Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Gun Control Will Usher in the Antichrist - By Pastor Mike Taylor - http://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2018/03/gun-control-will-usher-in-rule-of-anti.html
15 "These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither. 16 And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 17 And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 18 Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. 19 The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him. 20 But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die; 21 Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him." (Numbers 35:15-21) 2 "If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him. 3 If the sun be risen upon him, there shall be blood shed for him; for he should make full restitution; if he have nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. 4 If the theft be certainly found in his hand alive, whether it be ox, or ass, or sheep; he shall restore double." (Exodus 22:2-4) We are in the middle of a great debate that has been going on, back and forth for many years. God in His Word is pretty clear on what is commanded according to murder and accidentally killing someone. It all comes down to self-defense and how a person is able to protect themselves from the deeds of evil men. There has been a discussion in this country over what the parameters for using lethal force during the commission of a crime by an evil intruder into our quiet lives. Many are of the mind that it is wrong to kill in every instance and that God does not give us the right to use deadly force to stop a would be assassin from taking your life, or the life of those around you, including your own family members. Those who are opposed to using weapons for self-defense are what are called "pacifist" and are against every instance of harming another human being, even to their own demise. I had a member tell me that if an intruder came and broke into her home, she would allow the intruder to do whatever he was there to do, either to steal, rape, or even murder and she called it martyrdom...really? Our forefathers addressed this when this country was founded. OUR FOREFATHERS HAD A BETTER IDEA ''A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.'' (US Constitution, 2nd Amendment, ratified December 15th, 1791) They were not only concerned with the individual's ability to protect one's self from an assassin among us that would kill with impunity, but also to protect from a government that could in the future infringe on the rights of individual members of society and the ability to keep and bear arms was the foundation that was forged when this nation was in its infancy. Apparently with the use of our young people in this nation as pawns for abolishing this God given right for self-defense, the left has young people that travel all over the country advocating the removal of our right to bear arms in the name of "March for our Lives". It seems that some people read the 2nd amendment to the Constitution with a different interpretation than the next person who believes that that right shall not be infringed. The language of the 2nd amendment is pretty clear, as the people wanted guarantees that their rights would be protected in the future from a possible, coming despotic government. When asked by a woman concerning what had just been formed in this nation, Ben Franklin told her right out "A Republic, if you can keep it". Can we? I see young people, such as David Hogg, Emma Gonzalez, and Naomi Wadler that seem to pop up at every tragedy that involves gun violence and parrot the same lines of "gun control" and I wonder, "who is paying these kids off and what and who is behind this big push to outlaw guns in this country?" Anybody who can do a little research, knows that the outlawing of the ability to bear arms, does not nothing but give the criminals more encouragement to obtain an illegal weapon and feel comfortable committing any crime his or her twisted mind can think of. I think right off the top of my head, the cities of Baltimore and Chicago, who have the most stringent laws concerning guns in their cities, and the murder rate and crime rate did not decrease, but increased exponentially. Our Constitution, including the Bill of Rights that embody the 2nd Amendment changes as we move along in our time, that it is interpreted and re-interpreted as if there were an ongoing contest for the most original interpretation of a sentence that, to the ignorant and uninitiated masses, seems to make perfect sense just the way it reads on the surface. For the first 200 years of the formation of this Republic, the intent of the 2nd Amendment has functioned as it was intended, and that is to keep the government at bay. Historically, the Constitution did not address concerns of the people, who felt they needed more protection for individual rights then they wanted protection by amendments. So the Bill of Rights was born. Among the rights the states sought to enshrine as Constitutionally-protected were the rights to freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and the right to keep and bear arms. Our forefather's who founded this country, were concerned that the newly created government would someday be over-run by a dictator that could take away those rights that they had fought and died for. What follows are some of the statements that men who advocated for this freedom that shall not be infringed upon. Richard Henry Lee, the Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress, noted at the time that, "to preserve Liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them." James Madison said in the Federalist Papers that the 2nd Amendment preserves, "the advantage of being armed which Americans possess over the people of almost every other nation...