Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Censorship and the Coming Global Police State - By Britt Gillette - https://www.raptureready.com/2019/08/21/censorship-coming-global-police-state-britt-gillette/
If you love freedom and liberty, recent actions from high tech companies should have you worried. In pursuit of profit, the mega companies of Silicon Valley have created products that invade user privacy. And they easily cave to the demands of totalitarian governments. For example, Amazon's Alexa devices are a huge convenience for many people. But most users don't realize Alexa devices do more than listen. They record. Once you talk to an Alexa device, it records your voice and stores the audio file on a remote server. Amazon uses this information to improve its recommendations. They want to sell you more stuff. But in the process, Alexa devices record and store everything you say. Are you okay with others listening to your conversations? If not, then don't bring an Alexa device into your home. Unfortunately, Silicon Valley's questionable actions aren't reserved for product development. They've also become arbiters of free speech. In June, YouTube said it will ban videos that promote or glorify "racism and discrimination." This includes banning videos most people would find despicable, such as those denying the Holocaust or the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. But it also includes a number of videos people don't find objectionable. So, where do you draw the line? Who determines what's "racism and discrimination" versus what's normal political speech? Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms have taken similar actions to purge "hate speech." But in an age where social media dominates public discourse, access to these platforms is vital to get a message out. What if these platforms flag their political opponents as sources of "hate speech"? What will that do to freedom and liberty? Unfortunately, we don't have to guess. All we have to do is look at the actions some of these companies have already taken. A Threat to Liberty Personal bans and privacy violations are bad enough, but the most frightening actions these companies take is their willingness to appease authoritarian governments. For instance, in an attempt to gain access to a billion new users, Google worked on a censored, government-approved version of its search engine for China. The Chinese government regulates the Internet with a heavy hand. They routinely block websites linked to human rights, democracy, and religion. Google generated outrage last year when news leaked of its plans to launch a censored search engine codenamed Dragonfly. After intense criticism, they abandoned the project. But speculation continues as to whether or not Google plans to revive the project. Sadly, Google isn't the only company willing to cave to China. In June, Twitter suspended a large number of Chinese-language user accounts. Some of those accounts belonged to critics of China's government. Just days before the anniversary of the June 4, 1989, Tiananmen Square massacre, critics claim it's more than a mere coincidence. Twitter acknowledged the suspensions, stating they were in response to terms of service violations. However, it also acknowledged some of the suspended accounts involved "commentary about China." Florida Senator Marco Rubio criticized the move, saying "Twitter has become a Chinese government censor." Tech company eagerness to please oppressive governments extends to streaming services as well. In December, Netflix removed an episode of the comedy show Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj from its service in Saudi Arabia after a government complaint. The episode criticized Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. An official statement from Netflix said, "We strongly support artistic freedom worldwide and removed this episode only in Saudi Arabia after we had received a valid legal request - and to comply with local law." Needless to say, human rights groups disagree with the Netflix position that it "supports artistic freedom worldwide." It's clear they only support such freedom when it doesn't interfere with their profits. As technology advances, these platforms will become more and more important. As a political commentator, try getting your message out to a large audience without using Facebook, Twitter, Google, Apple, Amazon, YouTube, or Netflix. It's nearly impossible for someone who doesn't already have a large following. In the future, it will be even more difficult, if not impossible. Where We're Headed We're living in a world where the largest tech firms have more power than any companies have ever had before. Since the police