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IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Prelude to the Tribulation - By Jonathan Brentner -
https://www.raptureready.com/2019/09/20/prelude-tribulation-jonathan-brentner/ A common response to those like me who believe we live in the last days is this: "The world has seen violence and wickedness all through its history. What's so different about today?" I fully understand that question. When one considers the world wars of the previous century, it seems as though things could not get any worse than that. Seventy-five years ago, many Christians thought Hitler was the antichrist based on his hatred of the Jews and his efforts to establish a worldwide socialist empire. This was truly a terrible time in world history, but it was not the prelude to the tribulation. My assertion regarding the nearness of the day of the Lord does not stem from a comparison of the peril in years past to that of today. Our time in history is unique because of the abundance of biblical signs telling us that the biblical period of time known as the tribulation is rapidly approaching. It's what many refer to it as a "convergence" of signs, all shouting to us that the Lord is coming soon! Below, I list several key signs that warn us of its nearness in time: The Flourishing of Israel as a Nation Based on his study of Daniel and the book of Revelation, Isaac Newton predicted Israel would again become a nation. Over two hundred years after his death, the Lord miraculously resurrected the nation from the ash heap of history, just as the Bible said He would do! Since her rebirth, Israel continues to fulfill prophecy. Not only is God gathering Jews back to the Land from all over the world as He promised, He is also turning the once desolate land into a fruitful garden (Ezek. 36:34-35). Isaiah 27:6 states that once restored, Israel would "fill the whole world with fruit." Israel now exports one billion dollars' worth of fruit each and every year. Ezekiel 38:12-13 predicts that a future invasion of Israel will result from a desire of her enemies "to seize spoil and carry off plunder." It has just been in the last dozen years that Israel has obtained wealth that other nations would desire. Israel is building a pipeline to Europe to sell natural gas of which it possesses a massive amount off its coast. Recent discoveries of oil in the Golan Heights and a rich vein of gold add to Israel's vast wealth of resources, just as the Lord said would happen in the last days. In addition, Israel is becoming a world leader in technology and medical innovation. Nations Aligning According to Ezekiel 38 Ezekiel 38 provides additional details of this latter-day invasion of Israel that many refer to as the "Gog and Magog" war. Although the prophet lists the invading armies by their ancient names, most scholars believe that this alliance will consist of Russia, Iran, Turkey, Sudan, and Libya. Today, the first three nations have abundant military resources and soldiers in Syria, close to Israel's borders. Iran has a strategic alliance with Libya, and Russia just completed a deal that joins itself with Sudan. Equally remarkable are the countries missing from the Ezekiel list of Israel's latter-day enemies. Egypt and Jordan currently have peace treaties with Israel; Saudi Arabia has recently formed a close alliance with Jerusalem in response to the threat from Iran. The Lord, through the prophet Ezekiel, precisely described today's current Middle East alignment of nations over 2,600 years ago. Iran's recent attack on Saudi Arabia's oil fields has ramped up tensions in the Middle East. A retaliatory strike against Iran could quickly and easily put the area on a certain path to the war described in Ezekiel 38-39. The Dire Economic Position of Russia and Iran At this point, you might be wondering why Russia and Iran would risk an invasion of Israel. From Russia's viewpoint, not only is its economy currently in shambles, but Israel poses a great threat to its profitable sale of natural gas to Europe. The prospect of losing much of this income to Israel only adds to their financial crisis. Furthermore, Russia's presence in Syria has been costly, and it has not benefited from Syria's oil reserves due to America's presence there. Iran spent its financial windfall from the deal brokered by former President Obama on weapons and their terror network. Now that President Trump has put an end to that deal and imposed tough new sanctions, Iran finds itself in a dire position financially. The Jerusalem Post recently reported that the sanctions have left their pension programs in serious peril. An attack on its oil production facilities could leave Iran with no other option but to invade Israel, which they would not do without Russia, which, at some point, will desire to obtain the wealth in Israel. The Push for Third Temple The Bible predicts the existence of a third Jewish temple in the last days. In Matthew 24:15, Jesus referred to a prophecy of Daniel that the coming antichrist would defile a rebuilt Jewish temple in the middle