Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
The Threat from Within - Steve Schmutzer -
http://www.omegaletter.com/articles/articles.asp?ArticleID=8575 Jesus instructed us to ".... be wise as serpents and harmless as doves" (Matt. 10:16). So why are so many Christians "....as dumb as hammers and dangerous as dynamite" instead? I know - it's a loaded question and it'll evoke some reactions. So let me explain myself, and I'll start by outlining what Jesus was trying to say. In this Matthew passage, Jesus is sending out His 12 disciples for ministry. He's taught them a lot, He's been an example to them, and now it's their turn to show what they've learned. The context is the earliest frontiers of The Great Commission, and Jesus uses figures of speech to make a key point. He draws upon the reputations of two familiar animals: the snake and the dove. The first is regarded as wary and quick to perceive danger and escape it. The second is gentle and poses no threat. In effect, Jesus was illustrating the ideal practices of His kingdom's work. Shrewdness and innocence combine in the most effective messengers of the Gospel. The bigger view is this: these attributes enable believers to conduct themselves responsibly in a hostile world. Jesus uses another analogy from the animal kingdom to underscore this. In the first part of this same verse He says, "Look, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves...." His fuller point was clear: "Hey, you're targets and the world wants your destruction. Therefore, be careful, be smart, and stay out of trouble." That's my paraphrase, but you get the drift. One important element that's easy to miss in this passage is Jesus did not want His followers to be like the wolves. The wolves oppose the Gospel. The wolves are bent on causing harm, silencing the truth, creating confusion, and imposing their agenda. The wolves embrace every unscrupulous tactic to dilute and disrupt the life-changing veracity of God's Word. It's no surprise that the wolves try to blend in with the sheep as part of their strategy to destroy the flock. Paul had this very point in mind when he wrote his farewell to the Ephesians in Acts 20:28-30. He warned them that "savage wolves" would come, and he specifically stated some of them would come "....from your own number." In other words, Paul was drawing attention to the threat from within. Jesus sent out his disciples into an aggressive and unfriendly world that was filled with wolves, and Paul warned the church of the wolves within their own ranks. What's the difference here? Not much, I'm afraid. Against the appeals of Scripture, a good deal of the church has "conformed to this world" in stunning fashion instead. This brings me back to my "hammer and dynamite" assessment. I'm dismayed at some of the foolish and damaging claims I've encountered from "Christians" lately. Here's just a sampling: "Christians that do not support a two-state solution in Israel do not show the love of God." "The study of prophecy distracts from the important things we should be focused on." "This world would be a better place if more Christians would vote for democrats." It pains me to admit that a couple of these comments have come from established church leaders - which proves Paul's point from Acts and highlights the peril of our times. While the Bible makes it clear that matters of Christian faith clearly expose the wolves, I offer that politics may do the same thing. This applies to the wolves in the church as well as the wolves in the world. Really, both packs are one and the same since they each contend with eternal truth and with Bible-based values. They just hunt in two different territories. We'll start with politics which seems to be the more controversial of the two themes. Let's briefly glance at some political agendas which callously cross the grain of the Bible. For starters, God was shown the exit door and Israel got the cold shoulder at the 2012 Democratic National Convention. A motion was made to omit God and any reference to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel from the democratic platform. Things got awkward when the motion was loudly supported. Embarrassed on live TV, the DNC leaders waffled and America watched as God and Israel got booed. Barack Obama's "two state" peace plan - AKA the "Kerry Plan" - was intent on dividing the land of Israel and enforcing the country's pre-1967 boundaries. One of its key provisions was the permanent division of Jerusalem. Strong anti-Israel views show up in the left's base too. A 2016 Pew Research Poll disclosed that liberal Democrats sympathize more with the Palestinians than with Israel. That's a big change from 2001 when this same group favored Israel 48 to 10 percent. What about some of the social issues? Under Obama, same-sex marriage gained national legitimacy and the White House was bathed in the colors of the gay rainbow to celebrate this occasion. It's no secret that abortion finds its staunchest supporters within rank and file liberals, and it's the left that unrelentingly presses for increasing entitlements that weaken a nation. They also covet the lawless standards of open borders, sanctuary cities, and illegal amnesty. And don't even get me started on the militant feminist and