Prophecy Update Newsletter
February 24, 2017
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Peace and Safety for Israel - By David Howard Sudlow - [email protected]
The LORD is faithful to all His covenant promises to Israel, the Church and His Creation. We look and pray for those promises and are quickened with faith, hope, and love. Great days are ahead in the fulfilling of the Gospel of the Kingdom. We can see God's great covenant promises coming to pass for His firstborn Israel; therefore we are assured that our redemption is certain-the Lord Jesus Christ's second coming is very near. "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction comes upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." 1 Thess. 5: 2-3 As history reminds us, the Jewish people are again in the epicenter of controversy and are increasingly becoming the scape goat for the world's woes. Also within the epicenter are Christians, with over 900,000 killed in the last ten years and Christian persecution pointing to the Great Tribulation. We rejoice that the great mystery of Godliness and the corresponding mystery of iniquity-lawlessness and rebellion against God, are coming to a climax. Yet in the midst of God's righteous judgements we are sorrowful over the lost and pray for mercy. Almost seventy years ago, on November 29th, 1947 the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution that called for the creation of a Jewish state. Since then, there has been a converging of events bringing new relevance to many Old and New Testament prophecies. Is God the Father about to send Jesus to start His Second Coming? We hope and pray so every day. What greater event could be the catalyst for all the great things prophesied for the end of the Christian era? As with all prophecy, fulfillment waits for God's timing in His step by step masterplan of creation and redemption. It is truly a progressive vision. This was true of my heritage as a fifth generation Christian Zionist. In the 19th century, my forefathers prayed for and then recognized the beginning of the regathering of the Jewish people to their historic land of Israel. Today, we see God bringing His prophetic word to a new maturity and we are called afresh to stand for God's promises for Israel. It is evident from the Scriptures and recent history that the restoration of the Jews to their own land is in successive stages. We have witnessed the first stage taking place before the second coming of Christ with a partial restoration. They have returned in great numbers not knowing Jesus and facing the evil hatred of their enemies. The next stage will be total, by the mighty hand of God and will take place in the final act of Christ's second coming. Then will Israel be converted unto Him and "they shall look upon me whom they have pierced," and they shall believe that Jesus is the Lord. Zech. 12:10 GOG AND MAGOG WAR - Ezekiel 38/39 The Lord has foretold us through the prophet Ezekiel what we have seen in the rebirth of Israel in remarkable clarity. From the 36th Chapter to the end of the book, it is one great prophecy concerning the restoration of the Jewish nation. It is in the middle of this prophecy that we see Gog coming up against them already living in their land. What is the goal of Gog and those in league with him? In Ezekiel 36:2 we see the boast of Israel's enemies, the high places are ours in possession, it is Jerusalem, and the land of Israel. The Gog and Magog War, is in the birth throes of fulfilment right before our eyes. Please don't misinterpret the current crisis in the Middle East as mere political moves. Most prophecy teachers agree that Russia will be the leading source of this confederacy of nations that will fulfil this part of the prophecy. Using the original names of nations, Ezekiel clearly describes Russia, Iran, Turkey and others aligned with them in this confederacy against Israel. "Gomer and all his bands, the house of Togarmah of the North quarters, Persia, Ethiopia and Libya, and many peoples with them," Ezek. 38:5 Gog will come up against Jerusalem and be defeated by the righteous judgement of God. "Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I AM the LORD." Ezek. 38:23 There are many other prophecies which point out that this prediction concerning Gog has more to it than just the judgment of God on the armies Russia will bring against Israel. This war for Jerusalem contains within it a description of the final destruction which the Lord Jesus Christ Himself will execute upon the last enemy that comes against Israel in their own land. The last Antichrist will be this enemy and leader of the confederacy of all nations. He will not only be head of the lands depicted as 'Magog', but also be in control of all the area which has been occupied by the four great Monarchies foretold by Daniel. The Word of the LORD is sure and modern Israel is proof that He will stand with Israel against all odds. Since their War of Independence, every time their enemies attacked them with the goal of destroying them, Israel received more of their land inheritance. Our God will get all the glory in this war and Israel will be miraculously saved like they were in 1948, 1967, 1973, and ever since. Will America and Europe be part of this soon Gog and Magog war? The United Nations and the European Union are already complicit by their actions against Israel, so it is not hard to contemplate their not escaping some type of involvement. Their leading role in the recent U.N. 2334 vote led by America is all the proof one needs. ISRAEL & DONALD TRUMP American Christians supporting Israel voted mostly for Donald Trump. He was the best choice for America, compared to a continuation of Barak Obama's policies if Hillary Clinton was elected. Many of us are thankful for the outcome of the election and believe God heard our prayers of repentance according to the 'If my people' theme of 2nd Chronicles 7:14. America and Israel have been given a reprieve from the diabolical anti-Christian and anti-Israel policies enacted by Barak Obama. Yet many Christians, including myself, have good reason to be cautious and are not letting down our guard. Donald Trump is a man of great human pride and he does not represent a revival. Those who are wondering about where Israel may end up with a President Trump peace plan should take heed. His America first and prosperity message are a big part of his populous appeal. In turn, he has gathered around him many Christians, some of whom hold Dominion Theology ideas which teach deceptive interpretations of Scripture. The main error of Dominion-ism affects how one views Christ's Second Coming. It promotes the old idea that the Church will take control of the nations and then Jesus will be able to return. Will President Trump successfully move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem and will God allow his policies in the Middle East to put off the Gog & Magog War to a later time? Mix that with Trump's deal making expertise and we may end up with a modified plan for a two state