Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
The Coming of Jesus Christ, In Two Part Harmony - By Pastor Mike Taylor - https://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-coming-of-jesus-christ-in-two-part.html
14 And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; 16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: 17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?(Revelation 6:14-17) I receive emails daily from all kinds of people with what they believe the bible is saying. Some believe that, like I do, God will intercede in the affairs of men and remove His bride, His church from the wrath to come. Others believe in a Post-tribulation model or some variation of the Church enduring persecution, martyrdom, and being present on earth when all of God's righteous wrath is poured out on this earth. Layman who point to a proof text that they feel proves their stance is a correct one, reveal that they take the latest bible teacher, or what their denomination teaches and do not study the Word of God to prove the point by scripture in context. Let's examine a few of the proof texts that people erroneously interpret as being the same. Proof text error example #1: Gog-Magog invasion in Ezekiel is the same invasion in Revelation at the end of the Millennium. Let's compare the two passages and see. Let's start in Ezekiel: 2 "Son of man, set thy face unto Gog (a demon leader, notably Satan demonic inspired prince of this area), of the land of Magog, prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, (referring to the land north of Israel, probably modern Russia) and prophesy concerning him, 3 and thou hast said: Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Lo, I `am' against thee, O Gog, Prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, 4 And I have turned thee back, And I have put hooks in thy jaws, And have brought thee out, and all thy force, Horses and horsemen, Clothed in perfection all of them, A numerous assembly, `with' buckler and shield, Handling swords -- all of them. 5 Persia (Iran), Cush (Ethiopia or Northern Sudan), and Phut, (Libya)with them, All of them `with' shield and helmet. 6 Gomer (central Asia Minor) and all its bands, The house of Togarmah(Southeast Turkey near the border of Syria) of the sides of the north, And all its bands, many peoples with thee,"(Ezekiel 382-6) Note my attempt to identify each of these ancient people that dare come against God's Holy Land in parenthesis, but notice one other thing before moving on. Who is drawing this coalition of invaders? God has put hooks into their jaws, much like reeling in a fish to bring them down for judgment. Also of interest when comparing these invaders with the invaders of Psalm 83, you won't find the names of any of these bordering nations that touch the border of Israel. These were the "inner ring" surrounding Israel that has been defeated. But now an "outer ring" of invaders are being brought down to Israel for one purpose. What is that purpose? God will make Himself known to His people that Jehovah, their God, is still on His throne and will be doing battle for them!! 16 " And thou hast come up against My people Israel, As a cloud to cover the land, In the latter end of the days it is, And I have brought thee in against My land, In order that the nations may know Me, In My being sanctified in thee before their eyes, O Gog. 17 Thus said the Lord Jehovah: Art thou he of whom I spake in former days, By the hand of My servants, prophets of Israel, Who are prophesying in those days -- years, To bring thee in against them? 18 And it hath come to pass, in that day, In the day of the coming in of Gog against the land of Israel, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, Come up doth My fury in My face, 19 And in My zeal, in the fire of My wrath, I have spoken: Is there not in that day a great rushing on the land of Israel? 20 And rushed from My presence have fishes of the sea, And the fowl of the heavens, And the beast of the field, And every creeping thing that is creeping on the ground, And all men who are on the face of the ground, And thrown down have been the mountains, And fallen have the ascents, And every wall to the earth falleth. 21 And I have called against him, to all My mountains a sword, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, The sword of each is against his brother. 22 And I have been judged with him, With pestilence and with blood, And an overflowing rain and hailstones, Fire and brimstone I rain on him, and on his bands, And on many peoples who are with him. 23 And I have magnified Myself, and sanctified Myself, And I have been known before the eyes of many nations, And they have known that I AM, Jehovah!"(Ezekiel 38:16-23) God will make Himself known again to His people. I'll let you read on what is the fate of this invading horde that will be decimated. Most of this vast army in the realm of 85% OR 5/6 of this invading army will be destroyed in chapter 39. Continue reading in the next few chapters and you see the details of the newly built temple, when in chapter 43, you see the entrance of the King of Kings, the Lord of Host coming into the temple via the East Gate. It notes a chronological order. A war found in chapter 38-39. The building of the Temple again, sacrifices commencing and at the end, the King of Kings returns to enter from the east gate. All events are future, but before the return of Jesus Christ. It's part of a grand puzzle that you must assemble from the whole message of the Word of God, not just a piece. How about we turn now to the account of Gog-magog mentioned in Revelation .7 "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."(Revelation 20:7-10) Notice the same name, but who is drawing them to the Holy Land? Who deceives them into thinking that they can kick out Jesus Christ as ruler of this earth, and make war against Mount Zion and God's Throne upon earth? Their leader is Satan. Gog is a probably demon inspired notion that the humans born during the Millennium, called Magog will be deceived and drawn into a direct confrontation against the righteous rule of Jesus Christ on earth. And fire will come down out of heaven and consume them all who come against God's Holy City. Both examples are similar by name, Gog-Magog, and the end is sure, but they are two distinct battles of more than a 1000 years apart. Proof text Error #2. The trumpet sounded in 1st Corinthians and 1st Thessalonians, is the same trump the 7th angel sounds in Revelation. Let us again look at scripture. 