Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Undertow - By Pete Garcia - http://rev310.com/2019/06/undertow
Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name... So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" Revelation 13:1, 4 Given the context of Revelation 13, we understand that the beast rising up out of the sea is that final world empire. We know this is an empire because of the consistency in the symbolism between Revelation 13 and Daniel 7-8, which portrays this beast(s) (a chimera) as representing actual kingdoms. At this particular point in time, the people worship the beast (whatever system this ends up being), but in actuality are worshipping the power behind the throne. Nevertheless, how many people do you know today who actually worship government? Aside from North Korea, who mandate the worship of the ruling Kim, and a few Obama-sycophants, governmental worship doesn't really exist anywhere else in the world at the moment. We know they are really worshipping Satan, because Revelation 12 confirms the identity of the dragon as Satan. My assumption is that they worship this final world system because there is some type of technological breakthrough that completely revolutionizes the way they live here on planet earth. It could be something supernatural, or technological, or both. It could be what the transhumanists refer to as the Singularity. For those who do not know what the Singularity is, former Google Director of Engineering and futurist Ray Kurzweil describes it as: The Singularity is an era in which our intelligence will become increasingly nonbiological and trillions of times more powerful than it is today-the dawning of a new civilization that will enable us to transcend our biological limitations and amplify our creativity. Whatever shape it comes in, we cannot be 100% sure at present, but we do know this final system comes up out of the sea of humanity...meaning, it is a transnational system. This could represent a coalescing of regional autonomy within a global organization like the United Nations. It has seven heads (regions of authority) and ten horns (seats of power), and ten crowns (people who sit in these seats of authority). A small body of ten leaders governs a multi-regional system united under some overarching governance. The Antichrist, who then comes from out of this group, is able to subdue three leaders (seats), and secures a majority rule, which he ends up taking over completely. (Rev. 17:9-14) So given that introduction, we know according to Scripture, that it is not until the mid-way point that Satan actually comes down to inhabit this man we know as Antichrist. However, why does he (Satan) wait until the midpoint? Clearly, the Antichrist is Satan's 'go-to' man from the outset, but I believe (along with many others) that it is only at the midway point that a number of different events transpire simultaneously forcing Satan's agenda in a direction he doesn't want to go. The arrival of the Two Witnesses, the Antichrist's "miraculous" recovery after an assassination attempt, the angelic war in heaven and their subsequent expulsion. Now, Satan is earthbound, and then (and only then) does he personally possess this man Antichrist. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time. Revelation 12:12 Assessment Undertow: noun un·der·tow \-ˌtō\
It appears to me that there is a bit of foot-dragging by Satan in wanting this all to play out. Yes, he wants to thwart God's plan by destroying and corrupting humanity, but he has also read the Book (see Luke 4:9-11) and at least peripherally understands where this is all headed. I am not saying that he agrees with the Bible, understands it, or even believes it...but at the very least, he is aware of what it says. Revelation 12:12 confirms that he knows he has very little time left to fight this. Given that premise, we should know that the frustration amongst many prophecy teachers, particularly over the past 16 years, is the frustrating mixture between the seeming immediacy of clear prophetic events such as a one-world currency/ religion/government, the Psalm 83-Ezekiel 38 wars, etc., and then the lack of fulfillment of these same prophetic events. Simultaneous to this, is the unstoppable march forward, making these events more of a matter of when, not if. There is a war to both move the satanic agenda forward, but also a satanic attempt to frustrate the prophetic fulfillment by trying to circumvent it through schemes and plotting's. For instance, we know that Satan does not know the future, so he always has to have a man in the wings ready to play the role of The Antichrist. During the 1920's-1940's, the man seemingly being groomed for that position was Adolph Hitler. It seemed initially, that the tide of time and events were on his side until God raised up the United States to thwart his (Satan's) plans to exterminate the Jewish race via the Final Solution. However, despite Hitler's best efforts with the Holocaust and six-million dead, what his actions really brought about was the prophetic fulfillment of the Jewish state of Israel. Had he not attempted to exterminate an entire race, the world would not have supported the political rebirth of a once-dead ancient nation. In fact, the newly formed United Nations still only supported this initiative by a very slim margin...but it