solution. Trump really believes he can bring a lasting peace. He has appointed his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to be a senior cabinet advisor with the job of brokering a new peace agreement. Kushner is married to his daughter, Ivanka Trump, who went through a vigorous conversion in 2009 in order to marry Mr. Kushner an Orthodox Jew. They observe Shabbat, keep Kosher and worship at an Orthodox synagogue in New York City. President Trump said to Kushner, "If you can't produce peace in the Middle East, nobody can." We can reply that a lasting peace will not come until Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace reigns from Jerusalem. IF MY PEOPLE The prosperity and safety message of the Trump presidency and the national stirrings within the nations of Europe are not enough to deter God's righteous judgements. There has only ever been one message that brings true revival and that is our turning back to Christ in true repentance. The truth is, the antichrist crowd is regrouping and will march with a vengeance in the near future. We the Church are not facing the real issues of our departure from God. It is obvious that many in the Church are more ready to welcome Christ's greatest imposter than our Savior Jesus. We have left the Lord and His principles and are asleep to our real situation - we are the epitome of the Laodicea church. The Lord Jesus Christ is coming "as a thief in the night" and great judgements are on the horizon for all those who ignore God's promises for Israel and the Gospel of the Kingdom. PRAYERS for THE PEACE of JERUSALEM The promise of peace and safety can lull us to sleep unless we stay spiritually alert. During this time of reprieve it is important that we redeem the time in prayer and dedication for God's work. While we pray with the spirit, we have to pray with the understanding also, and our attitude and behavior must make God's answer possible. It is sure that the enemies of Israel and the Church are not going to be silent. The United Nations' anti-Semites are always looking for their next attack. Israel knows this full well, it is never the question of IF there will be another attack or war, but WHEN? We as the Lord's watchmen must keep vigilant with the same alertness. Prayer Points for the Peace of Jerusalem:
In the Blessed Hope of the Church and the Peace of Jerusalem. David Howard Sudlow and his wife Nita are married for 29 years and live in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia where they have been raising their ten children. His formative years were in Philadelphia where he worked as a carpenter. In 1995 he was instrumental in the formation of Christians for Israel, Int'l in the USA and Canada and served as Director and Editor. He has worked with a number of ministries as a layman and traveled in 25 countries. David H. Sudlow / [email protected] / PO Box 450, Strasburg, Virginia 22657 USA 
Toward a true US-Israel partnership - By Caroline B. Glick - http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0217/glick022417.php3
In his speech before the members of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish American Organizations in Jerusalem this week, President Reuven Rivlin said that Israel has three overriding foreign policy concerns: "Number 1: Relations with America. Number 2: Relations with America. Number 3: Relations with America." There is a lot of truth in Rivlin's hyperbolic statement. Israel's security depends on its relationship with the US. After all, the Russians and the Chinese won't sell Israel fighter planes. Russia couldn't develop strategic ties with Israel even if it wanted to. Its Iranian ally wouldn't let it. As for China, its mercantilist view of the Middle East makes it indifferent to the power balances in the region. Beijing may not harbor hostile intentions toward Israel, but it will act in a hostile fashion if it views China's interests as advanced by such hostility. While Israel rightly is working to diversify its foreign ties to move beyond the narrow scope of its alliance with the US, the fact is that with or without Australia and sub-Saharan Africa, the US remains Israel's irreplaceable ally. Unfortunately, today even the friendliest US administration cannot be relied on to secure Israel's long-term capacity to defend itself. Israel faces enemy forces equipped with Russian and Chinese technologies - including Russian forces in Syria - that are rapidly challenging American systems in key areas. So long as the US remains behind the technological eight ball, Israel's long-term reliance on its military ties to the US is a dangerous proposition. Things didn't use to be this way. At the start of the 21st century, America's military power was unrivaled. From the end of the Cold War until the turn of the century, neither Russia nor China could challenge the US and its status as the sole global superpower. That is no longer the case. In a distressing article published this week in the American Affairs Journal, David Goldman details the technological crisis the US is steeped in today. Goldman notes that the US is lagging behind the Russians and the Chinese in air defense systems and technologies, missile technology, particularly hypersonic missile technologies, submarine warfare, cyber warfare technologies and satellite interdiction capabilities. To bridge the gap and outpace the Chinese and the Russians, Goldman argues that the US needs to initiate massive government-funded research and development programs. In the post-Cold War era, Goldman notes ruefully, Americans have forgotten that they were ever vulnerable, that their victory against the USSR was anything but preordained. The actual history, Goldman reminds us, was quite different. The US victory in the Cold War was the result of conscious decisions by US leaders to outstrip Soviet technology after American technology was shown to be lagging behind. In 1957, the Americans reacted to the Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik with a crash program in space exploration. That program, which benefited from lavish federal funding, ended the Soviets' advantage in aerospace technology inside of a decade. During the 1973 Yom Kippur War, the Americans realized that the Egyptian success in downing Israeli jets over Sinai in the early days of the war meant that the Soviet surface-to-air missiles Egypt fielded had neutralized US air superiority. The Americans realized that the Soviets' technological advantage meant that they would win a land war in Europe. Consequently, Goldman explains, the US initiated détente to avert a war in Europe. At the same time, the Americans began to develop the technologies to defeat the Soviets. Massive public investments in defense R&D followed. A decade later, Ronald Reagan announced the Strategic Defense Initiative; the Soviets realized they couldn't compete, and eight years later, the USSR collapsed. The Americans weren't the only ones to respond to Israel's air losses in 1973 with a massive investment in defense R&D aimed at destroying Russia's