Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Coming Tribulation - The Destruction of Mankind - By Pastor Mike Taylor - http://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2018/06/coming-tribulation-destruction-of.html
7 "But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. 9 "But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them." .. (Mark 13:7-9) There has been many prophecy teachers that have tried to explain what the coming Tribulation will be like. Many believe that we are in the tribulation right now. Surely with all the Christian persecution, the Middle East murders of the followers of Jesus Christ, the beheadings, the crucifixions, and the systematic purging of anything that looks like an aberration from what is defined as radical Islam, this must be the start of the tribulation. But they fail to understand what Jesus tried to convey when he spoke with the apostles 2000 years ago what this time period will be like. I'm going to take a stab at trying to paint a picture for you of what the 7 years known as the Tribulation will be like, from scripture that describes a period so horrible, so demonically inspired that it will be the worst time in all of mankind's history that Jesus said in Matthew 24 in the Olivet Discourse: 21 "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened."(Matthew 24:21-22) Men and women of our world fail to differentiate between tribulation that has always been brought against mankind for the belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ down through the last 2000 years, and the Tribulation that Jesus speaks of. There has always been death and destruction by evil men that Satan has inspired to persecute the church of Jesus Christ. We have read of these crucifixions, beheadings, and people being burned alive at the stake by the "dark age" religious authorities, and pagan nations that condemned Christianity as an affront to their dictatorship. Much of the confusion about the Rapture of Christ's Church, His Bride, and when it occurs could easily be solved if we clarify what actually happens during this seven-year period. It is not just tribulation as the church has experienced during the past 2,000 years. Saints have been martyred by the thousands, sawn asunder, fed to the lions, had their own children slaughtered before their eyes, and suffered untold deprivations. But what is coming upon the earth in possibly a few short years, or even sooner, will pale the time past of the evils of men killing other men. In short, it will be a thousand times worse. The coming destruction of mankind will be the Middle East we are seeing right now on steroids. To think that the "Tribulation" is just more of the same type of martyrdom we have seen in the past, is to miss the point of what Jesus was talking about and what scripture testifies that this time will be about. I can't fully comprehend or grasp (and I don't want to, because you would have to live it) what will be evident during this terrible time of man's last gasp of trying to rule himself and failing miserably. Let us make a short list of reasons that could possibly be coming soon to a community near you, worldwide. When Satan is allowed to rule over this earth, even for this short period, the dwellers on this earth can expect the following: 1. The number one reason, is that Satan will be cast down to earth and will be physically and paranormally here for the duration of the 7 years we know as the Tribulation. 12 "Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time." (Revelation 12:12) Satan has hated the Jewish people, as through them came Jesus Christ, and for the last 2000 years, he has raged against the Christian Bride of Christ. He has beaten up and ravaged the people of God, both Jew and Christian with a diabolically hatred that has only grown stronger as the end grows ever closer. But the last 7 years, when Satan is cast down, his rage will be unrestrained and frantic as he knows his time is very short. The Holy Spirit will be drawn back to allow him full sway over rebellious mankind and to attempt to destroy all human beings on earth. 2. Coupled with Satan being thrown down, he will have at his disposal the ability to lead billions of demons forces to torment men upon the earth. 3. as briefly mentioned in the first point, the Holy Spirit will step aside to allow Satan full sway in the destruction of mankind. 2nd Thessalonians 2: (NKJV) 7 "For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. 8 And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. \ 9 The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, 10 and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved." (2nd Thessalonians 2:7-10) 4. Demonic forces will be allowed to take on grotesque shapes and forms and present themselves to torment and destroy sinful men. I envision the return of the Nephilim, a hybrid of half man, half demon that in Noah's days were giants that enslaved and cannibalized other men. 5. Disease and plagues will be mutated into dark forms and there will be no cure for these diseases unleashed on the unsuspecting earth dwellers. 6. Churches will not exist and it will be suicide to meet with anyone to worship the True God of Heaven, as new converts to Christ will be hunted down for extinction. 7. Anyone taking the Mark of the Beast will take on Satan's nature and will be the enemy of all who accept Jesus Christ during this time, and will cause many to be killed, even their own family members. 8. Those who refuse to take the Mark of the Beast will be brutalized, raped, tortured and possibly cannibalized after their death. 9. It will possibly be illegal for men and women to marry, as homosexuality will be worldwide, and the family outlawed. 10. With all the disease and plagues being rampant, hospitals and clinics will be extinct, or overrun with cases, and unable to meet the demand. 11. Famine and starvation will be universal. No one will be exempt. 