Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Safety and Security in the End Times - by Pastor Mike Taylor - http://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2019/06/safety-and-security-in-end-times.html
"He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." (Psalm 91:1) "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28) "And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? 19 Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator."(1st Peter 4:18-19) Anxiety is building in this nation, and for that matter, all over the world. Fear grips the average human being, as they see events that they have no control over. It doesn't matter if it's in Greece, Spain, Portugal in the EU or right here in the USA, men are fearful. They know that this is an unprecedented time of turmoil and signs of impending doom. Men are behaving like animals and evil grows exponentially, as we grow closer and closer to the end of this age as we witnessed crimes of unspeakable horror in the recent news coverage of the rampage of demonic possessed individuals, who executed the innocent in schools, theaters, their work place and shopping malls. It seems to be happening more and more often and the culture has gone mad. Not only here in the USA, but worldwide. The powers that be look for a culprit to blame. They blame guns, they blame the social haters, and they blame those that hold onto those guns and their religion, namely Christian Conservatives. They wish to infringe on our Constitutionally given rights that were written by men who feared God, and knew that any government, even theirs that they were forming could become despotic. SINS OF A NATION ON A SLIPPERY SLOPE We see the sin of homosexuality with it's continuing push for same sex marriage making strides for public approval and laws passed to allow such an abomination. (Romans 1:24-28) We continue to see abortion unabated and Planned Parenthood boasting that they terminated the life of another baby, every 94 seconds last year. We see a government that has grown corrupt, and I pray the present administration at least slows down the slide of this nation into chaos and oblivion. Congress has become impotent to stay the powers who are moving this country into a more Socialistic-Communistic form of a New World Order. Hence, the Democrats in Congress do not stand up for what this country was founded upon and let obvious haters of this country spew their anti-American jargon. A DO NOTHING CONGRESS' HAS A NEW IDEA. It was reported that the brainiacs in Washington have come up with a great idea of minting a trillion dollar platinum coin, so "poof", no more debt. Great idea, except it raising inflation by an untold percentage and gives our line of credit to participate in the global economy as being "funny money." We could go on and on mentioning the symptoms of the economic collapse, as well as the social collapse of this nation and reaching all around the world of nations having the exact same problems, just more of them. But that is in an other sermon you can read on my blog. But the point here is, there is a Blood Red Moon Rising over the whole earth. We saw that in not too distant past, and now we see signs that point to a possible fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets. I see that we saw a "total eclipse" of the sun that was only for the central USA. It has never happened before. Is it a sign of foreboding of the coming wrath of God? Will it begin to happen this fall? As I have preached, that the next fulfillment of God's plan for mankind is pointing to the next Feast of God, that is of Trumpets on any fall in the coming years..We don't know which one, but this sign of the past eclipses is but another sign in the heavens that 'something" big is about to happen, we just don't know what and when...so we just pray and watch. MAKE YOUR FOUNDATION THE "ROCK" It's a exciting time to live in, but anxiety producing for those who don't have a firm foundation on where their strength lies. I have brothers and sisters who email me with searching questions on how to prepare for what is coming. I am a firm believer and have always been that God allows nothing to come against His chosen children, the church, a people taken for His name, unless is for their benefit and their spiritual maturity. I have also come to believe that God is not interested in our comfort, but in our being ready to reign and rule with Jesus Christ for a 1000 years, and on into eternity. When the cares of this life seem to weigh in on any of us, (and I'm not immune), I counsel my congregation to look to the Bible for their strength and their foundation of coping. I have been telling each of them, when things get rough around your community, your town, or your state, then it is a time to grab onto the promises of God and remind Him of those promises. OH, He knows what He promised, but He wants to hear that you believe that He will do what He said. Inspiration and strength has always been drawn from two chapters in the bible for me, in particular, but not exclusive, as the whole bible is designed to encourage and to lead us into righteous living, but for me Psalm 91 and Romans chapter 8, have special promises of protection and looking forward to our heavenly home. Let's take a moment to draw strength from these two chapters that have distinct promises of divine protection and Christian hope for a glorious future. Let us take a few verses from each, but I encourage you to read these chapters prayerfully and without doubt. I ask that you claim those promises, as God cannot lie. He just wants you to reach out to Him and draw nigh to Him. Psalm 91:2 "I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; 6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday." Just as a hen gathers her chicks during a storm, or for protection against terrors surrounding them, our Father wishes to draw us unto Himself and protect us. Terror that is all around us (ie). Islamic terrorist, Washington bureaucrats, leftist Socialist Democrats, and even widening debt and deficit spending, not to mention a society in decay, we have no need to be afraid. Why? God is in control and His Word will not come back to Him void. He said it, it will be done! MATTHEW HENRY SPEAKS ON