technological advantage with its surface-to-air missiles. Israel responded to its exposed vulnerabilities by developing the electronic warfare capabilities to neutralize Soviet SAM batteries. As Goldman recalls, in 1982, Israel matched US air platforms - the F-16 and F-15 - used in combat for the first time in the Lebanon War - with its own homegrown computer- based electronic warfare systems. So equipped, Israel eliminated Syria's Soviet-built surface-to-air batteries and its Soviet-supplied air force, in a stunning air victory. Whereas in the 1950s and the 1970s, the US had the domestic scientific capacity to quickly regroup in the face of Soviet technological advances, today the US's path to rebuilding its technological advantage is less clear. Since the Cold War, the US government slashed its investment in military R&D. According to Goldman, as a percentage of GDP, today US government investment in R&D is barely half of what it was in 1978. Goldman bemoans the self-imposed evisceration of America's capacity to develop the knowledge it requires to regain the technological advantage over the Chinese and the Russians. In his words, "The national laboratories are hollowed out, and the major corporate laboratories (at IBM, the Bell System, General Electric, and RCA among others) that contributed significantly to defense R&D during the Cold War no longer exist. Within the shrinking defense R&D budget, a disproportionate share has been squandered on the F-35, a poorly conceived and executed weapons system with the highest price tag in defense history." And it won't be easy to rebuild them. For 25 years, the US has not only shut down its own laboratories, it has done little to encourage its citizens to acquire the knowledge they need to rebuild that capacity. Goldman notes for instance that currently, China graduates twice the number of STEM PhDs from its universities as the US. This brings us back to Israel. In the 1980s, the US regarded the stunning technological advances Israel had made with suspicion. America feared that Israel's growing technological capabilities would diminish its dependence on the US, at a time when the US was most concerned with keeping the Arab states inside the anti-Soviet bloc and keeping the Soviets out of the Middle East. Last year, then-president Barack Obama forced Israel to agree to a multi-year military assistance package that if implemented will diminish Israel's independent technological capabilities while expanding Israel's technological dependence on the US. While the aid package increases the amount of US funds Israel is permitted to spend on US systems from $3.1 billion to $3.3b. per year, the deal phases out Israel's right to use a quarter of the funds on its domestically built systems. Obama's aid package also denies Israel and Congress the ability to initiate joint projects to meet new challenges as they arise. In short, Obama's deal ensures Israel will be incapable of acting on its own and will remain dependent on US goodwill and technologies for the foreseeable future. This then brings us back to the US's swiftly vanishing technology advantage. Unlike the US, Israel has used the past generation to develop cutting edge technological capabilities in almost all of the areas where the Americans are lagging behind their competitors. Under these circumstances, Obama's military assistance is exposed not merely as bad for Israel. It is bad for the US as well. Israel can help the US compensate for its current scientific disadvantages. Israeli technological innovations can help the US to rebuild its independent capabilities and leapfrog its competitors far more rapidly than it can do on its own today. An R&D partnership with Israel is also aligned with Trump's vision for a renewed role for the US in global affairs. As Defense Secretary James Mattis told the US's NATO allies this week, the US will not continue carrying the load of protecting the West on its own. It wants its allies to be its partners, not its dependents. In Mattis's words, "America will meet its responsibilities, but if your nations do not want to see America moderate its commitment to the alliance, each of your capitals needs to show support for our common defense." Earlier this month, Prof. Hillel Frisch published a short paper for Bar-Ilan University's BESA Center showing the utter dishonesty of the claim that Israel is the largest recipient of US military aid. Frisch noted that US military assistance to Japan, Germany, Italy and South Korea far outstrips its assistance to Israel. All of those states receive US military assistance in the form of US forces permanently deployed to their territory to protect them. Israel, on the other hand, receives aid in military equipment only. No US assets are endangered, no US forces are required to defend Israel. And the financial burden of the former is far great than that of the latter. Trump is interested in states like Japan and Germany transforming their strategic relations with the US from relationships based on dependency to partnerships by increasing their military spending. What Israel's technological and innovation prowess shows is that as far as Israeli defense assistance is concerned, the US should base its relations with Jerusalem on each sides' complementary capabilities. America and Israel should abrogate Obama's military assistance package and replace it with a partnership based on US finance of Israeli R&D projects geared toward developing weapons systems and technologies that both the US and Israel require. The deal should stipulate the modalities for both sides sharing the technologies with third parties, and their rights to use the technologies developed by Israel with US capital for civilian commercial purposes. Israel should be permitted to purchase US platforms based on Israeli-developed technologies. Such a partnership would enable Israel to ensure that its continued dependence on the US won't place it at a disadvantage vis-à-vis its enemies such as Iran, which are able to purchase advanced weapons systems from Russia and China. Such a partnership would ensure that both the US and Israel have the systems they need to outpace Chinese and Russian technological advances and develop the weapons systems they need to win tomorrow's wars. In his remarks before the Conference of Presidents, Rivlin voiced concern at the fact that Israel has become a partisan football in US politics. His concern is well placed. Assuming that Israel's dependence on the US will be a fixed variable for the foreseeable future, Israel needs to consider the best way of ensuring that the alliance will persevere regardless of the partisan attachments of future presidents. The best way to ensure the resilience of the US-Israel alliance over time is for Israel to transform its military dependence into a mutually beneficial alliance with the US. A new military relationship based on joint technology development rather than Israeli purchase of US platforms is the best way to accomplish that goal, for the benefit of both countries. 
