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Prophecy Update Newsletter
September 6, 2016
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
The Replacements, Israel, and Bible Prophecy - By Howard Green - http://raptureready.com/soap2/green52.html
I came to know the Lord at a very young age. I started reading a Bible I found one day and couldn't get enough. I read stories about prophets, giants, kings, and the Savior. Early on in my reading, even in my young mind and spirit, I noticed a clear pattern. The God of the Bible had a people. His people have their beginning from a promise He made to Abraham. He gave His servant Moses the Law they were to live by at Sinai. He picked a shepherd boy to be a king and his son to build His holy temple. Over the centuries, God's prophets exhorted, warned, and lamented for their nation and people. Ultimately from this people, just as prophesied by Jewish prophets centuries earlier, would come the Savior of all humanity. This obvious pattern was woven throughout the Bible. Even as a boy it was clear that God has a very special purpose for the nation of Israel and the Jewish people. In light of that biblical truth, let's explore the growing tide of Replacement Theology that has crept into evangelicalism as we focus on the replacements, Israel, and Bible prophecy. As we continue, let me make a distinction. When I use the term the replacements, I'm referring to individuals, movements, organizations, and denominations who have espoused Supersessionism, which is popularly referred to as Replacement Theology. I'm certain many of the readers know the meaning of the term Replacement Theology. For the benefit of new readers and brevity, I'll give you a very basic definition: Replacement Theology (Supersessionism) is the teaching that the church has replaced Israel in God's plan. Certain Bible prophesies and promises clearly pertaining to Israel are re-routed and transferred to the church in what becomes a skewed hermeneutic approach to God's dealings with Israel. Oftentimes, the promises meant for Israel get spiritualized and explained away as pertaining to the church now. With that brief definition of Replacement Theology in mind, let's continue. When you examine verses referring to the Church and Israel in their proper context, you will have a sound biblical understanding that God has different and distinct plans for both. We have been in the Church Age from its birth in Acts chapter two until now. During this time, God has primarily focused on the Gentile nations and built His Church over the last two thousand years. Once the Church is caught up to be with the Lord, His divine plans for Israel will commence in their entirety. I say His plans for Israel will entirely commence because it should be clear to any believer who employs sound exegesis that Bible prophecy is being fulfilled. You cannot take one verse of Scripture, isolate it and come up with your own interpretation. In short, you cannot take promises that were clearly meant for Israel and plug the Church into those verses. Isaiah 66:8 "Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment? For as soon as Zion was in labor she brought forth her children." Ezekiel 37:11-14 "Then he said to me, 'Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel.' Behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.' Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: 'Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD.'" Both of these beautiful sections of Scripture pertain to Israel. In Isaiah we see the miraculous re-birth of Israel against all odds. In the passage from Ezekiel we see Israel's rightful place during the millennial reign of Christ from Jerusalem. I believe that there are two key factors that determine one's thinking regarding end-time Bible prophecy: First, is the factor of your eschatological footing. Are you pre-millennial, postmillennial, or do you hold a Preterist view? The pre-millennial view of Bible prophecy is the one I adhere to. I believe in the physical and literal return of Jesus, and then the beginning of His one-thousand-year reign here on earth. Postmillennialism is a belief that Jesus will return at the end of the prophesied Millennium. Preterism teaches that the sum of biblical end time prophecies took place in A.D. 70. This is simply erroneous teaching because there has never been 1,000 years of peace in the world among many other inconsistencies with this belief. The bottom line is this: If you don't believe in a literal return of Jesus followed by His 1,000-year reign, how can you make sense of anything else as it pertains to end time prophecy. Second is the factor regarding your view of Israel's place in God's prophetic plan. As I mentioned earlier, even as a young boy, I read my Bible and could see God has a separate and distinct plan for Israel. This is evident from His covenant with Abraham and we read that Israel will not be cast off but delivered in Romans 11. If you read Romans 9, 10, and 11 you will see God dealing with both Israel and the church distinctly. Israel (hasn't) stumbled in order to fall and be no more. Paul wrote, "Rather through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles." You can see that the Lord has grafted the Church-wild olive shoots into the others. We are not to be arrogant regarding