe. “More concretely, it would enable Israel, the United States and Arab partners to conduct joint exercises and contingency planning for Iran-specific threats. This would boost readiness and interoperability, including by enabling U.S. and Arab forces in the Middle East to learn invaluable lessons from Israel’s ‘campaign between the wars’ against Iran,” he said, referring to Israel’s campaign of strikes to prevent the Islamic Republic from building attack bases in Syria. Asked how the defense establishments of both countries have responded to the idea, Ruhe said that when JINSA first proposed it three years ago, reactions from both were mixed, though more recently, he had been pleasantly surprised at the increasingly positive feedback from both countries. “I think it reflects the fundamental convergence of Israel’s threat landscape with that of key Arab neighbors and U.S. forces in the Middle East, especially as EUCOM understandably returns to its traditional European focus on great-power competition with a revanchist Russia,” he stated. Ultimately, since any conflict with Iran—whether Israeli, American or both—will occur mainly in CENTCOM’s area of responsibility, “it would be much easier for Washington and Jerusalem to coordinate or at the very least deconflict their forces if Israel were in CENTCOM; by the same token, this would also bolster deterrence against Iran.” The report stated that the recent Abraham Accords between Israel, and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, reflect a growing strategic alignment between Israel and key American partners in the Middle East, driven primarily by rising Iranian nuclear and regional threats. “American diplomacy played a central role in realizing the accords, underscoring the enduring importance of Middle East stability to our national security. The next big step, the report said, is to move Israel into CENTOM, which will enable improved strategic and operational coordination among the United States, Israel and our Arab partners throughout the region against Iran and other serious shared threats.” The U.S. military divides its global presence into seven geographic combatant commands, each of which implements U.S. defense policy and exercises unified command over all American forces in its AOR. In these capacities, they also work with and coordinate among partner militaries, effectively making each COCOM a primary mechanism for U.S-led regional cooperation on strategic planning, training, doctrine, logistics, intelligence, technology, procurement, operations and other critical military activities. Top Rabbi: America is Collapsing, Israel Must Step Up as New World Superpower – David Sidman - https://www.israel365news.com/164050/top-rabbi-america-is-collapsing-israel-must-step-up-as-new-world-superpower/ And all the families of the earth Shall bless themselves by you Genesis 12:3 (The Israel BibleTM) One of Israel’s most respected rabbis, Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu, has released a statement on the status of America as a waning world superpower and a message of hope for Israel to fill the void. Rabbi Eliyahu is the Chief Rabbi of Safed and a member of the Chief Rabbinate Council THE BIG CRISIS THAT IS CURRENTLY HAPPENING IN AMERICA Regarding the outcome of the US elections, Rabbi Eliyahu explains that the schism is deeper than last week’s incident on Capitol Hill saying: “The big crisis that is currently happening in America didn’t start with the storming of Capitol Hill. It started with the Democratic party’s’ lack of confidence in Trump’s presidency expressed in fiery protests across the United States, and his being labeled in every possible derogatory manner.” The rabbi added that the lack of Republican trust in America’s election process also contributes to the crisis. “With tremendous sorrow we can recall this event as part of the process of the US descending from the stage of world history. It’s a sad moment, but it’s happening.” PHARAOH FELL TOO Recalling the fall of ancient Egypt, the rabbi uses historic precedent to back up his claim saying: “This is not the first time a superpower fell because of a crisis of values and returns to being an ordinary country among other nations. That is what happened to Egypt and Rome in the old days. That is what happened to the Ottoman Empire approximately a century ago, all the way to the Russian Empire that collapsed 30 years ago, both of whom collapsed due to a failure of values that led to their demise as well as a decline in their great power as world leaders.” Rabbi Eliyahu also recalled the collapse of France and Great Britain who were once “considered part of the four powers that rule the world,” He added that they collapsed just as Europe as a whole is collapsing because of values…or lack thereof. VALUES OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS “The values of justice were replaced with those of political correctness. The family values have been replaced with those of hedonism. The birthrate that fell below the red line caused European leaders to open the floodgates to mass Muslim migration that would fill the void, and Europe started to totally lose its character.” Rabbi Eliyahu sees the developments unfolding as an opportunity for Israel to step up and take America’s place as the world superpower. He supports his proposition by