51 "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."(1st Corinthians 15:51-52) And again in 1st Thessalonians chapter 4: 15 "For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 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."(1st Thessalonians 4:15-17) Note that the trump is a blast or a signal that was used even during the wilderness of the Exodus and the battle for the Promised Land. I believe this is a reference to a Jewish historical fact of the Feast of Trumpets that was used symbolically to point to the return of Jesus Christ to this earth. If you don't understand Jewish history or customs, then you won't discern what Paul is speaking of. But note if the mention the Last Trump, as noted in 1st Corinthians passage, does it mean the same as the one in Revelation? 14 "The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly. 15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever."(Revelation 11:14-15) What does this angel signal? He announces the beginning of the third woe and the final plagues and bowl judgments being poured out upon this earth of rebellious mankind. The imagery is much to fear, as mankind is being destroyed off the face of the earth. What is the difference between these trumpets? The first is a sign of joy and gladness and the last is a signal of WAR!! Let me elaborate. In the time of the ancient Israelites, starting even back to their forefather, Abraham, the blowing of the horns of the altar was symbolic. They were used as signals during the Exodus, during meetings/Holy Convocations the people had with God, and for signals during battle. In Numbers chapter 10 begins what the blowing of the trumpet meant. 2 "Make thee two trumpets of silver; of a whole piece shalt thou make them: that thou mayest use them for the calling of the assembly, and for the journeying of the camps. 3 And when they shall blow with them, all the assembly shall assemble themselves to thee at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 4 And if they blow but with one trumpet, then the princes, which are heads of the thousands of Israel, shall gather themselves unto thee. 5 When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward. 6 When ye blow an alarm the second time, then the camps that lie on the south side shall take their journey: they shall blow an alarm for their journeys. 7 But when the congregation is to be gathered together, ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm. 8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow with the trumpets; and they shall be to you for an ordinance for ever throughout your generations. 9 And if ye go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresseth you, then ye shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and ye shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and ye shall be saved from your enemies."(Numbers 10:2-9) When Paul was writing about this "last trump", he was referring to a ceremony that is part of the Jewish way of life for thousands of years. It is the Day of Trumpets, or commonly called the Feast of Trumpets. It is a Holy Day to all who observe it. It is pivotal in God's plan. We could even call it "God's Keystone Holy Day." There are seven holy days. It is the fourth. It is right in the middle. You could say it is the dividing line between before, and after. There are three holy days that take place before the fulfillment of Trumpets, (and Jesus fulfilled them on the exact day of their observance) that particularly have to do with this present time, and then there are three holy days after Trumpets that have to do with the time to come. (God being a God of order, if He fulfilled the Spring Feast on the exact day, will He fulfill the Fall Feast on the exact day? It most likely will be so going on what God has done in the past). Here, Paul was speaking of this truth symbolically that there could be three blasts of a trumpet when Jesus Christ comes. The first trumpet sound (note that the voice of our Savior is equated to the sound of a many Trumpets, in Revelation chapter 1.) will make a call for attention. Each blast of the trumpet meant something to the Israelites in the wilderness and it meant the same thing in Paul's time. The first blast was called the right horn, or trump/shofar of the altar. It was a loud short blast meaning attention. During the time of Israel in their land, it was blown in the Feast of Pentecost. The second trumpet call was from the left horn, or shofar from the altar of God, and it was designed to make the people ready for their marching orders. This one was blown for the beginning of the Feast of Trumpets after Israel entered the Holy Land. The final blast was a very long drawn out sound of a trumpet, called the Last Trump. It was the signal to "move out". Oh, yes we will !! I firmly believe it is a signal of the rapture, when we will be changed instantly and join those who have died and raised from the dead to unite with our Lord and Savior, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. So come Lord Jesus!! Second, Trumpets mean different things depending on where you stand before God. To the saints, it means the beginning of all that we have ever hoped for-all that we've been promised, everlasting joy. It means salvation, eternal life and all the wonderful things that come with it. But, to the enemy of God it means violent and tragic judgment-the end of all human plans that are against God. It is a signal for war. God will make war with rebellious mankind and wipe the surface of this earth clean of sin and rebellion. In those regards, the two trumpets mentioned in Corinthians, Thessalonians, have no connection with one another when finally blown in Revelation, They are based on Pentecost and the Feast of Trumpets in the former two, a sign of the return of the King, and the latter a sign of righteous wrath commencing for total annihilation. Proof Text Error #3. The Church will endure the terror that will be poured out on this earth in righteous wrath and judgment. Those who adhere to this position called Post-Tribulation believers and they try to prove their stance by a few verses taken out of context. Here is the most common sent to me by unbelieving Christians of their desire to be amongst those being killed during this time of the last 3.5 years of Daniel's 70th week. They point to this one section of scripture: 29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other."