transgender ambitions of liberals which seem to dominate headlines these days. Believe it or not, I have no partisan "dog in the hunt" here. I'm a registered Independent who's just calling it the way it is. Now, let me shift gears and see if the Bible has anything to say about all this. We'll start with Israel. The Bible declares the Jews have been supernaturally regathered in the land of Israel by God's design, and it states this process will continue beyond the present time (Ezek. 20:33-38; 22:17-22). The rebirth of national Israel is a prophetic event (Isaiah 66:8) which affirms God's commitment to His chosen people. According to the Scriptures, a time's coming when God will put the people of earth on trial for how they treated the Jews and for how they tried to divide up the land of Israel (Joel 3:2). A two-state solution may conform to the world's wishes, but it violates God's terms and He will judge those who demand it. In no uncertain language, the Word of God reinforces the straightforward fact that God has not forgotten the Jews or regretted His unconditional promises to them (Genesis 13:15; Romans 11:1-12). These are among the clearest prophecies in God's Word, and the only way to derive a position from them that's not there in the first place is by claiming God doesn't mean what He says. Where do I even start on the myriad social dysfunctions around which the left defines itself? The Bible takes a strong stance against the sin of homosexuality (Gen. 18 and 19; Lev. 18:22; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Rom. 1:26-28). It is crystal clear that efforts to legitimize and promote the gay lifestyle fly in the face of God. The Scriptures state that human life, from conception, is sacred (Psalms 139:13-16; Jer. 1:5), that law and order is essential for nations (Rom. 13:1-7), that personal responsibility is expected (Prov. 20:4; 2 Thess. 3:10; 1 Tim. 5:8), and that men and women were created different from one another (Gen. 5:2; Eph. 5:22-25; Rom. 1:26-27) no matter how much our culture wants to neutralize gender distinctions. It's not that committed liberals don't understand the principles of ethics and virtue, but rather-they don't want them! They've become a well-defined faction of the world's wolves which wage a constant war against Biblical standards. I feel I should make a point at this juncture. I am growing in my conviction that valid concerns stalk those who claim to be in the faith, yet choose to identify with the left. This dilemma is especially true as the left radically moves toward a militant-socialist agenda which actively suppresses the teachings and practices of God's Word. I've talked to enough dumb sheep to know plenty of them haven't given sufficient thought to these matters as they ought to. They still perceive the left as "more tolerant" than the right. They think CNN tells the truth, and they voted for Hillary simply because "It was time for a woman to be President." Basically, these people aren't really thinking at all. They sound like the world because they're "of it." They've bought into the basics of globalism "hook, line, and sinker," and they feel self-righteous for having done so. Enough about politics. Now - concerning matters of faith, how do the wolves reveal themselves in the church? The short answer is this: the same way matters of faith reveal the wolves in the world. As I've indicated, they are the same creatures in both places. But, are there any specific hallmarks of the wolves that Paul warned the Ephesian congregants about? I believe Jesus sheds some light on this question because He also mentioned the wolves in the pews and pulpits. He warned, "Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits...." (Matt. 7:15-16). Aha! Here's a big clue. Jesus says we can recognize them by their fruits - those are the things they do and say. Said another way, the wolves in the church will make the sort of choices that the wolves in the world make. They will hold to the world's ideals, and insofar as the doctrines and standards of Scripture are concerned, they will oppose these sacred matters the same way the wolves in the world do. And so I sigh when so-called "Christians" join with the mainstream media to challenge the Bible's clear values. I cringe when these "ravenous wolves" enthusiastically march in gay parades under the claim of "unity and Christian love," or when they hum and buzz with the mystics to empty their minds and "receive new revelations." I gasp at their affront to Almighty God when they insist other religions "....just have a different view of the same God we serve." I feel a righteous anger when they murmur their thinly-veiled dislike of the Jews and when they applaud the "bravery of the Palestinians against their oppressors." I have no doubt that the Word of God is under attack - inside our churches! Because the Bible changes lives when it's properly studied and applied, "deceiving spirits" (1 Tim. 4:1) are presently working overtime through "ravenous wolves" to blur the lines between what is right and wrong, to mock the importance of Biblical prophecy (2 Pet. 3:4), and to elevate any person or message that affirms the things they most want to hear (2 Tim. 4:3). I feel one of the reasons the world will not believe the rapture has