of the seven-year tribulation (see also Dan. 9:27). The push for this temple is at a fever pitch in Israel. For over thirty-five years, the Temple Institute has conducted research and actively planned for this temple; they recently spent $100K on architectural designs for it of which one can take a virtual tour on their website. The institute now trains Levites for service as priests in the temple and has constructed most of the furnishings for it. The Long-Awaited Deal of the Century President Trump has stated his intention to reveal his long-awaited peace plan soon after this week's election in Israel. Why is this so significant? Daniel 9:27 states that the coming antichrist will "make a strong covenant with many for one week" or the seven years of the tribulation. The Hebrew word for "make" signifies the taking of an existing peace covenant and making it better. In other words, the antichrist will use an existing plan or idea for peace as the basis for his treaty with Israel. Notice also the word "many" in Daniel 9:27. We do not know most details of the plan dubbed "The Deal of the Century," but we do know the proposal involves several other nations. This fits precisely with what Daniel says about the future deal of the antichrist, as it will be "a strong covenant with many." The timing of the release of Trump's plan as the threat of major war in the Middle East grows greater each day seemingly adds to its prophetic significance. The Push for a One-World Government We know from the Bible that a one-world government will emerge during the tribulation. Do we see signs of this today? Absolutely! Proponents of this new world order have annual meetings attended by the rich and powerful in our world, along with many celebrities. Pope Francis continually pushes a new world order as the only way to save the planet from destruction via climate change. The United Nations has plans for a socialist world order by the year 2030. One can read about their plans for this one-world government on their website. The powerful and wealthy forces pushing for a one-world government and religion are now doing so publicly with no effort to hide their intentions. Revelation 13 Technology Revelation 13:5-17 tells us that after he gains control of the world order, the antichrist will control people's buying and selling during this time. The world not only has the technology for such a system, but China already uses such a system to control the buying choices of many of its people. The development of gigantic databases and artificial intelligence now make it possible as never before in history for one person to control the people of the world in the way the Bible tells us will happen during the tribulation. Satan's Increased Activity Revelation 12:7-12 depicts a time of Satan's increased activity on earth. Although opinions differ as to the exact timing of Revelation 12, we do see many signs of his heightened activity today, much too numerous to list here. I have never seen such a time when the devil's attacks against believers have been so pronounced. The church of Satan attracts a multitude of followers, celebrities openly credit the devil with their success, and the number of self-proclaimed witches in just the United States now exceeds one and a half million. In addition, the wickedness of today exceeds anything I thought possible a decade ago. The Pervasive Delusion of our Time One of the more significant identifiers of the approaching tribulation is the great delusion of our time. In 2 Thessalonians 2:11, we read that, along with the wicked deception of the antichrist, God will send upon those who reject Him "a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false." Although this prophecy is for the seven-year tribulation, we see the signs of this delusion everywhere we look as the Lord is allowing Satan to blind the eyes of those who reject Him. Despite the economic opportunities of the past couple years and unprecedented wealth of our nation, many in the United States believe socialism is the answer. The leaders of the Democratic Party seek to impose their brand of Marxism that will bring misery to the vast majority of people in America and result in the death of tens of millions of people, if fully implemented. Is this not a part of the great delusion of the last days that so many in America remain blind to the great suffering that socialism has caused in the past hundred years? I'm convinced it is. Widespread Apostasy in the Church The New Testament predicts that in the last days we will see great apostasy in the church. 