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Prophecy Update Newsletter
July 21, 2016
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
These Final Days Are Filled with Wickedness - Ron & Nathele Graham - twotug@embarqmail.com
"Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: but the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness." Isaiah 5:14-16. Wickedness has always been among us. Satan began working his evil in the Garden of Eden, and many people listen to his lies. It even seems as if Christians have become cold towards one another. How can this be? Professing Christians should be on the forefront of sharing God's love, but instead many embrace the world and its evil rather than honoring God in every way. This attitude needs to change. We are living in the final days before the Rapture, which means Daniel's 70th week will begin soon thereafter. As that time of judgment draws closer it shouldn't surprise us that we can see the birth pains which Jesus spoke of getting stronger. "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." Matthew 24:12. Earthquakes and pestilence are increasing, but it's also becoming more and more obvious that people are becoming colder towards each other. The Greek word translated "love" is "agapē", which is quite often translated "charity". Doesn't it seem to you that in these last days it takes very little to bring anger out in people and agapē is non-existant? Friendliness is diminishing while a spirit of meanness has surfaced in its place. As a civilization we've left God behind, and without God in our lives there is no love, joy, or charity. To compensate, many people turn to drugs, alcohol, or ungodly sexual relationships. This only makes matters worse, and so the love of many waxes colder and colder. Murder is increasing as human life becomes unimportant to those whose minds and hearts are cold. When God created man He did so with our well being in mind. He didn't create us like the angels or like the beasts of the field. He had a much higher purpose in mind for creating mankind. "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness..." Genesis 1:26a. God created everything, but only man was created in His image. This should instill in you a desire to please God. A person cannot wax cold if they are trying to please God and have His love inside. How can we possibly please God? It isn't complicated. Faith is the key. "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Hebrews 11:6. You please God by having faith in Him. If you're love for others is waxing cold, then you need to draw closer to God. Put down the cell phone and pick up the Bible; get off of blogs that allow you to say cruel things, then reach out to people in love. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has noticed the coldness that has come over people of late. Unless you've been holed up in a cave somewhere or stranded on a desert island you must have noticed this attitude that is permeating every society around the world. News headlines are filled with stories of murder, brutality, and hatred. Even when walking down a sidewalk or a department store aisle very few people smile anymore. Most are talking on their cell phones or texting and are unaware of the real people around them. If they run into you with their shopping cart, they glare as if you have done them wrong. Where's the joy in people's lives these days? If we are children of the King we should be filled with joy. Sadly, even many Christians today look as though they've been defeated. The enemy can't win in your life unless you allow him to defeat you. Many things separate people today. Years ago families would eat at the dinner table and talk to each other. Then television came along and people began to eat in front of the TV, and dinner conversations became history. Today cell phones have come between people even more. Real people seldom talk with other real people anymore and so many people disconnect from others. Other people are seen as abstract beings with no real feelings. It's easy to lose "agapē" for others when they aren't real to you."And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled:" Isaiah 5:15. We are in the final days before God's wrath will be poured out and when the wickedness of men will be unchecked. For now Christians need to separate from Satan, who wants us to separate from other people, and embrace Jesus, who wants us to love others. The problem goes far beyond just separating from other people. There's a real spirit of evil that's violently pitting one person against another for no good reason. Violence is everywhere. The spirit that leads people to be uncivil to one another and treat each other with cruelty and hatred is not of God. This satanic evil won't be tolerated by God much longer. Anyone who thinks they can deny or usurp God's authority is standing on very precarious ground. God is patient, but there's only so much evil and corruption that He will put up with. His desire is that nobody dies without accepting Christ as their Savior, but we can see that, just as in Noah's day, people are waxing cold and all of creation is being corrupted. "The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth." Genesis 6:11-12. Every time you see a "GMO" label on food you know that it has been corrupted. When you see a news article about how scientists are genetically modifying animals so their organs can be used in human transplants, know that the same evil presence that corrupted the earth in Noah's day is influencing the world today. God is longsuffering but there will be a point when His patience runs out. Jesus told us that when He comes the second time conditions would be as in the days of Noah; the corruption of all flesh and the total wickedness that existed in Noah's day is clearly on the near horizon. If someone is offended by the actions of another person, their differences are settled by violence rather than talking things out. Guns are not the problem, but coldness and the rejection of God is. The atheists have become very vocal and aggressive in their determination to rid the world of God Almighty, but every "little g god" is embraced. Satan, being the god of this world and the father of all lies, has great influence over the simple minded, and these people seem to want to follow Satan's lies rather than God's truth. Anyone who follows the father of all lies is going to be filled with a spirit of meanness and aggressive hatred. In spite of the ugliness and mean attitudes in the world, Christians need to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are to show God's love to the unsaved too, but specifically we are to love fellow Christians. "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." John 15:12. Jesus didn't "suggest" we love one another, nor did He put it forth as a "good idea", but He gave it as a commandment. How do we love one another? He showed love by laying down His life for us. Not only did He go to the cross, but many times He put His own needs aside to care for people. He also showed love by not patting a sinner on the back and saying "Keep on sinning". Sin separates us from God, so it's not showing God's love if we watch a fellow Christian sin and not try to help them out of it. Use Scripture as a guide. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness" 2 Timothy 3:16. Jesus was sinless but He is our example. We need to get the mote out of our own eye before we can help someone else out of sin. The Bible is our guide. Study it, apply it to your life, and encourage others to join you in study. Love one another. As time passes and the world around us becomes more like the days of Noah, it's going to get tougher. More and more people without the love of God living in them are going to surface and the coldness of Satan will grow stronger. It's a spiritual battle, but God has not left us without weapons. Many Christians today have willingly given up their spiritual weapons and deny God's power. "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Ephesians 6:10-11. Scripture will teach you about each piece of the armor and how to use it. If you haven't been confronted by the spirit of evil yet, your turn is coming. When confronted with it, it's a good idea to start praying right away. Put on the armor of God and don't take it off. All of the signs Jesus spoke about are in place, so if you study your Bible you will understand that the Rapture could happen at any moment. True Christians should see this as challenge to draw closer to Jesus and share His love with others. We must put on our armor and get out there on the frontline and share His love. "If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever;" John 14:15-16. The Comforter is the Holy Spirit who is sealed within every born again believer. He is now restraining the total evil of the last days. The restrainer will soon be removed and the total lawlessness and wickedness of Satan will abound. Since He is sealed within every born again believer on earth, we must all be removed before the events described in the Book of Revelation can happen. Be sure that you have truly accepted Christ as your Saviour, then stop separating yourself from real people. Fellowship with other Christians and encourage each other to walk in the light of God. "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John 1:7. If you don't walk in the light of God then you're walking in the darkness of Satan and you'll become as cold as he is. These final days are filled with wickedness, but if you love God you will not be a part of it. Jesus Christ loves you and He doesn't want anybody to choose eternal death instead of eternal life. God bless you all, Ron & Nathele Graham twotug@embarqmail.com www.straitandnarrowministry.com ron@straitandnarrowministry.com Previous commentaries archived at http://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html All original scripture is "theopneustos" God breathed. This commentary was started by Ron Graham before his death on March 14, 2013, and finished by his wife, Nathele Graham If you'd like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries just drop me an email and let me know. 
Top rabbis: Unmistakable signs of Messiah coming -
http://www.wnd.com/2016/07/top-rabbis-unmistakable-signs-of-messiah-coming/ End-times expert: Demonstrates how Christians and Jews are reconciling A conversation between two of the most distinguished rabbis in Israel indicates scholars of the Torah see unmistakable signs of the coming of the Messiah. What's more, in the Messianic era, Christians will become a source of Torah learning, as believers in Jesus Christ rediscover the source of their beliefs in both Judaism and the Torah. The conversation took place between Rabbi Moshe Sternbuch and Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, both of whom are regarded as leading experts in the Torah. During the conversation, Rabbi Kanievsky reportedly predicted the imminent coming of the Messiah, before the end of the year after the Shemitah. The Shemitah is a seven-year cycle which seems to correlate with dramatic events in history, as explained by messianic Rabbi Jonathan Cahn in "The Mystery of the Shemitah." Rabbi Sternbuch contested the timing, and said before the Messiah will come, the Christians and the Arabs will "come to Israel." Rabbi Kanievsky added "all the non-fruit bearing trees in Israel will bear fruit," meaning Christians will be learning Torah. Thus, the breach between Christians and Jews will be healed, as both communities turn to the study of God's Word. Christians obviously believe the Messiah has already come in the form of Jesus Christ and what is being discussed is not His "arrival," but His return. Nonetheless, several Christian leaders who have been prominent in the growing movement to reconnect Christianity with its Judaic roots welcomed the comments by these prominent Torah scholars. Jonathan Cahn, the leader of the largest Messianic congregation in the world and the bestselling author of several books, "The Harbinger" and "The Mystery of the Shemitah," welcomed the rabbis' comments as another sign the original breach between Judaism and Christianity is being healed. "We are seeing things that no other generation has seen, since the book of Acts," said Cahn. He said these include: *Churches celebrating Passover *Believers calling Messiah by his true Hebrew name "Yeshua" *Israeli flags being flown over Christian gatherings *Believers from South America to India, Africa, and China celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles *Israeli leaders speaking at Christian events *Shofars sounding Christian gatherings and church services *Believers in Jesus lighting Menorahs, partaking in the Sabbath, even worshiping in Hebrew *Israel coming to the realization that the most faithful supporters they have in the world, and the greatest friends are the followers of Messiah, Yeshua, Jesus. Cahn argues this isn't some dramatic reformation of the faith, but rather a return to its original form. "Most of this would have been unthinkable not long ago," he told WND. "In fact, for two thousand years of church history, it has largely