(where) the governments are afraid to trust the people with arms." Noah Webster observed that, "before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom in Europe. The supreme power in America cannot enforce unjust laws by the sword; because the whole body of the people are armed, and constitute a force superior to any band of regular troops that can be, on any pretence, raised in the United States. A military force, at the command of Congress, can execute no laws, but such as the people perceive to be just and constitutional; for they will possess the power, and jealousy will instantly inspire the inclination, to resist the execution of a law which appears to them unjust and oppressive." Patrick Henry argued that the power to resist oppression rested entirely on the right to bear arms, saying, "Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are ruined." The possession of individual arms by the citizens of this country was the last line of defense against an evil government. It was reported that during the 2nd World War, that Japan dared not invade the continental United States, as they knew that there would be a gun behind every blade of grass. Census of gun owners in this country has put the amount of guns in the possession of ordinary citizens in the neighborhood of 300 million firearms of different calibers. If you look down through history, the only way that a dictatorship could rise to power was to disarm its citizen. Nazi Germany understood this concept early in the coming to power of Adolf Hiter. Likewise, Stalin and Lenin also recognized the need to remove any effectual resistance to their tyranny. My family has many law enforcement personal within the ranks of police and the highway patrol, but that does not preclude a runaway police that do not follow their oath to "Protect and to Serve". Even the innocent people of New York and Los Angeles have reason to fear the police. Not just the criminals who break laws, but the average citizen. As we know, not all people in law enforcement follow the rules of the law, as one bad apple can spoil the whole barrel in the eyes of the people. Communities around this country are justifiably hesitant to give up their weapons and allow only the police to protect them, or to be at the mercy of law enforcement. Let me clarify that statement. By definition, law enforcement is powerless to act UNTIL after the crime has been committed. Police cannot protect individuals in every case, but prosecute after the crime has already been committed. Which in the case of murder, is little comfort to the victim. In America, burglars aren't sure if homeowners are armed or not, but the odds favor there being at least one gun in the house. So they avoid burglarizing occupied homes. Only thirteen percent of US burglaries are against occupied homes. Burglars are reluctant to invade an occupied home because they might get shot. One out of every 31 burglars gets shot. That is about the equal to the burglar's odds of being sent to prison. North of the border in countries like Canada and across the big pond to England, citizens are most vulnerable in their own homes. Home invasions (burglaries) became the crime of choice among criminals who became the embodiment of the slogan, 'when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.' We could enumerate many modern civilizations who have been conquered by dictators who removed their ability to defend themselves against a despotic government. I say all this, to say this. There is coming a end time power that will take away all the rights of every human being on this planet. What is it that keeps that power at bay, at least in this country? THE COMING RISE OF THE ANTI-CHRIST. We know that the Bible speaks of an end time authority that will rule over this whole earth. So how does these two men take on the whole world and conquer the common man? I submit that the power of personal protection being taken away by repealing individual rights. That would be the beginning of the end of this Republic, should the nation fall for the lie of guns kill people, not people kill people, by whatever means they can devise. Be it not a gun, then they have a knife, a blunt instrument, or even pushing someone off a cliff to fulfill their evil desire of mayhem. The coming dictator will impose laws to rule every man or woman without opposition. 14 "And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." (Revelation 13:14-17) We can see the beginning of the end for the democracies across the Atlantic, that are being overrun with lawlessness. Muslim invasion is causing untold personal destruction of individual liberties that is changing how the governments of many European countries that ignore laws that bring on tyranny. The gun control crowd advocates argue that the 2nd Amendment gives the right to keep and bear arms to a well regulated MILITIA, and not to the 'people'. According to this interpretation, the 2nd Amendment gives the government the right to keep and bear arms via the National Guard, but not the people. As it is in Europe, the slippery slope to locale tyranny begins with disarming the population so there is no active opposition to their rule. The active desire to abolish the ability of this country to protect itself from lawlessness is the goal of the One World advocates to remove the last obstacle to their nefarious designs of a Globalist "utopia". The United States stands astride that path that leads to their "socialist/communist" desires. Every time that something bad happens that involves a gun of any kind, they are the first to jump on the bandwagon, even before the victims families have even had time to mourn their loss. "Never let a crisis go to waste" was and is their battle cry. The silliness of the argument to destroy the 2nd amendment is obvious to anybody but a liberal or an activist judge. Why would the government give itself the right