Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
The Great Apostasy: Part 1 - By Geri Ungurean -
https://www.raptureready.com/2019/04/20/great-apostasy-part-1-geri-ungurean/ In these last days, Jesus warned of false teachers and to beware of them. We are seeing this unfolding before our eyes. But sometimes (as the devil does so well) it sounds believable; and before long, many of us are pulled into heretical teaching. Our Lord wants to keep us safe from False Teachers. His Word is there for us for this purpose. I was reading Acts 17 and of course came upon this passage of Scripture: "These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:11). Acts 17:11 is preached to this day to impart to God's people a most important Truth. The Bereans had heard Paul and Silas preach to them. The Word says that these Berean Jews received the word with all readiness; but what did they do after hearing that which was preached to them? They searched the Scriptures to verify what they had heard. Many people today do not rely on the Word of God for Truth. Unfortunately, they rely on the teachings of men - some of which are Biblically sound. But others have twisted the Word of God to accommodate the "Itching Ear" crowd who want to be made comfortable in church. "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables" (2 Timothy 4:3-4). "that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting" (Ephesians 4:14). Did you know that those who are trained to spot counterfeit money spend the majority of their time studying authentic bills? It's true. They can immediately spot the counterfeit because the authentic is engrained in their brains. And so are believers in Christ told to study the Word of God in order to reject apostasy: "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15). It's a Spiritual Minefield Out There What is Apostasy? Apostasy, from the Greek word apostasia, means "a defiance of an established system or authority; a rebellion; an abandonment or breach of faith." This clearly shows that there is "Truth" from the Word of God; but there is also a rebellion or defiance against God's Word. I receive many emails each week from the readers of my articles. It shocks and saddens me that so many are caught up in false teaching, cults and even in a "New Age" version of Christianity. This is not true of the majority of those who write to me. Most are very grounded in the Word and are 'Born Again' believers. But the readers who do communicate with me who have become ensnared in false doctrine is very troubling. I see this on Facebook when I publish a new article. There will always be those who find fault with my words because what I say exposes the false doctrine which they believe. I want the reader to understand that I am very open to being corrected by the brethren - but the Word of God must reign Supreme over "opinions" of men and women. So, let's get right into the snares and traps of False teaching. Hebrew Roots (HRM) Being an ethnic Jew who came to faith in Christ so many years ago, I am very familiar with this cult. And yes - I did say CULT. Satan's traps, lies and snares are everywhere, but Hebrew Roots is especially egregious to the Lord. We know that we are saved by Grace through faith. It is the New Covenant of Grace - the better Covenant which brings life to those who believe in the finished work of Christ on the Cross, and His resurrection from the dead. When we truly believe "on" the Lord Jesus Christ (placing our faith in Him alone for the forgiveness of our sins by His shed blood) and understand that this is what saves us, we are able to discern false teaching. Through the years, I have met many Christians who are taken with the knowledge that I am an ethnic Jew. I have spoken with many who actually research their lineage to find out if they have any amount of Jewish blood. I have often told them that being grafted into the vine is simply the way that the Lord has made it possible for them to enter the Kingdom of God. But somewhere along the line, they have been confronted by those of the Hebrew Roots Cult. To simplify the errant teaching of this cult, I have chosen to take the main beliefs and format them in a bulleted list. I do hope that many of the brethren will print out this article and keep it for reference. HRM believes:
I must insert something very important for the reader. I am in no way saying that Christians who feel led to study the history and customs of the Jewish people, and even take part in many of these, should not do this. But they must understand that observing these traditions of Judaism is not part of Salvation. This is a lie from the pit of hell. The teachings of HRM are no different from those of the Judaizers of Jesus' day, with one exception: Most all of the HRM leadership and followers are NOT Jews. I have noticed that most so-called Hebrew Roots churches are not only filled with non-Jews, but the "Rabbi" over the people is not even ethnically Jewish himself! (Most of the congregations are not aware of this.) From Bereancall.org Messianic Jewish believer Stan Telchin sees the imposition of Jewish law and practice on Gentiles as one of the more troubling aspects of the Messianic Jewish Movement: "I know that the overwhelming majority