power of government rules over the high tech companies, it means we're heading into an era where governments will be more powerful than they've ever been. Think about the information at their fingertips: If you're on Facebook and you use a smart phone, then companies like Apple, Google, and Facebook probably know more about you than some of your closest friends. They know who you associate with, what you search for on the Internet, what products you buy, what interests you have, what bank you use, who you talk to the most, when you're awake, where you've been, and where you are at any given moment. With facial recognition technology, they can pick your face out of a sea of millions in less than a second. Connect facial recognition technology and artificial intelligence with a growing network of public and private cameras, and they aren't far from being able to record everything you do at all times. Think I'm exaggerating? Just consider the impact of one popular product - doorbell cameras. According to market research firm Strategy Analytics, more than 3.4 million doorbell recording devices were sold in 2018. Some police departments are offering discounts on doorbell cameras. The reason? They want to access the footage. A NextMarket Insights report stated, "smart security devices" will be in use in more than 22 million U.S. homes by 2020. No doubt this will help solve a number of crimes and deter home invasions. But it has an unintended impact as well. As more people install doorbell cameras, more and more of daily life will be recorded. Doorbell cameras don't simply record your front porch. Depending on the angle, they can surveil an entire neighborhood. Now, imagine every house in the neighborhood has one. There won't be a single event that won't be recorded. Add doorbell cameras to all the smart devices people are putting inside their homes (including their bedrooms), and we're quickly getting to the point where your every movement and communication is tracked and documented. A few giant corporations hold all that data - data about your life. What are they doing to protect it? Are they selling it to other companies? Are they sharing it with governments? Their cozy relationships with China, Saudi Arabia, and other human rights violators shouldn't give you any comfort. What the Bible Says The Bible says a time is coming when a global dictator will rule the world (Revelation 13:7). He will succeed in everything he does (Daniel 8:24). His power will be so great that no one will be able to oppose him (Revelation 13:4). His control over the earth will be so complete, he'll regulate the purchase and sale of everything (Revelation 13:17). How is this possible? For most of human history, it wasn't. As this is written, it probably still isn't possible. But as technology continues to advance, it will. A global dictator could only hold such absolute power with the aid of advanced technologies. And as the world's greatest tech companies have so aptly demonstrated, they're more than happy to work with oppressive governments. Absent public outrage, they'll willingly cave to the demands of despots. As they develop even more powerful technologies, their work will set the stage for a global police state. It's one more sign of the times in which we live. It's time to look up. Jesus is coming! The Fate of Islam in Bible Prophecy - By Dr. David R. Reagan - https://www.raptureforums.com/islam/the-fate-of-islam-in-bible-prophecy/ There is much about the Arabs in Bible prophecy, but the Bible is relatively silent about Islam. This may seem to be a strange statement to some because many people identify the Arabs with Islam. It is true that most Arabs are Muslims, but not all. There are, for example, Christian Arabs. But the Arab world (approximately 300 million people) constitutes a minority of the 1.4 billion people in the Muslim world. The largest Muslim country in the world is Indonesia (242 million). Other large non-Arab Muslim countries include Pakistan (162 million) and Bangladesh (144 million). Countries in the Middle East that are Muslim but not Arab include Turkey (70 million) and Iran (68 million). The Arabs in Prophecy Concerning the Arabs, the Bible tells us that they will come against Israel in the end times and try to take its land. God will respond by rendering the Arab lands desolate (Ezekiel 35:6-7, 15), probably through the military campaigns of the Antichrist. But the future for the Arabs is not all bleak. Like the Jews, a remnant of the Arabs will emerge from the Tribulation with their hearts turned to the one and only true God, Yahweh (Jeremiah 12:14-17). The most remarkable prophecy concerning the future salvation of an Arab remnant is contained in Isaiah 19:16-25. Isaiah