Prophecy Update Newsletter
February 15, 2017
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Operation Millennium Challenge - By Matt Ward - http://www.raptureready.com/2017/02/14/operation-millennium-challenge-by-matt-ward/
The global pieces continue to shift, moving inexorably towards their predetermined prophetic end time places. The election of President Donald Trump is provoking rapid change and causing hasty national realignments, especially in the field of international relations. President Donald Trump is proving to be a mighty catalyst for change; relationships are being reset across to globe. Nation states that have for so long taken for granted their dependence upon the United States are now reassessing their positions. Equally, other nations that had relied upon the inactivity of America-even in the face of overt provocation, especially during the Obama years, are coming to terms with an entirely new reality in 2017. Iran so easily outmaneuvered and manipulated the former Obama Administration, are finding that the belligerence and harsh rhetoric that worked so well to subdue Barack Obama and John Kerry, holds no sway whatsoever with Donald Trump, National Security Advisor Michael Flynn and U.S. Defense Secretary James "Mad Dog" Mattis. Iran is coming to terms with the fact that it doesn't matter how loud they shout anymore, nobody is listening, and certainly nobody is intimidated. In spite of this, and in direct defiance of a whole raft of UN and U.S. nuclear accords, Iran continues to openly and very aggressively test their burgeoning ballistic missile technology, all the while continuing in their vile rhetoric toward Israel and the "Great Satan"-America. To this end National Security Adviser Michael Flynn has been specific; Iran are officially "on notice." Trump has gone even further, stating plainly that Iran are "playing with fire." A clear read line has been put down by Trump and his administration regarding Iran. Unlike Obama, who allowed his own red lines to be constantly and very publically transgressed for eight long years, Trump and his administration will likely prove to be as good as their word. Iran's immediate response was to dismiss Trump as a ranting extremist, and "vigorously" reaffirmed their commitment to increased future ballistic missile testing and development. They proved as good as their word the very next day, testing another ballistic missile in direct breach of signed accords and in defiance of the Trump personally. Confrontation lays ahead. This path may well lead to war between Iran and the United States and this brings dangers, not just for the United States of America but for the entire world, the Middle East and Israel specifically. In 2002, unknown to many outside military circles, the Pentagon and the U.S. Military war-gamed just such a war with Iran. The war game was code named "Operation Millennium Challenge." It has gone down in infamy as a lesson in how not to fight a rogue, terrorist nation (much like Iran) if you are a large superpower with heavy fixed military assets, like aircraft carrier battle groups. Operation Millennium Challenge was an utter failure. Running between July 24th and August 15th 2002, at a cost of over $250 million, Operation Millennium Challenge pitted one nation state referred to as "Blue," which was the United States, against another rogue Middle Eastern nation, "Red." "Red" wasn't a fictionalized Middle Eastern nation though, in the war game "Red," in real terms represented Iran. The United States was war gaming a confrontation with Iran that had turned "hot." Red, or Iran, was commanded by legendary US Marine Corps General, Paul K. Van Riper, a recipient of two Silver Stars, a Bronze Star, a Legion of Merit and a Purple Heart. From the beginning, as commander of Iran, Riper put the United States on the back foot. Even though the U.S. were able to bring to bear much more powerful and sophisticated military assets than the Iranians could ever hope to, General Riper was able to assume a momentum early in this war game that the United States simple could not pull back. Unbelievably, and quite shockingly, Iran comprehensively defeated the technologically superior and hugely more powerful United States of America, in the first running of Millennium Challenge. Such a result caused widespread shock and disbelief in the U.S. corridors of power. U.S. war planners were horrified. Former Marine General Ryan, assumed commander of Iran, achieved this relatively easy victory against a vastly superior U.S. force by employing old fashioned World War II era, asymmetrical tactics. To counter the vast technological superiority of the U.S. military machine, General Ryan used motorcycle messengers to transmit orders to the front line and World War Two era light signals to launch his aircraft, therefore eliminating the need to use intercept-able modern telecommunications to control his forces. This nullified much of the U.S.' technological superiority. The U.S. had no idea the Iranians were coming. Augmenting this early advantage, General Ryan went onto the offensive against the United States from the very beginning, to devastating effect. Early in the war game Iran received a written surrender demand from the United States of America. Ryan used this pre-warning of a US attack as the trigger to launch a full scale pre-emptive strike against U.S. maritime assets in the Persian Gulf. The attack caught U.S. forces completely off guard. Using a fleet of small boats to determine the location of the U.S. fleet, Iran then preemptively launched a massive barrage of land