Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
A Most Unwelcome Leader - Steve Schmutzer - http://www.omegaletter.com/articles/articles.asp?ArticleID=8701
You have to admit - it's a fantastic story. Against all odds, a well-known polarizing figure gains the leadership of an entire nation - the world's number one superpower. But he's an outsider. He's not one of the establishment folk, and his path to power was an unconventional one. Not everyone is happy about this - especially the members of the ruling class. This new guy's a legitimate threat to their self-serving agenda, and his early successes force them to rethink what they most want to believe about themselves. While the new leader gained his position through proper process, plenty of people think he's illegitimate. They feel sorry for themselves, and they lick their wounds daily. Right away, the new guy gets the job done well - certainly better than those around him are doing. He's got that touch, that "git-'er-done" reliability. He's the classic "what-you-see-is-what-you-get" kind of leader, and he holds people accountable to their responsibilities. He's good on his word too, and he doesn't play political games. He's respected by those who matter most, and he gets more powerful with each decision he makes. What's particularly maddening to the dyed-in-the-wool establishment hypocrites is this new guy supports Israel! He even has the right view of Jerusalem, and he makes that point public. The bloated establishment is beside itself with fear and rage. The "big boys" won't admit it to the new guy's face, but they can't stand him. Their mutinous ideas start percolating just under the surface. They cultivate a seething hatred for this new leader, and they decide they must get rid of him. They commit themselves to finding some fault or flaw in the new leader - and so they make mountains out of molehills. They peer into every corner, turn over every stone, and probe every deal he's done. They lament the way the laws of their land have protected him, and they seek to change the rules so they can achieve their goal. In their rabid mania, the deep state bunch dismisses their own glaring faults. They ignore their own ethical fiascoes. None of their scandals matter to them because they are gripped by a fanatical obsession to overturn this new leader's appointment to office. The new leader's political foes stick together because their ambition to overturn a legitimate leader is a corrupt one. They have to maintain that all-important safety in numbers thing to achieve their goal. But they can't find anything to pin on this guy. His record is sound. With their options running out, the establishment becomes increasingly frustrated. Rumors mount that they want to assassinate the new leader. They want him dead, and covert ideas to achieve that are proposed and discussed. The new leader was Daniel - of course. Who else did you think it was? You can read about everything I just wrote in the Scriptures. Daniel Chapter 6 has all the details, and to answer my own question, it does sounds an awful lot like what we're seeing today with President Trump, doesn't it? Let's hit the high points of the story. Daniel, a Jew in exile, rose quickly within the ranks of the new Medo-Persian leadership because he was different. He was better than his peers, and King Darius noticed. Daniel was more trustworthy and he always did his job extremely well. He achieved his promotion by the king's appointment, and he was slated to be the #2 guy in the entire empire. In effect, he'd be ruling the kingdom. Daniel's situation was a lot like Joseph's under Pharoah. Yet, people were then as they are now, and jealousy and pride marinated most of the political landscape as it continues to. They felt entitled to their power, and they couldn't tolerate this unexpected development. They were determined to put an end to it. The picture that emerges in Daniel Chapter 6 is painted by the same blind rage and sleazy motives that characterize human nature today. You know the rest of the story. These other leaders plot against Daniel, play deceptively to the king's ego, and eventually trap Daniel by outlawing his faith. They manage to get Daniel tossed into the den for the ravenous lions. What's clear throughout the whole account is Daniel hasn't done anything to deserve this kind of treatment. What's also obvious is the brazen treachery and evil ambition of his foes. The good news is Daniel supernaturally survives his ordeal when God sends an angel to shut the lions' mouths. And so the king yanks Daniel up, throws Daniel's adversaries in, and the lions have a feast when no angel shows up a second time. Justice is served - literally! We may wonder if the second part of Daniel's story will parallel today's events as much as the first part already has. I don't know. But a friend once told me, "God is not done writing the story." The bottom line is God hadn't lost control when things looked their worst for Daniel, and God remains in absolute control right now. Daniel is not President Trump, and President Trump is not Daniel. I get that. God's got different intentions