Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
All Things Prophecy: Vol. IV - By Pete Garcia - http://rev310.com/2019/03/all-things-prophecy-vol-iv
Why Prophecy Matters I am going to begin this article with a reasonable presumption, in that; I believe Satan has read the bible. He may not believe its precepts, or accept its outcomes, but I believe he is well versed in it (Luke 4:10-11). He would have to be well versed in it, in order to misquote and attempt to corrupt its message. This leads me into the discussion at hand, primarily, that a proper understanding of Bible Eschatology is vital to both the believer's spiritual and physical well-being. Not only that, but because of its perceived difficulty in understanding it, it is one of the most ignored of all biblical doctrines. This is something our enemy eagerly exploits. As the old maxim goes, it's not what you know that is often a matter of life and death; it is what you don't. Humans are not just physical beings only made of flesh and blood, we are tripartite creatures (1 Thess. 5:23). The world is also not just, what we can perceive with our five senses, but also what we cannot see, feel, touch, etc. (2 Cor. 4:18). In fact, much of the problems the world has ever faced was ideological in nature. Whether people fight over politics or economics, religion or lack thereof, flawed man's propensity to think, "what is best?" is often what is the chief cause of his demise (Prov. 14:12). Adding to this is the general rise in ignorance over the past century. In part, this was a deliberate attempt be political leftists who have gained control over much of the education system to "dumb down" the masses. While true ignorance is a risky thing, being in a state of willful ignorance can be downright precarious. Let us explore two categories of what I deem, the willfully ignorant. The Deniers Free thinkers (aka...atheists, skeptics) like to think of themselves as unburdened and enlightened having thrown off the "shackles" of organized religion. In reality, they are setting themselves on a path of self-destruction as foretold in Scripture (Rom. 1:16-32). The old adage of if you don't believe in something, you'll believe in anything couldn't be any truer. If you deny that a Higher Power of supreme intelligence created the world, you will likely accept that an accidental, unprovoked giant explosion did. If you do not believe God created man in His image, you will likely believe we evolved from swamp slime. Furthermore, skeptics accusations of Christian's being brainwashed and backwards, rings hollow when simply looking at the complexity of our bodies, the world, and the systems that hold everything in place. Our existence could not be accidental. Too many things are precisely correct for all of this to be happenstance. In terms of enlightenment, the credit really goes to those early 14th-century Christian dissidents (ex. Wycliffe, Huss, etc.) who dared to challenge the Roman Catholic Church (RCC). Their role helped in diminishing the power of the Catholic Church. Furthermore, the 15th-century Reformers further weakened and succeeded in breaking up the monopoly the RCC had over Christendom in Western Europe. Their boldness in challenging the iron-fisted grip of the Catholic Church centuries before the Age of Enlightenment is what allowed the spark of change to begin to occur throughout Europe. IOW, the enlightenment could not have happened had not the Reformers (and their predecessors) begun to break away from the Roman Catholic oligarchy of the 14th-16th centuries. The Religious While skeptics, atheists, agnostics, flat-earthers, etc., are all in the same category of denying the painfully obvious, this group is the other side of the same coin. This group attributes religion (take your pick) with enlightenment and/or salvation. Religion of every stripe and flavor has been practiced throughout the earth since the beginning of time. From ancient Judaism, Canaanite, Minoan, Zoroastrian, Ashur religions, to the Buddhists, Hindus, Satanist, Pagan, and Christian religions of modern times. Religion of any kind cannot save you. Religion simply defined, is man's attempt to appease a higher power through rites, rituals, dogma, and services. Religion can make people do and believe very stupid things. Many of us would consider ourselves religious to varying degrees, but I am not addressing the born-again believers who hold to religious practices and views. I am addressing those who are not born-again, and simply view whatever their religion is as sufficient for salvation. Skeptics love to point to the atrocities committed by the RCC in years past, as proof that Christianity has failed humanity. They ignorantly lump Christianity into religion as if attending church services were how someone becomes saved. I always counter (as should you), that Roman Catholicism is not Christian. It calls itself that, and perhaps some are born-again who still reside inside that system, but the system itself is not. When you look at the tenets Roman Catholicism holds too, you would see it is just another works-based