1 Timothy 4:1 says, "Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons." Again in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 Paul wrote, "For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." Do we see these things happening today? Absolutely! One popular pastor has 60,000 people show up on Sunday mornings to hear him preach feel-good sermons devoid of the truth of the Gospel. Today, more churches than not affirm the lifestyle of the LGBT movement, and many support Marxist socialism as the answer to the inequities they see in the United States. Few churches today uphold the truth of God's Word. Many have departed far from the Gospel of grace. The Mocking of Jesus' Return The apostle Peter wrote this about the last days: "Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, 'Where is the promise of his coming?'" (2 Peter 3:3-4). Such scoffing of Jesus' return is commonplace today in the world, and even among many Christians. It's rare that a week goes by without reading comments on Facebook that mock me for my beliefs in the rapture and Jesus' future reign on the earth. One motivation the Lord used to lead me into my writing ministry was a desire to respond to the prevalent ridicule of these things. The Matthew 24 Signs In Matthew 24:3-14, Jesus lists many signs of the last days, particularly what the world will see during the beginning of the tribulation. Jesus describes these as "the beginning of birth pains" (v. 8). Today we see the start of these things as well as their increase in frequency and intensity. Consider this brief list summarizing what Jesus said we would see in the last days:
I could write many paragraphs on each of the above points showing how these things are happening more frequently in our day, and with increasing intensity. Remember, these things will not reach their full potential until the tribulation begins; yet, we already see these things throughout our world (although most are not paying attention). There have always been earthquakes, wars, and rumors of wars. However, we have never witnessed a time since Jesus ascended into heaven where the signs I listed in this article have existed at the same time. It's only been this century where Israel has prospered, the nations have aligned as the prophet Ezekiel said they would, and we have had the technology needed for the antichrist to control buying and selling (Rev. 13). Never before has there been such a unified push for a world order as we see today. And, it's this week (or maybe next week) when we will see a peace plan that might become the basis for one that the antichrist will use in the future. This is the prelude to the tribulation. The Bible tells us we cannot know the timing of Jesus' return for His church, which happens before the tribulation. But He did give us several signs so we would recognize the season of His return, and we are in that season. I sense Jesus will return for us very soon; in my three years of writing about prophecy, I have never felt such an urgency regarding His appearing as I feel at this moment. Please know I am not setting an end date for the rapture or making any prediction regarding its timing; that would be wrong. However, current events have captured my attention to the degree that I sense another huge prophetic sign or event looms on the horizon. Will it be another sign of what's ahead for the earth? Will it be Jesus' return for us? Only time will tell. Jonathan Brentner Website: Our Journey Home Please consider signing up for my newsletter on my website. Thanks! E-mail: [email protected] With Political Deadlock In Israel, Only One Option May Remain - By Dov Lipman - http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=3487 Following his completion of meeting with party representatives, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin hosted Israeli Prime Minister and Likud Party head Benjamin Netanyahu, and Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz, in an attempt to discuss the coalition-building process and to break the political deadlock. The move comes as it became clear from the meetings that neither Netanyahu's Likud Party nor Gantz has enough support to form a 61-seat governing coalition, with Netanyahu's coalition at 55 and Gantz's at 54. As such, it seems that Avigdor Lieberman, whose Yisrael Beiteinu Party has eight seats, holds the key to crowning either Gantz or Netanyahu as prime minister. But his party didn't recommend anyone to form a government, leaving the decision regarding who should try to form a government up to the president, with no one having a clear--or perhaps even viable--path to reaching 61. Lieberman, who holds right-wing views and has been supportive of Netanyahu for decades, told JNS that "the moment Netanyahu and Likud chose to close a deal with the ultra-Orthodox and messianic parties, we could not recommend Netanyahu for prime minister." If that's the case, then why won't he and his party support Gantz? Lieberman explained to JNS that "the moment Benny Gantz chose to seek the support of the Joint Arab List, we could not recommend Gantz for prime minister." Gantz now has the support of the Joint Arab List, which, for the first time since 1992, recommended someone for prime minister. It shook up Israel's political world when its leaders told Rivlin that they want Gantz to be prime minister, giving Gantz the seats needed to surpass Netanyahu's 55-seat bloc. The Arab leadership explained it was doing so not because they truly support Gantz, a former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, who some in the Joint Arab List blame for