actually taken place when it does, is because so many "Christians" will still be found in the churches they'd always attended. I believe this fact will further feed the unprecedented deception of that time. The circumstances of these wolves who are left behind will be used to argue that the Bible does not really mean what it says. In closing, Jesus urges us to be wary, to be careful, and to be harmless and innocent. An effective faith is one that recognizes the dangers of the threat from within. Pence In Jerusalem Ends Israel's Obama Era Nightmare - By Abraham Miller - http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=1958#lVIcCulj6xZ4v35u.99 In the tradition of giving a special blessing to foreigners who come to Jerusalem and acknowledge the Jewish roots of the city, Vice President Mike Pence has certainly earned such a benediction. His historic speech to the Knesset on Jan. 22, 2018, showed a deep and compassionate understanding of the despair and triumph of our people from their dispersion from the city in 70 A.D. by the Romans to the reunification of the city in 1967. Few world leaders have had the courage to acknowledge Jewish history in this way and to embrace the Jewish future of Jerusalem by understanding it as inextricably bound to our past. In 1871, Abraham Lincoln's former secretary of state, William H. Seward, attended services in Jerusalem's new Hurva Synagogue. Toward the end of the service, the rabbi and three of his students chanted the special benediction for Seward. It would be eminently appropriate for such a blessing to take place not only in Jerusalem, but wherever a minyan of Jews gather. Of course, as a realist, I understand in an America where President Donald Trump ironically is treated by liberal rabbis as an anti-Semite and where Jews sit as acolytes at the feet of sharia-endorsing and Zionist-hating Linda Sarsour, that is not going to happen. Liberal rabbis probably sided with the sign-waving, ill-mannered Arab Members of the Knesset who tried to drown out Pence's right to speak and everyone else's right to hear him. To paraphrase Michelle Obama, for the first time in eight years I was proud to see an American administration that acknowledged that Israel was not the source of the continuing conflict with the Palestinians, but the solution. It should be remembered that when the Arabs occupied Jerusalem, Jews were denied access to their holy sites; and all but one of the synagogues in Arab Jerusalem, including the historic Hurva Synagogue, were turned to rubble. To this day, no Jew can live in Jordan. No Arab, in the so-called West Bank, can sell land to a Jew without facing the death penalty. Who then is the creator of the "apartheid" that the Arabs and their Western progressive anti-Semitic allies love to invoke? Pence did something else the Obama administration would never have done. He acknowledged the plight of the millions of Middle East and African Christians that have been slaughtered, mutilated, raped and forced to flee their homes by the rise of fundamentalist Islam. Many Christian refugees will not enter U.N. refugee camps for fear of being set upon by the Muslims that dominate the camps. In Jordan, they live outside the camps in abject squalor. Not being in the camps, means they are not considered by the U.N. as refugees and, consequently, encounter a catch-22 that prohibits them from being resettled in the Christian West, unlike the Muslims who persecute them. It was most appropriate for Pence to stand in Jerusalem to announce concern for the displaced Christians of the Middle East because before radical Muslims began their ethnic cleansing of Christians, the Mizrahi Jews of the Middle East, numbering some 800,000, were similarly uprooted from their homes by Muslim governments. Only in Israel do Middle East Christians freely practice their faith without government interference and with government protection. Pence brings a new and sobering reality to the Arab-Israeli conflict. He has told Jordan's King Abdullah that America is Israel's ally and Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel. He deserves the blessings of the Jewish people. The eight-year nightmare of the Obama administration is finally at an end. The opportunities for a real peace based on historic and political realities have never been greater. In his address to the Knesset, Pence recited the "Shehecheyanu" prayer, thanking God for granting us life, sustaining us and enabling us to reach this occasion--only he said it in Hebrew. Artificial intelligence in the End-of-Days: Killer Bots for Gog or Dry Bones to Praise God? - By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz - https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/101584/artificial-intelligence-end-days-killer-bots-gog-dry-bones-praise-god/#BPKSCZEtX5z5qz0g.99 And He said to me, "Prophesy over these bones and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of Hashem!" Ezekiel 37:4 (The Israel Bible™) Artificial intelligence is advancing at a lightning pace and is already being adopted for military use, raising questions as to what role this powerful new technology will play in the end-of-days. Will it be a terrifying rogue combatant in the final Biblical War of Gog and Magog, or will it be an unforeseen savior