Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
The Only True God - By Pastor Mike Taylor -
https://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2020/07/the-only-true-god-vs-false-god-of-islam.html 21 Produce your cause, saith the Lord; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. 22 Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come. 23 Shew the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together. 24 Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you.." (Isaiah 41:21-24) In these last days of man's attempt to rule this world, God has laid out a challenge to anyone claiming to be a god. Since there is only One God and His Name is Jehovah or YAHWEH, God almighty proclaims in His Word that if there be any other god, then declare the end from the beginning. His challenge is to predict the future. He makes the challenge in verses 21-22 in the opening passage. ""Produce your cause, saith the LORD; bring forth your strong reasons, saith the King of Jacob. Let them bring them forth, and shew us what shall happen: let them shew the former things, what they be, that we may consider them, and know the latter end of them; or declare us things for to come." (Isaiah 41:21-22) Prophecy is only known to God the Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ. The bible is 27% prophecy and every point that has been fulfilled in history was foretold in your bible with 100% accuracy. Our God knows what will happen before the world was formed. Those that still need to be fulfilled, will come to pass as the God that formed this universe and all that is in it, has willed it and foresaw it's outcome. The false religion of Islam and their god, Allah, knows nothing. Those that remain unfulfilled are in complete harmony with current secularist futurist predictions. That is to say, events relied on by secular forecasters to develop long-term geopolitical or environmental trends suggest the same outcomes predicted by Scripture. God has shown us the future and it is in His Word..your bible. A FEW EXAMPLES Man sees unrest and wars that virtually cover our planet in a hop scotch form of unrest and upheaval. The Bible predicted wars and rumors of wars in the last days. The elite in Washington predicts a generational war with Islam and the Arab nations. The bible predicts unusual weather patterns and environmental disasters. Weather forecasters have reported nine of the hottest years on record since 1995 and will continue for the unforeseeable future. Earthquakes have increased 400% in the last 10-20 years and volcanoes long thought to be dormant have once again come alive all over the planet. The Bible has predicted there will be signs in the sun, the moon and the stars. NASA predicts that there will be shift in the 11 year solar cycles that will produce increasing hotter temperatures on the surface of the earth. The bible predicts that the sun will someday scorch men with painful sores: 8 'And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. (Revelation 16:8-9) NASA says changes in the ozone layers and increasing ultraviolet light is responsible for most skin cancers. God Himself issues a challenge to other so-called 'gods' to predict the future. Of course, none of them can, save they come to pass. Only our God, the King of the Universe is omniscient and omniprescent and knows what will happen and when it will happen. God not only knows the future, but the circumstances that will bring it to pass. Our God continues to challenge the false religions of this world. Satan can know some of the details, as he will cause them to happen, but he won't know everything, as he can't predict the future. The best he can do is detail what he has planned in advance to one of his 'prophets'. He doesn't know how those plans will turn out. He had a plan to defeat Jesus by having Him killed by His Chosen People. Had he known the outcome, he would have planned things differently: 7 "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God." (1st Corinthians 2:8) Almighty God issues His challenge, because He knows that there are NO other gods, but the God of heaven and earth. He alone is God and it stands to reason that He is able to accurately predict the future. But man led by Satan is determined to be a "god unto himself"... ISLAM, A FALSE RELIGION WITH A FALSE GOD "Behold, ye are of nothing, and your work of nought: an abomination is he that chooseth you." (Isaiah 41:24) Although Islam does profess a type of prophecy that they say will happen, they take their predictions from what is said in the bible and twist them to the own end. Islamic predictions of a coming messiah type figure riding on a white horse is taken from Revelation 6:3, " And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see. 2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer."(Revelation 6:1-2) They predict this will be the Mahdi, but as Christians we know that the Bible is identifying the coming Anti-Christ that will come with smooth words to conquer by deceit. Islam predicts that this coming "mahdi" will lead a vast conquering Islamic army to conquer the world by the sword. There was no predictions or prophecy of the coming of Mohammed, but the "twelvers" of Shia Islam claim that the Mahdi has remained alive since 860 A.D., but Mohammed is as dead as anybody else. Islam predicts that the returning Mahdi will line up with their version of Jesus (Isa) and subdue the whole earth for Islam. They don't believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but a prophet of God, and not God Himself. In this coming "war" Isa and the Mahdi will kill 1/3 of all mankind and is a hijacking of Revelation's passages that even Satan can read the prophecies of God written by John the Apostle. Their version lines up with the Anti-Christ and the false prophet. Islam proclaims that this Mahdi and Isa will place a mark in the forehead of it's warriors and followers, as the Bible proclaims the Beast will require a mark on the foreheads, or in their right hand. Coincidence? The False prophet will promote the Anti-Christ to the destruction of those who believe the lie. "13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, 14 And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. 