calling Israel a world leader in family values saying: “We’ve been called upon to fill this vacuum. There are problems inside the State of Israel as well, but unlike Europe, Israel leads the world in the stability of family values. The average amount of children per Israeli woman is double the average of the Western world, and this is what propels Israel’s economy and creativity forward. Israel also leads the globe in the least amount of children from single mothers.” Regarding a potential insurrection, Rabbi Eliyahu refers to the destruction of the second Temple as evidence that a similar situation cannot reoccur saying “As far as governmental stability is concerned, we are not similar in any way. There cannot be an antigovernmental revolution in Israel. With all the allegations we have regarding this and that corruption in the system of government, none of us have aspirations of a military revolt. We all recall the heavy price of the destruction of the 2nd Temple and it can’t be repeated.” The rabbi also said that because Israel trails the western world in alcohol and drug consumption. NOT PRETENTIOUS, BUT TORAH Acknowledging that his proclamation could come across as condescending, the rabbi explains that it’s all part of God’s plan saying: “Israel is stable and is called upon to take its place as a world leader in values. I realize that to many people this sounds very pretentious, but this is the template that G-d promised our forefather Abraham.” And all the families of the earth Shall bless themselves by you (Genesis 12:3) Get your hardcover Israel Bible at a limited time discount Today by clicking here Reflecting on the Jewish people who he says don’t recognize the opportunity, the Rabbi notes: “The only ones who do not see this is us, and the time has come for us to recall our destiny. We need to prepare for it so that we can fulfill it with all the necessary responsibilities and not make the mistakes that they made.” Take Up Thy Sword - By Grant Phillips - https://www.raptureready.com/2021/01/12/take-up-thy-sword-by-grant-phillips/ “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17). In January 2020 the American Bible Society and the Barna Group conducted a survey related to Bible reading. According to their survey, only 9% of the respondents read their Bible on a daily basis. Also, only 24% of their respondents believe the Bible is the actual word of God and should be taken literally. Is it any wonder this country is in such a mess? I understand that the world, unbelievers, cannot understand the Bible (1 Corinthians 2:14) unless it speaks to them about their need to be saved, but those who make up the Church are filled with the Holy Spirit. The world has no interest in the things of God, but every true Christian should have a desire in their heart to feed upon the precious Word of God … the Bible. “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). How can we call ourselves a believer and follower of Jesus Christ and have little to no interest in what He has to say? Also, according to the survey, 34% NEVER read the Bible. No wonder we are so gullible! Satan is on overdrive in these last days, and his minions are working 24/7 to deceive mankind, especially the Church (1 Peter 5:8). Why? The sand is nearly gone from Satan’s hourglass. His time is about up, and we are asleep. I vividly recall smelling my parents’ coffee they would have brewing on the stove each morning when I was a young fellow. My goodness, it smelled so good. Well, folks, the coffee is brewing, and it’s time to get up and get on with the day. The seven churches of Revelation 2–3 can be seen in various parts of the world today, but right now I am reminded of the church at Ephesus. Jesus had this to say to this church: “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent” (Revelation 2:2-5, emphasis mine). The Church today has failed in the same respect that the church of Ephesus failed in the first century. Our lampstand has been removed because we have taken our eyes off Jesus. Oh, we may be doing all those nice works, but why are we doing them? We may know the Gospel, but are we sharing it? What do we believe? Why do we believe it? Who do we serve? Who or what do we think about on a daily basis? When did we last speak to our Savior, the one we supposedly follow? Do we even care about what He has to say? If only 9% of true Christians read their Bibles daily, we’re in sad shape. Even if this number were doubled or tripled to 18% and 27% respectively, we really have a problem. We need to get in the Word! Maybe we should ask ourselves, “Why should I read the Bible?” Now, I didn’t say, “why read the Bible,” but “why should I read the Bible?” Years ago, I asked myself that same question. I really wanted to know what is the most important reason for me to read the Bible? There are many good reasons to read the Bible, but there is one that stands out ahead of all the rest. The answer, of course, is right in our face and is so simple. Why don’t we let the apostle Paul answer this question, “Why should I read the Bible?” “And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:1-2, emphasis mine). The Corinthian church was the most immature group of Christians of that day. Paul really had his hands full. Because of their immaturity, he didn’t start out teaching advanced doctrines to them, so