his role in the 2014 "Operation Protective Edge" against Palestinians in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. Faction chair Knesset member Ahmed Tibi made it clear that his party has no plans to actually join a Gantz-led government. Rather, he stated, they took this step of simply recommending Gantz to the president to try to prevent Netanyahu from being premier again. Lieberman explained to JNS that the Arab parties are "enemies of the state," and "wherever they will be, we will be on the other side." He pointed to the fact that Knesset member Ayman Odeh, chairman of the Joint Arab List, did not attend the funeral of former President Shimon Peres on Sept. 30, 2016. Yet he did go visit the grave of former PLO chairman Yasser Arafat that week, as proof that Knesset members from the Joint Arab List do not support Israel. Lieberman was not the only one critical of the Joint Arab List breaking from tradition and recommending someone for prime minister. Israeli Minister of Tourism and Aliyah Yariv Levin, who led the Likud delegation to the meeting with the president and is in charge of coalition negotiations for Netanyahu, told JNS that "Likud is not against the Arab population and would be fine with Arab ministers serving in its government. But we are against those, like the Joint Arab List, who do not accept the basis of an Israeli government--that Israel is a Jewish and democratic state." Levin said as long as the Arab parties support terrorism and take orders from the Palestinian Authority, Likud cannot consider sitting with them. According to reports, there are two obstacles preventing Blue and White from partnering with Likud for a national unity government. First, they refuse to sit with Netanyahu because of his impending indictment on corruption charges and insist on someone else leading Likud before they consider a joint government. Secondly, they have demands regarding religion and state issues the ultra-Orthodox parties outright reject. Levin told JNS that both of these demands prevent the formation of a unity government. "Netanyahu is our party's leader and candidate for prime minister, and anyone who has a dream of breaking apart the Likud can forget about it," he said. Regarding the issue Blue and White has with ultra-Orthodox parties, Levin told JNS that "we will not sit in a government that does not include our partners from the ultra-Orthodox parties. It's all 55 of us in our bloc or nothing." And so, Lieberman is insisting that both sides come together to form a unity government. He told JNS that "there is only one option, and that is a Zionistic, liberal national unity government led by the Blue and White Party and the Likud Party," with Gantz and Netanyahu rotating as prime minister. He said his party would happily join that coalition. "Gantz and Netanyahu should get over their silly argument over who should be prime minister first and just flip a coin to decide that," said Lieberman. Following his meeting with Gantz on Monday, Lieberman reiterated this stance, posting on Facebook that he was pleased both parties "internalized" the need for a unity government, and that the only question remaining is who will lead first. "The entire argument right now revolves around the question as to who should serve as prime minister first and who second," he said. "I hope that President Rivlin succeeds in bridging both sides, and that a decision will be made on the matter." Nearing Midnight: The Abqaiq Attack is a Game Changer - Todd Strandberg - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ The September 14th attack on a key Saudi oil facility has exposed a massive vulnerability of the kingdom to drone strikes and underscores how traditional air defenses can be breached by new low-cost technology. The scale of the attack was stunning. The hit on Aramco's Abqaiq processing plant and the Khurais oil field knocked 5.7 million barrels per day (bpd) off production, over half of the OPEC kingpin's output. It had been long believed that the military could handle an attack on its oil facilities. Saudi Arabia is one of the world's biggest buyers of weapons and spent an estimated $65 billion on arms last year, mostly from the United States, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). These cheap drones with improvised explosives can travel huge distances. In May, there was a drone strike on a major pipeline in the oil-rich Eastern Province to the Red Sea, forcing it to be shut down temporarily. In June, the Huthis launched at least 20 missiles and drone attacks into Saudi Arabia, Iran's regional foe, some resulting in casualties and damage. Also, in June, two oil tankers were damaged by some type of explosive set by Iranian forces. Footage distributed by the Huthis showed models of at least 15 unmanned drones and various sizes of missiles of different ranges. The newest of these weapons were long-range cruise missiles, dubbed "Al-Quds," and explosives-laden "Sammad 3" drones that can hit targets as far as 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) away, according to the Huthis. Saudi