says that when the Lord strikes Egypt and Assyria, they will turn to Him and He will have compassion on them and "heal them." Isaiah then presents an incredible picture of Egypt, Assyria, and Israel living together in peace, worshiping the same God! A Specific Prophecy Involving Muslim Countries With regard to Islam in general, the only clear prophecy I see about it in the Scriptures has to do with the end time invasion of Israel that will be led by Russia (Ezekiel 38 and 39). The Bible states that Russia will be accompanied by certain specified allies (Ezekiel 38:1-6). The allies include Persia (modern day Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan), Ethiopia, Put (Libya), Gomer (Western Turkey), and Beth-togarmah (Eastern Turkey). As you can see, all of these are countries with a Muslim majority. Ezekiel 39 reveals that these forces will be destroyed supernaturally by God upon the hills of Israel (Ezekiel 38:18-23 and 39:3-6). Even the Jewish people will realize that the forces were destroyed by God (Ezekiel 38:23 and 39:7). The End Time World Religion? Some Bible prophecy teachers are now asserting the belief that Islam will serve as the end time world religion of the Antichrist. This assumption is based in part on the fact that some Muslims are looking forward to the appearance of a Messiah called the Mahdi, and because of this expectation, some theorize that the Muslim world will rally to the Antichrist when he appears, thinking that he is their Mahdi. I don't believe this expectation is valid. First of all, the concept of a Mahdi is held by less than ten percent of all Muslims. It is an aspect of Shiite eschatology, not the vast majority of Muslims who are Sunnis. Second, the Bible teaches that the Antichrist will be of Roman descent and will rise to power in Europe. I can't imagine the Muslim world rushing to endorse any European leader. Africa, Asia, and Latin America have spent the past 200 years divesting themselves of European colonial rule. They are not going to willingly submit themselves to such rule again, regardless of how dynamic, charismatic, and wise the Antichrist may prove to be. There is a third problem with the idea that the Antichrist will utilize Islam as his world religion. I believe the Bible teaches that the initial religion that the Antichrist will use is Catholicism. This seems to be the teaching of Revelation 17 where the religion of the end times is represented by a whore who is "drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus" (Revelation 17:6). She is pictured as being seated on "seven mountains" (Revelation 17:9). This is imagery which, in the apostle John's time, could only be referring to Rome. This identification is affirmed at the end of the chapter when John asserts that the woman is also "the great city which reigns over the kings of the earth" (Revelation 17:18). Again, in John's time, this could only be a reference to Rome. The Bible further indicates that at some point in the Tribulation, possibly at its mid-point, the Antichrist will turn against the Catholic Church and destroy it, probably because it becomes a threat to his absolute power (Revelation 17:16). He and his False Prophet will then create a new religion that will mandate the worship of the Antichrist as god on earth (Revelation 13:11-17). An Intolerant Religion Of all the world's religions, Islam is the most intolerant. It simply will not tolerate the existence of other religions in areas that it controls. I cannot even imagine any European leader associated with the Catholic Church being able to secure the allegiance of Muslims. I believe, instead, that the Muslim world will revolt against any attempt of the Antichrist to bring them within his domain. The result will be a war (Revelation 6) that will ultimately escalate into an all-out nuclear conflagration (Revelation 8 and 9). These wars result in the death of half of humanity during the first three and a half years of the Tribulation. In summary, I believe the most likely scenario of the end times is one whereby God will unleash the Antichrist on the Muslim world and will judge them through him. The Antichrist will be successful. We are told in Revelation 13:7-8 that he will become the first true dictator over all the world because he will achieve "authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation" (Revelation 13:7). The Antichrist's victory will be a Pyrrhic one. A third or more of the earth will be left in ruin. And the one-half of humanity left alive will suffer radiation poisoning, resulting in people covered with sores that will not heal (Revelation 16:2 and 11). At the middle of the Tribulation, when the Antichrist desecrates the Temple in Jerusalem and declares