Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
The Bible and Capitalism - By Bill Perkins
- http://www.raptureready.com/2017/07/06/the-bible-and-capitalism/ Our public schools have for 40 years or more have disparaged capitalism and elevated socialism to the point that today's surveys show an astonishing 35 percent of Americans, and the majority of our youth, think socialism is better than capitalism. [1] This movement defies logic; it is built on lies and, worst of all, it is anti-biblical. Today's youth have a distorted view of how our country works and need to wake-up and smell the coffee. There's no free lunch. Biblical capitalism works. Socialism, communism, fascism or whatever label you put on it, doesn't. The United States, founded on biblical capitalism, has produced the wealthiest and most productive country in the history of mankind. Only recently has the humanistic worldview evolved that Man is born good; that Man is the standard; that Man's environment is responsible for his behavior and that rights come from the government. The biblical worldview teaches that God is good, that Man is born in sin and needs a savior; that the Bible is the standard; Man is responsible for all his behavior and our rights come from God. We have regressed somewhat, due to implementation of humanistic socialist policies. Biblical capitalism is built on freedom as its centerpiece. The greater the freedom, the greater the wealth. On the opposite side-the greater the government, the greater the poverty. In the last presidential election, Bernie Sanders, garnered a lot of votes touting socialism. But he literally had to tell half-truths to make socialism sound good. For anyone who looks at the facts, socialism tries to make everyone equal, regardless of their effort. That has proven over and over not to work. The Disasters of Socialistic Countries The once-mighty USSR fell apart in 1989 due to iron-fisted socialistic policies that destroyed the economy while taking away virtually ALL freedoms from its citizens. Not long ago, former President Obama opened up Cuba for U.S. citizens to visit. People who have visited there say it's like time stopped in 1959 when Castro and communism took over. Literally all the cars on the road were manufactured in, or before, 1959. Cuba today still looks like 1955. Unemployment is 48 percent and 80 percent of those who have jobs work for the government, making Cuba's economy a disaster. Venezuela is a bigger disaster. Their hospitals are germ-infested trash dumps and they're currently rioting over food. Venezuela's hospitals are horrible. In less than 20 years they've gone from the most prosperous South American nation to the poorest-all because it elected a socialistic government that did away with capitalistic policies. North and South Korea are perfect examples of the difference between biblical capitalism (freedom) and communism (slavery). In communist North Korea, 2.5 million people starve each year. In capitalistic South Korea, her GDP is the 10th largest in the world. What about the Scandinavian countries? Often people try to use the Scandinavian countries, like Sweden, to show how socialism can work today. But they are NOT Democratic socialist countries. In the Scandinavian countries, the means of production are primarily owned by private individuals, not the government. For instance, Denmark has a market-based economy that embraces global capitalism and free trade. As does Sweden. They have no minimum wage and wages vary depending on the industry. They have school choice using public money in the form of vouchers that citizens can use for private schools. And some of the most successful private schools are FOR PROFIT. Why Socialism Doesn't Work Socialism Socialism takes income away from productive people and gives it to non-productive people. When a percentage of your hard-earned money is confiscated you have fewer choices and a lower standard of living. If all your money is confiscated, you're a slave. Socialism is simply a camouflaged stepping stone to communism. We should never abandon the biblical principles on which our nation was founded, lest we forever lose our remaining liberties. Margaret Thatcher, Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1979 to 1990, summed up socialism nicely: "The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money." Government doesn't produce, it only consumes. A past staunch capitalistic president said it best: Government is not a solution to our problems, government IS the problem...Government does not solve problems, it subsidizes them. Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. If it stops moving, subsidize it. The problem is not that people are taxed too little, the problem is that government spends too much. -Ronald Reagan So Bernie Sanders and his "Feel the Bern" embracement of socialism is full of lies and misinformation. Millennials, especially, need to wake up to capitalist facts. The basics of biblical capitalism. It's important to understand the basics of biblical capitalism, it's roots, and its basis for providing workers with liberty and motivation. So let's first look at the very beginning. "Then the LORD God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it." (Genesis 2:15) As part of the original creation, work was considered "good." But with Adam's sin, work was corrupted along with everything else. "Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. By the sweat of your face you will eat bread, till you return to the ground." (Genesis 3:17, 19. Because of Adam's sin, a new dispensation began and every man had to work hard, toil, to eat...all the days of their life. There is no getting around this. You are