Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Connecting the Prophetic Dots - By Todd Hampson -
https://www.raptureready.com/2019/08/23/connecting-prophetic-dots-todd-hampson/ I'm a child of the 70's and it was definitely a different era. Video games were just entering the scene and we didn't have cell phones, so we had other activities to keep us busy. Most of them were outdoor activities, so we wouldn't break the house or drive our parents crazy, but there were a few indoor activities that were popular in my generation as well. Two that come to mind are: Connect the Dots, and Paint By Numbers. I loved Connect the Dots because at first it just looked like a bunch of random dots on a page. But as we drew lines from each numbered dot to the next one, a picture would begin to emerge. What at first seemed like unconnected and completely random dots formed into a very clear picture right before our eyes. Paint By Numbers, on the other hand, was less appealing to me. You could already make out the picture, and the only goal was to mind-numbingly paint all of the 1's blue, all of the 2's red, all of the 3's white. You get the picture (pun intended). By the time you finished, you felt like Rembrandt; but all you were doing was filling in the colors like a drone. Sorry to anyone who loves doing Paint By Numbers. Stick with me here. I promise it will be worth the time. When it comes to Bible prophecy-or any area of complex theology for that matter-we often prefer a Paint-By-Numbers approach. We want it all spelled out neatly for us without having to do too much work or think too deeply about what we believe and why we believe it. I'm all for simple childlike faith, but as we grow in our walk with the Lord, we should begin to crave meat instead of milk. This does not make God love us more or put a "Super Christian" emblem on our chests, but it helps us to be grounded more deeply in God's word, and it helps us better understand the times in which we live. As Bible prophecy students, we must take the Connect-the-Dots approach. We have to put in the hard work of studying scripture-particularly the Old Testament prophets (major and minor), the Olivet Discourse, epistles such as 1st and 2nd Thessalonians, and the book of Revelation. Then we must apply that to what we see today. That means we need to view the daily news cycle in light of Scripture. If God is sovereign, nothing is random. Nothing. He sees all of history simultaneously. For us, our present intersects with eternity one moment at a time. He knows the end from the beginning as if it has already happened. He paints a very clear picture of what the end-times will look like; and my friends-when I connect the dots I see today, I am convinced that a very clear picture is emerging before our eyes. A couple times a year I try to do a post where I provide a snapshot of the prophetic landscape as I see it. I'd like to Connect the Dots of a few prophetic end-time sign categories to see what picture is emerging. Space does not allow for me to cite all relevant verses for each category, but this is where I would encourage readers to roll their sleeves up and do some dot-connecting of their own. Things are happening so fast and in such detail that I've shifted from citing a bunch of supporting Bible verses to encouraging readers to be skeptics and try to disprove the dots I'm connecting. I don't do this for debate or ego purposes. My goal is to force people (if they really want to know the truth about the times in which we live) to study the details themselves. I have found that this moves people from having a general knowledge to forming strong convictions-and it provides a clear view of the signs of the times. When you have to wrestle with concepts, you form convictions as you study the details. As you do, the Holy Spirit reveals things that are hidden in plain sight. With all of that as a backdrop, here are a few major clusters of dots that have so clearly connected in our day that these signs seriously cannot be understated. One caveat. I know I'm missing some signs here. There are simply too many to cover, and they are developing too quickly to cover accurately in a single post. It's enough to make your head spin. Israel The unprecedented series of events leading to two forced elections in close proximity have served to kick the Deal-of-the-Century can further down the road. Everything surrounding this deal makes it the perfect candidate for the covenant the Antichrist will strengthen and push over the finish line sometime after the rapture occurs. The Deal of the Century could very well be the core framework for the end-time covenant spoken of in Daniel chapter 9. I can't stress this enough, but every single detail related to Israel's rebirth as a nation has been fulfilled exactly as foretold in Scripture. Specific prophecies about the land, the people, the wars, the economy, the military, Jerusalem, the events leading up to (and following) her rebirth, the global rise in antisemitism (just ask The Squad), and so much more-have all occurred precisely as predicted