Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
As Silver is Refined in the Fire, part 2 - by pastor Mike Taylor -
http://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2019/03/as-silver-is-refined-in-fire-part-2.html "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. "(REVELATION 13:7) Continuing our discussion of the coming Tribulation and picking up where we left off in Part 1 of this message, we are in the middle of the Tribulation and death and destruction is all around about this planet. Divine wrath has consumed 3/4 of mankind on earth, and the Anti-Christ and his one world government has slain as many Jewish people that he can find. 14:1 "And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads. 14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth." (Revelation 14:1-3) Note the emphasis on the number again of 144,000 standing on mount Sion that we discussed in Part 1. Coincidence? No, it shows that these are the men and women of Jewish birth who have died in belief of their Messiah. Only these people can sing this song. They are the tribulation saints, the nation of Israel who have embraced their Messiah at long last and have died for that belief, much like the 12 apostles before them. They died preaching the Gospel to all who would listen. The church cannot sing this song, as we are not Israel. We are not of the 144,000 saints as a symbol of the martyred nation of Israel. Some will say, in error I might add, that we are Israel. That is Replacement Theology and Israel has never been cast away. God has not replaced Israel, just set them aside till this time in history to turn His attention to them solely, as the church has been completed and glorified at the rapture of the Bride of Christ . But God has promised that He would save ALL of Israel, not losing one! 10:15 "Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more."(Hebrews 10:15-17) Again in Romans, 11:25 "For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 11:26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 11:27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 11:28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the father's sakes." (Romans 11:25-28) How will God accomplish this? I don't know, but God can do pretty much what He wants, as He is God and because He said so, it will be done. It was God's plan so that He would be able to have mercy upon all who call upon the Name of Jesus. Returning to Revelation: 14:4 " These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. 14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God." (Revelation 14:4-5) Some say, ahah, see? It says being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. It can't mean that we arrived prior to them, as they came as first fruits. What they fail to understand is that I believe, and there is good evidence to support this, that God works in dispensations. Many Christians who scoff at this, do not understand that Jesus, Himself also, was a first fruits offering being born of the dead and when the Wave Sheaf Offering was being given on the Sunday morning after His resurrection, Jesus was before the Father in heaven as a first fruit offering for the sins of the world. The Bible nowhere indicates that the priests understood the ritual they were performing on Saturday evening when Jesus Christ, the archetypical Wavesheaf, was "harvested" from the material world by being resurrected from the dead. On Sunday morning, as the firstborn of many brethren, He was lifted into and through the heavens to God's throne to be accepted by Him as the sacrifice for our sins and as our High Priest. As Jesus was a first fruits to God, the Church was a first fruits of the Church Age, and now we see the first fruits of Jacob's trouble during the tribulation. So the church age has ended 7 years before. This is the time of Jacob's trouble and God turning His focus on Israel, as the time of the Gentiles has ended...We are the Gentiles that have been saved out of the earth. We are a people that were not His people, but because of Israel's unbelief and rejection of their Messiah, the Kingdom was given to another...Matthew, 21:42 " Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof."(Matthew 21:42-43) Paul makes a startling statement by the power of the Holy Spirit in Romans, 9:24 " Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? 9:25 As he saith also in Osee, (Hosea), I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. 9:26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God."(Romans 9:24-26) We are the first fruits at the coming of the Lord for the Gentile Age, or the age of the Church, a dispensation also called the Age of Grace. When these who stand on Mt. Sion are considered first fruits of the Trials of Jacob, also known as Jacob's troubles and will be called Tribulation Saints. This is re-emphasized in chapter 15 in the following: 15:2 "And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. 15:3 And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, (emphasis mine) and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints."(Revelation 15:2-3) Now this is not to say that some besides only Jewish people will heed the call of the 144,000 evangelist, but the likelihood of that fact grows smaller and less likely, as the focus is on Israel, not on the Gentile nations. Many who did miss the catching away of the Church will fall on their knees and beg forgiveness and accept the Savior they had neglected or refused, even having heard it their whole life. They will know they have made the worst mistake of their life, and now must endure the coming Tribulation and it will cost them their heads and their lives. THE CHURCH RETURNS WITH OUR LORD IN VICTORY As we progress into the prophecy and the events that will destroy 3/4 of all mankind by divine wrath, we come near to the end of God's judgment and John's vision of the marriage supper of the Lamb and the revealing of the bride of Christ. Until this time, the church and it's saints have not been mentioned, not one time since beginning chapter 6. Here John writes so of the bride by these words: 19:7 "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 19:8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."(Revelation 19:7-9) Then at the culmination of the great feast in Heaven, where the bride is presented in linen white and clean, one final judgment is still in need of fulfillment. We, His chosen bride, and saints of the most High, come back to earth with our Husband, our King, our God which comes in full war cry and as a roaring Lion of the tribe of Judah to avenge the earth for treatment of His people and squelch the rebellion on earth. 19:11 "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (a sign of the saints and the bride, emphasis mine) 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God."(Revelation 19:11-15) Almighty God, our Savior and King, will make short work of rebellion on this earth of the final battle called Armegeddon. Why is His vesture dipped in blood? I believe, it is not His blood, but the blood of those He has slain in divine wrath for the last 7 years. Here He will finish the slaying of unrepentant, lawless mankind till blood rises to the bridles of the horses they ride in a valley that is several miles long. This is how John described it, as modern weapons of warfare had not been invented yet, but it describes blood 6 feet deep that covers this valley. This is His final coming to rule and reign with a rod of iron. He will rescue His people Israel that have endured to the end. Matthew 24, as Jesus had said over 2000 years ago, 24:22 " And if those days were not shortened, no flesh would have been saved; but because of the chosen, shall those days be shortened."(Matthew 24:22) Near complete destruction of rebellious mankind has nearly been completed at this point, but our Savior, our King, makes short work of destroying all who have come to this valley with the intent of making war with Israel and wiping her out. Instead, they are the ones who are wiped out. 12 "And this shall be the plague wherewith the Lord will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth."(Zechariah 14-12) Israel as a nation has cried out, believing in their Messiah they had rejected over 2000 years ago, as Jesus said, "For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."(Matthew 23:39) Jesus has come and fought for Israel, as in the day of battle. Our Savior, now their Savior will deliver them from sure destruction at the hand of sinful men and it will be complete. "Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south."(Zechariah 14:3-4) Then all of Israel will be reconciled unto their King and Lord, Savior and Almighty God. 21 "And say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land: 22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all. 23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God. 24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them. 25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children's children for ever: and my servant David shall be their prince for ever. 26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. 27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28 And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore."(Ezekiel 37:21-28) TRIBULATION LOOMS ON THE HORIZON With the news full of the battle that has happened and will happen again, in Israel between Hamas, Hezbollah, the surrounding Arab nations and the Jewish people,(not withstanding Russia, Turkey, and Iran in Syria on the borders of Israel) I believe we inch ever closer to wars of Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38-39 and following on it's heels, the coming of the Anti-Christ to be revealed. Will this war ignite a cascade of events that will spiral out of control of the international community? Will the Prophecy of the Blood Moons and eclipses in our recent past give us pause of something big and startling happening in Israel? Will these coming wars bring an international outcry for peace in the region and a silver tongued politician that will confirm an existing peace treaty of 7 years? Who is this politician who will make such a pact? By our bible study, we know that this man, who is alive even today, will come out of the shadows and propose a plan for the security of Israel and the surrounding nations. Your Bible says, this is the Anti-Christ. Israel will temporarily embrace this man, to the point of believing he is their "political savior" of the Jewish nation that will propose "peace and security", UNTIL the prophecy spoken by Jesus comes to pass and confirms what Daniel spoke of in Daniel chapter 12, Jesus said: "Therefore when you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place" (whoever reads, let him understand), "then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. . . . For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened." (Matthew 24:15-16) Israel will realize that they have made a pact with the devil and reject this man as an abomination. The next 3.5 years will see a campaign of attempted