After Syria, Hezbollah Will Turn Its Eyes To Israel - http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=1042
Israel has struck Hezbollah targets near the Syrian capital overnight on Wednesday, once again raising fears that is only a matter of time before Hezbollah and Israel engage in a full-scale conflict. Several threats have been thrown back in force in recent weeks including Israel warning Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah directly via a third-party Arab official, that any attack it may launch on it, be it from its bases in Lebanon or those in Syria, will meet a "colossal military retaliation." Nasrallah was also warned that in the era of the Trump administration, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be able to more easily garner the support of moderate countries in the region -- most likely in the form of tacit consent -- in the event Israel would have to mount a forceful counterattack against Hezbollah. Nasrallah on Monday doubled down on his recent saber-rattling against Israel and warned that his terror group would not hold back from attacking sensitive Israeli targets if the Jewish state goes to war with Lebanon. The terror chief repeated a previous threat to fire rockets at Israels nuclear reactor in Dimona and at a huge ammonia storage tank in Haifa. Hezbollah will not keep to any "red lines" in a future war with Israel, Nasrallah warned. The Hezbollah threat is real. What was once a rag-tag terrorist army of bomb makers and violent thugs is now considered a formidable regional military force. Generous funding by Iran (thanks to the lifting of sanctions by Obama), heavy weapons acquisitions that include both tanks and more than sixty-thousand rockets, massive recruitment drives that have swelled its ranks and a year of heavy combat in Syria have transformed Hezbollah into an altogether new enemy for Israel. Now, with the conflict in Syria likely entering its final stages, the thousands of full-time and battle-hardened soldiers will need a new target. There is little doubt in which direction they will turn, especially the thousands who saw fighting ISIS as a training exercise for their true enemy: Israel. Israel's border region with Syria, the Golan Heights, used to be among Israel's safest frontiers but now the heavily fortified zone looks out on increasing activity from the ISIS affiliated Yarmouk Martyrs' Brigade, and to the North of their territory, Hezbollah units supported by both Iran and Syrian regime. Once Syrian territory, the Golan Heights came under Israeli control during the 1967 June War, or Six-Day War, that saw Israel repelling an invasion on multiple fronts. Though held strategically by Israel, Israel didn't fully annex the region until 1981. Today, the Golan Heights acts as a sort of buffer zone to the North East, one in which Israeli tanks faced Syrian army units across a UN patrolled cease fire lines, but with little incident since 1973. Now the equation has changed. The Assad regime may have shown little interest in sparking a major conflict across the cease fire line, but the Iran-sponsored Hezbollah has different interests. This is not the first time Israel has struck at Hezbollah weapons shipments in Syria or Lebannon in an attempt to cut off its supply of rockets that could be used on Israeli populations. The shift of Hezbollah away from fighting ISIS and with access to the Golan Heights, Iran now has essential control of a new strategic corridor. According to Professor Asher Susser of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Tel Aviv University, "The changes in Syria have brought Iran closer to Israel's border than ever before." Not only does Israel face the threat of attack across the border with Lebanon but now also with Syria in a situation nearly unprecedented within the past fifty years. Hezbollah has sacrificed much in the Syrian Civil War, as many as five thousand soldiers according to some estimates, and is demanding control in Syria "commensurate with its sacrifices" according to a report by Kurdi-Iraqi journalist Roshun Kassem. The result is an Iranian proxy army with the destruction of Israel as its stated goal now gaining access to a strategic corridor at the North of Israel. As victory of government forces nears in Syria, it is increasingly possible that the ISIS backed militias near the border will be replaced with Iran-backed Hezbollah forces through negotiations with the Syrian government. Such a movement would further cement the influence of Iran along Israel's border. There is talk that Syrian leader Assad is also getting ready to allow Hezbollah to fire rockets into Israel from Syrian soil as punishment for it's continued attacks in it's territory. Russian air power, which shows no sign of exiting Syria, further complicates any attempt for Israel to counter these moves. Though Israel and Russia have a working defense relationship, including dedicated air force liaison officers meant to prevent any interference, the amount of Russian anti-air firepower in the region meant to protect Syrian assets still poses a threat should Hezbollah attack. Whatever the immediate result, the fact of the matter is that the Golan Heights has grown more volatile and Hezbollah, which has stated that it saw the Syrian Civil War as training for the coming war with Israel, will soon sit poised to threaten Israel across two fronts. With increased combat experience, Iranian funding and military materiel, the threat now posed by Hezbollah is all too real. 