12. The earth will become a God forsaken hellish place to live and to die upon. THE WRATH OF ALMIGHTY GOD In past messages, I've tried to convey another aspect of this hellish time, when Satan will have unlimited access to destroy the dwellers of the earth, known as the nations. The Tribulation will be bad, so horrible beyond description, but will be even more horrifying to those who are actually alive on earth at this time. Oh, it will be so much more terrifying beyond your wildest nightmare, as a Righteous and Holy God has unleashed all the power of His might upon a rebellious mankind who have rejected Him and His payment for their sins, His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ and His atonement written in His own blood, that God's fury is unleashed full strength. Revelation chapter 6: "Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. 15 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, 16 and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! 17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?" (Revelation 6:15-17) This period is the time of God's wrath. The only precedents in history to this time are the worldwide flood of Noah's generation and the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Of course, this event of God's wrath will be the ultimate judgment of wickedness and will certainly surpass those two prior events as named above. The first time, destruction was by water. This time the destruction will be by fire...Jesus made it clear in Matthew 24 that this is the finale of judgment against the vileness of human sin. OUR GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE The Old Testament prophets wrote of this time period through Holy Spirit inspiration when Isaiah wrote: "Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire: And his breath, as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err. Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the LORD, to the mighty One of Israel. And the LORD shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall shew the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones."(Isaiah 30:27-30). And again Isaiah prophesied: "Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, traveling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save. Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me. And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth" treadeth in the wine fat? I have trodden the wine press alone; and of the people there was none with me:"(Isaiah 63:1-6). This language has no connection with the tribulation that has been present from the beginning of the Church Age, even up until now. God Almighty will tread down evil mankind, as wine is pressed in a wine vat. God will march through His creation and destroy those who have rejected His mercy and His grace and have accepted the Mark of the Beast. His judgment will be for the rejection of his perfect judicial opportunity for man's redemption and His cup of wrath will be full to the brim of His righteous indignation for their lawlessness. God will purify this earth from either end of the earth and back in man's blood. God will wipe all rebellion and sinful men from this earth leaving no one, but a remnant that He supernaturally protects from the Anti-Christ. Many will be saved during this time, but for their belief they will be killed in many terrible ways. The death and destruction will be world wide and the only ones that will live any length of time, are the ones who take a mark of the Beast, and their life will be short lived and will be doomed for all eternity and separated into a devil's hell. God will judge the world because they rejected His Son and His ultimate love to man. Jesus describes this judgment Himself, "And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city" (Matthew 22:1-7). If you closely read scripture that describes the scene of God's righteous indignation, then you get a glimpse of the carnage that will be on this earth, when by calculation of the billions that live on this earth right now...(estimated at over 7 billion people). 80% will die in 7 short years, with the majority dying in the last 3.5 years, known as the Great Tribulation. Can you even imagine close to 6 billion people dying in that short a time by untold acts of violence and environmental disasters? I can't and I don't want to, as I don't plan to be a witness to it for those years of man's complete hell on earth. When the picture of this event Jesus called "The Great Tribulation" is understood Biblically, then it bears no resemblance to the present tribulation that all believers endure to some degree. The gas chambers of Hitler were hell on earth and snuffed out millions of lives. At least six million Christians died, along with six million Jews. But this judgment to come is not the death of men to yet be raised in resurrection to face God in judgment. This Tribulation is the wrath of God Himself to which there are no claims of higher appeal. I can't even imagine what the Jewish people went through as they were systematically slaughtered and I hurt for them. But to have evil rampant in this world that you will live in, and have even God Himself raining judgment down on the top of your head makes your life very short and full of misery and pain. The environment will become completely toxic with rivers and streams of blood, water becoming bitter, people dying by the millions and billions until it finally takes your own life, then I hope your imaginations can grasp the hell on earth I'm describing. GOD'S WRATH IS AGAINST UNGODLY MEN "For we are not appointed to wrath, but to receive salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord". (1st Thessalonians 5:9) "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." (Revelation 3:10) To those who are Pre-Tribulation rapture deniers, I ask you to show me in your Bible where God's wrath comes against His servants who are living for Him. Save yourself some trouble, as there are none. There is no place in Scriptures that this day can be identified to affect the Godly servant of the Lord. Whenever the First Testament prophets spoke of judgment, they always showed that God provided a haven for the righteous. Isaiah spoke of "a day of indignation." He clearly revealed the provision of the Lord for the saints, "Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain" (Isaiah 26:19-21). Scripture after scripture in your Bible proves that God never, ever subjects His chosen servants to His righteous wrath...and I mean NEVER. Malachi made the same argument when he wrote how God provides for His own: "Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not" (Malachi 3:16-18). PRE -TRIB DENIERS I have had individuals email me and chastise me for giving Christian's a false hope, that when the