commanded by God to work until you "return to the ground," meaning when you die. So working "all the days of your life" means retirement is unbiblical. You should never plan to reach a point in life where you stop working. It's certainly biblical to save money so you can share with others and have the option to change what you do later in life. But you should never make "retirement" your savings goal. Applying this in the Church Age, Paul was quite clear: "...if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either." (2 Thessalonians 3:10) "Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread." (2 Thessalonians 3:12) The Bible says hunger is a motivator to work. If you take away hunger, you take away a major motivator. "A worker's appetite works for him, for his hunger urges him on" (Proverbs 16:26). Therefore, it's incumbent for the man of the house to work for wages and be the provider for his family. Other than temporary circumstances where you might use your unemployment insurance to temporally tide you over (Workman's Comp), there is no reason to be dependent on the government for money. "The hand of the diligent will rule, but the slack hand will be put to forced labor." (Proverbs 12:24) The U.S. Social Program Quagmire Yet in the last 70 years we've moved from our biblical roots and have begun socialistic welfare programs to help those who, for whatever reason, have no housing or food. Based on the off-balance idea that we need to protect the rights of people to have higher education, housing and food, Democrats have passed legislation that began instituting socialistic policies-forcibly taking from those who have and giving it to those who don't. Food stamps, now called "Electronic Benefits Transfer Card" (EBT), HUD Section 8 housing, SNAP and other programs have been added through the years ENABLING people NOT to work. By having endless programs that reward people for not working, we have abandoned the biblical principles that made this nation great and even threaten its continued existence. "The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the soul of the diligent is made fat." (Proverbs 13:4) However, allowing the government to take over as the provider-god has not helped in the long run because it's made people dependent on handouts. This sends a not-so-subtle message that the government is more important than God. Americans no longer look to God to solve their problems; rather, it looks to the government. Concurrently we have kicked God out of the classroom and are attempting to erase all religious symbols in public places. And there's a price to pay when you go Satan's way instead of God's way. "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." (1 Timothy 5:8) "There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and understand that his labor is good." (Ecclesiastes 2:24) If there's nothing better than to work, then there's nothing worse than to not work. Every male believer has read and understood the commandment to "provide for his own." God's truth is written on the heart of every non-believer, too. People on government handouts intrinsically know that they are in a ever-deepening hole. But they are told they have been discriminated against...so they have to blame someone. "It not your fault you're poor, it's (someone else's) fault." This solves nothing and only adds misery on top of misery. The government is not dealing with the root problem-which is abandoning the biblical principles of capitalism and work. Money Is Not Evil Socialists are attacking our tried and true system-making "money" an evil pursuit. Legally earned money is not evil, regardless of how much you have. It's the LOVE of money that trips people up-when you make money your god. "For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." (1 Timothy 6:10) "Better is a little with righteousness than great income with injustice." (Proverbs 16:8). I recently counseled with a(supposedly) Christian man who was divorcing his wife for the express purpose to save money. I pointed out all the biblical reasons for not divorcing his wife, including the impact on his kids. But he said he "had to do what is right for him." He had made money his god. It All Comes from God The key is to understand that all income is a gift from the Lord. "...moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor-it is the gift of God" (Ecclesiastes 3:13). God gives you the ability to work, the mind to think and the strength to do the job. Your job is to work hard. It's God's call whether or not you're wealthy. It's imperative to keep this in focus. "...remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth" (Deuteronomy 8:18). "It is the blessing of the LORD that makes rich, and He adds no sorrow to it." (Proverbs 10:22) Our work emphasis and motivation should be on doing a good job, providing a quality product, satisfying a need, etc., not on getting rich. "Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it. When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens." (Proverbs. 