himself to be god, the Jews will reject him, and he will become obsessed with annihilating them during the last three and a half years of the Tribulation (Revelation 12:13-17). He will be successful in killing two-thirds of them (Zechariah 13:7-9). While he is obsessed with the Jews, the Bible indicates that his worldwide empire will fall apart at the seams. The nations of Asia will revolt against him, sending an army of 200 million to overthrow him (Revelation 9:13-18, Revelation 16:12, and Daniel 11:44-45). So, in summary, I would contend that Islam will suffer its judgment during the Tribulation when it refuses to accept the Antichrist as the world's leader. Nearing Midnight: How to Become a Trillionaire - Todd Strandberg - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ A couple years back, I wrote an article that explained how easy it would be for someone to start a conservative news service and become very wealthy. This process could be streamlined by buying the likes of CNN, firing all the liberal reporters and replacing them with a conservative news staff. With about 90 percent of all news organizations in the hands of leftists, a network that catered to viewers on the right would certainly be an instant hit. If someone purchased CNN and had no political bias, they could easily improve the financial health of the network. I'm amazed that anyone would watch a network that fixates on attacking Donald J. Trump. As CNN's ratings have drifted lower, the company shareholders seem oblivious to the loss of viewers. In fact, CNN's head, Jeff Zucker, was recently rewarded with a new title of chairman of Warner Media News. He was also given a big fat pay raise. Before Fox News came on the scene, CNN had up to 4 million views during primetime. Over the years, the network bled viewers as it transformed into a leftist propaganda mill. Through the first five months of 2019, CNN had a daily average of 654,000 viewers - down 8% from a year ago, compared with 1.39 million for Fox News (down 3%) and 1.02 million for MSNBC (up 3%). I know President Trump likes to mock CNN for its rating decline, but the network will never face a financial peril. About 70% of CNN's revenue comes from carriage fees from cable and satellite operators, which continue to grow even as more consumers cut the cord. S&P Global Intelligence said CNN took in $974 million for its flagship channel in 2018, up nearly 7% from the previous year. Another thing that protects news outlets like CNN is their sacred crow status. AT&T is the current parent company of CNN, and gives management a free hand in what so-called news it decides to air. Zucker told The Los Angeles Times in an interview that AT&T has respected CNN's independence. Last year, AT&T donated money to the Committee to Protect Journalists, an organization that defends press freedom around the world. There was a time when network officials on various levels were very watchful of ratings and content. When ABC broadcasted the variety comedy show Turn-On, a racier derivative of Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In, the show's strong sexual and political humor got the show cancelled after airing that single episode. At least one station (WEWS in Cleveland, Ohio) did not return to Turn-On after the first commercial break, and others on west-coast delay refused to air it at all. CNN is into its second decade of declining ratings and journalistic standards. I don't know of any other non-government business outside news that has been so poorly managed. The rapid growth of the internet has created the opportunity for firms to achieve vast amounts of wealth. During the past year, several high-tech companies achieved a market cap of one trillion dollars. All of them are in areas where the majority of their employees voted for Hillary Clinton in the last presidential election. If a fairly rich or ingenious person was to create a conservative version of Facebook, Google, YouTube, and various other social media sites, they could very likely create a trillion-dollar corporation. As they would steal away traffic from the current giants, I predict they would have the same reaction that CNN had when Fox News stole half of its viewers within the first few years. They would conclude that they need to become more leftist in what content they allow on their platforms. In a normal world, someone would have probably already decided to build a media site that would appeal to 80 million evangelical Christians in North America. Every time a rich person has gotten the idea, Satan must have come along and told him it wouldn't work. I live in a community that had four primary chicken restaurants, and someone had the forethought to decide Benton, AR, needed