of Jewish believers do not attend Messianic synagogues. It has been suggested that less than five percent of the Jewish believers in the United States attend them....Many Jewish people who I have brought to such synagogues have told me they felt as though they were looking at a caricature-an imitation and not the real thing" (Messianic Judaism Is Not Christianity, Chosen Books, Grand Rapids, MI, 2004, p. 83). If Telchin's statistics are even close, it means that up to 95 percent of the attendees at Messianic synagogues are Gentiles and only 5 percent are Jews. This tells us that Gentiles are being "converted" to forms of Judaism that even many Jews reject. That turns Acts 15 on its head. The really big question that Hebrew Roots teachers must answer is, "Why are there far more Gentile believers than Jews in Messianic synagogues and Messianic fellowships?" From gotquestions.org (On HRM) The influence of this movement is working its way into our churches and seminaries. It's dangerous in its implication that keeping the Old Covenant law is walking a "higher path" and is the only way to please God and receive His blessings. Nowhere in the Bible do we find Gentile believers being instructed to follow Levitical laws or Jewish customs; in fact, the opposite is taught. Romans 7:6 says, "But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code." Christ, in keeping perfectly every ordinance of the Mosaic Law, completely fulfilled it. Just as making the final payment on a home fulfills that contract and ends one's obligation to it, so also Christ has made the final payment and has fulfilled the law, bringing it to an end for us all. The NAR Movement (New Apostolic Reformation and Dominion Theology) We are warned by Jesus not to add or take away from His Holy Word. Perhaps the NAR Movement and Dominionists misread the Words of our Lord. These movements thrive on extra-Biblical revelation. The dangers of these teachings are beyond what we can even imagine. This movement is spanning the globe at an alarming rate. As I did with HRM, I will format this as bullet points to simplify:
Discerning Christians will see clearly that this is a cult. It does not even resemble Christianity from the Bible. Nevertheless, the followers of this cult are in the millions and growing every day. Many Personal Stories of leaving the NAR Cult <click to read Jan Markell did a two-part series on her radio program which exposed an even more nefarious side of NAR. Wolves Not Sparing the Flock Part 1 Wolves Not sparing the Flock Part 2 A question for the reader: Does any of this about NAR, Dominion Theology and HRM line up with the Word of God? (rhetorical question!) This is the first of a series of articles which I hope to write concerning cults and false teaching. I will cover the "Social Justice Gospel" in my next article along with other Apostasy movements. Brethren, I hope that this article will help someone to make the decision to leave if they are involved with these false movements. I also hope that this might help a family who has a member caught up in HRM, NAR or Dominion Theology. Remember: Times change but the Word of God NEVER changes. Beware of extra-Biblical teaching and so-called revelations. God is God and we are NOT! How Can I Be Saved? Shalom b'Yeshua MARANATHA! [email protected] Articles at grandmageri422.me The EU Still Appeasing the Mullahs - by Majid Rafizadeh - https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/14027/eu-appeasing-iran The European Union, in an unfathomable move, has been taking the side of the Iranian government, and turning its back on its old transatlantic partner, the United States, which recently announced plans to designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a foreign terrorist organization (FTO), reportedly to take effect this week. The Trump administration has taken a tougher stance towards Iran's dark and hegemonic ambitions. Meanwhile, despite Iran's destructive behavior, such as support for terror and militia groups across the region, the European Union has chosen to help the ruling mullahs of Iran, ostensibly to maintain the flimsy, illegal, never-signed, unratified "nuclear deal" -- but possibly even more as an embarrassingly transparent attempt, if the EU could be embarrassed, to navigate around US economic and political pressure and continue doing business with Iran's regime. This loyalty to a tyranny has taken place has despite terror and assassination plots that Iran has brought to the EU since the establishment of the nuclear deal, such as several political assassination attempts committed in the EU by Iran's agents. One evening in November 2017, as Ahmad Mola Nissi returned to his home in The Hague, an assassin gunned him down at his front door. The 52-year-old Dutch citizen of Iranian origin had been a critic of the Iranian government and prominent figure in the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz. He had fought for the safety and liberation of others and was gunned down where he should have felt the safest. The Dutch authorities publicly announced for the first time that it had "strong indications" the Iranian government had commissioned the murder. Not only was Nissi targeted for his political beliefs, but, despite