annihilation of the Jewish people, because of the rejection of the AC as a "god" and he will set about for their complete destruction. Satan wants all Jewish people dead to make God out a liar and His prophecy null and void, but he will fail. Many of the nation of Israel (bible says 2/3) and those of Jewish heritage will die, for nothing else but being Jewish. And those who profess Jesus Christ during this time, will be marked for martyrdom as they will not take his "mark of loyalty and worship" in their foreheads or right hand. The Bible says it will be so and those slain will as the sands of the seashore standing upon Mount Sion Jesus made a promise to Israel to loose not one, but save them all. If you are reading this, can you say the same? If you be Gentile, meaning not of Jewish heritage or birth, have you the same promise? No, you do not. The end of a dispensation of the church comes quickly. Tribulation is at our doorsteps. Jesus is right now still at the door knocking waiting for those who hear to open the door to His call. When that final call comes out, and He proclaims, "Come up here", then time for the church will have stopped and the Tribulation begins, as spoken of beginning in Revelation chapter 6, as we have entered eternity. 1"And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. 2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.(the Anti-Christ, my explanation) 3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see. 4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword. (wars cover the earth) 5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. 7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see. 8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth." (Revelation 6:1-8) We, the Church, the Bride of Christ) are not part of the coming Tribulation, as our sins have been washed away by the blood of Christ and we do not need to be refined, as we were saved by Grace and God's Mercy through Jesus Christ. Won't you join us? When Tribulation comes in earnest it will makes these hard times we live in pale in comparison, then hope of an eternal reward in Heaven to be with our Lord and Savior becomes less and less likely. I want to repeat this fact. Tribulation is designed to do two things, and two things only. That is to purify Israel to prepare them for their coming Messiah, and to destroy all aspects of lawlessness and rebellion of a sinful Gentile nation. Will you be in that number, the ones destroyed for eternity and cast into the Lake of Fire? Don't let that happen. Make that decision for Jesus Christ to come into your life right now. Pray the Holy Spirit to guide you into believing on the Name that is above every Name, Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son. That whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting (eternal) life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."( John 3:16-18) You must internalize this within your spirit and confess with your mouth, the belief in your heart, that Jesus was raised from the dead and is alive forevermore, and is coming again, soon. 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:8-13) Tribulation and the coming refining Israel as silver is refined in the fire is close at hand. The rest of the nations will be near completely destroyed in their rebellion against God. My friend, you don't want to endure what is coming, or be cast away from God's presence for all eternity into outer darkness where there is "weeping and gnashing of teeth"...those who are will be in eternal torment and lament their failure to accept the only payment available for their sins, the Lord Jesus Christ and His sacrifice on a Roman cross for the sins of the world and all who believe upon His Name. You may only have a short window of opportunity to become a follower of Jesus Christ and accept what He paid for in His own blood 2000 years ago. "We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)" (2nd Corinthians 6:1-2) There is only ONE unforgiveble sin and that is refusing the calling of God's Holy Spirit to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus...the Bible calls it "blaspheming the Holy Spirit", as you have rejected and profaned the call of God....All who have rejected it will pay an eternal price. Make that decision for Christ right now. This is pastor Mike Taylor, praying God's salvation come into you life today. If there be any need for prayer, counseling or just a listening ear, then email me at [email protected] or visit me online for more biblical messages from the Word of God at www.pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com . God bless you, till we meet at Jesus Feet. Do Netanyahu and Putin see eye to eye on Iran? - By Israel Kasnett - https://www.jns.org/do-netanyahu-and-putin-see-eye-to-eye-on-iran/ Now that the civil war in Syria is winding down, it remains unclear if Russia will force Iran out of the region or continue to placate Israel. At this week's government cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reported on his meeting last week with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Netanyahu flew to Moscow on Wednesday to discuss Israel's interest in removing Iranian forces from Syria and disallowing any continued Iranian presence there. This is considered to be a significant development or rather, restoration, in the relationship between the two countries, as this was Netanyahu's first meeting with Putin since an incident in September when, while retaliating over an Israeli airstrike, Syrian forces shot down a Russian