Arabia says the attack will only delay production for a few weeks. It will probably seek to maintain export levels as much as possible by supplying customers from stockpiles. It holds crude in storage tanks in the kingdom, as well as at sites in Egypt, Japan and the Netherlands. But it has run its crude hoard down since the beginning of 2016, and it is now back at levels not seen since 2008, according to data from the Joint Organizations Data Initiative. That means the kingdom has gone from 350 million barrels to a current stock of 190 million barrels. President Vladimir Putin has enjoyed himself at the expense of US military suppliers. He said while meeting with the presidents of Iran and Turkey in Ankara that the "smart decision" for the Saudis would be to purchase Russia's most advanced anti-air defense system, the S-400 Triumph. "Saudi Arabia needs to make a smart decision, as Iran did by buying our S-300, and as Mr. Erdogan did by deciding to buy the most advanced S-400 Triumph air defense systems from Russia," Putin told reporters in Ankara. "These kinds of systems are capable of defending any kind of infrastructure in Saudi Arabia from any kind of attack." President Donald Trump has declared that, once it has been verified that Iran was indeed responsible for last weekend's attack on major Saudi Arabian oil facilities, the U.S. is "locked and loaded." To do what, exactly, is unclear. It is very unlikely that Trump will bomb Iranian oil facilities. The Saudi Arabia attack alone added around $500 million to the daily value of oil production. Iran has made a multifold profit on its bold move. If we bomb anything in Iran, the price of oil is going to soar. Iran is not going to stop with its monkey business. It's a nation run by terrorists that would love to set the whole Persian Gulf on fire. If Iran had secretly developed a nuclear weapon that they used to vaporize the Abqaiq facility, I think our leaders would be battled over what to do. Thanks to fracking, the U.S. is no longer dependent on Middle East oil. Europe and China, on the other hand, are heavily addicted to oil produced by Arab nations. If Iran or its Yemen rebel allies were able to disrupt production over a long period of time, various nations will deploy their military forces to maintain order. The Bible does not mention oil as a reason for why the Last Day wars will be fought in the Middle East. For decades, many prophecy scholars have predicted that the control of black gold will be the reason why massive arms will soon march toward this region. The upward trend in these drone attacks and their devastating impact is just one more indication of how close we are to the tribulation hour. "For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled" (Luke 21:22). A Lesson in Love - Mike Carey - [email protected] What is Love? Most people would describe love as a strong feeling of affection for another person, place or thing. In the bible, God describes the characteristics of love as follows: "Love is patient; love is kind and envies no one. Love is never boastful, nor conceited, nor rude; never selfish, not quick to take offence. Love keeps no score of wrongs; does not gloat over another's sins, but delights in the truth. There is nothing love cannot face; there is no limit to its faith, its hope, and its endurance. In a word, there are three things that last forever: faith, hope, and love; but the greatest of them all is love." (1 Corinthians 13) Loving Another Person Love is a choice. You can love anyone, and you often choose to love another person because of how they make you feel when you are with them. When you truly love another person, you want the highest and best for that person, putting their needs, their happiness and their welfare, ahead of your own. Your goal is to always lift them up, protect them and to provide for them. True love is sacrificial in nature. The Five Love Languages Love languages are qualities that make a person feel loved, and are the way to lift up the other person. Each person has a primary and a secondary love language. It is imperative to find and practice the language that makes the other person feel loved. Too often, we try to love someone in our own love language and do not understand why they do not respond in the way we expect them to. Lifting a person up by practicing their love language is the way to make love grow and for it to be much stronger. This also builds positive memories, which are vital in a growing relationship. 1. Physical Touch - may just include a caress, holding hands, or any touch that tells the other person, ¨I love you¨. 2. Gift Giving - is a way of showing love. When a person´s love language is in that category, the size of the gift is not important. It is the love and care behind it that matters. 3. Quality Time - usually includes anything you do together because you value each other. It will often include some or all of the love languages. 