23:4-5) "It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late, to eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep." (Psalm 127:2) "He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income." (Ecclesiastes 5:10) "Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy." (1 Tim. 6:17) "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth." (Matthew 6:24) Profit Is Not a Dirty Word Profit is not a "necessary evil." It's part of the first rule of business -which is "your net income must exceed your net costs." You can't stay in business unless you mark up your products or services by reasonable margins to make a profit. Profit allows you to stay in business, otherwise you can't keep the lights on. God doesn't think "profit" is evil because He speaks positively about making a profit, even promising Israel He will teach them how to "profit." "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go." (Isaiah 48:17) "In all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty." (Proverbs 14:23) Lending and Borrowing Are Not Evil God also said He would make Israel a lender to many nations, but not borrowers. "The LORD will open for you His good storehouse, the heavens, to give rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hand; and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow." (Deuteronomy 28:12) If lending isn't a sin, then obviously this means borrowing is not a sin either... it just has a huge downside if things don't work out. "Do not be among those who give pledges, among those who become guarantors for debts. If you have nothing with which to pay, why should he take your bed from under you?" (Proverbs 22:26-27) Benefits of Working Hard and Making a Profit "Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He will do it." (Psalm 37:5) You'll be happier "When you shall eat of the fruit of your hands, you will be happy and it will be well with you." (Psalm 128:2; Proverbs 22:7) "Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need." (Philippians 4:11-12) You'll always have enough: "I have been young and now I am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his descendants begging bread." (Psalm 37:25) "He who tills his land will have plenty of bread." (Proverbs 12:11) "Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have" (Hebrews 13:5 3). Hard Work Is a Witness "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16) "Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before obscure men" (Proverbs. 22:29 4) The possibility of financial gain "Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; and confirm for us the work of our hands; Yes, confirm the work of our hands" (Psalm 90:17). "The hard-working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of the crops." (2 Timothy 2:6). "Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, but the hand of the diligent makes rich." (Proverbs 10:4 5) You can share with those in need "...he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need" (Ephesians 4:28). "He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor." (Proverbs 22:9) God Is Your Ultimate Employer "Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve." (Colossians 3:23-24) I have always said that if you want to be successful working for someone else, tell them you will work free for a week to show them what you can do. Then, consider your employer is actually giving you orders from Jesus Christ. If Jesus is personally giving you orders, through your employer, you should break doors down doing what He says. You would get there early, stay late, making sure your ultimate employer (Jesus) is getting more than his money's worth. If you work like this, you'll have a job forever at top pay. Should you work for yourself? But for many, being independent (owning your own business) gives you the best opportunity to earn a good living. Entrepreneurship is not for everyone, but instead of making someone else successful, entrepreneurs make themselves successful-and keep the profits. You're paid exactly what you deserve. The capitalistic free enterprise system in the U.S. encourages ambition, incentive, competition and hard work. If you are willing to work hard to reach your dreams, you have that opportunity. Success Is Not a Sure Thing Starting a business is not that hard, but making a profit takes a lot of work-especially in the early stages. Some 20 percent of small businesses fail within the first year. Half only last five years. And only a third last 10 years or longer. Your best chance with a non-franchised business is when you have a compelling desire to make something work. Whether your motivation is feeding your family, increasing your income for a bigger house, trying to prove that a business or service will work, you need a compelling incentive to carry you through the hard times. There are also structured "franchise" opportunities. These tried and true businesses have track records of success and are looking for someone to instruct what to do to be successful. Whether food service, health care, real estate or any of the myriads of other areas, if you have the start-up cash you can be your own boss and have a higher likelihood of success-especially if you operate your business with biblical principles. "This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men." (Titus 3:8) Hobby Lobby and Chick-fil-A are businesses that have stood their ground using the Bible to guide their business decisions and have done extremely well. There are tens of thousands of smaller mom-and-pop businesses doing the same thing-working hard using biblical principles and trusting God to provide. "Commit your works to the LORD and your plans will be established." (Proverbs 16:3) "Entrepreneurs and their small enterprises are responsible for almost all the economic growth in the United States" stated the late President Ronald Reagan. If capitalism moves one toward the Bible and socialism not, then this chart makes a simple but pointed statement: Slavery Freedom The bottom line is that the opposite of socialism/slavery/ Satan is capitalism/freedom/God. God has allowed a free enterprise system in the United States and it encourages ambition, competition and hard work with a monetary incentive. "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might." (Ecclesiastes 9:10). "Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:4). Not