military plane, killing 15. Syria blamed Israel, and the incident caused a somewhat high level of tension between Jerusalem and Moscow. In his report on Sunday, Netanyahu said that he and Putin "agreed on a shared goal-the removal from Syria of the foreign forces that came in after the civil war erupted. We agreed to set up a joint task force which, together with others, will work to advance toward this goal," said Netanyahu. But Anna Borshchevskaya, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute focusing on Russia's policy towards the Middle East, does not think it will be as simple as Netanyahu described, telling JNS, "Moscow, in reality, has neither the ability nor desire to get Iran out of Syria." She said that what Moscow does want "is for everyone to be weaker than it is, and to be dependent on it so if Israeli strikes weaken Iran, it also helps Putin." After Russia's entry into the Syrian Civil War in 2015, Israel and Russia established a mechanism of cooperation in order to avoid inadvertent conflict between their armed forces operating in Syria. However, tensions have been high since the incident last September, as well as Israel's concern that Iran will establish a permanent presence in Syria. For its part, Russia has relied on Iranian forces allied with the Syrian regime to help defeat rebel forces in the country. Now that the civil war is winding down, it remains unclear if Russia will force Iran out of the region or continue to placate Israel. When it comes to Putin, 'appearance is not reality' Zvi Magen, who previously served as Israel's ambassador to the Ukraine and Russia, and is now a senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies, told JNS he believes that Russia prefers to have Iran out of Syria and "agreed to cooperate with Israel to achieve this goal." Magen said that a joint committee will work on this topic, and "probably, there will not be limits about Israeli actions in Syria." "On the other hand," he said, "there exists an opposition against Israel in Russia, as well as problems with Iran. However, I don't see any special abilities of Putin to press Netanyahu more than he has already done." Borshchevskaya noted that Putin wants to be seen as a peacemaker, "but appearance is not reality." Observing that Iranian entrenchment in Syria is deep and difficult to remove, she also pointed to recent reports of Hezbollah using a Russian flag as a cover from Israeli airstrikes as "especially interesting." Naturally, Israel will find it difficult and risky to attack Hezbollah forces hiding behind Russian cover. And while according to Borshchevskaya, "Putin's approach to the Middle East was always pragmatic, 'friends with everyone,' " the problem for Israel is that it needs Putin squarely on its side to fight Iranian aggression and the Islamic Republic's ambitions to build a military presence in Syria, in addition to a land corridor stretching all the way to the Mediterranean Sea. But this may prove difficult, and Borshchevskaya cautioned that Putin "always leaned more on the Shi'ite forces in the region, which are anti-American." His strategy in Syria is "predicated on a partnership with Iran," she said. "Moscow controls the Syrian skies and, theoretically, at least, could limit Israeli freedom of action if it wanted to." At the end of the day, Borshchevskaya said, "Putin is no one's friend but his own, and when push comes to shove, he will look out for the Kremlin's interest, as he defines it. Dependence on the Kremlin is just what Putin wants." Nearing Midnight: Life Has Become a Parody of Itself - Todd Strandberg - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ The world we currently live in is becoming increasingly illogical with each passing day. It seems that life has become a huge parody, with a host of actors deliberately performing exaggerations for comic effect. There is no laughing because this form of parody is no joke. The hijinks of actor Jussie Smollett are a prime example. He manufactured this crazy caper that he was attacked by Trump-loving racists. Smollett alleged his assailants yelled, "This is MAGA country," while attacking him in sub-zero temperatures at two in the morning on the streets of Chicago. Yeah, in Chicago, which happened in one of the most "progressive" places on earth. The most ridiculous part is that he paid his phony attackers with a check. The second most insane moment was that he walked home with the noose they supposedly put around his neck, and kept it on until police arrived. On Inside the NBA, Charles Barkley did a hilarious two-minute roast session of Smollett. Barkley didn't have 20 comedy writers supplying him with material. Smollett made it too easy for him to say "America, do not write checks when you are about to do illegal activity." The ability of the Barkley video to go viral without any competition asks the question, "Where were all the late-night comedians? The hosts of The Tonight Show, The Late Show, and The Late Late Show should have been asking if the Smollett check was made out to "The Muggers." They are too focused on attacking Trump to take advantage of an opportunity that was one of the reasons why these shows were created. Another thing that has become a massive parody of itself is the Academy Awards. You don't need to guess which movie has the greatest amount of acting to be chosen as best picture. The Oscars are political preaching disguised as an award show. If you have a black guy who is gay, he will win out over another movie about heterosexual blacks. As a result