for each. But here are a few takeaways from Daniel's story that we can - and should! - apply to what we are watching today: THE BATTLE WE SEE IS A SPIRITUAL ONE. Hillary is on her (latest) book tour. It's little more than an organized tantrum of poor excuses for her election loss. She blames Bernie, excoriates electorates, trashes Trump, criticizes Comey, and rips Republicans. She sees nothing wrong with herself and her choices. Her palpable rage and denial of reality is truly clinical. This is consistent with a much larger national phenomenon I've observed. The anger of the left is way out of control and their claims are baseless and self-serving. Like their leader they didn't get, it's an outward sign of an inward problem. I've also watched a half-dozen or so videos of people who are reacting in odd fashion to President Trump's election win, to his policies, to his supporters, and even to his "Make America Great Again" cap. The videos are disturbing to watch. There is moaning, shrieking, growling, roaring, flailing about, eyes rolling back, contortions, foaming and spitting - and these aren't even Berkeley demonstrations! They are just straightforward displays of weird and atypical behavior. Well, it's weird and atypical for humans - but it is standard stuff for demons! Here's my conclusion. President Trump's election was a surprise to the principalities and powers of the unseen world (Eph. 6:12) as much as it was to the flesh and blood folks in DC. His win shoved a stick in the spokes of the dark side's agenda. Their resulting rage is erupting through the veil that hangs between their spiritual world and our physical one. It shows up in these bizarre behaviors we can see, hear, and record. It seems that Satan's hordes are beside themselves with fear and rage. Those people who serve the rulers of darkness (and may be possessed by demons) naturally display in their physical behaviors the reactions of the malevolent spiritual forces that control them. In other words, God played his trump card on Satan. LA Marzulli, in his book The Cosmic Chess Match, describes how there is a constant move-countermove-move-countermove dynamic between God and Satan. Satan is struggling to gain the upper hand, but God is God and Satan's not. God always has a masterful - and sometimes unexpected - plan to set the devil back on his heels once more. President Trump's election might be God's latest move. That brings me to my next takeaway as I consider the parallels of Daniel's story with current events: GOD PUTS LEADERS IN OFFICE AND GOD TAKES THEM OUT OF OFFICE. This is clear in Daniel 2:21, but let me put another angle on it: if God wants to protect President Trump, He'll shut the lions' mouths if he has to. I'm reassured by this. It's plain to see President Trump gained The Oval Office against all human odds. As a result, we're seeing a cosmic battle play out in real time as the establishment and deep state are now going to great lengths to try to remove him from office. This may be Satan's countermove if we consider Marzulli's argument. Our President's path to power was an unconventional one, but it was transacted by God, and he'll remain President as long as God wants him there. The attacks against President Trump are fierce, unwarranted, and unprecedented. They are saturated with blatant hypocrisy, evil intent, and violent corruption - but until God achieves His sovereign purposes, the enemy's attacks will be to no avail because God remains in full control. Case closed. Here's a third takeaway from Daniel's story: GOD IS NOT CONSTRAINED IN ANY WAY BY MAN'S BEST-LAID PLANS. By giving us simultaneous glimpses into the spiritual and physical dimensions, the book of Daniel reinforces the truth that God employs the conditions of life on planet earth to achieve His heavenly purposes. It's a plain fact that many of life's most difficult challenges are introduced by people and processes that are governed by sinful ideals. Daniel had to cope with that truth, and so does President Trump. There was nothing righteous in the conduct of those who wanted to remove Daniel from office, and there's nothing righteous in the behavior of those who have committed themselves to bringing down our President. But as I said earlier, God is God and nobody else is. Mankind may construct his best watertight case to achieve his ambitions, but those plans are as leaky as a sieve from God's point of view. We serve the greatest God, and He can quickly confound the schemes of the wicked if He so chooses (Ps. 55:9). Let me wrap up here by saying that these issues are not confined to the leaders of this world like Daniel and President Trump. You and I are not immune to facing the trials of this life for the very same reasons they did and do. God has always placed His leaders, His saints, and his intentions squarely in the path of the devil's ambitions. If you exercise faith like Daniel, or if you confront a globalist agenda like President Trump, you will be mocked, attacked, and persecuted. Some may even try to kill you. The Word of God is under assault, and it's only going to get worse. Lives which embody its truth, and