only should you never take our great system for granted, you're going to have to defend it too-to what we refer to the youth today as the Millennials who have been poorly taught economics. And since the Bible says our real enemy is not flesh and blood, I must call a spade a spade: This movement to take apart our Judeo-Christian capitalistic system is straight from Satan, straight from the pit of hell. So it's time to put on the full-armor big-boy (big-girl) pants the next time someone talks positively about socialism. Sources: http://www.gallup.com/poll/191354/americans-views-socialismcapitalism-little-changed.aspx http://www.businessknowhow.com/startup/business-failure.htm EnvironmentControl.com http://ftp.iza.org/dp6683.pdf http://ceoworld.biz/2015/10/15/the-top-25-most-globalizedcountries-2015/ © 2017 Compass Int'l, Inc. Israelis Want Victory - By Daniel Pipes - http://www.danielpipes.org/17771/israelis-want-victory What does the Jewish Israeli public think about convincing Palestinians that they lost their century-long war with Zionism, that the gig is up? In other words, what do Israelis think about winning? To find out, the Middle East Forum commissioned the Smith Institute to survey 700 adults Israeli Jews. Carried out on June 27-28, the poll has a margin of error of 3.7 percent. It reveals a widespread belief that a Palestinian recognition of defeat will eventually lead to an acceptance of Israel as the Jewish state, thereby ending the conflict. Palestinian defeat: "A peace agreement with the Palestinians will only be possible once the Palestinian leadership recognizes the fact that it has been defeated in its struggle against Israel." Overall, 58 percent of respondents agree, with opinion deeply polarized by political outlook: 69 percent on the Right concur but only 16 percent on the Left do so. Israeli victory: "The reason that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict still continues is that none of the military operations or diplomatic engagements with the Palestinian leadership have led to Israeli victory." This resembles the first statement but reverses it; doing so increases the positive responses to 65 percent of the Israeli public. More surprising, the results show that, across the entire political spectrum from Right to Left, an awareness exists that Israel needs to win. They also show that a majority of every subgroup of voter - male and female, young and old, adherents of every kind of Judaism, supporters of Jewish political party represented in parliament? - concur with this sentiment. U.S. embassy: "Moving the American Embassy to Jerusalem will be seen by the majority of Palestinians as a defeat." The same percentage of respondents, 65, also agrees with this assertion, with the Right supporting it only slightly more than the Left (68 to 58 percent). That religious Jews heavily endorse this statement (89 percent of those who identify with the Haredi party HaTorah Yahadut) much more so than the secular (53 percent of the anti-Haredi party Kulanu) does not come as a surprise. That, again, a majority of every sub-group backs the idea does surprise, however. Jewish state: "Israeli victory can only be achieved once the Palestinians recognize Israel as the Jewish State." A similar 67 percent agree with this statement but the breakdown is, as with the first statement, acutely political: 76 percent of the Right agrees and 26 percent of the Left does. On the other hand, party affiliation makes almost no difference (both HaTorah Yahadut and Kulanu members come in at 71 percent) with the single, spectacular exception of Meretz (which weighs in at 33 percent). What to make of all these numbers? That the four parallel questions all win majority support points to the profound evolution of the Israeli public since the Oslo Accords were signed in 1992. No longer does it have faith that good-will gestures will win reciprocity from the Palestinians, put credence in Palestinian leaders, or believe in appeasement. The consistent support for these propositions, ranging only from 58 to 67 percent support, confirms that most Israeli Jews want a different and tough policy. The surprise comes in the turmoil below the stately over-all numbers. That two of them (defeat and Jewish state) divide along Right-Left lines and two of them (victory and U.S. embassy) does not point to the fact that choosing which issue to promote has critical importance to who supports what. Backing the U.S. embassy move to Jerusalem and Palestinian acceptance of Israel as the Jewish state look similar but attitudes range widely. For example, twice as many supporters of the hard-Left Meretz party back the embassy issue as they do the Jewish state one (67 vs. 33 percent). That most Israeli Jewish adults want Palestinian defeat and Israeli victory confirms the utility of the July 11 launch of the Knesset Israel Victory Caucus. Co-chaired by Oded Forer (Yisrael Beiteinu) and Ya'akov Perry (Yesh Atid), the caucus seeks to explore Israeli strategies and tactics once the U.S. government gives a green light for an Israeli victory. "Debating the peace process to most Israelis," commented a former Israeli prime ministerial aide back in 2013, "is the equivalent of debating the color of the shirt you will wear when landing on Mars." It's time for a shift in focus away from hopeless and counterproductive negotiations to ending the conflict the time-proven way: Through victory. Netanyahu Meets with Trump Team as Abbas Vows to Keep Paying Terrorists - Tzippe Barrow - http://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/israel/2017/july/netanyahu-meets-with-trump-team-as-abbas-vows-to-keep-paying-terrorists Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the