to bear arms by Constitutional amendment, since the Constitution already gives it the right to do so in order to 'provide for the common defense'? But that has been the prevailing legal opinion since the passage of the Brady Bill. That the right to bear arms is granted to the government via a 'well-regulated militia' by the 2nd Amendment. According to Title 10 of the United States Code: (a) The militia of the United States consists of all able-bodied males at least 17 years of age and, except as provided in section 313 of title 32, under 45 years of age who are, or who have made a declaration of intention to become, citizens of the United States and of female citizens of the United States who are members of the National Guard. (b) The classes of the militia are- (1) the organized militia, which consists of the National Guard and the Naval Militia; and (2) the unorganized militia, which consists of the members of the militia who are not members of the National Guard or the Naval Militia. In other words, the 'militia' and 'the people' mean the same thing. TEN REGIONS OF THE ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT We read in the Bible, that in the end of days that this world will divided up into 10 regions that will be ruled eventually, by one man, who the Bible calls the Anti-Christ. Daniel prophesied of this coming 10 regions when he interpreted the dream of King Nebuchadnezzer and his great image of an idol. 31 "Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. 32 This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, 33 His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. 34 Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces." (Daniel 2:31-34) The dream interpreted to be ten regions of this end time world that will have 10 kings that will rule over them, but they will give their rule to one man with absolute power. "And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. 2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. 3 And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast." (Revelation 13:1-3) TRIBULATION COVERS THE WHOLE EARTH. The rise of the Anti-Christ begins the escalating terror that will cover the whole earth. Many will be enamored with this false god on earth, who, with Satan's help, will deceive those whose only desire is to continue in their lawless ways. But what about those who defy the man, or the authorities who do the bidding of the Beast Power? These are those who refuse his mark and refuse to bow the knee to his image and those who do not follow the demands of the false prophet. 7 "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. 8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (Revelation 13:7-8) Think for a minute, how would a power that comes to rule over the United States, whatever its form, would be able to stand against 300 million guns trained at them? How would a citizenry be taken hostage by a despot that rules from headquarters somewhere in this world, be it Rome, Mecca, or even New York? All have been investigated as possible centers of power. If history is any indication of what becomes of a nation that is unarmed to prevent tyranny, then that history is staring us right in the face and is played out on our electronic connections to what is happening in this country and around the world. In my 65 plus years, I have seen many things that have befallen this country, and see its slow spiral into oblivion, but until recently, she has risen to combat the forces of evil, BUT in the last 15 years, we have seen the downward spiral accelerate to unmanageable levels that only seem to get worse as time goes by. I have seen the call for a One World Government in this symbol of world unity known as the United Nations. The idea and the proclamation of Agenda 30 and Sustainable Development that proposes decreasing the population of this earth to no more than 500 million people, worldwide. To accomplish that, they would have to exterminate 6.5 billion people. To me, and I pray you who are reading this, is madness and genocide of whole races of people. How are those who will die in the coming Tribulation stand up against such madness? Without the ability to resist the evil that will cover this whole earth, they will have nothing at their disposal to even mount a weak defense. OUR RIGHTS ON THE CHOPPPING BLOCK I have studied the history of anti-gun legislation and anti-gun court cases and reached the following conclusion: "Our examination of the original meaning of the Amendment provides extensive reasons to conclude that the Second Amendment secures an individual right, and no persuasive basis for either the collective-right or quasi-collective-right views." The memorandum was titled; "Whether the 2nd Amendment Secures an Individual Right" and conspicuously put the conclusion in the subtitle; "The right of the individual is to bear arms." Other than that, the media seems to have spiked the story. To the liberal left, gun control is more than an issue, it is a matter of doctrine. Gun control is once again on the radar screen for the advancement of the coming socialist agenda and the seed for the furtherance of the coming One World Government. Many people realize the closeness of the hour and how in your next breath, the rise of the Anti-Christ will be here, BUT praise God, that something else will come before the time rears its ugly head to rule for 7 years. 6 "And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders," (2nd Thessalonians 6-9) The Holy Spirit is the only Spirit that withholds back the coming revealing of the Anti-Christ and his Satanic rule and is found in every born again Christian still on earth. ....we are inching closer with every tragedy or lawless deed by evil men, and the evil men that are housed in Congress that fill this swamp known as Washington D.C. Since it is near an impossible feat to drain the cesspool swamp we have allowed to fester beyond of any ability to turn back the page to a happier, more secure time, we are becoming ripe for the downfall of this nation...Many forces are trying to accomplish that, but the Holy Spirit is not allowing that until one event causes the implosion of this countries economic stability and that of the world. 