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Prophecy Update Newsletter
August 4, 2016
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Rapture Deniers - What Catching Away of the Church? - By Pastor Mike Taylor - http://www.churchofgod-usa.org/1/post/2016/08/rapture-deniers.html
"19, Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead. 20, Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee: hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. 21, For, behold, the LORD cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain." (Isaiah 26:19-21) "The righteous perisheth, and no man layeth it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come." (Isaiah 57:1) "And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. Likewise as it was also in the days of Lot: They ate, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they built; but on the day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven and destroyed them all. Even so will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed." (Luke 17:26-30) "In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:2-3) There are may who have doubts about the above subject when speaking of the "catching away of the Church" the Body of Christ. Although not a salvation issue, they fail to understand biblical prophecy or refuse to look at it and have the Holy Spirit teach them, by revealing what Paul called a "mystery". Why did Paul call it a "mystery"?...It was a well know subject about the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ throughout the Old Testament prophets that spoke of the "Day of the Lord" coming in great wrath to deal with a rebellious God rejecting earth and it's nation dwellers, but the lesson that Paul preached was not revealed until Jesus our Lord revealed it to Him in a revelation when Paul was taught personally by Jesus Christ. What are Paul's well known words? "Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52, 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. 53, For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54, So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory." (1st Corinthians 15:51-54) Without knowing Jewish life and customs, one would make the mistake of linking the 7th trumpet blown by the angel in Revelation and think this is the trumpet Paul speaks of. One would fail to realize that Paul is making a reference in several passages to a well-known "Feast of Trumpets" where trumpets are blown in succession until a "Last Trumpet" is blown and gives one reason to believe that the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ will be on a future Feast of Trumpets fulfilling that first festival in the autumn, just as the Feasts of the Lord has been fulfilled in the spring, on the very day of their observance. But you can speak of verses that point to a "catching away" of the body of Christ, and folks will not believe it, and even get angry and belligerent over something that would be glorious for any Bible believing Christian. Why would not everybody embrace a teaching, searching if it be true and be elated and joyful in discovering that it is all over the Bible. I even have members in my own family when given the truth of the Bible will not believe. Why does something so wonderful and mind boggling to the spiritual heart bring such feelings and displays of anger from "rapture deniers"? I would only pray that they would take the evidence presented, lay it beside their bible and do what any good Berean would do and search the scriptures to see if these things be true. FEW REASONS WHY THERE ARE DENIERS: #1.THE CHURCH NEVER TAUGHT SUCH A DOCTRINE This is their first argument and then point to a Scottish girl's dream/vision, of Margaret McDonald, and taken up by one John Darby into a "new" doctrine referring to the "rapture of the church". They argue that it is a new doctrine that came into being and taught as truth by a deceived young girl, and a preacher of heresy. But are they right? Was the concept of the "Harpazo" interpreted as the catching away of the Church, a new doctrine, or was it a resurrected doctrine that had it's roots even far back as the 1st Century of the Church? By doing a simple Google search, you can find the writings of early Church Fathers that support a belief, even from the time of St. John the Apostle of the concept of a Pre-Tribulation removal of the church from God's coming wrath upon this earth. I won't go into great detail here, for lack of space and time, but the evidence is free for the seeker of the truth about something our Lord Jesus, Paul the Apostle, John the Beloved taught and passed down to their disciples from the 1st century and even into the 3rd century under increasing Roman persecution and finally Roman Catholicism's attempt to eradicate the belief...you can read their writings online and a brief explanation of their teachings here: http://beginningandend.com/what-did-ancient-church-fathers-believe-about-the-rapture/ Understand, that their teachings and writings are not to be equal with Divine Truth as the Bible is, but it shows their understanding and discernment of what the Bible taught. It is my firm belief that the doctrine of the Pre-Tribulation rapture was squashed and hidden away for almost 500 years because of the "Dark Ages" of the Roman Catholic Church and it's rule as it interfered with their lust for power upon the earth. So the doctrine was re-introduced by the likes of John Darby and many evangelicals down through the last 200 years speak of a doctrine that has it's roots even in early Christianity and it's Church Fathers, as it is not a new doctrine at all. #2THE BIBLE DOESN'T SPEAK OF A RAPTURE EVENT Oh, but it does.....just not in a verse that you can point to for definitive proof. No, the Bible has it sprinkled all over the OT and the New Testament and the wise reader of the Bible mines it like gold and silver searching for the truth as precious metals or diamonds. What does the Bible say we must do and what must we discern from it's pages? ""Whom shall He teach knowledge? And whom shall He make to understand doctrine? Those who are weaned from the milk and drawn from the breasts, 10, For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, there a little; 11, For with stammering lips and foreign tongue He will speak to this people." (Isaiah 28:9-11) All one has to do is take a cup of coffee, sit down in a comfortable chair and read where God has given us the puzzle picture of what His plan is for mankind. I want you to go and read verse after verse of Bible passages that speak of a time when God's people will be removed from this earth...go here: http://waitingforjesus.com/raptureverses.html If I were to quote every scripture that points to a "mystery" that Paul spoke of in his epistles and spread out all over the Bible, I'd be doing part 1-4 on this subject. I've investigated, preached, and believed in everything I have written concerning the "Catching away" of God's Church and have asked God many times to correct me, if I speak anything but the Truth of His Word. I never have wanted to speak falsely about prophecy and have sought the Lord many times for His correction if I be in error. Only thing that has happened down through the years is God has NOT corrected me, He has re-enforced it in my spirit by His Holy Spirit and confirmation in His Holy Word that what I preach, is TRUTH and lines up with God's Word. #3.THE BIBLE SPEAKS OF ANGELS GATHERING HIS ELECT Another reason for unbelief of my brethren is a passage found in the Gospel of Mark. It speaks of a time when Jesus said, He will come and send His angels to gather "His elect" from the four winds of the earth. This is at the end of the Tribulation. "And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven." (Mark 13:27) But notice that Jesus goes right into an explanation of the Parable of