one more. The media's obsession with spreading its demonic leftist agenda, with no regard for money, shows the true importance of salvation in Christ. Satan's minions want power, wealth, and fame; but their greatest impulse is to help their master steal your soul. It will be a long time before any one individual will become a trillionaire. Jeff Bezos of Amazon got up to $148 billion before his divorce knocked him down to $111 billion. Once all believers are raptured home to glory, I'm sure the value of our heavenly mansions will put Bezos to shame. "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt. 6:19-21 NIV). Almighty God in You - A Slayer of Giants - David Pepe - https://www.theignorantfishermen.com/2011/06/killer-of-giants.html Who can ever forget the account of David the shepherd boy and his passion and zeal for Almighty God in spirit and truth when he took on the greatest warrior of the Philistine nation in the Name of the Lord and slew him (1 Sam.17:48-58). Remember, before the slaying of the Giant of Gath, young David placed his firm trust and reliance in the God and Savior of Israel. He took every opportunity to apply himself and trust in his Great Savior. The more he trusted and applied God's Word for his life the more he grew. David became confident and had full assurance in the Lord in whom He trusted with all his heart (1 Sam. 17:32-37). David worked with what he had and gave it all to Almighty God for His glory (Acts 13:21-22). As a young man and the youngest of eight, David was absolutely loyal, faithful and diligent in the tasks that were given unto him. David's application of the truth and his walk with Almighty God would make him fearless and a mighty man of valor. Young David was a shepherd boy who was given a few sheep to watch over. In this task, he was faithful and extremely protective. In the sheep's defense, he slew not only a bear but also a lion. May I say, how many young boys do you know who would do such a thing? Almighty God was doing a great work in David's heart and was preparing David for exceedingly great things. He was raising up a man to serve for His glory and honor and to testify to the nations that there is a God in Israel (1 Sam. 16:12, 17:32-37, 2 Sam. 7:8, Psalm 78:70 ). So it was no wonder that when all of Israel was unbelieving and fearful in light of their arch enemy the Philistines (1 Sam. 17:23-24), that the passion and zeal of David was burning hot for the God of Israel's GREAT Name's sake. This teenage boy was willing to stand up and fight in the midst of innumerable odds and obstacles which opposed him. David applied himself to the fullest and what he was not able to do he deposited to Almighty God to work out for His glory and Great Name's sake (1 Sam. 17:45-47). In the end, David - in the strength of the Lord - overcame the countless disadvantages and slew this violent warrior of great stature (1 Sam. 17:32-37, Psalm 23). Throughout David's life he would go on to slay many giants and obstacles which stood in the way of Almighty God's will and way for his life (Psalms 3, 9, 23, 34, 37, 144). My friends, how much more are we to apply ourselves today in the little things and seek to be faithful unto the Lord in all that He has before us for His glory and honor (1 Cor. 10:31). We who are seated at the Right Hand of Almighty God in Christ Jesus, blessed with all of the Heavenly BLESSINGS and POWER (Psalm 110:1, Eph. 1:3, 2:6, Col. 3:1-4)! Oh beloved of Christ! Play the man and fight the good fight in light of this world's master and his many adversaries (Eph. 2:1-2, 6:12). Let Almighty God work through you for His HONOR and GLORY (Psalm 56:12; 57:5, 8, 9, 11; 142:7), you will NEVER be or see things the same! What About You? Sadly, many today who profess to know and serve the Savior are seeking solutions which are outside of the will of God for their lives. They are the children of Almighty God (John 1:12) who have chosen to be the subjective worldly prisoners of the god of this world. They (in their ignorance and rebellion) allow Satan's giants to intimidate them in fear, causing them to miss out on the wonders of what Almighty God would do in their hearts and lives if they would only believe (Mark 11:22, Luke 17:6, 2 Tim. 3:5, Heb. 4:1-2, 1 John 5:4 ). My friend, what is the giant of a "raindrop" in the midst of the oceans of the world? What is the giant of a "burning match" in the presence of the noonday sun? Oh my beloved, Almighty God has ALREADY given us the victory! "Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4)" Draw out your sword - which is the Word of Almighty God and play the man for our Savior's GREAT Name's sake (Rom. 8:31-39, Eph. 6:10-18, Phil. 4:13, Heb. 4:12)! Sadly, countless