supposedly friendly dynamics between Iran and the EU, his murder was carried out on European soil. His death is not an isolated case. Another of Tehran's political opponents, Mohammad Reza Kolahi Samadi, was killed in similar circumstances in Amsterdam in 2015. He had apparently been targeted for his opposition to the Iranian government the 1980s. Without any trial, without any valid proof, his life had been taken, again with complete disregard to the political alliance between the EU and Iran. Tehran, in fact, has a long and distinguished track record of complete disregard for human rights (for example, here, here and here) and international law (here, here, here and here ) The evidence does not stop there. In fact, in recent years, a series of four assassination and terrorist plots across Europe, some successful and others not, have been traced back to Tehran. These include a foiled a terrorist attack in Paris in July of 2018 that targeted a large convention, attended by high-level speakers including former US House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich, ex-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and former Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird. In another case -- in which an Iranian diplomat and several other individuals of Iranian origin were arrested in France, Belgium and Germany -- French officials concluded that the Iranian regime was behind a foiled bomb plot. Iran's latest acts of terror in Europe reveal that those leaders who are appeasing Tehran, despite its terrorist plots, are most likely damaging their nations' national security and leaving their countries more vulnerable to the Iranian government's violent behavior. Ever since the nuclear deal, Iran's destructive actions in its own surrounding region have also increased, as has its funding and arming of known terrorist sects or militia groups. These include Hezbollah, the Houthis and Hamas. The militant groups' indiscriminate firing of rockets into other countries has made peace in the region impossible. Iran's series of assassinations and attacks highlights that its government will resort to acts of terrorism to achieve its fundamentalist, extremist and revolutionary objectives, such as sponsoring and funding terrorist groups, as well as inciting anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism. The theocratic establishment of Iran -- the same Iran that the EU is aiding -- continues to be the world's leading state sponsor of terrorism. The Iranian leaders are making a mockery of the EU, and benefiting from the chaos it sows throughout Europe, the Middle East and South America. If the EU does not change its position and continues its support of Iranian leaders and the nuclear deal, Tehran's aggressive policies in the Middle East will persist, and Tehran will keep on pursuing its subversive agenda of attacking Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States via Yemen, Israel through Syria and Lebanon, and the US via Venezuela. While President Donald Trump may have his critics, his hard-line sanctions are the only kind of political message that Iran's leaders can understand. Coming into force last November, Trump's secondary sanctions have hit most of Iran's major industries, including oil, shipping and banking. Commercial relations with all blacklisted entities are prohibited. Anyone who trades with Iran can no longer trade with the US. This policy may seem harsh, but it is well-informed and ultimately can significantly damage the ruling clerics' ability to carry out their aggressive goals. This policy might also win the US back its leverage. The more the EU appeases the ruling clerics of Iran, the more it will also empower them to continue carrying out terror and assassination plots on European soil. How long will the EU continue its misinformed, dangerous policy of kissing up to the mullahs? The EU instead, for its own security, would do better to suspend its business transactions with Iran for a while and commit itself instead to putting a stop to the Iranian government's unending rapacious behavior. Absolute Truth - By Daymond Duck - https://www.raptureready.com/2019/04/21/absolute-truth-daymond-duck/ On a daily basis, the news continues to show that God's Word, including Bible prophecy, is absolutely true. Here are several examples: First, it was recently reported that Pope Francis told the king of Morocco that Jerusalem is the "common patrimony (inheritance) of humanity and especially the followers of the three monotheistic religions." I interpret this to mean that Pope Francis believes that Jerusalem belongs to the world and especially to the three religions that trace their roots back to Abraham. If I am right, Pope Francis is either totally in the dark about what the Bible teaches or he is a false teacher that doesn't believe the Bible. God does not contradict His written Word. Second, I was recently honored to speak at the Mid-America Prophecy Conference in Tulsa, Ok. Dr. Mike Gendron, a former Roman Catholic and an expert on Bible prophecy, was one of the speakers. Dr. Gendron is a former corporate executive and the founder of Proclaiming the Gospel ministry. He has devoted his life to exposing false doctrines in the Roman Catholic Church. I