the Jews. Yes, branches were broken off due to unbelief, but God has the power to graft them in again. See Romans 11:23 regarding this point. There will be a faithful remnant (the natural branches) that will be grafted back in. I want to summarize the point and say this: If you're not pre-millennial and don't believe Jesus will return to rule and reign for a literal 1,000 years and you don't see Israel's central role in the end-time events, especially from Revelation 6 through 20, Daniel chapter 9, and other places in Scripture, then your eschatology is unbiblical. You can't explain away the literal pre-millennium return of Jesus and have sound doctrine as it pertains to Bible prophecy. You cannot have a skewed view of Israel and the Jewish people in regard to their place in God's plan and have sound doctrine when it comes to Bible prophecy. The false narrative that is Replacement Theology is spreading like gangrene through evangelical circles. Moreover, some very prominent nationally recognized pastors and speakers are adherents to Replacement Theology In their teaching, the replacements often spiritualize what God most certainly meant as promises for Israel. In their teaching, the replacements will often assert that Israel is no longer God's chosen covenant people because of Jewish unbelief or national sin. Oftentimes the replacements will be asked questions such as: What about Israel? Should Christians support Israel? Is the Israel of today in God's plan? The list goes on, but the general answer the replacements give is this: This Israel (the one presently in the land) isn't that Israel. They will tell people that Israel has forfeited its promises and God's focus is exclusively on the Church now. The latter is a half-truth because although the Church is the focal point during the time of the Gentiles; after the Rapture God's attention will turn squarely toward Israel. Please understand my point: I'm not calling into question the replacements salvation and not asserting they aren't believers, because (some) of the replacements are fellow brethren in the faith. There are other replacements who certainly have heretical teachings and are promoters of false doctrine. and certainly aren't our brothers and sisters in Christ. Here is the issue at hand: A growing number of the replacements choose to ignore end-time Bible prophecy and that is where the danger of their version of eschatology meets the road. Not only do they misrepresent what the Bible has clearly said about Israel, the majority of them do very little to no teaching on end-time prophecy. That's because some of the replacements have labeled end-time prophecy a diversion, divisive, a scare tactic, off message, etc. They seem to be asserting that when people focus on prophecy, the focus is taken off of Jesus, the gospel, and the task at hand. To them end time Bible prophecy is a distraction. Nothing could be further from the truth because when we get right down to the basics, end-time prophecy is biblical. All Scripture is God breathed, profitable, and in the Bible because He wanted it in there. How can the replacements take what are large sections of scripture such as Matthew 24, Daniel 9:1, 2 Thessalonians, and Revelation to name a few-and verbally render them irrelevant? I believe the answer to the question at its root is spiritual pride. Big names in evangelical circles have sought to diminish the role of Israel by word or deed and have become mockers of the prophetic words written in the Bible, which they claim to know so well. Just because some of these men have the respect of the evangelical masses, have an ample selection of their writings in the local Christian bookstore, and are sought after speakers, doesn't equivocate them with teaching biblically sound eschatology. Far from it. If they consider the nation of Israel unimportant, exempt from God's plans, or negate end-time prophecy all together, they shouldn't be Bible teachers, pastors, or evangelists. 2 Timothy 3:16 is clear, all Scripture is God-breathed. We were not called to cut and paste ff to suit our own taste. We are to teach the whole Bible and interpret Scripture with scripture in its context. To discount Bible prophecy as a distraction or to insinuate that the Church has replaced Israel is biblical ignorance and hermeneutical pride. Jesus is coming soon and the world is growing darker by the hour. Look at all of the events taking place geopolitically, economically, ethnically, and spiritually. Terror is escalating; there are wars and rumors of wars, the global economy is tenuous at best. And there is growing persecution of Christians in the Middle East, N. Africa, and we see growing hostility. Other glaring series of events began with the modern re-birth of Israel against all odds in 1948. Since then they have regained their ancient capitol, they have been attacked on all sides by hostile enemies, and now they are the object of scorn from many groups including self-identifying Christian groups. There has been a definite shift from traditional evangelical support for Israel to the point that now, a growing number of these people no longer see Israel as important or relevant. This line of thinking and theology becomes downright anti-Christian and anti-Jewish in its rhetoric as shown in movements such as Christ at the Checkpoint among