50 "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 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. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." (1st Corinthians 15:50-54) The destruction of the freedoms we have enjoyed for all my life, and the life of anyone who is reading this message is on the call for its removal from the life of every man and woman on this planet, and will succumb to the coming New World Order, when, I believe the Bride of Christ is removed from this earth. Then the realization of Sustainable Development and Agenda 2030 will be on the rode to fulfillment as the earth is cleansed of what we have been called "the deplorables". Life will change dramatically for anyone who is left on this earth to whether the coming changes to your way of life. The worldview is rapidly changing, and the removal of our freedoms is the avenue to accomplish the coming rule of the Anti-Christ. I believe it will start with disarming Americans, followed by freedom of religion, which is also under attack. Gun control is a front for the advancement of the socialist agenda. Giving in to the idea that guns are dangerous concedes to the notion that it is better to let some lowlife steal your property, rape your wife, and beat you half to death than it is to expedite his passage into the next world. (Your property was all gained at his expense anyway, so in a moral sense, he's entitled to it as much as you are.) That is their belief by their actions in those who oppose our God given freedoms. A NEW WORLD IS ON THE HORIZON Although the world is becoming more lawless and evil abounds within our shores, it beckons the belief that the return of Jesus is right at the door. ....Jesus said that when the fig tree blooms, then those who are alive at this time will not pass away until Jesus is back on earth, reigning and ruling for a thousand years. 32 "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: 33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. 34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." (Matthew 24:32-34) That generation of those who saw the fig tree bloom, which is Israel is now in its 70th year and ends in May of this year, 2018. That is what God told us in Psalm 90 was the years of a generation, only 80 years, by strength which is full of sorrow and then we fly away. The symptoms of our soon removal from this earth keep stacking up every where we look....it doesn't matter what part of the world you look at, as the words of your Bible cry out to us, SOON, VERY SOON. Will you be ready for the coming of the One who was prophesied to come when the world is in the condition you see her? 36 "For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 37 For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry."(Hebrews 10:36-37) Yes, Jesus will come and not tarry, even though there are some who scoff at such a thought. But will you believe that Jesus is the Source of the Victory over this sinful world and the Rapture of the Church of the Living God and to dwell with our Blessed Hope? 11 "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:11-14) How will you be ready for the appearing of our Blessed Hope? Only one way that you can have the assurance of being found in His grace and mercy. 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) And then confess to those around you what God has done for you, through Jesus Christ our Lord....for we must confess Jesus to others, and never deny Him. 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."(Romans 10:8-10) GET READY, FOLKS. The time of our departure is only a heart beat away. Ask youself....ARE YOU READY??? Make sure that you are following Jesus as your Lord and Savior, having repented of your sins, THEN, my friend..you are indeed...READY... Come Lord Jesus. This is Pastor Mike Taylor, warning of the closeness of the hour of our Lord's return. If you need counseling, prayer, or just a listening ear, email me at [email protected] , God bless you all.. TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET. Hamas To Force Israel's Hand With 'Return March' Of Thousands of Palestinians - By Yoni Ben Menachem - http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=2126 Hamas has adopted a new method of fighting Israel by using civilians in the same way it did during Operation Protective Edge in 2014 -- as human shields. The "Return March" planned for Friday is a cynical exploitation of Palestinian refugees and a publicity stunt that has no political benefit. The refugee problem can only be solved through diplomatic means by a body representing the Palestinians that recognizes Israel's right to exist -- not through a terrorist organization that wants to destroy it. Even if Hamas makes a huge media impact with its march, within a few weeks it will disappear into a cloud of oblivion. The military wing of Hamas began a "defense exercise" on March 25 in the Gaza Strip. Sources in Gaza say it is a show of strength in preparation for the large "Return March," which is supposed to take place between Land Day on March 30 and Nakba Day on May 15. According to these sources, the exercise sends a double message. On the one hand, it is a message to residents of Gaza wanting to participate in the march that there is someone who will defend them from the Israel Defense Forces. On the other hand, it is a deterrent message to the IDF that harming the marchers will lead to a security escalation. This war could then spread to the borders with the State of Israel, and not be confined