PSALM 91 Matthew Henry has a great commentary on Psalm 91, and I would like to share it with you. "He that by faith chooses God for his protector, shall find all in him that he needs or can desire. And those who have found the comfort of making the Lord their refuge, cannot but desire that others may do so. The spiritual life is protected by Divine grace from the temptations of Satan, which are as the snares of the fowler, and from the contagion of sin, which is a noisome pestilence. Great security is promised to believers in the midst of danger. Wisdom shall keep them from being afraid without cause, and faith shall keep them from being unduly afraid. Whatever is done, our heavenly Father's will is done; and we have no reason to fear. God's people shall see, not only God's promises fulfilled, but his threatenings. Then let sinners come unto the Lord upon his mercy-seat, through the Redeemer's name; and encourage others to trust in him also." As you read this marvelous chapter of God's Word in Psalms 91, it should give you hope that you are not alone, but He walks right there with you. You become a little fearful with the latest report of a disaster or a shooting, or crime in your area. Then open your bible and read this chapter and claim it in its promised message. I leave my family bible open at all times to this chapter, to remind God that I trust His Word, and His protection at any time. The bible is full of promises that tell the truth about God's protection to the true believer. Many Christians wring their hands and wonder what is coming down the pike for us all. But you know what? It doesn't matter, as He will prepare you for whatever comes. This side of the tribulation, we could see many natural disasters in this country of the USA, as it's happening all over the world. Many people will die, as many have already died. Some needlessly, but some because they have shaken their fist at God and God just might have removed His hand of protection from them and allowed them to go their own way and their demise was chance and circumstance. Liberal thinkers who don't need God, have no one to turn to when the times get rough, unless they repent of their sinful deeds. But not so with the believer in Jesus Christ. Going on in this same chapter of Psalms, the Psalmist writes a promise given to a child of God. 7 "A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. 8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. 9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; 10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling."(Psalms 91:7-10) Wow, has it ever made you wonder why evil is all around you, but it hasn't touched your life? How many stories could I print of testimonies of men and women in harm's way were spared because they called out to God? But my brother and sister, there is a small catch to that protection. See Verse 1 of this chapter that started this sermon. You must be right next to His altar, under His shadow, under His wings, and staying close to God. You can't be out willy nilly living the life of this world, feeding your flesh with diverse pleasures, as that is a sure invitation for God to reprimand you and allow evil to enter your life. But it doesn't have to be so. God wishes to be with you in times of trial and even persecution. 11 "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. 12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. 13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. 14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation."(Psalms 91:11-16) Whatever happens, nothing shall hurt the believer; though trouble and affliction befall, it shall come, not for his hurt, but for good, though for the present it be not joyous but grievous. Those who rightly know God, will set their love upon him. They, by prayer constantly call upon him. His promise is that he will in due time deliver the believer out of trouble, and in the mean time be with him in trouble. The Lord will manage all his worldly concerns, and preserve his life on earth, so long as it shall be good for him. For encouragement in this he looks unto Jesus. He shall live long enough; till he has done the work he was sent into this world for, and is ready for heaven. Who would wish to live a day longer than God has some work to do, either by him or upon him? A man may die young, yet be satisfied with living. But a wicked man is not satisfied even with long life. At length the believer's conflict ends; he has done for ever with trouble, sin, and temptation. Did you catch that? Let me repeat it. Nothing can come against the believer, unless God allows it for our personal growth in spirit and maturity within His coming Kingdom. The devil can't touch us if we are within His protective circle, which is right up against His altar, His Throne. He may test our metal, but He will not allow anything to adversely effect us that He doesn't know that will make us stronger in Him. My brothers and sisters, what do we have to fear? Nothing is the answer. Getting back to a little bit of the anxiety that people email me about. Who do you trust? We can't trust our government any more. We can't trust our elected officials or political parties, not even the Tea Party. We can't trust people in general, especially if you get into the big cities. Men have seem to become more ferocious in this desire to inflict pain and lash out at others. Was a time you could hitch hike down the interstate, which I never encouraged even my brother who thought it was a great way to travel, but times have changed. You don't hitchhike, and you don't pick up hitchhikers. Society has changed and not for the better. There is a large number of things you just don't do anymore, because society has become corrupt in general and your own unsaved neighbor will sell you for a ten bucks. That's a sad commentary, but society has proven it to be so. The love for one another has grown cold. Only the True Believer support one another in love and genuine concern for their good. 12 "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved."(Matthew 24:12-13) A GLORIOUS FUTURE JUST OVER THE HORIZON But we have a glorious promise that is found in Romans chapter 8 and the most favorite part of that chapter is from verse 28 to the end of the chapter. Can you not see that we have nothing to fear? Reread the opening verses of this sermon and see that God only allows good to come to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. Read the whole chapter, but focus in on the last of this chapter..Look at v. 31-32, 31 "What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all thing."(Romans 8:31-32) He will give us all things, whatsoever we ask believing He will do it if being in our best interest and in His divine Will. He knows what is good for us, will protect us, and what will make us grow as Christian people. He then ends the chapter will a powerful promise, that proves that we will never be alone in this life, as long as we stay close to Him. 38 "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."(Romans 8:38-39) Again, I ask you, what have we to fear? Nothing! God will lead us into green pastures, as the Psalmist wrote in chapter 23. 23 "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. (we lack for nothing due to His Goodness)2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.( He blesses us with needs for our everyday lives)3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. (He is forever by our sides)4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (even though trouble is afflicting us, He will bring us through it and we will be better for it) 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. (We cannot contain the blessings of God) 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever." ( the blessing of the Lord are plentiful until He brings us home to receive a greater reward for being steadfast and faithful)(Psalm 23:1-6) PROMISES NOT MADE TO THE WORLD Now my reader, I must deal with the negative side of not following what I've outlined up to now. In past sermons, I have ventured into the demise of our country, as we have gone the way of Sodom and Gomorrah and certain destruction will surely come down on our heads, or God would have to apologize to Sodom for bringing down fire and brimstone about them. As the world grows worse and worse, and our home is on the horizon and we wait for the trumpet sound and Jesus to say "Come up here," we may see the symptoms of judgment beginning to come to pass on this nation and all nations around the world. We can expect more "accidents", more natural disasters, more crime, and more moral and economic woes coming fast and furious. These break neck events will make men's hearts very anxious, but they haven't seen anything yet! God told us though the apostle John what is coming upon mankind, when the wrath of God is poured out on the rebellious nations. But never fear, my brethren, God has not appointed us to wrath...He said so in 1st Thessalonians 9 " For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him."(1st Thessalonians 5:9-10) 10 "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." (Revelation 3:10-11) I had the privelage to share the above two verses with a former Post Tribulation believer, until he read the above in the original Greek language as it changed his thinking on this promise. I have preached it before, be it behooves us to remember it again....the phrase in the above Revelation verses "will keep thee from" is the Greek word "EK"...what is the meaning of this small Greek word?? "ἐκ, before a vowel ἐξ, a preposition governing the genitive. Also, it denotes exit or emission out of, as separation from, something with which there has been close connection; opposed to the prepositions εἰς into and ἐν in: from out of, out from, forth from, from, (Latine, ex) (cf. Winers Grammar, 364, 366f (343f); Buttmann, 326f (281))" This is a clear indication of the church being removed out of the way, before God's wrath is released on this earth in all earnest. We may see, and it is not revealed how much we will see, but we WILL NOT see the destruction of 3/4 of every living thing that grows on this planet....that's every tree, green grass, sea creatures and the water they live in, animals, and including 3/4 of all mankind to the tune of 6 billion people slaughtered in divine judgment. The horrific depiction of the carnage would make any sane man's hair stand up on the back of his neck and head. Evil will reign supreme on this earth for 7 short years with the worst of the evil in the last 3.5 years, known as the Great Tribulation. Men, women and children will die by the thousands into the millions in a very short time and ultimately billions will perish. Can you image the pain and suffering endured by mankind during those awful years? What's going on now will look like a picnic compared to that time. Some of the graphics descriptions of men's pain and suffering include being stung by demons repeatedly for 5 months begging to die, but they cannot. Another sign is great sores that come upon men who have the mark of the beast on their foreheads Revelation, 10"And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, 11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds." (Revelation 16:10-11) Or how about the sun scorching men with great heat. Of course great heat will produce great famine, as everything will die. But men will curse God, instead of repenting of their wickedness. "And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory."(Revelation 16:9) Great hailstones raining down on the earth that weigh upwards of 100# each...unheard of? Get ready, "From the sky huge hailstones of about a hundred pounds each fell upon men. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible." (Revelation 16:21) You want to get yourself in a funk, and totally depressed, read all of the 16th chapter of Revelation. This imagery is easy to understand and is not symbolism at all, but will be a literal event to come to all who dwell upon the earth in wickedness. As had been written, the time of the end is close at hand, when I say the end, I mean the end of the age of Grace. God's grace will have run out. God's people have suddenly vanished from the face of the earth. Don't believe it? Wait around, should you be so foolish, I guarantee that you will, as the bible has been 100% accurate into modern times. There is no reason to believe that the events depicted in Revelation will not be fulfilled in their entirety. Woe to you if you are still here. Revelation, 12 "And the fourth angel sounded, and the third part of the sun was smitten, and the third part of the moon, and the third part of the stars; so as the third part of them was darkened, and the day shone not for a third part of it, and the night likewise. 