Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Revisiting the Tower of Babel (part 1) - by: Gary Stearman -
https://prophecywatchers.com/revisiting-the-tower-of-babel/ Many who present themselves as intellectuals are convinced that the ancient narratives of the Bible are nothing more than fictional stories concocted around ancient tribal campfires. One of these is the story of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11, said by some to be simply a mythical explanation of how mankind came to speak different languages. The scoffers say that early men could not possibly have built a tower that would reach to heaven ... their declared intention as given in Scripture. Today, we have skyscrapers much higher than the original Tower of Babel. Furthermore, those on the upper floors of these modern megaliths do not suddenly experience having their common language compromised. Nor do they acquire an ability to commune with angels. On the other hand, we believe the story of the ancient Tower is true, and that the men who built it had access to a type of knowledge that has since been lost. In fact, it seems to have been an arcane knowledge that God would not allow unregenerate man to possess. The purpose of this study is to investigate the Babel debacle in an effort to understand what post-flood society was really doing. God, Himself, took special notice of their wicked work. As an article of faith, we believe that Moses wrote the five books attributed to him. Though some may question his authorship, we are convinced that he gave an accurate account of those key historical events that occurred during the 2,500 years from the creation of Adam to his day. Jesus, speaking to the leaders of Israel, dramatically affirmed that Moses wrote the books attributed to his name: "45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. 46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me" (John 5:45,46). He wrote the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. They systematically delineate God's Creation, man's fall and the line of Messianic redemption that would emerge from the family lineage of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Late in the 15th century B.C., his writings were compiled - probably by the Levites - priestly successors of Aaron. So, about five hundred years before the accession of David and the Kingdom period, these books had been copied into a single scroll, called the "Scroll of Moses." It is important to remember that under the leading of God's Spirit, Moses collated and anthologized a number of histories, going all the way back to the creation of the world, and of Adam. Over the centuries, several Sumerian and Akkadian clay tablets have been found to include striking details of events that were apparently quoted (if inaccurately) from the five books of Moses! Yet, from among these historical records, the Lord anointed Moses to record a true history of mankind. Doubtless, some details were omitted, and others added, as God gave him insight. One thing is certain: the historical documents the Lord gave to Moses are a pure distillation of human history. Moreover, their point of view is specifically that of a world seen through God's eyes. Mankind is critically appraised and found deficient. He is viewed with a brutal frankness that could never have come from a human oligarchy, which always tends to flatter itself. One has only to look through the bulk of the ancient cuneiform writings of Sumer to see humanity in full self-adulation. At the same time, these early post-Flood societies are lost in the deep convolutions of idolatry. LONGING FOR AN "ANCIENT WISDOM" In secular accounts of man's early history, there is always the distinct overtone of loss and separation. That is, early man viewed himself as having been cut off from a source of wisdom and power that he had once obtained from "the gods." In ancient Sumer (the Biblical Shinar, later to be known as Babylon), ancient scribes wrote fantastic accounts of gods who descended in their flying machines and taught men exotic skills and philosophies. Such trysts with the gods led to innumerable idolatries, such as the worship of Ishtar and Tammuz, Baal and Oannes, the talking fish-god who came forth from the great river to teach men the lost arts. He was said to emerge periodically, to speak his wise words to the leaders of mankind. In one way or another, the men of this period were continually trying to reunite with the gods who had formerly been so close to them. Approximately fourteen to twenty centuries later, the Persians, Greeks and Romans launched their own versions of these fantastic histories. Their mythologies are full of stories about how the gods once walked among men, giving them the great knowledge of the gods that had since been lost. These were the so-called "Arcadian Myths." They tell of a time when the gods capriciously appeared to bless or curse humanity. On the whole, however, this period was characterized by great tranquility and perfection, when man wanted for nothing, and was on the verge of achieving godhood, himself. Of course, Genesis 6 gives God's view of this era, when fallen angels corrupted mankind to the point that its destruction was the only alternative. Still, men longed (and still do) for a repetition of this condition. They believe it is their only salvation. In this generation, the flying gods of old have been renamed: They are the "ancient astronauts." Once again, the old myths of the gods who created man are rising in the public consciousness. Homer called one narrative of this ancient culture, "Atlantis," recounting the myth of its destruction by a great flood. And though his account is garbled and