was just enough for God's purposes to work out...as predicted! (Isaiah 11:11; Amos 9:15) Looking back, even the disciples had a difficult time understanding the Messiah's divinely appointed task and purpose. They did not know because the Old Testament (OT) for the most part (one exception being Daniel 9:24-27) does not present the prophetic events linearly and/or chronologically. Prophecy in the OT is sort of all over the place, and it really does take God's help for us to understand how the OT prophecies fit into and complete the events in the NT. This is why when Peter stated that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. (Matt. 16:17) The main distinction from the OT prophetically speaking is how the NT presents the information. For instance, Matthew 1:21-23 points back to Isaiah 7:14 as the clear fulfillment of the arrival of the Messiah. Jesus outlines the order of end-times events systematically in the Olivet Discourse. In his letters to the church at Thessalonica, the Apostle Paul clearly outlines the order of events between the Rapture and the Tribulation (chapters 4-5) and again in his second epistle to them (chapter 2). The Apostle John was given the Revelation in a highly symbolized, but also decidedly chronological and structured order of events beginning with the things he saw (the resurrected and glorified Christ), the things which are (the seven churches), and then the Seal Judgments all the way until the last Bowl Judgment. Then that is followed by the battle at Armageddon, the visible Second Coming, the millennial reign of Christ, and then eternity-future. So compared to the OT's Major and Minor Prophets, the New Testament is very clear, both chronologically, and contextually. True, there are still some concepts and doctrines in the NT that are not completely understandable by us mere mortals such as the Incarnation, the Trinity, and the timing of certain things, but there is definitely an order and a chronological method to the makeup of the prophetic NT Scripture. Conclusion Given what the Bible has to say about Satan, we know that he was the highest order of creation before the man Adam was formed out of the dust of the earth. We also know that he is exceedingly intelligent, deceitful, and crafty (Gen. 3:1-2, Ezekiel 28:12, Rev. 12:9). Remember that at the beginning (tower of Babel), this one-world concept was initially his. It was his evil plan then, because he did not understand what God's plan was yet. But now, Satan knows. You want to know why the world is as divided, violent, hateful, and broken as it is, it is because the last thing Satan wants is a one-world system. Do not get me wrong on this, the world has been given over to Satan (Luke 4:5-6; 1 John 5:19), and he hates God, hates Christians, and really hates the Jewish people. This is why one of the most prevalent and undisputed prophetic markers we see today is not some major war or supernatural phenomenon, but apostasy. Satan realized early on, that persecution causes Christianity to spread like a wildfire...but spiritual and theological corruption...oh that was much more effective. A one-world system is what man wants and has since Babel, and man is still a free agent in this game of thrones. Satan knows where this will all lead, and he will continue to attempt to frustrate this march towards a final, one-world system until that is inevitable. At present, he is being dragged kicking and screaming out to sea. The sea, which represents this final, global system and the closer we get to it, the more it validates what the Bible says about his impending doom. There have been three key, technological inventions/discoveries that have made this march towards globalism not only possible, but also inevitable, the harnessing of electricity, the mapping of human DNA, and the Internet. Each of these have been monumental paradigm shifts in human history and have unlocked so much potential change, that it cannot be undone. Obviously, harnessing electricity has allowed the world to advance its technological processes. Mapping the human DNA has unlocked the potential for man to alter himself through some misguided ideals on progressive evolution. The internet has leapfrogged man's ability to gather, assess, and use information in ways never possible before. There is also one geo-political issue that is a clear reaction against globalism, and that is regionalism. I know that might sound odd given the recent rise in populism and nationalism, as well as the Brexit and Donald Trump victories. Nevertheless, the world is way too interconnected these days to ever go back to that type of pre- World War I global model. We (the United States and western powers) want to partner with like-minded nations. The same goes for Islamic, socialist and communist nations as they help prop up like-minded countries. With that said, the march towards globalism has for the moment, swung back hard right to that of populism, which will lead right back to where the Bible said we would be...regionalism. This regionalism is represented by the seven heads, ten horns, and ten crowns, but will ultimately fall under one system led by a single man, Antichrist. How does this happen, if Satan is actively working to postpone it? Well, like most everything else, there is a process.