in the Bible. This dense cluster of dots has connected to form a very clear and compelling end-time mega-sign. Technological The visions of Daniel, Ezekiel, and Revelation are full of technological details that must be in place in order for various events to occur during the 7-year tribulation period. There are monetary, military, DNA, AI, communication, data-mining, biologically integrated, and other technological developments occurring in our day (at exponential, breakneck speed) that make the foretold events possible. The more technology advances, the more it lines up with the events of the tribulation period. Cashless systems, autonomous weapons, chip and neurological implants, DNA manipulation, the internet, satellite communication, nuclear weaponry, the surveillance state, and many other current and emerging technologies are all related to end-time Bible prophecies. Geopolitical The geopolitical landscape could not be more ripe for end-time events. The players and details of Ezekiel 38 continue to fall in place like a movie script. Again, there are so many details in place and casting shadows that we could detail them in a series of blog posts like this one. You simply can't study the details of Ezekiel 38-39 (or expand that out to 36-39 if you have time) and not have your mind blown at how spot-on the prophecy is. And it is forming right before our eyes-if you have eyes to see! In addition to Ezekiel 38, we also see the extreme instability of nations. There are truly wars and rumors of war increasing like birth pains, just as described by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse. Part of that prophecy included division within countries, not just animosity between countries. We see this on the daily news. The US has (in my opinion) never been more divided-with the exception of the civil war which was (again, in my opinion) God's judgment for the sin of slavery. But even in that case, our country was divided in two. Today it seems it is divided into 50. There is no human solution to our perplexing problems. Aside from the struggles in the US, there are internal divisions in Iran, China, Syria, Nigeria, South Africa, Venezuela, Italy, England, Spain, France, Germany, and others countries. Divisions between globalism and nationalists, the clash of cultures from the influx of refugees, races, tribes, "isms," and many other factors make the global landscape more volatile than ever before. Couple this with the ongoing conflicts and ever-declining relationships between superpowers like the US, Russia, and China who increasingly find themselves with military assets in the same theaters. Let that sink in for a moment. The tension between Nationalism and Globalism has been brought to light the past few years like never before. Brexit and Trump have been lightning rods to highlight the demarcation lines. What used to be considered conspiracy theory is now known fact. The gloves are off; and though key globalist figures remain hidden behind the scenes, their end-time agenda (knowingly or not) lines up perfectly with the prophecies of Daniel and John. Economical Even with the booming economy of the US (though economic manipulators are attempting to scare the markets and effect the next election by using the R-word-recession), the national debt is 22.5 trillion dollars. This number is so big we can't grasp it. It is-in my humble non-mathematician opinion-too big to pay back. At some point, events will converge, causing it to collapse. I believe (based on Matthew 24:37-39) that it will collapse as a result of the rapture and related events. Right now, the only thing holding it together is a bit of supernatural crazy glue. When the US economy collapses, the financial tsunami will circle the globe. This will help provide the perfect scenario for the antichrist to emerge and bring order out of chaos. The Brexit-can has also been kicked down the road, but is about to come to an end. No one knows exactly what economic ripple effects this will have in the EU this fall. Stay tuned! Spiritual There is a connection between this sign category and the next. Spiritual factors naturally bleed into cultural trends. One of the recent mass-shooters was (based on scores of handwritten notebooks found at his house) a Satanist. Much of what our society calls "mental health" is really spiritual warfare-demonic influence that has invaded the hearts and minds of people as we continue to kick God out. Some high-profile figures have recently turned from their faith. Author Joshua Harris and Hillsong singer and songwriter Marty Sampson both recently made comments about no longer believing in Christianity. There are people claiming to be Christian witches, Christian mediums, and other self-contradictory and wholly unbiblical combinations. On the bright side, there is a great awakening among Muslims in Iran, Indonesia and other places, as well as an exploding underground church in China. The gospel has gone full circle around the globe, and perhaps this is part of a last ingathering before the rapture can occur. The times of the