based cruise missiles at the approaching U.S. fleet, completely overwhelming the U.S. fleets electronic sensor and missile interception systems. The results of this attack were beyond devastating. Iran were able to destroy sixteen U.S. warships, including one aircraft carrier, ten cruisers and five out of six amphibious ships. Translated into real life, such an attack would have resulted in the deaths of over 20,000 US service personal in one attack. At this point the war game was suspended, whilst "Blue" or the United States' military planners simply "re-floated" all their sunken ships. The U.S. military planners were so horrified by the outcome that they just ignored the result, reset the U.S. board and pretended that the mass sinking of much of an entire U.S. fleet never happened. To make matters worse, the military planners then changed the rules of engagement for Iran; the participants were forced to follow a script that would ensure the victory of Blue over Red. U.S. military planners cheated because they had been so overwhelmingly defeated. When Operation Millennium Challenge recommenced, Iran were ordered to turn on their anti-aircraft radar so that Blue US forces could then destroy it, and were completely forbidden from shooting down any aircraft bringing U.S. troops ashore. Riper later claimed that he was even ordered to reveal the location of certain Red assets to Blue, and was forbidden from using certain specific types of tactics and ideas against Blue, as well as being restricted in the types of weaponry he could employ. The war game became a farce because the US military found that they had no way to defeat Iran without also incurring terrible loses of their own. This was because any war with Iran would initially be a sea war in the Persian Gulf, not a land based war as Iraq was. Millennium Challenge highlighted the key strategic issues involved in America fighting a rogue nation like Iran; their unpredictability and their readiness to use unconventional tactics preemptively against a vastly superior US force. Iran effectively used the US Navy's biggest assets against them; vast and huge naval flotillas. Though the US Navy today does enjoy absolute naval supremacy, it is only out on the open seas. US aircraft carriers rely on defensive systems that detect incoming threats whilst they are still over the horizon, whilst the threat is still a considerable distance away. Preferably hundreds of miles away. Following detection of any threat sophisticated counter measures, the Aegis anti-missile system, kick in to engage and destroy all incoming threats, whilst they are still some distance away from the carrier group. For this system to work any US carrier group requires significant amounts of clear space all around in which to detect the incoming attack. In an environment like the Persian Gulf or the Straits of Hormuz, hugely busy sea lanes that are only twenty miles wide in some places, there simply is not the space required for US systems to detect and counter incoming missile attacks. Their electronic defensive systems become all but useless. The layered defense operated by a carrier strike group does not have enough space and therefore time to work properly in an environment like the Persian Gulf, so they become exceptionally vulnerable to attack. Traditionally, the threat of a full carrier-strike group anchoring offshore has always been a cornerstone of U.S. deterrence. The sinking of a U.S. aircraft carrier would likely be the defining moment when the era of perceived U.S. global military dominance would come to an end. Any such event, and then no doubt magnified by 24 hour news coverage, would almost immediately alter the entire global balance of power. In the wake of such an attack American security assurances would not carry anywhere near the kind of weight as before, especially with a carrier sitting at the bottom of the sea. In such a reality, it would then be open season on countries like Israel because the veneer of American military dominance would have been comprehensively shattered. It is naive to assume, as so many do, that nations like Iran, or China for that matter, are not preparing for this kind of eventuality. It is clear that Iran and China are both intent on carving out for themselves spheres of influence in the Middle East and elsewhere in the world. The United States, especially now that Donald Trump has become president stands directly in their way. Every indication coming out of Iran is that they know a confrontation may be coming, and they are readying themselves for it. Equally China are readying their military for an inevitable confrontation with America over the hotly disputed South China Seas. Soon a man will emerge who will seemingly hold the answers to all the problems afflicting this world. His emergence will foreshadow the beginning of the Tribulation period itself. By the time of his eventual appearance chaos will have ensued, and American military dominance will have been over turned, either subjugated or gone forever. My personal belief is that this will come about as a direct consequence of the rapture of the Church. However, I am also mindful of how very easily in our modern age it could happen because of just one stray cruise missile. In late January, just over a week ago, the US air craft carrier George H. W. Bush and its supporting strike group, deployed for the Middle East supposedly to assist in the war against terror. It is more likely and realistically on a direct collision course with Iran in the Persian Gulf. It is no exaggeration to say that in such an approaching confrontation the future of U.S. global military dominance could be at stake. Sink just one aircraft carrier and the world in which we live will be a completely different place the very next morning. Sources: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/millennium-challenge.htm http://cimsec.org/learning-curve-iranian-asymmetrical-warfare-millennium-challenge-2002-2/11640 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Challenge_2002 wardmatt1977@gmail.com 