of agenda-driven voting, Green Book won the top honor for 2019. Hollywood was able to pat itself on the back for show diversity, and then five white guys got up and accepted the award for Green Book. Spike Lee is the biggest racist on planet Earth. He earned that title from years of griping about the constant oppression he received from this "white-dominated nation." Lee's film, BlacKkKlansman, was given an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. A film about a black guy who outsmarts the KKK was sure to win some award. The lucky director was not happy with his single honor. As far as I know, he was the first Academy Award loser ever to throw a public tantrum right there in the auditorium. After Best Picture was predictably awarded to Green Book instead of Lee's film, BlacKkKlansman, Lee had a fit. Deadline noted that a "furious" Lee left his seat and stalked back toward the rear of the theater. Then he feigned outrage by pacing in the aisle and headed for the back of the theater again. When he got back to his seat, he pointedly turned his back to the stage as Green Book producer-director Peter Farrelly gave an acceptance speech. Lee is such a disgusting clown of bigotry that a normal person would not want to have him around them. Because no one wants to be labeled a racist, they tolerate Lee's movies that make a mockery of racial harmony. Life has become such a parody of common sense that the makers of actual parody are frequently mistaken for honest reporting. The supposed regulator of fake news, Snopes, embarrassed itself when the company dedicated precious resources to literally fact-checking the deliberately unapologetic satirical fake news Christian site, The Babylon Bee. The Babylon Bee took aim at the Smollett fiasco with an article headlined, "Jussie Smollett Offered Job at CNN after Fabricating News Story out of Thin Air." From The Babylon Bee: "While Empire actor Jussie Smollett has been having a tough week so far, there appears to be a silver lining: cable news channel CNN has offered Smollett a job as an investigative reporter and on-air anchor after witnessing his skills at fabricating a story entirely out of thin air," the article cheekily said. "CNN producers were reportedly impressed throughout the ongoing saga of Smollett's apparent hoax attack on himself. They realized early on the facts didn't add up but were fascinated with how well the actor kept the narrative going. An HR rep quickly reached out to Smollett to see if he'd be interested in taking on a position at the news organization after news broke that the entire thing was probably fabricated." The site's footer gives away The Babylon Bee's nature by describing it as "Your Trusted Source for Christian News Satire." Snopes missed the satirical angle of the article because it's run by people with a deep-seated liberal nature. The leftist cause takes priority in all matters of life. The day will soon come when there is no room for parody. After the rapture, the world will suddenly wake up to a nightmare of endless calamity. For those of us who have faith in Christ, we have the promise of being rescued just ahead of that dark hour. "In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also" (John 14:2-3). Watchman Warning: Islam vs Everyone - By Hal Lindsey - https://www.hallindsey.com/ww-3-6-2019/ There are some basic things about Islam that everyone should know - including its view of human rights. Since Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, the country has had two "Supreme Leaders." The first was the notorious Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. He said, "What they [meaning Westerners] call human rights is nothing but a collection of corrupt rules worked out by Zionists to destroy all true religions." If anything, Iran's present "Supreme Leader," the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, holds an even greater abhorrence of basic rights. He said, "For us the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is nothing but a collection of mumbo-jumbo by disciples of Satan." He was referring to the United Nation's "Universal Declaration of Human Rights," written in 1948. The declaration is basic and straight forward. It is similar to the US Constitution's Bill of Rights. It includes the right to "life, liberty and security of person." It also includes freedom of religion and speech, the right to due process, to own and acquire property, freedom of assembly, to work, and to acquire an education. We can debate whether the UN has any business telling the nations of the world what rights their citizens should have. But to call the rights I just listed "satanic" requires a dark worldview - a worldview perfectly in tune with the Koran. We must remember that Islam is not just a religion. It is also a political system - a blueprint for government. Many of the freedoms listed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are useful in improving governments. But Islam sees it as impossible to improve on a government handed down by Allah. For Muslim true believers, freedom of religion is an insult to their prophet. If you want to see this in action, try to build a church in Saudi Arabia. The New Testament has exacting messages about God and His ways. But it doesn't tell Christians to kill those who reject the message. It says to pray for them - not stone them. The newspaper Le Figaro editorialized that Islam should perhaps already be considered, "France's prime religion." According to the Montaigne Institute, the teaching of Arabic should be