13 And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth by reason of the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound!"(Revelation 8:12-13) As a Christian sister once wrote in another forum, "Are you in, or are you out?". You ask how do I get in? Oh, that's easy. Even a small child of 10 years old can do it, as it is by simple faith and repentance. Faith in what? John 3:16-18, 16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." Realize that you are a sinner, as it is written, Romans, 23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Accept His free offer of grace and mercy, Ephesians 2, 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast."(Ephesians 2:8-9) God through His Son is offering you the keys to eternal life, the golden ring on the spiritual merry-go round that leads to eternity...reach out and take it. It's entirely free. All you have to do is admit you need it, and Him, Jesus Christ our Lord.. Believe He died for you and for me and was raised to life and lives today and is coming back for His people chosen for His name. When this happens then my friend, if you do not possess the "golden ring" of Jesus Christ, the Tribulation is your reward of 7 years of literal hell on earth...not meant to scare, but to warn you of your condition and the remedy. Because, if you are sensitive to the times that are coming upon us, you know within your mind and you heart, that a Blood Moon has Risen and a full eclipse coming, which could be full of the wrath of God. It's that dread you feel within your spirit, that pulls within your mind and threatens to send you into despair and madness. I beseech you, to present yourself to Christ a broken and contrite heart asking, no pleading for forgiveness. And you know what, He will grant the request for all eternity. 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:8-13) I ask each of that believe on the Name that is above every name, to agree in prayer with me for a person I have been counseling online who is denying that Jesus was Divine, or God in the flesh. This person is basing their beliefs on Sacred Names of God and a work's based salvation. Those who do are Anti-Christ and are headed for a terrible awakening when Jesus comes and they are left behind...actually that could be 90% of the world living today, but talking with an individual that believes in a false interpretation of God's Word and denies the truth of scripture, makes my heart sad for this person and any person who denies the drawing of God's Holy Spirit which is a sin that will NOT be forgiven during judgment before a Holy God. Agree with me, that this person will have their eyes opened and repent of their work's based attempt at salvation not realizing that it is "by Grace we are saved" through Jesus, nothing else....I pray for each person that doesn't know or accepted the sacrifice that Jesus paid for in His own blood for the remission of each our sins. Because Tribulation is coming, so make your calling and election sure. God bless you. This is Pastor Mike Taylor, praying the salvation of our and Savior Jesus Christ comes into each of your hearts and minds. If you need counseling, prayer, or just a listening ear. Email me at [email protected] , this is me praying God's blessing on you all, till we meet at Jesus feet. The Epistle To The Hebrews, Part 2 - A Bible Study by Jack Kelley - https://gracethrufaith.com/topical-studies/spiritual-life/the-epistle-to-the-hebrews-part-2/ Hebrews Chapter 2:4-18 In our last study, we saw the anonymous author give proof that Jesus is as superior to the angels as His name (the Son of God) is to theirs (sons of God). The Son of God is the exact representation of His being, His prophet for the Last Days, the sole provider of our purification. And when He had finished His work, He sat down at the right hand of majesty. Now we'll see that in the process He descended lower than the angels for a little while to become human in order to save mankind. Let's begin. Jesus Made Like His Brothers It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. But there is a place where someone has testified: "What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor and put everything under his feet." [Psalm 8:4-6] In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. (Hebr. 2:5-9) Both here and in Psalm 8 the phrase a little is also translated for a little while. Jesus, who as the Son of God is superior to the angels and in fact created them, temporarily descended down the hierarchy of creation to a place lower than theirs to become the Son of Man. In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering. Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers. He says, "I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises." [Psalm 22:22] and again, "I will put my trust in him." [Isaiah 8:17] And again he says, "Here am I, and the children God has given me." [Isaiah 8:18] (Hebr. 2:10-13) We, the Father's children, have been given to the Son to be his brothers and sisters. Romans 8:29 tells us that in God's view we've been conformed into the likeness of His Son so that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And Paul also wrote: But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. (Galatians 4:4-7) In the Greek and Roman cultures, sons were not automatically heirs to their father's estate. When they reached a point of maturity where they could understand what it meant, usually between 14 and 18, they went through a formal adoption process where they received "the full rights of sons", qualifying them to inherit their father's estate. Until then even though they were biologically related to their fathers, they had no more legal standing than the household slaves. Through the Lord's atoning sacrifice, we've been given "the full rights of sons" in our Father's family. No longer slaves to sin, and not just forgiven, we've been made heirs with Christ of all eternity. Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death-that is, the devil- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebr. 2:14-18) God didn't make His son an angel to save angels, but a man to save mankind, to be our High Priest, our atoning sacrifice, and our mediator before God. When Adam sinned, he lost his immortality and his inheritance, and all his children were made slaves to Satan. Without a redeemer man was hopelessly lost, being unable to save himself. God had the price of redemption and the desire to pay it, but according to His own law only a man, Adam's next of kin, could save us. (Leviticus 25:25,47-48) But being enslaved themselves, no one of the family of man could do it. And so God became a man in the form of His own Son and paid the price of our redemption with His own life. But He didn't just save us. As He ascended back up the hierarchy to His rightful position on the throne of creation, He took us with Him, past the angels, to be sons and daughters of God and joint heirs with Him, seating us beside Him in the Heavenly realms (Ephes. 2:6). Hebrews 3 Jesus Greater Than Moses Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God's house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. Moses was faithful as a servant in all God's house, testifying to what would be said in the future. But Christ is faithful as a son over God's house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast. (Hebr. 3:1-6) Here the recipients of the letter are described as born again believers and are told that their most revered ancestor Moses has been surpassed by Jesus. As the apostle John would write, the Law was given through Moses but grace and truth came through Jesus. (John 1:17) The superiority of the Son over the servant demonstrates the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old. Those who had been trained from birth to rely on the Old Covenant now had to have the courage and hope to cling to the New. Warning Against Unbelief So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert, where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did. That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.' So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'" [Psalm 95:7-11] See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first. As has just been said: "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion." Who were they who heard and rebelled? Were they not all those Moses led out of Egypt? And with whom was he angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the desert? And to whom did God swear that they would never enter his rest if not to those who disobeyed? So we see that they were not able to enter, because of their unbelief. (Hebr. 3:7-19) Another warning not to go back into the Levitical system. Having been freed from slavery in Egypt with an outstretched arm and mighty acts of judgment (Exodus 6:6) the Israelites rebelled when God asked them to walk by faith into the Promised Land and achieve victory over its inhabitants. "There are giants in the land," they said, "and we looked like grasshoppers in their sight, and in ours." (Numbers 13:33) Because of their unbelief, God withdrew His power and when they tried to take the land in their own strength, they were soundly defeated (Numbers 14:41-45) and consigned to life in the wilderness. The Israelite who accepted deliverance from the bondage of slavery in Egypt but refused to cross over into the Promised Land is a model of the believer who has accepted deliverance from the bondage of sin yet refuses to walk in victory. Both are redeemed from bondage and both receive God's provision, but both are deprived of His power and doomed to spend their lives in the wilderness. Sacrifices For Sin A central element of the Levitical system was the daily sacrifice for sin. Every evening a lamb was placed on the altar and allowed to burn all night to cover the sins they committed during the night. At sunrise, it was replaced with a new one that burned all day to cover the sins they committed during the day. In addition, Israelites had to make a personal sin offering for their own sins. Failure to do these things deprived them of God's blessing and brought His anger upon them. John introduced Jesus to Israel as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. (John 1:29) He was referring to the daily sacrifice for sin. The difference is that this Lamb would only be sacrificed once for all time. With the establishment of the New Covenant, we only have to believe that He died for us to be saved for Eternity. (John 3:16) But that doesn't stop us from sinning, and every time we do we have to confess to remain in fellowship with God in the here and now. (1 John 1:9) We never again have to worry about God's anger (Colossians 1:20) but failure to confess when we sin will still deprive us of His power, His protection, and His blessing. It's the New Covenant replacement for the daily sacrifice. In effect, the writer admonished the Hebrew believers that turning back from the New Covenant would leave them just as weak and powerless over spiritual enemies as their ancestors had been over physical ones after turning back from the Promised Land. It would demonstrate their unbelief in the sufficiency of the Lord's death to cover all their sins. It would not endanger their salvation, but it would put them out of fellowship with Him. While still on the right side of pardon they'd be on the wrong side of power, stuck in a spiritual wilderness just as their ancestors had been stuck in a physical one. Confession and forgiveness were God's only acceptable remedies for their sins. It's the same today. How many believers live powerless lives because of their unconfessed sins? Oh, they're still saved, but where is their victory on Earth and what will be their reward in Heaven? They have a life without health, trial without triumph, service without success. They're on the right side of Easter but the wrong side of Pentecost. How about you? Sanhedrin's Plan For Global Train Network Could be the Key to Redemption, Third Temple - By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz - www.breakingisraelnews.com Behold, the coastlands await me, With ships of Tarshish in the lead, To bring your sons from afar, And their silver and gold as well- For the