only to the Gaza Strip. The march of a mass of Palestinians towards the border with Israel is not a Palestinian invention. It was first invented by Hezbollah, who tried it on Israel's northern borders on Nakba Day on May 15, 2011. During that six-hour event, several hundred young Palestinian men and women tried to cross the Lebanese and Syrian borders with Israel. The IDF soldiers at the border were taken by surprise and compelled to open fire. As a result, 10 demonstrators were killed and another 100 were injured. Now, Hamas is attempting to replicate Hezbollah's exercise and turn this into an event that will last several weeks. Its basic premise is that the large media presence on the Palestinian side will provide enough protection for the Palestinian marchers to overcome the "fear barrier," approach the border fence with Israel, and try to cross it. In Hamas' estimation, IDF soldiers will act with great caution and won't use live ammunition due to the media presence among the marchers. No country in the world would agree to tens of thousands of demonstrators, accompanied by various kinds of media, infiltrating their borders and trying to get into their territory. Hamas is making cynical use of Palestinian refugees living in the Gaza Strip as cannon fodder against the IDF, who have to protect the border fence and cannot allow infiltration. According to a report by the Quds Press news agency on March 7, one of the activists involved in the media campaign for the return march is Zaher al-Birawi. He is an activist affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas, who also bears the title "liaison for the international committee for breaking the embargo on the Gaza Strip." In the past, he held a key position among the organizers of marches and flotillas to Gaza. The planned "Return March" is similar to the incident of the Mavi Marmara flotilla in 2010, which was organized by Turkey and the Muslim Brotherhood. Fatah sources in Gaza report that Hamas is encouraging residents to go to the area of the border with Israel and take part in marches toward the fence. Several Hamas activists have even promised payment for participating in these activities. According to these sources, Hamas is interested in provoking an escalation that will lead to many casualties on the Palestinian side in order to place the Palestinian issue firmly on the top of the world agenda. The avowed purpose of the "grand return march" is to show that the Palestinians have not given up on the "right of return" for Palestinian refugees or "houses and property" as defined by UN Resolution 194. The organizers claim that the Palestinian initiative was provoked by US President Donald Trump's cuts to UNRWA's budget and reports that the current US administration will recommend in a final status agreement that refugees will settle in the places where they currently live -- in other Arab countries. Even if Hamas succeeds in attracting the attention of the world's media by fomenting an escalation at the border with Gaza, it is clear that this move will have no political benefit. According to Palestinian data, there are around seven million Palestinian refugees around the world. Israel will not destroy its own national identity by absorbing the Palestinians within its boundaries as they demand, changing Israel's demographic map. Their problem needs to be solved with the cooperation of the international community. Tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees marching to the Gaza border will not solve the problem. If anything, it will only frighten the Israel public and discourage any attempt to resolve the refugee issue. The Hamas march actually disregards the fate of Palestinian refugees. Hamas does not have any real ability to get them across the border into Israeli territory. The IDF will prevent this, and even if a few individuals do manage to cross the border, they will either be injured or arrested. How long can thousands of Palestinian residents live in tents close to the border fence without proper infrastructure or food? In the end, will they understand that Hamas is using them for its own political purposes? Conditions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, coupled with the regional and international situation, are not currently conducive to finding a solution to the Palestinian refugee problem, and neither marches nor parades will help. It's a shame about all the blood that may be spilled. It's an irresponsible move by a terror organization that has no scruples about using the residents of Gaza as "human shields" during a time of war, as it did during Operation Protective Edge in 2014. Hamas is trying to adopt a new strategy of using civilians to fight against Israel. It calls it a "non-violent popular struggle," similar to Mahmoud Abbas' strategy in the West Bank, which he refers to as "popular, peaceful resistance." Both of these strategies are bound to fail and they have no bearing on a solution for the problems of the Palestinian people. He Chose the Cross - Nathele Graham - [email protected] "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me and from the words of my roaring? Psalm 22:1. King David wrote those words and centuries later our Lord Jesus Christ cried out these very words as He hung on the cross. As we read through the 22nd Psalm it's clear that David wrote these words of prophecy as if he had been transported into the future to stand at the foot of the cross himself. He writes of bones being out of joint and exposed so they are able to be counted, hands and feet being pierced, and casting lots for garments. All this describes Jesus' torture and crucifixion, but His cry to God the Father is heart-wrenching. "And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with aloud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Mark 15:34. Those words break my heart. The anguish in