Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
The Strong Delusion of Islam - By pastor Mike Taylor -
http://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2019/04/the-strong-delusion-of-islam.html 20 "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! (Isaiah 5:20-21) "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect." (Matthew 24:24) There is an overwhelming desire among this nation, and those around the world, to replace what is good and wholesome that is supported in the Bible, and replace it with the concepts that seem right in the unrepentant spirit of mankind. It has spread to all forms of morality such as homosexuality, idolatry, and all forms of sexual sin and lust of the flesh. This flows into a common stream that Jesus said that it would be as in the days of Noah and the days of Lot, so it is with this day. This same idolatry comes from religions that are pagan, or ones that proclaim another gospel, or from the lack of any moral underpinnings that convict mortal man to do what is right in the sight of God. Satan uses them to attempt to confuse the minds of men and women in these last days, as he has done since time began. There are many false religions in this world, and the wise and redeemed individual finds and attends the denomination that fulfills and supports what the Bible teaches. One of the most perverse religions, if you can call it that, which I would like to speak of in this message, is the "religion" of Islam. I had a member on a Christian forum I administer that proclaimed that Islam is in accordance with Christianity and that Jesus is a highly revered person in their Quran. But is that true, and is the lady who proposed such a belief deceived and willfully ignorant or is Islam a religion of peace as she proposed? Let us look at the history of Islam briefly and its modern theology that is found in the likes of the Muslim Brotherhood and ISIS to name but two that embrace this hateful ideology as it is not truly a religion, but a concept of war, conquest, and destruction. ISLAM, FROM THE MIND OF THE DERANGED. If you start with its so called "prophet" it is revealed the man, Muhammad was most likely mentally, or demonically disturbed. "In 610 CE, Muhammad began receiving what Muslims consider to be divine revelations. Muhammad's message won over a handful of followers and was met with increasing opposition from notables of Mecca. In 618, after he lost protection with the death of his influential uncle Abu Talib, Muhammad took flight to the city of Yathrib (Medina). With Muhammad's death in 632, disagreement broke out over who would succeed him as leader of the Muslim community which was eventually resurrected leading to the First Fitna. The dispute would intensify greatly after the Battle of Karbala, in which Muhammad's grandson Hussein ibn Aliwas killed by the ruling Umayyad Caliph Yazid I, and the outcry for revenge divided the early Islamic community. Hence, we have fighting Shiite and Sunni Muslims. By the 8th century, the Islamic empire extended from Iberia in the west to the Indus River in the east. Polities such as those ruled by the Umayyad (in the Middle East and later in Iberia), Abbasids, Fatimids, and Mamluks were among the most influential powers in the world. In the early 13th century, the Delhi Sultante took over northern parts of Indian subcontinent. In the 13th and 14th centuries, destructive Mongol invasions from the East, along with the loss of population in the Black Death, greatly weakened the traditional centers of the Islamic world, stretching from Persia to Egypt, but in the Early Modern period, the Ottomans, the Safavids, and the Mughals were able to create new world powers again. During the 19th and early 20th centuries most parts of the Muslim world fell under the influence or direct control of European Great Powers. Their efforts to win independence and build modern nation states over the course of the last two centuries continue to reverberate to the present day."(Wikipedia quick history of Islam.) Islam began as a doctrine of destruction with the slaughter of Jews in Medina that would not agree with Muhammad's twisting of Holy Scripture, and ran him to Mecca until this false prophet became stronger and killed all Jews who had mocked him, and proceeded to spread Islam using the sword, conquest, murder, rape and pillaging of caravans and the people surrounding his area of mayhem. Not to mention, Muhammad was a pedophile who married a 6 year old little girl, but waited until she was 9 years old to consummate their "marriage". And this historical rabid purveyor of sin and debauchery is the source of those who believe in Islam as an alternative to Christianity, or even Judaism? Only Satan could lie this well. THE OBVIOUS DIFFERENCES IN THE TWO RELIGIONS What are the biggest differences between Christianity and the Islamic beliefs? Does Islam believe in a Son of God, Jesus the Christ? I recall a statement made by the deceived member who proclaimed that Islam embraces Jesus by stating the following: "People of the Book, go not beyond the bounds in your religion, and say not as to God but the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only the Messenger of God, and His Word that He committed to Mary, and a Spirit from Him. So believe in God and His Messengers, and say not, 'Three.' Refrain; better is it for you. God is only One God. Glory be to Him -- That He should have a son! To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and in the earth; God suffices for a guardian. S. 4:171 Arberry By confessing that Christ is God's Word and Spirit, which God gave to Mary, Muhammad didn't realize that he was essentially bearing witness to Jesus' divine prehuman existence. After all, God's Word is uncreated, and for Jesus to be his Word means that he is uncreated as well.:" This was from a woman who claimed to now be a Christian and had come out of Islam as a belief system, but has she? Again, is she deceived? In reading this fantasy from Muhammad, it is clear that he/they deny that Jesus was anything but a Messenger, not the Son of God as God is but One, and they deny that God has a Son. Islam doesn't use the name of Jesus as we do, but gives the Son of God the name Isa. Who is Isa? JESUS VS. THE ISLAMIC JESUS, ISA The main focus of Christianity is Jesus Christ, while in Islam the main focus is "allah' and the revelation given by Muhammad, their holy book, the Quran. Though Jesus, called Isa is part of the Qu'ran, his role, is one of being just a prophet, not the Son of God, as he is one of many messengers or apostles. Muhammad is the "seal of the prophets". The Jesus of the Bible and Jesus of Islam are two distinct persons, though they seem similar. For some this might sound like an odd statement, but lets examine why its not. Since, both Islam and Christianity accept Jesus as an actual person who lived, the person Jesus would have distinct aspects of his life. Since there was only one Jesus, contradictions between the Jesus of Islam and the Jesus of the Bible cannot be reconciled, since some of these contradictions are diametrically opposed to each other. As I note in the following list: -Jesus is God in Christianity, but Isa is nothing but a man/prophet -In Islam, Jesus did not die on a cross, but a phantom was in His place. -we believe in Christianity that Jesus did die for the sins of the world and was raised to life three days later and lives forevermore. -Jesus came to deliver the message of the prophets, who were before him. Mohammad like Jesus came to give the same message of Islam. Surah 2:136, Surah 3:84, Surah 42:13, Surah 5:46 -in the truth of Christianity, Jesus came to die for the sins of the world, as the way of salvation. His death paid for the sins of the world. 