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IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
The Supernatural Signs for the Jews - By Randy Nettles -
https://www.raptureready.com/2019/05/19/supernatural-signs-jews-randy-nettles/ The Jews have always been a stiff-necked and obstinate people according to God's word: "And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people (Exodus 32:9). The Lord told this to Moses three times while they were in the wilderness. Moses told the people they were stiff-necked three times. Hezekiah, a faithful king of Judah, issued a proclamation to his citizens and the remnant of Israel to come to Jerusalem and celebrate the Passover Feast. He told them to obey God's commandment and not to be stiff-necked as their fathers were. The Lord also mentioned this particular quality of the Jewish people to the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Here is how Stephen worded it when he addressed the Sanhedrin right before they murdered him: "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you do always resist the Holy Spirit: as your fathers did, so do you. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? And they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom you have been now the betrayers and murderers: who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it" (Acts 7:51-53). During the time of the Exodus, when the Egyptians were pursuing them, the children of Israel became sore afraid and cried out unto the Lord: "And they said unto Moses, because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us to carry us from out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell you in Egypt, saying, leave us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve them, than that we should die in the wilderness" (Exodus 14:11-12). Even after witnessing the ten plagues that God sent against the Egyptians, the Jews were still fearful and had no faith in the power of their God to save them. Moses, the mighty man of God, spoke to them: "Fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will show to you today: for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall see them again no more for ever. The Lord shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace" (Exodus 14:13-14). You know the rest of the story. God supernaturally parted the Red Sea for the Israelites to cross over on dry land. When the Egyptian army tried to cross, God loosed the waters and they were all drowned. "And Israel saw that great work which the Lord did upon the Egyptians: and the people feared the Lord, and believed the Lord, and his servant Moses" (Exodus 14:31). I guess their necks became less stiff at that brief moment. Soon after this supernatural event, the children of Israel once again miraculously forgot their God. They foolishly went back to worshipping false idols as they had done in Egypt. They did this while Moses was receiving the Ten Commandments from God. Moses was up on Mount Sinai with God, and the people thought he had been away for too long. This is what they said unto Aaron: "Make us gods, which shall go before us, for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don't know what has become of him" (Exodus 32:1). God informed Moses about the people corrupting themselves and told him: "I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiffnecked people: now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of you a great nation" (Exodus 32:9-10). God was ready to destroy the whole nation because of their great sin. However, Moses pleaded for mercy and God spared them. Moses saved his people as Jesus would later do for the same Jewish people and also the entire world. Moses was also a prophet of God. Before his death (at 120 years of age), the Lord gave him this message concerning the Messiah of the Jewish people: "I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto you (Moses), and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him" (Deuteronomy 18:18-19). Moses had a very special relationship with God. "And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face; in all the signs and the wonders, which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, and in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses showed in the sight of all Israel" (Deuteronomy 34:10-12). The Jews have always needed a "sign" or supernatural event before they would trust in the God of their fathers: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. "For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom" (1 Corinthians 1:22). The Jews of Jesus' time were looking for their promised Messiah and yet couldn't find him, even while He was living in their midst. Jesus miraculously healed countless people from disease and demon possession, raised people from the grave, miraculously fed thousands, turned water into wine, and even walked on water; and yet the 'elite' religious leaders in Jerusalem rejected him as their Messiah They were like Satan in that they wanted to test Jesus' supernatural abilities as the Son of God. Two of the three temptations of Satan in Matthew 4 required Jesus to perform a supernatural act: 1) "The tempter came to him and said, 'If you are the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.' Jesus replied: 'It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God'" (Matthew 4:3). 