Knesset Bill Proposes Annexing All Jerusalem-Area Settlements - by Deborah Danan - http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2017/02/13/6136new-bill-annexing-all-jerusalem-area-settlements-to-be-submitted/
A new bill to annex the settlements around Jerusalem will be submitted to the Knesset this week, the Jerusalem Post reported. MK Yehuda Glick (Likud) is advancing the private member's legislation, which would cover one-third of the 386,000 settlers in Judea and Samaria residing in communities including Ma'aleh Adumim, Givat Ze'ev, Adam, Psagot, Ma'aleh Michmash and the Gush Etzion bloc. A similar bill annexing Ma'aleh Adumim has been submitted and is awaiting approval from the Ministerial Committee for Legislation. But according to Glick, annexing Ma'aleh Adumim alone is not enough. Applying sovereignty to all the communities around Jerusalem would strengthen the capital and distance the notion of a Palestinian state, Glick said. He added that the bill has already garnered support from Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely and Transportation Minister Israel Katz. He noted that his bill comes at an auspicious time, ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Six Day War that saw Judea and Samaria liberated from Jordan, and as such this should be "the year of sovereignty." The new bill comes on the heels of a series of annexation attempts put forward by nationalist politicians here since President Donald Trump came into office. So far, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not supported efforts toward annexation, fearing it would cause too much backlash from the U.S. and international community. Instead, he favors a scenario in which the U.S. would lend its support for building within existing settlements. A group of nationalist politicians from the Knesset Land of Israel Caucus published an open letter to Netanyahu Sunday, urging him "to seize the opportunity provided by the entry of the new U.S. administration ... [and] prevent the establishment of an Arab terrorist state in the Land of Israel, and to stand for freedom, prosperity and building of communities throughout Judea and Samaria." 
The two-state delusion - Dr. Joel Fishman - http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/20165
It has been done before. During the war in Vietnam, the North Vietnamese also launched the "Two-State" formula in order to hide their true strategic goal. For some time, the mantra known as the so-called "Two-State Solution," has been presented in the media as a desirable goal, one that Israel and the Palestinian Arabs should implement in the interest of peace. Whenever one raises this idea, it is implied that Israel should make major sacrifices in exchange for an unclear benefit. During the Obama administration, Secretary of State, John Kerry, bitterly accused the Government of Israel of not being committed to the "Two State Solution," and even last week in London, Prime Minister Theresa May declared that she favored the "Two-State Solution." She asked Prime Minster Netanyahu if he were also committed to this formula. For his part, the Prime Minister did not respond directly but stated that Israel is committed to peace. This slogan completely lacks merit. The PLO first introduced it as a stratagem, and its real purpose has been to conceal their true aims and those of their successor, the Palestinian Authority. Those who launched the idea of the "Two State Solution" intended that it be understood differently by the Israelis, -- their potential victims, -- and other well-meaning outsiders who seemingly would want a fair solution to this war. During the war in Vietnam, the North Vietnamese originally launched the "Two-State" formula in order to hide their strategic goal. They adopted a strategy of phases which, by devoting attention to the intermediate stages of their struggle, would enable them to reach their goal by gradual steps. Their real intention was that North Vietnam would conquer South Vietnam, but they spoke of the "Two-State Solution," a tactic whose purpose was to disguise their aims and manipulate world public opinion. In the end, Communist North Vietnam subdued and conquered South Vietnam, and in 1975 the last Americans fled from the rooftop of their embassy in Saigon by helicopter. This was a major defeat both for the South Vietnamese and for the United States of America. During the early 1970s Salah Khalaf, known as Abu Iyad, led a PLO delegation to Hanoi to learn from the North Vietnamese. There, they met the legendary General Vo Nguyen Giap and political advisors who coached them on presenting their case and changing their image of being terrorists in world public opinion. Abu Iyad described this important visit in his book, My Home, My Land (which he published with Eric Rouleau in 1978). Abu Iyad recounted that the North Vietnamese advised the Palestinians to devote attention to the intermediate stages of their war and to accept the need for "provisional sacrifices." "Without ever referring explicitly to Fatah or the PLO, the Politbureau members gave a long exposé of the various stages in