others. The troubling part about the replacements and their warped eschatology is the fact that end-time prophecy is one of the main ways the Lord reaches lost people. Many folks are walking through this life without hope and as the world gets darker and evil crescendos-they will seek answers. Thankfully we know the one who has what they are looking for. The Lord knows the end from the beginning. Look at all of the prophecies from messianic to historical events that have been fulfilled to the letter. We can rest assured that this same God will fulfill His promises both to Israel and the church as He has before. Evangelizing using Bible prophecy is an effective way to reach lost souls. This life isn't the end because just beyond it lies eternity. Bible prophecy tells of coming wrath, judgment, heaven, and hell. Proclaiming the gospel via end-time prophecy will drive some to godly sorrow that leads to repentance. Most important, Bible prophecy points squarely to Jesus and His ultimate glory. Our ministry focus on prophecy isn't for sensationalism, likes, site hits, or popularity. We focus on end time Bible prophecy because we want to see people come to repentance and put faith in Jesus as their Savior. I want to finish by boldly saying that God is not finished with Israel. Isaiah 49:15-17 "Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me." Biblically speaking, some of her darkest and also brightest days are ahead. Christian support for Israel is vital and necessary. God loves his chosen people and it is our ministry position to reach as many Jewish people as possible for the kingdom. To the Jew first, to the gentiles, and that is our task. We are to proclaim the gospel to everyone. We long to see Jews and Gentiles (including Muslims) come to faith in Jesus. We have been in the last days since Pentecost. Now as these days' head toward their climax and history begins to wind down, we can expect to see Israel become the geopolitical focal point. In the meantime, be a proponent of bold Bible teaching and sound healthy eschatology. Know that God has distinct plans for the Church and Israel. Remember while many are scoffing or negating the importance of end time Bible prophecy, we have an opportunity to use it to point lost souls to Jesus. All for Him, Howard www.concerningthetimes.com 
'Hezbollah, Syrian army preparing large operation near Israel border' - http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Hezbollah-Syrian-army-preparing-large-operation-near-Israel-border-467003
Iranian media reports that its proxy Hezbollah has already deployed a large contingency of fighters in the Quneitra area, located between Syria and Israel's Golan Heights. Troops loyal to the Syrian regime along with Hezbollah fighters have allegedly been finalizing plans to launch a large-scale operation against Syrian opposition forces near the border with Israel, according to Iranian media. "The Syrian army and Hezbollah fighters have been working on a joint plan to end militancy in Southern Syria, particularly near the Golan Heights," Iran's Fars news agency quoted unnamed military sources as saying Monday. The sources added that the Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah has already deployed a large contingency of fighters near the Quneitra area, located between Syria and the Israeli Golan Heights. The Fars report did not provide further details on what such a possible attack would involve or when it would take place. On Monday, the former head of the Israeli domestic security agency said the Syrian conflict is entering a highly unpredictable phase, adding that the Iranian-backed militia Hezbollah posed a growing threat to Israel despite losing many fighters. As Syria has descended into seemingly intractable fighting over the past five years, Israel has largely stayed on the sidelines, keeping watch over the Golan Heights frontier that divides them and occasionally carrying out airstrikes or returning mortar fire if there is a specific threat. Israel, with historical enemies on its borders, maintains close intelligence on its neighbors and a special channel of communication with Russia to remain informed on Syria. Avi Dichter, the former director of the Shin Bet and now chair of parliament's foreign affairs and defense committee, said Israel, like all Western and Arab intelligence agencies, had failed to predict most of what had unfolded, including thinking Syrian President Bashar Assad would be toppled quickly. With Russia carrying out airstrikes from Iranian bases, and Turkish forces engaged in a ground assault against Islamic State in the north, Israeli officials see the conflict moving into an even more chaotic, unpredictable phase. In late July, Syrian rebels and a monitoring group said two explosions that struck a Syrian town near the Golan Heights were caused by an Israeli air strike but Hezbollah blamed rocket fire by al-Qaida-linked militants. Pro-Syrian government forces, including the army and Hezbollah fighters have strongholds in the Quneitra province. Meanwhile, the Nusra Front, Western-backed rebels, and groups which have pledged allegiance to Islamic State also operate in the region. Though formally neutral on the civil war, Israel has reportedly targeted Hezbollah officials and arms convoys inside Syria several times during the conflict. 