the fig tree...who are the subjects our Lord is speaking to and about in this passage? The answer is Israel. In the Old Testament, God calls the Hebrew nation of Israel His elect, His chosen people. When Jesus came and died on a cross, the beginning of the Church Age began when Jesus sent God's Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost and the Church members were called "saints". To be born again makes you a child of God and a saint by adoption into His Family. But notice in Revelation that the word "Saint" is not used, not one time after chapter 6 and never again until chapter 19. Those who are saved in the Tribulation will be gathered together who have died as martyrs for Christ and they are "the Elect" who the angels gather. They will be in the majority of Jewish birth and an Israelite. There will be many Gentiles that will believe based on the 144, 000 Jewish evangelist and their preaching God's Word and many will be saved and they too, will be regarded as the "elect" at the coming of our Lord to set up His Kingdom. Now I can hear those who are scoffers, saying that the "church" is also the "elect". And that would be true, but there is a distinction between those saved in the Church Age, and those who are saved in the Tribulation. Those saved in the Age of Grace will be Kings and Priest to God and our Lord Jesus Christ for His 1000 year reign on earth as King of kings, and Lord of lords. Those who are saved in the Tribulation will be servants in the New Temple of God, but not Kings: "9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne,and to the Lamb." 11 All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!" 13 Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes-who are they, and where did they come from?" 14 I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. 15 Therefore,"they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence." (Revelation 7:9-15) Notice the difference? They are servants of God in His Temple, much like the Levitical priesthood. They have palm fronds in their hands, (I believe a symbol of the nation of Israel) and they came out of the Great Tribulation as martyrs and died for their faith, because they did not accept it by faith not seeing, but accepted when the evidence was plainly in front of their faith and seeing it firsthand. They do not receive the same rewards as the Church Age saints and its blessings. #4, JESUS DOES NOT COME BACK TILL THE 7TH TRUMPET OF GOD I find this so sad, that a large portion of the denominations in this world, have followed the teachings of the Catholic Church, that there is no removal of the church, and that everyone, saved or unsaved will be subject to the horror of the Tribulation, and it's even more horrific Great Tribulation. As briefly mentioned above, many in modern day Christian churches link what Paul said in 1st Corinthians about the "last trump" and automatically start looking for another "last trump" and logic tells them that the 7th trump that the angel blows to release the bowl judgments is the same trumpet that Paul speaks of. Notice the difference between the two events. The one Paul speaks of brings incredible and unspeakable joy to those who are looking for the return of their Lord God, Jesus Christ. The 7th trumpet of Revelation brings unspeakable and horrifying death and destruction on all who have denied Jesus Christ and have taken the "mark of the beast". Notice also, that the "saints" are not mentioned again until chapter 19 of the final book of the Bible. "6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. 7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. (my emphasis) 9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God." (Revelation 19:6-9) Notice verse 8 that "fine linen" is a symbol of the saints of God, the Church of the Living God. Thus we are ushered into a time of unspeakable glory and honor because of our faith and trusting in the blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ. But that is not the end of the story... "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. (Revelation 19:11-14) We, as His people, His Kings and Priest have been at a "marriage supper of the Lamb" to be joined spiritually with her betrothed, Jesus our King of kings. To be adopted as "children of God". "16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." (Romans 8:16-17) And one of the most symbolic, but definitive example of the Church being in heaven with our Lord God, is the 24 elders spoken of in Revelation 4. "4 And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold." (Revelation 4:4) I've seen some labored reasoning of who these elders are...obviously, they are human, not angelic, as no angel has ever received a crowns of gold and a throne to sit upon. Notice the attributes of these who sit around the throne of God? They are the number 24, a multiplication of the number 12 which is a sign of government. They are representative the saints of God in the Old and the New Testament. They are clothed in white raiment, a sign of righteousness. They are seated, so they are at rest from their labor and are seated upon thrones. They have crowns and have been rewarded for their service to God by our Lord Jesus Christ, at the Bema Judgment seat for this service. It can be no mistake to give these 24 elders the designation of the Church saints who have overcome the world and are seated around God's throne. And from this time, until chapter 19, you will see no mention of saints or church. Also note that there is an invitation from the Bride and the Bridegroom at the end of this powerful book of prophecy: "17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." (Revelation 22:17) Who is the bride and her Bridegroom calling to? I believe they are calling to those who were not ready for the return of Jesus in the Age of Grace. They are calling to all who have not given their heart and life to Jesus. They are both together and giving a call to join them. Obviously, in my mind, there is still time to join them in human time. That would give the belief that the Bride has gone on before those she and her Bridegroom are calling to. AS WAS IN THE DAYS OF NOAH Jesus made a point to compare our time with the days of Noah and of Lot. Jesus said things would be going on as normal, eating, drinking, giving in marriage...you know, living your life without worrying about the judgment of God coming upon you...that is until, as it was in Noah's day and in Lot's time, when Noah was in the ark, and Lot was removed from Sodom, judgment fell that very day. The world was destroyed by water and fire and brimstone fell upon Sodom and Gomorrah. To each that were caught up in this judgment, they had no idea that their destruction was at hand. In our time, the world continues on like there is nothing to worry about. They're not looking for Jesus to come. They are too busy being what Paul described would be this world that we live in: "2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." (2nd Timothy 3:2-7) If this warning by Jesus concerning our day would be like the days of Noah and of Lot, would it be a usual day at the end of the Tribulation? Would Jesus coming be as a thief in the night, unaware of the population who wallow in sin and degradation? The coming of Jesus for His Church will be a complete surprise. Nobody but believers will be watching and living for God expectantly of the coming of their Lord Jesus. "But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. 2, For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. 3, For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. 4, But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. 5, Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness." 1Thessalonians 5:1-5) Just as it was in the days of Noah, so shall those who are in darkness say "peace and safety" and then sudden destruction. Will it be without warning? Yes, without warning. But what of the coming of the Jesus to set up His kingdom..? Will it be a day, just like any other day? Will they be going about their usual daily routine, or will it be death and destruction, signs in the heavens, environmental disasters, and the death of nearly ¾ of all living human beings and other living things? How could it be any happiness in a world like that? The world will just be trying to survive, until Jesus comes and destroys all rebellion on this earth and wipes it clean of it's sin. The explanation of what Jesus said can only be applied to his first coming in total surprise, like a thief who breaks into your house. You weren't expecting him either, until your belongings are missing and your back door caved in. "9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. 11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do." (1st Thessalonians 5:9-11) "13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:13-14) Those who read and digest what I have written here, and read and compare scriptures that I've posted on other websites, if taken prayerfully and asking God for His Holy Spirit to reveal to them the truth, then I believe you will become a Pre-tribulation rapture believer as well. But you must put away your bias and your pre-conceived notions that you were taught even from an early age in your own denomination. But in the end, why does it matter? What it does do for those who are diligently looking for Jesus, is to get their life and actions before God, right in His eyes. They are not speaking "false Christianity" but putting their faith and their very lives into the hands of their Savior, Jesus Christ. Those who are just playing around, thinking they are saved for every reason known to organized religion except in the One and the only One who can save their souls and deliver them from the wrath to come. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosover believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." (John 3:16-17) Reader, don't put it off another day. Jesus Christ return for His church is imminent...meaning at any given moment without warning. If you don't believe in your heart the above verse found in John and repent of your sins, and follow Jesus Christ as Lord of your life, then you will experience the fear that will grip you, when you realize what I've written is true....if you scoff, and don't believe, can you take that chance? Believe on Jesus today. "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) This is Pastor Mike Taylor, praying for your salvation before the wrath of God falls upon this earth. If you need counseling, prayer, or just a listening ear, email me at [email protected], or visit me online at www.churchofgod-usa.org, God bless you all, TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET. 
A Nuclear-Armed Caliphate? - William Kilpatrick - http://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/263722/nuclear-armed-caliphate-william-kilpatrick
Erdogan is one giant step closer to doing what he has always wanted to do. Much has been made of the Islamic State's claim to the caliphate. But the Islamic State is fast losing ground in Syria and Iraq, and without a territorial claim, its claim to the caliphate is a shaky one. According to some sources, ISIS has already been preparing its followers for the fall of the caliphate. Meanwhile, an Islamist power with a much better claim to the caliphate has been gathering strength. Whether the failed coup in Turkey was the real thing or whether it was staged, as some have claimed, President Erdogan's hold over the Turkish nation has been immeasurably strengthened. As a result, he is now one giant step closer to doing what, some say, he has always wanted to do-namely, to re-establish the caliphate. The last time the Muslim world had a caliphate, it was centered in Constantinople. The Turkish sultan (who was also the caliph) was the head of the Ottoman Empire-an empire that controlled far more territory than ISIS does or is ever likely to. Then in 1923, following the disarray left by the First World War, a secular government under the leadership of Kemal Ataturk came to power in Turkey and abolished the caliphate soon after. To many in the Muslim world, this was a world-changing catastrophe. It flew in the face of Muhammad's intention that mosque and state should be united, and it undermined the case for Islamic law. Moreover, the overthrow of the caliphate affected not just Turkey, but all of the Muslim world. In the late 1920s in Egypt, Hasan al-Banna founded the Muslim Brotherhood with the intention of reversing what Ataturk had done. The Brotherhood came close to doing this-at least in Egypt-in 2012 with the election of Mohamed Morsi as president. But Morsi showed his hand too early and was soon deposed by the military under General El-Sisi. In Turkey, also, it was the military that acted as the guardian of the secular state. And so it remained until the election of President Recep Erdogan in 2002. Even then, Erdogan moved slowly in his efforts to re-Islamize Turkey. He gradually removed top military officers and replaced them with his own men; and he did the same with the police, the judiciary, and other key institutions. By 2012, some twenty percent of the country's generals were estimated to be behind bars. Then, with this month's failed coup, Erdogan moved quickly to arrest some 3,000 members of the military and 3,000 members of the judiciary. In addition, his regime sacked 9,000 workers attached to the Interior Ministry. Within a week of the attempted coup, some 50,000 soldiers, police, judges, civil servants, and teachers had been suspended or arrested. Erdogan's power is now nearly absolute-not unlike the absolute power of a sultan. According to some, this has been his goal all along. One indication is that Erdogan has built himself a thousand-room presidential palace that is attended by guards dressed in Ottoman-era uniforms. If Erdogan does try to establish a caliphate, where does that leave ISIS? Would they go quietly into the dark night of oblivion? Or would they find a place in the new caliphate? As you may have noticed, alliances in the Middle East are constantly shifting. It's not inconceivable that ISIS would someday pledge allegiance to a neo-Ottoman caliphate-although such an event might have to be preceded by the demise of their current caliph, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The truth is, Erdogan has been something of a friend and benefactor of ISIS. As Caroline Glick observed in the Jerusalem Post: Erdogan has turned a blind eye to al-Qaida. And he has permitted ISIS to use Turkey as its logistical base, economic headquarters, and recruitment center. Earlier this year, the State Department claimed that all of the 25,000 foreign recruits to ISIS have entered Syria through Turkey. Turkey is also the gateway between Syria and Europe. It is through Turkey that the bulk of Muslim migrants flow into Europe. This gives Erdogan enormous leverage over the future of Europe-a continent which is already reeling from a flood of migrants and refugees. How is the leverage applied? In March, the European Union reached a deal with Turkey that would in essence turn Turkey into a buffer zone against further immigration. Here's how Foreign Affairs summarized the bargain: Turkey has agreed to act as a giant refugee holding center, keeping the millions of migrants fleeing conflict in the Middle East from reaching Europe and accepting those sent back from Greece. In exchange, the EU will pay Turkey three billion euros on top of the three billion pledged last November to help care for the refugees. It will also speed up the approval of visa-free travel to Europe for Turkish citizens and revive stalled negotiations over Turkey's accession to the EU. So Turkey