Tribulation comes, they will not be prepared. Let me explain something to those who scoff at the scriptural sound doctrine of God removing His children from this earth before the 1st seal of Revelation is broken and His wrath is unleashed. Let us think logically here for a moment as I give you a scenario and tell me what the answer is. According to our Bibles, Jesus will come and the dead in Christ will rise first, at the last trump, and we who are alive and remain will join those who have been raised to join them in the clouds...right? (1st Thessalonians 4:15-17). If this happens at the end of the Tribulation, and Jesus returns to do battle with those who are gathered in the valley of Megiddo and destroys all rebellion on this earth, and all who have taken the mark of the Beast, (as there will be no middle ground) will be destroyed, then my question that I have proposed many times is, who will go into the Millennium as mortal beings to repopulate the earth? See the problem? The answer is NO one will be left mortal...the only doctrine that makes sense of the return of Jesus Christ before the Tribulation even starts, as those who survive the Tribulation are saints that escaped the wrath of the Anti-Christ, or those God supernaturally protected in the wilderness according to Revelation chapter 12:14-17 and they may be all Jewish. Those are the ones who go into the Millennium alive and mortal to repopulate the earth. Now back to the subject at hand, the horror of the coming Tribulation. SEVEN BOWLS OF THE WRATH OF GOD If the scenario that I have painted for you isn't bad enough, and if you're a fence sitter and have not made a decision for Jesus Christ, as Lord and Savior, then read Revelation chapter 16 if you really want to get into a funk which describes:
18 "And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great. 19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. 20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. 21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great." (Revelation 16:18-21) Are you starting to get the picture? This earth will literally be hell on earth, where mortal men will die by the millions daily, every day for 7 years. It will be a most ghastly and horrific time that my words cannot even begin to address in any adjectives that conveys the extreme pain and suffering that men will do to one another in their evil ways, and a Holy God who will purge this earth of every sinful, rebellious man and woman left alive on this earth. It will be near total destruction that Jesus said, if it were allowed to continue to it's climax, "no flesh would be saved, but for the elect (tribulation saints) the days would be shortened". (Matthew 24:22) God will rescue the last remaining humans alive to prevent man totally destroying the righteous remnant left. Now some will say, "Hey, Pastor, are you trying to preach hell fire and brimstone?"...my answer is yes, to a point. The intent is to get a sane individual to weigh and think upon what I'm describing. No sane individual that values their own mortal life would want to live through what I'm describing briefly and live out its details in real time. I really do hope I scare the "living daylights out of you" or as some say tongue in cheek, "Scaring hell right out of of you", as that is what mankind left on this earth is headed for, hell on earth. If I was living this horror that's coming, I would have prayed someone would have scared me enough for me to think on my eternal future. Are you thinking about it? What is the answer to avoid such a horrible end of one's life? It's right in front of you, if you have your bible in your lap..His name is Jesus!! "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,God sent not His Son to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be save." (John 3:16-17) "Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved. (his name is Jesus)(Acts 4:12,) "Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began," (2nd Timothy 1:9) "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned."(Mark 16:16,) "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Lest any man should boast."(Ephesians 2:8-9 ) God our Father is long suffering not willing that any should perish, but also is a Holy and just God that will repay those who have rejected His free gift given in the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. I will close with a scripture that identifies our God who is a God of love, but a God of judgment when His righteous wrath finally is poured out on this earth..and my friend, it is soon. Paul the apostle echoes Isaiah when he spoke of God as a consuming fire: "See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven: 26: Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. 27:And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. 28:Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29: For our God is a consuming Fire"( Hebrews 12: 25-29) I pray I have shaken you, made you feel uncomfortable, and unsettled your mind and spirit while in your refusal of the free gift of grace given by God, because my friend, the coming Tribulation will be a horror that I pray you miss out finding out about. Repent and turn to Jesus while the time and chance is available this side of the Tribulation. Jesus could come any moment and without warning. This is Pastor Mike Taylor, pleading for your acceptance of the free gift of our Lord Jesus Christ and your salvation. If I can be of any assistance, either in counseling, prayer, or just a friendly, listening ear, drop me a line at [email protected] , God bless you all, TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET Palestinians: The Only Acceptable Peace Plan - By Bassam Tawil - http://www.prophecynewswatch.com The Palestinians have never laid eyes on US President Donald Trump's plan for peace in the Middle East. The Palestinians know nothing about the plan, which still has not been made public. That fact, however, has not stopped them from categorically rejecting the yet-to-be-announced plan -- a stance the Palestinians repeated this week as US Middle East envoys Jared Kushner and Jason Greenblatt visited Israel and a number of Arab countries to discuss the plan. The Trump plan has not even been finalized and, as such, has not officially been presented to any of the parties to the Israeli-Arab conflict. Kushner and Greenblatt have been working on the plan for several months; their current tour of the region comes in the context of Jordan and Egypt. It is only the Palestinians who are boycotting the US administration. In the past six months, the Palestinian Authority (PA) leadership has refused to have any dealings with the US administration -- except, of course, when it comes to receiving financial aid from the US. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his senior associates in Ramallah have not only refused to meet with any official from the US administration, they have also been waging a smear campaign of hate and incitement against President Trump and top US administration representatives and officials. Most of the Palestinian attacks have thus far been directed against Trump's "Jewish and Zionist" advisors, including Kushner, Greenblatt and US Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman. The vicious attacks on Trump and the senior US administration officials have also been accompanied by statements from Abbas and other Palestinian officials concerning the US president's Middle East peace plan. In these statements, the Palestinians have not only voiced their rejection of the plan that does not yet exist, but have also, on almost a daily basis, been condemning it, dubbing it a "conspiracy" designed to eliminate Palestinian rights. In the most recent Palestinian attack on the plan, Palestinian Authority leaders are now claiming that it is actually aimed at "dividing the Palestinian people" by establishing two separate Palestinian entities -- one in the West Bank and another in the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian position regarding this unseen Trump plan, is largely based on rumors and media speculation. Palestinian officials have admitted that they get their information mostly from the media. So, the Palestinians have rejected something they know nothing about. What, then, is bothering the Palestinians about the Trump plan or any other peace initiative? Attempts by the US administration to arrange meetings with PA leaders in Ramallah to consult with them about the proposed plan have fallen on deaf ears. The Palestinians express zero interest in even seeing if they might find something good in the plan. The Palestinians want nothing to do with Trump's plan: they know it will never satisfy their demands. The Palestinians are not opposed to the peace plan because of a dispute over a border or a settlement or a checkpoint or the status of Jerusalem. They are against Trump's plan -- and any other peace initiative -- because the Palestinians have something else in mind. The kind of "peace" that the Palestinians are seeking is one that no peace initiative would ever provide. The Palestinians want a peace without, not with, Israel. The reason the Palestinians have a problem with the Trump plan is that they see it as an obstacle to their plan to eliminate Israel. The Palestinians know that the Trump plan -- regardless of its details -- will not facilitate their mission to destroy Israel. The Palestinians, in fact, see any peace plan presented to them - whether by Trump or anyone else - as an obstacle hindering their effort and dream to continue the jihad (holy war) against Israel and Jews. They do not want to have to say "No" to the Trump Administration; it is safer just to duck the issue, stall and buy time until a friendlier US administration comes along. When the Palestinians denounce the Trump plan as a "conspiracy," they mean that this is a US conspiracy to thwart their efforts to annihilate Israel. What the Palestinians are saying is: "Who are these Americans to come and preach to us about peace with the Jews living here when our real goal is to drive the Jews out of this land?" In the summer of 2000, Yasser Arafat walked out of the Camp David summit (with President William Jefferson Clinton and then-Prime Minister Ehud Barak) after realizing that the proposals on the table did not satisfy the Palestinian aspirations and dreams - of destroying Israel. What Arafat wanted was Israel to give him control over the entire West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem. What he wanted was to establish a Palestinian state on these territories so that the Palestinians could use it as a launching pad to "liberate the rest of Palestine" - that is, to destroy Israel. When a furious Arafat realized that he would not get what he wanted, he returned to Ramallah and incited Palestinians to wage against Israel another wave of terrorism, called the Second Intifada. Now Mahmoud Abbas is sitting in Arafat's seat. Abbas does not like the Trump peace plan, sight unseen: he knows that it will not advance his goal of fulfilling the "phased solution," in which Palestinians would take land bit by bit of and use it as launching pads to pursue the jihad against Israel. The Palestinian position is and has been very clear: Israel must give us as much land as possible so that we can continue to build our power, force and energies to continue the struggle to achieve our ultimate goal - eliminating Israel. The Trump plan, as far as Abbas and his associates are concerned, is a bad deal because it does not require Israel to surrender completely and abandon territories that would be later occupied by Hamas, Islamic State, Iran and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. There is only one peace plan that the Palestinians will accept; it is the plan that enables them to achieve the "phased solution" of wiping Israel off the face of the earth. Abbas is opposed to Trump's plan because Abbas wants a temporary Palestinian state that would be used in the future as a launching pad for Arab armies and Palestinian and Islamist terror groups to wage attacks on Israel. The Trump plan, as far as he is concerned, does not take into consideration the Palestinian dream of eliminating Israel -- and this omission goes way over his red lines. The world already saw what happened the last time Israel gave Abbas land. That was in 2005, when Israel pulled out of the Gaza Strip and handed it over to Abbas and his security forces. Within a few months, Abbas and his cronies fled the Gaza Strip after Hamas and had thrown Palestinian Authority members to their deaths from the top floors of tall buildings, and handed the entire area over to Hamas. The rest, as they say, is history. If Israel