How Syria, Ukraine crises tie in with US elections - http://www.debka.com/article/25651/How-Syria-Ukraine-crises-tie-in-with-US-elections
Instead of grappling with global crises, the G20 summit taking place in Hangzhou, China, is revealed as having been turned into a platform for a further plunge in the cold war revived afresh between the United States and Russia. Obstacles and sticking points summed up the umpteenth bid on Sunday, Sept. 4, by US Secretary of State John Kerry to agree with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on a way forward in the Syrian conflict, or even on a short humanitarian truce. President Barack Obama blamed President Vladimir Putin for refusing to bring all his clout to bear on Assad to force him to accept US truce terms, especially a halt in Syrian aerial bombardment. The profound rift between the American and Russian leaders was sharply marked, but it also arose from the deep divisions among the cooks who are stirring the Syrian conflict. Much has been made of the hopelessly fragmented anti-Assad rebel movement into some 1,000 militias, and the divisions in the Iranian and Hezbollah camp backing the Syrian dictator. But very little is heard about the controversies among the bodies in charge of US policy for Syria, namely, the White House, the Pentagon and the Central Intelligence Agency. This internal dissent, which is strongly reflected on the battlefield, is one reason why Obama vetoed any further cooperation with Russia in the Syrian conflict - and not just the "gaps of trust" remaining between the two powers. Even less attention has focused on the internal debates in the Kremlin among the presidential office, the foreign ministry and the generals on the handling of Russia's formidable military intervention in the conflict. This week, the two leaders took widely diverse steps to ratchet up the "cold war" between them. Putin had his defense minister launch the large-scale 10-day Caucasus 2016 military exercise -- from Crimea on the Ukraine border - involving Russia's Black Sea and Caspian fleets and 12,000 troops. This step was taken against the background of the strong interface sustained in recent years between the Ukrainian and Syrian crises in times of high US-Russia friction. Moscow's military intervention in Syria, now exactly a year old, was bracketed from the word go with Russian domination of the Crimea and the Black Sea. For every military or political falling-out with Washington over Syria, a crisis developed over Ukraine. Therefore, the commander of the Caucasus 2016 exercise is none other than Col.-Gen. Alexander Dvornikov, who up until July was commander of Russian forces in Syria. The Obama administration has wielded its own second-strike capability against Moscow. US intelligence agencies have let it be known that they are now officially investigating allegations that Russia has embarked on a broad operation, involving cyber tools and hacking, to sow public distrust in the US presidential election and its political institutions. The probe is led by Director of Intelligence James R. Clapper. The administration has thus gone way beyond the accusations thrown out in late July by the Democratic Party campaign and some Republican leaders that Russian intelligence was meddling in the campaign by hacking Democratic Party emails for disclosures to embarrass their candidate Hillary Clinton. There were also subsequent discoveries of interference in the computers of two state polling centers. Taking all these events together, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that the "cold war" between Russia and the United States had stepped out from Ukraine to Syria and landed squarely in the middle of the US presidential election campaign. Whether or not Russian intelligence was put to work to achieve this, Putin appears to be content with the outcome. 