what did he do? He went back to the basics about our Savior. He showed them Jesus. He reintroduced them to the Savior. They had to take the 101 class over again because they certainly were not ready for advanced lessons. This is where we all should be every time we open our Bible, regardless of our understanding of Scripture. We should seek to know our Lord. We should seek to look upon Him as Moses longed to. Our main goal is to know Him better and better as His Spirit guides us through the pages of His Word. I am convinced that this is the path we should take, and these following verses confirm it: “And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself” (Luke 24:27, emphasis mine). We know the New Testament portrays Jesus, but He is also throughout ALL of the Bible, Old and New Testaments. “Then He said to them, ‘These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me‘” (Luke 24:44, emphasis mine). The Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms cover the entire Old Testament. It is hard to find anywhere in the entire Bible that does not picture Jesus. “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me” (John 5:39). Again, the New Testament wasn’t written at that time, so Jesus is referring to the Old Testament specifically. However, being omniscient, He knows the remainder of the Bible, the New Testament, will do the same. “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?” (John 5:46-47). And again, so many don’t realize that Jesus is pictured throughout the Old Testament. Just a few examples: Joshua, Joseph and Boaz, and also the feasts, the tabernacle and the offerings. These six examples are just a drop in the proverbial bucket. All of God’s Word … the Bible … is about Jesus. “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him” (John 14:7). I included this last verse for a different reason. Do you really want to know God? I am referring to God the Father. Would you like to know what He is like? Well … Jesus makes it so clear. If we know Him (Jesus), we know the Father. So, doesn’t that make it even more a necessity to read the Bible? So many immature Corinthian-type Christians today brag about their love for Jesus, but they don’t read their Bible. They live on emotions instead of the Word of life. How can that be? And then there are those who read their Bible but treat others as second-class citizens. Don’t think so? Ask any restaurant server. They obviously are not reading the Bible with any intention of knowing Jesus. These people need a good dose of 1 Corinthians, chapter 13. Whether we read our Bible to seek salvation, guide others to salvation, learn how to live as a Christian should, avoid sinfulness in our lives, learn how to raise a family, search prophecy, or anything else … getting to know our Bridegroom Jesus should be our most important and ongoing goal. (By the way, Jesus is core to all of these.) The bottom line, though, is … first we must take up the Sword. From there, we grow more intimate with Jesus and do as He did. When Satan tempted Jesus, what did Jesus do? He quoted Scripture. The same can be said for Paul and Peter. Their Sword was the Word of God … the Bible. Don’t be one of the 91% who doesn’t take up your Sword on a daily basis. Without it, we are weak and immature. Also, don’t abuse it. Use it as the Holy Spirit leads us. Grant Phillips Email: [email protected] Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com Daily Jot: The Farm Chronicles: Mailboxes and floorboard holes – Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com Gran’pa Billy, my dad’s dad, was born in 1889 and died just short of his 97th birthday. He was 65 years old when I was born, so I never knew him as a younger man. But he was quite the character. Standing all about 4’10”, chewing Happy Jim tobacco and smoking Camel no-filters, Gran’pa saw a lot during his life—horse and buggy to automobile to airplanes to landing on the moon. Electrification, indoor plumbing, telegraph, radio, television, Spanish-American War, WWI and WWII, Korea, Vietnam—a lot of history. He held several jobs from farmer, trolly car operator, bus driver, and even in his late 80s, he was training trotters and pacers for the horse races. He was short, but people gave him a wide berth. Part of the reason for the wide berth was that Gran’pa was very independent. He would not give up his driving. Neither his chaws of Happy Jim. The two together made an interesting combination. I never knew Gran’pa to have a new car. He bought used. One of the first things he would do when he got his car home from the lot was sit in the front seat and spit to the floor. Wherever the tobacco juice would land, he would cut a hole in the floorboard so he could spit his Happy Jim whilst driving down the road. I remember riding with him as a youngster in the cold of the winter, salt and cinder ashes and slush splattering up from the road when he was spitting, then he would move the floor mat over with his foot until the next spit. In his 90s, Gran’pa stubbornly continued to drive. As you can imagine, if you start out at 4’10” when you are in your 20s, by the time you get to your 90s, you may be a bit shorter. So Gran’pa’s driving became even more of an issue. While the floorboard hole to spit in seemed to be closer, he had trouble rising above the dashboard to really see where he was