4. Words of Endearment - Sometimes, are just the way we refer to the other person, ie honey, sweetheart, etc. Strangers probably think that my name is ¨Baby¨ because that is what my wife calls me all the time. Sincere compliments are a must in this category, which include telling the other person how nice they look, how beautiful/handsome they are, etc.. 5. Acts of Service - Doing things for the other person, not expecting anything in return. Selfless service is an integral part of love, and it makes the other person feel of value. Note: Practicing the love languages daily will build a strong and growing love relationship. What Destroys Love If lifting up the other person builds love, then it is obvious that the opposite, or tearing down the other person, destroys love. The worst weapons of destruction are criticism, judging, and condemnation. If you truly love someone, it is imperative to avoid the use of the above. Even so, disagreements will happen, and some of the these will surface from time to time. If this occurs, the remedy is to immediately seek forgiveness. It does not matter who is right or wrong. Forgiveness is the answer, and will restore the love relationship. It is interesting that, if the one who was offended is the first to seek forgiveness, the other person will realize that they were wrong and ask forgiveness too. To be unforgiving does more damage to the one who possesses it than to the other person. God is the Source of Love ¨God demonstrated His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us¨. Romans 5:8 The command of God is this: ¨Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. And, Love your neighbor as your self.¨ Mathew 22:37-39 Real love comes from God and is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, ie love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self control. It is impossible to know real love without knowing God. God´s love is selfless and directed outward, toward others. Human love is selfish and is directed inward, with the attitude of ¨what´s in it for me? ¨ There is only one way to know God and to have eternal life. You must be born again. ¨ John 3:3 There is no other way. Religion, people, or good works will not save you. Jesus Christ died on a cross to pay for your sin. Only by recognizing Him as the Son of God, asking Him to forgive your sin, and putting your trust in Him and Him alone to save you, are you born again? ¨And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son, has life. He who does not have the Son, does not have life. 1 John 5:11-13 ¨For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.¨John 3:16 Living in the Last of the Last Days God validated His word in the bible by telling us history in advance, called prophecy. God is outside of our time domain and only He knows the beginning from the end. He told us exactly what would happen in the very last days of life on earth. All of the things that he said would happen in the very last days are happening now, for the first time. The signs are obvious to those who are looking, and they indicate that Jesus is coming soon. Every aspect of society, worldwide, is in the state of decay and collapse. This includes the weather, the economy, health, food production, governments, water supplies, infrastructures, and society itself. We used to be dependent on God as the provider of all of these, but we have turned our back on God and have removed Him from all aspects of society. So, He is letting us go our own way. The best definition of sin is, independence from God. Instead of being dependent upon Him for everything, we are now independent of Him, and the result is death and destruction. God is love. Love is a choice. Time is running out. Choose now to put your trust in Jesus to save you. To not make a choice, is the same as making a choice. ¨For by grace are you saved through faith, and not of yourself, it is a gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 Daily Jot: The truth behind this impeachment inquiry - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has announced the Democratic-led House of Representatives will move forward with an official impeachment inquiry, citing that "the president has admitted to asking the president of Ukraine to take actions which would benefit him politically." President Trump says simply that he spoke to the Ukraine president about corruption involving Hunter Biden, Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden's son. Trump is being accused of withholding US military aid from Ukraine to spark an investigation of Hunter Biden, which in turn, would aid the president politically. Democrats and others say this is a crime. This round of attacks began with an intelligence community "whistleblower" account of the phone call that Trump made to the Ukraine President after freezing some $400 million in military aid to the country, which was later released. The intel "whistleblower," however, was reported to have no direct access to the call, but rather hearsay. Trump has directed the release of the transcript of the July call, saying, "You will see it was a very friendly and totally appropriate call. No pressure." Trump has sent an email to supporters saying: "This is just another smear