policies which reflect its standards, are unwelcome to those who love darkness rather than light (John 3:19). It's always been like this. I don't know what plans God has for President Trump going forward - nor do you. God used Daniel to great effect well past his trials of Chapter 6, and God could do the same with President Trump long after he leaves The Oval Office. It's all up to God. What I do know is this: Daniel was faithful in his prayer life and he was committed to being a good and upright citizen. It's these qualities that got him in "trouble," but to be right with God has often meant to be wrong with man. It remains incumbent upon each child of God to faithfully endure under trial as Daniel did, and to positively impact our world by choosing to live out the standards of the Bible. Abbas's Responsibility for Gaza Crisis - by Bassam Tawil - https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/12898/gaza-crisis-mahmoud-abbas The Palestinian Authority (PA) is continuing to pursue a policy of double-dealing regarding the Gaza Strip. On the one hand, President Mahmoud Abbas and the PA leadership continue inciting against Israel by holding it solely responsible for the humanitarian and economic crisis in the Gaza Strip. On the other hand, Abbas and his Ramallah-based government continue to impose strict economic sanctions on the Gaza Strip. Now, Abbas is bending over backwards to foil a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas and the other Palestinian terror groups in the Gaza Strip. Abbas says he is worried that such a deal would pave the way for the implementation of US President Donald Trump's yet-to-be-announced plan for peace in the Middle East. Although they have never seen the Trump plan, Abbas and the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah claim that it envisages the establishment of a separate Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip. They also argue that the Trump plan seeks to transform the Palestinian-Israeli conflict from a political and national conflict into one that is related only to humanitarian and economic issues. Abbas says he fears that the humanitarian and economic aid that the international community is promising to the Gaza Strip, as part of a cease-fire deal, is aimed at extracting concessions from the Palestinians, especially on issues related to Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees. Abbas also claims that any cease-fire agreement would solidify the split between the West Bank and Gaza Strip. He argues that the PLO, the "sole, legitimate representative of the Palestinian people," is the only party authorized to sign an agreement with Israel. ٍReminder: In March 2018, Abbas and his government decided to impose a series of punitive measures against his own people: the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The measures include, among other things, halting payments to thousands of civil servants and forcing thousands of others into early retirement. He also decided to stop paying Israel for the electricity it supplies to the Gaza Strip and limited the amount of medicine shipments to the coastal enclave. Abbas has defended his sanctions against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip by arguing that Hamas was refusing to hand control over the coastal Gaza enclave to his government in accordance with previous "reconciliation" agreements signed between his ruling Fatah faction and Hamas. Subsequently, violent riots by Palestinians along the Gaza-Israel border -- organized by Hamas and labelled as the "March of Return" -- which began in March, reached their peak when arson kites and balloons were launched into Israel. In other words, it is Abbas himself who bears full responsibility for the clashes between Palestinians and Israeli troops along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. Were it not for his sanctions, the Palestinian factions would not have waged the "March of Return" -- the primary goal of which is to protest the deteriorating conditions inside the Gaza Strip, for which they blame Israel rather than their own leaders. The blood of the more than 150 Palestinians killed in the riots is on his hands alone. The violence of the past few months along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel could have been avoided had Abbas agreed to lift the sanctions he himself imposed on the two million residents of the Gaza Strip. He chose, however, to continue his measures so that the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip would continue directing their anger towards Israel. Abbas has no headquarters or offices in the Gaza Strip where the Palestinians there can protest against him. So, he had nothing to worry about when he decided to punish his own people. He also had nothing to worry about regarding the international community because he knows that, as usual, it will blame only Israel for the crisis in the Gaza Strip. Today, as Egypt, the United Nations and other parties scramble to reach a long-term cease-fire between Hamas and Israel, Abbas suddenly seems to be feeling uncomfortable. In the past few