15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed. 16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name." (Revelation 13:13-17) THE RISE OF ISLAM Forty plus years ago, you never heard of Islam, as it was assigned to the backward nations of the Middle East and Indonesia. Theirs was a culture and way of life right out of the 6th Century with all it's backward ways. Islam was not a threat to the West or for that matter our Christian way of life. But all that changed starting in 1979 with the overthrow of the Shah of Iran by the Mullahs, led by Grand Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeinin, the leader of the revolution, supported by various leftist and Islamic organizations and Iranian student movements. From that point, with the kidnapping of our American citizens as hostages, that then POTUS Carter was ill equipped to deal with, a declaration of war was declared and waged by the rising Islamic nation led by Iran. It has now been 41 years since that "silent" war erupted and it has been getting louder with each passing year. All over the world, Islam is the fastest growing so called "religion" which is nothing but a political movement of conquest that is 1 billion + and growing stronger with new converts even in the once great Christian nation of the U.S.A. As the home of the brave, land of the free becomes more steeped in apostasy, Islam continues to fill the void left by those who abandoned and forsaken the God of heaven. DID GOD RAISE UP A LEADER OF JUDGMENT? We had a "leader" (and I use that tongue in cheek) who on camera professed his form of "christianity" but behind the scenes praised Islam and promoted its religious ideology whenever he gets a chance. Many believe, as I do, that he is still a closest Muslim, himself and is working behind the scenes to fulfill that mission and bring down the present Trump administration.. Christianity of those who follow Jesus Christ are regarded as a danger to modern society, by hate speech, ridicule and sometimes even prosecution for their once honored beliefs in the One true God that this nation was founded upon and our motto "IN GOD WE TRUST" was held in high esteem. IN the past, I have had little hope of this nation rising out of the apostasy that has engulfed her. On our borders, illegal immigration had become rampant, and possible terrorists, even such as ISIS, may have infiltrated our country and planning attacks, all in the name of "Allah". Many have already taken place, in San Bernadino, Orlando, and even in Oklahoma. More are sure to come...unless? I see the news reports, of attacks that are growing from "migrants" that have come from countries bent on our destruction and this past"idiot in chief" who promoted their repatritation into this country, and a past Democratic candidate that would have increased that amount 500% if we are so unfortunate to have her as our next POTUS. But thank God that He gave us a temporary reprieve from their nefarious plans of Illegal immigration and the growing terrorist risk that confront our country are number one on the minds of most Americans that truly have their head above ground and not stuck in the sand and ignoring what is happening. But since POTUS Trump took office, there has been nothing but attempts to bring down what he wanted to do...PUT AMERICA FIRST. Trump wanted to build a wall on our southern border and I say "build that wall". Rid this country of the scourge that has infiltrated it in the last 10 years and remove the threat to our freedoms and our way of life. He wants to remove illegal immigrants who have come here illegally and break our laws. We should do as the Netherlands has done and remove all Muslims and tear down all Mosques and ban Sharia law that is anathema to our Constitution and our way of life, as this is war on our soil and we should own up to it...... I don't want to get political, but America is at a breaking point. Either she will rise out of these ashes we will supporta leader who has his head on straight and sees the danger, or be lulled to sleep by someone who thinks that there are no problems in this country and wants more of the same of what happened the last 8 years of the Obummer administration...God forbid!! This coming 2020 election is pivotal. We will continue to be a nation of laws, and God will give us a leader who will continue to pull this nation out of her stupor, or, as a nation, we have been judged as wanting, and God's judgment is about to fall on this land we have grown up in from sea to shining sea, and its inevitable implosion into utter chaos. We see chaos already raising her ugly head with Antifa and BLM, the rioting, the looting, and mostly in democratic run cities as they allow this to continue. I know it is in God's hands and His plan for the end of man's rule will come to pass, no matter what we wish. THE COMING ANTI-CHRIST IN the past, I have made an hypothesis that the coming Anti-Christ will be Muslim. If he comes from the Middle East, and called the Assyrian, we have a high probability that this man is indeed Muslim. Of course, there are many problems that Israel will face, should this man be of such a religion...but what does the Bible say about this man? 23 "And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and understanding dark sentences, shall stand up. 24 And his power shall be mighty, but not by his own power: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. 