Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
If He Were To Call Today - By Dennis Huebshman -
https://www.raptureready.com/2019/03/23/call-today-dennis-huebshman/ We can rest assured; the day is coming soon when Jesus will return to take His church (All Believers) off this earth so we won't go through the Wrath/Tribulation that is just about here. This has been promised in numerous verses in the Bible, and God cannot lie (Titus 1:2). [All emphasis is mine.] The event called the "Rapture," which is described but not called as such, is found in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-53, and is an "Any Day Now" event. We were not given the exact day or hour that it will happen, but Jesus, Paul and others gave us signs we should be looking for. Today, the condition of this world is ripe for everything they spoke of. The absolute "mega-sign" that we are getting close was the May 14, 1948, announcement that Israel once again was declaring itself a sovereign nation, on its own land, for the first time in over 2,000 years. No other nation on earth can make this claim. As time passes, we have to remember 2 Peter 3:8-9, "But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some count slowness; but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." The "day of the Lord" will definitely happen; but for now, it appears the Father is giving time for people to reach out and accept Jesus as their Savior. He is patient, but even that will soon end as He takes His wrath out on those who remain on earth. We are steadily watching the governments of the world breaking down and beginning to call for a "New World Order." There are already ideas of a one-world government divided into 10 distinct kingdoms. Just about anything pertaining to Christianity is being challenged, and even more than ever before right here in America. Paul gives the most accurate picture of today in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, "But understand this, that in the last days, there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people." My question is, how do we avoid them when they're everywhere today? The leaders of the United States and Israel are being attacked from all sides at the same time. No matter what President Trump does, he's declared wrong, and the same goes for Prime Minister Netanyahu. The interesting thing is, both nations are in good shape and prospering compared to the rest of the world. It's obvious that satanic forces are at work in earnest trying to take these nations down. Israel is being accused of committing "war crimes" just for protecting itself, while the persecutors are being called "victims." Israel is extremely prosperous and is listed as the "8th" most powerful nation in the world; yet, it is about the size of New Jersey. By all rights, Israel should not even exist today. They have been attacked by other nations from the very first announcement of their statehood, and several times since then. Still, they have never been defeated. Anyone who cannot see the Lord's hand in this is totally blind. For any other country to lose a war, there would be terms of surrender and then peace agreements reached. For Israel, to lose would mean total annihilation. God will not ever let that happen. Amos 9:14-15, "I will restore the fortunes of My people, Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them, says the Lord Your God." Sounds like a definite covenant, especially when God says, "I Will." Israel will go through the Tribulation per Daniel and Revelation, but will not be totally destroyed. From approximately 1% to 2% of the total Jewish population believing in Jesus as their Messiah today, 100% will believe by the end of the 7-year Wrath. It should be noted here, the 1%-2% will not be here, but will rise up to meet Jesus in the air at the Rapture with all the other believers. Biggest question that remains is, are you ready? If Jesus were to call for the believers to go to Him, will you be there? I have actually heard people say, "Yes, I want to go in the Rapture, but there are things I need to do first. Jesus needs to wait until (xxxwhateverxxx)." The things of this earth are given more value than some people's eternal souls. In my prayers, I have said to the Savior, there is nothing or no one on this earth that I wish to delay my going Home. My wife is of the same mind-set. Yes, each day we pray for all of our loved ones, and hope they have truly accepted Jesus for themselves. However, we cannot force them if they haven't. It's an individual process. In John 21:21-22, Peter is asking Jesus about John; "When Peter saw him (John), he said to Jesus, Lord, what about this man? Jesus said to him, if it is My will that he remains until I come, what is that to you? You Follow Me!" Our responsibility is to "share" Jesus with others. It is to be in a loving and "non-threatening" nature. It's up to the receivers as to whether or not they accept or reject our Savior's sacrifice for their eternal salvation. Also, it is to be the absolute truth as given in the Bible. Not watered-down theology, or "adjusted" meanings. Some "religions" use force up to martyrdom for