of mankind and even have a possible role in the resurrection of the dead? In one potential end-of-days scenario, technology plays a destructive role for humanity. A video, titled "Slaughterbots" and produced by the notorious Campaign to Stop Killer Robots illustrates this outcome in which autonomous drones armed with explosive charges wreak havoc on society. The video is part of a campaign intended to ban lethal autonomous weapons, a concern which clearly resonates with many as the petition has already garnered over 20,000 signatures. Watch: https://youtu.be/HipTO_7mUOw Aspects of the fictitious future depicted in the video are appearing to become reality. Both India and Japan announced this week that they are beginning to introduce autonomous artificial intelligence (AI) into their defense sectors. At the same time, governments also recognize that the destructive potential of AI raises moral difficulties. British Prime Minister Theresa May announced this week that her government is establishing an advisory body to coordinate with other countries in discussing how artificial intelligence can be used ethically for military purposes. It seems that any future war, including the pre-Messianic War of Gog and Magog, will include killer robots, and many spiritual leaders are already considering how AI figures into a religious vision of the end-of-days. Rabbi Michael Laitman, a leading expert in Kabbalah and the founder of Bnei Baruch Kabbalah association, believes that technology and more specifically artificial intelligence, will play a major role in the end-of-days but not necessarily a positive one. "It is clear in Kabbalah that in the times preceding geula (redemption), Man is going to utilize the entire potential of technology," Rabbi Laitman told Breaking Israel News. "Men will begin to create artificial intelligence. People will want to achieve something similar to the creation of Man." "In the time of the geula, people will understand that all of this development, all throughout history, is what brought us to an even greater collapse," he stressed. "This will become very clear in war when we see that all of the technology we developed for man's good can immediately turn around and be used against man." Rabbi Laitman believes that the same motives of Man which led to the construction of the Tower of Babel are also in play with the development of artificial intelligence. "Men wanted to ascend to the heavens and become like God," the rabbi explained. "To do this, they were dealing with the basic foundations of creation. They wanted to fix something inside man they believed was a blemish." Though this motive sounds noble, Rabbi Laitman pointed out a flaw that turned their good intentions into evil. "This came from a place of ego, in which they wanted to take the place of God," Rabbi Laitman said. In an article that Rabbi Laitman published last Friday in Breaking Israel News, he outlined the dangers of artificial intelligence but also described a solution in containing potential problems. "Unfortunately, I do believe that AI-powered weapons will be developed," the rabbi wrote. "If we upgraded our human consciousness at least as much as we upgraded our technologies, then we would have no fear of creating AI terminators that would be capable of eliminating us. Instead, we would further our research to discover a technology more sophisticated than AI, and energy more powerful than nuclear energy." Rabbi Mark Goldfeder, a senior lecturer at Emory University School of Law, speculated that AI would, in fact, play a more positive role in the Messiah. "Some people have proposed an apocalyptic vision of AI in which Man and machine merge in the End of Days, suggesting that this would be tchiyat hametim (resurrection of the dead)," he told Breaking Israel News. He also described efforts to upload the entirety of an individual's knowledge to a computer. "Some scientists think they are on the path to achieving this and in some form replicating or even recreating the consciousness of individuals," Rabbi Goldfeder said. "This is not the traditional understanding of tchiyat hametim and not one that I ascribe to, but that being the case, I can't imagine why it would be problematic as something else entirely if it is done with proper consent." The rabbi suggested that at some point in the future theologians will have to determine whether AI should be considered sentient and human. "The line between Man and machine in the Torah is not as clear as what we would like to think it is," the rabbi said. Although AI poses many ethical and theological questions, Rabbi Goldfeder thinks that not only is this a good thing but that the development of technology was in fact intended by God to be part of Man's role in being a partner with God in Creation. "One of the first commandments we received was to conquer the world, which we understand as that doing your best to participate with God in creation," Rabbi Goldfeder said, citing Genesis. Hashem blessed them and Hashem said to them, "Be fertile and increase, fill the earth and master it; Genesis 1:28 "All these forces were put in nature and they are amoral, not immoral; what we do with them establishes good or evil," explained Rabbi Goldfeder. "Artificial intelligence has the ability to help