religion. Christianity is a grace through faith-based relationship with the Creator of the Universe. One can make you a moral person (theoretically), while the latter, can save to the uttermost even the most wretched of sinners. Assessment Not only is ignorance a dangerous thing, but Biblical ignorance is equally hazardous, especially in a topic as expansive as Eschatology, (which makes up nearly 30% of the Bible). So here are some real life examples of people who did not understand their Bible very well. During the 20th-century, more than 100M people were murdered under the atheistic regimes of the Soviet Union, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, and North Korea. They replaced God with government, and created a theological worldview where there was no God, no afterlife, and thus, no divine judgment. Theology matters! Skeptics often accuse Christians of past atrocities and are quick to point out the Crusades and the Inquisition as evidence. Is this a fair charge? What justification was there for the Crusades (1195-1291) which hundreds of thousands were killed in the name of Jesus Christ? At the root of the cause for the Crusades, was the flawed eschatological position known as Amillennialism. Augustine of Hippo first created this eschatology back in the 4th-century as a replacement for the original pre-millennial position. Similar to how Communism replaced God with government, Amillennialism replaced the Kingdom of God with the kingdom of the Catholic Church. Amillennialism (the a being used in the negative) posits that despite what Scriptures say (Rev. 20, Isaiah 2, 66, etc.) that there was no literal, future, Christ-centric Kingdom coming to the earth. The Roman Catholic's position then was that they were the fulfillment of the Kingdom (headed by the papacy), and that it was their "duty" to reclaim the Holy Lands from the infidels (Muslims and Jews), and force people into Christendom. Nowhere in scriptures does it charge the church to do this. Hermeneutics matter! Faulty/erroneous hermeneutics can cost you your life and/or everything you own, especially if you buy into false doomsday predictions. Just look at those people who diligently followed Jim Jones (the People's Temple), David Koresh (Branch Davidians), Harold Camping (Family Radio), or Marshall Applewhite (Heaven's Gate). Each of these groups had very flawed understandings of the Bible, and in particular, Bible prophecy. Eschatology matters! Although I do not consider Eschatology in and of itself to be a salvific issue, I am hard pressed to believe that the Holy Spirit can indwell a full-Preterist or an Amillennialist devotee. Primarily, because although Eschatology is not in and of itself salvific, it is deeply interwoven into the other major bible doctrines. Therefore, one's eschatological view is often a weathervane for what a believer, believes regarding other major bible doctrines. Amillennialism and Preterism are so corrupt and extreme in their denial of Biblical truth that if one could adopt them (or either); they probably have no issue in denying other foundational spiritual truths. With that said, I am not saying it is impossible for one to be a born again Christian and still hold these views; I personally just find it very hard to believe that they could. Loss of credibility can be devastating to one's ministry or denomination, especially given that most ministries are based on the financial support of their followers. The Bible only teaches one Eschatological position (the Pre-70th Week Rapture, Pre-Millennial view). Any variant outside of this is therefore doomed to failure. See what WWI and WWII did to the Post-Millennial position. See what damage the Amillennial position has done to whole denominations (primarily mainline protestant denominations). See how Amillennialism and Preterism has wreaked havoc upon the Catholic Church worldview. Churches, who promote either the Preterist or the Amillennial view, are without fail, are either DYING on the vine or apostatizing. Let me sum up what that last point by a comparison to atheism. Atheism offers nothing and takes everything Likewise, Amillennialism and Preterism offers nothing and takes everything from the believer. As shown above, having an accurate understanding of theology, hermeneutics, and eschatology matters. For instance: Ecclesiology: If you believe the Church must go through the 70th Week of Daniel, then your understanding of the Church is confused or warped. You likely believe either that there is no coming judgment, or that the church is destined to go through it. The reason for this is that if you do not understand whom and what the Church is, you will most likely come to some conclusion that the Church has either replaced, or has become Israel. This is the Church:
Soteriology: If you believe that the Church must go through any of the judgments outlined in Revelation 4-18, it is almost a foregone conclusion that you also deny the eternal security of the believer. This denial means you believe either that Christ's sacrifice was insufficient to pay for your sins, or insufficient to keep you saved.