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 ) -the Islamic Jesus, or Isa will come back with the Mahdi and proclaim Islam as the true religion of the world and destroy all infidels who do not embrace Islam. -the True God of the Bible, Jesus will come to set up His Kingdom for a thousand years, and destroy all rebellion on earth that rejects God and His atonement found in this same Jesus. Since the Jesus of the Bible, and this Islamic Jesus of the Quran cannot be reconciled, they are obviously two different persons and not the same. Jesus of the Holy Bible and God in the flesh, the express image of the Father in Heaven. While the Jesus of Islam is but a mere man, that proclaimed allah, which is nothing but a reinvention of a pagan God in Arabia that was a Moon Goddess, obviously since the name allah is a masculine gender, then this god is in drag. Not desiring to offend those who actually believe in this imposter, but that is where Muhammad got the idea of one god after destroying all pagan gods beside this one god of theirs, to offset the true God of the Bible and of the Jewish beliefs in Yahweh. QU'RAN AND THE BOOK OF WAR VERSES OF DEATH Islam as spoken of by Muhammad, who didn't even write the Qu'ran,(as it was written several hundred years into the future after his death), speaks poetically in the early chapters, but makes a decided shift in the later chapters called "War Verses". The Qu'ran contains at least 109 verses that speak of war with nonbelievers, usually on the basis of their status as non-Muslims. Some are quite graphic, with commands to chop off heads and fingers and kill infidels wherever they may be hiding. Muslims who do not join the fight are called 'hypocrites' and warned that "allah" will send them to Hell if they do not join the slaughter. Even though the bible speaks of war that Israel fought against her enemies, the Qu'ran's war verses are open ended and have a present historical context of never ending life known only in Islam. They are part of the eternal, unchanging word of "allah", and just as relevant or subject to interpretation as anything else in the Qu'ran. They are called to a "holy war" or Jihad against the "infidels" that do not believe in allah, or Islam, which is nothing more than a covenant with death which "allah" is the god of death and destruction. In stark contrast is the God of the Bible, who offers a gift of eternal life through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. God is a God of love, mercy and grace, and desires that none should perish. The God of the bible is concerned about life, not death. Jesus came to die for the sins of the world, and Isa is promoted as a messenger for Islam, not a savior of anyone. 9" The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2nd Peter 3:9) The Bible is God's love letter to the world that through Jesus would all sins be forgiven for those who by faith believe in God's grace and mercy confined to Jesus alone, would have eternal life. Isa forgives nothing. As Jesus proclaimed to His disciples: "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, andthe life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) Jesus came to give life and life more abundantly: 7 "Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." (John 10:10) Conversely, the god of Islam makes no such promises, save to offer sexual gratification in the "so called Paradise with virgins to fulfill their every desire.. "In Islam, the concept of 72 virgins (houri) refers to an aspect of Jannah (Paradise). This concept is grounded in Qur'anic text which describe a sensual Paradise where believing men are rewarded by being wed to virgins with "full grown", "swelling" or "pears-shaped" breasts. Conversely, women will be provided with only one man, and they "will be satisfied with him". Many wonder what will become of Islam in the future. Will she continue her rampage of conquest and destruction? Many believe that she will be involved in the final religion that will be destroyed by the coming Anti-Christ so to receive worship for himself, being indwelt by Satan. I have written about in the past, that Islam just may be a part of the One World Religion that will be advanced by the false prophet. Even now, the Pope in Rome seeks to brings all religions back to the "mother church", and it includes even Islam. Anyone who watches the news reports, sees this pope wooing the religions of this world to unite with the religion of Catholicism. The pope is most attentive to the religion of Islam by many appearances even in their mosque, as her numbers rival that of Catholicism. And what will she be called? CHRISLAM, THE ONE WORLD RELIGION. Will Islam be absorbed by Catholicism in the coming New World Order that is being constructed even as I type? Here in America, the word is that all religions point to the God in Heaven. I have read many statement by the Pope and Evangelical ministers that propose a Prosperity Gospel, that we must unite as a common religion. Words cannot fully describe the intent of this apostate religion that seeks to bring men and women who do not have Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives, into one common religion, as a video that proves what we say is truth. This short video will support that fact. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAaoIoFqtkA In this video, the words of this pope will make any Christian's hair stand on end, as we hear that all avenues lead to God, and that Jesus Christ is not necessary, as the words of the pontiff has so blasphemously spoken to those who wish to have their ears tickled. "I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; 2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."