anyone not accepting their "god." Our Father loves us so much that He wants it to be our choice to decide. His love is based on "free-will," not intimidation or threats. When someone really considers just how short this life on earth is compared to eternity, it should be obvious which has priority. However, the prince of this world (Satan) is at work full-time, trying to pull souls away from Jesus. His fate is the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:10); and all who follow him will end up there as well (Revelation 20:11-15). That will be forever, not just for a period of time and then be released. John 14:6 is the straight and narrow way. "Jesus said, I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by Me." Romans 10:9-13 gives the formula needed to call on the Lord to truly be saved. There are numerous other examples, but these give what is needed to call on Jesus to be your Savior. To delay is to play the lottery. He may not come back today; but then again, He may. If you haven't accepted Him, at the very least you will go into the Tribulation, which will be the worst time this earth has ever experienced. If you want Him to be your Savior, forgive your sins and provide an eternal home for you with Him, He will do so. We will never be perfect while on this earth, but when we do slip, He gives us 1 John 1:9 as His promise to forgive our sins. Don't play the lottery with your soul. Get the assurance of an eternal Home with the Savior today. It could be a great difficulty tomorrow if He comes before then. He is never too busy to take your "call." Shalom! [email protected] A Looming Crisis in the Mideast - by Ahmed Charai - https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/14193/looming-crisis-mideast After raining down some 600 rockets that killed four Israelis this past week, the Netanyahu government responded with overwhelming force, deploying jet fighters to carry out multiple air strikes, killing 23 Gaza residents including a pregnant woman, according to Palestinian Authority officials. (The pregnant women and her child, however, are now confirmed as having been killed by a Palestinian rocket that feel short.) And, so, the cycle of violence makes another cruel revolution. What makes the events of the past week different from earlier rockets-and-retaliation episodes? The reaction of Arab intellectuals and other thought leaders in Muslim world. Consider the tweet of Dr. Turki Al-Hamad, a well-known Saudi author and thinker. He tweeted: "It's a repeating loop: rockets [are fired] from Gaza into Israel, Israel bombs [Gaza], someone or other mediates, the fighting stops - and the common Palestinian folks pay the price. This is 'resistance,' my friend. Iran and Turkey are in trouble, and the Palestinians are paying the price." Note his use of scare quotes around resistance and his willingness to blame Iran and Turkey, two Muslim-majority nations, instead of the Jewish state. This marks a real rhetorical change. And many influential Arab voices echoed the thoughts of Dr. Al-Hamad. Muhammad Aal Al-Sheikh, a frequent contributor to the Saudi daily Al-Jazirah, tweeted: "The Persian ayatollahs have instructed their servants, Hamas, to escalate [the conflict] with Israel, and they obeyed. The result is seven Palestinians dead, versus one Israeli wounded. [The death toll increased after his tweet.] The Persians are tightening the pressure on the U.S. and Israel in retaliation for Trump's decision, and the victims are the people of Gaza." Over and over again, tweets from journalists and intellectuals in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states (except, notably, Qatar), show a shift in elite Arab opinion. Many blame Iran and cite the suffering of ordinary Palestinians, which is considerable. Air strikes have denied Palestinians access to clean drinking water, electricity to run their hospitals, and wrecked the roads which bring food and aid. Few doubt the analysis that Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, is acting on orders from Tehran. Iran's Foreign Ministry Condemned what it called Israel's "savage" attack on Gaza, and blamed "unlimited US support" for Israel, the semi-official Fars news agency reported. Iran is a major funder for Hamas, Iran's goal is to be the vanguard of the Islamic world and to be the regional power. They want to be a pan-Islamic power, so supporting groups like Hamas and Hezbollah is Iran's best way to transcend the Sunni-Shiite divide. Trump administration now appears to be reviving the 12-point plan presented by Secretary of State Mike Pompeo a year ago, after America pulled out of the Iranian nuclear accord. Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, said the dispatch of the huge naval vessel is designed to deliver a message to Iran, and warned that any attack on American interests or those of its allies would be met by "unrelenting force." To Give Young Arabs Hope While Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates remain major funders of the Palestinian Authority, its support for the Palestinian cause has become more complicated in recent years. Each nation has essentially made common cause with Israel against Iran. It is significant that the state-run media in Saudi and the UAE each sympathize with the Palestinian people, rather than their leaders. This creates an important opening for President Trump's "deal of the century," whose primary architect is his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner. It suggests that Kushner's plan may be able to attract significant Arab support and that the Saudis and Gulf Arab may pressure Palestinian officials to accept the plan, or, at least, sit down and negotiate its terms. What is Kushner's plan? While no document or detailed account has emerged, Kushner himself discussed it in broad terms in a recent speech at the Washington Institute, a D.C.-based think tank. "We've put together, I would say, more of an in-depth operational document that shows what we think is possible, how people can live together, how security can work, how interaction can work, and really, how you try to form the outline of what a brighter future can be," Kushner said. He said he has also created a "business plan" to create jobs and economic growth in the war-torn disputed territories. Kushner has avoided the term "two-state solution" and the plan is believed to be more focused on economics than political issues, like where to draw borders or the "right of return." Those two items stalled previous talks. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told CNN that Kushner's plan will be a departure from previous peace plans over the past 40 years. "Our idea is to put forward a vision that has ideas that are new, that are different, that are unique, that tries to reframe and reshape what's been an intractable problem that multiple administrations have grappled with, multiple administrations in Israel as well." The plan is believed to include aid grants to the Palestinians in the range of $30 to $40 billion and make it easier for West Bank Palestinians to land jobs in Israel and to start businesses in Palestinian-controlled lands. But even these details are speculations. All we can say with confidence is that the Kushner plan is built around economics, not politics. It began with a simple insight: for most Palestinians under the age of 40, the wars of 1948, 1967, and 1973 are ancient history. Instead of yearning for the political redemption of lost lands, younger Palestinians are demanding jobs, housing, education, and the hope of more prosperous lives. Why not, Kushner asked, build a new peace plan on the new generation rather than the demands of the older one? Kushner is gambling that economic realities will trump political demands, which have defined the conflict for almost 70 years. It is too soon to say whether this approach will work. But the tweets from Arab journalists, intellectuals and other thought leaders suggest a larger shift is underway on the Arab Street; that the greater Muslim world now cares more about the economic welfare of ordinary Palestinians than politics. If that is the case, the Kushner plan may have more of chance of success than many observers expect. News from Hal Lindsey Media Ministries - Hal Lindsey - www.hallindsey.com This week, unimpeded migration-invasion continues across the globe. As martyred Christians are buried en masse in Asia and Africa, Islam remains in that rare class of protected parties among the world's media and globalist elites, even though Islam is the world's dominant producer of terrorism (and Christians the most persecuted class of people on earth). It is joined there by socialism, communism, and the Palestinians. (By the way, I've always marveled at the tendency of the elite classes to rabidly protect the very ideas and ideologies that are their natural enemies. Do they do this out of guilt? Or do they deceive themselves into believing that they can use these broken and toxic ideas as weapons for their own advancement?) As tensions flare once again in the Middle East, the explosion of antisemitism on the left side of the American political spectrum deters previous Democrat Party supporters of Israel from voicing their support for our beleaguered ally. In view of these current situations, I have selected an "Encore Presentation" of a show that I produced on February 5, 2016. It directly deals with these issues. As I said last week, it's a little spooky how so many of the stories I discussed on that program are figuring prominently in what is happening across the world now. And it helps explain how we reached the crises points we face today. Here is the description of that program that I shared with you on February 5, 2016: The results of the migrant crisis in Europe have lately been dominating the headlines. That's mainly because some European nations are being forced to take steps to reverse the damage. In fact, some of the more liberal, multiculture-oriented nations are being overwhelmed by the human tsunami they have welcomed into their midst. But one of the more alarming and surprising results of this liberality is manifesting itself in Sweden. A recent study shows that for every 100 Swedish girls ages 16-17, there are now 123 boys. This disparity only portends problems