Pneumatology: If you believe the Church must go through the 70th Week (aka...The Tribulation), then you would also have to deny the role of the Holy Spirit as the Restrainer (2 Thess. 2:7). In layman's terms, the Bible teaches very clearly that the Holy Spirit is God, and has always existed on earth throughout our history. That is to say, He (the HS) was very busy on the earth prior to His arrival to the Church in Acts 2. The HS performed differing roles, from the "energizer" at creation, to the "enabler" during the Old Testament times. The Holy Spirit would come upon and empower certain individuals for periods of time (ex. Samson, Saul, David), but it was only ever to select individuals, and it was not a permanent indwelling. In the post-Acts 2 Church age, the Holy Spirit's role is to permanently seal the believer (Eph. 1:11-14, 4:30), guide the believer into all truth (John 16:13), and convict the world of sin (John 16:8). What Paul posits in 2 Thessalonians 2, is that the man of sin (i.e., the Antichrist) cannot be revealed UNTIL the Restrainer is removed (2:8), which is to say, the vessels the Holy Spirit indwells. I fully understand God the Holy Spirit is omniscient and omnipresent, so I am not saying the Holy Spirit is physically removed from the earth. What Paul is saying here, is that in His present role of sealing the Church and convicting the world of sin, this particular role is what is removed. This allows for the floodgates of hell to be opened upon the earth during this final week of years.
The removal of the role of the Holy Spirit (as restrainer) is just as necessary, as it was necessary to reboot (for lack of a better term) the Holy Spirit's role from the Old Testament era, to that of Acts 2 and beyond. (Luke 24:29, John 16:7, Acts 2:1-4) Conclusion As Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 13:12, we currently see in the glass darkly, having a partial understanding of all that is yet to come. None of us has it perfectly figured out. However, the Holy Spirit can guide us into all truth, if we allow Him too. This means taking the Bible at face value, (literally), and keeping passages in their proper context (grammatically and historically). Just remember, that while the whole the Bible is written for us, it is not necessarily all written to us. While having an incorrect Eschatology often has real-world ramifications, it is usually indicative of other errors in your biblical hermeneutics. The grace of God in all this is that the Rapture of the Church is going to happen regardless of our individual eschatological persuasions, and will correct all these issues the church is currently facing, instantaneously. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed-in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 Even so, Maranatha! Palestinian Attempt to Conquer the Temple Mount With Corpses - By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz - www.breakingisraelnews.com You must not let his corpse remain on the stake overnight, but must bury him the same day. For an impaled body is an affront to Hashem: you shall not defile the land that Hashem your God is giving you to possess." Deuteronomy 21:23 (The Israel Bible™) While the world watches tensions grow on the Temple Mount a side aspect of the conflict is going unnoticed, a "war" for the Temple Mount that is being fought with dead bodies. On Tuesday, a Palestinian terrorist threw a firebomb into a police post next to the Dome of the Rock. A policeman was seriously wounded and riots ensued after police arrested the terrorist. The police responded by closing all entrances to the site and ordering everyone to leave. The confrontation comes at a time when tensions are high at the Temple Mount. Almost three weeks ago, Palestinians rioted on the Temple Mount, breaking into an area adjacent to Sha'ar HaRachamim (Gate of Mercy, also known as the Golden Gate) in the Temple Mount compound. The site was locked 16 years ago by court order after it was used as a meeting place for a Hamas-affiliated organization. The Israeli police have allowed Muslim prayers at the site and have thus far avoided confrontations. The Waqf (Muslim authority) requested permission from the Israeli police to bring in materials to convert the site to a Mosque and their request has not been rejected. An Israeli delegation journeyed to Jordan last Thursday to discuss a solution with the government. In the wake of the failed talks, King Abdullah of Jordan traveled to the U.S. over the weekend to meet with members of Congress. But the riots that took place near Sha'ar HaRachamim were not the only ones that occurred in the Old City. Late in the afternoon, a Palestinian funeral procession was prevented from entering the Temple Mount by the Israeli