mixed with fable, it surely recalls the event known in the Bible as the Great Flood of Noah. Through the period of the Greeks and Romans - and all the way to the present - man has sought through his own efforts to regain this deeply buried pool of lost knowledge. He is, in short, trying to claw his way back up to the position that was lost when Adam sinned and became separated from God. And the condition prevailed after that, when the offspring of Cain became associated in a fast-and-loose illicit relationship with fallen angels. Man still operates with a gnawing sense of loss. Even in the early twenty-first century, the new stratagems of science are considered to be humanity's access to glorification ... to self-redemption. Human genetic research, we are told, is on the verge of being able to create a "superman." Trans-humanism is an increasing subject in scientific dialogue. Quantum physics is said to be near the point of allowing man to penetrate the dimensional barrier that prevents him from scaling the heights to the spirit world, and an empowered life of perfection and awareness. The energies of the human psyche are now probing the barriers of time and space. What was once called "clairvoyance," is now called "remote viewing," a technique employed by our own intelligence community to mentally spy on military and industrial enemies. It is said by some that they are able to peer into the future! With his particle accelerators, proton emission tomography scanners, with gas chromatographs and radiation sensors, man is once again building a virtual "tower" that will reach the heavens. Some speak of the gigantic particle accelerator in Switzerland - CERN - as an effort to open a "portal" into another dimension. In today's new physics, even the mathematical mumblings and meditations of theoreticians sound like the metaphysics of Zen Buddhism. The line between pure science and Eastern religion is being blurred. Higher and higher is his goal; man wants to reach his ancient and arcane treasure house. He deeply desires to break through the barriers that are holding him back. As we shall see, his quest is not new; it is only a repetition of an ancient mystery religion. THE REASON FOR THE FLOOD Moses didn't write simply to record history. There is reason and purpose behind every syllable - indeed, every letter - of his five books. The style is remarkably straightforward. To the seeker of God's wisdom, it progressively opens layer after layer of meaning. Bit by bit, as man is capable of understanding, the books are opened and one discovers that ... voilà! ... they perfectly expound God's plan for man. They do so in a compact manner that humans, writing on their own behalf, never seem to master. For example, the reason for the Great Flood of Noah is given in only four verses: "5 And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. 7 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. 8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD" (Genesis 6:5-8). Without entering into the debate about the deeper theological meaning of "repented," it is clear from this statement that God decided to destroy all but a tiny remnant of humanity. This was radical action, indeed! And there is no need to ask why such an extreme step had to be taken. The "gods" of paganism not only walked among men, but were apparently free to teach their heresies, bestow mystical powers, and allow themselves to be worshipped. "4 There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown" (Genesis 6:4). The "giants" were the Nephilim, or "fallen ones." They were the "angels" of Jude 6, who "... kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation...." Their wickedness was of such extreme depth that they are locked away for a special judgment at the throne of God. They usurped the position reserved for God, alone. Posing as man's creators and sustainers, they encouraged the worship of those whom they had duped. Ultimately, they corrupted the human ancestral lineage of man. Only Noah and his family retained their genetic purity. In the ancient Book of Enoch, these fallen angels are said to have lusted after the beautiful daughters of men. Furthermore, they were well aware that they were sinning and agreed to commit their wicked acts as a group in order to evade possible punishment. They taught the women "charms and enchantments, and the cutting of roots, and made them acquainted with plants." One, named Azazel, "taught men to make swords and knives and shields and breastplates and made known to them the metals of the earth and the art of working them, and bracelets and ornaments and the use of antimony and the beautifying of the eyelids and all kinds of costly stones and all coloring tinctures." Another, named Semjaza, "taught enchantments." Still another, called Baraqijal, "taught astrology." Kokabel taught "the constellations;" Araqiel, "the signs of the earth;" Shamsiel, "the signs of the sun;" and Sariel, "the signs of the moon." Thus, were antediluvian men said to have received the knowledge of the biological and physical sciences, chemistry and the illegal metaphysical arts. No doubt, God had already given Adam and his lineage considerable knowledge. It was wisdom of the kind that would glorify Him. But under the reign of fallen angels, forbidden knowledge entered the picture. Corrupt priesthoods flourished and illicit discernment grew, even as mankind plunged ahead on its suicidal course. Following the Great Flood of Noah, mankind was given a restored covenant. Unfortunately, Noah's offspring were not free from the temptations that had wiped out the men of their former civilization. The ground had hardly dried when the sin of Ham once again