days, he and his senior officials in Ramallah have been inciting against the proposed cease-fire deal by claiming that it is part of an Israeli-American conspiracy to separate the Gaza Strip from the West Bank and pave the way for the implementation of Trump's unseen peace plan. Abbas is especially worried that the international community will be funding economic and humanitarian projects in the Gaza Strip behind his back. He wants the money to be spent through his government. He wants to control every penny the international community earmarks for the welfare of his people. Let us get to the nitty-gritty: Abbas is seeking to prolong the suffering of his people in the Gaza Strip so that he can keep deflecting the Palestinians' rage and violence toward Israel. He also seems to be hoping that the sanctions he imposed on the Gaza Strip might prompt the Palestinians living there to revolt against Hamas. While he has succeeded in his first goal -- triggering a wave of protests against Israel -- Abbas's desire to see Palestinians rise against his rivals in Hamas has thus far been unsuccessful. Instead of helping to resolve the crisis in the Gaza Strip, Abbas is continuing to pour oil on the fire by inciting against Israel and the US administration. In recent speeches before the PLO Central Council in Ramallah, Abbas has repeatedly denounced Israel and the US and accused them of conspiring against the Palestinians and of being "partners" in "crimes" against the Palestinians. He has also vowed to continue his boycott of the US administration because of its "bias" in favor of Israel. It is not clear how a cease-fire in return for improving the living conditions of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip is linked to any Israeli-American conspiracy. Since when is economic and humanitarian aid considered a conspiracy against the Palestinians? Abbas, like most Arab leaders, never cared about improving the living conditions of the Palestinians. They could easily have helped the Palestinians build a strong economy and proper state institutions. Instead, Abbas and these Arab leaders want to keep the Palestinians living in refugee camps and poverty so that they can continue extorting money from the world and putting all the blame on Israel. Arab leaders seem to care about only one thing: enriching their personal bank accounts and securing the future of their own sons and daughters. How can he talk about Trump's purported peace plan when neither he nor any Palestinian has ever seen it? How do he and his senior PLO official, Saeb Erekat, know that Trump's purported plan is aimed at "liquidating" the Palestinian cause and national rights? Equally disingenuous is that Abbas, who is responsible for the current wave of violence along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel, is now demanding that the international community, specifically the UN, provide "international protection" for the Palestinians against Israeli measures. In a letter to the UN Secretary-General, Abbas's Foreign Ministry accused Israel of committing "crimes" against Palestinians civilians, especially in the Gaza Strip, and renewed the call to provide international protection" for the Palestinians. This is the same Abbas whose sanctions are depriving cancer patients of chemotherapy medicine in the Gaza Strip. This is the same Abbas whose sanctions have deprived thousands of civil servants of their salaries in the Gaza Strip. This is the same Abbas whose sanctions have triggered the recent violence along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel. Abbas is calling for "international protection" for the Palestinians while he is doing everything he can to wreak havoc on his people in the Gaza Strip. He does not want a cease-fire between Hamas and Israel; he does not want to lift the sanctions he imposed on the Gaza Strip, and he does not want the international community directly to fund economic and humanitarian projects that would improve the living conditions of his people. So what exactly does Abbas want? He wants the people of the Gaza Strip to continue protesting so that he will be able to continue to demonize Israel. Worse, Abbas does not want his people to raise their voice against his sanctions. Palestinians who have been protesting against his punitive measures in the West Bank have been repeatedly beaten by Abbas's police forces. Just last week, Abbas's security officers broke up a peaceful protest in Ramallah against his sanctions. Abbas is fine with protests as long as they call for bringing down Israel or the US. But Palestinians who dare to criticize his policies often find themselves subjected to various forms of punishment, including detention and beatings. Abbas's crackdown on protests against his sanctions are yet another sign of his policy of double standards regarding the Gaza Strip. If anyone needs "international protection," it is those protesters who are being targeted by Abbas's security forces in the West Bank. Abbas's actions and words have shown that the well-being of his people is the very last thing on his mind. Abbas has one strategy: to incite his people