25 And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand." (Daniel 8:23) "But in his estate shall he honour the God of forces: and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honour with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things." (Daniel 11:38) "And through his policy also he shall cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and by peace shall destroy many: he shall also stand up against the Prince of princes; but he shall be broken without hand." (Daniel 8:25) Whether this man proclaims a false Christianity, or believes and follows the war-like ideology of Islam, the bible says he will magnify his own name above all....He will abandon the God of the Bible, or the false god, Allah for himself. ISLAM, THE TERROR OF THE NATIONS Is the Anti-Christ Islamic? Is the supposed coming of the 12th Imam, the Anti-Christ.? Understand that Satan is a powerful deceiver. He relishes deceiving mankind with a parallel false religion that mirrors God's way and His salvation message. Could Islam be that false message, with its false god and its false messiah? Some believe that Islam will be defeated in the battle of Psalm 83 and Ezekiel 38- 39, but it would do well as a watchful Christian to keep an eye on Islam prior to these battles, as Islam is the antithesis of all that is Holy and ordained by our Almighty God, Jehovah or Yahweh...the great I AM, THAT I AM. Paul spoke of this man called the Anti-Christ and his false religion: 9 "Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (II Thessalonians 2:9-12.) IRAN IS AGAIN LEADING IN THE NEWS It has been 41 years since Iran stuck their slimey head above the political landscape and has been almost daily the center of Islamic barbarism. From the time of 9/11 and the World Trade Center, the nation of America has dealt with the ideology of Islam and Iran has become the focal point of all that Islam stands for in their crusade for conquest and world domination. I was horrified to learn that the so called Iran Nuclear Deal, was nothing but a sham by our past POTUS that gave Iran license to pursue their goal of becoming a nuclear power. For the last 30 years, Iran has been secretly planning on conquest and developing a nuclear weapon and that administration gave them the green light, and wrapped the deal in a ribbon with a big red bow. Their not so hidden agenda is to be the hegemony power in the Middle East and plans to destroy Israel is priority #1 on their list. The fulfilling of Ezekiel 38 - 39 are on our doorstep and awaits for its prophetic completion. Those who believe your bible, know that the God of heaven will defend Israel with a vengeance and fury that will be devastating to this coalition led by Iran when they come down to Israel. I believe that Islam will be dealt a major blow when 5/6 of this invading army is defeated by God Himself on the mountains of Israel. But know that Islam will not be totally defeated, in my humble opinion. THE UNVEILING OF THE ANTI-CHRIST I'm a firm believer that what is holding back the total onslaught of Islam and the rise of the Anti-Christ is the U.S.A standing in it's way. That's why this election is so important. Either the unveiling of the Anti-Christ will come shortly in the near future, or be delayed because American becomes stronger by being led by a patriot that loves this country. If Islam is the underlying "religion" of the man of sin, then it is being held in check by One all powerful Force, God's Holy Spirit, which is the essence of His power on earth. 6 "And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (2nd Thessalonians 2:6-10) 4 "And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 5 And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies; and power was given unto him to continue forty and two months. 6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven." 3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God." (2nd Thessalonians 2:3-4) If , and I make that with all sincerity, this nation falls into further apostasy and God's judgment falls on this land, then the unveiling of the Anti-Christ, could be coming sooner than later. But this nation with it's large Christian population could suspend judgment on this nation, (although it will come on the whole world) for a season. I am reminded of II Chronicles: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." (II Chronicles 7:4) God is in control. He sees the end from the beginning. He sees the future of this country and it's rise, or it's fall. He sees the false religion of Islam and will judge her and her leader harshly with fire and brimstone in their ultimate defeat. He will finally judge the nations, the Anti-Christ and his false prophet in the lake of fire. The only thing that stands firmly in Satan's path to complete destruction of this world, are Christians who pray and hold fast to the teachings of the Bible. If this nation does not turn back to God, then God will bring judgment on this nation, but not before removing all restraint that is holding back that judgment: It all comes down to God knows the future...we are watching and praying for His will to be done. When God removes the Restrainer (God's Holy Spirit), God will also remove His people, the Church at that time. It will be sooner, or it will be later. It doesn't bother me who will be elected this time around. I will do my civic duty and vote my conscious, but whoever is elected, it will hasten or slow the removal of God's Church and the revealing of the Anti-Christ. Whether he be Muslim, false Christianity, or finally an atheist in the end, does not matter to those who are born of the blood and the water of Jesus Christ. The blood from being covered by His atonement death on the cross, and the water from being baptized and embracing that we have died to the former lives we had, and we live anew to God in our bodies...Till He Comes. IN THE END, JESUS SHOWS WHO IS THE TRUE GOD The time of the worship of Satan, through the Anti-Chris is short lived...3.5 years after entering the Holy of Holys in Jerusalem's Third Temple and proclaiming himself "a god", The True God comes to put down all rebellion and deal with Satan's man and his false prophet.. 