introduced a dark side into the picture of human development. As Noah and his sons descended to the Mesopotamian plain, evil crept into their post-Flood society like leavening through a loaf of rising bread. Again they longed for the support of the heavenly benefactors who had revealed arcane wisdom before the worldwide deluge. Having tasted of the power that accompanied the fallen angels, they began to glorify the experience. Remember, Genesis 6:4 refers to the days before the Flood, and says that the same situation also occurred "after that": "There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that ..." (Genesis 6:4). THE WAY UP FROM DOWN Following the Flood, the sons of Shem, Ham and Japheth would logically have busied themselves with restoring normal life. They would have worked to set up enclaves and outposts across the landscape. Working in barren terrain, they literally had to reinvent their societies and cultures. The lineage of Shem eventually populated the Middle East and Far East. The descendants of Ham and his son, Canaan, produced the ancient civilizations between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers ... the general area of the biblical land called Shinar. Later, they were to travel south and westward into Africa. Japheth was the progenitor of the Eurasian and Greco-Roman Gentiles. But before they became established in these far-flung locations, they were apparently drawn together in an instinctive drive for self-preservation. The Bible gives a brief statement about the conditions of this period in two short sentences: "1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there" (Genesis 11:1,2). The fact that these Flood survivors are said to have "journeyed from the east," tells us that they must have first come down from the mountains of Ararat toward the southeast. There, in the region south of the Caspian Sea, they established their initial encampment. This was the region of the ancient Median Kingdom (later to become the land of Medo-Persia), where they congregated to assess their lot. Apparently, after two or three generations, they began to migrate westward to the fertile and pleasant lowlands of Mesopotamia. Perhaps led by a few scouts, they went there to establish themselves. One can only attempt to understand their plight. These three men, sons of Noah, could well remember the unimaginably blissful environment that characterized the pre-Flood world. The weather and growing conditions had once been perfect. Nutrition and atmospheric conditions afforded agricultural success, peace and longevity that were totally absent in this post-Flood world. Now, they coped with a thin atmosphere and fickle weather. Dealing with seasonal changes in a scratch-and-grovel agriculture, these men must have doubted their very survival. They were searching for something better in a broken world. Speaking a unified language, they assessed their situation, then migrated westward to the land of Shinar, which would later be known as the land of Babylon. Here, they consolidated under the leadership of Nimrod: "8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. 10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar" (Genesis 10:8-10). Alexander Hislop, quoting various historical authorities, identifies a certain "Bel," founder of Babylon as none other than Cush. His son, Ninus, known in the text of the Bible as Nimrod, was the first ruler of Babylon. He was said to be a giant of a man, who claimed some connection with the power of giants (Nephilim) who had corrupted mankind before the Flood. His promise was the restoration of the world's former greatness. That which the Lord saw as corruption in Genesis 6, was viewed by Nimrod and his followers as greatness. Nimrod was a rebel who allowed himself to be worshipped as a god. After the Flood, his rebellion became the foundation of mankind's greatest religious apostasy. Down through the generations, this system of false worship became known simply as the "Babylonian Mystery Religion." Its basis is quite clear. It attempts to channel the power of the ancient gods through the figure of one, powerful man. Nimrod became that god, later worshipped as the mythical Tammuz, whose wife, Semiramis, became the Goddess/Mother of humanity. She is the model for all the ancient fertility goddesses - Ishtar, Astarte, Ashtoreth, Artemis, Isis and Diana. With exhaustive scholarship, Hislop documents these goddesses as so-called "tower goddesses." Their ancient effigies wear a distinctive towered headdress, which conjure up the great power of the ancient tower-builders. Under the leadership of Nimrod, the early post-Flood societies were obviously attempting to reunite with the fallen spirit-beings, who were within their recent historical memory. The unbearable punishment of living in a world of chaos, disease, unpredictable weather and destructive earthquakes drove them to seek an accursed liaison with the very spirit-beings who had corrupted their peers in the days before the Flood. "3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar. 4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth" (Genesis 11:3,4). Since Moses recorded this event in the context immediately following the post-Flood genealogies of Shem, Ham and Japheth, it must be one of the major events of human history. From our perspective in the twentieth century, we look back at various ancient cultures and see these "towers" all over the world. Virtually every major culture on Earth involved itself in some form of tower building. Many ancient civilizations from China to the pre-Columbian territories of Central and South America built the monuments that we call pyramids. Silbury Hill in England is a good example. This would seem to make tower-building a common phenomenon. What, then, makes the Tower of Babel so special? There is the common thought that this Tower was merely a monument to pride. That is, it held no real mystical power, but was simply a device to focus the superstitions of the crowd upon a common goal. The Bible, itself, dispels this notion. It provides the Lord's own view of the developing situation. As He observes the activities of the tower builders, we read this profound statement: "5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. 