down the road for Sweden. To put this into perspective, look at China. The world recognizes the problems heading China's way because of its longtime "one-child" policy, with its subsequent forced abortions, and the Chinese preference for boys over girls. In fact, Bloomberg reports that, "China now has 33 million more men than women, tens of millions of whom may never be able to find a mate." China has long been thought to be the nation facing the greatest crisis in this regard. That's why it's disturbing to realize that China's ratio of 117 boys to every 100 girls is substantially lower than Sweden's! Has Sweden quietly pursued a longtime "one-child" policy of which the world has been unaware? No. Sweden's problem is that it has accepted vast numbers of migrants from the Middle East. In fact, it receives more asylum applications per capita than any other country in Europe. But why should that affect the general demographic make-up of Sweden? The simple answer is that young men and boys in their upper teens comprise the vast majority of Muslim migrants. The truth is that the numbers of migrants (contrary to what the media will have you believe) are so skewed toward men and boys that it has altered Sweden's male-female ratio even more than China's longtime policy of forced abortion has altered its demographic. And whether or not they are actually terrorists, few of these healthy young males actually come to the west to be assimilated. They bring with them the roots of the very evil they say they're fleeing. Unfortunately, a perfect example of this problem occurred on New Year's Eve last year in Cologne, Germany. In the public areas around the city's main train station and city center, hundreds of German women were groped, robbed, and, in some cases, raped by bands of migrant thugs. It was an unbelievable and shocking display that should have caused an enormous reaction across Europe. But it didn't. Why? Because the European mainstream media ignored or suppressed the story for days. And why did they do that? Especially regarding a frightening incident that flies in the face of all that is traditionally "European?" One answer: Political Correctness. The leftist governments of Europe, along with the European Union, are committed to the fiction that the millions of Muslim migrants are nice people who can be trusted and should be welcomed with open arms. And the European mainstream media is playing ball. So they sat on the story. As a result, no one knows how many German women were robbed or raped when they unwittingly entered danger zones that the news media should have, but refused to, warn them about. And this stuff is going on all over Europe. Everywhere the Islamic migrants have gone. For example, over the last two years, there has been a pronounced spike in rape cases in Norway. But even more disturbing to me is that politically-correct European authorities are attempting to dismiss the connection. A police chief in Norway excused the migrants by saying that, "People from some parts of the world have never seen a girl in a miniskirt, only in a burqa." So rape is okay because the rapists are from a different culture? Even Cologne's mayor - a woman - apparently felt it was politically incorrect to blame the Muslim attackers. So she blamed the victims. Folks, this is where Political Correctness leads. Directly to the times the Bible warns us about, when the right will be called wrong and the wrong will be called right. I believe that Political Correctness gone amok is hastening the demise of Christian Europe. In view of what I see happening in Europe, I've recently been thinking about the blessing of literacy. Yes, literacy. The ability to read and write. In 1820, only 12% of the world's adults could read and write. By 2000, 80% of the world's adults could read and write. That fact alone explains much about how the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been able to reach the far corners of this world. The gift of easy access to the Word of God - whether as a printed book or an application on your smartphone - is a blessing beyond human calculation. But I'm afraid it is a blessing we take far too lightly. For two thousand years, Christians have been imprisoned and martyred for believing and teaching God's Word. No other book - or cause - has motivated so many to sacrifice so much, including most of the first Christian evangelists. On this week's program, I'm going to draw from the pages of my book, The Terminal Generation, to remind us of those who have sacrificed everything to prepare, preserve, and promote the Word of God throughout the world and to all of the following generations. We owe them a debt of gratitude only God can repay. Don't miss this week's Report on Daystar, CPM Network, various local stations, www.hallindsey.com or www.hischannel.com . Check your local listings. Is It Too Late For America? - By Grant Phillips - https://www.raptureready.com/2019/05/05/late-america-grant-phillips/ "It is my firm conviction today that the only thing that can save our nation is revival. It is either going to be revival or revolution. There is corruption in government on all