(2nd Timothy 4:1-4) THE ANTI-CHRIST IS ALIVE AND WAITING TO TAKE OVER All who will believe the lies of this coming NWO and the concept of uniting all religions as one, will be like this lady at the beginning of this message, who believes that Islam is a religion of peace. They will be deceived and believe a lie. Islam and Christianity, as noted are not compatible by any stretch of the imagination, or of those who try and convince you otherwise. I warn all who would be wooed by this false prophet, that speaks of uniting all religions to not follow any religion, but to follow Jesus Christ and His written Word. The world is growing ripe for a coming New World Order and the indoctrination of a coming One World Religion. If we look around us, we can see the forces of evil growing stronger by the day, and the pieces of this puzzle being put into place . I SOUND THE WARNING Why do I warn of this coming deception? We are not looking for the Anti-Christ, but his soon appearance heralds the coming of our Lord Jesus even sooner than anyone even thinks who will appear for His Church in what I have been speaking of for years. The HARPAZO or the snatching away of the Church is close at hand. Time is running out for those who see apostasy being fulfilled, and have but a short time to choose who they will serve. Will they believe and serve the Lord of Glory, Jesus the Son of God, or will they fall for the lies that have been spoken of by this new false prophet? "Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." (2nd Thessalonians 2:1-4) We are in the middle of the Great Apostasy, and the man of sin is about to be revealed, but that Day will come, when the Lord Jesus will come for His Church, and the man will then be revealed. 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 2:7-9) Those who are deceived and believe the lie that is coming, will be susceptible to believing the lie of Chrislam and worship a "false christ' who leads the world into destruction. As scripture clearly points out that when the man of sin is revealed, then all who live on this planet, who have not been taken by Jesus as His Holy Bride, will experience strong delusions that will damn many of them to a devil's hell. 10 "And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."( 2nd Thessalonians 2:10-12) If you miss the coming of our Lord Jesus for His church, your ability to be saved went down exponentially, as all who on earth that have pleasure in unrighteousness will abound in that horrific time known as Jacob's Trouble, or the Tribulation and the Great Tribulation, both 3.5 years each. But if you are some of those who are actually saved during this time, your existence will be full of sorrow and having to stay one step ahead of the murdering hit-men and soldiers of the Anti-Christ army, who will destroy all who will not take the mark of the Beast. To take this mark will be those who are eternally doomed to the Lake of Fire. 9 "And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name." (Revelation 14:9-11) As we move to the end of this age, the Age of Grace also called the Church Age, do not be confused that all roads lead to God. No denomination can guarantee you the promise of glory that will be found in us. Only through Jesus Christ will a man or woman be able to stand before our Lord and God our Father. 28 "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified." (Romans 8:28-30) CONCLUSION OF THE COMPARISON More to the point of this message, don't be confused when comparing true Biblical Christianity with the cults of this world. Islam is what I warn all who will have ears to listen. Islam claims that their god, "allah", is the same as the True God of the Bible, Jehovah or Yahweh. One is a god of war, murder, pillaging and pedophilia, while the True God is a God of love, grace and mercy, not willing that any should perish. I pray for this confused young lady who thinks that Islam has anything in common with the worship of the Living God found in your Bible. I pray for all who may be led astray with the unity of religions into one and coming back to the "mother church" . Stay true to the God of the Bible and if you don't know Him, let me introduce you to my Lord Jesus, my soon coming King of kings, and Lord of lords. "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) Believe in your heart and soul who Jesus really is and by believing confess to God and others your belief in the Son of God. God will honor that confession and come into your heart and life by that confession and repenting of your sinful nature. "But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:8-13) Be reconciled to God the Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord, or be subject to the delusions that will deceive many into the fires of hell, and ultimately the Lake of Fire. Time is growing short to make that decision for Jesus Christ. Today is the day that God is calling to you. "We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)" (2nd Corinthians 6:1-2) This is Pastor Mike Taylor, praying you make that decision for Christ right now. If you need prayer, counseling, or just a listening ear then email me at [email protected] , or visit me online at www.pastormiketaylor.blogsport.com . God bless you all. TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET 'Jesus was a Palestinian' Platform; Islam's Plot to Rewrite World History - By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz - www.breakingisraelnews.com "The simple inherit folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge." Proverbs 14:18 (The Israel Bible™) Rep. Ilhan Omar's (D-Minn.) history of egregious antisemitic remarks and dismissal of the Islamist 9-11 attacks as "some people who did something" pale in comparison to her most recent comment which, in a subtle but horrific manner, threatens all of Judeo-Christian Western society. Omar retweeted a New York Times op-ed by Eric V. Copage, which claimed that "Jesus, born in Bethlehem, was most likely a Palestinian man with dark skin." "As I grew older, I learned that the fair-skinned, blue-eyed depiction of Jesus has for centuries adorned stained glass windows and altars in churches throughout the United States and Europe," Copage, who is Black, wrote. "But Jesus, born in Bethlehem, was most likely a Palestinian man with dark skin." Although the article was about the historical accuracy of Jesus' depicted ethnicity (particularly in relation to Church art), white versus person-of-color, this one reference to Jesus' national allegiance became the focus of media debate. At face value, the claim that Jesus was a Palestinian is anachronistic. Palestinian, as a national identity, has never existed. And Jesus was, by all accounts, a Judean who worshipped the God of Israel. The claim that Jesus was a person of color is not necessarily accurate. According to Christian tradition, Jesus was descended from the House of David who was the offspring of Ruth the Moabite. Moabites, as the descendants of the crimson Esau, were reportedly red-haired and light-skinned. Not all indigenous