will keep the Syrian migrants out of Europe as long as Turkish citizens are allowed almost unlimited access to Europe through visa-free travel. The net result is that the Islamization of Europe will continue. And, of course, there's nothing to stop Turkey from opening up the refugee floodgate whenever it sees fit. Turkey's control of Mid-East migration gives it the upper hand in its dealings with Europe. The other part of the bargain is the revival of negotiations to admit Turkey to the EU. If Turkey is ever successful in that endeavor, it would spell game-over for Europe. If Erdogan wants to re-establish the caliphate, and if he is so keen on union with Europe, it is likely that he envisions Europe as part of the future caliphate. This is something that the Ottoman sultans dreamed of, but were never able to accomplish. But Erdogan might be able to pull it off. There is now a very large contingent of Turks in Germany who seem to bear more allegiance to him than to Germany. And all over Europe there exists a fifth column of active and potential Islamists ready to be activated. As for the other four columns, it's worth keeping in mind that Turkey has the second largest army in NATO (the U.S. has the largest). And with many of the generals who coordinated with NATO now in jail, Turkey's loyalty to NATO is very much in question. There is one other factor to consider. During and after the coup attempt, Erdogan shut down Incirlik Air Base, which is home to 1,500 American soldiers as well as other NATO troops. The Turkish government cut off the base's electricity supply, temporarily suspended flights, and arrested the base commander, General Ercan Van. The base reportedly houses 50 nuclear warheads. The bombs are controlled by the U.S. forces in Turkey, but could they by means sudden or gradual fall under the control of Turkey? And if they did, would the U.S. dare to do anything about it? By many accounts, Erdogan is a true believer who, in his own way, is every bit as fanatical as the ayatollahs in Iran. The man who built a thousand-room palace for himself might well believe that a restored caliphate should possess all the weapons that befit a great world power. With Erdogan's latest consolidation of power, an already dangerous world just became a lot more dangerous. 
Demographics and Demise: The Future of Nations - http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=546
Sometimes likened to holding back the tide with your arms, the massive shifts in demographics now occurring are, in some ways, a greater existential threat to modernity and Western civilization than any other. These shifts take several forms, which will be examined here, but at all levels there are forces on a global scale that undermine not only the stability but the very existence of economies, cultures and entire civilizations. In some countries, the threat comes from an aging population without sufficient numbers of children to provide support. In other areas, it is instead an unmitigated flood of foreign immigration that is pushing out the native cultures with incompatible languages, customs, beliefs and values. World War I, World War II and the Spanish influenza of 1918 were events of unprecedented destruction, both material and human, claiming in total more than 100 million lives, not to mention the purges in the USSR and China that followed. Yet even these massive die-offs, in which some 46% of the male German population fell in World War II for example, were able, only briefly, to slow the population growth of the past century and civilizations were left intact. The current changes taking place represent a level of threat that goes much farther, as it could replace European civilizations with Islamic culture while sounding the death knell for others, such as Japan. It is a truly existential threat. Japan is an insular island nation with a serious population problem: the elderly outnumber the young. Recently, and for the first time, sales of adult diapers outsold those for babies, an indicator of the unbalance in the population. Since the 1990s the country has been slowly shrinking with a birthrate of 1.4 per woman, well below the replacement rate of 2.1 needed to maintain a stable population. Without immigration, which would dilute the purity of Japanese society, and without increased fertility, Japan faces, in the short term, an economic crisis and, in the long term, a slow decline into oblivion. Though it may seem incredible, humanoid robots are now being seriously considered in Japan to augment the workforce and care for the elderly, though the technology is not yet developed enough to go mainstream. In the European Union, 2014 numbers reflect a fertility rate of 1.58 children per woman. Given that the replacement rate is 2.1 children, a positive growth rate is simply not possible with native born Europeans. However, the number of immigrants arriving in Europe in 2015 alone is estimated to be just over one million. When you take the aging, native-born European population, along with a low fertility rate, and contrast that with largely destitute, poorly educated, immigrants who bring radically different cultural norms, and who are unwilling to assimilate, the result is that of civilization replacement. Controlled immigration can be good and, for families desperate to escape their collapsing countries and ethnic cleansing, it is certainly a blessing. When immigration is gradual, newly arrived immigrants can assimilate and slowly adopt the culture, language, religion and social norms of the host country. A 2015 Pew Study predicted the Muslim population of Europe to reach 10% by 2050, but it is already estimated to be at that level in 8 EU countries. The Muslim population is between 5 and 10% in France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Netherlands, Austria, Belgium and Bulgaria. Once they have immigrated, Muslim immigrant families have more children on average and the gap only widens. The problem is assimilation. In French, the word banlieue is the equivalent of the English suburb. In the country of France, these have become isolated and crime-filled ghettos populated by Muslims dotting the country, which are a hotbed for anti-French sentiment, crime and terrorism. On January 1st his year, Muslims celebrated the new year in France by burning over 800 cars, in addition to the 940 they had torched during the year. European youth are abandoning Christianity in record numbers just as new mosques are being built. Saudi Arabia maintains strict control of its immigration, but in a show of solidarity with Europe it offered to help alleviate the European Muslim immigration crisis. And how do they define help? To fund the building of 200 new mosques across Europe to replace churches. It is the slow construction of "Eurabia", as some have coined the new nation. It is part of what is being called 'civilization jihad'. A stunning contradiction to everything happening in Europe is found in Israel and demonstrates the power of demographics to change the political reality on the ground, dramatically, in a short period of time. For years the argument of the left has been that if Israel doesn't change its ways it would be 'bred out' of its land as Arab and Palestinian fertility rates were much higher than the Jewish population. Over the past two decades that has changed dramatically and the Jewish fertility rate is now 3.11 children. Palestinian fertility rates have fallen to 3.7 in the West Bank from 5.6 in 1997, and to 4.5 from 6.9 children in the Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian statistics bureau. It is estimated that in the next 5-10 years it could be even, thus eliminating what has been called Israel's demographic time bomb and, in the process, one of the arguments for giving the Palestinians their own state. "There will be no demographic time