(Matthew 24:29-31) First off, if we were here, we would not be mourning the return of the Son of Man, we would be rejoicing. But beside that, I'm reminded of the verses in Malachi chapter 3: 1 "Behold, I will send my messenger (two witnesses?), and he shall prepare the way before me: and the LORD, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. 2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: 3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. 4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the LORD, as in the days of old, and as in former years."(Malachi 3:1-4) I've often stated and I will state again, the tribulation is designed for two things, and two things only. The 1st is the removal of sin and all rebellion of those who live on the face of the earth, by fire, by famine, and by divine wrath poured out on the people of this earth. The 2nd reason is the refining of Israel into a nation ready to accept their Messiah. He will make Himself known to them and they will weep bitterly. Zechariah chapter 12: 9 "And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 10 And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn."(Zechariah 12:9-10) To accomplish this returning of Israel to recognizing their Messiah, God will ordain 144,000 evangelists from the 12 tribes of Israel and enlist His two witnesses for the week of years called the tribulation: Revelation chapter 7, 2 "And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel."(Revelation 7:2-4) These are the called of God, who believe in their Messiah and spread the Gospel to all the remaining world. Who is their focus? I believe it is the Jewish people who have rejected their Messiah for 2000 years, because in the very next breath of scripture it says: 9 "After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, 12 Saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen. 13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."(Revelation 7:9-17) Note the immediate difference in these people redeemed and the promise made the the Church, or the family of God. In verse 15 above it speaks that they are BEFORE the throne and they serve Him in His temple night and day, much like a Levitical priesthood. But note the palm fronds in their hands? Is it a clue of who these people are? Looking up Palm Fronds and its symbolic meaning, Wikipedia notes the following: "In Judaism, the date palm (Lulav) is one of the Four Species used in the daily prayers on the feast of Sukkot. It is bound together with the hadass(myrtle), and aravah (willow). The Midrash[3] notes that the binding of the Four Species symbolizes our desire to unite the four "types" of Jews in service of God." The Promise made to the Church is much more distinct and glorious: Revelation chapter 5: 8 "And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. 9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; 10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." (Revelation 5:8-10) Another clue is that John starts off Revelation speaking of the 7 churches, which is symbolic for Christians down through the ages, but a dramatic shift of reference is made in chapter 4 with the revealing of the 24 elders. They are symbolic for the Church. And if that is correct, the church is not mentioned again, not one time, until chapter 19, when it speaks of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb and then our return with our King of Kings riding on white horses: Revelation chapter 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. 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. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 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, my emphasis) (see Rev. 19: v 8!) 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 treaded the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."(Revelation 19:11-16) Need More Clues? Another clue that these are Jews that have been the first fruits unto God, is when Jesus was speaking to His apostles and they were inquiring of the end of the age. 15 "When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: 17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: 18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes. 19 And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 20 But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day: 21 For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened."(Matthew 24:15-22) Jesus was speaking of the horror that will be what Jew's will experience when an attempt to complete what Hitler only began, as Satan wishes to destroy the Jewish people and "attempt"to make God out a liar by destroying Israel. But Revelation tells another piece of the puzzle. The woman clothed in the sun: Revelation chapter 12, 1 "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: 2 And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered. 3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. 4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. 5 And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne. 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days."(Revelation 12:1-6) And further down in the same chapter: 12 "Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. 