Middle-Easterners, or even all Palestinians, are universally olive-skinned. Ahed Tamimi, who was incarcerated for hitting an IDF soldier, was dubbed "Shirley Temper" for her resemblance to the child actress Shirley Temple who had long blond curls. In any case, the author's contention that Jesus was a Palestinian seems absurdly anachronistic when taken at face value. This out-of-time aspect was succinctly explained by The Daily Wire. The name Palestine for the area that was home of the Jewish people only came into existence after the Romans exiled the bulk of the Jewish people from Judea in the second century A.D., long after the period in which Jesus lived. Eager to erase the Jewish identity to the land, the Roman emperor Hadrian did something that had heretofore been unheard of for the Romans, who never changed the name of provinces: he named the area "Palestina" after the Jews' ancient enemies, the Philistines. The Philistines had been defeated by King David in his memorable defeat of Goliath; they were again defeated by David's descendant King Hezekiah. They eventually were completely defeated by the Assyrians and had ceased to exist long before the Jews fought with Rome. Neither can it be claimed that Jesus was ethnically Palestinian, as was pointed out in a tweet by Noah Pollack, a writer specializing in issues concerning foreign policy, Israel, and the Jewish people. It seems even more absurd that Ilhan Omar, who is neither a Palestinian nor a Christian, should espouse this theory. It could be that Jesus' Palestinian identity has been incorporated into the Democratic Party platform. Reverend William Barber II stated as much in his address to the 2016 Democratic National Convention that was described by the media as "rousing and was well-received." Rev. Barber referred to Jesus as a "brown-skinned Palestinian Jew." If that is the case, then the DNC and Rep. Omar have adopted the credo of Yasser Arafat's adviser Hanan Ashrawi, a Christian, who said in an interview to the Washington Jewish Week on February 22, 2001, that "Jesus was a Palestinian." This became the official PLO platform as evidenced by their frequent reference to Jesus as "the first Palestinian martyr" and whose annual Christmas statement reads, "Every Christmas, Palestine celebrates the birth of one of its own: Jesus." Dr. Mordechai Kedar, a senior lecturer in the Department of Arabic at Bar-Ilan University, unpacked Omar's motives, explaining that they had even greater implications than a simple disagreement over Jesus' identity. "Omar is stating that Jesus was Palestinian because he was born in Palestine," Dr. Kedar told Breaking Israel News. "She believes this to be true for anyone and at any point in history since Palestine has existed since the creation of the world. Therefore, any person who has ever lived here, including all the people described in the Bible and the New Testament, were Palestinians." Dr. Kedar called this perception "re-engineered history," a technique he claims is inherent in Islam and the Arab world, hence, a world-view espoused by Rep. Omar. Although the op-ed re-tweeted by Rep. Omar was a commentary on race, the reference to Jesus' Palestinian identity resonated so strongly with Muslims that it was reposted in its entirety in The Muslim Times. "According to their agenda, Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim, all of them are in agreement about their message that all of world history is the story of Islam," Dr. Kedar said. Dr. Kedar noted that Islam espouses the methodology of the Nazi propaganda master, Joseph Goebbels who said, "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it." Perhaps, even more disturbing, is the second half of Goebbels credo which states, "It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State." "They can re-engineer history for any country, for any people, for any part of history that is not consistent with the Islamic narrative. Muslims who live in America believe that America is an Islamic country with an Islamic history and therefore they belong there, have a greater right to the country and ruling it, than anyone else." This seemed to be hinted at in former-President Barack Obama's address to the Islamic Society of Baltimore inside their mosque in 2016 when he said, "Here's another fact, Islam has always been part of America." Kedar explained how non-Muslims are perceived in Islam. "Anyone who is monotheistic, anyone throughout history who was monotheistic, is a Muslim," explained Dr. Kedar. "Even if he considers himself a Jew or a Christian, according to Islam, he is a Muslim by definition." Although the Islamic usurping of history is not the official policy of any political party in the U.S., it is the official platform of the Islamic Party of Ontario, a newly registered political party in Canada. Its list of principles includes instating Sharia law and instituting a constitution and principles are based solely on Islamic teachings. Yet in a rather perplexing manner, the party aligns with the left-wing politically correct culture. It promotes homosexual issues while arguing against gender identity calling it "liberal fascism." This stands in stark contrast to the policies of many Muslim majority nations which follow Islamic law in applying capital punishment to homosexuals. The party also advocates for universal healthcare and other more socialized government policies described as a "worker partnership economy." More in holding with their Muslim beliefs, the party calls for criminalizing the consumption of alcohol and marijuana, acts of adultery, and gambling. Most perplexing to Canadian voters is the party's claim "that Islam is the native DEEN (fundamental principle) of Ontario and Canada. Islamic parties have already entered European governments, with representatives in the parliaments of Sweden and Belgium. "Ilhan Omar is faithfully representing the Islamic discourse," Kedar said. "She is not concealing anything. But people are working hard to avoid admitting the simple meaning of her words." Diplomacy: 'Deal of the century' will set new baseline for Mideast diplomacy - By Herb Keinon - https://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Diplomacy-Deal-of-the-century-will-set-new-baseline-for-Mideast-diplomacy-587806 The Trump peace plan may be less about reaching a final settlement now, and more about setting down new parameters for a changed reality. In a twist to the "after-the-hagim [holidays]" line ubiquitous here around Passover and Rosh Hashanah, Jared Kushner - US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser - said Tuesday that the long-awaited Trump peace blueprint will be rolled out "after Ramadan." "We were getting ready [to roll out the plan] at the end of last year, and then they called for Israeli elections," Kushner said at the 2019 TIME 100 Summit trumpeting the