levels. There is corruption in all organizations today. Immorality and lawlessness abound. Sex, liquor, drugs, filthy magazines, foul pictures, scandals, and riots reign. This nation is wallowing like a pig in a swine's sty. We are like the prodigal son in a far country in the pigpen with the pigs. Without revival, revolution stares us in the face. Socialism is creeping in today. Political parties are willing to sell the birthright of this nation in order to stay in power. The church today is under the blight of apostasy. Liberalism controls the organized church. There is a brazen denial of the Word of God even in co-called evangelical circles. The Word of God has been lost in the church, and there are atheists today in the pulpit."1 These words were spoken by Dr. J. Vernon McGee over 30 years ago, if not longer, since he went to be with the Lord Jesus on December 1st, 1988. Have we changed much since he spoke those words? Well, let's see. We have added a few new vices to our repertoire of evil since then, and oh yes, we are much more brazen in flaunting our sins in the face of God than ever before. Any shame we may have had 30 plus years ago is long gone. In other words folks, we are in deep doodoo. The most evil king in Judah, the southern kingdom, had to be Manasseh. He was so thoroughly rotten and brought Judah to such a despicable low in their sins, God would not lift His hand of judgment even for the sake of Manasseh's grandson Josiah. Manasseh was the son of Hezekiah and reigned over Judah from 687-642 B.C. (55 years). Amon, Manasseh's son, followed him and reigned for two years. Then in 640 B.C. Josiah, Amon's son, became king and reigned 31 years. Listen to what God says of him, "Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did-with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses." (2 Kings 23:25) Only going back to Josiah's great grandfather Hezekiah, I find it interesting that Hezekiah was a good king. Then his son (Manasseh) and grandson (Amon) were rotten. But now Josiah comes along and he is definitely a breath of fresh air to the southern kingdom, Judah. Notice again what God says in the verse above about Josiah, "Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the Lord (repented)as he did - with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses." (Emphasis mine) I'll come back to Josiah, but let me to say first that even though we are not Israel or Judah, we as individuals and as a nation must answer to God. Her history is in the Bible to teach us how to live before God as an individual and as a nation. "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope." (Romans 15:4) We have been blessed by God above any other Gentile nation. Therefore, much more is expected of us. "The servant who knows the master's will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." (Luke 12:47-48) God's special nation, the apple of His eye, had been disciplined many times for their sins again Him. After they split into the southern (Judah) and northern (Israel) kingdoms, Israel finally pushed God so far He had them taken away into captivity by the Assyrians in about 722 B.C. Later, in about 586 B.C. Judah was also taken captive, but by the Babylonians. The nation Israel that came from the loins of Abraham has always been God's special people. They have a long, long history with God. Beginning with Adam and Eve all people upon the earth were Gentiles. From Abraham and Sarah God added a new race of people called Israel (the Jews). From the Pentecost following Christ's death upon the cross, God added yet another race called the Church (true Christians.) The major difference between Gentiles, Jews and Christians is that one can only become a Christian by being born spiritually in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The United States of America is a Gentile nation that was founded by people who were strongly influenced by the God of Israel and the Church. The Bible was the handbook used as the foundation for our own Constitution, but let us not be deceived, we are not the apple of God's eye as a nation. Only Israel can claim that honor. "For this is what the LORD Almighty says: "After the Glorious One has sent me against the nations that have plundered you-for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye-I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me. (Zechariah 2:8-9) With that in mind, let us take note that if God severely punished Israel for their rebellion against Him, do we really think He will wink at our sins? What makes so many in this country believe they can do as they please and God will both turn a blind eye and condone our rebellion? America is a special country in many ways, but we are certainly not in the same league as Israel, and Israel has suffered more than any nation on earth. They are still suffering, and they have more suffering to come. Now where does that leave us? We need a revival, but is it too late for that as a nation? To understand where I'm coming from you will need to do some reading; otherwise you will not get the complete message. We are looking at Hezekiah, Manasseh, Amon and Josiah. Hezekiah