His voice echoes throughout the ages. At that moment in time, God the Father could not look upon God the Son. In all of eternity that had never happened. Jesus was sinless, but God the Father could not look upon Him because He had become sin in our place. "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 2 Corinthians 5:21. Never think that you, by your own merit, are worthy of salvation. What Jesus did on the cross was something only He could do. Fully God and fully man, He took our sin and willingly allowed Himself to be the once for all sacrifice for our redemption. At the moment He cried out those words do you think that Jesus thought He had made a mistake? No. He chose the cross because He loved those people standing there, and He loves you and me. It's important to study Biblical prophecy. It tells us what will come to pass, but it also confirms that God's word is true because many prophecies have already been fulfilled. Over 300 prophecies foretold of Jesus' first coming, including some extremely graphic ones that described His death. Isaiah chapter 53 contains details of the Messiah that are quite descriptive of Jesus. "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not." Isaiah 53:3. The Messiah was rejected by the Jewish leaders on behalf of the nation as a whole, but some individuals recognized Him. Peter was one who had followed Him for three years but ran and hid in fear when Jesus was arrested and crucified. Many Christians today still try to hide from Him. We accept His sacrifice but then knowingly embrace sin. Then we stop reading His word or fellowshipping with fellow Christians. We reject Him and don't esteem Him or His sacrifice. Shame on us. "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him: and with his stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:4-5. Transgressions (pesha' in Hebrew) is rebellion and iniquities ('avon in Hebrew), is perversity and depravity. Even the best of humans will willingly follow the path of sin that leads to destruction. Little white lies are as much sin as the big, ugly ones. Jesus was beaten to a bloody pulp and whipped until His bones were exposed because of our transgressions and iniquities. In spite of knowing what He would face, He still chose the cross and bore our griefs and sorrows. Once a person realizes the price that Jesus paid on the cross, their desire should be to follow Him closely. Unfortunately, we tend to go our own way. "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6. Sheep are followers but they don't always follow the wisest path. That's why they need a shepherd to guide and protect them. Sheep tend to stray into danger, and we are like them. That's why we need Jesus.. "I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." John 10:11. We all follow someone or some thing, and Satan wants us to follow him. That's when our path becomes dangerous. When we follow Satan we sin and follow the path that leads to destruction. Every sin that you or I have ever committed, or ever will commit, was laid upon Jesus as He hung on the cross. He took our sins willingly. He cried "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" because of our wrong choice to follow the path of Satan and the world. Why do I continue to sin when I know how much grief I've caused Jesus? I'm so sorry, my Lord. Please forgive me. Death had been introduced into the world through Adam's sin. That separated humans from God and sin ruled men's hearts. We were under the curse of death because of Adam's choice. God wanted people to understand that sin separates us from Him and showed what sin is through Jewish Law. God's standards are so much higher than ours, but the Law was only the instructor and not the cure. Some sins required capital punishment, but stoning was the method of putting a criminal to death, not crucifixion. Blasphemy (claiming to be God) was one of those capital crimes. "And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance." Deuteronomy 21:22-23. It's odd that we find reference to someone being put to death and hanged on a tree. The Apostle Paul talked about this in his letter to the Galatians. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." Galatians 3:13-14. Jesus became sin for us and His death, burial, and resurrection opened the door for Gentiles, by faith, to also find salvation. Jesus was accursed and hung on the cross and He took the punishment for our sins upon Himself. Christ fulfilled the Law and only through Him can we find redemption. We owe everything to Jesus and when we accept what He did we need to allow changes in our life that moves us from a sin-filled life to one that honors Him. During His time on earth, Jesus had done many things to upset the Pharisees. He healed people on the Sabbath and gathered food on the Sabbath, but did He claim to be God? Yes, He did. He was God in the flesh, but the religious leaders were blind to the truth. After one heated debate, Jesus said "I and my Father are one." John 10:30. That doesn't translate well into English, but the Pharisees understood. "Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God." John 10:31-33. Blasphemy (claiming to be God) was the reason the Pharisees wanted Jesus killed and they were able to convince the Romans to crucify Him. If the Old Testament prophecies regarding the Messiah's death were false, the prophet would have described Jewish stoning and not crucifixion as the way He would be killed. When the Romans occupied Jerusalem, stoning was outlawed and crucifixion was the way a criminal was executed. Jesus was not a criminal, but prophecy is clear that Messiah would not be stoned, He would be crucified. In fact the prophet Zechariah gave prophetic words regarding a still future time when the nation of Israel will understand who Jesus was. "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 12:10. One day the