World is 98% Ready for Final Redemption: End-of-Days Scholar - By Dr. Rivkah Lambert Adler - https://www.breakingisraelnews.com
Note: We know the soon coming Messiah that Israel is expecting, in the following article, will in fact be the AntiChrist. This means, the Rapture is even closer! Are You Ready? "Sow to yourselves according to righteousness reap according to mercy break up your fallow ground; for it is time to seek Hashem till He come and cause righteousness to rain upon you." Hosea 10:12 (The Israel Bible™) The necessary rectification of the world that must precede the arrival of Moshiach (messiah) is 98 percent complete, announced international lecturer and Torah scholar Rabbi Mendel Kessin recently. He made this claim during the first half of a two-part lecture which was delivered in a packed synagogue in Jerusalem. He began by revealing what he termed "The Divine Plan", explaining how God intended to rectify the world to prepare for redemption and why His original plan changed after 2000 years. "In the original plan of Creation, the one to do tikkun, which means to rectify creation, to dematerialise the universe, originally God wanted mankind to do the job. Not Jews. Mankind," explained Rabbi Kessin. The job of tikkun (literally, "fixing"), which was first assigned to Adam in the Garden of Eden, was to elevate physical existence into spiritual existence, the rabbi went on. "We need to create, or retransform, a physical universe into a spiritual universe. That ultimately becomes Olam Haba (The World to Come) and that's the world we will exist in for eternity. That's the purpose of man. To remove the physical barrier in order to make this universe spiritual." However, after 2000 years without success, God reassigned the task of tikkun from mankind globally to the Jews specifically and gave the Jewish people three strategies, what Rabbi Kessin called "tikkun devices", to accomplish the job. The first tikkun device that God gave to the Jewish people in order to help them transform the lower physical world into a higher spiritual world was mitzvot, the 613 Biblical commandments. These are the rules, such as keeping the Sabbath, eating only kosher food and avoiding evil speech, that govern Jewish behavior in all circumstances. "God decided that He's going to give us a commandment and when you observe that commandment, you will therefore dematerialize the universe," taught Rabbi Kessin. Knowing that all Jews would not keep the mitzvot at all times in history, God created a second tikkun device, which he called teshuva (repentance). Teshuva is a tool Jews have to undo their sins and return to God after they sin. However, knowing that not all people would do teshuva, God created a third tikkun device, called yesurin (suffering). "Suffering isn't really retribution for some sin you did," the rabbi elaborated, but a way of diminishing the physical and elevating the spiritual, which is the work of rectifying the world. For the purposes of preparing the world for the Messiah and redemption, suffering includes personal problems such as poverty, sickness, loss and so on. It also includes national suffering inflicted upon the Jewish people, such as persecution, exile and anti-Semitism, Rabbi Kessin continued. Millennia of Jewish suffering, along with Jews who have done God's will in the form of mitzvot and teshuva, have helped bring the world to a state of 98 percent readiness for the Messiah today. What is the purpose of all of this preparation? According to Rabbi Kessin, all of human history has been about preparing the world to receive God's goodness. "God created the universe to bestow an infinite amount of goodness on a human being... What God wants is that you should be attached to Him." For humans to be attached to God is, as Rabbi Kessin explains, the endgame of the redemptive process. Today, humanity is closer than ever to achieving that closeness. 
News from Hal Lindsey Media Ministries - Hal Lindsey - www.hallindsey.com
On February 13th, General Michael Flynn (Ret.) resigned as President Trump's National Security Adviser. He has since been replaced by Lt. General H.R. McMaster (U.S. Army). Opinion about the relative comparisons between the two Advisers has been varied, but mostly positive. What bothers me, though, is not the merits of each man, but the manner in which General Flynn's resignation came about. On December 29th, the Obama administration announced new sanctions against Russia over alleged Russian interference in the November election of Donald Trump to the presidency. Later that day, General Flynn, the top National Security Adviser to President-Elect Trump, initiated a phone call to the Russian Ambassador to the U.S., Sergey Kislyak. The FBI tapped into the call - supposedly not because of Flynn, but to keep tabs on the ambassador. For some unexplained reason, after recording the call, the FBI informed the Obama White House. Two weeks later, on January 12th, a columnist for The Washington Post reported on that call, attributing his knowledge to "a senior U.S. government official." The media began to speculate that General Flynn had broken the Logan Act. That law forbids private citizens from negotiating with a foreign government regarding any dispute with the United States. Passed in 1799, the law has never been successfully prosecuted in its 218-year history. The Logan Act does not prohibit members of an incoming administration from communicating with a foreign government. Such calls have been routine for the last hundred years. It was not an attempt at negotiation. It was simply communication between two officials who may deal extensively with each other in the future. Flynn later told administration officials, including Vice President Pence, that he and the Ambassador never discussed sanctions. When the Vice President said this on television, "unnamed" government officials with access to classified materials, struck again. They leaked to the press that the call had been intercepted and that Flynn and the ambassador had, indeed, discussed sanctions. On February 13th, President Trump asked General Flynn for his resignation. White House spokesman Sean Spicer explained that it was not because Flynn had broken any laws, but because by "lying" to the Vice President and others, he lost credibility with the President. Spicer said, "What this came down to was a matter of trust." Indeed, for Flynn to have broken the law, he would have had to negotiate with the Russians, which he did not. The New York Times ran a major story on the subject, using seven of their top reporters. But they buried the lead - or the most important element of the story. Deep in the article, they included this key paragraph: "Obama officials asked the FBI if a quid pro quo had been discussed on the call, and the answer came back no, according to one of the officials, who like others asked not to be named discussing delicate communications. The topic of sanctions came up, they were told, but there was no deal." This point is crucial. It confirms that Flynn did not break the law. Further, the New York Times article claimed that FBI agents brought Flynn in and "he was grilled about a phone call he had with Russia's ambassador." It's interesting that the FBI would do this, since by that time they had the transcript of the call and they knew -- as they told the White House -- that no "quid