said to Mike, "I am not ready to say that Pope Francis is the False Prophet, but I admit that he has me wondering about it. What is your opinion?" Mike's reply went something like this, "If we are as close to the return of the Lord as it seems, we have to admit that he is the only candidate on the scene." I got the impression that Mike believes that the Roman Catholic Church and Islam will come together to form the one-world religion, and Pope Francis is the most likely person to head it up. Considering the Pope's age (82) and that he would have to be alive and active until the end of the seven-year Tribulation Period, a one-world religion would have to be close. Third, the Bible is clear that God is against the division of the Promised Land. Three days before the April 9, 2019, Israeli elections, the polls showed that Prime Min. Netanyahu would lose. In a TV interview on Apr. 6, 2019, Prime Min. Netanyahu promised to extend Israeli sovereignty over all of the Jewish settlements on the West Bank, if he was re-elected. He said he will not allow the Palestinian Authority (PA) to rule over the Jewish settlements on the West Bank. He may let the PA rule over some Arab communities on the West Bank, but he will not allow them to have a separate army, air force, etc. Mr. Netanyahu's strongest opponent called these promises irresponsible, and the election suddenly flipped. Mr. Netanyahu took a Biblical stand against dividing the Promised Land, and he came from behind over the next three days to win re-election. Fourth, the disciples asked Jesus about the sign of His coming, and of the end of the age" (Matt. 24:3). Among other things, He said, "Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled (Matt. 24:32-35). Notice two things: 1) Jesus said when Israel is young and growing you will know that His return is near, and 2) Near means the generation of Jews that sees a convergence of all of the prophecies won't pass away until everything is fulfilled. In 1948, Israel became a nation again. In 1967, Israel retook East Jerusalem, the Temple Mount and the Golan Heights. In 2018, the U.S. moved its embassy to Jerusalem. In 2019, the U.S. recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights. In 2019, Prime Min. Netanyahu said he intends to annex the Jewish settlements on the West Bank. Israel is literally a young and growing nation that will soon be 71 years old. Fifth, in late March, the city of San Antonio, TX, banned Chick-Fil-A from doing business (buying and selling) at the city airport because of the company's religious beliefs. This is a good example of the Mark of the Beast that will be used to force people that want to buy and sell to support world government dogma. San Antonio has been asked to reconsider its decision to keep Chick-Fil-A from buying and selling its products because of the owner's religious beliefs, and we should pray that they do. In the meantime, please support Chick-Fil-A for standing on the Word of God. Sixth, on Apr. 13, 2019, Israel struck Iranian targets near a Russian base in Syria. Israel has taken responsibility; it has been reported that several Syrian, Iranian and pro-Iranian troops were killed, 17 others were wounded, and satellite photos show that the destruction was extensive. The Iranians are furious because Russia didn't try to shoot down the Israeli jets. It turns out that Pres. Trump had sent a back-door message to Vladimir Putin to leave Israel's jets alone. Mr. Putin understands that Pres. Trump might protect Israel if Russia starts trying to shoot down Israel's jets. Please pray for the U.S. to continue to support Israel. Seventh, this week it was reported that another new gas field has been discovered off the coast of Israel. This solidifies Israel's position as a global energy superpower. It also adds to the proof that God's Word, including Bible prophecy, is absolutely true. Prophecy Plus Ministries, Inc. Daymond & Rachel Duck [email protected] The Passover: History And Prophecy - A Bible Study by Jack Kelley - https://gracethrufaith.com/topical-studies/holidays-and-holy-days/the-passover-history-and-prophecy/ The Feasts of Israel have both a historical and a prophetic fulfillment. In this study we'll review the account of Passover, the world's oldest continuously celebrated Holy Day, from these two perspectives. First, here's the background. God had promised the land of Canaan to Abraham. But before Abraham could actually take possession, the Canaanite people still had 400 years to decide if they were going to repent of their pagan ways and return to God. He already knew they weren't going to decide in His favor and He would have to evict them, but He was committed to giving them the 400 years first. So it would actually be Abraham's descendants who would take possession of the land. In the interim, God said, they would migrate to Egypt and eventually become enslaved there. When the 400 years were up, God would bring them back to give them the land and would also give them the wealth of Egypt, as compensation for their time of slavery. (Genesis 15:13-21) To make sure there was no confusion about this, God repeated His promise to both Isaac (Genesis 26:2-3) and Jacob (Genesis 28:10-15), Abraham's son and grandson. When the time