2) "Then the devil took Jesus up into the holy city (Jerusalem), and set Jesus on the highest point of the temple, and said to him, 'If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning you: and in their hands they shall bear you up, lest at any time you dash your foot against a stone.' Jesus said unto him, 'It is written again, you shall not tempt the Lord your God'" (Matthew 4:5-7). The third temptation was for Jesus to fall down and worship Satan. In return, Satan would give him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them. Jesus told Satan: "Get out of here Satan: for it is written. You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve" (Matthew 4:10). These supernatural events, if performed, would be of such magnitude that it would prove beyond any doubt Jesus was truly the Son of God...the Messiah. The Jews were looking for the supernatural Son of God that could defeat the Roman Empire and liberate them from their oppressive rule. Of course, they didn't realize that He actually came to defeat the enemy, Satan, and to liberate the Jews (and the entire human race) from their oppressive sin. They should have been wiser and concentrated more on the natural act of listening to Jesus' words concerning himself and the Kingdom of God. In Matthew 12, certain religious leaders of the scribes and of the Pharisees told Jesus that they needed to see a sign (supernatural) from him to prove that he was the Son of God. Just healing people wasn't enough of a miracle. They wanted a spectacular supernatural act. Jesus answered them: "An evil and adulterous generation seek after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: for as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth" (Matthew 12:39-40). Even at the cross, the Jewish chief priests were still looking for a supernatural event. They wanted Jesus to prove that if he was the King of Israel, he should come down from the cross and save himself, according to Matthew 27:41-42. Even though He could have called down legions of angels to rescue him from death, Jesus didn't do that. He submitted his will to the Father and was obedient unto death. He accomplished the task that was set before him by the Father and now sets at the right hand of the throne of God. God would give the Jews their supernatural sign, however, on that Thursday afternoon of Nisan 14 (Jewish calendar), otherwise known as the Passover Feast. The date on the Julian calendar would have been April 2, A.D. 33 (March 31, AD 33 on our modern Gregorian calendar). It had to be on a Thursday according to the great Bible teacher, Jack Kelley. I encourage anyone who has any doubts about the day of the week when Jesus was crucified to read the following article: 'Solving the Three Day Three Night Mystery' by Jack Kelley at gracethrufaith.com For days of the week calendar go to: Calendar Converter: Including 360-day calendar of Bible prophecy There was darkness in the land of Israel for three hours, from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm Jerusalem time. 3:00 pm was when Jesus Christ died on that Passover day. This darkness was a supernatural event that only God could have accomplished. Why was it supernatural? After all, solar eclipses occur rather frequently... but only during the time of a new moon! However, it was Passover; and Passover is always during a full moon. There was no recorded solar eclipse that year or any of the immediate years before or after that particular Jewish date (Nisan 14). NASA keeps a record of solar and lunar eclipses that you can study and research, and yet there was no evidence of a solar eclipse at that approximate date. This was a supernatural sign to the Jews from God. There was also an earthquake that occurred at this time... another sign (although not as supernatural as the darkness of the sun during a full moon). The supernatural aspect of the earthquake was that, while it was happening, the veil that hung in front of the Temple room called The Most Holy Place was split in two. This was a prophetic act of God signifying man's access to God is no longer only possible through a high priest of the Levitical order. Jesus is now our High Priest who gives our prayers to the Father in person. There was no natural solar eclipse that occurred on that date; however, there was a partial lunar eclipse in that region of the world that occurred a few hours later (the beginning of the next day) on Friday, Nisan 15, or April 3, AD 33. This was probably not a spectacular event, as the moon that was just rising turned partially dark (possibly a little red) for a few hours. A lunar eclipse always occurs during a full moon. This is not the supernatural event of 3 hours of darkness in Jerusalem that God had orchestrated a few hours earlier, while it was still Passover. The Jewish calendar day starts in the evening at 6:00 pm. Jesus died at 3:00 pm on Passover day, Nisan 14, on a Thursday. Approximately 4 or 5 hours later (7:00 or 8:00 pm) on Nisan 15 (the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread), when Jesus was already in the grave, the partial lunar eclipse was underway. This was a natural event that happens frequently throughout the years (always on a full moon) and can be verified