withdraws from the West Bank, the same scenario would likely repeat itself there. This time, however, Hamas would take over the West Bank not within months, but days or weeks. In addition, no Palestinian leader is in a position to accept any peace agreement with Israel -- especially not after both Abbas in the West bank and Hamas in the Gaza Strip have spent an entire lifetime radicalizing their people against Israel through incitement and indoctrination. Decades of incitement in mosques and in the media have turned Israel, in the eyes of most Palestinians, into one large settlement that needs to be uprooted. Consequently, the Palestinian public is not prepared to hear about any peace plan, not from Trump and not even from Prophet Mohammed. The Palestinians have a problem with Israel's presence in the Middle East: most of them have still not come to terms with the Jews' right to live in a secure and sovereign state of their own anywhere in the Middle East. Undoubtedly, Trump and his envoys come with the best intentions about making peace between Arabs and Jews in our part of the world. However, what they do not seem to see, however, is that as things stand today, there is no partner on the Palestinian side for any deal with Israel. The Palestinians are divided into camps -- one that openly states that it does not want to make peace with Israel because its goal is to destroy Israel and replace it with an Islamic state, and a second camp that, even if it wanted to make peace with Israel - and it does not - could never do it because it has trained its own people to accept only a mandate for murder. The first camp is called the "radical camp." This is the camp that is opposed to Israel's presence in the Middle East. The second camp is what the Palestinians call the "Abbas camp," which is corrupt and weak and sends conflicting messages to its people and speaks in more than one voice. The two Palestinian parties, the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, may disagree on everything -- except the elimination of Israel. The only peace plan acceptable to current Palestinian leaders would be one that facilitated their mission of pursuing jihad against Israel to obliterate it. If Kushner and Greenblatt wish to learn more about the true ambitions of the Palestinians, they would do well to take in a sermon at a mosque on some Friday or stop into a school in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Perhaps then they would see for themselves that no peace plan in the world can, at the moment, counter the poison that is injected daily into the hearts and minds of the Palestinians and their children. It's in the Air; Can you Feel it? - By Clay Smith - http://www.raptureready.com/2018/06/24/air-can-feel-clay-smith/ The coming of the Lord! For quite some time now, we have known that Jesus Christ is close to coming again to get his bride, the Church. The true, sanctified believers that pretty much know the Scriptures and study Bible prophecy see the signs coming together. With all the "convergence" jigsaw pieces of the puzzle falling in place, it appears the return of the Lord will be soon. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the Trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." It's like you can tell with that sixth sense that something is on the horizon, and this feeling is good; in fact, it's a grand feeling! It's in the air like a cool breeze or that wonderful gut feeling a person gets. Jesus gave us many clues in the four Gospels, and the Apostle Paul did also in his epistles. When you put all these pieces together, they add up to one indelible conclusion: the Rapture, or "parousia" which means in Greek, presence or arrival. In this context, it's the return or catching up and away of the bride of Christ. We look at this as an example of a Jewish wedding. The scriptural signs are coming closer to fruition, with many end-time biblical scholars and laymen stating this. Just last week, the White House announced it is sending its negotiator, Jared Kushner, to the Mideast to bring its unveiled Israeli/Palestinian peace plan to Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. We appear to be getting ever closer to that "confirming" of "a covenant with many" (Daniel 9:27) by the Antichrist who will come from the revived Roman Empire. He will confirm a treaty that already exists. Then the Arabs could possibly be in agreement with him when he allows the Jews to build their third Temple. They are chomping at the bit to begin that. They almost have everything ready to start. Of course, there are many significant parts involved at this point that make us so sure we are close to departing this earth. And we know the antichrist has to have a temple to go into 3 ½ years into the seven-year tribulation to desecrate it and proclaim himself to be God. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 "Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God , or that is worshiped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." It's our belief that Scripture shows the Rapture will be before the seven-year Tribulation (at the end of the Church Age). Scripture also tells us that the antichrist's confirming of a "peace" agreement with the Jews (Israel) will begin the Tribulation. Can you realize this? We will not be here. This could happen today. The Lord could delay his return for a while of course; no one knows the day or the hour. Matthew 24:42 "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." SCRIPTURES AND SIGNS For the Bible believers that aren't in church and/or serving, what are the commands or precepts that you should be doing? Read this verse: Hebrews 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another; and so much more, as ye see the "day approaching." Get busy! Here are but a few of the end-time signs that we are near to His coming: Fig tree, Israel, born again: May 1948 (Isaiah 66:8) Apostasy: falling away of the church (2 Thessalonians 2:3) 2 Timothy 2:1-5 "perilous times" (oh wow, if this isn't a brutal reality, I don't know what is). I'm in the old crowd now, and this is so true in these days. Read these verses! The lining up and "in our face" are the scriptures coming to revelation right now in our lifetime. Get that King James 1611 Authorized Word of God out now and be awed. It's the Living Word. I admit, I am flawed, but God's