13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. (the woman is Israel)" Simply put, this is the time of the refining of Israel. The focus on Israel is continuous, if you take the puzzle and piece it together. So when Jesus comes with His angels to "gather His saints from the four winds" who is He speaking of? Correct, tribulation saints, Jewish people who received their Messiah, and resurrection of those who believed unto the death and did not take the mark of the beast, but were slain.. DON'T PLAY RUSSIAN ROULETTE DURING THIS TIME. Sadly, many Christians today want a sign when they should get serious about living for God. They say, "when I see things get really bad, then I'll start acting like a Christian." What a dangerous gamble with your eternal destination. Jesus said that there would be no sign, except as it was in the days of Noah. Sluggish Christian take notice: Matthew 24: "But of that day and hour no one knows, no, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." It will be a time, when all the world is going about their usual daily behavior, until suddenly and without warning, the Rapture takes place and millions upon millions of people instantly disappear to forever be with the Lord. We should not be slumbering, as being foolish to think that when signs get really bad, then we will change our ways and act like a Christian. Paul said in 1st Thessalonians chapter 5: 2 "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. 7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. 8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. 9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,"(1st Thessalonians 5:2-9) Conclusion and a challenge I'm going to repeat what I spoke of in times past, of what I wrote and I want you to think very hard on this truth with a few additional statements: a. If you think you can change your ways before Christ comes or can wait till things get bad before you get serious about this Man called Jesus, then you simply fool yourself. b. If you in all Biblical error of proof texting think that the Bride of Christ must have the soup beat out of her, before Jesus finally comes to marry her, then you don't understand the love relationship that Jesus has for the TRUE church, His family, and His elected of God. c. Finally, if you feel that God in all His wrath must purify the church with the plagues, the bowl judgments, and the tribulation that will nearly extinguish all of mankind, then my friend you believe that Jesus Christ and His sacrifice of His precious blood and body did not complete the salvation of all who call upon the name of the Lord in repentance and obedience unto a new life. My reader, if you take that position, then you have much more serious problems of who the angels will be coming to gather from the four corners of the earth upon the return of Jesus Christ to reign and rule for a 1000 years than the timing of God's removal of the Church from this planet. I pray that you make that commitment to live like Jesus could come at any moment, because He just might for the next sound we may hear is a trumpet blast. So "lift up your heads, for our redemption draweth nigh" 16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting 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) 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) Don't make that mistake that you have time to get serious about Jesus Christ, as God made each of us for one purpose. And that is " what will you do with the Son of God who came into the world to save those who are lost and accept His free gift of mercy and grace"? No matter what position you take, I preach that Jesus will come in two part harmony and will complete what He started two thousand years ago, to reclaim His creation bought with His own blood and will destroy all sin upon this earth. This leading into a new heaven and new earth into eternity to be part of the God family forevermore.. This is Pastor Mike Taylor, wishing God's salvation in your life. If you need any help in prayer request, counseling, or just a listening ear, email me at [email protected] , God bless till hopefully, we meet at Jesus Feet. What does Israel's future 5G network have to do with coronavirus? - Yaakov Katz - https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Creating-5G-and-keeping-Israel-safe-620800 On Monday, Robert Blair, US President Donald Trump's deputy chief of staff, flew to Ottawa for an important meeting with Canadian officials. He came with a warning - do not install equipment from Huawei - a Chinese telecom company - in Canada's next-generation 5G network. Blair reportedly shared with Canadian intelligence officials how Huawei equipment is used by China to covertly access mobile phone networks through "backdoors" which allow the Chinese to spy on those governments. He warned that if Canada went ahead with Huawei, America would not be able to continue sharing sensitive intelligence information with its neighbor to the north. Blair's message echoed a similar warning that Richard Grenell, the US ambassador to Germany and the newly-appointed acting director of National Intelligence, had made last month. Grenell revealed that Trump had called him from Air Force One and asked that he make clear to Germany and other countries "that any nation who chooses to use an untrustworthy 5G vendor[s] will jeopardize our ability to share intelligence and information at the highest level." Not every country has heeded Trump's warnings. The United Kingdom, for example, decided earlier this year to allow Huawei to play a limited role in the construction of its 5G mobile networks and provide "non-core" equipment. The decision drew a sharp condemnation from Tom Cotton, a leading Republican senator. "Allowing Huawei to build the UK's 5G networks today is like allowing the KGB to build its telephone network during the Cold War," Cotton said a few weeks ago, calling on Grenell to "conduct a thorough review of US-UK intelligence-sharing." What makes 5G so important for Trump and the US is that it is predicted to soon serve as the backbone for all critical infrastructure and is viewed by experts as having the potential to be as transformative for the world as the invention of electricity was in the 19th century. 