Trump administration team Wednesday in Jerusalem. Special envoy Jason Greenblatt, who arrived in Israel Monday, U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer took part in the meeting. The previous evening, Greenblatt, Friedman and U.S Consul General Donald Blum met in Jerusalem with representatives of the Palestinian Authority, including chief negotiator Saeb Erekat, Mohammed Mustafa and Majid Faraj. "They had an open, cordial and frank discussion on many topics related to peace negotiations," the Times of Israel quoted an unnamed White House official as saying. "The administration believes that in order to give everyone the best chance to reach an ultimate deal, it is critical to have negotiators that are close with the president, and that is why the team includes senior advisor Jared Kushner, Greenblatt and Friedman." Tuesday's meeting was supposed to take place at P.A. headquarters in Ramallah, but P.A. President Mahmoud Abbas refused to host Friedman because he supports Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank). Trump has insisted that Friedman take part in the meetings, while Netanyahu denied reports by Arab media, quoted by the Israeli press, of agreeing to reduce construction in Judea and Samaria during talks with the Palestinian Authority. Meanwhile, both the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) and the Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) translated remarks by Abbas on continuing to pay monthly salaries to prisoners and their families. The men are soldiers, not terrorists, fighting for their people, Abbas says. "Even if I have to resign, I will not compromise on the martyrs' and prisoners' allowances. I am president of all the Palestinian people, including the prisoners, martyrs, wounded, deportees and forced migrants," Fatah Central Committee member Jama Muhaisen quoted Abbas in the Gaza-based daily Dunya al-Watan. The same statement, MEMRI reports, is featured on a banner on Fatah's Facebook page. The latest Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) bulletin quotes a terrorist telling Israel police the payments motivated him to attack Israelis. "If I'm not able to kill soldiers, I'll try settlers, guards - in other words any Israeli target," he said during interrogation. "The important thing is that I will die and they will kill me so my children will receive a [P.A.] allowance and live happily." On a positive note, the P.A. signed an agreement with Israel Tuesday to supply electricity to a new power station in Jenin to increase supplies to areas that have faced power shortages recently. P.A. Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, Israeli Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz and Yoav Mordechai, coordinator of the Israeli government in the West Bank and Gaza, signed the agreement at the new Jenin power station. "This initiative constitutes important progress toward the US administration's goal of bolstering the Palestinian economy to enhance the prospects for a just, secure, and lasting peace," the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem said in a statement. Israel Watch: When Religion Gets Aggressive - Jim Fletcher - http://www.raptureready.com/category/israel-watch/ It was sublime being in Jerusalem on the 50th anniversary of the Six Day War, including walking through Lion's Gate on the morning of June 7. This route, taken by IDF troops on their way to unfurling the Star of David atop the Temple Mount, is also the shortest path to Mt. Moriah. Most of you know what happened next: IDF Chief of Staff Moshe Dayan returned control of the 35-acre plaza to the Palestinians. He wanted, of course, to minimize chances of an Arab uprising, should the Israelis maintain strict control of what Muslims call Haram al-Sharif. In the decades since Israel's miraculous victory, we have seen continual weak posture from the West, regarding dealings with the Palestinians. Among those weaknesses is a failure to respond correctly to the aggression of Islam. Whether that failure is a result of ignorance of the religion, or a wish to avoid conflict, I cannot say. As an aside, it is part of the human condition to want to avoid conflict. Most take that to the extreme, never confronting evil. Much evil has flourished as a result. It has always rankled me that half the time when I visit Jerusalem, I cannot visit the Temple Mount. As a Christian pilgrim, wishing to visit a place so central to my faith, I can't be there...for one reason. This year, Ramadan was the reason given when I asked a policeman inside the Dung Gate whether the Temple Mount was open. It wasn't, because we must not offend the sensibilities of Muslims. This acquiescence only emboldens them, obviously. Think of the irony: Israel fights and wins an existential war, surrounded by Muslim armies. Yet today, Jews and Christians can rarely visit the spiritual center of the universe, and cannot pray on the Temple Mount! Israel does control East Jerusalem, but Palestinians have virtual free reign in the Old City. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Muslim calendar, and commemorates the alleged first revelation of the Koran to Muhammad. The month-long period of fasting compels practitioners of this works-based religion to push their religious needs on others. And not only on the Temple Mount, but virtually everywhere else Jews and Christians allow Muslims to impede others' abilities to practice their faith. Think of the rare person who has a single opportunity to visit the Holy Land, and wishes to step foot on the Temple Mount. You get to the guard shack that leads up the ramp to the Mount, and find that because Muslim sensibilities have been inflamed (due to Ramadan, or a leaf blowing, or Allah getting up on the wrong side of the bed), Jews and Christians are barred. I predict that a showdown is coming between East and West over the aggression of Islam. One day, pacifists will not have the luxury anymore of being dhimmis in the face of Islam. But that will be a human showdown. I look forward to the day the King of kings sets foot on the Temple Mount and ushers in an era of harmony. Come quickly! [email protected] Today's EXPONENTIAL Technology Which Will Lead To The Image Of The Beast - David Pepe - http://www.theignorantfishermen.com/2017/07/todays-exponetial-technology-which-will.html Dear friends, if you been keeping up with technology news or even viewing the Drudge Report from time to time you cannot miss the robot/android revolution that is taking place in this fallen high tech world. Men are seeking with all their being today to play Creator God and create a world of servants to help make their brief existence and delusion here in time enjoyable as they indulge in the fallen and base pleasures of this life. From teaching robots, to sex robots, to marrying robots, to having robot friends, to industrial robots, to robot personal rights and laws one has to be astonished at where this EXPONENTIAL technological age is leading this fallen world under the god of this world (Eph. 2:1-2). Today's futurists tell us to think linear and in EXPONENTIAL proportions as we look into the future of today. The development of these androids, robots and super computers is EXPONENTIALLY advancing in our day and in just 5 years time who knows were it all will be? The fallen, unrepentant heart of godless mankind cannot stuff enough godless vanity into their base ETERNAL voided hearts to make this "life" worth the living (Eccl.). As technology EXPONENTIALLY advances so does the ENDLESS wants and desires of the fallen human heart and as we draw closer to the Day of the Lord we can see biblical prophecy teeming with REALITY (Jer. 17:9-11, Eccl. 3, 1 Tim. 4:1-3, 2 Tim. 3:1-7, Jude 1:10)! How far will fallen man corrupt himself without a saving relationship to their ETERNAL Creator in RIGHTEOUSNESS and TRUTH (Rom. 1:18-32, 10:2-4)? It is safe to say that the abyss of darkness is the limit for an unregenerate son or daughter of Adam which seeks a vain existence apart from their Creator (Rom. 1:18-32, 5:11-21)! As we just shared, "As technology EXPONENTIALLY advances, so does the ENDLESS wants and desires of the fallen human heart"! The violence and licentiousness of fallen men of past history testifies to us that base practices will always win the day in the culture and society which EXCLUDES Almighty God (Rom. 1:18-32). The EXPONENTIAL advances in technology today is now used globally by fallen man to enhance, protect and advance vice and licentiousness to levels never seen! When base men begin to move onto robot rights, robot relationships, robot sex and robot marriage we are entering a new realm of depravity such as never has been seen since the foundation of the world. Don't think it will go that far? Well, who thought 15 years ago that our nation would nationally sanctify homosexual marriage and transgenderism? In today's present day mindset, we - as a godless world - have taken Babel's logic and rebellion unto EXPONENTIAL levels NEVER conceived! Is this world united and ready for the Lucifer's final rebellion? Indeed, we are, but not so ideologically, but united with the godless mindset which rejects mankind's ETERNAL Creator! It will be after the first 3 1/2 years of the 7 year tribulation that mankind will then be ABSOLUTELY ready - ideologically and anti -God wise to commit their souls to the height of lawlessness and to ETERNAL damnation (2 Thess. 2:10-12, Rev. 6-11; 13; 14:8-11). Much good has been done in man's technological advances to help sustain mankind in this fallen world but one most not neglect the negative fruits of technological advances, which far outweigh any positive strides. As technology EXPONENTIALLY abounds, so does man's godless rebellion and unbelief! As technology EXPONENTIALLY abounds, so does man's appetites for self-severing! As technology EXPONENTIALLY abounds, so does man's fallen deeds EXPONENTIALLY manifest themselves along with their horrific EXPONENTIAL consequences! As technology EXPONENTIALLY abounds, so does man's dependency EXPONENTIALLY decrease from a saving relationship to their ETERNAL Creator in Spirit and TRUTH (Rev. 3:14-22)! As technology EXPONENTIALLY abounds, so will man's delusion of a godless and lawless world utopia leading to the worship of Satan, man and technology itself (Rev. 13)! I truly believe that this global worship of technology will reach its EXPONENTIAL zenith with the worship of the image of the beast himself, who I personally believe will be the world's greatest super computer and the exact replica and image of the beast (Rev. 13:14-18, 14:9-11,;15:2,19:20)! This establishment and worship of this image in the rebuilt Temple of Almighty God - built by the Two Witnesses - is called the Abomination of Desolation. In the last 3 1/2 years of the seven-year tribulation, godless men who survive Revelation 6-11 will now - in their demonic 666 double down - worship three individual entities! Lucifer the fallen angel (spirit), the beast (the son (man) of perdition) and his robot image (technology/works of hands) - Dan. 12:9-11, Matt. 24:15, 2 Thess. 