been absent. The irony is it all began this way. Christianity in its original and most natural form was (and is) totally Jewish. So what we're seeing is a restoration." Cahn agreed with the rabbis this dramatic shift constituted a sign the end times were coming soon. "There is a mystery that at the end of the age, things return to the form they had at the beginning," he said. "This includes the reappearance of Israel and Jerusalem - and the now the coming together of the church and Israel, Christians and the Jewish people. "Every weekend we see people of all nations, all backgrounds, all colors coming together at my own place of worship, the Jerusalem Center, to worship the God of Israel and to grow deeper in the Messiah, Yeshua, Jesus. It's an end-time phenomenon ... and it's exciting!" Mark Biltz, the discoverer of the "Blood Moons" phenomenon and the author of the upcoming "God's Day Timer: The Believer's Guide to Divine Appointments," said the acceptance by all the nations of the wisdom of the Torah and the divine significance of Hebrew are critical for Christians to understand, especially in the end times. "The Bible declares that during Messianic times the knowledge of the Torah and the acknowledgment of the God of Israel will completely cover the Earth," Biltz told WND. "The Torah is often likened to water as both descend from heaven. We read in Habakkuk 2:14, 'For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.' Hebrew is a pure language and the original language at creation. Everything is being restored much like a reversal of the Tower of Babel where all nations will know Hebrew in Messianic times." Bill Cloud, who heads Shoreshim Ministries and is the author of "Esau Rising: Ancient Adversaries and the War for America's Soul," is excited by what he sees as an embrace of what he's been teaching for years. "This is the Talmudic side of what I taught years ago in a message called 'the fullness of the Gentiles,'" Cloud told WND. "It's about the grafting in of the wild olive branch and how that provokes the unfruitful tree to bear. Believers in Messiah who are also embracing the Torah as a guideline for how to live is most definitely a sign of his return. It's part of the restoration of all things that is spoken of in Matthew 17 and Acts 2." Cloud says there is a Scriptural precedent for ethnic non-Jews who became part of the Kingdom of Israel. "It's connected to the idea that Elijah the Tishbite was not ethnically Israeli but of the toshavim - 'resident aliens' - who joined themselves to Israel (1 Kings 17). According to the Messiah it is Elijah - or shall I say those represented by Elijah (the Wildbranch) - who restore all things (Matthew 17)." Cloud says the consequences of this kind of teaching spreading among Jews could be earth-shattering. "This is exciting news because it demonstrates how many Christians and many Jews are recognizing that Messiah's coming is near and how that portends a reconciliation between the two," he said. "In my view, as Christians awaken to what they have been blind to - an obligation to keep the Torah - it will provoke our Jewish friends to see what they have been blind to - the identity of the Messiah." Carl Gallups, a pastor and the author of several books including "Be Thou Prepared," sees these reports as yet another indication Jewish experts in Torah are moving closer to what he calls "the ultimate truth concerning Messiah." "He indeed is coming (again), and He will most certainly deliver His people and pour out His blessings on Israel," the pastor predicted. "And there will most assuredly be a time of 'Jacob's Trouble,' before Yeshua's arrival - a cataclysmic event in which the Jewish people will see the hand of God alone as their deliverance from what would appear to the world as Israel's certain destruction. "While I do not require the musings of Jewish rabbis, who to this date still reject Yeshua as Messiah, to strengthen my faith in the return of Messiah, I am still thrilled that these two prominent leaders are speaking so boldly, and recognizing the biblically prophetic times in which we are living. I truly believe that the Holy Spirit is in the process of plowing up the previously hard soil of unbelief and preparing the way for the soon-coming Kingdom of Jesus Christ." Gallups compared the reports of the rabbis' discussion to his investigation of Rabbi Yitzhak Kaduri in his book and documentary, "The Rabbi Who Found Messiah." "Rabbi Yitzhak Kaduri, modern Israel's most venerated rabbi, declared in his own handwriting that the name of the long-awaited Messiah is none other than Yeshua," claimed Gallups. "This fact is attested to in reliably documented sources, but also through the testimony of almost a dozen of Kaduri's own Yeshiva students, (who sat under Kaduri's teaching on Messiah) who are now outspoken believers in Yeshua as Messiah and Lord. And now, we have two more prominent living rabbis stirring up the fires of Messianic expectancy among the Jewish population!" Gallups also said it is important for Christians to study Torah, though he cautioned the ultimate "bearing of fruit of which the Word of God is actually speaking" manifests in faith in Jesus as the Messiah. However, Gallups expressed confidence the end times are coming soon because the world is in "prophetic times." The author of "Final Warning" laid out a few specifics. "Without setting dates, it is still safe to say that the world is very close to witnessing the return of Yeshua, just as He promised," he told WND. "Israel is back in the land. Jerusalem is in the possession of Israel. The Ezekiel 38 nations, led largely by Islam, are coalescing right before our eyes. Russia and China are in the Middle East colluding, along with Persia (Iran), and their military troops are planted firmly in Syria. The ancient Ottoman Empire, with its center at Turkey, is on the verge of resurrection led by a man threating to execute thousands of his detractors." Gallups also spoke of the importance of the Shemitah, as outlined by Jonathan Cahn as a focal point for the fulfillment of prophecy. Gallups urged believers around the world to be prepared not just physically but spiritually for what he believes is the imminent fulfillment of extraordinary prophecies. "We see these amazing 2,000-year-old prophecies rapidly converging upon on our unique generation," he exclaimed. "And in the midst of it all, some of the most prominent leaders of the Jewish faith are declaring the Messiah is coming soon, an end times prophecy fulfillment in itself. It's time to be ready. The 'lion of prophecy' is roaring." 