5G's faster download speeds mean that it will be the foundation of all new technologies - think driverless cars as an example - and if it is compromised, it could give a country like China the ability to undermine another nation's basic needs. Trump is determined to beat the Chinese who are currently leading the world in development of 5G components. Last April he said that "The race to 5G is a race America must win... It is a race that we will win." While the US and China are fighting it out on the global stage, Israel is lagging far behind. In April, the Communication Ministry issued a tender for the construction of the network offering government incentives to cellular operators of up to NIS 200 million. But Israel cannot build the network on its own. Like Canada, Germany and the UK, it too has to make a decision who will be its main partner - China or the United States. For Israel, the question should be a no-brainer. The US-Israel alliance is key to the survival of the Jewish state and is illustrated not just in the close diplomatic and military cooperation between the two countries, but also in the intelligence sharing that exists between the different agencies. On the other hand though, Israeli-Chinese relations have also flourished in recent years and Beijing is today Israel's biggest infrastructure partner, building roads, tunnels, ports, railroads and more in deals valued at tens of billions of shekels. On land, Chinese companies are building tunnels for the Tel Aviv light rail and at sea, a Chinese company is completing construction of the new Ashdod Port, and another one will soon start managing the Haifa Port. All three deals are worth close to NIS 20 billion. Over the last year, due to US opposition, Israel instituted new oversight mechanisms to prevent China from penetrating further into Israel's economy. The US made clear to Israel that if China continues building all of Israel's infrastructure, continued intelligence sharing will be at risk. "We need to decide if we are with the Chinese or the Americans and the government understands this very well," explained Moshe Koppel, chairman of the Kohelet Policy Forum in Jerusalem. Koppel has been working behind the scenes trying to bring Israeli and American officials together to jointly develop some of the components and hardware needed for 5G networks. While the US's Qualcomm, for example, is a leader in 5G technology, it is still believed to be lagging behind the Chinese. Here, Koppel says, is potentially where Israeli companies can help. "A lot of the cutting edge hi-tech stuff that is related to security and to big data collection cannot be done alone by a small country like Israel and needs to be done by big international consortiums," he explained. "We can only be part of a consortium like that with the US if we commit to not compromising security by working with China." Officially, Israel is not saying much but there are talks. The 5G issue came up, for example, at the meeting Defense Minister Naftali Bennett had with US Secretary of Defense Mark Esper at the Pentagon in February. One government official explained that the reason Israel is staying quiet for now is to not upset the Chinese. But in the end, as Koppel said, Israel will have to make its position clear. Trump's National Security Council has long pressed Israel on China and it has become a regular topic in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's conversations with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. "If not dealt with correctly, China could end up being the issue that causes the Israeli-US relationship more damage than anything before it," one US official said recently. But while the decision seems easy to make, there is one major obstacle left - establishing a government in Jerusalem that can make decisions with strategic significance. The Americans are said to be prepared to move ahead, but there is no real point of contact in Israel as the country remains mired in an endless election cycle. What this means is simple - a strategic opportunity like partnering with America on 5G networks is simply languishing on the side, waiting for Israel to get its act together. Will it? 5G is not the only issue hurting due to Israel's continued political instability. The entire country is suffering as people's lives are threatened by the continued spread of the novel coronavirus. Netanyahu's handling of the situation so far seems responsible. Israel, under his leadership, has instituted stringent restrictions, especially regarding air travel into the country, and sending tens of thousands of people into 14-day self-isolation. And so far, it seems to have worked, keeping the numbers of sick at bay. But the prime minister's criminal trial begins on Tuesday and his government is not legally capable of passing the decisions required to ensure Israel gets through this crisis as needed. It can't pass a state budget and can't pass laws needed to ensure the public's safety and security at a time of great uncertainty and personal danger. The possibility that the country will plunge into a fourth election is no longer far-fetched even if it seems delusional to be happening at a time when the entire world is bracing for the damaging effects of the coronavirus pandemic. But this is what happens when both of the leading candidates to serve as prime minister - Netanyahu and Benny Gantz - are not meeting and are barely talking about the possibility of sitting down with one another to discuss a unity government. What this shows the public is truthfully what it has known for a long time - the politicians care more about their own jobs than they do about the public. Israelis don't need televised demonstrations from the prime minister every other night how to sneeze into your arm or walk around with a pack of tissues. They need a government that is working to keep them safe; not politicians who are just waiting for a fourth election. The time has come for Gantz and Netanyahu to meet and begin to do what Israelis expect of them - establish a government. Taking No Chances: Elite Reportedly Fleeing To Doomsday Bunkers - By Matt Agorist/Activist - https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=3904 As coronavirus fears continue to peak and the serfs fight each other over pallets of toilet paper at Costco, the world's elite aren't taking any chances. According to a report out of the Guardian, this week, the