police, since the site had been closed off due to the firebomb attack. A riot ensued. Assaf Fried, the spokesman for the Temple Organizations, explained that the Palestinians routinely bring their dead into the Dome of the Rock before burial. "It is indeed very strange to bring a dead body to the Temple Mount but this happens almost every day," Fried told Breaking Israel News. "It should be noted that the Yusifa Cemetery outside of Sha'ar HaRachamim is technically closed and has been so by court order for 20 years. But the Palestinians continue to bury there unhindered." According to Jewish tradition, the Messiah will arrive via the Sha'ar HaRachamim. The Ottomans built the cemetery in front of the gate in order to prevent the Jewish Messiah from arriving. Dr. Mordechai Kedar, a senior lecturer in the Department of Arabic at Bar-Ilan University, explained that the cemetery was established out of the Muslims misunderstanding Jewish eschatology. "They believed that the Jewish Messiah would be a Kohen (man of the priestly caste) but this is not correct," Dr. Kedar explained to Breaking Israel News. "Also, a cemetery of non-Jews does not have ritual impurity. So the Muslim cemetery outside of Sha'ar HaRachamim will not pose any problem for the Jewish Messiah." Dr. Kedar explained that according to Islamic law, it was not problematic to bring a dead body into the Dome of the Rock. "The Temple Mount really has no sanctity or special status for them," Dr. Kedar explained. "They do not bring the bodies into al-Aqsa (the silver-domed structure on the Temple Mount) because that is a mosque, a place of prayer." "But the Arabs have a different perception of how death fits into their service of God. The concept of shahid (martyrdom) is to die for Allah. For them, death is part of life, but not in the way that we see it." Dr. Kedar noted that even though the practice of bring a dead body into the Dome of the Rock seems bizarre to Jews and Christians, it is not so for Muslims. He told an anecdote to illustrate his point. Kedar has a colleague in Jordan whom he occasionally consults regarding translations from Arabic. One time, he (Kedar) was searching for the Arabic word for 'normal' as it pertained to human behavior. He was not successful in finding a suitable word that suited his needs; so he asked his friend. She informed him that there was no such word in Arabic. He was perplexed but she offered an explanation. "I'd like to see someone spend 30 days in Mecca for Ramadan and come out of it 'normal'," she told Dr. Kedar. Nearing Midnight: Unabashed Anti-Semitism - Todd Strandberg - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ The phrase "Never again" has long been linked to the aftermath of the Holocaust. The first usage of Never Again is murky, but most likely began in postwar Israel. The phrase was used in secular kibbutzim there in the late 1940s; it was used in a Swedish documentary on the Holocaust in 1961. The "never again" cry is one that could have been declared several times in history. There have been at least 20 occasions when some power has decided to wipe out the Jewish race. When the Spanish Inquisition chased them out of Spain and Portugal, the Sultan of Turkey issued a formal invitation to Jews, and they started arriving in the empire in great numbers. He couldn't believe that the Catholic church was driving out doctors, lawyers, and men of good business skills. In the Western world, the lessons of the Holocaust have for decades maintained a no-tolerance policy against any form of anti-Semitism. I remember when anyone who dared to downsize the horrors of World War II would be in immediate trouble. Even the liberal press would get on their case. In many countries, it was illegal to own a copy of Hitler's Mein Kampf. In the past few years, there has been a rapid erosion of the "never again" pledge. Then-President Barack Obama used the phrase in a universal sense in marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day in 2011. In Parkland it was used as a call for gun control. In other ways, it's been a call for anti-militancy. We have quickly reached the point where it is possible for people who are openly anti-Semitic to have a foothold in society. Most of these people are members of the Islamic faith. In Europe, there are continuous anti-Semitic hate crimes committed by Muslims, and they go unpunished because the citizens of Europe are too timid in dealing with the massive problem. Last year, Robert D. Bowers shot and killed 11 people at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the United States. Bowers had no previous criminal history. His evil act just came out of nowhere. The recent election of Minnesota Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar is very