So take comfort in the knowledge that despite the chaos, despite the seemingly endless tide of evil that is flooding the world we live in...that God has us exactly where He intended us to be at this final juncture in history. My intent was not to give the devil any credit, but to show that what we see on the surface is not always, what is really going on beneath. Therefore, let not your heart be troubled. Only God knows the future, and for those of us, who are born-again, are hidden in Christ... But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.1 Cor. 2:7-8 Until then, Maranatha (come Lord Jesus!) After Golan attack, Israel makes it clear to Iran that it cannot hide in Syria - By Yaakov Lappin - https://www.jns.org/anonymous-rockets-from-syria-trigger-israeli-messages-delivered-by-missiles/ Israel sent the message that Iran cannot hide behind its proxies and allies, and that its activities remain highly exposed to Israeli intelligence and firepower. No one took responsibility for the firing of two rockets at Israel's Mount Hermon on Saturday night from Syria, but it doesn't take a lot of imagination to view Iran, or one of its proxies, as the prime suspects. The Iranian radical axis possesses both the ability and the motivation to conduct such an attack. Israel's reported responses included a significant air strike on Iranian assets within the T-4 airbase, in central Syria, and deadly strikes on the Assad regime's military. Israel sent the message that Iran cannot hide behind its proxies and allies, and that its activities remain highly exposed to Israeli intelligence and firepower. It also reiterated that Assad will continue to pay a price for Iran's aggression. The Islamic Republic has spent years creating proxy terror organizations throughout the Middle East, including in Syria. This gives it an ability to attack and pressure its enemies on their own doorstep, far from Iran's own borders, while maintaining a facade of deniability. The 'anonymous' firing of two rockets on Saturday appears to fit this pattern well. Tens of thousands of Shi'ite militia members-made up of Iraqis, Afghans and others-are active in Syria. They are armed, trained and funded by Iran, and are also under its command. Iran has tried to recruit Syrians, who live near the Israeli border, into Iranian-organized terror networks. In addition, Hezbollah-Iran's powerful Lebanese proxy-is a part of this picture. Hezbollah has repeatedly tried to turn southern Syria into a forward operating base against Israel. In addition to all of these efforts, Iran has tried to build up its own direct army capabilities in Syria. In response, Israel uses its advanced intelligence and precision airstrike capabilities to disrupt the threats as they form. Stopping Iran's entrenchment in Syria has become a top Israeli goal. The Israeli Air Force has, in recent years, shifted into a high operational tempo to keep up with the constantly changing threat. The main mission, in Syria and beyond, is to stop the Iranian axis build-up. This has frustrated Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and its overseas unit, the Quds Force, which is commanded by the charismatic and notorious Qasem Soleimani. Iran's plans have run into constant "problems" in the form of hundreds of Israeli preventative strikes, including some in recent months, according to international media reports. The reports said Israeli strikes destroyed valuable Iranian targets, like missile-production facilities and weapons warehouses, killing Iranian personnel in the process. The mysterious rocket attacks on Saturday night, therefore, could be seen as an Iranian attempt to deter Israel from taking more such action. Another motivation could be the increasing economic pressure that Iran is under, due to punishing American sanctions. The closer Iran comes to economic crisis, the more willing it is to activate its proxies and destabilize the region. Recent examples of this trend include the sabotage of oil tankers at a UAE port, the explosive drone attacks launched by Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen against oil facilities in Saudi Arabia and a rocket attack on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad. Saturday's projectile attack from Syria seems could fit this pattern. In addition, May 31 marked Iran's "Quds Day," held on the last Friday of Ramadan. This day is marked by rallies held in Iran and by Shi'ite communities abroad who are loyal to Tehran. Its defining message an ideological and fundamentalist religious commitment to Israel's destruction. The rocket attacks from Syria seem too close to Quds Day to be a coincidence. This year's Quds Day was filled with threats by Iranian officials-not only against Israel, but also against pro-U.S. Sunni Gulf states and the United States itself. Israel's first response to Saturday's attack was to extract a painful price from the very regime that Iran worked so hard to save. Israeli fighter jets and attack helicopters struck a number of military targets belonging to Syrian President Bashar Assad's military, including artillery batteries, a number of observation and intelligence posts, and an SA-2 surface-to-air missile battery. The Israel Defense Forces released a statement saying it "holds the Syrian regime accountable for every action taken against Israel and will firmly operate against any activity from within Syrian territory against Israel." Israel's