Word, isn't it? All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from the 1611 King James Version. Here are a few more scriptural references: The nations coming against Israel (Psalms 83:4-5) The destruction of Damascus overnight (Isaiah 17:1) Sodom and Gomorrah/Lot (2 Peter 2:1-7; Luke 17:28-29) Days of Noah (Luke 17:26-27) I could write all these out for you, but take the time to dig into God's Word. Remember, Jesus told the Jews (could have been the religious authorities; we are not sure) in John 5:39, "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." The point is, look at these scriptures and others, and you will see how all these puzzle pieces are coming together. It's according to God's perfect plan for humankind as we "see the day approaching" (Hebrews 10:25). Note: There are differences regarding this scripture with scholars and laymen as to whether this Hebrews verse applies to the Rapture or Second Coming of Christ. We, as born-again, Bible-believing saints, need to continue to be the salt and light in this world that is rapidly darkening, until the Time of the Gentiles is fulfilled (Luke 21:24). Jesus said the Gospel will be preached to all nations; and with the technology today, it's probably been done. DECISION TIME For those who read this and are not born again by the blood of Jesus, I pray you make a decision now to place your faith and trust in Him (John 11:25). If some of you are not absolutely sure of your salvation, email me or one of the other writers, and get that assurance. Don't get left behind to go through that terrible Tribulation that the book of Revelation and other Scriptures mention, that no words can express. We all have a set time to die naturally, or when Jesus comes for us. We don't know which one it will be. Have you ever heard born once, die twice? Born twice, die once? Born physically in your mother's womb once, die twice: physical and spiritual death - in the lake of fire forever. Born twice, physical birth, and spiritual birth - putting your faith in Christ; die once - then with the Lord forever. Eternal salvation with the lord is a free gift (Romans 6:23). There's nothing you have to do. You can't earn or buy it. Jesus paid that debt for you. Just accept it and become a child of God. Note: This is my first writing, and I hope it's a wake-up call, but also a wonderful Blessing to you. May God Bless you and keep you, and may His face shine upon you. Clay Smith Email: [email protected] The Gospel Truth - Nathele Graham - [email protected] Many people get bogged down in religion. Religion consists of rites and rules. Christianity isn't a religion, it's faith. Unfortunately many people have perverted the Gospel by bringing in the doctrines of men. What is the Gospel? It's Good News. To appreciate the Good News you first need to understand the bad news. Human beings are sinners. You are and I am. We don't like to admit that fact, and mostly we judge our actions by human terms. "I'm as good as the next guy". That's not good enough to allow you to stand in the presence of God Almighty. The "next guy" is a sinner just like you. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God;" Romans 3:23. We don't recognize our sin for a couple of reasons. We can justify our own sins and we don't look at sin through the eyes of God. Sin is rebellion to God. Only His opinion matters and there's no negotiating with Him. If that seems unfair to you then that's a sign that you're in rebellion to Him. You want life on your own terms with no thought to consequences of your actions. Sin always causes damage. God gave us rules to protect us from ourselves. All things in life have rules, but we only rebel against God's rules. Have you ever played baseball? The rules say you only get three strikes. Do you have to be at work by a certain time or be fired? If you break the rules you face the consequences. These are rules that we just accept. Why, then, do we rebel against God when the rules He gave us are to protect us? "For the wages of sin is death..." Romans 6:23a. When we rebel against God we choose our own destruction. The death referred to isn't just moving from this mortal life to the next one. The death referred to is eternal death. When a human dies the mortal body goes to the grave but their spirit lives eternally. We all make our own choice as to where we spend that eternity. "...but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23b. That's good news. The first rebellion against God was when Lucifer/Satan/the devil decided he wanted to be like God. He led a band of angels in rebellion and when he couldn't prevail against God he decided to convince Adam and Eve to rebel. God had placed them in the Garden of Eden where they had everything they could possibly want. Satan convinced Eve to eat the one thing that God had forbidden them to eat. He told her God had lied when He said that they would die if they ate the fruit... that God knew they would become gods if they ate it. Satan lied. By eating the forbidden fruit Adam caused the fall of mankind and today we're under the curse of death. "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Romans 5:12. Adam's sin broke fellowship with God, but it didn't stop God from loving His creation. Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden and their life became full of heartache and toil. They watched as their son Cain murdered his brother Abel. They watched as their daughters and granddaughters mated with rebellious angels and saw all of God's creation corrupted. God judged this rebellion by sending the Flood. Today we're living in the same rebellion to God that has existed since Adam chose to eat that fruit. None of this surprised God. God exists outside of time and He knew that the rebellion would happen. He didn't want it to happen but He loved His creation enough to allow free will. Each and every person has the choice to follow God's ways or the ways of the world controlled by Satan. Only eight genetically pure humans entered the Ark. Their genes weren't corrupted through mating with the fallen angels. What Noah and his family had witnessed prior to the Flood should have convinced them to follow God's laws without question, but the sin nature was still there. It wasn't long before sin was rampant. When the time was right God called a man out of a pagan culture to follow God and become