In New Threat to West, Iran Official Calls for Plans to Build Uranium-Enrichment Plant - http://www.algemeiner.com/2016/07/20/in-new-threats-to-west-iran-prepares-plans-to-build-uranium-enrichment-plant-boasts-increased-wargames/#
Iranian officials issued new threats against the West on Wednesday, warning that failure to uphold the nuclear deal will result in harsh consequences, Iranian state media reported. In an address to the country's parliament - the Majlis - Speaker Ali Larijani called on the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) to prepare plans to build a nuclear plant with the express purpose of enriching uranium, the semi-official state news agency Fars reported. According to Larijani, "disruptive moves" by the UN and the US, coupled with what he claimed to be America's disloyalty to the year-old Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), are sufficient cause for Tehran to take defiant measures. Also on Wednesday, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, announced that Iran will hold various war games across the country, which will last through the end of the year, Fars reported. The war games are intended to flex Iran's military muscles and test its advanced missile systems, the IRGC commander said. "This year, we have so many exercises that I can't remember their exact number," Jafari said. "God willing, these drills will be staged to enhance readiness for burying the enemy in the Persian Gulf waters and annihilating them on the Iranian soil." Jafari's comments echo similar remarks made by the commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh in May, who warned that Iran will hold more exercises should the US meddle in its affairs. "We will not cancel any drills and will improve them and make them more frequent," he said. In March, the IRGC carried out a ballistic-missile exercise, launching missiles capable of carrying a nuclear payload. The move was widely condemned and seen as a violation of Security Council Resolution 2231, which implements the JCPOA. Western officials claimed that the launch did not violate the core terms of the nuclear deal. The uptick in threatening rhetoric from Iran comes amid an explosive report this week by the Associated Press, which exposed the existence of a secret JCPOA side agreement that would begin easing nuclear restrictions on Iran before the deal reaches its 15-year expiration. According to the report: As of January 2027 - 11 years after the deal was implemented - Iran can start replacing its mainstay centrifuges with thousands of advanced machines. From year 11 to 13, says the document, Iran can install centrifuges up to five times as efficient as the 5,060 machines it is now restricted to using. Those new models will number less than those being used now, ranging between 2,500 and 3,500, depending on their efficiency...Because they are more effective, they will allow Iran to enrich at more than twice the rate it is doing now. As reported by The Algemeiner, Iran announced this month that the country's nuclear experts have already begun testing a new generation of centrifuges, which are reportedly 15 times more powerful than the ones already in its possession. The US State Department has denied the existence of any "secret document or secret deal." 
Russia and China Looking to Develop Military Edge Over U.S. - Tom Olago - http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=513
As if the United States doesn't have enough to worry about, it's becoming increasingly clear that her greatest military competitors - Russia and China - are increasing their relative warfare capabilities fast and gaining the competitive advantage. Worse still is that hostilities against the U.S by these two military giants are also escalating dangerously. Is the U.S in danger of being on the receiving end of a 'double whammy' from Russia and China? Events as of mid July suggest that the possibility isn't far-fetched and could actually trigger World War III, according to pundits. As Mac Slavo for shtfplan.com recently noted, the U.S. is backing up its positions with an ever-increasing presence of warships in the South China Sea. China is very touchy about these territories, and unwilling to give up what they perceive as their waters, even as a UN tribunal just denied their claims and strengthened the U.S. hand. Slavo describes the entire situation as "combustible and very dangerous". The U.S., citing the territorial dispute and security concerns raised by its allies in the region, has for months been sending warships into the South China Sea as a check against Chinese hegemony. Beijing, acutely aware of the military buildup off its coast, has publicly warned the U.S. that it's more than ready to defend against provocations. It seems that the conflict is being deliberately stoked, and tensions are programmed to reach a boiling point. If true, there is no indication of where the point of no return would be. Now, there is not only an escalation but an acknowledgement on both sides of the Pacific that things are headed towards war, and it is being openly discussed in those stark terms. Even influential billionaire George Soros cautioned that the potential danger of WWIII breaking out with China was 'not an exaggeration' and could lead to a military alignment with Russia: "The US government has little to gain and much to lose by treating the relationship with China as a zero-sum game. In other words, it has little bargaining power. It could, of course, obstruct China's progress, but that would be very dangerous. This could lead China to align itself with Russia not only financially but also politically and militarily. In that case, should the external conflict escalate into a military confrontation with an ally of the United States such as Japan, it is not an exaggeration to say that we would be on the threshold of a third world war", Soros forewarned. If war should break out (and some notable experts believe that it's much more a question of when) the U.S. is likely to find out first-hand just how prepared both China and Russia really are. Another analysis from shtfplan.com a month, and attributed to Jeremiah Johnson, bears out this assertion. Johnson cautioned that, along with the mounting tensions between the United States and China in the Pacific, and the United States and Russia in the Atlantic, comes a steady buildup of submarines in both respective theaters of naval combat. The Russians have been accomplishing a great deal in stealth technology, especially with Kilo-class