message is that Iran cannot hide behind its proxies and allies, and that the Assad regime will pay the price for Iran's actions. This response should give Iran pause for thought since the well-being of the Assad regime is a key Iranian strategic interest. It is also a key interest of Russia, which is trying to keep Iran's activities under some level of check to prevent the outbreak of a wider conflict. In January this year, the Iranians tried to pull off a similar, through more brazen attack. They fired a mid-range missile from the outskirts of Damascus at Mount Hermon, which was intercepted by Israeli air defenses right over the heads of winter skiers. In response, the Israeli military launched three waves of airstrikes that targeted Iranian sites in and around Damascus, as well as Syrian air-defense batteries that fired on the Israeli fighter jets. Iran's attack at that time was motivated, according to Israeli assessments, by a desire to stop Israel from hitting its troops and bases in Syria. That initiative failed. The Lebanese front Meanwhile, in neighboring Lebanon, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah used a Quds Day speech to state that "American intelligence knows that every war that erupts will not remain inside Iranian borders, but will spark a fire in the region. Israel and Saudi Arabia will pay the price." This threat was likely written in Tehran rather than in Beirut. The mysterious rocket attacks fit Nasrallah's warning. His message is that Iran's axis should be seen as a single network, and that Iran will activate its proxies if it becomes involved in any escalation with the United States. That means that a U.S.-Iranian conflict will trigger an Israeli-Hezbollah conflict. Still, Nasrallah has no appetite for a war at this time. His lackluster response to the IDF's destruction of a series of Hezbollah tunnels, dug into northern Israel from Lebanon, are evidence of this. On May 30, the IDF completed the destruction of Hezbollah's largest and key tunnel. In any future conflict, Hezbollah's plan was to "infiltrate Israel through the attack tunnel into Israeli communities near the border in order to harm civilians as part of its war plans," the IDF said. Hezbollah invested "the most resources and efforts" into this tunnel, which was designed to allow terrorists to stay inside for a prolonged period of time. So far, Israel and the Iranian axis have kept this conflict on a low flame. It remains unknown how much longer this will continue to be the case. Nearing Midnight: Slithering Toward Sodom - Terry James - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ The late Robert H. Bork saw it coming. His book, Slouching Toward Gomorrah, examined America's decline in morality and movement into cultural decay. He gave the title to his book in terms reflecting on the poet Yeats' 1919 poem, "Slouching Toward Bethlehem." The United States was not, in Bork's view, moving toward salvation of any sort, but toward depravity not unlike that which brought the wrath of the Almighty upon the infamous cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Bork was arguably the most distinguished, conservative legal scholar of his era. He served as a Yale Law School professor, solicitor general, acting attorney general, and a judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. President Ronald Reagan nominated him for the U.S. Supreme Court in 1987. Many readers will remember the upheaval created by Senator Edward M. Kennedy and the Democrat Party over the nomination at the time. Bork was ultimately rejected by the Senate. The proceedings in the "Borking" of the distinguished legal scholar (as Kennedy scoffingly called the travesty he caused against Bork and later Clarence Thomas) was itself indicative of the decline in morality and culture of which Bork forewarned. The salacious accusations-none of which were proven-were but a foretaste of what we've since seen take place against another innocent person, President Donald J. Trump. That we have surpassed the good judge's prediction that the nation was slouching toward Gomorrah could not, in my estimation, be clearer. The title of this commentary is, therefore, altogether fitting and appropriate, I think. An emailer a week or two ago set me to thinking seriously on just how far down that slimy slide into the immorality America has moved. The emailer was reporting firsthand what went on in the very streets in front of her shop. Here is a considerable portion of her report. My thanks to her for permitting me to share it with you. This past weekend our city put on what they referred to as an arts festival. When I opened the blind on my shop I thought of that old television show, The Twilight Zone, only married to The Walking Dead. An old friend, who is a police officer, actually kind of sheltered in place in my store for most of the day. He is not a believer but he is very distressed at what he sees and told me of the masses of police officers that are retiring early or committing suicide. No matter the age, biological sex, race or nationality, full-on weirdness was the order of the day. Two "married" women carrying a small child walking a large dog wearing a huge purple tutu, men holding hands, women with half their heads shaved and the rest dyed in every color you could imagine. They made a point of making direct