came, God called Moses to be the deliverer of the Jewish people (Exodus 3) and appointed his brother Aaron to help him bring Abraham's descendants back to the Promised Land (Exodus 4:14-17). But when they approached Pharaoh, he flatly refused to let the people go (Exodus 5:1-3). After nine judgments that nearly destroyed Egypt (Exodus 7:14-10:29), God told Moses and Aaron how to prepare the people so they could protect themselves from the 10th and final judgment, the death of the firstborn. The Historical Fulfillment The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, "This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household. If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. (Exod. 12:1-5) From the dawn of the Age of Man until that time, the month to which the Lord referred had been the 7th month, called Nisan. In the announcement above He basically ordered a 6 month shift in their calendar. The 7th month was now the 1st. Because of their dependence on agricultural cycles, the Israelites retained their original calendar, with it's Fall beginning, and super-imposed this new calendar over it. From then on they had a religious calendar, beginning in the Spring, and an agricultural calendar, beginning in the Fall. (That's why Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, comes in the Fall.) Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight. Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the door frames of the houses where they eat the lambs. That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast. Do not eat the meat raw or cooked in water, but roast it over the fire-head, legs and inner parts. Do not leave any of it till morning; if some is left till morning, you must burn it. This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD's Passover. (Exod. 12:6-11) Until the 14th means through the end of the 13th, just like a present marked "do not open until Christmas" can't be opened until the 24th is over. Also, Jewish days begin at sunset in line with the Biblical account of Creation, "There was evening and there was morning..." (Genesis 1:5, etc.). As the sun was setting on the 13th, the Lambs were to be slaughtered and roasted. Some of the lamb's blood was to be painted on the lintel and post of the door to each family's house. Then, when the lambs were cooked, they were to be eaten in haste, along with some unleavened bread and bitter herbs (horseradish). Thus, the Passover meal was the first meal of the 14th, eaten after the sunset that marked the beginning of the day. It was a quick meal, more like a sandwich really, bearing no resemblance at all to the leisurely and sumptuous festival meals of today. "On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn-both men and animals-and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. (Exod. 12:12-13) Around midnight, after their hasty meal, the destroying angel passed through Egypt and the firstborn of man and animal perished. The angel passed over homes where the doorposts had been painted with lamb's blood, sparing the people huddled trembling within. They weren't spared because they were Jewish, or because they had eaten lamb for dinner. They were spared because they had the faith to paint their doorposts with blood. They were saved by faith through the blood of the lamb. Many years later, when the Passover Seder had become a traditional celebration, it became common for the participants to dip a finger into their wine glass to collect a drop of wine which they then let fall onto their plate. They do this for each of the 10 plagues of Egypt, each time saying, "We are saved by the blood of the lamb." "This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD -a lasting ordinance. For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel. On the first day hold a sacred assembly, and another one on the seventh day. Do no work at all on these days, except to prepare food for everyone to eat-that is all you may do. "Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread, because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt. Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. In the first month you are to eat bread made without yeast, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day. For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And whoever eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel, whether he is an alien or native-born. Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread." (Exod. 12:14-20) The Feast of Unleavened Bread began on the 15th and lasted through the 21st. No yeast could be used in any food preparation, nor could any be present in the house during that time. When they settled in Israel, since the 15th was a major feast day and special sabbath, after the ceremonial "lamb sandwich" was consumed the rest of the 14th was spent in preparation because no work could be done after sundown. Any yeast found in the house was discarded, and the bulk of the food purchasing and preparation was done. This is how the 14th became known as Preparation Day (John 19:31). From that day in the wilderness till this, the Lord's Passover has been celebrated, one of the most dramatic displays of His power ever seen. During the meal they drink four special cups of wine, one each for the four promises God made to Moses from the burning bush. "Therefore, say to the Israelites: 'I am the LORD , and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians (First cup, Sanctification). I will free you from being slaves to them (Second cup, Deliverance). I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment (Third cup, Redemption). I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God."