bomb," according to Israel's defense minister Avigdor Lieberman. "Birthrates in the Arab and Jewish sectors will continue converging, while we also hope that a considerable part of Jews from Western Europe, and also from North America, will come here." Jewish immigration last year, from countries such as France and Ukraine, was at the highest level since 2003. Israel's baby boom represents a puzzling exception to the world's demographic trends. Usually, as countries become wealthier and as women become more integrated into the workforce, fertility rates plummet. But in Israel, even as per capita income soared above the European Union's average over the past decade, families began having more children. This gave the country, by far, the highest fertility rate among the world's advanced economies. Israeli Jews nowadays have more children, on average, than Egyptians, Iranians or Lebanese. "This is the uniqueness of Israel that you will not find in any other society in the world. It's a fact of life--we are different," said Arnon Soffer, a professor at Haifa University and one of the country's leading demographers. In the United States, the great shift is the decline in the White Protestant demographic. Once again, the answer as to why the most powerful political and cultural group in American history is now fading is: demographics. Immigration and a loss of religious faith are mostly to blame. Although still the largest single racial and religious group, White Christians (including all denominations) now comprise only 47% of the United States population. As in Europe, change is on the horizon. Though the Muslim population is rising in North America, it is not yet the crisis that Europe is witnessing. Instead, it is the slow erosion of power and influence of Christianity and the values it represents, ceding to the nonreligious and dozens of other faiths in a loss of identity through demographics. In the case of Europe, this great demographic shift is in the process of doing what two world wars, an economic collapse and a global pandemic (Spanish flu) could not: erase European culture from the map. Like the frog tossed into a slowly boiling pot, only very recently have the alarm bells begun to sound, though immigration shows no signs of slowing nor have birthrates changed. Ultranationalist politicians may rise up to combat what amounts to an existential threat to Western civilization. Walls will go up and xenophobia will increase. In Europe, we are certain to see continued social unrest as countries struggle with large, impoverished populations hostile to European culture. Liberal globalists will push back with cries of racism and privilege and the clash of civilizations will tilt further towards the brink as the Islam colonizes the modern world. So what can be done? European nations have taken many steps to encourage births and Japan is developing robots to augment its workforce. But unless Europeans, Christians and Jews stand up for their culture, stand up for their languages, stand up for God and stand up for their values, these will all fade away in an inexorable rising tide of demographic change. The dream of a global Islamic Caliphate might just be a matter of time as Europe comes to an end--not with a bang, but a whimper. 
Terror strikes London 11 years after July bombings - http://www.debka.com/article/25584/Terror-strikes-London-11-years-after-July-bombings
A woman in her 60s was knifed to death Wednesday night, July 3, in a rampage in London's Russell Square by a 19-year old man, who injured another six people before police brought him down with a Taser electric shock gun. The site near London University and the British Museum, not far from Oxford Street, was close to the scenes of the July 7 attacks eleven years ago, when Islamist bombers murdered 52 people and injured more than 700 on the London underground rail and a bus. "Early indications suggest that mental health is a significant factor in this case and that is one major line of inquiry," London Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley told reporters. "But of course... terrorism as a motivation remains but one line of inquiry for us to explore," said Rowley, who is Britain's most senior anti-terrorism officer. That it is a major line of inquiry was demonstrated by police action Thursday morning to cordon off Russell Square and much of London's West End. The killer, described by witnesses as wearing a motorbike helmet and attacking people at random, struck less than 24 hours after the Metropolitan London police announcement of an extra 600 armed marksmen for the streets of London against a terror threat. They attack may well be read as a warning that such precautions would be of no avail in preventing a jihadist attack on the British capital. While holding back the killer's identity, British anti-terror squads are no doubt searching his residence and other locations connected to his family and friends. Tuesday night, shortly before the attack, debkafile carried this report. Armed police prepare to deploy from Hyde Park, central London, after Scotland Yard announced Wednesday, Aug. 3 that the biggest police force in Britain is to put its first 600 additional armed officers on public patrols on the main streets and landmarks of London, as part of its anti-terrorism plans. Metropolitan Police chief Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said that, following the terror attacks in Europe, more marksmen were trained and operationally ready for public patrol up to a total of 1,500 firearms officers. Although British cops are proud of traditionally not carrying firearms, the Met chief said "I think people understand that where you are going to have people as enemies who've got guns, we've got to have guns." Already, he added, "They pass through airports where we have armed officers, they pass through railway stations where they see firearms, and in some of our big iconic locations, we've already got armed patrols - if you look at Parliament, Downing Street - so it's not entirely new." debkafile's exclusive counterterrorism sources can name the men behind the upsurge of Islamic terror violence in West Europe last month: the Nice attack on July 14, which left 84 dead; the suicide bombing in Ansbach in Bavaria, Germany, on July 24, which left 15 people injured, and the murder of a French priest at a suburban church in Normandy on July 26. They are two Frenchmen: Amn al-Kharji (ISIS codename: Abu Sulayman al-Faransi), who is head of the Islamic State's secretive external operations wing and, under his command, Fabien Clain (ISIS codename: Salim Benghalem), a convert to Islam who heads European terror operations. It was Benghalem who picked the targets of the Paris raids last November 2015, which left 132 people dead and hundreds wounded, and the Nice truck bombing, which murdered 84 victims on July 14, Bastille Day. This week, he orchestrated the first known jihadist attack on a Christian place of prayer in Europe after instigating the first ISIS attacks in Germany. Up until recently, Western intelligence services used ISIS as the generic term for any jihadist attacks in a European city, be it Brussels, Istanbul, Nice, Munich, Wurzburg or Ansbach. But no high-profile ISIS executives were ever named, for fear of impairing their efforts to plant agents or informers inside the murderous organization's operational ranks in Europe and the Middle East. These efforts have so far got nowhere. These two top maser-terrorists have been agile enough to stay a step or two ahead of Western counterterrorism agencies. The weeks and months ahead are therefore likely to see more terror outrages at unknown locations, executed with assorted weaponry by unforeseen methods. Europe is therefore on high terror alert, braced for more jihadist attacks. And the streets of London will see armed cops on patrol. 