magazine's selection last week of the 100 most influential people in the world. "Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu had a great victory, and he's in the middle of forming his coalition. Once that's done, we'll probably be in the middle of Ramadan. So we'll wait until after Ramadan and then we'll put our plan out." Or not. This is not the first time the "after Ramadan" timetable has been used by this administration in reference to when it will present its "deal of the century." In the beginning of 2018, reports emerged that the plan would be released in the spring; in the spring the reports were that it would be released after Ramadan in June; after Ramadan the speculation was that it would be released in early fall. By then, however, people speculated - correctly, as it turned out - that it would not be released before the US midterm elections on November 6, so as not to do anything to alienate Trump's strongly pro-Israel Evangelical base. In September, Trump said that he would be releasing the plan in two to four months. But then the new Israeli elections were called in December, and it became clear that the plan would not be issued during the campaign, so as not to complicate matters for Netanyahu. If Netanyahu now needs all 42 days at his disposal to form a government, that period will end on May 29. Ramadan is expected to begin this year on May 7, and end on June 4. Which means that on June 5 the moon and stars will be aligned just right for the rollout of the plan. Realistically, there will then be about a three-month window for the plan to be presented, until America's Labor Day, September 2, when the US presidential election campaign will shift into high gear before the primaries in the first six months of 2020. And during that campaign, Trump will again be averse to doing anything that might alienate his strongly pro-Israel Evangelical base. Kushner sounded resolute Tuesday about presenting the plan, but so did Trump himself last September, only to be overtaken by events. New reasons may be found after Ramadan to postpone its presentation as well. For instance, perhaps Netanyahu, saddled with a hard-right government that he knows will not support some of the concessions that Israel will inevitably be asked to make under the plan, may ask Trump not to unveil it, so as not to endanger his government. Or perhaps Trump will listen to some voices being raised in Washington entreating him not to present a plan that has no chance of succeeding - primarily because the Palestinians have already rejected it, sight unseen - since to do so would only make a bad situation worse. One of the more prominent voices in this school of thought is that of Robert Satloff, executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Two weeks ago, he wrote a piece on the Foreign Policy magazine's website calling on Trump not to present his plan, saying it faced sure rejection and as a result would set back US interests in three critical areas: "It might lead to annexation of the West Bank; it could give the Saudi government leverage over the United States that it doesn't currently have; and it would distract from Trump's signature achievement of putting real pressure on Iran's government." According to Satloff's logic, the current Israeli-Palestinian status quo is far from perfect, but it has led to a "reasonably well-functioning governing entity" in the West Bank, keeping it from becoming a "platform for rocket and terrorist attacks against Israel." This status quo would come tumbling down, he warned, if Abbas rejects the plan - as he has said he would. "In turn, Israeli rightists will seize on Abbas's 'no' to argue that Israel has no negotiating partner, gutting a key rationale for keeping the status quo alive." In addition, he argued, the plan will need major Saudi backing to succeed, giving the Saudis dangerous leverage over US policy, and it would also "distract from the president's signature achievement in the Middle East: the unexpectedly effective impact of the so-called maximum pressure campaign on Iran." ON TUESDAY, however, Kushner did not sound like someone who was going to jettison a plan he has been working on for two years. While revealing nothing of the blueprint's details - including whether it would advocate a two-state solution - he did say that the Trump peace team is trying a different approach. "We've tried to do it a little bit differently," Kushner said. "Normally, they [Mideast mediators] start with a process and then hope that the process leads to a resolution for something to happen. What we've done is the opposite. We've done very extensive research and a lot of talking to a lot of people. We're not trying to impose our will. I think the document that you will see, which is a very detailed proposal, is something we created by engaging a lot of people in the region, and people who have worked on this in the past. "I hope it is a very comprehensive vision for what can be, if people are willing to make some hard decisions. So what we've done is we started with a proposed solution, and then we will work on a process to try to get there." In other words, instead of getting a negotiating process rolling that the organizers hope will then lead the sides to come to some kind of an agreement, the Trump administration is working backward: present a comprehensive solution first, and then figure out how to get there. There are various reasons, diplomatic officials have explained, for this approach, one of which is the realization that the Trump administration - which Netanyahu has said is the most supportive administration Israel has ever worked with - will not be there forever, and that it could indeed be turned out of office in November 2020. That being the case, the administration has some 20 months in which it can put down new markers on Middle East issues and set new parameters. There is a sense that the political pendulum in the US swings drastically from one extreme to the next - from George W. Bush to Barack Obama, and then from Obama to Trump - and that it could next swing to Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders or Beto O'Rourke. As such, one of the aims of the plan - which even the most optimistic in the Trump peace team must realize has a slim chance of success, considering the numerous forces already lining up against it, including the PA, some European countries and the EU foreign policy bureaucracy in Brussels - is perhaps less about reaching a final settlement now, and more about setting down a new set of facts: new parameters. This administration, which in addition to Trump includes strong pro-Israel voices such as those of Vice President Mike Pence, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Adviser John Bolton, does not want to leave Washington with the last American statement on the Middle