Gentiles is almost up! Cultural I remember when Columbine was a big deal. It was unprecedented. Now it's expected. Sadly, we're just waiting for the next mass shooting to occur-and they do, regularly. So much so, that most of them are not reported in the national news. Over 40 people were shot in one weekend recently. Unless you live near Chicago, you probably never heard about that. Just 20 or so years ago, pro-abortion folks said they wanted abortions to be "safe, legal, and rare." Now many of those same people are proposing legislation that allows abortions to be administered by health technicians instead of "real" doctors (What doctor really goes to medical school with plans to become an abortionist?). They also encourage cross-border, secret (i.e. Illegal) abortion access, and states such as New York have passed legislation that allows babies to be killed at the moment of birth. There is an actual movement (complete with a book and website) called "Shout Your Abortion." What could possibly be holding back the judgment of God except for his foreordained timing? There is no respect for the innocence of children. They are exposed to immorality almost everywhere they turn. Libraries around the country regularly have "Drag Queen Story Time." Come on. That is wrong on so many levels that there shouldn't even be a debate about it. Here's a snapshot of what I'm talking about. Last weekend, a movie called Good Boys released. It stars three young boys and is rated R for all of the reasons you would expect a movie to be so rated. The purpose of the movie is to juxtapose the innocence of children with the most vulgar of adult vices and ungodly behavior-in the name of "comedy." Innocence lost. Natural We tend to focus on the US when it comes to these signs. The news is dominated by non-stop political spin. But, just recently there have been several devastating convulsions of nature around the world that we've not even heard about. There have been devastating floods and landslides across parts of South Asia from heavy monsoon rains. Right now, there are record-breaking heat waves and droughts, and several major wildfires. Russia, for example, is on track to have its worst year ever recorded for wildfires. There are also major wildfires in Alaska, Greenland, Paraguay, and other places-including areas of the Amazon rainforest. And don't forget, 2018 saw America's most destructive wildfire season ever. Just within the past month, there have been 646 earthquakes with 9 of them registering 6.0 or higher (and several more that registered 5.9). The two major earthquakes that hit California this summer triggered 16,000 smaller earthquakes. So, between July 4th when the 6.4 quake hit (possibly a prophetically significant day, I might add) and July 19th or so when the aftershocks died down, there were 16,000 earthquakes-an average of 1,066 earthquakes per day. That is significant. The one-two punch of the 6.4 and 7.1 quakes in just a few days definitely got the country's attention. Convergence The two mega-signs are Israel and convergence. They are like bookends of the categories and serve to show us how late the hour may be. Prophetic details are converging in our time unlike any other time in history. This is one of those statements I don't want you to take my word for. Please pray for eyes to see as you study these things for yourself and see if they are not true. I know this can seem crazy to the world, but let's be crazy for Christ's sake. In the words of the Apostle Paul from 2 Corinthians 5:13, "If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God." As we connect the dots of the day-let's be sure to pay attention to the picture that emerges before our eyes. Lord, give us eyes to see! By Todd Hampson | ToddHampson.com Hezbollah and Lebanese allies are building a case for war - analysis - By Seth J. Frantzman - https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Hezbollah-and-Lebanese-allies-are-building-a-case-for-war-analysis-599827 Hezbollah and its allies are building a case for war and Lebanon's media and other officials are fueling the tensions with assertions that drones that crashed in Beirut carried bombs. Whether or not the drones carried C4 explosives or that their aim was to carry out a bombing or target an individual is not particularly important because what matters is the calculations going on beneath the surface in Lebanon. Lebanon's President Michel Aoun by inferring that the incident marks a kind of "declaration of war" ups the rhetoric and the chances that a green light has been given to Hezbollah to retaliate. The main issue Hezbollah has faced in the past, since Israel's withdrawal in 2000, is to try to create a legitimate reason for maintaining a massive armed group within a functioning state. It has been able to keep its arsenal, not only because no one can disarm it, but also through claiming it is part of a "resistance" that "defends" Lebanon. As such it claimed after 2000 that it must recover the "Sheba farms" or "Mount Dov" area on the border, a disputed territory with Israel and