job and pathetic attempt by Democrats to rip the power from the people. I'VE DONE NOTHING WRONG. TRUST ME, YOU'LL SEE THE TRANSCRIPT." He announced he has launched an "Official Impeachment Defense Task Force," and asked for donations. The New York Times confirmed in May that Joe Biden's son Hunter was paid as much as $50,000 per month as a board member of the natural gas firm owned by the Ukrainian oligarchy. Breitbart reported that Vice President Biden was heavily involved in mediating US policy towards Ukraine. When a Ukrainian prosecutor launched a corruption investigation into the energy company of which Hunter Biden was a board member, Joe Biden threatened to withhold $1 billion in US loan guarantees to the country if the Ukrainian government did not fire the prosecutor. The Hill reported in April that the elder Biden bragged to the Council on Foreign Relations in a 2018 speech how he strong-armed Ukraine into firing its prosecutor. Trump says it was appropriate to ask about corruption before giving aid. The Democrats say that Trump violated his oath of office by using military aid as leverage to undermine his political opponent. You are going to hear the word "treason" thrown around a lot. But treason in the Constitution "shall consist only in levying War against them (the US), or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort." Did Trump commit an impeachable offense? It doesn't matter because it is all political. The intel community, the Democratic Party, and the media have been licking their chops to render Trump ineffectual or remove him from office since before he took office. This is just another attempt in hopes the voters will vote Trump out. May it be as Ephesians 5:13, "But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light." Daily Devotion: Detox - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God . . . -Isaiah 43:2-3 When Johnny Cash finally decided to break his amphetamine addiction, it was an intense and extreme time for him. Cash would speak of it as being like "forty days in the wilderness," but his actual detox span was closer to ten days. Undoubtedly it seemed like forty. Every day was an ordeal as his body reacted to the shock of going without the chemical stimulants that had altered his nervous system for years. His doctor had seen patients suffer from seizures and die, and he worried that the same could happen to Cash, who often shook, spasmed, cramped up, and broke out in cold sweats. Nights were the worst. When he was finally too exhausted not to sleep, the same nightmare came over and over: A glass ball was in Cash's stomach and steadily expanded until it was so big he floated off his bed through the roof of his house. Then the ball exploded into a million minute slivers of glass that penetrated his body and entered his bloodstream. Cash felt the shards cutting and tearing through his heart, his limbs, his face and brain. The pain was so excruciating it woke him up. Then he'd fight his way back to sleep and have the same awful dream again. But he persevered, leaning hard on God, June Carter, and the doctor, and made so much progress it was decided Cash would be able to keep a promise made months before to perform at a concert. Johnny took the stage that night with more butterflies than he'd ever felt before. He was tentative at first, but gained confidence as the show went on and began to feel so good he even laughed, joked, and bantered between numbers. He performed for a whole hour-and, as he felt the presence of God with him, closed the show with "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?" It was a powerful and befitting song to end his set with. The song describes what it would have been like to stand at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ. Then it transitions to the empty tomb, asking the question, "Were you there?" The chorus is, "Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble, tremble, tremble." Cash had done more than his share of trembling of late, most if from the suffering he endured as he withdrew from drugs. But it was a different kind of trembling the author of the song describes-trembling sparked by awe of what Jesus did for humanity. Scripture Reading: 1. Thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God . . . (Isaiah 43:1-3 NKJV) Have you felt the Lord's presence in times of great anguish or hardship? 2. I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. (Ezekiel 36:25-27 NKJV) God is able to cleanse and renew all the filthiness within us. What area of your life do you need to turn over to the Lord for cleansing? 3. Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?" But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away-for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples-and Peter-that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you." So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. (Mark 16:1-8 NKJV) Can you think of a time you physically trembled with fear, awe, or wonder? If so, what caused it? 
FROM THE HEART
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