East being Obama's decision in the waning days of his term in 2016 not to veto an anti-settlement resolution in the UN Security Council, thereby placing the bulk of the onus for the stalemated peace process on Israel. The administration also does not want the final word on the matter to be the Clinton Parameters of 2000 - guidelines for a permanent-status agreement based on a Palestinian state on 94%-96% of the territories and with Jerusalem as the capital of two states. Much has changed since then - the Second Intifada and the Gaza withdrawal have changed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the "Arab Spring" has fundamentally changed the Middle East - and it is expected that the Trump plan will reflect those changes, something that could set the narrative for the next decade, just as the Clinton Parameters have dominated the conversation on peacemaking since 2000. The plan, whose details have remained a closely guarded secret, is expected to be based around a set of principles: significantly improving Palestinian lives; safeguarding Israeli security; Jerusalem as Israel's capital, though the borders there may be negotiable; not uprooting anyone from anywhere, including Jews in the settlements; a new definition of refugees; and some kind of Palestinian state, though likely to be along the lines of Netanyahu's idea of a state-minus. Animating the discussion on Israel inside the administration since Trump took power in 2017 is the sense that Israel is America's most important ally in the Middle East, and that - as such - Washington does not want to weaken it in any way. A call to uproot settlements, which would lead to significant domestic strife, is seen by some in the administration as a move that could significantly weaken Israel, and as such something that should be avoided. Likewise, the US does not want to weaken Jordan - another key Mideast ally - and as such does not want to set up a possible failed state in the West Bank that could threaten the Hashemite Kingdom. With enough problems already on its northern border with Syria and on its eastern border with Iraq, the last thing Jordan needs is a failed state on its western frontier. The administration, which has devoted a lot of time and man hours to the plan, obviously hopes that it will be accepted - when it is eventually presented. Kushner, during his comments on Tuesday, said that when the sides look at the proposal, "I am hopeful that what they'll do is to say, 'Look, there are some compromises here, but at the end of the day this is really a framework that can allow us to make our lives all materially better.' And we'll see if the leadership on both sides has the courage to take the lead to try to go forward." And, if not, at least a new marker will have been set. Even some sharp critics of Trump's foreign policy, such as Richard Haas, a former US diplomat who is now the president of the Council on Foreign Relations, acknowledge that the time has come to look at the Middle East differently. In a piece this week in Project Syndicate where he said that there is little chance that the Trump plan would succeed, he nevertheless concluded that: "It is time for a paradigm shift in how we think about the Middle East, not because a better diplomatic model has presented itself (it has not), but because the current paradigm is increasingly at odds with reality." I Cant' Know - Nathele Graham - [email protected] Children have much to learn. They must learn to walk, talk, share, read, and many more important skills in life. When my daughter was very young, if she was asked a difficult question such as "What's 6+5", she would wrinkle her brow in deep thought and say "I can't know". Today she is a beautiful young woman and simple math comes easy to her because she studied. In college she was able to get an A in advanced math because she learned the basic principles of simple math and applied what she learned. Learning God's word is much the same. When we first come to Jesus we come with little understanding and just can't know everything. We know that we are a sinner and need Him for salvation, but from there we need to grow and understand that He is God. We need to learn what sin is and ask forgiveness when we miss the mark. As we study we build upon what we've learned and then are able to understand more. "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." 1 Corinthians 13:11. Understanding is a process which takes study and a desire to learn. It's well worth the time you give to it. Too often a Christian will hold on to confusion about Scripture because he is afraid to learn more. A first grade student can't understand Algebra, but if he continues to say "I can't know" he will never learn. It's the same for a Christian. When we first come to Christ we come out of a disbelieving world that says "The Bible is full of contradictions" or "The Bible is too complicated to understand". Non-Christians aren't led by the Holy Spirit and therefore have no way to understand God's truth. Christians have an advantage in understanding Scripture. "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." 1 Corinthians 2:14. When we accept Christ for salvation we are sealed with the Holy Spirit. When we ask Him for help, He will lead us into an understanding of Scripture that no "natural man" can have. God wants us to understand His word and grow in our faith. Bible study should always begin with prayer. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." James 1:5. God will never reproach (upbraid) you for asking for help in understanding of Scripture. You may have to study hard and look at many Scriptures in order to come to an understanding, but with the help of the Holy Spirit you will learn. The Bible is one book and what is written in Genesis may be a key to understanding Revelation. The Holy Spirit will lead in your study, so ask Him for help. An good rule to follow is to look up words in the original languages. Most of us haven't studied Hebrew and Greek, but there are tools we can use. A good concordance is a valuable tool in understanding what was originally meant. Many people use the King James translation, but the English language has changed over the years. An example is the word "conversation". "But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation" 1 Peter 1:15. The Greek word "anastrophe", translated conversation, means "manner of life, conduct, behaviour, deportment". That definition deepens the meaning of that verse. It isn't the way you talk, but the way you live that matters. This is just one example but there are many. The English word "love" can mean everything from "I love chocolate" to "I love my child". The love for chocolate cannot compare to the love you have for your children, but it's all the same word in English. On the other hand, there are many Greek words that