(Fourth cup, Acceptance) (Exod. 6:6-7). He freed His people from the bonds of slavery, defeating the world's most powerful country without an army, without a single casualty among His own, by the power of His outstretched arm. Over a million former slaves walked out of Egypt the next morning carrying the wealth of their former captives, back wages for their hard labor. The sick were healed, the lame walked, and the weak were made strong. Not a single one was left behind. This detail was overshadowed by other events of the day, but it was most likely the greatest healing miracle of all time. Prophetic Fulfillment In the first chapter of John's gospel, Jesus was introduced as the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world. Throughout His ministry people proclaimed Him as Israel's Messiah, but only on one day did He encourage it. On the Jewish calendar, it was the 10th day of the first month. We know it as Palm Sunday. Through out Jerusalem Passover lambs were being selected, but on the Mount of Olives The Passover Lamb was being welcomed into the city with shouts of "Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord." (Matt. 21:9) From then until the end of the 13th He received the most aggressively intense questioning of His ministry. He was being carefully scrutinized for some defect in His teaching until finally "no one dared ask Him any more questions" (Matt 23:46). Sundown at the end of the 13th brought the Passover, called Preparation Day in His time. He ate an abbreviated Passover meal with His disciples, stopping at the 3rd cup, the Cup of Redemption. It was a Thursday, the 14th of the month, and before the day was over He had been arrested, tried, convicted and executed by crucifixion. The Passover Lamb had been put to death on Passover. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed, Paul would later say (1 Cor. 5:7). Just before He died, knowing that all had been completed and so the Scriptures would be fulfilled, He asked for a drink (John 19:28-29). In taking the wine they offered, He drank the 4th Cup of the Passover, the Cup of Acceptance. "I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God." From that day forward, anyone who accepted His death as payment for their sins would in turn be accepted into the family of God and receive eternal life. They are saved by faith through the Blood of the Lamb. Earlier a group of Jewish officials had asked Jesus for a miraculous sign to prove that He was who He claimed to be. He said, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." (Matt. 12:39-40). They would get their sign but only after they had put Him to death. And it would be unmistakable. No one had ever come out of the grave in a resurrection body before. The day following the crucifixion would be Friday the 15th, the first Day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a special Sabbath where no work could be done (John 19:31). Knowing this, the chief priests asked Pilate to hasten the deaths of the condemned men so they could get them off their crosses before sundown. But Jesus was already dead. He had died at three o'clock and though His body was still on the cross, His spirit was already in Sheol, the abode of the dead. Day one. At sundown the Feast of Unleavened Bread began, and with it Night One, followed in the morning by Day Two. Saturday the 16th was the regular weekly Sabbath and again no work could be done. It began with Night Two and in the morning became Day Three. Then at sundown it was Sunday the 17th, Night Three. Three days and three nights, just as He had prophesied. At sunrise Sunday morning the 17th, the Feast of First Fruits was being observed at the Temple when the women came to the tomb where He'd been laid to rest (Matt. 28:1). It was their first chance to anoint the body for burial since both Friday and Saturday had been Sabbaths. But the tomb was empty. He had risen, the First Fruits of the First Resurrection. The two disciples who met the Lord on the road to Emmaus that Sunday (Resurrection Day) help us to confirm this sequence (Luke 24:13-35). At first they thought the Lord must have been a very recent visitor to the area when He asked them to explain why they were so sad. In the course of the discussion they indicated it was the third day since the crucifixion. It being Sunday, the previous day, Saturday, would have been the 2nd day since it happened, and Friday would have been the first day since, making Thursday the day it happened. By His death, He freed His people from their slavery to sin, defeating Heaven's most powerful adversary without an army, without a single casualty among His own, by the power of His sacrificial life. Billions of former slaves will walk out of this world one day soon, receiving wealth beyond measure. The sick will be