the Vietnamese People's struggle, explaining why they had had to resign themselves to various concessions, sometimes important ones such as the division of the country into two separate, independent states." Independently, in 1997 Yossef Bodansky, an intelligence analyst, published more information on this meeting. "The Vietnamese suggested that seemingly accepting 'the division of the land between two independent states,' without stressing that this was only an interim phase, would neutralize the PLO's opponents in the West." We live in a high-technology culture of sound bites and SMS's, of quick and simple communication, of one-line messages, and such habits discourage the public from the careful study of past experience. In order to understand what is wrong here, we must remember the history of this mantra, which was designed from the start to be a swindle. It began as a tool of political warfare, and its purpose never changed. Its potency has remained, because people do not know the past or have been lulled to sleep. By tracing and documenting the origin of the term, we can know with certainty that it is a fraud, and those who advance it cannot wish Israel well. For the same reason, no Israeli who wishes his country well should ever advocate the "Two State Solution." Its program means nothing less than the politicide of Israel. The idea may have been fashionable during the Oslo era, but it is still necessary to listen carefully to what the enemy is saying and what he means. 
Christian Gold Restores Prophesied Fortunes to Holocaust Survivors, Healing Old Wounds - By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz - https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/83682/christian-gift-of-restoration-rings-embodies-prophesied-restoring-of-fortunes-to-israel/#hY5oqRQfre86bXZC.99
"Then thou shalt see and be radiant, and thy heart shall throb and be enlarged; because the abundance of the sea shall be turned unto thee, the wealth of the nations shall come unto thee." Isaiah 60:5 (The Israel Bible™) With 'Restoration Rings' made from silver and gold donated by pro-Israel Christians, one ministry is seeking to heal the painful wounds of the Holocaust and centuries of Christian persecution through fulfillment of Jeremiah's prophecy that the people of Israel will be restored to their rightful place. The unique project, originated by Canadian faith leader Dean Bye, also recreates an aspect of the building of the Tabernacle, paving the way for the Third Temple as a House of Prayer for All Nations. The story began in August 2015 in Victoria, Canada, when businessman Jerry O'Leary "heard the call of God to give ten white trucks to Israel to bless the poor". He approached Dean Bye, founder of Return Ministries, a Canadian ministry dedicated to helping Christians serve Israel and the Jewish people. O'Leary offered Bye the trucks for his projects. Bye took him up on the offer and used the trucks to travel around Canada on a 60-day, 100-stop journey to collect donations. Rather than money, Bye had the idea to request donations of gold and silver. Initially, Bye imagined people donating old jewelry they no longer needed or wanted, odd trinkets broken or out of fashion. But the response was very different than he expected. "The first night we were shocked when we witnessed people giving their most precious objects: heirlooms, many husbands and wives giving their wedding bands from off their fingers saying they wanted to stand with the covenant of God of Abraham," Bye told Breaking Israel News. "This happened in every place we stopped." Each piece of jewelry was a personal gift with a unique and personal story of Christian love for the Jewish people. At the end of the tour, the value of the donated gold and silver was an astonishing $2 million. "We walked away not knowing what to do," Bye said. "How could you take such heartfelt gifts and just melt it down to sell for money?" Rather than turn the precious metals into cash, Bye's ministry used the donated gold and silver to create what they called 'Restoration Rings.' Intended as gifts to Jews in Israel, the rings were engraved with a Hebrew verse from Jeremiah. For, lo, the days come, saith Hashem, that I will turn the captivity of My people Yisrael and Yehudah, saith Hashem; and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it. Jeremiah 30:3 Many Christian Bibles translate this verse differently, turning the emphasis on returning the 'fortunes' of the Jewish people, which is what the gift was intended to embody. For behold, days are coming, declares the LORD, 'when I will restore the fortunes of My people Israel and Judah. 'The LORD says, I will also bring them back to the land that I gave to their forefathers and they shall possess it.' Bye took the literal interpretation of the verse to the Holy Land, organizing a group to bring the rings to Israel. In several ceremonies, the group gave them as gifts to pioneers of the land of Israel, many of whom were survivors of the Holocaust. "We wanted to stand with them and bless them, and the ring was a symbol of that," said Bye. "We wanted to comfort them, to bring a measure of healing to their infinitely deep wounds, and I think we did." The comfort directly addressed the horrors those survivors experienced in the Nazi camps. In Birkenau, a subcamp of the infamous Auschwitz concentration camp, the Nazis established a group of barracks referred to as 'Canada', named for the country that, at that time, symbolized vast wealth and bounty. All of the belongings and precious items seized from the new arrivals were taken to those