nation of Israel will understand that Jesus was Messiah and that He was crucified, not stoned, for their sin and the sin of the entire world. When the events of the day of crucifixion had come to an end, Jesus gave up His life. Those who had stood at the foot of the cross watched as He suffered and had seen the Roman soldiers cast lots for His robe, they heard Him ask that the Father would forgive those who had abused Him and pounded the nails into His hands and feet, they heard Him promise the criminal next to Him that, because he had recognized who Jesus was, he would be in Paradise that day. Jesus gave the care of His mortal mother Mary to John and at last all was finished and He give up the Ghost. "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished; and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." John 19:30. Those who were gathered around heard His final words and they saw Him die. They had no way of knowing that the victory had been won! Joseph of Arimathaea asked for the body and He was put into the tomb, which was sealed and guarded by Roman soldiers. What did His mother and friends think? They had hoped that Jesus was the longed for Messiah, but now He was dead. The cross had claimed another life. We can look back and know that their grief would soon turn to joy! The day of First Fruits was coming. Hallelujah, Christ is risen! When Jesus said "It is finished" He wasn't talking about the limited hopes of a handful of people. Jesus meant that the battle was finished and Satan lost. "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" 1 Corinthians 15:55. He won our fight. He chose the cross and He won! Death is no longer the end of life for anyone who has accepted the shed blood of Jesus as the final sacrifice for sin. Jesus said "It is finished" and He meant it. There is nothing more that needs to be done. Why, then, do we insult Him by adding anything to His victory? Baptism? It's obedience and a way to honor Him, but only His shed blood brings salvation. Looking to Mary for "help" in salvation is blasphemy. There is no other path that leads to salvation, so if you think that you can blaze your own trail to Heaven you're very deceived. Look to Jesus...look to the cross. The battle is won because Jesus chose the cross. God bless you all, Nathele Graham [email protected] www.straitandnarrowministry.com [email protected] Ron and Nathele Graham's previous commentaries archived at http://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html All original scripture is "theopneustos" God breathed. If you'd like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries just drop me an email and let me know. What Was the 'Crime' of Jesus That Got Him Crucified? - Dr. Jerry Newcombe - https://www.christianheadlines.com/columnists/guest-commentary/what-was-the-crime-of-jesus-that-got-him-crucified.html Soon another Holy Week will be upon us, beginning with Palm Sunday and culminating with Easter Sunday. It was "the week that changed the world." The week began in a humble, triumphant sort of way. That may seem like an oxymoron. Jesus was hailed as a king, but rode in on a donkey---a humble way to begin His public entry into Jerusalem. Of course, He was fulfilling what Zechariah the prophet had foretold about 700 years before. Dr. Paul L. Maier is a professor of ancient history emeritus from Western Michigan University. He is a terrific scholar on all things related to Jesus and the Gospels. In his 1997 book, In the Fullness of Time, Maier writes of Jesus' entry into the Holy City on the eve of the Passover on that very first Palm Sunday: the donkey "was the common beast of burden of the time, in contrast to the superior horse of gilded chariot used in Roman triumphs." The city was bustling and filled with people. Dr. D. James Kennedy notes this: "Josephus tells us that there were over three million pilgrims that visited the city on this occasion. 256,000 lambs were slain for the Passover." Of course, the climax of Jesus' entry was His death (on Passover) and resurrection. Why was Jesus crucified? What crime did He allegedly commit? Crucifixion was a horrible way to die. It was so bad that no Roman citizen could be crucified. It was an execution reserved for slaves and bandits. How amazing then that the Son of God become man would allow Himself to be so degraded by people whom He Himself had created. Crucifixion was invented in the Near East and perfected by the Romans. It was not uncommon for a crucified victim to suffer for days. Pontius Pilate was surprised Jesus had died in only a few hours---however, He had been scourged so horribly that He could have bled to death, had He been released after the whipping. The crucified victim had the crime he committed posted above his head. Crucifixion was like a living billboard---do what this fellow did and you too could end up like this. In the case of Jesus, we've all seen the crucifixes with INRI above His head. This stands for Iesus Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm, Latin for Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews, as recorded in John's Gospel. His "crime" was claiming to be a king, a treasonous act in ancient Rome. In a television interview I once conducted with Dr. Paul Maier, he noted that there were three phases of Roman history, beginning with the Monarchy from 753 to 509 B.C. The next stage was the Republic from 509 to 30 B.C. And then there was the Roman Empire from 30 B.C. to 476. Commenting on that first phase, Maier told me, "The first seven kings of Rome ended in a real tyrant. His name was Tarquin the Proud, and they didn't want another king throughout their history." Thus, after 509 B.C., the Romans eschewed the title "king" [rex] thereafter, despite having emperors who were far more powerful than any earthly king. Thus, Jesus' claim to be the King of the Jews was His death sentence. Maier