against Israel and the US. He is prepared to fight against Israel and the US to the last Palestinian. It is a battle he is waging at the cost of cancer patients and needy families. For him, a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip is a bad thing because it could bring calm and deprive him of his ability to whip up hatred against Israel and the US. The question remains: Will the international community allow Abbas to continue playing his dirty game at the expense of his people or will it wake up and realize that Abbas is part of the problem, not part of the solution? The best way of employing pressure on Abbas is by making it clear to him that as long as he continues with his policies, including the incitement against Israel and the US, the international community will not fund his government. Nearing Midnight: U.S. Instrumental in Stage-Setting - Terry James - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ Presidential election day 2016, in my thinking, seems to have been a switch somewhere in the supernatural realm that put Bible prophecy in fast forward. This column has been devoted on many occasions to how economic exigencies are-in my view-tied to Jesus' foretelling about a marked uptick in buying, selling, etc., at the time He next catastrophically intervenes in the affairs of man-this involving Matthew 24:36-42, Luke 17:26-30 and the Rapture of the Church. I am convicted that we are entering such a time as the Lord described in those passages-a time involving economic boom, not bust, as many economic gurus would have it. One can sense the hand of God holding back, moving around, shifting and manipulating things on the national and international scenes-amidst the satanic rage that drives the world toward complete insanity. That is, one can sense it spiritually, if properly attuned to God's Word, and where this generation stands in relationship to what that Word has to say about end-times things. This ability to spiritually sense the lateness of the prophetic hour is not exclusive to those who write, teach, lecture, broadcast, and preach on biblical matters. How near we are as a generation to Christ's return can be spiritually discerned by any born-again child of God who will study God's Word diligently and prayerfully seek enlightenment by the Holy Spirit. God tells us in His Word: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for proof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. (2 Timothy 3:16). This Truth is all-encompassing. It includes understanding prophecy and how it applies to the Christian. I believe this biblical truth is particularly essential to comprehend by this present generation of believers. Sadly, very few are aware of the privilege of understanding the times they have. This is the fault of both individual Christians and their pastors and teachers who should be doing the job God has put us here to do. With all that as preface, we now examine the matter of end-times Bible prophecy that we are looking squarely in the face. Just as we are living at a time when economic uptick indicates we are in the "days of Noah, days of Lot" Jesus foretold, we are seeing God's mighty hand move the end-times nations about for the final act of this great play that is called human history. The United States of America, although not mentioned by name anywhere in Scripture, is nonetheless in the middle of God's directing of human history's final act. Iran, ancient Persia, is, as most who have studied Bible prophecy know, a key player destined to join the coalition in attacking Israel as foretold by Ezekiel the prophet. We have watched for months, even years, as the nations of prophetic import have been aligning to Israel's north. Iran has been the focal interest, not just of those who look at eschatology, but of the diplomats of the world who fear Iran's nuclear development program. At present it looks as if the prophetic lens is focusing on that end-times player. The following article excerpt on "Rapture Ready News" lets us see the focus. The United States urged Britain on Sunday to ditch its support for a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and instead join forces with Washington to counter the global threat it says Tehran poses. Despite opposition from European allies, US President Trump in May pulled the United States out of a deal between world powers and Tehran under which international sanctions were lifted in return for curbs on Iran's nuclear program. Another "Rapture Ready News" headline shows the reason for concern by the international community regarding Iran's nuclear threat. Iran test-fired a ballistic missile in a brazen display of defiance months after President Trump pulled the United States out of a landmark nuclear deal and days before his administration slapped new sanctions on the Islamic Republic, three U.S. officials with knowledge of the launch tell Fox News. The relevance to the U.S. being used in the matter of the Lord's directing the great, end-times play is that the coalition plainly doesn't use nuclear weaponry in the Gog-Magog attack. This is described as a land invasion. An attacking