Nearing Midnight: War with the Beast - Terry James - http://raptureready.com/rap16.html
A time is coming, according to Bible prophecy, when the world will experience the most powerful leader to have ever lived upon the planet. He will far surpass in military capability any president of the United States of America who has yet held the reins of power. The people of planet earth will literally become awestruck as they witness his exploits. The prophecy regarding the amazement over this future military man-marvel is seen in the following: And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? (Revelation 13: 4) We have looked many times at this future tyrant John calls through Holy Spirit Inspiration "the beast." He is the first of two beasts that John, through his Revelation vision, sees coming into world history. This beast will make his appearance during the period Daniel the prophet indicated will be the seventieth week that will wrap up premillennial human history. That will be the last seven years leading up to the return of Christ at Armageddon (Revelation 19:11). We know him better, perhaps, as Antichrist. It is good to think for a bit on that Scripture about this man-beast. The Bible says the question will be asked by the populations of the world--who will actually worship him: Who is able to make war with him?" In other words, it will look to everyone who witnesses Antichrist's military exploits and other miraculous accomplishments that he is a god. It will appear, the prophecy says immediately preceding the question, that he is killed by a wound in his head and comes back to life. This is obviously, from our understanding and perspective today, a false resurrection. However, the world at that time of great delusion won't see it that way. The question "Who can make war with him?" will be one asked with mesmerized stares of eyes more glazed and glistening than were those as recorded on the black-and-white films of Hitler's worshipers during the 1930s. There is no such leader with that kind of power anywhere in view today. There are many, many military leaders and their armies who can and do make war with anyone and everyone in this present geopolitical climate. That future beast will be indeed an animal of unprecedented military capability and authority. Besides the United States military--still the most feared on the planet despite the current president's efforts to, in my view, greatly diminish its strength--Russia and China continue to build tremendous war-making machines. Iran, Turkey, and others constantly aspire to more powerful militaries. There will have to occur massive changes in the military power structures of the world to bring about this singular most monstrous war-making leader, against whom no one is thought to be able to fight. We often conjecture about what happens to the United States. Why isn't it in Bible prophecy? If there, it certainly is in a greatly changed configuration, because its military is nowhere in sight, prophetically speaking. We believe that the militaries of Russia, China, and many others, such as Iran and Turkey, are in prophetic view. We believe we see many of these within the Gog-Magog assault into the Middle East toward Israel as given in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39. Our own view within the pre-Trib camp concerning the Rapture holds that the great changes needed to reconfigure things in alignment with end times Bible prophecy will unfold during the post-Rapture era. At least, that is my understanding at this point in time. After that great Rapture event, the United States might fit into being aligned with those nation-entities that stand on the sideline as the Gog-Magog attack begins and simply make a diplomatic protest. Sheba, and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof, shall say unto thee, Art thou come to take a spoil? hast thou gathered thy company to take a prey? to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to take a great spoil? Have you come to take a great spoil? (Ezekiel 38:13) At any rate, the coalition that assaults into the Holy Land environs will be powerful, and unopposed--by human agencies, that is. God, of course, will completely destroy all but one-sixth of that Gog-Magog army in that future attack. After that destruction, only the great "kings of the