through NASA records. https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/LEhistory/LEhistory.html#ref The date was April 3, AD 33 on the Julian calendar and April 1, AD 33 on our modern Gregorian calendar. April 1st is sometimes known as "April fool's day." I think this is significant in the sense that most Christians believe Jesus died on "good" Friday, instead of on Thursday. Has anyone ever figured out how to get 3 nights and 3 days out of a Friday to Sunday time frame, without exaggerating the truth? Of course, the Jewish leaders didn't heed the sign/s they were given at the cross on that Passover day or three days later on the Feast of Firstfruits when Jesus was supernaturally resurrected back to life. They conveniently put the Jonah prophecy Jesus gave them earlier out of their mind. He even spent 40 days in their midst after His resurrection (before His accession) preaching about the kingdom of God, and they still didn't accept him as their promised Messiah. The Jewish people believed the lies of the Pharisees instead of the truth of the word of God that was spoken and written by the many prophets God sent them over the years. Because of their unbelief they missed the coming of their long-awaited Savior and King. However, they will get another chance...one last chance to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord. This will only happen near the very end of the 70th Seven, otherwise known as Jacob's Trouble, or the Tribulation. In Hosea 5:15 Jesus said to Israel: "I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early." With the forces of the Antichrist at the city of Bozrah, the Battle of Armageddon will begin its last three days, according to Hosea 6:1-3. The Jewish people will finally acknowledge Jesus as their Lord and Messiah, and will call on Him to save them from death. "Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he has torn, and he will heal us; he has smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth." Israel as a nation will be regenerated and saved after two days of national confession of sin. On the third day, they will plead for the Second Coming of Jesus. The latter rain is the rain of spring in Israel, the time of year (Passover) when Jesus presented himself as their king during his First Coming. The former rain of Israel is in the fall season (Feast of Trumpets) and will occur when Jesus returns to the Earth as undisputed King of kings. Jesus' Second Coming will not be without its supernatural signs as quoted by the prophet Joel and others: "And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call" (Joel 2:30-32). "The sun and the moon shall be darkened, and the stars shall withdraw their shining. The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the Lord will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. So shall you know that I am the Lord your God dwelling in Zion, my holy mountain: then shall Jerusalem be holy, and there shall no strangers pass through her any more" (Joel 3:15-17). God's supernatural signs and judgments during the Tribulation will finally convince the stiff-necked Jews to face the truth about Jesus' identity as their promised Messiah and King. Of course, as Christians, He is our Lord and Savior also. Only through belief in Him as the Son of God can you come to the Father and have eternal life in His Kingdom. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Randy Nettles [email protected] How Palestinian Leaders Butcher the Truth - by Bassam Tawil - https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/14357/palestinian-leaders-butcher-truth The Palestinian Authority (PA) is up in arms because Israeli policemen killed a Palestinian who stabbed two Jews in the Old City of Jerusalem. The terrorist, 19-year-old Yusef Wajih, from the West Bank village of Abwain, near Ramallah, stabbed one of the men in the neck and head near the Old City's Damascus Gate, leaving him in serious condition. The second victim was a 16-year-old who was stabbed by the terrorist in the back a few hundred meters away from the scene of the first attack. The teenager sustained light to moderate injuries. Police officers shot and killed the terrorist, thus preventing him from harming more Jews. Such stabbing attacks are not uncommon on the streets of Jerusalem. In the past few years, Palestinian terrorists have carried out several stabbing and shooting attacks against Israeli police officers and civilians, particularly ultra-Orthodox Jews who were on their way to or from prayer at the Western Wall. The wave of terrorist attacks began shortly after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said in 2015 that the Palestinians will not allow Jews "with their filthy feet to defile our Al-Aqsa Mosque." Abbas was referring to the Israeli authorities' decision to resume Jewish visits to the Temple Mount. The visits were temporarily suspended for security reasons after the eruption of the Second Intifada in September 2000. Abbas, who was speaking during a meeting with Arab residents of Jerusalem in his Ramallah office, added: "We bless every drop of blood that has been spilled for Jerusalem, which is clean and pure blood, blood spilled for Allah, Allah willing. Every Martyr (Shahid) will reach paradise, and everyone wounded will be rewarded by Allah. The