pro quo had been discussed on the call" and that "the topic of sanctions came up, but there was no deal." In other words, the FBI questioned General Flynn even though they already knew that no law had been broken. Then they mysteriously reported the phone call (in which no law was broken) to the White House, but they informed the White House that no law had been broken. But "a senior U.S. government official" (probably inside the Obama White House) chose to leak the confidential information to The Washington Post. The media then stirred the imaginary flames until the heat spurred the President to ask for his adviser's resignation. I assume pro-Islamist advocates inside the Cabinet departments and Obama's shadow government are breathing a sigh of relief today. Let's hope that relief is short-lived. What is obviously disturbing, though, is that some members of the Justice Department and the White House used their positions in a clearly partisan effort to undermine the new Administration. This level of partisanship is toxic -- not just to the new President, but to the Presidency itself and to the nation. Unfortunately, all of this is part of an alarming worldwide pattern. What's happening in Washington, D.C., is not unique. Upheaval and unrest also fill many other capitals of the world's democracies. The president of South Korea has had to step aside and place her presidency in the hands of a caretaker president. She is accused of influence peddling and awaits impeachment charges. And this comes at a time when North Korea's lunatic leader is making huge strides in ballistic missile development. And stocking up on nuclear weapons. Brazil's president has just been impeached and removed from office. In Israel, the leftist media has accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of abuse of power (again). Even the police are investigating the charges. I doubt it will bring him down, but it is definitely hurting the nation. The nations of Europe remain deeply divided over issues like globalism (Brexit in Britain and exit rumblings in several other EU nations) and immigration (Germany's Merkel will probably be ousted from office, Geert Wilders is facing new attacks by the government in The Netherlands, and Sweden is on fire -- just like President Trump noted). What's happening to the world's democracies? In almost every case, the turmoil can be traced to a crisis of character. The Apostle Paul warned that "in the last days perilous times will come." (2 Timothy 3:1 NKJV) In the verses that follow, he describes the things that will make those last days perilous. It's interesting that Paul doesn't focus on natural disasters or international events such as war. Instead, he describes individuals and the character and attitudes prevalent among people living in the last days. This passage makes it clear that the great perils of the last days concern people and their loss of moral standards. Paul begins telling us why the last days will be dangerous with the phrase, "For (or "because") men will be lovers of self...." (2 Timothy 3:2 NASB) That's only the first characteristic listed, but when the Bible gives a list, it usually begins with the most important item. In this case, "...lovers of self...." is the root of all that follows. A new book that's soon to be released seems to confirm Paul's prediction. The Confessions of Congressman X is an insider's account of the corruption festering in the Congress of the United States. The Congressman-author remains anonymous, but the authenticity of the book is apparently unchallenged. Amber Phillips of The Washington Post believes that the author is "a moderate Democrat with some seniority." Some of the Congressman's statements are extremely disturbing, but, unfortunately, confirm the fears of many Americans. They also confirm the Apostle Paul's assertion that in the last days "...men will be lovers of self...." I'm very certain that the Congressman's words do not describe every member of Congress. But I fear they describe far too many of them. Of course, Paul's list continues and introduces many more dangers that we see in our world. But his opening sentence sounded familiar: "In the last days... men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant...." I think I could paraphrase that as "Washington, Washington, Washington!" As I said a couple of weeks ago, the War for America has just begun. I think one of the most critical players in the war will be the media. The idea of "fake news" is real, folks. The problem is, it's the mainstream media that is faking the news. They feel they can do so because they have a monopoly on communication and the public will never know they have concocted stories. Recently, the Associated Press (AP) reported that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) chief John Kelly had issued a memo calling for the use of the National Guard for immigration enforcement. Other major outlets took that story and added to it. Some even specified that 100,000 troops would be marshaled for the immigration push. Some mainstream outlets implied that President Trump had already issued the order. The truth? An underling at DHS had proposed that possibility. That proposal never made it out of his department. It never reached Secretary Kelly's desk, much less was ever even sent to the White House. And, no number was even mentioned in the proposal's only draft. So the existence of an order by the President, a memo issued by Secretary Kelly, and a specific number of troops involved were all concocted by the Associated Press -- and published without question by some of the nation's most respected mainstream news organizations. If that ain't "fake news," I'm not sure what is. Remember what your mother used to tell you? "When you point a finger at someone else, there are three fingers pointing back at you!" The last days have truly come to America. Finally, we've all heard about folks who are "so heavenly-minded they're of no earthly good." Personally, I don't think that's too much of a problem today. Instead, I think that most people are so earthly-minded that they're of no heavenly good! I believe that the more a Christian truly understands about his or her future destiny and the wonders God has in store for them, the more enthusiastically they will be able to live in this world. In an effort to win converts to Christ, I think some Christians have overemphasized the immediate benefits of salvation. I agree that it's important to know that Christ gives us pardon and peace and purpose in this life, but I also believe that we need to see our lives on earth in the proper context. And the context of life is eternity. This week, I am going to share with you a brief overview of what that eternity holds in store for those of us who have accepted Christ's pardon for our sins and received the promise of eternal happiness that comes with it. And it's not "fake news!" It's breathtaking and it's real! You have the word of Jesus Christ Himself on it! Don't miss this week's Report on TBN, Daystar, CPM Network, The Word Network, various local stations, www.hallindsey.com or www.hischannel.com . Check your local listings. A NOTE FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO WATCH "THE HAL LINDSEY REPORT" ON TBN: Remember, the Report is now seen 30 minutes later, beginning at 6:00 pm Pacific/9:00 pm Eastern each Friday. 