Major Volcanoes Along the Ring of Fire Are Going Off Like Firecrackers - By Michael Snyder - http://endoftheamericandream.com/archives/major-volcanoes-along-the-ring-of-fire-are-going-off-like-firecrackers
So far this week, we have seen the most dangerous volcano in Mexico erupt, and three major volcanoes in Indonesia all erupted within the space of just 72 hours. Mexico and Indonesia are both considered to be part of "the Ring of Fire", and all along the perimeter of the Pacific Ocean volcanoes are starting to go off like firecrackers right now. According to Volcano Discovery, 25 volcanoes in areas that are considered to be within the Ring of Fire have erupted recently. Our planet appears to have entered a time of increased seismic activity, and those the follow my work regularly know that this is a theme that I revisit repeatedly. Sadly, most Americans are not paying too much attention to this increase in seismic activity, but the truth is that it has very serious implications for the west coast of the United States. It didn't make a big splash in the mainstream media in the United States, but this week Mt. Popocatepetl erupted and coated homes and vehicles in Mexico City with a thick layer of volcanic dust. And now some scientists are becoming concerned that this recent activity may be building up to "a major disastrous eruption"... Residents of Mexico City woke this morning to find ash coating cars and buildings after the Popocatepetl volcano belched out another toxic cloud. The volcano is considered one of the world's most dangerous due to its proximity to the city with more than nine million inhabitants. Around 25 million people live within 62 miles of the crater of the 5,426-metre magma mount, who could also be affected. There are fears the peak is building towards a major disastrous eruption after activity increased over the past few years, although, it has been periodically erupting since 1994. There is a very good reason why Mt. Popocatepetl is considered to be the most dangerous volcano in Mexico. If there ever is "a major disastrous eruption", millions upon millions of people will be directly affected and it will bring Mexico's economy to a screeching halt. The following comes from one of my previous articles... Popocatepetl is an Aztec word that can be translated as "smoking mountain", and more than 25 million people live within range of this extraordinarily dangerous mountain. Experts tell us that during the time of the Aztecs, entire cities were completely buried in super-heated mud from this volcano. In fact, the super-heated mud was so deep that it buried entire pyramids. In the event of a full-blown eruption, Mexico City's 18 million residents probably wouldn't be buried in super-heated mud, but it would still be absolutely devastating for Mexico's largest city. Meanwhile, the nation of Indonesia has been rocked by three significant volcanic eruptions in just a three day period... Giant clouds of ash engulfed the skies as Mount Sinabung became the third volcano to erupt in Indonesia, in the space of just three days. Mount Rinjani on Lombok island near Bali erupted on Monday, with the Sinabung volcano on Sumatra island and Mount Gamalama in the Moluccas chain of islands following suit late yesterday. There are approximately 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia, but this is still very unusual even for them. But of even greater concern for Indonesia (and for the rest of the planet) is the magnitude 5.8 earthquake that shook Mount Tambora on July 31st. Back in 1815, an eruption at Mount Tambora was the largest that has ever been recorded, and there are concerns that this recent very large earthquake may be a sign that another mega-eruption is on the way. If you are not familiar with the 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora, it was truly a historic event. More than 70,000 people died from the immediate blast, and the climate of the entire planet was cooled substantially for years afterwards. The following description of that eruption comes from Wikipedia... After a large magma chamber inside the mountain filled over the course of several decades, volcanic activity reached a historic climax in the eruption of 10 April 1815.[5] This eruption had a volcanic explosivity index (VEI) of 7, the only unambiguously confirmed VEI-7 eruption since the Lake Taupo eruption in about AD 180.[6] (The 946 eruption of Paektu Mountain might also have been VEI-7.) With an estimated ejecta volume of 160 km3 (38 cu mi), Tambora's 1815 outburst is the largest volcanic eruption in recorded history. The explosion was heard on Sumatra, more than 2,000 km (1,200 mi) away. Heavy volcanic ash falls were observed as far away as Borneo, Sulawesi, Java, and the Maluku Islands. The following year became known as "the year without a summer" because the global climate cooled down so dramatically. There were crop failures all across the northern hemisphere, and as a result the world experienced the worst famine of the 19th century. Someday, there will be another eruption of that magnitude at Mount Tambora or elsewhere along the Ring of Fire, and the world will experience another horrifying famine. It is just a matter of time. And let us not forget that the entire west coast of the United States also sits along the Ring of Fire. In my novel and in my new book I warn about the coming eruption of Mt. Rainier. But that is certainly not the only volcano on the west coast that we need to be concerned about. In recent months there has also been increased seismic activity at Mt. Hood and at Mt. St. Helens. We have been very fortunate not to have had any major volcanic eruptions in the continental United States since the eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1980, but scientists assure us that we are well overdue for the next one. In addition, the Yellowstone supervolcano may not be considered to be directly along the Ring of Fire, but it has also been exhibiting very strange behavior this year as well. When it finally erupts, all of our lives are going to change in a single moment. So there are definitely some big reasons why we should be concerned about all of these volcanoes that are currently erupting around the world. It may not be tomorrow, but eventually Americans are going to see firsthand how a major volcanic eruption can permanently alter their lives. 