force wouldn't contaminate "spoils" they intend to take with nuclear radiation. Therefore, it is possible to discern that Iran's (ancient Persia's) nuclear capability will either be destroyed or prevented from being used in some other way in that future attack on Israel. The current president of the United States seems central in seeing to it that Iran doesn't use nuclear weaponry in that future assault. Mr. Trump also is instrumental in dealing with another of the Gog-Magog coalition members-Turkey (Togarmah, as Ezekiel calls that part of the world). Turkey has been an ally of the U.S. for many years. It is a member of NATO. But, lately, its newly elected president for life is threatening those relationships. He, at the same time, has become close friend to Russia's equally dictatorial president, Vladimir Putin. We see the focus on this prophetic stage-setting in the following "Rapture Ready News" excerpt. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has accused the US of trying to "bring Turkey to its knees through threats over a pastor". The US has demanded the release of Andrew Brunson and on Friday doubled tariffs on steel and aluminium imports. The diplomatic spat sent the lira down 16% against the dollar on Friday. Mr. Erdogan also wrote in the New York Times that unless the US changed course, Turkey would look for new friends and allies. America, we can see on a growing daily basis, is being used as an instrument to shape things to come at the end of this dispensation-the Age of Grace. This president, like him or not, accept him or not, was inserted into this generation in a miraculous way in the view of yours truly. He, although probably unknowingly, continues to performed his assigned divine appointment, as does the United States of America. Ring Of Fire Lights Up With 53 Earthquakes In 24hr Period - By Michael Snyder - http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=2497 Is something unusual starting to happen to the crust of our planet? The USGS defines any earthquake of at least magnitude 4.5 as "significant", and there were 53 earthquakes that met that criteria along the Ring of Fire on Sunday alone. Not too long ago, I wrote about how "Earth changes" seem to be accelerating all over the world, but even I was stunned by the ferocity of the seismic activity that we witnessed over the weekend. Because none of the earthquakes happened in the United States, the mainstream media almost entirely ignored this story, but that is a huge mistake. The entire west coast of the U.S. falls along the "Ring of Fire", and experts assure us that it is only a matter of time before the seismic tension that is building up along the tectonic plates in that area is released. Much of the seismic activity on Sunday was near the small island nation of Fiji, and it is true that Fiji often experiences earthquakes because it sits directly inside the Ring of Fire... Fiji falls in the Pacific Ring Of Fire - a massive horseshoe-shaped area in the Pacific basin. The ring is formed of a string of 452 volcanoes and sites of seismic activity (earthquakes), which encircle the Pacific Ocean. Roughly 90 percent of all earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire, and 75 percent of the world's active volcanoes are dotted along the expansive ring. It certainly is not unusual to see earthquakes happen along the Ring of Fire, but what was unusual about the activity on Sunday was the size of the earthquakes. The largest quake on Sunday was a massive magnitude 8.2 earthquake that could have done an enormous amount of damage if it had been closer to the surface... A massive quake of magnitude 8.2 struck in the Pacific Ocean close to Fiji and Tonga on Sunday but it was so deep that it did not cause any damage, authorities in Fiji said. The U.S. Tsunami Warning Center also said the quake was too deep to cause a tsunami. Earthquakes that are that deep are usually not so large. This "deep focus" earthquake on Sunday was actually the second largest "deep focus" earthquake that has ever been recorded... The USGS calls these "deep focus" earthquakes, and while some of the biggest earthquakes to strike the earth are deep focus, their depth usually minimises damage. The biggest deep focus earthquake ever recorded was in 2013 when an M8.3 struck near Russia and was felt all over Asia, giving us a sense of how massive this Fiji quake was. In addition to this massive earthquake in Fiji, other areas of the south Pacific were also hammered on Sunday as well. You may remember that the Indonesian island of Lombok was shaken by a tremendous quake back on August 5th which killed hundreds of people, and on Sunday they were hit once again. The following comes from CNN... A trio of intense earthquakes shook several islands in the South Pacific and Indonesia on Sunday, including two on the already battered island of Lombok. The most recent major quake was a 6.9 magnitude tremor centered just 4 kilometers south of Belanting, on the Indonesian island of Lombok. That island is still trying to recover from the devastating effects of an August 5 earthquake that killed more than 430 people. But