barracks to be sorted before shipping to Germany. "In addition to the horrors of the mass murders, the Holocaust was the greatest robbery in history," Bye said. "Even though Canada was certainly not to blame, this was a way we, as Canadians, could redeem our name." The gift touched the hearts of the survivors by bringing a modicum of healing to a common Holocaust trauma: being violently stripped of their jewelry and belongings by Nazis. "Many of the Holocaust survivors told us how their rings were torn from their hands as they entered the camps," Bye told Breaking Israel News. "They told us that having a Christian place a ring on their finger in love restored so much." Bye compared the gifts of personal jewelry to the women of Israel giving their brass mirrors to the tabernacle. And he made the laver of brass, and the base thereof of brass, of the mirrors of the serving women that did service at the door of the tent of meeting. Exodus 38:8 "I am waiting for something to happen to point towards the rebuilding of the Temple," Bye said. "I want to see the gold and silver go there." 
Nearing Midnight: George Soros: The Devil's Money Man - Todd Strandberg - http://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/
A light read of the Wikipedia Bio for multi-billionaire hedge fund tycoon George Soros would paint him as a kind old philanthropist. After making a fortune speculating on currency and stocks, he now spends most of his time giving money to a host of charities. In reality, Soros is one of the most evil men alive. The first thing that needs to be known about Soros is the sinister role he played in World War II. When he was a young man in Nazi occupied Hungary, he participated in the confiscation of Jewish property. The Nazi official farmed out the dirty task of rounding-up Jews to locals. Soros knew that the people whose belongings he was helping to steal were being murdered. In a 1998 interview with CBS' Steve Kroft, Soros admitted having no remorse over his actions in WWII: Well, of course I could be on the other side or I could be the one from whom the thing is being taken away. But there was no sense that I shouldn't be there, because that was-well, actually, in a funny way, it's just like in markets-that if I weren't there-of course, I wasn't doing it, but somebody else would-would-would be taking it away anyhow. And it was the-whether I was there or not, I was only a spectator, the property was being taken away. So the-I had no role in taking away that property. So I had no sense of guilt. Soros is clearly a sociopath because he used these same heartless ethics to build up his wealth. Most investors earn capital gains by buying stock in companies that grow in size. Soros mostly makes his profits by selling things short. He would often trigger a crash by talking down a nation's currency. Soros is known as "The Man Who Broke the Bank of England" because of his short sale of $10 billion worth of Pound sterling, making him a profit of $1 billion during the 1992 UK currency crisis. He played a key role in the 1997 Asian financial crisis. As the currency of one country after another would come under strain from their nation's debts, Soros repeated what he did with the British pound. Millions of people had their lives ruined while Soros was raking in billions of dollars from his short sales. Soros will occasionally give money for projects that benefit people, but the vast majority of his donations go to causes that do more harm than good. In the U.S., he has given money to Moveon.org, Black Lives Matters and various leftist think tanks. He supports groups that promote street riots and the disruption of political events. He gave $33 million to fund riots in Ferguson, Missouri. At last month's so-called Woman's Rally, 50 of the speakers was on George Soros payroll. Europe's migrant crisis has Soros's fingerprints all over it. The billionaire wants to use open borders as a tool for changing the political landscape of Europe. Leaked documents from Soros' think-tank have revealed that rising xenophobia and hostility toward migrants are part of his plan to bring about global governance. The Democratic Party received a huge amount of money from PACs that Soros controls. He had placed large bets on Hillary Clinton. Records show that Soros supported a few Republican candidates, giving money to Paul Ryan, Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, John McCain, John Kasich, and Lindsey Graham in 2016. Some nations are starting to wise up to Soros. Russia was the first to call out Soros for his interference in Russian politics. Soros' Open Society Institute and Foundation had a plan to destabilize Russia, which was dubbed the "Russia Project." In November 2015, the Russian Prosecutor-General's office announced the proscription of the Soros organization for endangering Russia's constitutional order and national security. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has become a major foe of Soros. He now leads the anti-Soros groundswell in Europe. Orban is pushing to have all non-governmental organizations (NGOs) backed by Soros expelled from Europe. I don't have much hope for Soros ever becoming a political pariah. The liberal media will never speak ill of him, and politicians are always in need of money-even from a Nazi collaborating war criminal. George Soros will continue to hand out checks to groups and individuals who share his globalist view. Since time is short, there is a high chance that the beast of Revelation is on his contribution list. "And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:5-8). 