My Review of "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" Over the last 35 years, I have literally read hundreds of books on Bible Prophecy and End Time signs. I especially enjoy books on the Rapture, and I have read almost every Rapture-related book published. In all those years, devouring thousands of pages, and millions of words, I have not read a better book on the Rapture than, Rapture Ready...Or Not? Terry James might be physically blind, but he is spiritually sharp and well discerning beyond most authors. In "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" Terry has nailed the pre-trib Rapture, and removed any doubt what so ever about the Church going through the Tribulation. With great insight and Godly discernment, Terry explains with simple, yet profound words, why and how that he has come to believe the ways he does about the Rapture, the Tribulation, and the End Times scenario. I think after reading "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" you too will believe as Terry does, and be Ready for the Rapture like never before! - Randy Thomas - Publisher / Editor - Prophecy Update For more information and or to get your copy of "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" use this link: http://www.raptureready.com/terry/book35.html 
Don't Lose Fellowship - Nathele Graham - [email protected]
One of the most controversial subjects in the Christian world is the question of salvation. Some people believe that you've been forgiven of all sins right up until you ask Jesus to be your Saviour, but from that time on it's up to you to stay "saved". This unscriptural way of thinking can lead to much anxiety. Everyone sins whether we've accepted Christ or not, so how bad do you have to sin in order to lose your salvation? "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23. The next question is, if you've sinned and lost your salvation, how good do you have to be in order to regain it? Human standards of perfection are far different from God's and if it was up to us individually to stay saved we would fail miserably. By His grace we are saved, and continue in salvation even when we fail in our Christian walk. "Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" Romans 3:24. Don't take what He has done for you for granted. God's word is quite clear about the fact that we cannot lose salvation once we have truly accepted Jesus as our Saviour. Jesus said "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." John 10:27-30. There is no place as secure as being held in the hand of God the Father and God the Son. Not only that, but once you sincerely accepted Christ for salvation the Holy Spirit is sealed within you. There is nothing you or anyone else can do to take that salvation from you. Fellowship is another matter. It is possible to be saved, but out of fellowship. That's when inner turmoil happens, which spawns anger and unhappiness. In the above passage of Scripture, notice that Jesus said His sheep hear His voice and "... they follow me". Accepting Christ's sacrifice on the cross will bring forgiveness of past, present, and future sin, but that doesn't give anyone a license to continue sinning. We are saved by the grace of God, but that grace is not to be taken lightly. "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" Romans 6:1-2. Grace may be freely given to Christians, but it came at a great cost for God. Never look at that free gift of salvation as something you deserve or treat it as if it's no big deal. Jesus was fully God and fully human. He was human in order to be our Kinsman Redeemer, but His blood was pure. His sacrifice takes all our sin away if you truly believe. Even though He faced the same temptations we face, He didn't sin. Yet, He became sin for us "For he that made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." 2 Corinthians 5:21. He sacrificed more than we can ever understand when He allowed Himself to be crucified. The sin that you and I are so used to as being a part of our daily life was not a part of Jesus until He hung on the cross as our once for all sacrifice. That's when He felt the separation from God the Father. "...My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me" Matthew 27:46b. He chose the cross and that time of separation from His Father so that humans can be redeemed through His blood. Oh, Lord Jesus, thank You. Brothers and sisters, don't take your salvation for granted. Hear His voice and follow Him. Turn from the sin in your life and honor what He did for you. In order to follow Him you need to make a choice, and that choice can sometimes be difficult. When you choose to follow Jesus you will never regret turning away from worldly ways. "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine." John 10:14. He is our Good Shepherd and will only lead His flock along a safe path. If you wander away you will find trouble. For most of us, we have to make that choice daily. We all make mistakes in our thinking and quite often in our behavior. This is an ongoing battle of the will. "I will follow Christ in my choice of friends, words, and actions" or "I will allow Satan to pick my friends, words, and actions". If you choose to turn your back on Jesus in order to be accepted by worldly friends, then you need to ask yourself just how much you care about what He did for you. Many people teach that in order to accept Christ you need to repent of every sin you have ever committed. A new Christian probably has no idea what every sin is, so naming them all is really impossible. Even older Christians don't seem to be aware of sin. Repent means to change your mind, not become perfect. A new Christian may understand that murder is a sin, but probably doesn't think about anger as being just as bad as murder. In his second letter to Timothy, Paul reminded him that from childhood he had been taught Scriptures. Timothy had received a solid foundation, but what he built on that foundation depended on how he treated God's word. "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. That also applies to women of God and is as still true today. If you see a brother or sister living opposed to God, don't say "If you were a Christian you wouldn't be doing that". Instead say "Since you're a Christian, let's look at God's word and see where you've gone wrong". Always look to Scripture for "reproof". Sin isn't a pleasant revelation, but it's important in restoring fellowship with God. It's easy to make excuses for our sin, but no sin is condoned by God. He wants fellowship with us so He has given us our Bible in order that we will know Him and stay in fellowship. An accusation that people who love their sin like to throw out is "You're judging me". Here's a hypothetical situation. You and I are at the park and a young mother is sitting on a blanket watching her toddler play. The child runs off and the mother runs after him leaving her purse on the blanket. You jump up, grab her wallet, and take her money. Am I judging you if I tell you to that it's a sin to steal? I would be as guilty as you if I just let the situation pass. Now, what if you lived a lifestyle of sin. Maybe you habitually lie, commit adultery, embrace homosexuality, or any other sin. Am I judging if I bring your sin to your attention? Jesus said to use good sense in judging. "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." John 7:24. Use Scripture to know how to make a righteous judgment. Christians need to help each other stay in fellowship with Christ and restore broken fellowship. If it wasn't proper to correct Christians in behavior, we would have very few letters in the New Testament. These letters provide guidance and confront sin that was sneaking into the various congregations. The congregation in Corinth was filled with sinful ways that needed correction. Was Paul judging when he brought out the sin of the man who was having a fling with his father's wife? "It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife." 1 Corinthians 5:1. Not only was this abomination taking place, but the congregation