boats converted into stealth subs. Dubbed "the black holes of the Russian Navy," these quiet refitted diesel subs with stealth technology are starting to roll steadily off of the assembly lines. The Chinese are also upgrading their submarine fleet from a technological perspective (the boat) while making improvements in their missile systems. Such actions come on the heels of American positioning in the Pacific. Now the Chinese are ready to unveil submarines in the Pacific that will be armed with nuclear missiles. Meanwhile in the Atlantic, the Russians are by no means being complacent with their submarine fleet. The Commander of the U.S. 6th Fleet recently wrote a paper outlining this increased Russian activity in the Atlantic. An excerpt from that document reportedly characterizes the Vice-Admiral's viewpoint of the Russian submarine activity: "Once again, an effective, skilled, and technologically advanced Russian submarine force is challenging us. Russian submarines are prowling the Atlantic, testing our defenses, confronting our command of the seas, and preparing the complex underwater battlespace to give them an edge in any future conflict. Not only have Russia's actions and capabilities increased in alarming and confrontational ways, its national security policy is aimed at challenging the United States and its NATO allies and partners," Vice Admiral James Foggo III warned. The Russians have also reportedly been developing drone submarines. Johnson concluded that "... The submarines are definitely a force to be reckoned with, and as we hem both China and Russia into corners, we provide them with the impetus to continue the buildup of their submarine fleets and deployment of those fleets into areas where they will be most effective if hostilities break out". Sputniknews.com reported that Russia is also developing a sixth-generation jet designed to fire nuclear warheads from outer space. According to the Russian commander of the Strategic Missile Forces (SMF), Lt. Col. Aleksei Solodovnikov: "The idea is that the bomber will take off from a normal home airfield to patrol Russian airspace. Upon command it will ascend into outer space, strike a target with nuclear warheads and then return to its home base," Solodovnikov told RIA Novosti. He added that the jet will be very capable and will need only one or two hours to reach any place on Earth through outer space. According to futurism.com, the unmanned aircraft will have a supersonic speed of about Mach 4-5 and have its own swarm of drones flying beside it. Although the jet is not expected to be operational for about 4 - 10 years, it does illustrate Russia's seriousness about securing competitive military advantage. The U.S, in parallel, is also working on sixth-generation fighter designs after the introduction of the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter fifth-generation aircraft, the latter of which is still in development. However, there is still a 'clear and present' war danger right now that does not permit us the luxury of waiting for future weapons-in-progress to be released. Michael Snyder for the economiccollapseblog.com warns that although we aren't hearing much about it in the U.S. media, Chinese president Xi Jinping has reportedly ordered the People's Liberation Army "to prepare for combat" with the United States if the Obama administration presses China to abandon the islands that they are currently occupying in the South China Sea. This directive follows an international tribunal ruling in The Hague against China's territorial claims in the South China Sea. The Chinese government announced ahead of time that they do not recognize the jurisdiction of the tribunal, and they have absolutely no intention of abiding by the ruling. Instead, they are becoming even more defiant in its aftermath. Meanwhile, the relationship between the United States and Russia continues to go from bad to worse. The installation of a missile defense system in Romania is just the latest incident that has the Russians absolutely steaming, and during a public appearance on June 17th Russian President Vladimir Putin tried to get western reporters to understand that the world is being pulled toward war: "We know, year by year, what's going to happen, and they know that we know. It's only you that they tell tall tales to, and you buy it, and spread it to the citizens of your countries. You people in turn do not feel a sense of the impending danger, and this is what worries me. How do you not understand that the world is being pulled in an irreversible direction, while they pretend that nothing is going on. I don't know how to get through to you anymore." According to Clifford Cunningham in an article for Infowars.com, Russian President Vladimir Putin made this statement after firing nearly 50 senior officers for refusing to confront NATO ships aggressively. In the words of international affairs analyst Peter Coates, "&the Russian Baltic Fleet in April, however, refused to follow such dangerous orders, hence Putin's retaliation against his own naval officers." The Baltic Fleet, comprised of over 50 warships, including corvettes, destroyers, frigates, landing craft and submarines, is based in Kaliningrad, a Russian enclave situated between NATO members Lithuania and Poland. In response to growing tensions, as well NATO military exercises like BALTOPS 2016 simulating an amphibious assault, Putin has fortified Kaliningrad and stationed advanced nuclear-capable Iskander missiles in the enclave. Although not as well equipped as the Black Sea or Northern Fleets, the Baltic Fleet has taken on greater significance as NATO continues to expand its presence in Poland and the Baltic States, having recently committed to deploy four battalions totaling 3,000 to 4,000 troops into those countries on a rotating basis. Snyder stated that the Russians have been feverishly updating and modernizing their military in preparation for a potential future conflict with the United States. He decried the lack of urgency and preparation on the part of the Obama administration. Could this be the reason that the United States is not mentioned in Bible Prophecy? Will she have been reduced to insignificance--militarily or otherwise--by the time the final pieces of Bible prophecy fall into place? Whatever the case, all indications are that the ingredients for a Third World war are fast coming together, to say nothing of the potential drawing-in of a Middle East conflict that would involve Israel. It is a very volatile global mix. 