super-rich are preparing to self-isolate in the face of an escalation in the coronavirus crisis. But their plans extend far beyond stocking up on hand sanitizer and toilet paper. The world's elite are hopping on their private jets and taking off to private bunkers across the world. As the Guardian reports: Many are understood to be taking personal doctors or nurses on their flights to treat them and their families in the event that they become infected. The wealthy are also besieging doctors in private clinics in Harley Street, London, and across the world, demanding private coronavirus tests. Doctors in London are reportedly being secretly contracted by concerned elite to get tested for coronavirus before they move to their bunkers. This testing is in spite of the fact that Britain's NHS said it would only test people with a "high chance" of having the illness - meaning people who had had close contact with a confirmed case or who had recently gone to a high-risk country. Mark Ali, chief executive and medical director of the Private Harley Street Clinic, said: This has led to huge demand from very wealthy people asking if they can pay for private testing. Unfortunately, we are unable to offer testing, as the NHS has said all tests should be done centrally. Although Ali claims the tests are not being done on random rich people who request it, a source told the Guardian that is not the case. Also, chief executive of the private jet company, PrivateFly, said the elite are booking his services at a far higher rate as people flee high-risk countries. "Many are from groups which include elderly passengers or those with health conditions that make them particularly concerned about exposure to crowds on airline flights. We've just flown a group back to London from the south of France, with an immunocompromised passenger on board," he said. Apparently, the elite are allowed to fly while the commoners are told they cannot. As TFTP reported on Monday, as coronavirus cases continued to rise in Italy, Italian officials began rolling out police state measures. If citizens attempt to flee the country to avoid such tyranny, they face jail. Anyone leaving the "containment regions" risks three months in prison, or a fine of up to 206 euros ($234), Luciana Lamorgese said on Monday. On Wednesday, the US took similar measures, banning all flights to Europe. Some elite may be a little late to the game, however, as the Guardian reports: Robert Vicino, founder and chief executive of Vivos Group, a California-based company constructing underground shelters designed to withstand a range of natural disasters and catastrophes, said his firm had seen a surge in inquiries and sales since the crisis took hold. Vivos has converted a a cold war bunker in Indiana into accommodation for 80 people, and is offering space in 575 concrete bunkers in an abandoned second world war ordnance depot in South Dakota. As TFTP previously reported, the theory that the super elite have turned into "Doomsday preppers" stockpiling supplies in preparation for the end of the world as we know it, is more than just a theory, and the latest properties purchased by the world's top billionaires give insight into how they plan to survive. The cause of such an event is debatable--will an asteroid collide with Earth, or will nuclear warfare break out between two colliding super powers? Forbes contributor Jim Dobson noted that in addition to "preparing for future escape plans with 'vacation homes' in remote locations," and "private planes ready to depart at a moment's notice," some of the wealthiest individuals in the U.S. are buying large amounts of land that can be used for self-survival. Telecom CEO John Malone owns a total of 2.2 million acres, with massive amounts in Wyoming and Colorado. CNN founder Ted Turner owns 2 million acres that include land in Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico and North Dakota. AEG CEO Philip Anschutz owns 434,000 acres in Wyoming. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos owns 400,000 acres of land in Texas. And sports mogul Stan Kroenke owns 225,162 acres of land in Montana. Dobson also noted that this type of preparation extends worldwide to moguls in Australia and New Zealand who are buying massive amounts of farmland. Because money and precious metals would be virtually useless following a major disaster, self-sustainable territory and the tools that come with it appear to be the new hot commodity. As The Free Thought Project reported, the concept of the super-rich preparing to survive a worldwide disaster is nothing new--former Facebook product manager Antonio García Martínez and Reddit CEO Steve Huffman are among the moguls openly preparing for a major crisis. "I think, to some degree, we all collectively take it on faith that our country works, that our currency is valuable, the peaceful transfer of power--that all of these things that we hold dear work because we believe they work. While I do believe they're quite resilient, and we've been through a lot, certainly we're going to go through a lot more," Huffman said. The U.S. government is also preparing for the worst. In March 2012, former President Obama signed an executive order titled, "National Defense Resources Preparedness" into law, giving agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Agriculture, Department of Labor and Department of Defense the authority to seize resources, materials and facilities it deems necessary to ensure national defense. Being prepared for emergencies is not panicking, it is smart. However, waiting until their is an actual emergency before you prepare is not a good idea. The government will not keep you safe. If anything, the crashing markets, the panic buying, the lockdowns, and travel bans are proof of the facade that is "government promised safety." That being said, whether a worldwide crisis is caused by an asteroid hitting the Earth, a nuclear war breaking out, or Covid-19, the decisions made by the elite should always act as signals for the public. When the individuals who already have massive amounts of money are preparing for a time when money is no longer valuable and self-sustainable