children of the King are oblivious to the ETERNAL BIG picture and only - subjectively - see life through the limited confines of this vain, temporal and doomed world. They are fools in NOT laying hold of ALL of the precious promises and privileges in Christ that are given unto us to apply in our lives to outwork the glory of God (Rom. 8: 28-39, 2 Cor. 1:20, 1 Tim. 6:12, 19, 2 Peter 1:4)! These are not rooted in the TRUTH of Almighty God's Word and are powerless to stand against the wiles of the devil (Eph. 6:10-18). They are NOT accessing the heavenly arsenal of POWER and MIGHT of their position in Christ (Psalm 110:1, Eph. 1:3,7, 2:6, Col. 3:1-4). They are oblivious to what TRUE prayer is all about and in vain are wasting their breath with self-seeking requests (John 14:13, Rom. 8:26-29, 2 Tim. 3:5). These have neglected the Holy Spirit of God's good leading and have chosen to possess a self-led Spirit quenching manner of living, reaping the consequences of being Biblically ignorant (Rom. 8:26-28, Gal. 6:7, 1 Thess. 5:19). In their many "self-imposed" adversities, testings and satanic siftings, these are taking the satanic bait and are seeking for themselves false saviors to deliver them from the many ills which plague them in this fallen world. Tragically, only in the end, do they reap a deeper despair, confusion and depression, never comprehending the errors of their OWN ways (Gal. 6:3-8, 1 Tim. 1:19, 6:21, Rev. 2:4,14, 20-22, 3:2, 17-19). Oh my, beloved! Cannot Almighty God be trusted to govern our lives?? Does He not want the ETERNAL highest and best for you (John 3:16-17, Rom. 8:26-39)? Can He not deliver you from the wiles and diabolical trickery of the fallen angel Lucifer (Eph.2:1-10, 6:10-18, Heb. 2:14-15, 1 John 4:4)?, He Who created the Heavens with their billions of galaxies and trillions upon trillions of stars along with the earth with its countless wondrous beauties, can He not remove a great mountain or slay an opposing giant that stands in the way of His great ETERNAL plan and purpose for our lives (Matt. 7:7-8, 17:20, Mark 11:22-23, John 14:13, 1 John 5:14)? He who defeated the King of Fears (i.e., Death - Heb. 2:14-15) by victoriously rising from the grave to sit at the Right Hand of Almighty God, can He not deliver (Psalm 110:1, Acts 2:24,33, 1 Cor 15:1-4)? Can He not rescue you from the adversities and plagues that seek to stand in the way of God the Holy Spirit's great plan and out working in your heart (Gal. 1:4, Rom. 7:24, 8:26-28)? My beloved, He most surely can! We need to wake up to the great ETERNAL realities and truths of Almighty God our Savior and taste and see that the Lord is good, wondrous and mighty to deliver (Job 23:10, Rom. 5:1-5, Eph 5:14,Heb. 10:36, 1 Peter 1:7, 2 Peter 1:1-10)! Beloved, the Christian life is one of absolute adventure. We WILL NOT be delivered from all of life's adversities, but in all things we are to be victorious in Christ (Rom. 8:37, 1 Cor. 15:57, 2 Cor. 2:14, Phil. 4:13, 1 John 5:4)! We are to seek Almighty God's glory for His great Name's sake in ALL that we do or say (1 Cor. 10:31, Col. 3:17, 1 Peter 4:11)! In that my beloved is found the POWER of prayer for the child of Almighty God (John 14:13, Rom. 8: 26-29)! We are more than conquers in Christ! In ALL of it we possess the ETERNAL VICTORY which has been given unto us in Christ (Eph. 2:1-10, 2 Peter 1:1-10, Rev. 21, 22:1-5)! In this life's great warfare there are no utopias here in this fallen world. Do not be deceived. The only solutions for the child of God are found in Almighty God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Anything prayed for that is less than Almighty God's will and way for your life - His highest and best - is rebellion and sin. Remember my beloved, The GIANTS that stand in the way and oppose God's will for your life WILL be slain (John 14:13, 15:7, 1 John 5:14)! In the will of Almighty God you are invincible (Rom. 8:26-39)! We are to take that hill in Almighty God's will for the battle is the Lord's (Rom.8:37)! My friend, whatever comes your way in these days of adversity and lawlessness, be strong in the Lord, play the man for Almighty God and His great Name's sake, NEVER compromise, fight the good fight of faith and have faith in Almighty God. In doing so, Almighty God in you will become a killer of giants as He works out His will (highest and best) in you for your life unto His glory and honor (John 15:7-8, 2 Cor. 5:17-20, Eph.2:10, 2 Tim. 2:21). The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand! Daily Jot: Liz and Bernie's blasphemy - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com Democratic presidential hopefuls socialist Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Bernie Sanders (VT) are