and pretty hostile eye contact, almost like a dare. I told my dad that I thought the aggressiveness of this "pride" movement reminded me of the people of Sodom, hanging around the town square and trying to push into Lot's home. I see a parallel in behaviors. Homosexuals have been with us for a long time, but, it's this new aggressive, in-your-face mob that makes me think time is about up. I kept my door locked the entire day and closed at 4 pm. I sensed a great deal of hostility...not the America of just over a decade ago, Charlie Brown Christmas, and It's a Wonderful Life... We have crossed some threshold and I don't see us going back. I saw an awful lot of rainbow-colored rosaries, the nearest Catholic church having a homosexual priest. Tarot card readings, magical crystals, and pet consultations with the local witch being another attraction. The emailer expressed, then, the thought of many who anticipate Titus 2:13: "I would be so sad if I did not know we are all going AWAY very soon to the most wonderful place anyone can imagine." Hourly news reports validate our emailer's concerns. The movement toward cultures and societies becoming more like that of Sodom and Gomorrah is worldwide-and intensifying in its evil. It is becoming increasingly dangerous, for example, for anyone to oppose that evil. A majority in Brazil's Supreme Court has voted in favor of making homophobia and transphobia crimes. Six out of 11 judges voted to consider discrimination against gays and transgender people equivalent to racism... "Homophobic crimes are as alarming as physical violence," Supreme Court Vice-President Luiz Fux said on his vote, citing "epidemic levels of homophobic violence". For almost 20 years there have been efforts to make homophobia a crime in Brazil, but legislation on the matter has faced resistance among conservative and religious groups in Congress, the BBC's Julia Carneiro in Rio reports. The decision at the Supreme Court means that offences are to be punished under the country's racism law until Congress approves specific legislation to protect LGBT people, our correspondent adds. The remaining judges will vote in a session scheduled for 5 June. ("Majority in Brazil's top court to make homophobia and transphobia crimes, BBC, 24 May, 2019) It is wrong for any people to be mistreated in any way whatsoever. Those caught up in the LGBT and other such anti-God activities are not to be mistreated, but prayed for and given the gospel light so that they might turn to Jesus Christ. However, Satan is turning up the pressure, it is obvious, to prompt the world of rebels to force the rest of us to condone their depravity as acceptable. That old serpent is, thereby, indeed causing many to slither with him toward Sodom. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. (Luke 17:28-30) Hope 'For Today's World' - By Hal Lindsey - www.hallindsey.com For years, we began this ministry's television program with the words, "Yesterday's prophecies; today's headlines." We recently refocused the program to more of a teaching format rather than an emphasis on current events. It seemed appropriate to change the wording of the intro. It now says, "Yesterday's prophecies for today's world." The two openings have this in common. They emphasize the accuracy and timelessness of God's word. Thousands of years ago, Bible prophets described our time. They gave details that are nothing short of miraculous. They described our technology and the results of that technology. They described wars that were not possible then, but today hang ominously over our world. This is not surprising when you realize that God knows everything - including the future. Humans can possess such knowledge only if God grants it. The accuracy of their prophecies prove that these Bible prophets were God's messengers. Their prophecies leave no doubt in my mind that we are living in the "latter times." The end of this age is near. That's wonderful news. It means Jesus is coming soon. But living in these times presents a host of challenges. Jesus said these would be times of deception (Matthew 24: 4, 5, 11, 24), persecution (Matthew 24:9), and lawlessness (Matthew 24:12 among other dangers. 2 Timothy 3 specifically describes the last days as "perilous." It talks about the results of men turning away from God. Among other dangers, it says the men of our time will be "without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless" (2 Timothy 3:3-4). Those descriptions are a recipe for heartbreak and pain. We live in perilous times. But these are also times of wonder. Everywhere we turn, we see examples of God's sovereignty rolled out before our eyes like a scroll. Because He told us all these things in advance, we don't have to live in fear. We don't have to focus on the perils, but on the promises. One night, the disciples were in trouble. They were in a small boat and a storm had risen. The waves threatened to engulf them. Then they saw Jesus walking toward them on the water, and that sight terrified them even more. The New Living Bible says, "In their fear, they cried out, 'It's a ghost!' But Jesus spoke to them at once. 'Don't be afraid,' he said. 