Al-Aqsa [Mosque] is ours, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is ours, and they have no right to defile them with their filthy feet. We will not allow them, and we will do everything in our power to protect Jerusalem." Since Abbas's statement, the Palestinian media has been waging a campaign of incitement against Jewish visits to the Temple Mount. Abbas's official news agency, Wafa, regularly describes the peaceful visits by Jews as violent incidents by "settlers" and "extremists." Almost every week, Wafa publishes a report under the headline: "Jewish settlers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque." Such reports are intended to send a message to the Palestinians that the Jews are launching some kind of a violent "incursion" into one of Islam's holiest shrines. The truth is that the Jews touring the Temple Mount have never entered any of the mosques at the site or were involved in any form of violent attack against Muslim worshippers. Abbas and his Palestinian Authority, however, are careful not to be confused by the facts. The terrorist who stabbed the two Jews in the Old City of Jerusalem was undoubtedly influenced by the ongoing incitement by Palestinian leaders regarding the Jewish visits to the Temple Mount. It is this type of incitement that prompts Palestinians to grab a knife and set out to stab the first Jew they meet. Yet, instead of condemning the terrorist for attacking Jews on the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan -- hours before hundreds of thousands of Muslim worshippers converged on the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound for prayer -- the Palestinian Authority chose to denounce Israel for killing him. Despite the terrorist attack, Israeli authorities did not prevent hundreds of thousands of Muslim worshippers from the West Bank from entering Jerusalem for the Friday prayer. Israel could have used the terrorist attack as an excuse to impose restrictions on the entry of Muslim worshippers to Jerusalem, but instead chose not to do so. Yusef Wajih, the terrorist, came to Jerusalem armed with a knife to kill Jews. That was his only goal. He could have taken advantage of Israel's easing of restrictions during Ramadan -- a move that saw hundreds of thousands of Muslims to enter Jerusalem every Friday to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Palestinian Authority is not worried that the terrorist's action could have affected the Muslim worshippers who wanted to pray at the holy site on the last Friday of Ramadan. The PA is also not concerned that two innocent Jews were stabbed by the terrorist. What the Palestinian Authority is disturbed about is the killing of the terrorist. "The Palestinian Foreign Ministry condemns the crime of extra-judicial killing carried out by the occupation forces in Jerusalem," Abbas's ministry said in a statement shortly after Israeli policemen shot dead the terrorist. The ministry called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to launch an investigation "into this crime and hold to account the perpetrators of such crimes." According to the logic of the Palestinian Authority, the police officers who killed the terrorist are the real criminals. As far as the Palestinians are concerned, the police officers should be held accountable for preventing the terrorist from continuing his stabbing spree. The officers should even be brought to trial before the International Criminal Court for foiling the terrorist's plan. As is its habit in their many previous condemnations of stopping terrorists in their tracks, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry made no mention of the two Jews who were stabbed by the terrorist. By calling the shooting of the terrorist an "extra-judicial killing," the Palestinian Authority is seeking to create the impression that Israeli policemen drag innocent Palestinians to the street and publicly execute them for no reason. This is the type of blood libel that also propels Palestinians to carry out terrorist attacks against Israelis. It is, therefore, precisely the Palestinian Authority leadership who continue to lie and incite their people against Israel and Jews, that ought to be put on trial by the International Criminal Court. If the ICC ever looks into this incident, it should begin its inquiry by investigating the vicious incitement of Palestinian leaders, who use Jewish visits to a holy site in Jerusalem to butcher the truth, just as it whips up Palestinians such as Yusef Wajih to wake up in the morning and butcher the first Jew he meets. The blood of Wajih is on the hands of Palestinian leaders, and not the police officers who stopped a terrorist from stabbing yet more Jews. Timeline in the Olivet Discourse - By Daymond Duck - https://www.raptureready.com/2019/06/09/timeline-olivet-discourse-daymond-duck/ God recently honored me with an invitation to speak at a church on the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24). I recently shared my understanding of the "beginnings of sorrows" (the Jewish name; equivalent to the Church Age; a preparation or stage-setting for the birth pangs also known as the Tribulation Period, Seventieth Week of Daniel, etc.) and the "Abomination of Desolation" (an image or statue of the Antichrist that will be set up in