and Josiah were good kings, and as we read in 2 Kings 23:25 none could match up with Josiah. He was a king that God dearly loved. Manasseh and Amon were bad kings, especially Manasseh. King Manasseh was so bad; he finally tipped the scales and caused God's judgment to come down on Judah, the southern kingdom. Judah would be taken away into slavery because Manasseh pushed God too far. [At this point please read 2 Kings 21:1-18.] But wait a minute. Manasseh's grandson Josiah was as good a king as Manasseh was bad. Doesn't that count for something? [At this point please read 2 Kings 22:1-30.] Surely, because of Josiah God would relent from His decision to have Babylon take Judah away into captivity. Both Israel and Judah finally crossed the line. They thought they could get away with rebelling against God and wallowing in their sins, but they went too far. By this time it was too late for repentance. God had this to say. "Nevertheless, the LORD did not turn away from the heat of his fierce anger, which burned against Judah because of all that Manasseh had done to arouse his anger. So the LORD said, "I will remove Judah also from my presence as I removed Israel, and I will reject Jerusalem, the city I chose, and this temple, about which I said, 'My Name shall be there.'" (2 Kings 23:25-27) We have had "kings" that have respected God's law s, and we have had some who did not. Have any of them reached the pinnacle of evil where Manasseh sat? Think about that, and then answer for yourself. Have there been any like Josiah? No. Even if a Josiah comes along will God forego judgment upon us? He didn't with Judah. We desperately need a revival in this country. I personally do not see that happening, but that is my opinion. However, there is good news among all this gloom and doom. Revival always starts with the individual. We can still have a revival in our own heart toward God. Our nation will eventually suffer horribly because of its sins, but we as a person can spend eternity with God if we turn our hearts toward Him. So is it too late for America to avoid God's judgment due to our hostile rebellion toward Him? Why do I believe that we will not avoid His judgment, keeping in mind that only God makes that decision? Assuming you have read the verses I indicated (2 Kings 21:1-18; 22:1-30) it is abundantly evident to us all that Manasseh was so bad he finally brought the wrath of God down upon Judah. Even though his grandson Josiah was the best of the all the kings, it wasn't enough to avoid judgment as a nation. Israel, from Jeroboam to Hoshea, never had a good king since Solomon. That was a period of about 210 years of nineteen kings, and they were all bad; not a good one in the bunch. Judah, from Rehoboam to Zedekiah, had seven kings that could be called good kings out of a total of twenty, a period of 345 years. Judah had 263 years of basically good kings, including Josiah's 31 year reign, which was the very best of all. Judah was given 135 years longer to repent than Israel, perhaps because better than one third of her kings were good kings, again, especially Josiah. So Judah obviously had nothing to complain about. Our country has been blessed with Godly men and women who have honored God in leadership and as citizens by honoring His laws. We have been spiritually and materially blessed more than any nation that has ever existed, and with these blessings has come the responsibility of honoring God by glorifying His Son. We glorify Jesus by believing in Him and living for Him. Also, we glorify Him by being examples of Jesus Christ to each other and other nations. Have we been perfect as a nation and as a people? Absolutely, we have not been perfect or anywhere close it. However, our forefathers honored Jesus Christ as the one and only true God. In times past, we honored Him in our government, our schools, our sports and our family life. The Philadelphian Church of Revelation 3:7-13 has long carried the torch within our borders. However, in a very short time we are now consumed with the Laodicean Church of Revelation 3:14-22. Now the same rottenness has consumed us that was with Israel and Judah. We continue the process of removing anything that reminds us of a holy God. Our government leaders are passing laws in direct contradiction to God's holy Word the Bible. Our citizenry is consumed with drugs, sex, greed, blasphemous language, and all that is repulsive to God Almighty. Our churches have become a dens of false prophets and a blight upon us all. We are murdering 4,000 babies a day in this country. We have become drunk with sin and laugh in the face of God. That, in brief, is why I believe we are headed for judgment. Folks, we have gotten bigger than our britches, and God will eventually produce the hickory switch. We dare not rewrite the Bible and call it God's Word. We dare not tell God what is right or wrong. He tells us. We dare not reclassify sin as a way of life or another type of love when God says it is a violation of His laws. We dare not snub our nose at God and tell Him how to run His world. It is His world, not ours. We need not tell God how we are going to live and expect