2:4, Rev. 13, 14:9-11;15:2;19:20). Oh, dear friends! This IS the horrific future that awaits this fallen godless world! These things WILL BE, for Almighty God has said it WILL BE! How evil and dark will Adam's fallen children's unregenerate mind plan vain delusions (Rom. 1:18-32, Jude 1:8-10)? All the way until - in FULL LIGHT - they worship Satan and waging open war against their ETERNAL Creator (Dan. 7:25, 2 Thes. 2:10-12, Rev. 13:1-7; 16:13-16; 17:14). Dear friends do you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? While there is yet time may you hear Almighty God's call to repent and be saved from the wrath which is to come (Rev. 6-19)! Oh, praise Almighty God our RIGHTEOUS ETERNAL Creator for sending His Son to rescue ALL who call on His Name from our vain dark delusions and our trespasses against His ETERNAL SPIRITUAL absolutes (John 3:16-17, Rom. 10:2-4, 2 Cor. 5:21, Eph. 2:1-2, 1 John 4:10)! The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand! What Is a Biblical Rapture? - By Ernst Christmann - http://www.raptureready.com/2017/07/09/what-is-a-biblical-rapture/ These days we are witnessing a threefold division among theologians concerning the question of when the Rapture of the Church will take place. It is not so much the exact timing which is the bone of contention, but more the question when it will take place with regard to Daniel's last week of years. Mainly there are three camps:
Camp 3 by far is the biggest because of all the Amillennialists including Catholicism, Protestantism, Orthodoxy and quite a number of smaller denominations. Camp 2 is much smaller than camp 3 yet still larger than camp 1. And some are abandoning camp 1 as they see Daniel's last week of years approaching rapidly, but the Rapture has not yet occurred. Maybe they are seeking doctrinally safer ground and therefore warn and switch to prepper mode in camp 2. Reading the Scriptures it appears that always the smallest and most marginalized group had it right and is called the "remnant" for this reason. Yet all these camps and questions would not exist, if the Word of God was taken literally to clarify what the biblical definition of a rapture is. God gave us quite a number of examples for us in order that we can understand what He says a rapture is and what purpose it fulfils. The very first rapture in the Bible we find in Genesis 5:24: "Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." Another one we would find in 2 Kings 2:11: "And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven." Let's glean some information from these two reports. In Enoch's case we sense already some kind of concealed force in the wording "he was not, for God took him." Yet in the account of Elijah this removing someone forcefully is not concealed any more. Fire, whirlwind, and to part asunder are terms of force. So raptures seem to have the character of forcefully determined action on God's side. We will rediscover this in other raptures as well. But as we continue reading the historical aftermath of these two raptures, we discover that the raptured men were saved from severe judgment. Enoch was spared to live in a time of cross-breeding experiments as we read in Jasher 4:18, which angered God to the point He sent judgment, unleashing a series of great wars between the posterities of Seth and Cain (Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 1.2.2 and 2.3.1). Elijah did not have to experience the further moral decline of Israel and its final destruction in God's judgment executed against Israel by the Assyrians. Yet there are other examples of raptures in the Bible, but before looking at them we should understand, that in some raptures men of God are taken to heaven while in other cases they stay on earth. The second rapture in history is of this kind. It is the rapture of Noah from the judgment of drowning in a global deluge. Noah was righteous (Gen.7:1) and hence called to enter the ark. Also Enoch was a righteous man who walked with God. The same can be said about Elijah considering the account of his walk with God. Now, Noah was called to enter the ark. This of course is not to be considered forceful, but yet it was an order. God commanded Noah to build the ark and He commanded him to enter it. And again the reason fulfils the pattern of rescuing a righteous man from the impending judgment of drowning and losing everything. The most informative example of a rapture is the one of Lot from Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot was a righteous man, we learn in 2 Peter 2:7. In Genesis.19:1, two angels meet Lot and tell him (Gen.19, 13) that they will destroy the cities. They give him time till next morning to gather his sons in law, but when they see Lot tarrying they use gentle force and brought Lot and his family out of the city (Gen.19:16). Then Lot is instructed to flee to the mountains. By this time Lot is already in his eighties or even nineties. He argues that he will not make it there and also points out that there are dangers (Gen.19:19). And here is the point: He is granted relief in that he is allowed to flee to a little town nearby called Zoar. One of the angels tells him, that Zoar originally was on the hit list of destruction, yet Lot's plea got Zoar off this list. Also Lot is told to hurry, "for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither," the angel says. This is remarkable to say the least. Not only Lot's plea not to be sent to the dangerous mountain area is granted, which saves a hole city, but also Lot is told, that the impending judgment cannot begin until he is saved. Here we see one very important element of a rapture: The Rapture is performed with the sole reason of removing the righteous from where impending judgment will hit. And the judgment cannot take place as long as any one of the righteous is still in the area and time of where and when the judgment will strike. The story of Lot reveals a very strong trait of God's righteousness. God will never ever judge a righteous person! He cannot do this! If He did, His own righteousness would cease to exist, because God would have lied. Either would He lie by indicting a righteous person, or He would have lied in the past when having called someone righteous although he is not. So what we see in Lot's rapture from Sodom and Gomorrah is an inherent feature of all raptures, and it has to be lest God is a liar. These are the features of any rapture:
If we apply these insights to the Rapture of the Church, there is no question as to when it has to take place: Clearly before the judgment. And to be clear: The four horsemen of Revelation 6 are the first judgments triggered by Jesus, the Lamb. So the Church has to be removed from earth by then. And here is a severe warning to those who teach otherwise: If you place the Body of Christ into Daniel's 70th week -often called the Tribulation-you are calling God a liar. Not for one moment do I think that this is intentional. Mostly it is well-meant to warn people to prepare. But well-meant is not necessarily well done. Daily Jot: When Kathy Griffin Blasphemed Jesus - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com Many may not remember, but Comedian Kathy Griffin-the one who recently portrayed the beheading of President Donald Trump, blasphemed the name of Jesus in accepting an Emmy at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards in September 2007. She said as she held up her statuette, "A lot of people come up here and thank Jesus for this award. I want you to know that no one had less to do with this award than Jesus. Suck it, Jesus. This award is my god now." The remarks were removed from the taped telecast and were not shown on national television. Asked later about the remarks being offensive, Griffin reportedly told Reuters: "I hope I offended some people. I didn't want to win the Emmy for nothing." In the September 14 Daily Jot, I wrote: "Strange. I haven't seen cars being burned in the streets of LA. There have been no beheadings by radical religious fanatics. Blocks of buildings have not been set on fire. Movie theaters and television studios have not been bombed. It appears that there have been no death threats to the people at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. In fact, there hasn't been any violence whatsoever. Oh, that's right. Griffin said "Jesus" not "Mohammed." That explains it. Either Christians don't care if their Lord and Savior is blasphemed by a wicked Hollywood celebrity or they choose to behave in a more "Christ-like" manner in handling their offense of such things." In reality, there were Christians who were extremely offended by Griffin's outrageous remarks-as they were with her beheading stunt. And there are Christians who were, are and will be praying for her very soul. And there are many Christians who are reaching out to people in the name of Jesus to heal the sick, feed the poor, clothe the naked, and, ultimately conduct what is called the Great Commission found in Mark 16:15, "Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Generally speaking, Christianity today seeks to return good for evil rather than evil for evil. And that's why people like Griffin seem to get away with making comments like she did and remain in business to pull other offensive antics. But Griffin isn't getting away with anything. Ultimately, the Bible says in Romans 14:11, "For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God." And Revelation 20:12 says, "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works." Imagine the awesome moment standing before God as he reads down that list of names in the book of life. And imagine the horror if your name or the name of your loved ones are not in it. Jesus wants none to perish, no not one. Let's keep being salt and light to this dying world. We never know how important our actions are to the kingdom of God. Daily Devotion: No Exceptions - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org "He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent." -2 Peter 3:9 When I first heard the gospel, I thought, "I can't do that. I'm not the religious type." I wasn't raised in church. I didn't think I would fit in with Christians or in the church. I thought it wasn't going to work for me. But I was wrong. Christ did everything for me that He promised He would do. There are people who say, "I've tried the whole Christianity thing. I went to church and all that. I tried it, but it didn't work for me." But I would suggest the problem is not with "the whole Christianity thing." It's with them. They are talking about God, and God works in every life that is truly dedicated to Him. It would be like someone who is really sick going to the doctor. The doctor tells him, "You have a virus. You need to take this medication, and if you will do this, it will knock it out in a few days." But instead of taking the medication, he throws it in the trash. He gets worse and worse. And he says, "I've tried the whole doctor thing, but it didn't work for me." No, he didn't take the medication. He didn't do what he was supposed to do. Don't blame the doctor. Anyone who says that Christianity did not work for them either has never met Christ personally or did not do their part. Christ works for everyone. There are no exceptions. There can be a point of no return. Am I suggesting there could come a point when God would not forgive someone? Not as much as I am suggesting there could come a point when they wouldn't want to be forgiven because of their hardened hearts. God does want to forgive them. But they must come to Him. 
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 
|
|