East" juggernaut will remain as a force with which to be reckoned. So, how does the great beast of Revelation 13 accumulate such awesome strength as to have the whole world ask: "Who is able to make war with him?" In my own cogitations upon the matter--and it is supposition to be sure--there is somehow a dividing line set between the occidental and oriental worlds. This is true to this point in history, I think. But, in that day there seems to be a supernatural demarcation--the Euphrates River or thereabouts. When it is "dried up" as given in Revelation chapter 16, the kings of the East--led no doubt by China--will invade at the time of Armageddon, it seems. At that time the demons appointed especially for that moment will be released from their holding places and will supernaturally indwell those hordes from the orient. These will kill one-third of earth's inhabitants, the prophecy tells us. However, all of this will happen later, at the very end of the Tribulation--Daniel's seventieth week. At that earlier time of the Gog-Magog attack, I believe that Antichrist, resident within the nations who will send a note of protest (Ezekiel 38:13), will understand Bible prophecy to the point that he will think slyly to let the Gog-Magog forces go to their destruction by the God of Heaven. He will then move into the military power vacuum and build his mighty army--an army supernaturally enhanced by the dark powers of Satan. Again, it is the view of most who hold to the pre-Trib view of the Rapture and to pre-Millennialism that this beast--Antichrist--is to come out of the geographical area now known as the European Union. He will come from the people who were at the heart of the ancient Roman Empire -the people who destroyed Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple in AD 70. I do not believe the beast will be a Muslim, although I do believe his ethnic make-up will be from the area of ancient Assyria. He will, nonetheless, I'm convinced, have been born and raised in the area of Europe, likely somewhere near Rome. Today there is movement toward beginning a military establishment in that very region. The following excerpt is interesting in that regard. The leaders of the Czech Republic and Hungary say a "joint European army" is needed to bolster security in the EU. They were speaking ahead of talks in Warsaw with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. They dislike her welcome for Muslim migrants from outside the EU. Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban said "we must give priority to security, so let's start setting up a joint European army". The UK government has strongly opposed any such moves outside Nato's scope. The Czech, Hungarian, Polish and Slovak leaders are coordinating their foreign policy as the "Visegrad Group." ("Czechs and Hungarians call for EU army amid security worries," BBC News, 8/27/16) With the UK (Britain, possibly "the merchants of Tarsish") leaving the EU in the so-called Brexit, the way might be clear to generate great interest in such a powerful military--absent NATO--as the beast can one day build upon. One thing sure, such a military monster will one day be constructed. It will take the Lord Himself, returning from Heaven with the saints of glory, to bring Antichrist's ability to make war to an end. Thankfully, Jesus Christ will do so. I believe our Lord will end the beast's war-making capability with the same words He used that day on the stormy Sea of Galilee."Peace. Be still." Even so, come Lord Jesus. 
DISCLAIMER: We love Michael Snyder and appreciate his well-written and insightful articles, but we have to agree to disagree when it comes to his viewpoints concerning the Rapture and the Tribulation. We want to make it clear that we in no way endorse or approve of his Post Tribulation viewpoint nor his new book, "The Rapture Verdict." We believe that the Bible clearly teaches that the Church will not go through the Great Tribulation, but will be Raptured prior to the beginning of this time of Jacob's Trouble. Furthermore, we believe the Bible teaches that the Tribulation period can't even begin until we are taken out of the way! Some pre-tribulation ministries have completely banned Michael Snyder. For the time being, we will continue to post his very popular articles, but only with this disclaimer included.