7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech" (Genesis 11:5-7). Certainly, God did not view their activities as simply a work of superstitious delusion. Rather, His statement reveals a concern that they were on the verge of achieving their primary goal - not just to build a tower, but to break through a barrier to the realm of heaven, itself. They were apparently about to realize some success in penetrating the dimensional veil that separates some aspect of heaven from the earth! This "tower" would enable men to realize their darkest imaginings. And what had they imagined to do? Simply to renew their contact with the "sons of God," as their predecessors had done before the Flood. This is the only apparent way to explain the observations of the Lord as He watched their work. The Flood had presented mankind with a crushing defeat. Now they were simply trying to regain their lost wisdom and power. They had been knocked down; now they were trying to get back up. And they were breaking the laws of heaven and Earth to do it. Top Rabbi In Israel: We Must Build The Third Temple - By David Sidman - www.breakingisraelnews.com The former Rabbi of the Old City of Jerusalem and one of the leading rabbis in Israel today said in an interview: "we must do everything in our power to build the Temple". Rabbi Avigdor Nebenzahl is an Israeli rabbi and Posek (a legal scholar who determines the position of Halakha (Jewish law)in cases of law where previous authorities are inconclusive, or in those situations where no clear halakhic precedent exists). He is the head of the Yeshiva (seminary) of Yeshivat Netiv Aryeh, a faculty member at Yeshivat HaKotel, and Rabbi of the Ramban Synagogue. Nebenzahl used to serve as the chief rabbi of the Old City of Jerusalem. Today, the post was taken over by his son, Rabbi Chizkiyahu Nebenzahl. In a recent interview, the Rabbi stated that despite delays by Israel's High Court, explicitly stated that we must do everything in our power to build it and not wait for it to fall from the sky. The rabbi emphasized that there has never been any sort of ruling from Chazal (Jewish sages of the Mishna) that states that the Jewish people should wait for it to fall from the sky contrary to what many ultra-orthodox Jews believe. One piece of evidence Rav Nebenzahl submits comes from Midrash Rabah of Parshat Toldot, saying: "When the Roman Empire gave the Jews permission to build the Temple, they built it. They didn't wait for it to fall from Heaven". The rabbi added that there is a mitzvah (commandment) to build the Temple - even if we can't yet offer sacrifices. He added that questions surrounding the renewal of Temple sacrifices should not get in the way of the Third Temple being built. Regarding Temple sacrifices, the rabbi states: "Indeed, regarding the sacrifices, there are some Halachic doubts and the sages of this generation should determine a plan of action". Friedman says U.S. peace plan will support 'Palestinian autonomy' - https://www.jns.org/friedman-says-u-s-peace-plan-will-support-palestinian-autonomy/ U.S. ambassador to Israel says the Trump administration does not use the term "two-state solution" in crafting its Mideast peace plan, but is not promoting a one-state solution, either. U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman said on Tuesday that the Trump administration supports "Palestinian autonomy," but does not use the phrase "two-state solution" as it works to develop a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. "We believe in Palestinian autonomy," Friedman told CNN's Christiane Amanpour. "We believe in Palestinian self-governance. We believe that the autonomy should be extended up until the point where it interferes with Israeli security." Asked if the as-yet-unveiled American peace plan is based on the two-state concept, Friedman responded "We haven't used that phrase, but it's not because we are trying to drive toward a one-state solution ... The issue we have is agreeing in advance to a state because the word 'state' conjures up with it so many potential issues that we think it does a disservice to us to use that phrase until we can have a complete exposition of all the rights and limitations that would go into Palestinian autonomy." According to Friedman, the Bahrain "Peace to Prosperity" conference in June was intended to "help the Palestinians create some of the institutions necessary for statehood," but warned: "Let's be clear, the last thing the world needs is a failed Palestinian state in between Jordan and Israel." He noted that even former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, who gained notoriety as a strong proponent of making concessions for peace, was unwilling to use the term "Palestinian state," preferring to use words "like autonomy and self-governance." Friedman emphasized that the administration is not pushing for a one-state solution. "I don't think anyone responsible in Israel is pushing for a one-state solution," he said. "I don't think there is a serious political movement in Israel for a one-state solution, and I don't think any of the acts Israel has taken or we've taken