Syria. Suddenly, a tiny area became the reason for Hezbollah's existence. This was all a veneer for the real reason of Hezbollah's existence, which is that as an Iranian proxy and ally which wants the group to continue stockpiling its weapons and building up its infrastructure along Israel's border to threaten Israel. Hezbollah doesn't keep secret its regional ambitions. It fought in the Syrian civil war, it has contact with Shi'ite militias in Iraq, it talks about the Houthis in Yemen as if they are a part of its strategy. It shows images of Al-Aqsa as if it is the main champion of the Palestinian case against US President Donald Trump's Deal of the Century. At every juncture its role is regional and global. Two small drones, one of which apparently caught on video was far from clandestine, sounding more like a flying washing machine on spin cycle, are merely Hezbollah's icing on the cake justifying its "right" to respond. This is lip service because Israel uncovered Hezbollah tunnels in December 2018 which showed Hezbollah as having violated the 2006 UN Resolution 1701. So, Aoun says that the drone incident also violates the resolution. This is to create a legal pretext and cover should hostilities begin. Hezbollah and its allies in Lebanon, including President Aoun, are thus already creating the context for the post-war scenario. Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri, whose father Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was murdered in an assassination likely carried out with Hezbollah's aid, has seemingly forgotten about the 2005 tragedy. He, too, has condemned Israel but hedged his bets by arguing that it is not in the interest of Lebanon to spiral into a dangerous escalation. He hopes that friends in Washington, or Riyadh, can calm things down. The Lebanese Parliament speaker Nabih Berri, has also spoken with the Kuwaitis and condemned the "Israeli aggression." Berri is a Shi'ite from the Amal movement. Is this just a lot of posturing designed by Hezbollah to test the Israeli alertness? Hassan Nasralla recalls the last war and he knows what Hezbollah will face. He also knows his forces lost many casualties in Syria but, they also gained experience there. Unsurprisingly, rhetoric leads the way with talk of "opening the gates of hell" now that the "investigation" has found that the drones were allegedly armed. Nasrallah has a problematic calculation to make. His allies in Iran are not entirely clear on what the best response is and Hassan Rouhani is discussing a possible meeting with the US under some conditions. Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander Qasem Soleimani and Iran's allies in Iraq have also appeared to green light a kind of "declaration of war." Yet none of them seem to want to fight the war they have declared, despite their assertions that Israel and the US are behind attacks across the region. Nasrallah's movement is not the movement of 2006, it is more closely linked to issues in Syria and Iraq today than in the past. It understands this linkage and has to weigh it against its desire to react with a response in the wake of the drone incident. Nearing Midnight: Doors to Your Future - Terry James - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ "Forget the book of Revelation. We have all the facts about Armageddon."' The CNN anchorwoman's opening statement into the lead story some years ago was given with lighthearted inflection. Although her words undoubtedly were intended to grab the attention of viewers in preparation for the ensuing story about Armageddon, the movie sensation of that hour, the tongue-in-cheek lead-in nonetheless appropriately reflected the worldview of biblical prophecy. Hollywood, the facetious opening implied, knows better than the God of the Bible what the future holds for mankind. Dr. David Jeremiah remarked at that time, "Satan hates the book of Revelation because it foretells his doom." It should not surprise us that a worldwide news medium should broadcast with such lack of understanding because Satan, who is the prince of this world, conducts an ongoing propaganda campaign that presents near truths designed to keep fallen mankind on the broad way that leads to destruction. Jesus said, "Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it" (Matthew 7:13,14). There are, Christ tells us, two roads or pathways through life in the physical body. Because of man's nature, fallen since the rebellion in the Garden of Eden, people are on the wide, easy path of least resistance that leads to their eternal separation from God, their Creator. Jesus Christ represents the other pathway-the narrow Way-that leads people to eternal life in Heaven, forever in the presence of God who adopts them as His children because of their trust in His Son as the only atonement for sin. Every heartbeat moves you one moment nearer to eternity. You will enter that infinite realm through one of two doors. You may choose which of those doors you will ultimately enter while life yet pulses within your breast. However, by not choosing, you are swiftly