Watchman Warning: The War Behind Our Woe - by Hal Lindsey - http://www.hallindsey.com/ww-7-20-2016/
The ongoing assault on police is just one front in the ongoing war between raging chaos and peaceful civility. On another front stands Islamic terror. But a bigger threat comes from "values-terrorists" - people out to undercut the notions of right and wrong that make civilization possible. These are three areas of conflict among thousands in an ongoing war that is bigger and older than most people can imagine. In his book, Mere Christianity, C. S. Lewis wrote, "Enemy-occupied territory - that is what this world is." The enemy he spoke of is neither a nation, human being, nor political persuasion. It is the devil himself. C. S. Lewis, the brilliant Oxford don, believed whole-heartedly in a universe within and without our universe - a set of spiritual dimensions. The Bible describes this spirit realm as a place where entities exist, think, plan, and, in mysterious but real ways, influence human lives. As we go deeper into the last days, we see a growing paradox concerning Satan. A smaller percentage of people in western nations believe in him than at any time in the last thousand years. And yet, his power, chutzpah, rebellious ways, and even his evil are celebrated as heroic throughout popular culture. With fewer and fewer taboos, the craving for forbidden fruit drives humanity lower and lower until finally it begins to praise this abominable embodiment of evil - Satan. The Bible shows him intensifying his activities in the end times. One day, through the Antichrist, Satan will demand the worship he has long craved from every person on earth. Until then, he walks a tightrope - pleased to work stealthily behind the scenes, but more pleased to be praised and celebrated. I don't talk about him because I enjoy the topic. I talk about him because we will never understand the world around us if we don't understand his role in it. And don't kid yourself. His role is huge! Jesus called him, "the ruler of this world." (John 16:11 NASB) With such a "ruler," it's no wonder that just a few verses later Jesus would say to His followers, "In this world you will have trouble." (John 16:33 NIV) The Church was born into a world of trouble. But thankfully, there's more to John 16:33 than the part I quoted above. The entire verse says, "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." We are in the middle of a spiritual combat zone. Battles rage around us. But Jesus tells us to "take heart" because He's already won the war. And when you've already won, the power of the opponent becomes inconsequential. Early Christians squarely faced the raging anger of Rome, the greatest empire in the history of the world... and they thrived! Today, the earth reels from a planet-wide rise in vitriol. The rage that has long boiled beneath the surface seems to be emerging more often and with greater ferocity. And it is global - touching every inhabited part of the globe. As Christians, we must recognize the spiritual component in these events. Every outbreak of human wickedness bears the fingerprints of a monster from the deep - the "god of this world." (2 Corinthians 4:4 KJV) That's why 2 Corinthians 10:3 says, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh." (NKJV) Ephesians 6:11-12 says, "Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." (NASB) I'm not giving anyone a pass here. "The devil made me do it" is never a valid excuse. We all make choices and all choices have consequences. I am saying that while society must hold every person responsible for his or her crimes, we Christians need to be aware of the spiritual component. We must not forget the identity of our real enemy. We face difficult times. Many have fallen into despair. Remarkably, in such times, the work of Christ bears its greatest fruit. But it must be His work. Human strength is useless against the attacks of Satan. We fall into frustration and pain when we rely on our own vigor, intelligence, or goodness. We win by allowing the Lord to give us His strength. Ephesians 6:10 commands that we "be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of His might." (NASB) Think about those words. We have the privilege of receiving "the strength of His might!" Even though "His might" is a power infinitely beyond our ability to imagine, He gives us glimpses at it. Look at the cosmos with its hundreds of billions of galaxies, each containing an average of hundred billion stars, and each star more amazing than we can know. We can't fully grasp "His might," but we see enough to recognize it as a place where we can rest in complete security. The original text of Ephesians 6:10 is even stronger. The command comes in the passive voice. That means we receive the action described by the verb. It is actually saying that we are to be "constantly allowing ourselves to be strengthened by the Lord." He won the war. He does the strengthening. He gets the glory! 