'Take courage. I am here!'" (Matthew 14:26-27) That's where a lot of Christians are right now. A storm is rising. The world system they long trusted seems to be falling apart all around them. And many have forgotten the Lord's promise in Matthew 28:20 - "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." "Even to the end of the age" includes today. He's with us in all of it, and He will stay with us. He's saying to all those who are in Him, "Don't be afraid.... Take courage. I am here!" Daily Jot: Principalities of darkness within human flesh - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com All the talk about Russian collusion and whether President Donald Trump was in cahoots with the Russians to win the 2016 Presidential election is a ploy in so many ways. There were communists in key positions of the so-called investigation of Trump's ties with Russia who were trying to overturn an election. Hillary Clinton is no saint. We know her immoral and unethical doings, but perhaps we need to closely look at the attempt by the deep state community to use willing Russian agents to destabilize the election and the US government to keep control of the White House--a non-military coup aimed at maintaining a power that is foreign to the voting public. This is not a conspiracy theory. Three key players in the Russian Influence con were (former) FBI Director James Comey, (former) CIA Director John Brennan, and (former) National Intelligence Director James Clapper. They are all master manipulators, deep state intel veterans. Comey, Brennan, and Clapper were appointed by Barack Obama. All three also were connected to the George W Bush Administrations in various ways. Recall that after the 2016 election, the New York Post reported that the outgoing president was establishing a shadow government to maintain power through a series of nonprofits, government insiders and appointed judges in the court system. Most know that these three actors were intimately involved in trying to take down the newly-elected president. What you may not have known is a shocking revelation of these perilous times. Washington Times columnist Robert Knight and author Diana West have revealed a legitimate communist concern surrounding these men. Knight reports that West, in her book "The Red Thread," documents that Brennan and Comey were communists. West documents Brennan's September 16, 2016 "admission of voting for the Communist Party USA ticket in 1976" during testimony before the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. Knight reports that Comey admitted identifying as a Communist when he was a young man, and "still reveres Marxist theologian Reinhold Niebuhr as his spiritual lodestar." Clapper told the House Intelligence Committee in 2011 that the terrorist-sponsoring Muslim Brotherhood was "secular" and that it had no "overarching agenda." The Clinton-Bush-Obama one-world-order machinations materially changed the gears of government and instituted a deep state system counter to majority rule. This system uses various means and actors to cause strife, contention, and awe to disrupt the will of the electorate. It is the deepest, darkest evil of what is now known as the "swamp." Habakkuk 1:4 says that because strife exists and contention arises, "Therefore the law is slacked, and justice does never go forth: for the wicked does surround the righteous; therefore perverse judgment proceeds." These godless coup-makers and their minions are in a death struggle to impose their will. Any who threaten it will suffer consequences. Be mindful that Christianity is an ultimate threat because it is the antithesis of the control and bondage these usurpers wish to oversee. Daily Devotion: A Life-and-Death Debate - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. - Jude 1:3 I have been preaching for a long time now. I have seen a lot of generations come and go, from the Boomers and the Busters to Generations X, Y, and Z. But one thing that hasn't changed over the years is my emphasis on the teaching of the Bible, and the preaching of the gospel. That never can change. It never will change. And it never must change. The gospel "is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16), and the gospel is under attack like never before. While the church always has had its little disagreements and has debated different things, the attack that I'm talking about is not a disagreement about preferred styles of worship music, the order of prophetic events, or the never-ending debate about the sovereignty of God and the free will of man. This is a life-and-death debate, because there are a growing number of people who call themselves evangelicals who are questioning whether Jesus Christ really is the only way to salvation. They are debating whether all Scripture is indeed inspired by God. Some of them would encourage us to engage in a dialogue and not in bold and decisive preaching. And we even have some who are telling us the most important thing the church should be focusing on is global warming. This is not the faith that "was once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 1:3). This is not the faith we are called to earnestly contend for. I am all for being contemporary. I am all for being relevant. But we must be truthful. We must be accurate. And, most importantly, we must be biblical. Let's get our priorities straight. Let's get back to our primary message, or we will lose what little influence we have as a church today. FROM THE HEART
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