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 
How Do We Identify a False Prophet? - Nathan Jones - www.lamblion.com
The ultimate challenge in spiritual discernment is to put to the test those people who claim they are, as the Apostle Peter described, "holy men of God who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit" (2 Peter 1:21). Did they really receive messages from God about the future? Let's find out! First, there are the rules. No prophetic predictions can be considered that are open-dated, meaning prophecies that have no certain time frame in order to be fulfilled. None of the prophecies can be self-fulfilling. And, none of the prophecies can be dependent upon conditions. Only prophetic predictions that are close-dated and unconditional can be accepted as true prophecy. Signs of the End Times Jesus in His Olivet Discourse warned that in the end times false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive. Three times in Matthew 24 Jesus made that warning. Therefore, Jesus' number one sign that would point to His soon return was that there would be a proliferation of false prophets. He warned, "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves" (Matthew 7:15). These false prophets would multiply as the Church fell deeper into spiritual apathy (Revelation 3:14-22). The Apostle Paul described this as a time when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3). Put to the Test Moses provided the test. A true prophet can be distinguished from a false prophet based on the accuracy of their prophecies. "You may say to yourselves, 'How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?' If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him" (Deuteronomy 18:21-22). Therefore, a prophet of God has to be accurate 100% of the time. By Any Other Name Besides the test of a prophet's predictions having to come true 100% of the time, a second test was provided by the Apostle John (1 John 4:1-3). In order to test the spirits, so to speak, the prophet has to acknowledge that for Jesus Christ to have come from God, He must have first come in the flesh. A true follower of Jesus acknowledges that the Son of God came to earth as a man in the flesh. Potpourri There are other types of tests that can be given to discern a false prophet. Notice if: 1. The prophet also speak in the name of Allah or Maitreya or Vishnu, and not necessarily the God of the Bible (Deuteronomy 13:1-3). 2. The prophet tells you that you can be saved by putting your faith in people other than Jesus, such as Mary, the mother of Jesus (Galatians 1:8). 3. The prophet lives a sinful life not committed to holiness (Jeremiah 23:14-15). 4. The prophet's followers are motivated by worldly living and do not produce spiritual fruit (Matthew 7:15-16,18; Galatians 5:22-23). 5. The prophet focuses on self-aggrandizing visions about personal trips back and forth to Heaven and Hell (Colossians 2:18). 6. The prophet never talks about sin or makes a call for repentance (Jeremiah 23:16-17). 7. The prophet appears greedy for money (Jeremiah 8:10-11). 8. The prophet focuses on himself or the Antichrist or the sensational, and not on Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:10). Potent Potables Now let's put a prophet to the test! Look at the picture below of a modern-day prophet. Using the tests, we've covered, identify whether he is a true or false prophet. Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints, better known as the Mormons. He added a whole other book to the Bible, calling it the Book of Mormon. Sure, he acknowledged that Jesus came in the flesh, but claimed that Jesus was the spirit brother of Satan! He claimed that one day we are all going to become gods. He had even made a number of dated prophetic predictions about men going on mission trips that never happened, churches to be built that never were, described battles which never took place, and even claimed the Native Americans were Jews, which they are not. Using those biblical tests, you surely were able to spot a fox in the hen house with Joseph Smith. The tests can also be used for other so-called prophets. For example, there was Charles Taze Russell who founded the Jehovah's Witnesses. He prophesied the world would end in 1914. Then there was Jeane Dixon, a psychic lady who proclaimed a woman would become president in the 1980s. And don't forget the three dates Harold Camping predicted Jesus would be coming back. So, remember, follow these simple tests and you too can identify a false prophet and become a champion of spiritual discernment! 