moving toward the door beyond which awaits torment and damnation that will never end (see Luke 16:19-31). While such a view runs counter to this world system's theologies and philosophies of "feel-goodisms" and salvation by "do-goodisms," and as unpopular as it is to point out that man is a fallen creature that needs saving, ignoring the truth of God's Word means souls lost forever. Thankfully, "the Lord is ... not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9). The Hissing Serpent Satan's all-consuming purpose is to plant in the minds of men, women, and children a big question mark about God. Because there is within each of us a God-shaped soul-space, the great deceiver knows he cannot convince mankind there is no God. His drive is to create doubt about the Creator of all things: Is God a being or just a force of some kind like that portrayed in the "Star Wars" fiction? Is God existential in His dealings with His creation? Has He simply created and set all things in motion, then moved on, leaving that creation to evolve and fend for itself like is presented by the deist view? Or is God a deity who can be trusted? Can He be relied upon to keep His word, to see those who trust in Him through the vicissitudes of life and bring them into His loving, eternal presence when physical life on earth has run its course? The latter of these deceptive questions was used by the serpent in the Garden of Eden (read Genesis 3). "Yea, hath God said?" was the question Lucifer the fallen one implanted within the minds of the first man and woman (see Genesis 3: 1). "Ye shall not surely die" the devil told the couple. He was implying that God wanted to keep them ignorant and under His thumb because He didn't want them to become as gods, which gaining the forbidden knowledge would accomplish. In essence, Satan planted in their minds the belief that God is a liar. His Word cannot be trusted. The serpent hisses the same subtle propaganda today into the ears of this self-willed generation of earth dwellers. If we will look and listen attentively, we can perceive an incessant assault upon the voracity of God's truth coming at us from every angle. Media Manipulation The CNN story alluded to at the beginning of this commentary is mild in comparison to the many attacks on God's truth-particularly in the area of biblical prophecy-while human history moves forward. Some might say that it is a natural thing for there to be increased interest generated during such a dramatic, exciting period. Movies, TV programs, speculation within news journalism-these things are to be expected to exploit the hopes, fears, and hunger for spectacular entertainment while earth moves ever deeper into the millennium. And exploited they continue to be! However, it is not a natural exploitation. It's a supernatural exploitation that more and more becomes evident to the spiritually attuned eye and ear. Satan, who has never ceased his assault against God's truth, continues to intensify his attack at every point within the arena of human affairs. People's almost-fanatic desire to gain supernatural knowledge about the future is fertile ground for the great deceiver to work his nefarious, anti-God subterfuge. Like the pied piper, Satan enchants the majority of humanity, enticing people to follow him down the broad way to the open door into the eternal abyss. Satan's attempted undermining of God's truth is more and more observable in these closing days of the Church Age. He slyly chooses not to completely omit biblical prophecy as he influences media to create programs catering to their audience's voracious appetites for knowledge of what the future holds. He subtly weaves sparse, disconnective textual bits and pieces from Bible prophecy within the nonsense and lies of false prophets in order to give their false prophecies an air of validity and believability. Always the message from the mind of the deceiver is that man and his humanistic solutions can overcome the dire predictions for mankind's future if everyone will come together as one in peace and harmony. The great deceiver hisses convincingly into the already-inflated egos of the one-world builders that they are "as gods." They must, he whispers, overcome all obstacles totally apart from the deity Christian fanatics claim is the only One who knows the end from the beginning. Satan's voice whispers against the One who prophesies a time of unprecedented trouble for the world because of mankind's rebellion against Him and rejection of His Son, Jesus Christ. Revelation 19:10 says, "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. " The book of Revelation is not just a series of revelations of judgments, although it does reveal great details about the coming wrath of God and the reasons for judgment. The book is the revelation of Jesus Christ-the unveiling of the truth about who Christ is in His glorified magnificence. Satan is presently mounting an all-out offensive in an attempt to pervert and thwart the truth of God's prophetic Word. The nucleus of his attack centers around the lie that the book of