troubling because she is clearly a person with deep-seated anti-Semitic views. Since she has been in office, her fixation has been on making racist remarks again Jews. When one mistake turns into six anti-Semitic remarks, you have someone who has proven herself as a Jew hater. Omar was appearing at a forum in Washington, and she claimed everything she says about Israel is construed as anti-Semitic because she's Muslim. Omar is a racist because she says racist things about Jews, which she did at the forum. Omar revived an old trope about divided loyalties among Jewish-Americans when she criticized the idea that it's "OK for people to push for allegiance to a foreign country." Omar repeated her remorse for the pain that her previous comments have caused. This is a standard excuse used by racists. They regret the pain caused by their words, but not the words themselves. The House Democrats had planned to vote on a resolution to formally condemn recent anti-Semitic statements by Omar, but it was shelved after several progressive groups and lawmakers came to Omar's defense. What finally passed was a motion to condemn all forms of prejudice. Since Omar thinks that she is being singled out because of her Islamic faith, she will see no rebuke in this pointless resolution. Noura Erakat, a leftist assistant professor at George Mason University, came to Omar's defense with the insane logic that permeates the Democratic Party. She said, in addition to being a visible, black, Muslim woman who is also a refugee, it becomes too easy for Omar's attackers to lean into racist, Islamophobic attacks to silence her. There is a meme poster that has sparked controversy on social media. It consists of two photos. The upper photo was a picture of the World Trade Center towers during the 9/11 attack. A caption read, "'NEVER FORGET' - YOU SAID..." Below it was a photo of Omar wearing a hijab. That picture's caption said, "I AM PROOF - YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN." I think the creator of the poster makes a fair point. Omar has proven herself to be a friend of terrorists. I think the people of her district have lost their minds to have this dingbat represent them. To have a freshman congresswoman able to be an Unabashed anti-Semitic will open the floodgates of anti-Jewish hate. Many years ago, I realized that Bible prophecy seemed to indicate that America would likely become hostile to people of the Jewish race. Just as quickly as the tide has changed in Europe, the day may soon come when American Jews would feel safer in Israel. "For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land" (Ezek. 36:24). "I will bring back the captives of My people Israel; they shall build the waste cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink wine from them... I will plant them in their land, and no longer shall they be pulled up from the land I have given them" (Amos 9:14-15). Countdown To Red Heifer - By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz - http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=3038 After years of hard work and preparation, the rabbi charged with overseeing the red heifer claims that this Biblical commandment is on the verge of reappearing. Rabbi Azariah Ariel goes on record, explaining how the return of this ritual of purification will, and will not, change our lives. The Temple Institute in Jerusalem has been working for three decades to educate the public and make practical steps to prepare for the Third Temple. After many years of research and work, they are close to bringing about an essential element: the Red Heifer. If they are successful, implementing the red heifer ritual will not only have implications for the Temple service but will also help Jews observe other commandments in a more complete manner. The commandment of the red heifer is described by the sages as the most inexplicable of any in the Torah. Yet lacking a red heifer has left all of Israel ritually impure and unable to properly perform many other commandments. The Temple Institute in Jerusalem has tasked Rabbi Ariel with supervising the effort to reestablish this essential Torah commandment. As such, Rabbi Ariel is precise in his description of the commandment including its present-day implications. "The Torah commands us to perform the mitzvah (Torah commandment) in order to be in a ritually pure condition," Rabbi Ariel explained to Breaking Israel News. "This is necessary for us to engage in anything that is holy or sanctified. It is important to understand that impurity is not any type of physical dirt or something. For most ritual impurities, bathing in a mikveh (ritual bath) is sufficient. The highest level of impurity comes from contact with the dead and to purify this condition, the