over the past two years is driving us to that point." In the interview, Friedman also minimized comments he made in The New York Times in June about the legitimacy of Israeli annexation in parts of Judea and Samaria, saying the Israeli government has not raised the issue with the administration, which renders the matter "hypothetical." Friedman told CNN that "it's good for Israel and good for the Palestinians" that the Israeli Security Cabinet approved construction of 700 Palestinian housing units in Israeli-controlled Area C, saying the U.S. administration has been encouraging Israel to improve conditions for Palestinians in the area. What's In A Name - By Grant Phillips - https://www.raptureready.com/2019/07/30/whats-name-grant-phillips/ There is one name given among men that is either loved or despised. It is the name "Jesus." Those who despise it only allow it to pass their lips as a curse word, while others have died for the One who bears that name. I have noticed that when speaking to another about a spiritual matter, most are not too uncomfortable when using the word "God," but be more specific and mention "Jesus," and they start to squirm, looking for an exit. In speaking of "God" they may be thinking "god," the "god" they have formulated in their own mind. The "god" they control. The "god" they keep in a box that neither offends their senses nor makes demands. These "gods" are nothing more than idols man creates to avoid dealing with the one true God. When Jesus is brought into the discussion it gets really personal. It's decision time. It's time to cut the cord and decide where you stand. Oh yes, this Jesus actually claims to be the only sinless man who has ever lived, and if that were not enough, He actually claims that He is God in the flesh. "I and the Father are one." (John 10:30) Now that gets man's attention, and he doesn't like it, but that isn't all. This One bearing the name "Jesus" even has the audacity of saying that the only way to get to Heaven, to God, is through Him and there is no other way. "Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (John 14:6) So obviously, all who do not believe and follow Him are lost and will accompany Satan, the fallen angels, the Antichrist and the False Prophet in hell. Yes, the world hates the name "Jesus" and the world hates His followers. Keep in mind that if you are loved by the world maybe you are not a follower of Jesus. Don't think so? Listen to these words of Jesus: "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. "If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. "But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me." (John 15:18-21) (Keep in mind that if the world hates you because you are a religious, self-righteous jerk, you're on your own. The world will hate us because we are of Christ. Read these verses very carefully.) We are living in a world that does not want to recognize Jesus as the only path to God. Neither does it want to recognize Him as God. This world is proud and resents being told it is a sinner and needs a Savior. It resents being told it is helpless to save itself. However, there is only one name, Jesus Christ of Nazareth that is truly God. Consider the following very few verses that follow. "but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name." (John 20:31) Jesus is the Messiah. He is the Son of God, and eternal life can only come through Him. "Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38) No man not identified with Jesus can be forgiven their sins and receive God's gift of the Holy Spirit. "let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead-by this name this man stands here before you in good health." (Acts 4:10) Only Jesus has the power to heal. "They took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and then released them." (Acts 5:40) The world is no different today. Many are suffering for speaking the name of Jesus. We may not know that type of suffering in the United States yet, but it is coming. "men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 15:26) As mentioned earlier, those who have Jesus in their heart will die for that precious name. "Then Paul answered, "What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."" (Acts 21:13) Paul was willing and did die for his Savior. Millions more have done the same. "Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God." (1 Corinthians 6:11) Only in Jesus' name are we washed, sanctified and justified. "always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;" (Ephesians 5:20) Everything we have to be thankful for has been made possible because of Jesus. "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." (Colossians 3:17) Are what we speak and what we do done in His name, and do we give thanks in His name? "so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Thessalonians 1:12) Is Jesus glorified in our lives, and do we glorify Him? "Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us." (2 Thessalonians 3:6) Do we support the sins of others (also keeping in mind our own)? "This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us." (1 John 3:23) Do we believe in Jesus? Do we love each other? These are just a very few of many, many Scriptures that speak of Jesus. There are so many more from Genesis through Revelation. The Bible is about Jesus. It tells us how God came down to mankind and took upon Himself man's flesh, and then through that sinless flesh became His Savior (for those who will believe). Is Jesus Christ the Lord of your life or have your knees become so stiff you refuse to bow to Him? Are you so blinded by Satan's lies you refuse to confess His name as Savior and Lord? Man can be very