Daily Jot: Flynn ouster is a disturbing sign - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com
Before Donald Trump was elected there were many concerns about the leaks in the US national security and intelligence system. Hillary Clinton is a living testimony with her web of trading classified information for money and influence peddling using her State Department position. But the leaking of sensitive information during the previous Administration goes far deeper than that. The ex-"president" appointed so many people that are loyal to his Marxist Islamist globalist agenda that they are able to spy on the members of the new Trump Administration in efforts to sabotage it and undermine it. The firing of Acting Attorney General Sally Yates was an example. National Security Advisor Michael Flynn may be another. Whether Flynn misled President Trump about conversations with the Russian Ambassador, Trump dismissed Flynn and has handled that element of mistrust. The real problem here is the network within the federal government that is working to undermine the Trump presidency. These agencies are populated with holdovers from the previous administration. The conversations between the Russian Ambassador and Flynn occurred before Trump took office. Information swirling around Flynn's conversations was being leaked by internal intelligence sources to friends in the news media, which in turn, allowed Democrats to publicly question if Trump was trying to mislead the American people about his ties to Russia. Remember, Russia was the Democratic Party's ghost source of all US intelligence problems during the election. Quoting unnamed sources in the intelligence community, the Wall Street Journal alleged that Flynn's conversations were secretly recorded by operatives of the previous Administration, who claimed that Flynn spoke of easing the sanctions the then "lame duck president" levied on Russia. This information is still in debate. Enter Acting Attorney General Sally Yates who scurried over to FBI Director James Comey wanting immediate action. Yates was later fired for instructing the Justice Department not to enforce Trump's executive order temporarily banning immigrants and refugees from terrorist sponsoring states. There is a pattern here: Russia, unnamed intelligence sources, news media spin, holdovers from the previous Administration undermining the current Administration, leftist politicians sowing distrust through insinuation. The disturbing sign is more than what Flynn said to calm US-Russian relations during transition before Trump took office, but that deep in the circles of America's intel operations are rogue operatives spying on new Administration appointees, developing deadly narratives, and leaking this information to a news media eager to undermine Trump before assimilating the truth. Then the politics of division takes its course. The circumstances surrounding Flynn are more disturbing evidence that the ex-"president" is fomenting rebellion. It's his organization, operatives, and progressive stalwarts who are carrying out the revolution. Much deception is in the air. As Jesus said in Matthew 24:4, "Take heed that no man deceive you." 
Daily Devotion: The Big Issue Is Eternity - Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. -Acts 20:27 How hard it must be for a doctor to tell a family who is anxiously awaiting news on the condition of a loved one, "I'm sorry. He didn't make it." How hard it must be to say to someone who just had a medical test, "I'm sorry, but you have cancer." Yet a doctor must tell the truth. In the same way, it is hard at times to deliver the whole message of the gospel. The apostle Paul said he had not failed to declare the whole counsel of God. When we share the gospel, we like to say things like, "God loves you. He will give you peace, joy, forgiveness, and the hope of Heaven if you will receive Jesus Christ into your life." But we avoid using the words Hell or judgment because we're afraid people will get offended. However, the word gospel means "good news." And before I can fully appreciate the good news, I need to fully know the bad news. Jesus did not come to this earth to be an additive in our lives. Jesus did not come just to give us warm, fuzzy emotional feelings. He primarily came to deliver us from an eternal judgment in Hell, and things like happiness, peace, and joy are fringe benefits. The big issue is eternity. We must not be afraid to tell people the truth-the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help us God. We have a message to share, and it isn't always an easy one. God loves humanity. He is ready to forgive humanity. But if people reject His loving offer, then they seal their own fate and secure their judgment. And if we are going to be faithful to declare the whole counsel of God, then we must tell people that. 
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 
|
|