was proud of it. How many similar abominable acts are accepted within congregations today? Judging according to God's word is important to our fellowship with God. "For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed," 1 Corinthians 5:3. Many people in Corinth didn't like Paul, but he wasn't trying to win a popularity contest. He was concerned for the people in that congregation. They were allowing sin to destroy their witness and mock Christ. He showed love by telling them to put that man out of the congregation until he repented. Other New Testament letters were written to admonish the recipients, and us, to hold fast to Biblical truth. Some of the letters deal with Gnosticism, some with angel worship and encourage spiritual warfare, and some admonish against Christians trying to go back under the Law of Moses. You see, sin and false doctrine have a way of slowly sneaking into a person's life or a congregation///i. If a little sin is accepted it will grow until it overpowers all else and ruins our fellowship with Christ. Brothers and sisters, you cannot love someone and allow them to live opposed to Christ. All things need to be done and said in love and in strict adherence to Scripture. You also need to be sure that you recognize the sin in your own life and ask for forgiveness. Christ died to bring salvation to a lost and sin-filled world. He loved you enough to leave Heaven, step into His creation, and shed His blood for you. If you have accepted His free gift then show your love and appreciation by studying His word and applying it to your life. If you're out of fellowship with Him, then it's time right now to rid your life of whatever sin is coming between you and full fellowship with the One you claim to have placed your faith in. Repent. Change your mind about sin and go to Him for forgiveness. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9. He wants fellowship with you to be restored. Once you've placed your faith in Jesus your salvation is secure. We are saved by our faith and not our works, but if it's easy for you to embrace worldly ways, the ways of Satan, then there could be a problem. Ask yourself if you've truly turned to Jesus in faith for salvation. Be honest. If you have, then you're out of fellowship and that is a bad place to be. The world and the sin you love so much have nothing to offer but unhappiness. Rewards are promised to Christians who work for the Lord in this life, and when standing at the Bema seat you will want a crown. You may think holding onto your sin is pleasurable here and now, but it's in no way worth spending eternity thinking "What if....". Death can come when you least expect it. No matter how young or old it could come today. The next time you get into a car you could easily have a fatal accident or you might just go to bed one night and your heart could stop. "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." James 4:14. Tomorrow may be too late for you to change your mind about the sin that grips you. Death could be closer than you think. The Rapture could happen at any time. Don't be foolish. Be sure of your salvation and don't lose fellowship. God bless you all, Nathele Graham [email protected] www.straitandnarrowministry.com [email protected] Ron 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 
Daily Jot: Political and prophetic truth and Democrats and Islam - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com
It has been revealed that the US "president" paid Iran a $400 million ransom for the return of four American prisoners. So he negotiated with the world's foremost Islamic terrorist state and paid them for setting free Americans who were wrongly imprisoned. Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton told a reporter from an NBC News affiliate, "Actually, this is kind of old news." Yes, kind of like "What difference does it make?" Then there is the firestorm over an Islamic lawyer whose US soldier son was killed in Iraq. Khizr Khan, a featured speaker at the Democratic Convention, says "our" Constitution requires us to continue the nonstop importation of Muslims. Americans need to see the pattern here. In the Democratic Party, it's all about Islam. But Americans, in general, are not getting it. Islam is at war with America. The Democratic Party is embracing Islam. There is no question. The "president" opens the borders to hundreds of thousands of Muslims with no way to tell which ones are terrorists. Hillary Clinton wants to quadruple that number. The "president" pays Iran for hostages and to build out its nuclear program after ten years. Hillary Clinton says its old news. On the biggest Democratic platform, Khizr Khan says "our" Constitution requires Muslim immigration and when he is called out on this fallacy, the media writes that because he lost a son in Iraq, nobody can challenge his assertion. Investigative reporter Wayne Madsen sees the trend. Writing for Infowars, Madsen reports: "And here we run the circle back to Khan's favorite candidate, Hillary Clinton. Clinton's close aide and reported lesbian lover, Huma Abedin, has close links to radical Wahhabist Islam through her mother, the Pakistani-born Saleha Mahmood Abedin. Saleha Abedin resides in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and teaches sociology at Dar Al-Hekma College in Jeddah." And yes, we all know the Muslim Brotherhood ties to Abedin, and to Clinton's running mate, Tim Kaine. So why all things Muslim with the Democrats? The Democratic Party leadership is comprised of hardline socialists and communists. Islam is in alignment with totalitarianism. The "president" is a proven Islamist Marxist-not entirely by his words, but by his deeds. Clinton is a Saul Alinsky communist. Illegal and open border immigration is the fastest ticket to the overthrowing of the Constitutional Republic of the United States. Deflecting the obvious by labeling those who point it out as racists, bigots or worse is the tactic used to confuse the issue. The political reality also relates to the prophetic. Biblical prophets point toward the Arab/Islamic nations as those who come against Israel (and the Messiah) in the Day of the Lord. It stands to reason that communists and Islamists align in the Beast empire. 2 John 7 says, "For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist." Communism and Islam both deny Christ. 
Daily Devotion: The Five Steps of Temptation - Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. -Romans 6:23 It has been said that opportunity knocks once, but temptation beats on the door every day. It happens to the best of us. Don't feel bad about that. Just because you are tempted doesn't mean there is something wrong on your part. There is no sin in being tempted, because it is not the bait that constitutes temptation; it is the bite. We play a key role in our own temptation. The Devil needs our cooperation for us to give in. Where there is no desire on our part, there is no temptation. As James 1:14-15 tells us, "Each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death." In these verses we effectively have the five steps of temptation. First, there is the temptation itself: "each one is tempted." This is when an evil thought comes knocking on the door of your imagination. But instead of rejecting it outright, you invite it in and begin to entertain it. You think, What if I did this . . . just for fun? You're in trouble already, because now you've reached the second step. You have been enticed. Your will is weakening, and the temptation is getting stronger. You're thinking, processing, and considering. There is still a way out, but it's getting harder to resist. And now the hook is set. That brings us to the third and fourth steps of temptation. Desire has conceived, and it gives birth to sin. The evil thought has been acted upon. The process is in full swing, which leads to the final step of temptation, where the effects of sin kick in: "sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death." 
FROM THE HEART
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