name of Hashem your God, For the Holy One of Yisrael, who has glorified you. Isaiah 60:9 (The Israel Bible™) The Sanhedrin has been working on plans for a high-speed rail system connecting Africa, Europe, and Asia for over two decades and conditions now seem ripe to make this vision a reality. The rail system will turn Jerusalem into a hub, allowing masses of people to access the Temple. The Sanhedrin claims this rail system may be one of the keys that will bring Redemption and the Third Temple. The plan was initially conceived by Rabbi Hillel Weiss, the spokesman and a member of the Sanhedrin, in 1981 and presented to the Israeli Minister of Transportation. The plan was focused on Israel as the land bridge connecting Europe with Africa. In 1991, the Israeli Ministry of Transportation established a budget to plan a part of the system that would connect Judea and Samaria with the rest of Israel, with the understanding that this local section would be part of a larger regional system. The project was considered commercially viable on its own merits and as such, it was expected that the funding would eventually come from private investors. Due to political considerations and international pressure on Israel concerning Judea and Samaria, the plan was delayed but not abandoned. Recent developments in technology and politics have made this plan for a global rail system not only more realistic but also more attractive to the nations involved. Though ambitious, the plan for a regional rail system is not unprecedented. Israel's importance as a land bridge led the British and the French to invest heavily in building rail systems beginning in the time of the Ottoman Empire. The rail system eventually connected Beirut, Lebanon in the north with Cairo, Egypt and Tripoli in Libya. The Israeli port in Haifa and Jerusalem were eventually included by the British after the Second World War. The benefits from a plan for a regional railroad are so clear and obvious that in 2005, Rand Corporation proposed a 140-mile high-speed system to connect Gaza to Ramallah. The proposal included a highway, aqueduct, energy network and fiber optic cable linking the major towns and cities of the potential Palestinian state. The estimated cost for the first 10 years of operation was estimated at about $33 billion, with $6 billion of that amount to build the rail and roads. Considered essential for a viable Palestinian state, the plan never materialized. Advances in high-speed rail technology have made the Sanhedrin's plan even more attractive, with the trains carrying as many as 450 passengers at 200 mph. Other countries have already created their own systems that could be connected into a global network. France, Japan, China, and Russia all have extensive rail networks that have been proven to be safe and popular. France and Britain are now connected by a high-speed train that runs through the tunnel under the British Channel. Trains are considered one of the most efficient methods of transport and are capable of carrying trailers and shipping containers for cargo in addition to passengers. But more significantly, the political environment has developed and the Sanhedrin is moving forward with the plan. The biggest obstacles to a global rail network is not money or technology The biggest obstacle is the political cooperation between nations required to coordinate the project's initiation and operation. "This project should have been under the perview of the United Nations," Rabbi Weiss explained to Breaking Israel News. "But the UN has relinquished its role to unite the world for universal benefit and has instead become a playground for bad politics." The Sanhedrin is working to establish an organization of the 70 Nations that will perform the vital functions the UN was intended to fulfill. To this end, the Sanhedrin hosted a World Creation Concert in September at which delegates from three South American countries officially signed an agreement to work to establish this new Jerusalem-based organization. Another concert will be held this September and more countries have expressed an interest in joining. The Sanhedrin has already discussed the global rail system with the other nations. "World peace happens when countries become economically interdependent," Rabbi Weiss explained. "Each nation has a vested interest that their trade partner is not threatened. This was seen in the First Temple. King Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem with the help of all the nations, but he did so through cooperation and not through military coercion. This type of cooperation, of peace, is inherent in the nature of Jerusalem, as embodied in the pilgrimage feasts." "Many people believe that the greatest threat facing the future of humanity is pollution," Rabbi Weiss said. "Yet the UN has done nothing to address this threat and the Paris Agreement, overseen by the UN, produced no real results." A study carried out by Nature in 2017, one year after the agreements were signed, reported that none of the participating nations implemented any of the policies they agreed to in the Paris Agreement. "A global rail system would drastically reduce carbon emissions," Rabbi Weiss said. "If the project is overseen by an organization of 70 Nations in Jerusalem, they would be accountable to God for non-compliance." The pilgrimage feasts are an essential element of the global rail system. Israel's international airport is located near Tel Aviv. A high-speed rail system connecting Ben Gurion Airport to Jerusalem was recently completed with additional branches planned including one that will take travelers to the Donald Trump Station at the Western Wall station. Rabbi Weiss noted that the railway connecting with Jerusalem is only one of many improvements that will be necessary to prepare Jerusalem to host the Third Temple. "The global rail system will run through the Jordan Valley, stopping at Jericho," Rabbi Weiss explained. "From there, a tramway would bring pilgrims to the Temple." The Sound of God's Angels - Nathele Graham - [email protected] Angels are interesting creations. They are immortal but can take on human characteristics. When they are seen by people, Scripture always describes them as men. Even though angels are always