adds: "[Rex] was a term of opprobrium. It was somebody who was trying to subvert the masses.... And that is the charge that the prosecution made, which really turned the case as far as Pontius Pilate was concerned." It's a tragic fact that in 2000 years of Christian history, there have been anti-Semitic professing Christians who blamed the Jews for the crucifixion of Jesus. But the fact is that Jesus laid down His life as fully God and fully man, who alone fulfilled the Ten Commandments, on behalf of sinners---so that those who believe in Him might be saved. As Jesus Himself said, "I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again" (John 10:17-18). If there were any "crime" committed for which Jesus was dying, it was the crime committed by sinful people against our holy Creator. Christians believe that Jesus is the King, whose kingdom was foretold by Daniel the prophet about 500 years before He came, who said that in the "days of those kings"---which kings? The Roman kings---the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will smite the Roman Empire. It begins as a small stone but that stone goes on to become a mountain that fills the whole earth. Christianity began very small, but has grown to where about one-third of humanity claims to be Christian. And so during this Holy Week, Christians celebrate the coming 2000 years ago of the King, who came the first time in humility, who will one day ride a white horse as the conquering King of kings and Lord of lords. Daily Jot: The Passover Lamb - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com As we enter the most holy of celebrations, Passover, let us prepare our hearts, repent from uncleanliness and seek true understanding of our relationship with God the Father and the Messiah. In a day and age where being Christian or Jew is looked down upon, even by some Christians and Jews, we need to have introspect on our mission in life, how that relates to the Lord, and our position in the world as we come closer to the end of days. This is the week of Nisan 10 on the Hebrew calendar. During the week, the sacrificial lambs were to be examined and only the ones found without blemish would be sacrificed on Nisan 14 (Friday this year) before the beginning of Pesach, or Passover. The Passover coincides with the final days of Christ, his crucifixion, and resurrection. It is the picture of Christ being the true Passover Lamb, the sacrifice that liberates mankind from sin, as did God free the Israelites from the bondage in Egypt. The crucifixion of Christ took place as the Passover lambs were being sacrificed in the temple in Jerusalem. The Hebrew calendar starts its days from sundown to sundown, making its timing far different than the Gregorian calendar that we follow. The Pesach sacrifice (sacrifice of the Passover lambs) needed to be completed before sundown on Nisan 14 (which is Friday on our calendar). The Messiah was nailed to the cross, suffered, and died before sundown on Nisan 14. Christ entered Jerusalem on the 10th of Nisan, which is the day that the devoted Jews were choosing their Passover lambs. This is referenced in Matthew 21 where the great multitude spread their garments and branches on the way saying in verse 9, "Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest." Jesus went to the temple and overturned the money changers, his authority was questioned by the religious leaders, and he gave the great commandments, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind...and the second one is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." He also sat with his disciples and taught the chronology of what would happen in the end of days. This is called the Olivet Discourse. Christ stated to his disciples in Matthew 26:2, "Ye know that after two days is the feast of the Passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified." He then held an early Seder in which he spoke of the wine as his blood and the bread as his body. The events of the evening followed where Christ was taken in the garden, brought before the priests who sought a false witness to put him to death, but as Matthew 26:60 says, "But found none." He was taken before Pilate who also could find no fault in him, but allowed the people to decide if he should be crucified. These events follow the examination of the Passover Lamb who had no blemish. Christ is the true Passover Lamb as stated in 1 Corinthians 5:7, "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us," and John 1:29, "Behold the Lamb of God, which takes away the sin of the world." Daily Devotion: The Power of Christ's Words - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. -1 Peter 3:18 Christ' passionate love for the world is evident in His statements from the Cross: Statement One "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." Luke 23:34 Do you realize that you are in need of the Father's forgiveness? Statement Two "Today you will with Me in Paradise." Luke 23:43 Have you realized and confessed Jesus as your personal Savior? Statement Three "Woman, behold your son." John 19:26 Jesus is concerned for us and provides for all of us. Statement Four "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" Matthew 27:46 Jesus was forsaken so we don't have to be. Statement Five "I thirst!" John 19:28 This personal statement reminds us that Jesus is not only God, but He also was man. Jesus identifies with our needs. Statement Six "It is finished!" John 19:30 Jesus paid for our sins, and sin's control over our lives is broken! Statement Seven "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit." Luke 23:46 You can entrust your life into God's hands. If you are reading this today and you've never committed your life to Jesus Christ, would you visit KnowGod.com and confess Him as Your Savior and Lord? 
FROM THE HEART
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