From an Industrial Economy to A Paper Economy - The Stunning Decline of Manufacturing in America - By Michael Snyder - http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/from-an-industrial-economy-to-a-paper-economy-the-stunning-decline-of-manufacturing-in-america Why does it seem like almost everything is made in China these days? Yesterday I was looking at some pencils that we had laying around the house and I noticed that they had been manufactured in China. I remarked to my wife that it was such a shame that they don't make pencils in the United States anymore. At another point during the day, I turned over my television remote and I noticed that it also had "Made In China" engraved on it. It is still Labor Day as I write this article, and so I think that it is quite appropriate to write about our transition from an industrial economy to a paper economy today. Since the year 2000, the United States has lost five million manufacturing jobs even though our population has grown substantially since that time. Manufacturing in America is in a state of stunning decline, our economic infrastructure is being absolutely gutted, and our formerly great manufacturing cities are in an advanced state of decay. We consume far more wealth than we produce, and the only way that we are able to do this is by taking on massive amounts of debt. But is our debt-based paper economy sustainable in the long run? Back in 1960, 24 percent of all American workers worked in manufacturing. Today, that number has shriveled all the way down to just 8 percent. CNN is calling it "the Great Shift"... In 1960, about one in four American workers had a job in manufacturing. Today fewer than one in 10 are employed in the sector, according to government data. Call it the Great Shift. Workers transitioned from the fields to the factories. Now they are moving from factories to service counters and health care centers. The fastest growing jobs in America now are nurses, personal care aides, cooks, waiters, retail salespersons and operations managers. No wonder the middle class is shrinking so rapidly. There aren't too many cooks, waiters or retail salespersons that can support a middle class family. Since the turn of the century, we have lost more than 50,000 manufacturing facilities. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of gleaming new factories have been erected in places like China. Does anyone else see something wrong with this picture? At this point, the total number of government employees in the United States exceeds the total number of manufacturing employees by almost 10 million... Government employees in the United States outnumber manufacturing employees by 9,932,000, according to data released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Federal, state and local government employed 22,213,000 people in August, while the manufacturing sector employed 12,281,000. The BLS has published seasonally-adjusted month-by-month employment data for both government and manufacturing going back to 1939. For half a century-from January 1939 through July 1989-manufacturing employment always exceeded government employment in the United States, according to these numbers. You might be thinking that government jobs are "good jobs", but the truth is that they don't produce wealth. Government employees are really good at pushing paper around and telling other people what to do, but in most instances they don't actually make anything. In order to have a sustainable economy, you have got to have people creating and producing things of value. A debt-based paper economy may seem to work for a while, but eventually the whole thing inevitably comes crashing down when faith in the paper is lost. Right now, the rest of the world is willing to send us massive amounts of stuff that they produce for our paper. So we keep producing more and more paper and we keep going into more and more debt, but at some point the gig will be up. If we want to be a wealthy nation in the long-term, we have got to produce stuff. That is why the latest news from Caterpillar is so depressing. In addition to the thousands of layoffs that had been previously announced by the industrial machinery giant, it appears that a fresh wave of layoffs has arrived... Hundreds of mostly office employees received layoff notices at one of the largest Caterpillar Inc. facilities in the Peoria area this week, just as the company announced plans to close overseas production plants and eliminate thousands more positions. A total of 300 support and management employees at Building AC and the Tech Center in Mossville this week received job loss notifications that included severance packages, 60 days notice and mandated Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act letters. During this election season, you will hear many of our politicians talk about how good "free trade" is for the global economy. But that is only true if the trade is balanced. Unfortunately, we have been running a yearly trade deficit of between 400 billion dollars and 600 billion dollars for many years... When you have got about half a trillion dollars more going out than you have coming in year after year that has severe consequences. Let me try to break it down very simply. Imagine that I am the United States and you are China. I take one dollar out of my wallet and I give it to you and then you send me some stuff. After a while, I want more stuff, so I take another dollar out of my wallet and send it to you in exchange for more products. But that stuff only lasts for so long, and so pretty soon I find myself taking another dollar out of my wallet and giving it to you for even more stuff. Ultimately, who is going to end up with all the money? It isn't a big mystery as to how China ended up with so much money. And when we can't pay our bills we have to go and beg them to let us borrow some of the money that we sent to them in the first place. Since we pay interest on that borrowed money, that makes China even richer. This is why I am so obsessed with these trade issues. They truly are at the very heart of our long-term economic problems. But most Americans don't understand these things, and they seem to think that our debt-based paper economy can just keep rolling along indefinitely. In the end, history will be the judge as to who was right and who was wrong. 