His endorsement. Obviously, we do need a revival. I do believe a revival is taking place in individual lives and in small groups. I do not believe we will experience a national revival because, as a nation, we have become too smug and corrupt. When will His judgment come? In my personal opinion, I believe it will begin in full force on the day of the Rapture of Christ's Church. While the Bride of Christ is going up to meet Him in the air, the black clouds of judgment will fall and rain down judgment, not only upon this country, but upon the world. The good news is Josiah is with God today. Even with all his reforms and his total dedication toward God, it was too late for his nation at that time, but he was saved. The same can be true for any of us today if we follow Jesus Christ. All we need is a revival in our own hearts. Those who come to Jesus will never suffer with Satan and his followers, but will enjoy the riches of Heaven for eternity. J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible Commentary Series, First and Second Kings, pages 282-283. Grant Phillips Email: [email protected] Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com Rapture Ready: https://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html Daily Jot: Way of the Word, or way of the world? - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com The Daily Jot began over 17 years ago with a simple mission: to use current events to equip and encourage people to evangelize the word of God. You may not always agree with what the Daily Jot has to say, but there may always be something in it to talk to others about or to take action. Some just get angry or don't want to think about the way events are shaping up prophetically or the way they are having an impact on society. We, as Christians, cannot afford to ignore the world around us. The issues will not go away if we look the other way. In fact, when Christians are not engaged with their family, their community, their state, their country, everything goes the way of the world, not the way of the Word. Jesus said in Matthew 28:19-20, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." He said in Mark 16:15, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Romans 10:13-15 says, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?" If you receive The Daily Jot, you are hearing and you are being sent. You are called to action. You have current events to use to share the Word of God. As written in 1 Peter 2:9, "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." James 1:25 says, "But whoso looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed." As Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." It's not always easy. Many people find sharing the word uncomfortable in this day and age. But we are not charged to be comfortable, but to take up our cross and follow the Lord. That means it's not chocolate and roses, or rolexes or checks in the mail or nice cars or whatever material things modern preachers are preaching about. It's not really about you or me. It's about Jesus and him being preached. 2 Corinthians 8-13 says, "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsake; cast down, but not destroyed...We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak." So let us speak boldly as we ought to speak for if you are reading this you are equipped and encouraged to do so. Daily Devotion: Unlikely Leaders - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. - 1 Corinthians 12:6 Sometimes God calls people to lead who don't necessarily want to lead. When God called Gideon to be a leader of Israel, he was hiding from his enemies, the Midianites. The angel of the Lord appeared and said to him, "The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!" (Judges 6:12 NKJV). However, in that moment, Gideon was about as uncourageous as he could be. Gideon was cowering in fear because of his enemies, yet the Lord was calling him into service. He protested, "O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house" (Judges 6:15 NKJV). Another way to say that would be, "I'm the runt of the litter. Don't bother with me. My brothers-they'd do a much better job." But God chose Gideon. Sometimes the Lord chooses people who don't want to be leaders because they know they can't do it on their own. They'll have God-confidence instead of self-confidence. It's also true that sometimes God does not call people who do want to be leaders. Maybe it's because they want it too much. Maybe it's because they want it for the wrong reason. It's a great privilege to be a leader, and there is great joy in being able to perhaps see things change or influence things or accomplish something of value. But it isn't for the faint of heart. There's a price you will pay. If you're a leader, wherever you might lead, you will be misunderstood, misrepresented, mocked, and criticized. Sometimes there even will be threats on your life. So don't try to be a leader if God hasn't called you to be one. But if He has called you to lead, then, by all means, do so. 
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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