mandatory in French public schools. European leaders sometimes refer to Islam as a "denomination," as if they were Lutherans or Presbyterians. Many Americans see it the same way. But they could not be more wrong. Belgium's ISLAM Party believes it can turn Belgium into a "Islamist Democracy" by 2030. The French magazine, Causeur, talked about the ISLAM Party's objective. "The program is confusingly simple: replace all the civil and penal codes with sharia law. Period." The French newspaper, Le Figaro, says it won't happen by 2030, but it will happen. "The European capital," it said, "will be Muslim in twenty years." Islam is both a religion and a political ideology. As a political system, it is infused with the fervency of religion. It is unbending and intolerant. And it cannot rest until it rules - everything and everyone. Daily Jot: Prophetic Confusion among Christians - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com There seems to be confusion among many Christians about the chronology of prophecy as laid out by Christ in Matthew 24 and by the Apostle Paul in his letters to the Thessalonians. This confusion generates responses, at times hostile ones, when statements are made such as "We can't stop the march of prophecy, but it is far better for America to be on the side of God when the Messiah returns." It matters because in Matthew 25:32, Christ gathers all the nations before him and separates "them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from goats," which leads to judgment of individuals. Some people angrily say, "What does it matter, Christians won't be around anyway?" According to scripture, it matters. In answering his disciples specific questions about the end of days, Jesus laid out the chronology by first warning, "Take heed that no man deceive you." In Mark 13:24 Christ says, "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened and the moon shall not give her light." Verse 26 says, "And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven." In Matthew 24:29-31 is the same, beginning with "immediately after the tribulation of those days" and "Then" 1) Son of man appears, and 2) gather the elect. At the time of the writing of Paul's epistles to the churches, deceivers had already started confusing the saints with false teachings. Paul wrote the Thessalonians to correct these falsehoods, saying in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, that you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand, Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition...so that he as God sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." This is very clear about what will occur prior to the gathering of the saints unto Christ: 1) don't be deceived, 2) falling away, 3) beast (antichrist) revealed, 4) sits in the temple as God. Daniel 9, of which Christ speaks in Matthew 24, is similar: 1) Beast (antichrist) appears, 2) covenant confirmed, 3) temple sacrifice ceases, 4) overspreading of abominations, 5) temple made desolate by beast. The Apostle John gives a very detailed account of the same events in Revelation. Other prophets are also consistent-Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Joel and more. Christ, the prophets, and the Apostles such as Paul sought to bring clarity to prophecy, not confusion based on man's own agendas and interpretations. I am not debating what you believe. I am pointing out what the Bible says in context. In terms of these end of the world prophecies, and the often complex "biblical" narratives and teachings that surround them, wouldn't it make sense for you, yourself, to check them out in the context of the Holy Scriptures? You don't need some guy with the gift of gab to tell you what he thinks the Bible means. He won't stand in your place before the Lord. Only you. Anger solves nothing. Just read the Bible for yourself and ask the Lord to give you understanding. Daily Devotion: God's Gym Strengthens - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. - Hebrews 10:36 Years ago I went on a bike ride with my wife and a group of friends. We rode about 20 miles away, and I was so full of energy that I passed everyone. Then we reached our destination, and I was exhausted. It was so bad that someone had to push me back with their bike. Sometimes in the Christian life, we start off with a burst of energy, but then we start slowing down. Some even abandon the race altogether. Hebrews 12 tells us to "run with endurance the race that is set before us" (verse 1 NKJV). Endurance is translated from the Greek word hypomonē, which means "perseverance," "endurance," "steadfastness," or "staying power." It's a steady determination to keep going. Sometimes in the race of life we're a little tired-or maybe really tired. And the hypomonē, the endurance, presses us on. We need endurance. But where do we get it? James 1 gives us the answer: "For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing" (verses 3-4 NLT). The testing of your faith produces this strength. It's like going to the gym. You tear your muscle down in order to build it up. Someone might add more weight to your bench press or whatever you're lifting, and you may have to lower your reps a little. But then you find you can do it. In the same way, God puts weights in our lives. We don't want those weights, those problems. But God is toughening us up. He's getting us ready for something that is yet to come. Trials are like God's gym. He's using them to make us stronger. 
FROM THE HEART
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