My Review of "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" Over the last 35 years, I have literally read hundreds of books on Bible Prophecy and End Time signs. I especially enjoy books on the Rapture, and I have read almost every Rapture-related book published. In all those years, devouring thousands of pages, and millions of words, I have not read a better book on the Rapture than, Rapture Ready...Or Not? Terry James might be physically blind, but he is spiritually sharp and well discerning beyond most authors. In "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" Terry has nailed the pre-trib Rapture, and removed any doubt what so ever about the Church going through the Tribulation. With great insight and Godly discernment, Terry explains with simple, yet profound words, why and how that he has come to believe the ways he does about the Rapture, the Tribulation, and the End Times scenario. I think after reading "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" you too will believe as Terry does, and be Ready for the Rapture like never before! - Randy Thomas - Publisher / Editor - Prophecy Update For more information and or to get your copy of "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" use this link: http://www.raptureready.com/terry/book35.html 
19.4 Trillion Dollars in Debt - We Have Added 1.1 Trillion Dollars a Year to The National Debt Under Obama - By Michael Snyder - http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/19-4-trillion-dollars-in-debt-we-have-added-1-1-trillion-dollars-a-year-to-the-national-debt-under-obama
In 2006, U.S. Senator Barack Obama's voice thundered across the Senate floor as he boldly declared that "increasing America's debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren." That was one of the truest things that he ever said, but just a couple of years later he won the 2008 election and he turned his back on those principles. As I write this article, the U.S. national debt is sitting at a grand total of $19,402,361,890,929.46. But when Barack Obama first entered the White House, our federal government was only 10.6 trillion dollars in debt. That means that we have added an average of 1.1 trillion dollars a year to the national debt under Obama, and we still have about six more months to go. Even though Barack Obama is on track to be the first president in all of U.S. history to not have a single year when the U.S. economy grew by 3 percent or better, many have still been mystified by the fact that the economy has been relatively stable in recent years. But the explanation is rather simple, actually. Anyone can live like a millionaire if the credit card companies will lend them enough money. You could even do it yourself. Just go out and apply for as many credit cards as possible and then spend money like there is no tomorrow. In no time at all, you will be living the high life. Of course many of you would immediately object that a day of reckoning would come eventually, and you would be right. Just like for those that abuse credit cards, a financial day of reckoning is coming for America too. In the United States today, our standard of living is being massively inflated by taking trillions of dollars of future consumption and moving it into the present. The politicians love to do this because it makes them look good and they can take credit for an "economic recovery", but what we are doing to our children and our grandchildren is beyond criminal. On average, we are stealing more than 100 million dollars from future generations of Americans every single hour of every single day. We are complete and utter pigs, and yet most Americans don't see anything wrong with what we are doing. At this point, our national debt is more than 30 times larger than it was just 40 years ago, and many (including myself) have argued that it is now mathematically impossible for the U.S. government to ever pay off all of this debt. The only thing that we can do now is to keep the party going for as long as possible until the day of reckoning inevitably comes. Under Obama, our national debt will come close to doubling. What that means is that during Obama's eight years we will accumulate almost as much debt as we did under all of the other presidents in U.S. history combined. Right now, the U.S. government is responsible for about a third of all the government debt in the entire world. Fortunately, the financial world continues to lend us gigantic mountains of money at ridiculously low interest rates, but if that were to ever change we would be in an enormous amount of trouble very rapidly. For instance, if the average rate of interest on U.S. government debt simply returns to the long-term average, we would very quickly find ourselves spending more than a trillion dollars a year just in interest on the national debt. And as the Baby Boomers age, our "unfunded liabilities" threaten to absolutely swamp us. By the year 2025, it is being projected that "mandatory" federal spending on "unfunded liabilities" such as Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare plus interest on the national debt will exceed total federal revenue. What that means is that we will spend every penny we bring in before a single dollar is spent on the military, homeland security, paying federal workers, building roads and bridges, etc. In recent years the Federal Reserve has also had a "buy now, pay later" mentality. While Obama has been in the White House, the size of the Fed balance sheet has grown by about two and a half trillion dollars. The goal has been to artificially pump up the economy, but when the Federal Reserve creates money out of thin air it is actually a tax on all of us. The purchasing power of every dollar that we will spend in the future has been diminished thanks to the Fed, but most Americans don't understand this. What most Americans want is for someone to "fix things" in the short-term, and not much consideration is ever given to the long-term damage that is being done. I know that the phrase "trillion dollars" is thrown around a lot these days, and to a lot of people it doesn't have a whole lot of meaning anymore. But the truth is that it is an absolutely enormous amount of money. In fact, if you went out right this moment and started spending one dollar every single second, it would take you more than 31,000 years to spend one trillion dollars. A final example of our "buy now, pay later" mentality can be seen in our ridiculously bloated trade deficit. We consume far more than we produce as a nation, and we buy far more from the rest of the world than they buy from us. As a result, tens of thousands of businesses and millions of good paying jobs have gone overseas, and many of our formerly great manufacturing cities are now vast industrial wastelands. Our economic infrastructure has been gutted at a pace that is staggering, and yet most Americans still don't understand what has been done to them. If you visit your typical "big box" retail store today, where is most of the stuff made? Instinctively, most of you would answer "China", and that is not too far from the truth. We buy far, far more stuff from China then they buy from us. This makes them steadily wealthier, and it makes us steadily poorer. Unfortunately, our trade deficit with China has gotten much, much worse while Barack Obama has been in the White House. At the end of Barack Obama's first year in office, our yearly trade deficit with China was 226 billion dollars. Last year, it was more than 367 billion dollars. Are you starting to see a trend? Our long-term economic and financial problems have greatly accelerated under Barack Obama, but our leaders feverishly work to make things look okay in the short-term and so most Americans don't notice what is happening. Unfortunately, this Ponzi scheme cannot go on forever and a day of reckoning is coming. And when it arrives, the pain that it is going to cause for ordinary Americans is going to be far greater than most of us would dare to imagine. 