Revelation is confusing, cannot be understood and, indeed, is not meant to be understood because it is a mishmash of symbolism and allegory that was never intended to be in the canon of Scripture. Tragically, many people in the body of Christ choose to fall for this satanic lie. Even some Christian seminaries choose to ignore God's revelation of His Son Jesus Christ by treating biblical prophecy, and the book of Revelation in particular, as symbolic or as history already accomplished. This despite the fact that Revelation 22:19 states, "If any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the tree of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." Christians who fall for this luciferian deception not only are missing the blessing promised by God to those who read and heed the revelation (see Revelation 1:3), but they are unwittingly helping Satan in his full-fledged assault on God's truth as he leads lost men, women. and children to eternity apart from God. Consider the foreshadows of wrath inundating this world in profusion. From the rapidly spreading apostasy developing through ecumenism to the precise alignment of nations as predicted in God's Word to the perilous times Paul warned about in 2 Thessalonians 3, everything foreshadows our redemption that thrilling moment as foreseen by John in his vision: "After this I looked and, behold, a door was opened in heaven; and the first voice that I heard was, as it were, of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up here" (Revelation 4:1). In order to enter that door, you must first open your door, the door to your heart (your soul). Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20). It is your decision to make. There will never be one more important than the choice you make regarding the doors to eternity. God's Word says, "Be ye therefore, ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not" (Luke 12:40). Right this moment, choose Jesus Christ, who faithfully promises "surely, I come quickly" (Revelation 22:20). Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Trump and 'the Multitude of Words' - By Hal Lindsey - https://www.hallindsey.com/ww-8-27-2019/ Recently, President Donald Trump made statements many Christians found troubling. They were upset when they saw headlines like; "Trump Proclaims Himself 'The Chosen One.'" That headline seems to be describing someone with a messiah complex. But if you went on to read the story beneath the headline, you saw that he was talking about US trade with China. That doesn't sound messianic at all. It sounds like a guy who wishes his predecessors had fixed a problem. But they didn't, and now he has been "chosen" to clean up their mess. Saying you're chosen to fix the trade problem with China is hardly the same as claiming to be the messiah. I'm more concerned by something that came over the President's Twitter account on August 21. He retweeted a message originally sent out by radio host, Wayne Allen Root. He tweeted, "Trump is the greatest President for Jews and for Israel in the history of the world, not just America, he is the best President for Israel in the history of the world... and the Jewish people in Israel love him like he's the King of Israel. They love him like he is the second coming of God." Root did not say Trump is "the second coming of God." He said that the Jewish people in Israel love him in that way. But it's a weird choice of words. The phrase "second coming of God" would seem to have little meaning for any Jew who has not accepted Christ. He might ask, "When did God leave?" But Christians know that God the Son, Jesus, came to earth as a man. He then left, promising to return. When He returns, it will be His "second coming." Because He is God, someone could call His return "the second coming of God." The phrase "King of Israel" also carries a powerful meaning for Christians. That title belongs to Jesus. Root professes to be a Christian, so why would he use such loaded words? And why would Donald Trump forward them to his own Twitter followers? Some of the criticism has been unfair. Turkish-American broadcaster, Cenk Uygur, said, "Can you imagine if Barack Obama called himself the second coming of God?" Do you see the lie? Trump did not call himself "the second coming of God." He retweeted someone else saying that the Jewish people of Israel love him as if he were "the second coming of God." But the President set himself up for such derision when he retweeted Root's ridiculous and loaded statement. President Trump uses Twitter to direct the media conversation in America, and it's very useful to him. But sometimes he shoots from the hip. In this case, he clearly did not think through the implications of Root's tweet. I think he saw the beginning of the tweet about him being a great president for the Jews, and immediately decided to retweet it. Words are powerful, and they can be dangerous. James 3 compares the tongue to the small rudder steering a massive ship. That power can be used for good, or ill. In verse 6, James warned, "The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity." Proverbs 