farmland is the most precious resource, then it is time to start paying attention. Is A Final Great Awakening Possible in the U.S.? - A.V. Rauf - https://bibleprophecyfortoday.com/2020/03/09/is-a-final-great-awakening-possible-in-the-u-s/ 2 Chronicles 7:14-If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. The Great Awakening was a spiritual renewal that swept the American Colonies, particularly New England, during the first half of the 18th Century. Many Christians began to disassociate themselves with the established approach to worship at the time which had led to a general sense of complacency among believers, and instead they adopted an approach which was characterized by great fervor and emotion in prayer. The Second Great Awakening was a Protestant revival movement during the early 19th century in the United States. The movement began around 1790, gained momentum by 1800 and, after 1820, membership rose rapidly among Baptist and Methodist congregations whose preachers led the movement. It peaked before the mid 1840's. Again, prayer was what moved the hand of God in this revival as well. If you notice in the above mentioned verse, God is referring to His people. Currently, it seems as if the majority of churches are tepid and/or floundering. Polls reveal that church attendance is low (This normally happens in the summer months as people take vacations and what not.) In many churches it seems as if "Holiness," and the "Fear and reverence for God" has taken a back seat to ear-tickling messages that appease and please the congregations. It has been said that current polls also state that the typical Evangelical pastor only prays about 5 minutes a day. Luke 18:1-8-And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? It goes without saying that our nation is in a crisis. Nothing takes God by surprise though. Prayer is the most vital spiritual weapon we have. James 5:16-18-Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours. Elijah was a man who could make it rain. The Holy Spirit, through this text, could be trying to convey to us that, if Elijah can do it, we can do it. We can make it rain. But what does that mean? In biblical typology, different liquids typify the Holy Spirit in different aspects. For example, new wine is a liquid which represents the Holy Spirit in the aspect of worship. Another liquid is oil, which speaks of the anointing of the Holy Spirit. But the living water, in Scripture, is always the Holy Spirit outpoured. Isaiah 44:1-4-Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen: Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. The rain, outpoured, goes into the water table and becomes living water. Jesus explained it like this: John 7:38-39-He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) Jesus said directly that living water is the Holy Spirit outpoured. Once again, it says that God will pour out the water - that is rain - on the dry ground. And He says that this means He will pour out His Spirit. Rain is a figure. I am convinced that we are facing a "spiritual" famine in the land: Amos 8:11-13-Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it. In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst. Why is this the case??? The rain stops because of the sins of the nation. Before we start pointing fingers at various issues let us understand this: The first and foremost responsibility for the decline of Western civilization does not lie with secular society, it lies with us, the church. In the case with the nation of Israel in the Old Testament, It was the sin of God's people that stopped the rain. Currently, the problems proliferating throughout our society: drugs, abortion, divorce, violence, crime - all testify to the failure of the church. God's people compromised and eventual Israel ended up with the priests of Baal. That is what happened in Elijah's day, and that is what is happening today. It is not "raining" because of the sin of God's people. Like Elijah, we must be willing to put God first over everything else. So often today, the problem is that people are putting other things first - such as their culture, their identity, their denominations and even other men and their loyalties to such - before obedience to the Word of God. God wants to be Number 1 on a list of one. We are entering what just may be e a very difficult period - not just trial and testing, not just drought, nor even persecution - but all those things together. It will get to the point where the people you try to help will think you have betrayed them. But no matter how bad things get, no matter how dark it becomes, no matter how critical the drought, if you indeed are putting God first, then you will have the Word of God and you will have the anointing of the spirit, no matter what happens. You will have your grain and your oil when the others are affected from famine. So why has the rain stopped? Partly because of the sins of society, but mostly because of the sins of the Church. And until there is repentance in the Church, there is not going to be a repentance in the world. It is primarily my fault, because I know the truth and I have the message that can make the difference. It is our fault, because the church in the West is for the most part becoming like Laodicea: Revelation 3:14-22--And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. The Church has become accustomed to trusting in this life and this world more than she is trusting in Jesus. She has also been seduced by much unbiblical, false and dangerous doctrines, all associated with hype and with prophecies that do not happen. Furthermore, in Laodicea, this church is also suffering from a blindness to its true spiritual state in the eyes of God at the precipice of an avalanche of prophetic events that will constitute the final outcome of the church and the nation of Israel. Have not enough enough prophetic events occurred in the first two months of 2020 alone? And an avalanche of events is prepping to be unleashed this Spring as well. 2 Peter 2:1-3-But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. 