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 
Rapture - by Grant Phillips - http://www.raptureready.com/2017/02/24/rapture/
The Pre-Tribulation Rapture is one of the most hated, scorned and mocked subjects one could address in the world today. Terry James, of Rapture Ready, once said something like, "It hits a nerve with Satan." I believe that statement rests on the very pulse of the problem. Shockingly, even in the Christian community, anticipation of the Rapture is often dismissed as a frivolous, useless waste of time. Often, those who study and share prophecy are mocked as thrill seekers and failures in sharing the gospel. I'll grant you that the gospel is sharing the good news of available salvation to all who come to Jesus Christ in genuine belief. It is the good news of being born again spiritually into the family of God by coming to the Father through His only begotten Son, the only way to the Father by the way. This is wonderful news to any who will listen and accept the message, but isn't Jesus' return for us also good news? Why would God dedicate 25-33% of the Bible to prophecy, if prophecy isn't important? Why would Jesus speak so much about His return, if it weren't important? Some will say that He never spoke of the Rapture of the Church, but I disagree and will come back to that later. Many believe that those of us who believe in the Pre-Tribulation Rapture are escapists. We just want to escape the horrors of the Tribulation, so we naively believe that we'll be ushered out before God's wrath begins. For my part, I agree with them, except for the "naiveté" part. I would have to say that I am an escapist. I want nothing to do with the Tribulation and I'm thankful beyond expression that Jesus will remove His bride from this earth before He allows one day of the seven-year Tribulation to begin. So if I'm convinced that I'm out of here at the Rapture, why do I continue to bring it up? I don't have a worry in the world about going through the Tribulation, so why should I even mention it? I'm safe. I'm okay. Here's the thing; if you don't know Jesus as your Savior, you're not safe. You're not okay. Unless you die beforehand, you will experience every horrible moment of the Tribulation, and that is why so many of us keep bringing it up. We want you to go with us in the Rapture, and not suffer the wrath of God during the Tribulation. Even though I have no idea of when the Rapture will occur, I know it will. I've always felt it would occur in my lifetime, but it may not. That's okay. I'll still be coming back with Jesus to get you (if you are part of the bride) and my new heavenly body. Folks, the rapture of the true Church (the bride of Christ) is just as real as the air we breathe, and it will occur prior to the Tribulation period. You can believe it or reject it. My prayer for you is that you first of all come to know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, then secondly that your interest in His return for us will be increased. Satan hates the message of the Rapture and he hates mankind. God created man in His own image and gave him free choice. We, the Church, will one day rule over the angels. Those who belong to God through His only begotten Son have been given a higher position than even the angels. Satan hates everything about that. Some say that the Second Coming of Christ is in two parts; (1) the Rapture before the Tribulation, and (2) His return at the end of the Tribulation. I agree, but I see the Rapture more so as Jesus scooping us (His bride) out of the way of danger. Just as you would scoop a small child out of the way of a charging bull, Jesus quickly removes us from harm's way, the Tribulation (the charging bull). "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:17) The Greek word for "caught up" is harpazo and it means; * To seize, carry off by force * To seize on, claim for one's self eagerly * To snatch out or away Satan would like to grab the bride of Christ and tie her to the railroad tracks, but Jesus seizes her and carries her off by force, eagerly claiming her as His own and saving her from the train of wrath roaring down the tracks of judgment. The bridegroom will remove His bride from harm's way before He allows His wrath to fall upon His enemies, and His number one enemy is Satan. Satan thinks he is meeting God at the OK Corral, but he is preparing to meet God at Boot Hill. I've often heard people say something like, "This is hell on earth," or "I'm suffering hell on earth." No my friends, if anything comes close to hell on earth, it can only be those seven years of Tribulation called the "time of Jacob's trouble" or "Daniel's seventieth week." That ... will be hell on earth, but even then, God's grace will allow those to be saved who will. Jesus' first coming was nearly 2,000 years ago when He came to earth to go to the cross and suffer as the sacrificial lamb. His next or second coming to earth will be as the lion of Judah. He will draw the apple of His eye, Israel, back to Himself, while He pours out His wrath upon a fallen world. Many will be saved during the Tribulation. Many more will suffer terribly and die, and then face the final judgment of God at the White Throne. I believe the Apostle Paul is emphasizing the Rapture and the Second Coming in his letter to Titus. "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ." (Titus 2:13) The "blessed hope" of the bride of Christ is the Rapture. Christ "glorious appearing" is the Second Coming. There are too many differences in the Rapture and the Second Coming for them to be the same event. Consider just a few. Rapture: Christ comes for the Church (John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17) 2nd Coming: Christ returns with the Church (Colossians 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; Jude 14; Revelation 19:14) Rapture: Christ comes in the air, but not to the earth (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) 2nd Coming: Christ comes to the earth (Zechariah 14:4; Revelation 19:11-21) Rapture: It is imminent (1 Thessalonians 5:4-6; Revelation 3:3) 2nd Coming: He clearly comes at the end of the Tribulation (Matthew 24:29-30; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8) Rapture: There are no signs 2nd Coming: There are many signs Rapture: It is a time of joy ... for the bride (1 Thessalonians 4:18; Titus 2:13; 1 John 3:3) 2nd Coming: It is a time of terror (Joel 3:12-16; Malachi 4:5; Revelation 19:11-21) Rapture: Satan is not bound 2nd Coming: Satan is bound (Revelation 20:1-3) Rapture: Only the bride will see Him 2nd Coming: The whole world will see Him (Revelation 1:7; 19:11-16) Rapture: Is a mystery (1 Corinthians 15:51-54; Colossians 1:26) 2nd Coming: No mystery (Daniel 12:1-3; Zechariah 12:10, 14:4) Rapture: Christ gathers His bride to Himself (John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) 2nd Coming: His angels gather the lost (Matthew 13:39, 41, 49; 24:31, 25:31; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10) Rapture: Only for the bride, the Church (John 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) 2nd Coming: For the redeemed of Israel & the Gentiles (Matthew 25:31-46; Romans 11:25-27) Rapture: Christ does not come on a white horse 2nd Coming: Christ comes on a white horse (Revelation 19:11) Rapture: A resurrection of those who have died in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:51-57; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18) 2nd Coming: No resurrection (Zechariah 12:10; 14:4-5; Revelation 1:7; 19:11-21) The