us do incredible good." Rabbi Goldfeder believes AI will continue to be important even after the arrival of the Messiah. "People tend to think of y'mot ha'moshiach (Messianic era) as going back to Biblical times," Rabbi Goldfeder told Breaking Israel News. "I assume the Third Temple will make absolute use of every technology we have available." Don't Go Back to Sleep - Nathele Graham - [email protected] Recently an emergency alert was sent to people in Hawaii. The threats of a crazy man in North Korea had seemingly become reality. "EMERGENCY ALERT: BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL. (1/13/18). Where could they take shelter? Many of the people affected were tourists who had no idea where to hide. As a matter of fact, where could anybody hide? People reacted in various ways. Some broke out the liquor bottles, some sent messages to loved ones, and most were in a panic. It took over a half hour for the second message to be sent which stated that the first one had been sent in error. By that time many people had come face to face with their own mortality. During the time between messages, some of the people had decided to "get right with God". When the threat had passed I wonder how many forgot their "soul searching" and picked up life as it was before the emergency alert. Then the finger-pointing and questions began. Why had it taken so long to send the second message? Had there really been a missile that fell short of its target? Why was the man who made the mistake "reassigned" instead of being fired? There will never be suitable answers, but the real question is, if the threat had not been a mistake, where would you spend eternity? Most people felt fear, but was that fear misplaced? "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." Proverbs 9:10. We can be afraid of all the manmade threats that come our way, but are we any wiser because of that fear? Only the fear of the Lord can bring wisdom because only respect for Him will lead us to live a God-fearing life. Quite often we fear for our mortal life, but in reality we need to fear for our immortal soul. Many warnings are sent regarding natural disasters. For many years I lived on the West Coast of the United States and there was always the chance of an earthquake or a tsunami. Geologists warn that the "big one" will strike any day, but they say it so often and are wrong that most people ignore them. Earthquakes do happen, but they happen without warning (as I'm finishing this commentary a surprise 8.2 earthquake just happened in Alaska). Some warnings are urgent regarding a tsunami following an earthquake across the ocean. I can't help but compare these risks to our life in these mortal bodies and spiritual warnings we should be aware of and heed. Earthquakes are sudden and without warning, just as death can happen suddenly and without warning. We can't pack a bag or store food to prepare for death. Faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to be assured of eternal life. On the other hand, there is the possibility of a tsunami. If an earthquake occurs in Japan it can trigger a tsunami in the United States but there is a time interval and usually there's time to prepare. When we are born it's inevitable that we will one day die. A wise person will make plans now for life after death. A sudden heart attack in an elderly person will take their life as quickly as an automobile accident will take the life of a teenager. "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." Hebrews 9:27-28. Most of us expect to live a long life but you're never too young or too old to prepare for eternity. We cannot know when our time on earth will be done. Accept Christ for salvation now because tomorrow may be too late. God has been giving us warnings for many, many years. We can count on these warnings from Him to come to pass. Do we listen to the alarm or do we hit the snooze button? A large percentage of Scripture is prophecy. If God didn't think it's important for us to be warned then Scripture would have only been filled with "warm fuzzies" so nobody would be upset. If we heed His warnings we'll be prepared for whatever our future holds. When you die you won't be reincarnated as a person, a cow, or some other creature in order to try to get things right the second time around. If you think that you can make it to Heaven by being "good enough" or that you'll go to a "better place" when you die, you need to do some serious Bible study. Reincarnation is a fallacy, as are notions that "all roads lead to Heaven". "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." John 14:6. Don't second guess God. He has done all He can to provide the only way for you to be with Him for eternity. Unless you've truly accepted Christ for salvation you won't go to Heaven. That leads to another question. Will everyone die? The answer is no. "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 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." 