2 Timothy 4:1-3--I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. Are you willing to no longer be bound by tradition or institutions. Are you tired of trying to put new wine into old wine skins. Are you willing to do what God tells you and trust God to provide for you in ways you couldn't expect? Are you willing to be pruned, purified and be made fit for the Master's use? Romans 13:11-14--And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to AWAKE out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. 1 Corinthians 15:33-34-Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. AWAKE to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame. Ephesians 5:1-21-Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. Wherefore he saith, AWAKE thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Throughout Church history we have witnessed revivals, awakenings and outpourings. As we continue onward entering the quarter mark of the year 2020 let's seek God with All our hearts and expected Him to move unlike ever before. Haggai 2:9-12-The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of hosts... Psalm 102:13-18-Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.14 For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.15 So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.16 When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.17 He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.18 This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord. I pray that we are the generation to come mentioned I the above verse. Help Wanted: God is seeking for some rainmakers. It is time to awaken!!!! Daily Jot: The millstone of injustice and suffering - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com Our mission trip to Ghana to The Daily Jot's work with Pastor William Agbeti in the rural areas of Ghana with an additional focus on prevention of human trafficking has been both revealing and very successful. We have met with both non governmental organizations (NGOs), churches, and government agencies to determine what is being done to educate against human trafficking. To date, while intentions are pure and hearts are in the right place, we can find no curriculum to specifically tell parents and children how to identify if they are being approached by a human trafficker, how to respond to someone trying to recruit them, and what their options are for protection. This is where The Daily Jot comes in. We have met with representatives of the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection to gather information and understand how best we can partner to prevent human trafficking. The Ministry shared Ghana's National Plan of Action for the Elimination of Human Trafficking in Ghana. One of the items in the plan is to develop training materials and facilitate routine training and sensitization activities for stakeholders at the national, district and community levels. The plan calls for training materials, quality training activities and distribution of materials for local communities in their tribal languages. The plan is just now being launched and these materials have not yet been produced. We also met with a national NGO who has agreed to add human trafficking as part of their mission efforts in working with Pastor Agbeti. We interviewed at length a victim of human trafficking and are developing very specific materials that can be used across Ghana as education to assist children, parents, and pastors in recognizing human trafficking tactics and strategies, as well as exit strategies to extract victims from human traffickers before they are taken away. Some of the information that we have found is shocking. No one, no matter their station in life, should be subject to these violations of human rights. When you actually meet victims and see what is happening, it becomes very real. A recent study by "Free the Slaves" indicates that in 20 communities in Ghana, some 35% of households had children who had been subjected to trafficking and exploited by the fishing industry, domestic servitude, and forced marriage. Some communities indicated that every household reported a past or present incidence of trafficking. Over 20% of the households surveyed had more than one child trafficked. Slave labor, sex slavery, starvation, physical abuse and organ harvesting are just some of the horrors these children face. Christ said in Luke 17:2, "It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones." It is so true. I know there are a lot of problems in the world, but I appeal to you, please consider joining us in our mission to prevent this terrible injustice. Daily Devotion: Love and Discernment - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment. -Philippians 1:9 Have you ever wondered what to pray when you pray for other Christians? Paul actually gives us the answer in Philippians 1:9-11: And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. (NKJV) Interestingly, Paul is praying they would grow in both love and discernment. Sometimes it seems as though love and discernment are mutually exclusive. In other words, some people seem to be very discerning but not very loving. And some can be very loving but not very discerning. People who say they have a discernment ministry are essentially saying they like to argue and be obnoxious. They challenge everything. And I've found that some of these people are downright mean. On the other hand, some Christians are loving but not discerning. They simply accept everything and everyone, regardless of what they believe. But what they believe actually does matter. There's a place for discernment. Paul prayed for the believers in Philippi to grow in love. Love is a mark of a true Christian. You can't love Jesus and not love the church. You can't love God if you're not willing to love your brother or sister in Christ. In fact, Jesus said, "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35 NKJV). Don't wait for the emotion. Just take a little step. Make that benevolent gesture. Offer that kind word. Start doing loving things, and your love will grow. 
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 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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