11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. 15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." (Revelation 19:11-15) 19 "And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh." (Revelation 19:19-21) And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season."(Revelation 20:1-3) The wiles of the devil are suspended, but not done, as he is looses for a little season when he deceives many who are born during this 1000 year reign of Christ...How can this be when you have lived your life under the righteous rule of a Living God on earth, and you think you can come against Him?? 7 "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 8 And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog, and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom is as the sand of the sea. 9 And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and the beloved city: and fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them. 10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever."(Revelation 20:7-10) WHERE TO DO YOU STAND? If you have been following the news and see that the world is even a more dangerous place than you can ever remember, what will you do when quite literally "all hell breaks loose" and the end of this age is upon us...not in your head, but for real!!. Will you wake up one day and find millions gone and haven't a clue to what has happened? I tell you what has happened before it happens for real. God has removed His Church and you are shackled with the knowledge that the Tribulation will start soon after God removes His church from this planet, the Bride of Christ at the rapture when Jesus calls out "come up hither". How do I know that when the Holy Spirit is removed, we will be removed at the exact same moment? As Jesus proclaimed that He would send a Comforter and He would be with us to the end of the age. He would never leave us or forsake us....!!! I PROPOSE YOU SOME QUESTIONS. Will you submit to the religion of the Anti-Christ, or Islam, and take whatever that mark is planted on your forehead and in your right hand? What will you do, what will you think, and where will be your faith be? Will it be in men, or in God? Men will fail you, but God never will. Like I said, this election is pivotable for the near future. We will, as a nation, go down in flames, or rise up for a season until Jesus comes and removes His Bride from this earth. God knows the future. He is God and He has given us ample warning of the nearness of the hour of the soon coming of His Son, Jesus Christ. It could be this fall...it's could be next year...it could be before I finish this message. But make no mistake, God knows when that time is up...we can only see the season. Jesus warned us in Matthew 24 what the signs would be. Would you not agree that they are all around us?...the times are shouting at each of us, growing more fervent in their attempt to bring us to repentance and choose His Son while there is still time. "25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; 26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." (Luke 21:28) We have been seeing these signs for a number of years, since the creation of Israel as a nation in 1948. That generation will not pass away till all things be fulfilled..Men have tried to pinpoint the coming of Jesus, but God said that we will know the season, and we will know the length of a generation. It's in your bible...70 years, and 80 by strength. (Psalm 90)We are near the end of that generation. Jesus could come and if you're not ready, will catch you by surprise and flat footed. Don't let that happen. Make Jesus your Savior right now.. "16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." (John 3:16-19) 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:8-13) Jesus is coming soon...Sooner than anyone can imagine, as the signs of the times scream that revelation. The end of the age is upon us. 2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (2nd Corinthians 6:2) To put off accepting Jesus as your personal Savior will open you up for the coming most horrific time in all of the history of mankind, THE TRIBULATION of seven years of death and destruction. This is pastor Mike Taylor, praying you accept Jesus as your Savior today..if you need prayer, counseling, or just a listening ear, email me at [email protected]. . God bless you all, TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET Weary Remnant Watchmen - By Jan Markell -www.olivetreeviews.org The Sons of Issachar were men who understood the times (I Chronicles 12:32). Today, very few people have an interest. The following e-mail represents hundreds that I get: "Jan, I am viewed as crazy just by mentioning how excited I am for the Lord to return and about the times we are in. It makes me nervous to even mention world news and events, or end-time prophecies, with anyone who claims to be a Christian. The reactions I get are so very negative. I haven't found even one person at my church, work, or extended family who would be willing to discuss any of these issues." We are in the most biblically relevant times in history with the least amount of interest in them. We are in a season of exploding "signs of the times" with the most amount of scoffing (all predicted). Everything is now accelerated. Everything is on overdrive-except the interest in all of these things. And as a result, the watchmen are growing weary! Here are some potential reasons for this: * Way too many people are in love with this world. They cling to it and