the Holy of Holies at the coming rebuilt Jewish Temple). For whatever it is worth, there is a little overlapping, but the first 36 verses of the Olivet Discourse could be viewed as a Jewish timeline. The verses start at the Temple in Israel before Jesus was crucified, and they proceed to a new heaven and new earth. I find it interesting that Jesus foretold these events in the approximate order or the approximate sequence that they would happen. He has given us an amazing Bible. First, Jesus foretold the destruction of the Temple, and that was fulfilled in 70 A.D. (Matt. 24:2). Second, Jesus foretold a period of time called the "beginnings of sorrows" (Matt. 24:4-8). The "beginnings of sorrows" (Jewish term) overlaps with the Church Age (Christian term), and that is being fulfilled now before the time of the end (Tribulation Period; Matt. 24:6, 8). Third, Jesus said the gospel will go all over the world before the end (Matt. 24:14). Jesus was talking about the gospel going all over the world before the end of the birth pangs (Tribulation Period), not before the Rapture. I believe that will be accomplished by two supernatural witnesses (Two Witnesses; Rev. 11:3-13), the 144,000 sealed children of Israel (Rev. 7:4-8) and an angel that will preach to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people (Rev 14:6). While there is some disagreement about the identity of the Two Witnesses, there is good reason to believe that one of them is Elijah, and he will appear before the Tribulation Period (Mal. 4:5-6). The fact that Elijah will appear before the Tribulation Period and the 144,000 will be sealed early in the Tribulation Period is the beginning of the Jews taking the gospel all over the world before the end of the Tribulation Period. Fourth, Jesus said the Abomination of Desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet will be set up in the holy place (the Holy of Holies at the Temple; Matt. 24:15). This will happen at the middle of the Tribulation Period (Dan. 9:27; Rev. 11:1-2; Rev. 12:14). Fifth, Jesus talked about what will happen late in the Tribulation Period when the nations are gathered for the Battle of Armageddon (Matt. 24:28). He said, "For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together" (Matt. 24:28). Not all agree, but say this is a Jewish parable that means "wherever the dead body is, the eagles gather (in Israel, vultures are called Palestinian eagles) to devour their flesh" (Rev. 19:17-18). Sixth, Jesus talked about what will happen after the tribulation of those days (the Second Coming will be after the Tribulation Period and before the Millennial reign; Matt. 24:29-30). There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars (Matt. 24:29); everyone on earth will mourn (some rejoicing to see Him, but most crying because they are not ready (Matt. 24:30; the Old Testament saints and deceased Tribulation Period saints will be raised from the dead, and they will be gathered with living believers (Matt. 24:31). Seventh, Jesus said there will eventually be a new heaven and a new earth. He said, "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away" (Matt. 24:35). In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus taught prophecy to His disciples. The things He said overlap some (because of the length of some of the events), but basically, they are presented in a sequential timeline that is confirmed by other Scriptures. God is the only One that can reveal the future, and to reveal it in sequence is even more impressive. History and today's headlines confirm the literal interpretation of these verses. Be ready (and the only way to do that is to sincerely repent of your sins, ask Jesus to forgive you and to come into your heart). Prophecy Plus Ministries, Inc. Daymond & Rachel Duck [email protected] Changing Our Ways - By Hal Lindsey - https://www.hallindsey.com/ww-6-8-2019/ If you know about Gunsmoke radio, you've either been around for a while, or you're a fan of old-time radio. In one episode of the program, Matt Dillon (played on the radio by William Conrad) saw two things in one day that he could only think of as miracles. At the end of the show, he says, "Chester, I'm gonna change my ways." "Change my ways" is an old expression, not used much anymore. But the concept remains common. A person recognizes his sinfulness before God and decides to make some changes - make himself worthy of God's approval. But it doesn't work. I've said many times on television and on this website that we cannot save ourselves. Only Jesus can do that. He died for our sins. Isaiah 53:11 is a prophecy about Messiah Jesus. It says, "The Righteous One... will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities." You've probably heard it before. Jesus alone can justify us before God. What we sometimes forget is that it doesn't end there. As the phrase "born again" implies, we have a lot of growing to do after it happens. A big problem is that we still struggle with sin. Several passages in the New Testament talk about the "old man." That's a reference to our old sinful natures. We still need to deal with it. But after we've been born again, we have infinitely superior ways of dealing with sin. For instance, we have God's word. Psalms 119:11 says, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." We also have the Holy Spirit at work within us. Galatians 5:17-18 says, "For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law." That same Holy Spirit works in us to provide what the Bible calls "fruit." Look at Galatians 5:22-25. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit." In John 16:7, Jesus calls the Holy Spirit our "Helper." 1 Corinthians 6:11 says that the Spirit sanctifies us. And 2 Corinthians 3:18 says He is transforming us into the image of Christ. Please understand that we are not saved by changing our ways. But when we are saved, we can expect help in dealing with sin. Treasure God's word in your heart. Invite the Holy Spirit's presence and power into your life. And expect some wonderful changes. Daily Jot: Because we need to remember - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com Many in the news media are hailing President Donald Trump's speech in Normandy, France commemorating D-Day as his best ever. Maybe it's just a biscuit toss by the media to try to show they are unbiased. Then it will be back to business as usual. Notwithstanding, the President honored those who fought at Normandy 75 years ago, those who sacrificed, those who gave their lives that you and I can actually be free in reading this Daily Jot in American English rather than being forced to read it secretly in German or Japanese under Fascist rule. A heroic and serious generation saved us from tyranny. It was a selfless sacrifice that we need to remember in this time when political intolerance blows across America. The President began by recounting the story of Normandy with vivid imagery: "Their mission is the story of an epic battle and the ferocious, eternal struggle between good and evil...After months of planning, the Allies had chosen this ancient coastline to mount their campaign to vanquish the wicked tyranny of the Nazi empire from the face of the Earth...They came from the farms of a vast heartland, the streets of glowing cities, and the forges of mighty industrial towns. Before the war, many had never ventured beyond their own community. Now they had come to offer their lives half a world from home...The GIs who boarded the landing craft that morning knew that they carried on their shoulders not just the pack of a soldier, but the fate of the world. "Down on the beach, Captain Joe Dawson, the son of a Texas preacher, led Company G through a minefield to a natural fold in the hillside, still here. Just beyond this path to my right, Captain Dawson snuck beneath an enemy machine gun perch and tossed his grenades. Soon, American troops were charging up "Dawson's Draw." What a job he did. What bravery he showed...These men ran through the fires of hell moved by a force no weapon could destroy: the fierce patriotism of a free, proud, and sovereign people. They battled not for control and domination, but for liberty, democracy, and self-rule. They pressed on for love in home and country - the Main Streets, the schoolyards, the churches and neighbors, the families and communities that gave us men such as these. "They were sustained by the confidence that America can do anything because we are a noble nation, with a virtuous people, praying to a righteous God. The exceptional might came from a truly exceptional spirit. The abundance of courage came from an abundance of faith...As they confronted their fate, the Americans and the Allies placed themselves into the palm of God's hand." In reading Trump's speech, I am reminded of the verses in Isaiah 41:12-13, "They that war against you shall be as nothing, and as a thing of naught. For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee." I'm sure there was fear aplenty on June 6, 1944, but if they could tell you today, these brave men may also say in the moment that mattered there was no fear as the Lord helped them. Praise God that He was with them. Daily Devotion: A Power to Change the World - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. - Acts 1:8 I am always interested in last words, in knowing the last thing that someone said. Jesus was leaving. Prior to His ascension, He took the apostles to a mountain in Galilee, where He gave them marching orders for the church: "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:18-20) How would they pull this off from a human standpoint? They were in no way ready for such a task. There were still things they didn't understand. Their faith was weak. They had failed in their public witness and also in their private faith. After all, Simon Peter, their acknowledged leader, had openly denied the Lord. If Peter could be demoralized by the words of one woman, then how could he (and they) be expected to go into all the world and preach the gospel? How? They would do it with a power they had never known before, a power to change the world: "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you" (Acts 1:8). It's power to be a witness . . . power to share your faith . . . power to turn your world upside down . . . power to do what God has called you to do. The same power that was poured out at Pentecost is available to us today. The Bible has promised a dimension of power for every believer who would ask for it from the Lord, to be a witness for Him. FROM THE HEART
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