My Review of "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" Over the last 35 years, I have literally read hundreds of books on Bible Prophecy and End Time signs. I especially enjoy books on the Rapture, and I have read almost every Rapture-related book published. In all those years, devouring thousands of pages, and millions of words, I have not read a better book on the Rapture than, Rapture Ready...Or Not? Terry James might be physically blind, but he is spiritually sharp and well discerning beyond most authors. In "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" Terry has nailed the pre-trib Rapture, and removed any doubt what so ever about the Church going through the Tribulation. With great insight and Godly discernment, Terry explains with simple, yet profound words, why and how that he has come to believe the ways he does about the Rapture, the Tribulation, and the End Times scenario. I think after reading "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" you too will believe as Terry does, and be Ready for the Rapture like never before! - Randy Thomas - Publisher / Editor - Prophecy Update For more information and or to get your copy of "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" use this link: http://www.raptureready.com/terry/book35.html 
Daily Jot: Hillary's vain words and irony on bad decisions - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com
While trying to enjoy the first weekend of college football, a political ad interrupted my gridiron bliss. Hillary Clinton ran a negative ad during the Ohio State-Bowling Green game. It featured excerpts from Donald Trump speeches where he said that he knew more about ISIS than most generals; that he would eradicate ISIS; that he would bomb the [explicative] out of them. After showing images of what many would consider a nuclear blast, Clinton's tag line was that "it only takes one bad decision." If it only took one bad decision, Hillary Clinton would not be running for president. Any number of her bad decisions could have and should have disqualified her from public office. And that's the irony of this very negative ad. A similar ad could be written about Benghazi. It could have shown how US-supported al Qaeda terrorists (yes, those the US supported in Libya to overthrow Kaddafi were al Qaeda who had returned from killing US troops in Iraq-let's keep our memory hats on) stormed the US complex in Benghazi; how Ambassador Chris Stevens was sodomized, tortured, murdered, and his body dragged in the streets; how Foreign Officer Sean Smith was similarly killed; how several hours later CIA contractors Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty were killed defending the US compound; how Hillary Clinton refused to send military assistance; how she perpetuated the lie that the whole thing was caused by an anti-Islam movie. But if it takes only one bad decision, Clinton refused to own up to it. Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Clinton was pressed about the lie she and the White House perpetuated. She angrily responded: "With all due respect, the fact is we had four dead Americans. Was it because of a protest or was it because of guys out for a walk one night who decided that they'd they go kill some Americans? What difference at this point does it make?" The difference at this point, and at any other point, is that she had the authority and the power to possibly prevent these unfortunate deaths by deploying military that was standing by to save American lives. She instead lied while Americans died. This is just one bad decision by Hillary Clinton where Americans died. Dozens of other bad Clinton decisions are well documented. Here, Clinton is trying to demonize her opponent for saying that he knows who the enemy is and he will eliminate the enemy. That enemy is the Islamic State and its atrocities against men, women, children, Christians, Kurds, and Muslims are well known. Clinton is saying that Trump's wanting to get rid of ISIS is a dangerous, possibly bad decision. We know the bad decisions of Clinton and how she has lied to cover them. Ephesians 5:6 says, "Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." Our decision comes on election day. Let's make it a good one. 
Daily Devotion: Delays of Love - Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. -Isaiah 43:2 Have you ever been going through a hard time and wondered where God was? I can tell you where He was: He was right there with you. Not only that, He will be with you tomorrow and the day after. And He will be with you on the day you leave this earth for Heaven. In Isaiah 43 God says, "When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior" (verses 2-3). The psalmist David wrote, "Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me" (Psalm 23:4). He is with you. He will be with you. You don't have to fear evil. God will be with you on your good days and on your bad days. He will be with you at the death of a saint and at the birth of a baby. You don't have to be afraid. Jesus said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). Also, the Bible tells us, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). Sometimes when we pray, it may seem as though God is late in answering. Sometimes when God comes through for us, it is later than we expected. God is never late. His delays are delays of love. God's silence even can be a silence of love. He wants us to pour our hearts out to Him. He will enter into that pain with us. He will answer in the way He chooses. Call on Him. 
FROM THE HEART
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