derive tremendous pleasure from it. And b-u-s-y has become the new four letter word * Coupled with this are the preachers who are telling people they can have their best life now. And that is their all-consuming goal. * Reality has become terrifying. Some are saying our life will never return to normal, whatever that was as recently as six months ago. And those voices just might be right. Life may have turned a dark corner in 2020. * Satan is the distractor! He is in a hyper-active mode keeping people from paying attention to how late the hour is. If they aren't watching the times, he can lull them into complacency and keep people from even sharing the gospel. His goal is to keep people majoring in the minors. * Detaching from reality is a coping mechanism. Some can't keep hearing, listening, and watching natural disasters, pandemics, riots and looting, persecution, and suffering. These things crush their spirit. * Many churches and Christians today represent Laodicea. This church was lukewarm and indifferent. It very likely was totally focused on self and self-gratification. If you are consumed with looking within, you cannot pay attention to what is happening on the outside. * Many church pulpits remain silent. If the pastor is not talking about the times, the sheeple feel they need not pay attention to the times! Too many pastors want to avoid anything controversial or cutting-edge. They will not address some of the stunning events taking place daily, even if the events have biblical significance. * God has turned some people over to a mindset that does not allow them to understand the times. He may have given some people you care about over to a reprobate mind (Romans 1). Four of the most terrifying words in the Bible are "God gave them over." * The obsession with social justice has replaced the good news that the King is coming. It has also replaced the Great Commission and the gospel of salvation. Many would rather save the planet than save souls or talk about the Lord's return. * Many Christians know they are not right with God and they avoid reality. If the signs of the times that we watch remind them their time is running out, they choose to tune out. This recent email says a lot: "Jan, I am looked at like I am an alien just because I track with what is happening and relate it to the Bible. A few of you online teachers help me celebrate my alien status. I feel like a lonely gold fish in a bowl. So much of what the Bible predicted is coming true every day! Keep sounding the alarm." So what must Noah have felt like? He preached for 120 years and was totally ignored! And he didn't have Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. He didn't have a microphone or a pulpit. Finally the Ark door closed on a scoffing society. It's going to close again, but this time it will come by way of the Rapture of the Church. And millions will miss it because they didn't listen to the watchmen. But some will, so don't be silent. Let's seize this moment in history. Even the secular world is noticing that we are in unprecedented times. And time is running out. Nearing Midnight: We Are in the Lion's Den - Todd Strandberg - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ "Dilbert" creator Scott Adams recently made an ominous prediction about the 2020 presidential election on Twitter, telling his followers that if Joe Biden is elected to the White House, "there's a good chance you will be dead within the year." "Republicans will be hunted," he wrote in a follow-up tweet, later adding, "Police will stand down." Over the past four years, the left has become totally fixated on the subject of Donald J. Trump. They monitor everything our president says, and they are constantly seeking ways to destroy him. It is very bizarre to reflect back on all the people who have written books that claim to have a new revelation of sins by Trump. The newly released books are always duds. The promise of the real dirt is in the next one. If Joe Biden wins on the 3rd of November, I don't foresee a wave of goodwill sweeping over our nation. First, it will take several hours to convince the senile Biden that he is actually the newly elected president of the United States. Secondly, this giant apparatus of hate will need some new target. They may go after Trump, but that will quickly become a pointless cause. Once Trump leaves office, he has no power. They can find some criminal offense in his past, and force him under the threat of many years in jail to renounce his entire four-year presidency. In their mind, he was wrong the whole time. Forcing Trump to admit that they were right would be a hollow victory. The only way forward for these people is to go after the people who put Trump into office. Several liberal voices have already promised a payback once they regain control of the White House. It certainly feels like we are already in Daniel's lion's den. Many states and cities are controlled by fascist Democrats that openly roar about their hatred for Christians, but strangely, they don't bite. Like with Daniel, God has sent his angels to shut their mouths. "My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight..." (Daniel 6:22). The Board of Health for the city of Chicago has declared churches to be "public nuisances" because of COVID-19. In one meeting, "summary abatement," which is legalese for the destruction of the facility without any judicial process or further notice, was proposed as a logical step. If those crazy Christians want to meet and spread disease, rule of law in the state allows them to simply bulldoze the building. I am very alarmed by the rapid rise in anti-Semitic talk from the left. The same people who complain about America being racist against them have a growing blind spot when it comes to hatred against Jews. DeSean William Jackson is a wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles football team, and I don't understand why he still has a job. Jackson recently shared a quote attributed to Adolf Hitler saying that the Jews will "extort America" in their "plan for world domination." "Hitler said, 'Because the white Jews know that the Negroes are the real Children of Israel; and to keep America's secret, the Jews will blackmail America,'" the quote reads. It comes from a fringe book titled The Hidden Treasure That Lies in Plain Sight, written by Jeremy Shorter, a self-described member of the Black Hebrew Israelites. Jackson initially defended his post, saying, "Anyone who feels I have hate towards the Jewish community took my post the wrong way." He then reposted the quote, highlighting the portion in which Jews are accused of seeking "world domination." Jackson has also praised radical anti-Semite Louis Farrakhan, who has compared Jews to "termites" and called Hitler a "great man." There is no middle ground in dealing with people on the left. Since they have a monopoly on truth, there is no reason for debate. We are expected to bow down to their pagan god. Here is a refresher of liberals' crazy beliefs that show their absolute conflict with reality: Speech equals violence, but silence equals violence as well. Some lives matter more than other lives, despite our common shared humanity. The highest form of "patriotism" is not simply "dissent" anymore, it's overt treason. Defunding the police is the best path towards a civil society. The United States was built on a foundation of slavery, and is therefore illegitimate. Men can be women, and women can be men, at will. A "national conversation" means everyone agreeing 100% with the Leftist agenda. Some people think that all is well as long as the Dow Jones stays at high levels. The United States is still the richest, the most powerful, the most advanced country in the world, but it is sitting on a foundation of sand. The true measure of a nation is its dedication to freedom and Biblical values. My blood just boils when I see this mob of idiots destroying our nation. To prevent myself from suffering from a stroke or a heart attack, I've decided to turn everything over to God. All these smug reporters, corrupt politicians, and brainless protestors are going to get their comeuppance from the Lord Almighty Himself. God is a very stern Judge, but He acts with pure righteousness. "At the command of the king, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the den of lions-they and their children and wives. And before they had reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones" (Daniel 6:24). "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom..." (Proverbs 9:10). It Is Well With My Soul - Nathele Graham - [email protected] There's a lot happening in the world today. Even the most stouthearted person can be overcome by fear when watching the news. "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God." Psalm 43:5. Christians need to remember that no matter what happens in the world around us, our Hope is with Jesus. The first Christians faced deadly persecution because of their faith, but they wouldn't allow government oppression to stifle the truth of the Gospel. Many Christians were martyred, but wouldn't allow fear to stand in their way of spreading God's truth. Aside from fear, there's always been grief that can shatter our faith. Even though we know that our Christian friends and family have gone to be with Jesus, there's still emptiness and sorrow when a loved one dies. Horatio Spafford was one who felt terrible grief and sorrow over many events in his life. Mr. Spafford had been successful in business, but lost a great deal of money in 1871 because of the great Chicago fire. The death of his young son brought much sorrow, and he and his wife decided to take their four daughters on a vacation to England. His wife and daughters sailed first and he would follow on another ship after taking care of some business. The ship his family was on sank and his four daughters drowned. His wife survived and I can only imagine her grief. When he heard the news, he sailed right away to join his wife. Because Mr. Spafford was a Christian, he found comfort in Christ. As the ship he was on passed over the spot where his daughters drowned, words of comfort came to him from the Holy Spirit. From those tragic events came a song that can bring comfort in our troubled times. Horatio Spafford wrote the words and Philip Bliss wrote the music to "It Is Well With My Soul". In the trying times in which we live, we can find truth and comfort in the words. When peace like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul. Who among us has never felt sorrow? My first brush with the loss of a loved one came when I was six years old. My 14-year old brother was killed in an automobile accident. I woke up one morning and was overjoyed to see that my grandmother was there. My joy soon turned to sorrow as she took me on her lap and explained that my brother had died. My grandmother, a lovely Christian woman who found strength through Christ, was able to help me that day and taught me a lesson that has strengthened me through many loses. She told me about Jesus and about Heaven. My brother was with God and one day we would be together again. No matter what we face in life, we can always trust Jesus to see us through. Whether we're in a time of great joy and have peace like a river, or if tragedy and sorrow weigh us down with grief, if our faith is in Jesus we can say "It is well with my soul". Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blest assurance control, That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul. Satan is our enemy, not people. He will take every opportunity to use fear and sorrow to make us question whether or not Jesus really cares. Don't let that evil creature twist God's words or confuse your mind. Jesus cares more than we can imagine. He willingly died on the cross and shed His own blood in order to save us from damnation. That's perfect love. He never said that accepting His sacrifice for salvation would make life easy. In fact, He said we would have troubles. "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." John 16:33. Jesus had just told His disciples that He would soon be crucified and that they would face persecution and hardship. He comforted them with the knowledge that He wouldn't leave them without help in their time of trials. "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; it is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." John 16:7. The Comforter is the Holy Spirit. When we accept Christ's sacrifice, the Holy Spirit is sealed within us. Our true Home is in Heaven, but while we live in this fallen world filled with sorrow and fear, the Holy Spirit will guide and comfort us. The uncertainty of tomorrow can make today very worrisome. Fear and sorrow can cause us to forget that God is with us. Satan uses that to destroy our confidence in Jesus. We need to let the blessed assurance of our faith in Jesus control our thoughts. My sin - oh, the bliss of this glorious thought - My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more, Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul! Let that sink in. Every sin that you or I will ever commit was upon Jesus as He hung on the cross. Jesus paid the full price for our redemption. That's a debt that only He could pay. He is God. Only His blood, untainted by the curse that Adam's sin infected all of creation with, could be the perfect sacrifice to take sin away. Jesus was fully God and fully human. His mother, Mary, was nothing more than a human. Because of that, Jesus was a fellow human and qualified to be our Kinsman. He had no human father; He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Because God was His Father, His blood wasn't tainted by Adam's sin. This qualified Him to be our Kinsman Redeemer. He shed His blood for you and for me and was the final sacrifice to take our sin away. The Law of Moses was a shadow of the sacrifice of Jesus. "But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." Hebrews 10:3-4. Jesus fulfilled the Law and the Prophets and redeemed us through His sacrifice. Faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ takes our sin away. "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Hebrews 10:10. When a person finally understands that sin separates him or her from God, and accepts the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for salvation, what joy! Praise the Lord for His love! Praise the Lord I'm forgiven! Praise the Lord, O my soul! For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live: If Jordan above me shall roll, No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul. Most people fear death because they're uncertain what will happen when they take their final breath in this life. A non-believer has much to fear. By rejecting Christ they choose eternal damnation. For a Christian, death in this life only means we've stepped into eternity with Jesus. There should be no fear. "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Philippians 1:21. God is with us always. When a loved one dies, we feel deep grief, but if that person has accepted Christ while in this life, we should find comfort in knowing they are in the presence of their Redeemer. But, Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait, The sky, not the grave, is our goal; Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord! Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul! Not everyone will see death. "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:51-52. What a blessed hope that is! Whether we die before the Rapture or are called Home before we see death, our blessed hope is in Jesus. At that time, we'll no longer face temptation to sin, we'll have no fear of what's happening in the world, and there'll be no more aches, pains, or sorrow that trouble our mortal bodies. "Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (for we walk by faith, not by sight:) we are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." 2 Corinthians 5:6-8. What a day that will be! And Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll; The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend, Even so, it is well with my soul. Those of us who study prophecy are very excited. Prophetic events are rapidly being fulfilled and it won't be long until Jesus calls us Home. Soon our faith will be sight! If you think prophecy doesn't matter, or that it's too confusing to understand, then you need to think again. "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Timothy 3:16-17. The study of prophecy can relieve many fears. A few short years ago there were many prophecies we couldn't understand how they would come about. Now it's becoming clearer every day. There's talk of a one world religion, one world government, one world currency, and the technology for the Mark of the Beast is in place. The prototype of it will be in the form of the vaccine that Bill Gates is concocting for the Corona virus. No, that shot isn't the Mark described in Revelation chapter 14, but it will evolve into it. They want to implant a microchip in everyone to make sure they've taken the vaccine. End time events are quickly coming into focus, but it is well with my soul because I know that before any of the seals are opened and before the four horsemen ride to begin Daniel's 70th week, Christians will be raptured. Praise the Lord for that blessed hope and the promise that we will not be on earth for God's wrath. If you're filled with fear about the riots, the hatred, the threats of war, and all other