masculine, artists and poets have corrupted them to be cute little babies with pudgy cheeks and a sweet smile or females. In both Hebrew (mal'ak) and Greek (aggelos) the words are masculine nouns and mean messenger. Angels also have emotions. For instance, Lucifer's fall was caused by his pride, and when Jesus was crucified the angels were ready to fight for Him if He had asked them. They also can feel joy. They rejoice over God's creation. That's seen in the book of Job when God asked Job "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof: When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" Job 38:4-7. "Morning stars" and "sons of God" are terms for angels. We don't know exactly when angels were created, but we know that they existed when God laid the foundations of the earth. When Jesus was born the angels rejoiced. Their joy was shown to the shepherds who were watching their flocks in the fields around Bethlehem. "And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:9-11. Can you imagine sitting quietly in a field watching over your sheep, the stars are twinkling in a dark sky, when suddenly the peace and quiet is interrupted by the appearance of an angel? No wonder those poor shepherds were afraid! What happened next would be even more awe-inspiring. "Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Luke 2:13-14. Not just one angel, but a multitude praising God appeared suddenly. They didn't wander into view but appeared from another dimension. What a beautiful sight and sound that heavenly praise must have been. The angel directed those shepherds to go and find Jesus lying in a manger. They followed the angel's instructions and other than Joseph and Mary they were the first to lay eyes on the Lamb of God. Shepherds weren't the most respected of people, but they did tenderly care for their sheep. Jesus identified Himself as the Good Shepherd who seeks lost sheep and brings them to safety. Jesus always used descriptive stories in simple terms that were easily understood by the people listening. He told a story of a shepherd who had one hundred sheep, but one wandered off. The shepherd cared for his sheep and left the ninety-nine to go in search of the one that was lost. "And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost." Luke 15:5-6. The Good Shepherd rejoices when a lost sinner repents. After all, He shed His blood for the redemption of lost souls. Jesus is our Good Shepherd who gave His life for the sheep. When a person comes to Him for salvation every Christian should be filled with joy and rejoice! Who else rejoices? "Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth." Luke 15:10. If you want to bring joy to the angels in Heaven, go out and witness to the people around you who don't know Jesus. When they repent and accept Jesus for salvation, the angels will rejoice. Isaiah was given a vision of the Throne of God, and what he saw was strange but beautiful. He saw the Throne, but he also saw seraphim around it. "Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke." Isaiah 6:2-4. What a beautiful sound it must have been... "Qadowsh, quadowsh, quadowsh, Yehovah tsaba". The Apostle John also was given a look at the Throne of God when he was given the Revelation. First, Jesus dictated letters to seven congregations and those letters describe the Church age. After the last letter, John saw a door open up in heaven and he heard a voice like a trumpet telling him to "...Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter." Revelation 4:1b. John experienced the Rapture, then describes the things he saw after that. It must have been hard to put what he saw into words, but from his description we know it will be amazing when we all get Raptured. What John saw was similar to what Isaiah saw. "And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." Revelation 4:8. A difference between Isaiah's vision and what John saw was that John also saw 24 elders. Since what John saw was after the Rapture, the 24 elders represent Raptured Christians. After the Rapture we will be there around the throne and will join in saying "hagios, hagios, hagios kyrios theos pantokrator"! Why not join the angels in praising our Lord today? The Rapture will happen very soon, but the angels are praising Him now and so should we. John saw even more of the worship in Heaven. "And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." Revelation 5:11-12. Oh, what a sight and what a sound! Multitudes of angels, the beasts, and the elders all praising Christ...the Lamb that was slain for our redemption. Worthy is the Lamb, and holy is His name! "And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever. And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever." Revelation 5:13-14. Amen, amen, amen! I can't wait to be a part of that glorious scene. While Christians are worshipping our Lord, the people left on earth who didn't accept Christ's death, burial, and resurrection for their salvation will be facing the Great Tribulation. Brothers and sisters, don't delay. Get busy and witness to your lost family, friends, and neighbors before it's too late. The signs of the times are evidence that time is quickly running out. As God's wrath is poured out upon the Beast, the Whore of Babylon, and all who have rejected Christ, their wailing and gnashing of teeth will fill the earth. Don't be one of those who have chosen to reject Christ because you refuse to turn from your lusts. If you reject Christ you will be one who sees the horrors of the Tribulation. You cannot plead ignorance because God has revealed the future in Scripture and I'm sure someone has tried to talk to you about salvation through Jesus. The earth will be filled with sorrow and weeping, but there is joy in heaven. The joy isn't because men have chosen to reject Christ's sacrifice, but rather it's because the evil of Satan has been defeated. "And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: for true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand." Revelation 19:1-2. When the enemy is defeated, there will be much rejoicing in Heaven. "And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia; for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready." Revelation 19:6-7. That's reason to