Daily Jot: Embracing the enemy - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com
Four years ago (July 20, 2012), Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's aide Huma Abedin and the Muslim Brotherhood were in the news. Now as the Republican convention comes to a close, WorldNetDaily reports that one of Donald Trump's foreign policy advisors, Joseph Schmitz, thinks that bills in Congress to declare the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization are a good idea. Egypt and the United Arab Emirates already have banned the Muslim Brotherhood, and Israel agrees that the MB is a terrorist organization. Notwithstanding, the current "president" and Hillary Clinton both see the Muslim Brotherhood as a foreign policy partner and have staffers in high-level positions who are associated with it. The current "president" and Clinton's record and reputation speak for themselves when it comes to foreign policy and national security. It is recorded in countless news stories that this "president" and his administration is actively in league with the Muslim Brotherhood in helping overthrow Arab countries in the name of "democracy." It has been proven and reported repeatedly that Clinton's top aide Huma Abedin's family is intimately connected to the Muslim Brotherhood. The overall connections of this Administration to the Muslim Brotherhood have led to a Congressional investigation whether there is influence by the terrorist group on US policy. In 2012, Senator John McCain and House Speaker John Boehner along with many other Republicans condemned Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann who wrote letters to intelligence and national security agencies raising questions about the Muslim Brotherhood. The letters, signed by four other Congressmen, accused Abedin's deceased father and brother of being part of the Muslim Brotherhood, and her mother part of the Muslim Sisterhood. The Abedin family ties to the Muslim Brotherhood have been reported in both Arab and Western media. Bachmann was doing her job raising a concern for America's national security. Clinton, Democrats and many Republicans denounced her for it. Either the Muslim Brotherhood is a terrorist organization or it is not. Its plan to destroy America was entered as evidence in the 2008 Holy Land Foundation trial that ended in convictions of those who were laundering money to fund another terrorist group, Hamas. Congressman Darrell Issa (R-Ca) told WND, "...clearly you have an administration who sided with the Muslim Brotherhood, and even when the evidence is that they are a terrorist organization..." Trump recognizes the enemy. Clinton embraces the enemy. Our national security depends on recognizing and dealing with our enemies. As citizens and Christians, we must as Jesus warned in Matthew 24:4, "Take heed that no man deceive you." Four years ago the Muslim Brotherhood was newsworthy as an enemy of America. Clinton supported it. Nothing has changed. 
Daily Devotion: The Difference between Doubt and Unbelief - Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." So he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe." -John 20:25 G. Campbell Morgan said, "If you believe in God, you sometimes wonder why He allows certain things to happen. But keep in mind that there's a difference between doubt and unbelief. . . . Unbelief is an act of the will, while doubt is born out of a troubled mind and a broken heart." I think sometimes we confuse doubt and unbelief. Doubt is a matter of the mind. We don't understand what God is doing or why He is doing it. We like to call Thomas, one of the Twelve, "doubting Thomas" because he didn't believe the other disciples when they told him Christ appeared to them in the Upper Room. He effectively said, "I'll believe it when I see it. If I can put my hand in the wound in His side and touch the wounds in His hands, then I will believe." The next time the disciples met, Thomas was there. And who showed up? The risen Christ. Loosely paraphrased, He said, "Thomas, go for it, buddy. Here I am." But Thomas simply replied, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). In his defense, Thomas didn't ask for any more than the other disciples had experienced. He wasn't willing to believe something just because someone told him it was true. He wanted to know for himself. There is nothing wrong with that. When presented with the evidence, the doubter turns into the believer. That is doubt. Unbelief, on the other hand, is a choice. Unbelief says, "I hear what you are saying, and I choose not to believe it. I reject what you are saying altogether." Unbelief is a matter of the will. It is refusing to believe God's Word and obey what He tells us to do. It is not necessarily bad to have moments of doubt. Sometimes we need to go through the foyer of doubt to get into the sanctuary of certainty. 
FROM THE HEART
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