the father of His chosen people. "By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went." Hebrews 11:8. By faith the Hebrew nation began. Many years after Abraham lived, God's chosen people would go into Egyptian captivity. When the time was right God called another man to lead the people out of Egypt. Moses was born Hebrew but was raised in the pagan culture of Egyptian royalty. Eventually Moses had to flee to Midian and there he met God. This encounter was life-changing. God directed him to return to Egypt and petition Pharaoh to set the Hebrews free from the slavery they had been living in for centuries. "By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured as seeing him who is invisible." Hebrews 11:27. Instead of looking to the pagan world for answers, Moses had faith in God. That faith caused him to confront Pharaoh and eventually the Hebrews were set free. In faith Moses led them to Mt. Sinai where God made His laws clear. Most people can name one or two of the Ten Commandments, but those are just a small part of the entire Law. The first Commandment is "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." Exodus 20:3. Satan wanted to be like God and convinced Eve that sinning would make her like God. There is no God but the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and no god is to be put before Him. Not the god of self, riches, greed, or any other idol that causes us to turn from Him. Still, people rebel. We listen to Satan's lies rather than God's truth and then blame God when we run into trouble and get hurt. The Law was given as protection. If followed it would separate the Israelites from the pagan culture around them. "Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster." Galatians 3:24-25. The Law was just one step in the perfect plan of salvation that God had devised before the foundation of the Earth was laid. The Jewish Law is recorded in the Torah, which is the first five books of the Bible. Nobody can follow that Law perfectly. It was given to the Jewish people, but is the rules for all of mankind. We might think we can follow it, but people have lower standards than God. "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." Matthew 5:21-22. God's standards are much higher than humans who follow the god of this world. "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." Matthew 5:27-28. Do you watch movies which are designed to provoke lust? Do you ogle every woman who walks by you? God's plan is that one man and one woman come together as man and wife and cleave to one another. Anything other than that is sin. Don' t think this is limited to men looking at women; it pertains to every lust of the flesh. Is there any hope for us? "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" Romans 7:24. It was never God's will that humans be separated from Him. Still, He gave Adam and Eve the right to choose to obey Him or to rebel. Eve followed the wrong rules and allowed Satan to talk her into choosing death. Adam could have chosen not to join in the sin, but he also chose rebellion against God. Through Adam humans have inherited the sin nature. Through it all, God had a plan to heal that separation. "For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." Hebrews 10:4. The Law stipulated blood sacrifices of animals to cover sin, but only the pure blood of God, untainted by sin, can take sin away. God Himself entered His creation and shed His perfect blood for our redemption. Listen carefully. There is only one way for you to be reconciled to God. Only one. That is faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Law taught God's expectations, but He knew that people wouldn't be able to live up to those standards. If God lowered His standards then He wouldn't be God....sovereign and holy. The once for all sacrifice was made by God Himself...Jesus Christ. God's love is perfect. There's no sin that's beyond His forgiveness. Most of us know this verse, but let's say it together. "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." John 3:16. We all need to understand those words. God loves us. God gave His only begotten Son to pay the price for our sin. Jesus came because He loves us, He didn't come to condemn us. "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:17-18. God doesn't condemn us...we condemn ourselves. The only unforgivable sin is rejection of Jesus Christ. If we choose not to believe in Jesus Christ then we choose eternal death. That choice has to be made while you live on this side of Heaven. That's the Gospel...that's the Good News. Our sins are forgiven by faith in Jesus. "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. No ritual can bring salvation...not following the Jewish Law, Catholic guidelines, or any other religion not based upon faith in Jesus Christ alone. Salvation is an individual choice. If someone baptized you when you were a baby, you need to make your own choice today. God's Law hasn't changed. Sin as disclosed by Scripture is still sin today. There's only one way for your sin to be forgiven and that's first to recognize that you're a sinner then accept the shed blood of Jesus Christ for your redemption. Do that today...right now. Tomorrow may be too late. That's the Gospel truth. 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: Kennedy resignation relevance - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com The resignation of Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy is the opportunity of the century and the reason why Donald Trump's election as President was so important. Trump has the opportunity to shape the court for decades, perhaps even reverse some of the decisions that the previous activist courts have made. But this historic moment is not lost on the regressive left. They have only a couple of options now to prevent the court from becoming their nightmare-an actual defender of the Constitution. The rule of law is something the left has been chipping away at for years, especially through activist judges. The swing back to constructionism, however, may be more difficult than one thinks. The Democrats have been calling for impeachment since before Trump took office. They are using trumped up charges that the president collaborated with or conspired with Russia to influence the outcome of the election. The Special Counsel appointed to investigate has