until big earthquakes start happening here, many Americans simply will not pay any attention to all of this. What they need to understand is that this is truly a global phenomenon that we are witnessing, and shaking in one part of the globe can have tremendous implications for people literally living on the other side of the planet. In particular, those living along the west coast should be deeply alarmed that seismic activity along other areas of the Ring of Fire appears to be intensifying. And I am definitely not the only one saying this. According to one British news source, scientists are warning that "increased seismic activity" along the Ring of Fire "may mean the so-called 'Big One' killer earthquake is on the way"... Scientists warn increased seismic activity in the area may mean the so-called "Big One" killer earthquake is on the way. If California was hit, experts warn tens of thousands could be killed. Sadly, the truth is that we would be extremely fortunate to only have "tens of thousands" killed in the event of a historic earthquake on the west coast. The 1906 and 1989 earthquakes were actually not that big compared to some of the monster quakes that we have seen elsewhere along the Ring of Fire, but they still did tremendous amounts of damage... Two major earthquakes have hit the Bay Area in modern history. In 1906, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake hit San Francisco and 80 percent of the city's buildings fell or burnt to the ground, leaving 300,000 people homeless and killing nearly 3,000. In 1989, a 6.9 magnitude quake caused the ground to liquefy in parts of the city and collapsed highways, killing more than 60 people. A new report from the U.S. Geological Survey says that there is more than a 70 percent chance that a 6.7 magnitude or higher earthquake will hit the area in the next 30 years. We live at a time when our planet is becoming increasingly unstable. In recent weeks we have witnessed earthquake swarms off of the Oregon coast, record-setting heatwaves, hail the size of softballs, and wildfires of unprecedented size and scope. There are some experts out there that would like to assure all of us that what we are witnessing is completely normal. But I think that not a lot of people are buying that explanation. Because there has not been a major seismic event on the west coast for decades, many people have grown complacent. They simply assume that because nothing has happened in such a long time that nothing will happen for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, the experts assure us that the "Big One" is definitely coming to the west coast at some point, and all of this seismic activity may be an indication that it is coming sooner rather than later. Daily Jot: Conspiracy - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com The giants in the spook business are both attacking one another and upholding one another in their dodge-and confuse-efforts to protect the institutions they once served. According to The Hill and television appearances, Former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper thinks that former CIA Director John Brennan's rhetoric against President Trump is an issue in of itself. Clapper, whose boss was the immediate ex-president, was involved in a massive spying effort against the American people, and was in charge when the ex-president used the FISA court to spy on Trump. Trump removed Brennan's security clearance last week because of his behavior after leaving the CIA. Trump said of Brennan that his "lying and recent conduct characterized by increasingly frenzied commentary is wholly inconsistent with access to the nation's most closely held secrets and facilities, the very aim of our adversaries, which is to sow division and chaos." But Brennan whined like a baby thinking he can tell the New York Times that the president conspired with the Russians and a lot of other things that he best should keep to himself given his former position, and still keep his security clearance. Clapper backhandedly came to Brennan's defense saying that "the common denominator among all of us [in the intelligence community] that have been speaking up ... is genuine concern about the jeopardy and threats to our institutions." His remarks were backed up by an entire group of 60 former intelligence officials in a release to CNN, saying "All of us believe it is critical to protect classified information from unauthorized disclosure," the group wrote in a letter obtained by CNN. "But we believe equally strongly that former government officials have the right to express their unclassified views on what they see as critical national security issues without fear of being punished for doing so." So they want to protect their agencies by telling the public what they think the public needs to know about their secret little world, and their mouthpiece is CNN. It makes a lot of sense. This is the fulcrum of the entire attack on the current presidency-protecting the turf of secrecy. These people have been doing horrible, anti-American, anti-Constitutional acts for so long that they will do anything, include