1 Corinthians 15:51-52. A day is coming very soon when Christians will be called Home. God gave a "picture" of the Rapture in Enoch, who was taken (Raptured) prior to God's judgment being poured out in the world wide flood of Noah's time. This is a picture of Christians being Raptured prior to God's judgment during Daniel's 70th week. There will be no emergency warning bulletin sent to cell phones or blasted over the airwaves prior to the Rapture, it will happen in the "twinkling of an eye". Then Daniel's 70th week will begin, which will be seven years of misery like never before. The description of the events on earth after the Rapture are horrendous. When talking about that time, Jesus said "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." Matthew 24:21. Scripture warns of this time. It's described in Revelation beginning in chapter 6, as well as in the Book of Daniel and other prophecies. God has given plenty of warning, but the problem is that most people don't take His word seriously. The prophecies found in Ezekiel, Zachariah, Daniel, and more are all warnings by God to let us know what's coming. Read these books and pay attention to news headlines. We can choose to ignore the warnings God has given us, but if then we won't be prepared to explain today's news headlines to others. Christians won't be on earth for Daniel's 70th week, but we can see by the signs that the time is very near. Scientists warn that the "big one" will occur in California and even set dates. They are always wrong and their date-setting just causes people to ignore them, but one day a devastating earthquake will happen. Even more inevitable is the Rapture. Because there has been so many wrong dates set by man, people scoff at it. Scripture is clear that it will happen and the signs point to it happening soon. It may happen before you finish reading this commentary, or it may happen ten years from now. Only God knows, but it should be our greatest desire to share the Gospel with others so that our friends and family won't have to face God's wrath. Prophecy is given to us by God in order that we'll be aware of our time in history. It's an important study but most Christians don't give it a second thought. Is it too confusing? Maybe you need to study it in a modern light. God doesn't want us to be ignorant of the time in which we live. Peter saw great wonders as he walked and talked with Jesus, but he understood the importance of prophecy. "We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:19-21. The prophets of old spoke what the Holy Spirit told them to say before the event happened. More than likely they had no idea what their words meant, but they knew they spoke for God. When Daniel wrote about future activity taking place in the Temple, do you think he understood? After all, the Jewish Temple had been destroyed many years prior. He wrote what he was told to write and knew it was from the Lord. The Temple was rebuilt, but was again destroyed. It will be rebuilt again very soon because prophecy says it will. Prophecy is sometimes hard to decipher, but if it isn't time for us to understand then the meaning won't be clear. We are nearing the end of days and many of the misinterpreted prophecies are becoming clear. Many of our man-made churches have become so laid back that people turn to alcohol in times of trouble rather than to Jesus. We're living in the times of Laodicean church described in Revelation chapter 3 where Jesus is on the outside and very little God's truth is preached; the congregation is asleep. "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." Revelation 3:16. This letter was addressed to people living in the final era of Christian history. Study prophecy and be aware of news headlines and you will see that this letter was addressed to Christians living today. Many Christians are lukewarm about their faith and couldn't care less about the warnings God has given. The next event will be the Rapture. "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter." Revelation 4:1. The Rapture has been foretold since the day Enoch was taken to Heaven prior to the Judgment of God being poured out upon those people who rejected God and embraced totally depraved wickedness. Heed the warnings. Jesus gave a warning regarding the times in which we live. "But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matthew 24:37. In order to be able to sound the warnings to other people, be sure you understand what was happening in the days of Noah. Many people would have us believe that people were just really bad. They were wicked, but God had to destroy all of creation because of the genetic manipulation that the fallen angels who followed Satan were doing to corrupt all plants, animals, and people. Read what the Bible says instead of being duped by the lies perpetuated by men who misinterpret God's word because the truth doesn't feel good. Be informed about the genetic manipulation that scientists are inflicting on plants, animals, and people. Wake up and don't hit the snooze button. There's a world of lost souls who need to hear God's truth before the warnings are turned into reality. There may have been a false warning in Hawaii, but it should have been a wakeup call to just how fragile and temporary life is. "And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed." Romans 13:11. Don't ignore the warnings. Sound the alarm and don't go back to sleep. God bless you all, Nathele Graham [email protected] www.straitandnarrowministry.com [email protected] Ron and Nathele Graham's previous commentaries