spent two years releasing detrimental information about the president in a continuous flow. Hollywood has used its media platform to attack the president with everything they have. The media has labeled him a Nazi and a racist. Still, the president has moved forward with the agenda for which he was elected and his approval rating is higher than the previous occupant of the Oval Office at the same point in their terms. The only hope the Democrats have now for obstructing Trump's appointment to the Supreme Court is taking control of the Senate in the fall elections. If they are able to do this, and the current Senate is unable to ramrod another Trump appointee to the Supreme Court, there may be a path to a compromise Justice, essentially another Kennedy who will be liberal when it counts and conservative as window dressing to kind of "keep things even." If Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell does anything in his lifetime to be recognized in history, this is his moment. He needs to get a conservative appointed to the Supreme Court to protect America's freedoms and to turn back the trend of progressive interpretation of the Constitution. The charge for conservative Christians is to run to vote like your hair's on fire! Christians determined the outcome of the presidential election. They must do so for this midterm election as well. The Supreme Court may be on the line. Impeaching the president is definitely on the line. We talk about society and how it has fallen so far away from God. In this country, we have a choice in our leaders-not always a great choice-but we have a choice. The battle lines are drawn. The anarchists and communists (progressives) are bullying their way through with vain words and violent acts. Romans 12:29 says, "Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good." The months ahead will be our chance to strategically overcome evil and perhaps change society for the better. Daily Devotion: A Prerequisite for God's Guidance - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. -Romans 12:1 One of my favorite verses is Psalm 103:12: "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us" (NKJV). It's as though God has taken our sins, has thrown them into the sea of forgetfulness, and then posted a sign that reads, "No fishing allowed." We shouldn't choose to remember what God has chosen to forget. God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for us. And if we will turn from our sins and believe in Him, all of our sin is forgiven and forgotten. In light of that-in light of the fact that our sin is forgiven and that our citizenship is in Heaven-we should present ourselves to God. The apostle Paul wrote, "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice-the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him" (Romans 12:1 NLT). It's the idea of presenting a sacrifice. Generally, when sacrifices were presented to God in the Old Testament, they were dead. They were there to symbolically take the sins of the people upon themselves. Of course, Christ became the ultimate sacrifice at the cross, and we no longer need to do this anymore. Paul is saying, "In light of what God has done for you, I urge you-I beg you-to do this." Why? It's our reasonable service. That word reasonable could be translated "logical." In other words, it's unreasonable, illogical, not to do this. To give yourself completely to God is the logical thing to do. To present yourself to God as a living sacrifice is a prerequisite for His guidance. 
FROM THE HEART
IF YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED THROUGH THIS MINISTRY, THEN WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD PLEASE REMEMBER PROPHECY UPDATE IN YOUR GIVING - WE ARE TRULY, TRULY, THANKFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT Prophecy Update has no corporate sponsors. This ministry is paid for and prayed for by readers and supporters. Without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update, Please pray about becoming a monthly supporter - thanks! If ever there was a time to invest in God's Kingdom, it's now! What on earth are you doing for Heaven's Sake? "Share in the Blessings and Rewards that will last Forever!" "Folks, it's all beginning to unravel. America is in more danger of falling than at any time in its history. But I believe Bible prophecy predicts this very decline. From this point on, we believers have to get serious. We are going to face discouragement, disillusionment and, most certainly, persecution in the time between now and the Rapture. But don't be discouraged or disillusioned. The coming turmoil will provide us unrivaled opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel. So be ready to share your faith and your hope with those who need Christ. We still have time to reap a great harvest of souls for God's kingdom!" - Hal Lindsey 1) We need your prayers!- We proclaim the Truth of the Word of God and we are under constant spiritual and sometimes even physical attack. 2) We need your encouragement!- We need to hear from you, let us know how the Lord is blessing you through this ministry so that we can share it with others. 3) We need your input! - If you have a prophetic article or story or if there is a news related item we missed, let us know. 4) We need your financial support!- To put it quite simply, without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update. I ask that you would prayerfully consider partnering with us to get the Word out and keep the world informed. Remember, your gift, no matter how small, does make a difference! You will be helping to touch lives, around the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thanks to the internet your generosity carries a global impact! - Thanks! Our Prayer for You- "Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." 2 Corinthians 9:10-13 Prophecy Update is a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt - non-profit organization, and all your donations are tax deductible. If you have been blessed by Prophecy Update and would like to help support this ministry financially. You can make a secure donation online by going to: DONATE NOW Or Visit our website: http://prophecyupdate.com/donations/ Or write us at: Prophecy Update P.O. Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384-0516 
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