ashes of the red heifer are required. This condition comes not only from contact with the dead but to be under the same roof as a dead body also brings about this severe level of ritual impurity. This can typically happen if a person is inside a hospital in which a dead body is present. In such cases, the ashes of the red heifer are the only method for becoming ritually pure. Lacking the ashes of the red heifer, this condition remains forever." The physical requirements for a red heifer are simple yet precise. This has led to an intense search for an exceedingly rare candidate. "We know that there have been nine red heifers throughout history, the first having been prepared in the times of Moses and Elazar, the son of Aaron," Ariel explained. "A red heifer is a female cow that is red. In the language of the Bible, red is not exclusively what we know today as red. It also includes brown and other similar shades of red. This excludes black. All of the hairs on its body must be the same color." The rabbi described a recent case in which a calf was found to have six white hairs near its nose which rendered it unfit. "The animal must also be two years old. There can be no blemish, no holes in the ear. Until that point, it is considered a calf and not a cow. At that point, the cow can be slaughtered and prepared." Though reinstating the Temple service in its entirety is dependent on the return of the red heifer ritual, the ashes of the red heifer are prepared outside of the Temple. "This is not a sacrifice per se so it is burned in an area outside of the Temple, on the Mount of Olives. The ashes are collected. A tiny bit of the ashes are mixed with spring water and can be sprinkled on people in order to purify them." Only a tiny bit of the ashes are required for the purification ritual so one heifer will suffice for all of the Jews. "If properly prepared, one heifer is sufficient to purify the entire nation. There is no limit on how much wood can be burned with the heifer. Those ashes are also used to purify people. A tiny amount of ash, a few milligrams, can be mixed with a large quantity of water. In this manner, one heifer can indeed purify the entire nation." "Even after the destruction of the Second Temple, ashes remained hidden away in different places, and were used to purify the Jews," Rabbi Ariel said. But the return of the red heifer ritual will affect everyday life for Jews. "The lack of ashes from the red heifer has prevented us from performing many Torah commandments," Ariel explained. "For example, today, when a Jew makes bread, they separate out a small amount for the mitzvah of hafrashat challah (separating out a quantity of dough for the priests). Today, the dough is disposed of. This is done because of the ritual impurity of the person making the dough and of the Kohanim (Jewish men of the priestly caste). If we can reinstate the ritual of the red heifer, this dough can be baked and given to the Kohanim to eat. This baked product is one of the 24 Divinely ordained gifts designated for the kohanim. There are many commandments like this that we are unable to perform due to the lack of the ashes of the red heifer. "The ashes of the red heifer are not necessary exclusively for Temple-related commandments. This will enable the complete performance of many mitzvoth we already do today." Many believe that the search for the red heifer is motivated by a desire to hasten the arrival of the Messiah but Rabbi Ariel stated emphatically that this is not the case. "There is a great misconception concerning the red heifer," Rabbi Ariel said. "Some people believe that by reinstating the ritual of the red heifer, we will bring the Messiah or reinstate the Temple service. This is an incorrect understanding. God does not do my bidding. We do His bidding. The Jews were given the Torah and commanded to do the mitzvoth. It is not our intention to bring about a divine reaction through the red heifer. Our only interest is to perform the mitzvoth as they were given. The red heifer is a commandment so we perform it. It will allow us to perform other mitzvoth. Other than that, there are no expectations or additional agenda." Ariel told Breaking Israel News that there are two calves that may potentially be used in for the preparation of the ashes. They are currently being raised in an undisclosed location under special conditions. Care must be taken that they are not scarred or blemished and they must remain separated from bulls. "As per the Torah requirements, it is forbidden that any yoke or burden be placed on them. When the calves reach two years of age, they will be checked again to ensure that the color has not changed and that they have no blemishes." "We are working on this but the most important