healed, the lame will walk, and the weak will be made strong. Not a single one will be left behind. It's the ultimate fulfillment of the Passover Prophecy. Shabbat Shalom. May the peace of the Sabbath rest upon you, and may the Grace of our Lord Jesus abide within you, both now and forever more. Daily Jot: The coup-makers frenzy - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com Rasmussen Reports is the only reliable source that is tacking presidential approval ratings across America. It indicates that the three day average prior to April before the redacted Mueller Report was released to the public President Donald Trump's approval rating was 53%. After the release, the average dropped to 49%, despite no new revelations against the President. During that time, the news media and the Democratic Party leadership doubled down on their "obstruction" narrative and started reading the "impeachment" word from their shared talking points. This is evidence of the power of the negative attacks in just a few hours. It is also the markings of one more coup attempt by the neo-communists. Abandoned is any pretense of the facts. Just as predicted by The Daily Jot, these coup-makers are pointing toward the part in the report about not exonerating Trump on obstruction of justice, although not finding enough grounds to suggest legal action against the president or his associates. So now the leftists in Congress believe they know better than the person they essentially hand-picked to conduct an investigation that they believed would affirm their wildest accusations. It didn't, leaving the door open for further Congressional investigations, subpoenas and, of course, continued media bombardment that the president is a criminal. This totally ignores the facts, AND the need to get on with working to solve some of the very challenges America elected both these Congressional obstructionists and the president to solve. Mueller, however, left the door wide open for the coup-makers to continue their obstruction of government and communist-style investigations at taxpayer expense for as long as they would like. But the report "identifies no actions that, in our judgment, constitute obstructive conduct, had a nexus to a pending or contemplated proceeding, and were done with corrupt intent, each of which, under the Department's principles of federal prosecution guiding charging decisions, would need to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt to establish an obstruction-of justice offense." It doesn't matter to the coup-makers. They are playing the public opinion game. In a 24-hour period, they chipped away at the president's job approval rating, and they will continue their false and negative narrative so long as they see it working. . So the coup will continue with the coup-makers demanding further investigations. It is time We the People demand an end to this nonsensical cover up to the dastardly doings with Russia by the Clintons, the immediate past president and the Democratic National Committee. But then again, as Jeremiah 6:14 states, "They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people lightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace." Daily Devotion: It Starts in the Home - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org And they said to me, 'The survivors who are left from the captivity in the province are there in great distress and reproach. The wall of Jerusalem is also broken down, and its gates are burned with fire.' - Nehemiah 1:3-4 It was a day like any other day when Nehemiah heard about the plight of his fellow Jews. The walls of Jerusalem lay in ruin, and the Jewish people were in captivity because they persisted in worshipping false gods. In effect, God said, "You like false gods? I'll send you to idol central: Babylon." They were captives there for seventy years. Ultimately King Nebuchadnezzar was replaced by his grandson Belshazzar, who was overthrown. Enter Cyrus and the Medo-Persians. Cyrus allowed the first wave of those in captivity to return to Jerusalem, where Ezra the priest rebuilt the temple. But the walls of Jerusalem were still in rubble. A lot of time had passed, and the news reached Nehemiah in the king's court. The ruling king, Artaxerxes, would allow Nehemiah to go to Jerusalem and do something about it. The walls of a city were important. Obviously, they served as protection, but they were more than that. City walls also served as a symbol. At the gates of the wall, city leaders would meet and make decisions. Or, the elders would meet. The walls mattered. Walls matter in our lives as well. The walls of faithfulness protect our marriages. The walls of marriage protect the family. And the walls of the family protect the nation. It has been said that a family can survive without a nation, but a nation cannot survive without the family. I think we could take almost every social ill in America today and trace it directly to the breakdown of the family. America needs the family. How did the people of Israel rebuild the walls? One brick at a time. How do we rebuild our nation? One home at a time. One family at a time. It starts in your home, and it starts in mine. 
FROM THE HEART
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