10:19 says, "In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise." 1 Timothy 2:2 admonishes us to pray for those in authority. No matter how you feel about the president, pray for him - pray especially that he will have wisdom in how he speaks. Let's also pray for ourselves in this area. According to a study at the University of Arizona, Americans speak an average of 16,000 words per day. That's a "multitude of words." A suggested prayer would be along the lines of Colossians 4:6, that our "speech always be with grace." Daily Jot: Grieving in the Spirit - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com There was a huge response to yesterday's Daily Jot on Spiritual grieving. Every one identified with, as KJ put it, "a tsunami of grief and powerlessness as these things sweep society." Those who are spiritually in tune are experiencing this, but I dare say we are not powerless to overcome it. But I'll address that later. I want to share what others like ourselves are feeling about this grieving to demonstrate that this is not isolated, but that many are experiencing the same spiritual feeling-as if there is something very big and very dark about to happen. This is not a time to shrink back, but to step in as we are not given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind-all are needed in these days. AB wrote: "I, too, have the sinking feeling of living in a different country. I am 85+ and a WWII child. We were so united as a nation in those childhood years, with dads, uncles, brothers gone off to one part of the world or the other to fight enemies of our nation. Now, it seems the enemies we fight are OF this nation, coming at us from our neighborhoods, our newspapers, the TV, the movies, and editorials and op-ed pieces in the paper which all sound mean, angry and ill-informed. The thing I cling to is that I have read the Book and I know this, along with the involvement of the nation of Israel, are there and it all seems to be in accordance to what has been written of the future we will have...Faith increases as sadness over this precious nation loses Him along the way." JN wrote: "You have identified the burdens my Jesus Friends and I carry in our hearts... there are those across the globe who find there is no way to have a conversation with those who represent the Church in organized congregations or in Seminaries which are supposed to be training and equipping Christian workers!" KW wrote: "I, too, carry such a heaviness in my heart regularly for the soul of our nation, for the whole world. I pray regularly for God to bring us back to Him!, but I don't sense He will before the rapture." I believe God alone likely will not bring us or this nation back before the rapture-it is a partnership between God and you, or God and me, AND God and us! We have to take action. He chooses to act through his people. We have to step up and change things and God will bless it, honor it, and open doors for it. A revolution is needed in the church before we can revive the nation. Because there was a revolution in the church in the 1960s, the nation has evolved to its current condition. We have a personal responsibility in this. We need to question everything in our churches. Weigh it against the scriptures. What is being taught; what is being done; are these doctrines and actions scriptural? No longer should a pastor be able to get away with teaching bad doctrine or using money for pet projects or doing whatever he/she wants just because you are not to question their actions. This has gone on far too long. As is written in Acts 17:11 of the Bereans, "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so." More to come. Daily Devotion: The Mutual Choice - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. -John 15:16 Before the world was made, before sin came in, God chose you to be with Him through all eternity. Jesus said, "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you" (John 15:16 NKJV). The question that comes to our minds is why? Why would God choose us? What goodness or merit did God see in us that He would choose us as His children? I hope you're not disappointed by this, but the answer is there was no goodness. There was no merit. It is not even because we are lovable. The fact is that He chose us despite us. In Ephesians 1 we read, "He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will" (verses 4-5 NKJV). Why did God choose us? It's the same reason that He chose the nation Israel. Speaking through His servant Moses, God said to Israel, "The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the Lord loves you" (Deuteronomy 7:7-8 NKJV). The Lord chose them because He loved them. And that's why He chose us: because He loved us and loves us. God chose us, but the Bible also tells us that we must choose Him. As Dwight L. Moody put it, the whosoever wills are the elect, and the whosoever won'ts are the non-elect." God wants all to believe. 
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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