archived at http://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html All original scripture is "theopneustos" God breathed. If you'd like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries just drop me an email and let me know. Daily Jot: Prophetic implications of corruption investigations - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com The current investigations into political corruption have certainly heightened since the last presidential election. They seemed to flip from scrutinizing the corruption of the previous administration and the dealings associated with Bill and Hillary Clinton and their Foundation to investigating all things Donald Trump. The news media is trying Trump in the public square as if he were already guilty of wrong-doing. Corrupt people are accusing others of doing the very thing they have done, hoping their dirty deeds remain hidden. Notwithstanding, these current investigations-one by Special Counsel Robert Mueller, and the others by various committees in Congress-may have extraordinary prophetic implications. Mueller and his team are investigating possible Russian involvement in influencing the last presidential election. That investigation, however, has expanded to investigating whether President Donald Trump had any illegal ties with Russia that could have tipped the outcome of the election and if Trump obstructed justice. Mueller seems to be single-focused on Trump rather than the very obvious Russian connections of failed candidate Hillary Clinton who enriched herself with an elaborate pay to play scheme of influence peddling, sales of uranium to Russia, and her husband receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars for a speaking engagement in Russia. Enter Congressional investigations indicating that the ex "president" used a secret court established to flush out terrorist to spy on Americans, most notably Donald Trump, in a effort to undermine his campaign and subsequent presidency. Additionally, high ranking officials appointed by the ex "president" exonerated Hillary Clinton of wrong-doing over leaking classified information on unsecured email servers. The ex "president's" FBI and Justice Department appears to have a secret society that held meetings to undermine a duly elected President after the election. These Congressional investigations seem to indicate a deep-rooted, highly sophisticated conspiracy to maintain control of the government. Most look at this as a Democrat vs Republican conflict. Others view it as a globalist vs sovereignty issue, as globalists of both parties are fighting to maintain control-wanting open borders, US-financed climate control, global economy, one-world government, etc. Consider, however, this as a prophetic battle. Globalists also want to divide and weaken Israel. This ultimately encourages Israel's end time enemies, as Ezekiel 38:12 says, "To take a spoil, and to take a prey." In the last 30 years, globalist presidents have sought the division of the covenant land of Israel. This current president has recognized Jerusalem as its capital, is defunding Israel's enemies, and has signaled he doesn't support dividing Israel. Imagine the anger of the principalities and powers of darkness against a mere human who dare undermine the devil. Daily Devotion: The Question of the Ages - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?" -Matthew 22:41-42 Without question, Jesus Christ is the most controversial figure who has ever lived. He is loved, worshiped, and followed by some. He is hated, despised, and rejected by others. He is disregarded and ignored by most. But it always will come down to Jesus. Who is Jesus? Two thousand years ago, Christ Himself asked the question: "What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?" (Matthew 22:42). And to this very day, people are still confused about the answer. Maybe there has never been a time when more people profess faith in Jesus yet at the same time have no clue as to who He really is. Many will speak with respect about Christ. They will say things like, "I believe that Jesus was a great prophet" or "I believe that Jesus was a messenger sent from God" or "I believe that Jesus was the best of all men." Yet the Bible teaches that Jesus Christ was the unique Son of God, not a man becoming God. He was God becoming a man. The Bible teaches that Jesus is the second member of the Trinity. And it also teaches that He was supernaturally conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary. He was not merely a good teacher but the greatest teacher-God in human form. The Bible teaches that Christ was physically crucified and that He bodily rose from the dead. The Bible also teaches that Jesus was not one god among many but is the only God, equal with the Father and above all others. That is why the death of Jesus, and the death of Jesus alone, meets the righteous requirements of God. Jesus never became God. He always was God. He walked among us as an ordinary looking man, yet He was God incarnate. 
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 Prophecy Update is a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt - non-profit organization, and all your donations are tax deductible. 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 
|
|