headlines that fill news reports, stop and ask yourself where your hope lies. Is that fear because you allow Satan to rule in your life? Stop fearing and start trusting Jesus. Jesus is the Christian's hope. If you haven't given your life to Him you have a lot to fear. If you die without giving your life to Jesus then the troubles of this life will seem mild. Eternal damnation by your own choice is what awaits you after death. Only accepting Jesus Christ as your Saviour will allow you to spend eternity with Him. By trusting Him you'll also find that wonderful peace that passes all understanding while living in this world. "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:7. It's a choice you have to make, and if you die before making the choice you won't get a second chance. It is well with my soul It is well, it is well with my soul. Find His peace today. Only then can you say "It is well with my soul". God bless you all, Nathele Graham [email protected] www.straitandnarrowministry.com [email protected] Ron and Nathele Graham's previous commentaries archived at http://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html All original scripture is "theopneustos" God breathed. If you'd like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries just drop me an email and let me know. Daily Jot: Persecution on the rise in America - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com The Cato Institute, a public policy think tank "dedicated to the principles of individual liberty, limited government, free markets, and peace" has released polling results indicating that nearly two-thirds of Americans censor themselves from expressing their political opinions because others might find them offensive. The poll shows that 77% of Republicans, 59% of Independents, and 52% of Democrats resist sharing their beliefs. However, Cato says, "Strong liberals stand out, however, as the only political group who feel they can express themselves. Nearly 6 in 10 (58%) of staunch liberals feel they can say what they believe." Worse yet, people want to prevent the employment of those who don't agree with them. Cato reports, "The survey found that many Americans think a person's private political donations should impact their employment. Nearly a quarter (22%) of Americans would support firing a business executive who personally donates to Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden's campaign. Even more, 31% support firing a business executive who donates to Donald Trump's reelection campaign. Support rises among political subgroups. Support increases to 50% of strong liberals who support firing executives who personally donate to Trump. And more than a third (36%) of strong conservatives support firing an executive for donating to Biden's presidential campaign." This trend is even more pronounced among American youth. Cato finds: "Young Americans are also more likely than older Americans to support punishing people at work for personal donations to Trump. Forty four percent (44%) of Americans under 30 support firing executives if they donate to Trump. This share declines to 22% among those over 55 years old a 20 point difference. An age gap also exists for Biden donors, but is less pronounced. Twenty seven percent (27%) of Americans under 30 support firing executives who donate to Biden compared to 20% of those over 55 a 7 point difference." We can see the growing trend of political intolerance and ideological bigotry taking place before our very eyes. This is crazy that those living in a free country with guarantees of freedom of speech and of religion should be gagged for fear of losing their source of income, their ability to sustain themselves and their families, over political beliefs, which often translate to their religious beliefs. Yet, one can see that the most radical elements enthusiastically embrace this tyranny. Ephesians 6 tells us in verses 19 and 20, "And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly as I ought to speak." The times are fast approaching when we may well be persecuted for speaking boldly. Are you prepared? Daily Devotion: Hold on Tight! - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. -Jude 1:21 I don't keep myself saved, but I keep myself safe. God saves me. That's established. But I keep myself safe, which means that I keep myself in the love of God. Though God's love is unsought, undeserved, and unconditional, it's possible for me to be out of sync with His love. Jude wrote, "Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life" (1:21 NKJV). He was basically saying, "Keep yourself away from those things that are unlike Him. Keep yourself from any influence that violates His love or brings sorrow to God's heart. And keep yourself in a place where God can actively show His love to you." In John 17 Jesus prayed to the Father, "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one" (verse 15 NKJV). In this context "the world" refers to a mentality. It's talking about a culture, a way of thinking, and the world system under the control of Satan. That's why the Bible calls the devil "the god of this world" (see 2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT). There is God's part and our part. If you were on a diet, for example, you wouldn't hang around donut stores, would you? Just as donuts aren't good for diets, there are things that feed sin. That's what Jesus meant when He taught us to pray, "And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one" (Matthew 6:13 NLT). Basically, that's saying, "Lord, help me not to put myself in a place where I could fall into sin." So, God will keep you, but if you're yanking your hand out of His hand, that's a problem. God is holding on to you. But the question is this: Are you holding on to Him? 
FROM THE HEART
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