are all translated "love". A concordance will disclose if a verse is talking about brotherly love or a Godly love. Your understanding of Scripture will increase as you dig deeper. Scripture relating to prophecy can be confusing. It takes a lot of study to understand whether a particular prophecy has already been fulfilled or is still future. It gets even more complicated when there is a "near" fulfillment and a "far" fulfillment. A simple example is a prophecy in Isaiah regarding the virgin birth of Christ. "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." Isaiah 7:14. Some people say that "virgin" means a young woman. Young women have always given birth so that wouldn't be much of a sign. The Hebrew word implies a young woman who hasn't had sexual relations with a man. The "near" fulfillment of that prophecy is said to have happened when a young woman in King Ahaz's court did give birth and named the child Immanuel. Further study shows that the Gospel of Matthew discloses this was a prophecy of the Virgin Birth of Christ. "Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring for a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." Matthew 1:22-23. Jesus was born of a virgin and He truly was "God with us". Don't be afraid to study prophecy because you can't know what it means. Had the Jewish leaders studied prophecy they would have recognized their Messiah when He walked among them. Many prophecies are about Israel. That nation had divided into two nations, the Northern Kingdom called Israel and the Southern Kingdom called Judah. Some prophecy is specific to the Northern Kingdom, some specific to the Southern Kingdom, and some is about the entire nation of Israel. Prophecy about all of Israel and the end times is being fulfilled today. Prophecy can be confusing if it isn't carefully studied, and many people just don't take the time to understand. Too often the confusion comes from studying old commentators who had no knowledge of the future. They could only interpret prophecy based upon knowledge of the times in which they lived. Many prophecies speak of Israel as one nation, but until 1948 the Jewish people were dispersed throughout the world. Instead of taking God's word as truth when prophecy spoke of a future united nation of Israel, many commentators assumed that Christians had replaced Israel. Scripture is clear that God never intended for Israel to be replaced and that Christians have our own place in His plan. When Israel became a nation again the confusion should have been cleared up. When studying prophecy we can know that God always speaks truth and when human understanding interprets God's word we have to be cautious. The Book of Daniel contains many prophecies. We can learn from Daniel that there is a time when prophecy will become clear. He was shown what the end of time would be like and wrote what was revealed to him. He didn't write what he thought God meant, but he wrote what God said. Daniel couldn't know exactly how the prophecy would be fulfilled, but knew it was from God so it had to be true. He was told thatpeople would understand as their knowledge grew. "But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Daniel 12:4. Knowledge today is increasing as we watch prophecy being fulfilled. If you study Scripture with the understanding we have today, you can know so much more than people who lived 100 years ago because knowledge has increased. Instead of saying "I can't know" a better attitude is "I can learn". The Rapture is another clear teaching in Scripture, yet people are very confused and throw their hands in the air in frustration. The word "rapture" doesn't appear in the Bible. In truth, no English word occurs in the original manuscripts of Scripture. That's why the original language must be considered in order to understand more. The Old Testament talks about a man named Enoch. "And Enoch walked with God and was not; for God took him." Genesis 5:24. The Hebrew word "laqach" is translated "was not" and means to be taken away from or stolen away. Enoch walked with God and was taken away prior to God's judgment by the Flood of Noah. The writer of Hebrews says Enoch did not see death. "By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found because God had translated him: for before his translation he had his testimony, that he pleased God." Hebrews 11:5. Enoch is a "picture" of Christians who will be taken away prior to God's coming judgment. Paul says that Christians living at the time of the end will be caught up and, like Enoch, won't see death. "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.." 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17. The phrase "caught up" is translated from the original Greek word "Harpazō", which means to snatch out or away...snatched away before God's judgment. Snatched away like Enoch. When Paul wrote to the Thessalonians he was responding to some confusion on their part. Paul had been with them only a few weeks and in that time he led a group to accept Christ, established a congregation, and taught deep theological truths, such as the Rapture. Still, they got confused. It's no different today. A person can attend Sunday services and Bible studies for years but come away ignorant of God's word and confused. They say "I can't know" because they aren't taught to study Scripture and learn the truth found there. Don't wait for a preacher to teach you. Study Scripture for yourself because you can know. Understanding God's word should be very important to Christians. People will ask you questions and you need to have answers, or at least know where to find the answers. "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear" 1 Peter 3:15. Christians today can find time to watch television for hours or give their time to partying with friends but cannot find time to study Scripture. No wonder they say "I can't know". 