going. He would peek between the top of the dashboard and the steering wheel to guide him along the country backroads. Everybody knew his car—in fact, most who lived in the area were related to us—so they would look out for him. But it got to the place where he might be driving down the road clipping off mailboxes as he went. Dad would get calls to replace them. Then one night Dad was woke out of his sleep by a call from one of our neighbors, a distant cousin who had a farm on both sides of the road with a deep creek running across it. Gran’pa had missed the bridge and flipped his Vega into the creek. My good-humored Gran’pa was standing on the bank dripping wet when we arrived, laughing about how these new-fangled cars couldn’t drive through water. Dad didn’t find his humor so funny that night. And after Bob Williams, local mechanic, pulled the Vega out of the drink and a heated discussion the next day, Gran’pa surrendered his keys under protest. Ephesians 6:2 exhorts us to “Honor your father and mother.” But sometimes you just have to take away the keys to keep the community safe and the Gran’pa safer. Daily Devotion: How God Heals a Nation - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. —2 Chronicles 7:14 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/how-god-heals-a-nation/ - Listen I can’t help but notice there’s a parallel between the late 1960s and the times in which we’re living. Back in those days, we were shooting rockets into space. We had riots in the streets, social unrest, and incredible racial tension. It was a difficult time, and some thought the country would completely unravel. But guess what happened? God sent a spiritual awakening. We called it the Jesus Movement, or as Time magazine dubbed it, the Jesus Revolution. It was a move of God. In fact, some experts say that not only was it the last great American revival, but it may have been the greatest revival in all of human history. I can tell you this much about it: I came to Christ at the age of 17 during that spiritual awakening. We need to be praying for a spiritual awakening to take place again, and we need to be praying for it with great passion. God said, “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28 NKJV). In 2 Chronicles 7:14 we find a promise that God made to Israel, and I believe that in principle, it applies to any nation, anywhere in the world, including the United States of America. God said, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (NKJV). We’d like to see a healing in our land, wouldn’t we? It starts with God’s people getting right with Him and praying for that healing to take place. 
FROM THE HEART
IF YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED THROUGH THIS MINISTRY, THEN WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD PLEASE REMEMBER PROPHECY UPDATE IN YOUR GIVING - WE ARE TRULY, TRULY, THANKFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT Prophecy Update has no corporate sponsors. This ministry is paid for and prayed for by readers and supporters. Without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update, Please pray about becoming a monthly supporter - thanks! If ever there was a time to invest in God's Kingdom, it's now! What on earth are you doing for Heaven's Sake? "Share in the Blessings and Rewards that will last Forever!" "Folks, it's all beginning to unravel. America is in more danger of falling than at any time in its history. But I believe Bible prophecy predicts this very decline. From this point on, we believers have to get serious. We are going to face discouragement, disillusionment and, most certainly, persecution in the time between now and the Rapture. But don't be discouraged or disillusioned. The coming turmoil will provide us unrivaled opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel. So be ready to share your faith and your hope with those who need Christ. We still have time to reap a great harvest of souls for God's kingdom!" - Hal Lindsey 1) We need your prayers!- We proclaim the Truth of the Word of God and we are under constant spiritual and sometimes even physical attack. 2) We need your encouragement!- We need to hear from you, let us know how the Lord is blessing you through this ministry so that we can share it with others. 3) We need your input! - If you have a prophetic article or story or if there is a news related item we missed, let us know. 4) We need your financial support!- To put it quite simply, without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update. I ask that you would prayerfully consider partnering with us to get the Word out and keep the world informed. Remember, your gift, no matter how small, does make a difference! You will be helping to touch lives, around the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thanks to the internet your generosity carries a global impact! - Thanks! Our Prayer for You- "Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." 2 Corinthians 9:10-13 If you have been blessed by Prophecy Update and would like to help support this ministry financially. You can make a secure donation online by going to: DONATE NOW Or Visit our website: http://prophecyupdate.com/donations/ Or write us at: Prophecy Update P.O. Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384-0516 
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