rejoice. Both angels and Christians have much to rejoice over. Our life on earth is fleeting and the many pursuits we think are so important now won't be remembered as we stand before His throne and cast our crowns at His feet. Only the things done for Him will bring eternal joy, and we will sing His praises with the angels. Our life today is filled with the struggle of trying to overcome sin and live for Jesus. Every Christian needs to fight in that spiritual fight. Put on the armor of God and don't take it off. Get into the battle and fight the spiritual fight. There are many lost souls who need to find salvation before it's too late. The angels rejoice over each sinner who comes to salvation, and when Christ calls all Christians Home we will no longer have to imagine what the sound of angels rejoicing is like. We will be there and we will lend our voices to the worship too. God bless you all, Nathele Graham [email protected] www.straitandnarrowministry.com [email protected] Ron and Nathele Graham's previous commentaries archived at http://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html All original scripture is "theopneustos" God breathed. If you'd like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries just drop me an email and let me know. Daily Jot: Former NFL player scores one for reparation sanity - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com House neo communists are holding hearings on how to pay reparations to descendants of slaves. It's a dicey subject. Even those of us writing about it opens us up to accusations of racism. There are a couple of schools of thought on this. One is, held by those who are members of the very same political party that held slaves and mounted a rebellion over it that resulted in some 600,000 lives lost, that all Americans owe descendants of slaves reparations. The other is that slaves were freed, there were injustices done and acknowledged, and we all have to move on. Still another position may be that this is just another way for party bosses to buy votes and big government to get bigger. Senator Corey Booker (D-NJ), who testified on behalf of reparations, found some well-thought-out opposition when former NFL player Burgess Owens took the stand. Ohio-born Owens, who played safety for 10 seasons and won a Super Bowl with the Raiders, has carefully studied how the Black community has fared under progressive liberalism since the start of the 20th Century. He has written books about the Black experience in America under liberalism and how it has turned good men into weak men. He told the House Judiciary Committee that he has traced his own lineage directly to slaves and that his ancestors used hard work to battle their way out of their circumstances following emancipation. Burgess said, "this is not about black and white, rich or poor, blue collar, white collar. We're fighting for the hearts of our nation...I do not believe in reparation, because what reparation does, it points to a certain race, a certain color, as evil, and it points to another race, my race, as one that has not only become racist, but also beggars...I used to be a Democrat until I did my history and found the misery that party brought to my race...Let's pay restitution. How about the Democratic Party pay for all the misery brought to my race?...And every white American, Republican or Democrat, who feels guilty because of the color of their skin, you can pony up also. Then we can get past reparations and recognize this country has given us greatness." The irony is that the same political spirit that tore apart our nation in 1860 is attempting to do it again today. In my trips to Ghana, West Africa, where most American slaves originated, many Black American Christians have told me that they are glad they were born in America, rather than to live under the conditions of a developing country in Africa. Our nation is not perfect. We have much to resolve in relating to one another. Sadly, those who are clamoring the loudest about the divisions are the ones perpetuating division. My family was part of the abolitionist movement in Ohio. We have long believed no man should own another as the Golden Rule sees no color. Burgess, in his testimony, scored one for sanity. Galatians 3:28 says, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Christ ultimately paid all reparations. Money doesn't heal heart issues. Christ does. Daily Devotion: Created for Worship - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created. - Revelation 4:11 Everyone, no matter who they are, worships someone or something. Certainly we don't all worship the true God in Heaven. Some worship a god of their own making. Others worship the true and living God. Some people worship people. They worship sports heroes, actors, or musicians. Some people worship themselves. Some people worship possessions. But everyone worships someone or something. Every person everywhere worships, because worship is the fundamental drive of life. God created us with a drive, with a sense there is something more to life than what we experience on this earth. The Bible says that God has placed eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11). That simply means there is a recognition and a sense there is something more in life. In reality, our ultimate purpose in life is not to attain success, fame, or even happiness, per se. Our ultimate purpose in life is to know the God who made us. And until we enter into that relationship, we are falling short of what is possible and attainable to us. By the way, I'm a great animal lover. I love all types of animals. But I also recognize that as wonderful and as intelligent as they are, they are a different type of creation altogether. The Bible clearly teaches that God uniquely created man in His own image. God has not placed eternity in the heart of a bird, a cat, or a dog. He has not placed eternity in the hearts of animals; He has only placed it in the hearts of human beings. And that causes people everywhere to worship. The true God, the living God, the only God, the God of the Bible, is the One to worship. We were created to bring pleasure to God. We were created to worship the Lord. 
FROM THE HEART
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