Church is not appointed to God's wrath (1 Thessalonians 5:9) The Church has been promised by Jesus to be kept from the hour of temptation; i.e. the Tribulation (Revelation 3:10) Something else to consider during the Tribulation is that God will use 144,000 Jewish evangelists, two special witnesses (possibly Moses and Elijah) and an angel from Heaven as witnesses. The Church will no longer spread the gospel since it will be in Heaven with Christ. However, I'm sure that those who are saved during the Tribulation will witness, but at great peril. I mentioned earlier that Jesus does refer to the Rapture. This can be noted in John 14:1-3 when He tells the Church, represented by the disciples, that He will return for us and take us back to be with Him. Compare Matthew 24:36-39 with Matthew 24:27-31 and Luke 21:25-28. There can be no way these are the same event in my opinion. Matthew 24:27-31 and Luke 21:25-28 are pointing to the Second Coming of Christ at the end of the Tribulation, but Matthew 24:36-39 is pointing to the rapture of the Church (the bride of Christ). In Matthew 24:36-39 the world seems to be normal, but there is nothing normal about all that takes place in Matthew 24:27-31 and Luke 21:25-28. I have no doubt that we are right on schedule with God's plans to end the Church age, restore Israel, and judge His enemies. In my opinion, God is closer than we may think in ending the spiritual war that has been going on now for several millennia. It is my opinion that our Lord will soon remove His own and begin the final count-down to the end. I believe this is the reason that so many have been called as watchmen on the wall to instill in us the urgency of looking for His soon return. "Behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book." (Revelation 22:7) "And, behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last." Revelation (22:12-13) "I, Jesus, have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." (Revelation 22:16) "He who testifieth these things saith, Surely, I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." (Revelation 22:20) Grant Phillips Email: [email protected] 
Daily Jot: You are critical to our mission - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com
As we see headlines about witches casting spells against our President, George Soros-funded protesters and malcontents trying to bring our country down, fake news, and so on, it becomes increasingly difficult to discern the truth from fiction in the news overload we experience each day. The Daily Jot began 15 years ago to equip and encourage people to evangelize. It's a different kind of evangelization-one of telling the truth of current events from a biblical perspective. For example, 2016 saw The Daily Jot become a "go to" source for factual and truthful news that readers could use to make informed decisions about the elections. Men and women of faith relied on the Jot to report the truth from a biblical foundation. Typical of this coverage were dozens of comments from readers such as: "We foolishly accepted what was told on TV until we accidentally came across your page. You made more sense than anything we were hearing. Plus, you were saying things nobody else was talking about. We had been looking for truth in media with a pure heart, we have found it."-SR "Your wisdom in this column helped me convince other Christians to vote Biblical standards."-RR The Daily Jot also has been recognized on radio and social media as a major influencer in the election cycle. This could not have happened without your generosity. In Ghana, West Africa, your partnership with The Daily Jot is also impacting hundreds of lives on behalf of Christ. This from our ministry partner, Pastor William Agbeti: "To us, your support for the poor and needy here is immeasurable, invaluable and very immense. When West Africa was threatened with the Ebola outbreak, your support enabled us to go to remote areas to reach out to poor rural folks with Ebola prevention kits and education. Thanks to you, we also now have a scalable deep-water filtration system that supplies free water to hundreds of individuals and households. The countless lives this project will save in the name of Jesus may never be quantified and all the true stories never told. "Our free feeding and clothing programs have become a huge success, putting food on the table of hundreds, creating opportunities for children without hope and various adults to be established in local churches in an atmosphere of love." As is written in James 1:25, "But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed indeed." It is a blessing to be able to provide current events from the perspective of God's word and food, clothing and water to those in need as we continue in the perfect law of liberty. The Daily Jot is totally reader supported. We do not take a salary or receive any remuneration for this work. Your gifts go directly to assisting us in maintaining this column, the website, outreach, and the Lord's work we do in Ghana, West Africa. One of my least favorite tasks is to remind folks of our need for ongoing funding. But we do need your prayers and financial assistance. If you would be so kind to join us with a tax-exempt donation, you can do so securely online by clicking Donate Securely Online Here. Or you may send a donation in the mail to: The Daily Jot 5257 Buckeystown Pike, #314 Frederick, Md. 21704 Your generosity makes it possible for thousands around the world to receive water, food, clothing, and the way, the truth and the life through Jesus. May we, as the Apostle Paul so prayed, continue to open our mouths "boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel." Have a Blessed and Powerful Day! 
Daily Devotion: Angelic Protection - Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. -Psalm 34:7 John G. Patton was a missionary based in the New Hebrides Islands with his wife and children. One night, hostile natives surrounded the mission station, determined to murder him and his family. First they planned to burn them out, and then they intended to kill them. Throughout that terror-filled night, Patton and his wife prayed that God would deliver them. And when daylight came, they were surprised to find their attackers had left. A year later, the chief of the tribe that had intended to kill the Pattons became a Christian. So Patton asked the chief what happened on the night they had planned on killing them and why they turned back. The chief said, "Who were all those men you had with you there?" Patton knew of no men who were with him. The chief went on to explain how they saw hundreds of big men in shining garments around the mission station, so they were afraid to attack. Could this be a modern-day example of angelic protection in the life of a Christian? Quite possibly. Certainly the Bible teaches that angels were involved in the lives of God's people and continue to be involved to this present day. Psalm 34:7 gives us this great promise: "The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them." And Hebrews 1:14, describing angels, says, "Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?" In other words, God is saying that He has sent His angels to minister to us as believers. He has sent them to protect us and, when we are in a difficult situation, to even deliver us. And when that day comes for us to go and meet the Lord, they will usher us into the presence of God. 
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 
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