stubborn, but even the demons who followed Satan know Jesus is God. "Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, "You are the Son of God!" But rebuking them, He would not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ." (Luke 4:41) It is too late for them. It isn't too late for you if you will come to Him now. I close with one final verse of Scripture. "For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11) The day is soon coming when the name Jesus will be honored by everyone. Every knee will bow and everyone will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. To some, the Lord Jesus will judge and transfer to their place in the lake of fire, but to those who have believed in Him, He will draw close to Him in Heaven for all eternity. Now is the time to decide whether Jesus will be your judge or your Savior. Grant Phillips Email: [email protected] Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com Rapture Ready: https://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html Daily Jot: The Collective-Dems for president - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com It's really a collective-they are all socialistically inclined. They talk about nothing, but talk around everything. Their ideas are worn out socialism repackaged in headline-oriented media bytes and fragmented Twitter tweets. Merriam-Webster defines socialism as: "any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods; a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done." If you are following the Democratic Presidential debates, you are seeing how this "collective" thinks and acts. These are people who will disregard the horrors of socialist experiments in governments worldwide. They ignore the murders in China and Cuba; they overlook the devastation of Venezuela, where basic needs such as food are no longer available to the public because of socialism; They keep poking at problems, pointing out the terrible things Americans are facing, but offer no real solutions. It's an entire political party based on fear mongering and negativity just to get enough votes to attain power. Their solutions lack common sense, practicality, vision, and inability to implement. The solutions and positions are morally bankrupt. Yet the media positions them as the saviors of earth, itself. Communists lie and deceive; they promise everything to those who have nothing; they cause class and economic warfare, plying unwitting minds with words like equality, peace, open borders, and fairness. When they gain control, they enrich themselves, establish a ruling class and a peasant class, and suck the wealth out of the nation. The wealthy minority become very wealthy, and the middle class and poor keep getting poorer. Communism has no religious freedom as the state replaces God. Communists have infiltrated our government over the years, especially during the previous two administrations. They are destroying our children with gender diversity, the focus on sex, entitlement, misplaced equality, and the downplaying of traditional God-centered values. Sadly, many Christians have also fallen into this hell-trap. Communism/socialism is rooted in the Communist Manifesto, which calls for the abolition of all morals and religion, rendering the state as god. Christians who believe that socialism is in step with the Bible point to Acts 4:32, which says, "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that any of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common." The distinguishing factor, however, is that socialism forces the redistribution of wealth, while as depicted in Acts, Christianity gives it freely. Beware of so-called progressives and moderates in the entire political system. They will tell you anything for you to give them power over you-just what the Collective is doing with every debate. Daily Devotion: Unity or Truth? - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. -Ephesians 4:16 It amazes me what people in the church will get upset about and even divide over. They don't like a certain song or think the worship is too loud-or not loud enough. We've become worship critics and sermon connoisseurs. Meanwhile, we have brothers and sisters in Christ living in other parts of the world who would count it the highest privilege to sing any Christian song and hear any message from God's Word. It's okay to have opinions, but we should never sow disunity. What a horrible witness it is to a lost world when Christians are divided and bickering. And what a powerful witness it is when people see Christians loving one another. There's a great statement attributed to Augustine that says, "In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty; in all things, charity [love]." There are essentials we can't budge on. For example, if you were to say to me, "Greg, I don't really believe the Bible is the Word of God or that Jesus Christ is the only way to God," then we probably won't be hanging out together all that much. We need unity in the essentials, in the basic truths of the Christian life. There is no fudging. But then in nonessentials, there is liberty. Maybe you have a different view on end-times events. You don't think the Rapture could happen at any time; you think it could happen halfway through the Tribulation period. That is a nonessential. I have friends who are pastors, and we don't agree on every little theological point. But they're very good friends of mine because we have a lot in common. Unity is not as important as truth, however. I'm all for unity. But truth is more important than anything else, because if we lose that, we lose everything. 
FROM THE HEART
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