walking the thin line of blasphemy by saying that the Bible supports socialism. According to the Daily Caller, Sanders and Warren are campaigning to win the "Christian" vote by quoting scripture in support of their socialist agendas. The Daily Caller reports, "The two presidential candidates addressed a group of black Christian millennials Saturday at a Black Church PAC's Youth Leadership Conference in Atlanta. Both referenced the Bible to support their progressive agendas as they campaigned to the faithful." Sanders says the Bible "is about justice" and "standing up to the wealthy and powerful." Warren quoted a watered-down version of Matthew 25:35. According to the Daily Caller, she said, "for I was hungry, and you gave me meat ... I was a stranger and you took me in," and then spoke about the need to increase taxes on the "bazillionaires," gun control, eliminating student debt and doing away with private healthcare. She said, "These plans show my values," as if they were those of Christ's. Let me be very clear: The Bible is the story of the gift of salvation. It is given freely to those who accept-whether Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, free or slave. The justice is God's justice-not man's brand of "get even" justice. God's law is to be written on the hearts of those who accept Christ, meaning that disciples of Christ want to follow the laws and are not compelled or forced to follow them. As God's people, we are not forced to administer justice or compassion, we do it freely and cheerfully. Socialists use the Bible toclaim God instituted socialism based on Acts 4:32, "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common." The difference here is that the early disciples of Christ in Acts voluntarily out of the love of their hearts gave one to another. In Socialism and Communism, government becomes god and distribution of personal property by the state is compulsory. Chapter II. Proletarians and Communists of the Communist Manifesto says, "But Communism abolishes eternal truths, it abolishes all religion, and all morality, instead of constituting them on a new basis; it therefore acts in contradiction to all past historical experience." Warren's and Sanders' use of the Bible to justify the force of socialism borders blasphemy. Theypromise everything to those who have nothing; they cause class and economic warfare, plying unwitting minds with words like equality, peace, open borders, and fairness. Christians need not be so ignorant to believe such deceivers. There is no common ground with the Bible and the many brands of socialism and communism. In Nicaragua in 2009 there were billboards with thewords "Christiano, Socialista, Solidario." They promoted themarriage of Christianity and socialism to convince people that it was their Christian duty to vote socialist, to give up their rights to the government. It resulted in tyranny. Don't be deceived by these blasphemers. Daily Devotion: Reluctant Evangelists - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.-Matthew 5:44-45 My mother was married and divorced seven times. I had the privilege of sharing the gospel with several of my mother's husbands, including Oscar Laurie, the man who adopted me. He came to faith in Christ, and I was very thankful for that. However, there was another husband of hers whom I will call Eddie. He was an alcoholic and almost killed my mother one night when he was drunk. After I became a Christian, I sensed that God wanted me to share the gospel with Eddie. But I didn't really want to. I thought, He is a bad man, and I don't want to talk to him again. I don't want to see him again. But I went anyway. And I would like to say that it was a glorious experience and that he got down on his knees and accepted Christ. But I can't say that. He listened to me. He was nice. He was pleasant about it and said, "Well, you know I am glad this has happened for you, Greg." I invited him to come and hear me preach, but he again said no. There may be someone like that in your life who has hurt you, someone who has disappointed you. And you think because of that, you don't ever want to talk to them again, much less share the gospel with them. But as believers, we are to overcome our personal prejudice and hang-ups. And instead of saying, "Never, Lord," we need to say, "Yes, Lord!" Be willing. See what God will do. They may react like Eddie. Or they may react like Oscar. Maybe there is even someone right now whom you regard as an enemy. What can you do? You can share the gospel-and leave the results in the hands of God. 
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 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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