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. Daily Jot: While the nation perishes - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com Daily Jot sources with first-hand knowledge of the situation at the US-Mexico border have been expressing frustration about the lack of attention the crisis is receiving in Washington, D.C. When asked if the conditions there were as bad as being reported, one source said, "Far worse." Concerns are that the crossings into the US are bringing with them disease, drugs, crime, and most unfortunately, human trafficking. Facilities are stressed to the max. Border patrol personnel are frustrated, and there seems to be no end in sight to throttle the massive invasion coming through Mexico to the US. One reliable inside source gave a detailed assessment of the problems, which are well known to those trying to deal with them. He writes, "For you information, I saw a Memo today that says in the first six months of this fiscal year (Oct-Mar), the U.S. Border Patrol reported 361,000 apprehensions across the Southwest border. This exceeds all apprehensions in Fiscal Year 2017, and is twice as many compared to this timeframe last year. Over 225,000 of those apprehended - 62 percent - are family units and unaccompanied children mostly from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. The Memo went on to say these vulnerable populations need a special level of care while in custody and the Border Patrol simply does not have facilities or the personnel needed to care for, transport and process them, and "In short, this crisis has overwhelmed the Border Patrol's capacity and resources."" He continued: "I personally don't know the conditions in those three named countries. If something could be done to help those small countries so their own citizens could have a hope to build a life in their own land, it would help on all fronts. There are those in Congress who are complaining that President Trump isn't doing anything about that....but one can't ignore the crisis at the Border either...Politicians should come together to address both sides of the problem....Oh wait, that's the REAL problem, isn't it? They are politicians and not leaders!! Wasting all their time attacking each other and NEVER ADDRESSING, LET ALONE SOLVING, ANY REAL PROBLEMS OR ISSUES FACING THE PEOPLE OF OUR OWN COUNTRY. The whole of Congress is a disgrace - each individual, bar none - for their failure to lead." Ezekiel 22:30 is often quoted as an encouraging verse. Part A says, "And I sought for a man among them, that should build up the wall, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it." What is often not quoted from this verse is the rest of it. Part B says, "but I found none." America is in a position right now that there are no statesmen to light the way to solve our many challenges. They are too busy fighting one another, standing in the path of progress, while the enemy floods the gaps in the wall. So many people ask me "What can be done." It is so difficult to say. It starts with prayer. May we come to unity in faith, wisdom and action. We need those who will stand in the gap that we as a people do not perish. Daily Devotion: Following His Lead - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org My steps have stayed on your path; I have not wavered from following you. - Psalm 17:5 We were just a bunch of kids when what eventually became known as Harvest Christian Fellowship began. We really had no idea what we were doing, but we loved the Lord and wanted to see what He would do. It was around 1972, and we were in the middle of the Jesus Movement, the last great American spiritual awakening. One of the epicenters of this movement was Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California, with Pastor Chuck Smith. Some people from All Saints Episcopal Church in Riverside wanted to see the Jesus Movement come to the Inland Empire, so they asked Calvary Chapel to send someone to preach. A number of pastors went and spoke there for a time. Meanwhile, I had been hanging around the office, sort of like an intern, and eventually someone said, "Greg, why don't you do it?" So I did it, and I kept at it. This little Bible study of young people began to grow, and pretty soon I could see that it was turning into a church. I hardly felt qualified to be the pastor of a church, so I looked for someone to take the role. No one would. So I accepted the fact that this was what the Lord had for me. We outgrew our location and moved over to a Baptist church, which is now our Sunday school building in Riverside. When we outgrew that building, we took the biggest step of faith ever, way outside our comfort zone: we built a building. Back then, the cost was $1 million. I remember people saying that it wouldn't work; it wouldn't succeed. God will do His work in His way and in His timing. So don't listen to your critics. Listen to the Lord and do what He leads you to do. 
FROM THE HEART
IF YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED THROUGH THIS MINISTRY, THEN WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD PLEASE REMEMBER PROPHECY UPDATE IN YOUR GIVING - WE ARE TRULY, TRULY, THANKFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT Prophecy Update has no corporate sponsors. This ministry is paid for and prayed for by readers and supporters. Without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update, Please pray about becoming a monthly supporter - thanks! If ever there was a time to invest in God's Kingdom, it's now! What on earth are you doing for Heaven's Sake? "Share in the Blessings and Rewards that will last Forever!" "Folks, it's all beginning to unravel. America is in more danger of falling than at any time in its history. But I believe Bible prophecy predicts this very decline. From this point on, we believers have to get serious. We are going to face discouragement, disillusionment and, most certainly, persecution in the time between now and the Rapture. But don't be discouraged or disillusioned. The coming turmoil will provide us unrivaled opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel. So be ready to share your faith and your hope with those who need Christ. We still have time to reap a great harvest of souls for God's kingdom!" - Hal Lindsey 1) We need your prayers!- We proclaim the Truth of the Word of God and we are under constant spiritual and sometimes even physical attack. 2) We need your encouragement!- We need to hear from you, let us know how the Lord is blessing you through this ministry so that we can share it with others. 3) We need your input! - If you have a prophetic article or story or if there is a news related item we missed, let us know. 4) We need your financial support!- To put it quite simply, without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update. I ask that you would prayerfully consider partnering with us to get the Word out and keep the world informed. Remember, your gift, no matter how small, does make a difference! You will be helping to touch lives, around the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thanks to the internet your generosity carries a global impact! - Thanks! Our Prayer for You- "Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." 2 Corinthians 9:10-13 Prophecy Update is a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt - non-profit organization, and all your donations are tax deductible. If you have been blessed by Prophecy Update and would like to help support this ministry financially. You can make a secure donation online by going to: DONATE NOW Or Visit our website: http://prophecyupdate.com/donations/ Or write us at: Prophecy Update P.O. Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384-0516 
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