thing we can do is to keep their location secret. If we succeed, in two years we will be permitted to perform more mitzvoth in the manner God commanded." Daily Jot: The perfect example of socialism - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com Against the backdrop of a Harris poll indicating that Millennials and Generation Z are more likely to embrace socialistic policies and principles than past generations, the lights are out in the poster child for modern socialism-literally. Venezuela, once a gemstone in South America, is in the dark thanks to socialism. That's what happens when socialist dictators take over under the pretense of equality for all and pure democracy. It's lights out. Checkmate. No food on the table. No gas in the car. No car (check Cuba's 1940's US models still being driven, and, oh yes, Fidel Castro's funeral jeep breaking down in his final ride). But there is even a deeper message for America's youth in Venezuela's socialism. The UK Telegraph reports that "In the well-lit dining room of El Alazan, dollar bills are flying. Waiters whisk expensive cuts of meat and bottles of whisky between tables; a couple dances to a band playing in the corner. This steakhouse in the affluent Altamira neighborhood is busier than ever and the front desk juggle payments with wads of cash. Juan, a nightclub owner in his sixties who sips a vodka and orange at the bar, says he has come here with his friends as "there is nowhere else in Caracas you can do this right now". Outside, the streets are deserted as night falls, a crippling nationwide blackout imposing a de facto curfew after another long day of searches for food, water, and fuel." Every Millennial and Gen Zer in the US needs to hear this. Behind the promises of guaranteed minimum wages, free education, healthcare for all, free transportation, everyone being equal and all the esoteric concepts of everyone having their needs met-Isn't this the same as the current Democratic Party platform?-is the reality. Somebody has to pay. And while somebody is paying, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. The socialist "president's" (democratically-elected dictator's) buddies get the jobs, get the food and can party all night in the well-lit places while the masses suffer in the outer darkness. That's progressivism, socialism, communism-different names for the same results. I can't repeat it enough. The Communist Manifesto says, "But communism abolishes eternal truths, it abolishes all religion, and all morality, instead of constituting them on a new basis." Other linchpins of communism are enumerated in the Manifesto: 1) Abolition of property ownership, 2) a heavy progressive income tax, 3) abolition of all rights of inheritance, 4) confiscation of property, 5) centralization of credit, 6) centralization of transportation, 7) centrally planned economy, 8) obligation to work, 9) abolishing distinction between towns and country, and 10) a free education for children. Exodus 20:3 says, "Thou shalt have no other god's before me." When government replaces God, bad things happen--ask citizens of Venezuela. They see the truth, even in the dark. America needs to wake up, especially the "Church." Daily Devotion: So Great a Salvation - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will? - Hebrews 2:3-4 About $2 billion worth of lottery prizes go unclaimed each year, according to researchers. (By the way, that isn't an endorsement of the lottery.) God has given us something far greater than a lottery ticket, something worth far more than millions and millions of dollars. It is salvation. No wonder the Bible calls it "so great a salvation" (Hebrews 2:3 NKJV). God has placed the righteousness of Jesus Christ into our spiritual bank accounts, so to speak. This is true of every Christian. The apostle Paul wrote, "For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith" (Philippians 3:8-9 NLT). As Christians, we are positionally righteous before God. The day you believed, He removed your sin. He forgave your sin. He forgot your sin. He removed every trace of your sin, and He put the righteousness of Jesus Christ in its place. That is what it means to be justified. What we want to do is take hold of, or live out, what God has given to us. Sometimes we don't see the impact of salvation on a believer's lifestyle or on their choices. They may say, "Yes, I love the Lord," but then they do things that seem to contradict that. They may say, "Oh yes, I am saved," but then we wonder whether they really are. If a person has really met God, there will be evidence in his or her life. If a person has really come into this encounter with Jesus Christ, others will see the results of it. 
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 
|
|