conspire with the news media and the Democratic Party to overthrow a president, to protect their deep, dark secrets. They don't want their security clearances revoked because that allows them to continue their conspiratorial acts long after they officially leave-just an opinion, but just put two and two together. The Lord tells Ezekiel in Ezekiel 8:8-9, "Son of man, dig now in the wall: and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door. And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do there." It is similar today in the high places of government. We the people must continue digging and exposing these conspirators and usurpers for the abominations they commit. Daily Devotion: Time to Pray - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. -James 4:2 Research has found that people in the United States check their social media accounts 17 times per day, which is about once every waking hour. And teens spend nine hours every day consuming media. What if we prayed as often as we check social media? As John Piper put it, "One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook will be to prove at the Last Day that prayerlessness was not from lack of time." Some Christians say they don't pray more because they don't have the time. But we do have time to pray. Don't tell me that you don't. We probably would never admit this, but I think we don't pray more because we don't think prayer is all that important. But if prayer is not that important, then why would Jesus have spent so much time praying? In fact, it was His prayer life that caused His disciples to come to Him and say, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples" (Luke 11:1 NKJV). Life is a lot easier when we pray about things. Prayer really does matter. Not only are we asking God to help us, but we are also asking God for wisdom. The Bible says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5 NKJV). I need wisdom. Don't you? We have problems. We have questions. We have needs. This is why we need to pray, because prayer, among other things, is God's appointed way for us to obtain things. Maybe you're wondering why you're going through life never knowing the will of God. Have you prayed about it? As James says, "You do not have because you do not ask." 
FROM THE HEART
IF YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED THROUGH THIS MINISTRY, THEN WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD PLEASE REMEMBER PROPHECY UPDATE IN YOUR GIVING - WE ARE TRULY, TRULY, THANKFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT Prophecy Update has no corporate sponsors. This ministry is paid for and prayed for by readers and supporters. Without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update, Please pray about becoming a monthly supporter - thanks! If ever there was a time to invest in God's Kingdom, it's now! What on earth are you doing for Heaven's Sake? "Share in the Blessings and Rewards that will last Forever!" "Folks, it's all beginning to unravel. America is in more danger of falling than at any time in its history. But I believe Bible prophecy predicts this very decline. From this point on, we believers have to get serious. We are going to face discouragement, disillusionment and, most certainly, persecution in the time between now and the Rapture. But don't be discouraged or disillusioned. The coming turmoil will provide us unrivaled opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel. So be ready to share your faith and your hope with those who need Christ. We still have time to reap a great harvest of souls for God's kingdom!" - Hal Lindsey 1) We need your prayers!- We proclaim the Truth of the Word of God and we are under constant spiritual and sometimes even physical attack. 2) We need your encouragement!- We need to hear from you, let us know how the Lord is blessing you through this ministry so that we can share it with others. 3) We need your input! - If you have a prophetic article or story or if there is a news related item we missed, let us know. 4) We need your financial support!- To put it quite simply, without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update. I ask that you would prayerfully consider partnering with us to get the Word out and keep the world informed. Remember, your gift, no matter how small, does make a difference! You will be helping to touch lives, around the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thanks to the internet your generosity carries a global impact! - Thanks! Our Prayer for You- "Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." 2 Corinthians 9:10-13 Prophecy Update is a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt - non-profit organization, and all your donations are tax deductible. If you have been blessed by Prophecy Update and would like to help support this ministry financially. You can make a secure donation online by going to: DONATE NOW Or Visit our website: http://prophecyupdate.com/donations/ Or write us at: Prophecy Update P.O. Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384-0516 
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