Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
WILL ISRAEL GO EXTINCT? - Part 1 - Steve Schmutzer -
http://www.omegaletter.com/articles/articles.asp?ArticleID=8722 In late 2012, The New York Post reported that Kissinger - the Henry Kissinger - the gravelly-voiced veteran of world affairs had stated, "In ten years, there will be no more Israel." While it's no secret that Kissinger struggles with his own Jewish identity, he allegedly felt the passion of Israel's enemies would prove to be the Jewish state's demise. That bit of news invited other media to jump in and stir the "anti-Israel" pot. It was another opportunity for them to flex some of their own thinly-veiled bias. The liberal press is always eager to plunge a blade of prejudice into Israel's back. This recalls the 2012 Democratic National Convention where God was shown the exit door and Israel got the cold shoulder. A motion was made to omit God and any reference to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel from the democratic platform. Things got awkward for the donkeys when the motion was loudly supported. Embarrassed on live TV, the DNC leaders simply ignored protocol and the nation watched as God and Israel got booed. Be it the DNC membership, a respected diplomat, or the average person on the street, the general consensus seems to be, "Israel's days are numbered." The odds against the tiny nation are perceived as too great, and sentiments against the Jews continue to mount from multiple directions. Within the pews, the reality is - tragically - not much different. Too few people there agree that God still has a plan for His chosen people. Research shows that 14 of the top 25 church denominations believe no Scriptural promises remain for the Jews. Contrary to the appeals of Scripture, much of the church has "conformed to this world" in stunning fashion. For churches and Christians who choose to cultivate wrong views of Israel, an awkward quandary arises. Over 83% of God's Word concerns Israel in some fashion, so that's a lot of divinely-inspired Scripture to mishandle or set aside. Would you let a brain surgeon who has dismissed more than 83% of their training operate on you? Of course not. They'd be dangerously unqualified to do so! And so it is with many church leaders who downsize what God's Word is saying about His chosen people. Many of them are also poorly-equipped to lead their congregations as they constantly assert the Bible means something other than what it says. This deliberate irresponsibility promotes doctrinal illiteracy. Approximately 100 million American church members today have very little to no understanding of Bible prophecy (Bill Koenig). Since the shaky foundations of ignorance and prejudice have always assisted the rise of heresies, entire denominations today errantly believe they are a continuation of Biblical Israel. This is a core position of Covenant Theology. Whether in the church or out of it, these misguided ideas and passions, when developed down their natural course, often conclude that present-day Israel has no rights. For many people - and that includes a lot of Christians - Israel is simply a problem they wish would go away. A Bible-based reality check is urgently in order here. Is Israel destined to be wiped off the map in our lifetime? Do seasoned leaders and party principals know something the rest of us don't? The more important question is, "Does God have anything to say about the matter?" If He does, we should pay close attention. God's words "....will never pass away." (Matt. 24:35). He's always had the final say and that's not going to change. With the comprehensive counsel of the Bible in view, I believe all the dynamics of present-day Israel fit squarely within God's plan. That means nothing is out of control here and nothing is unexpected. Folks are certainly entitled to have their opinions, but if those opinions are inconsistent with the message of God's Word, they do not represent the truth. And the truth concerning Israel's welfare begins with the fact that Israel is there in the first place. We cannot postulate on the dangers which threaten Israel's existence without appreciating the Jews' survival in the face of 2,000 years of dispersion and persecution. This situation is more improbable than each Native American tribe returning to and taking over the original territories they once held before Columbus arrived. Many attempts to exterminate the Jews stain the pages of history, but the Jews have overcome each pogrom. They have endured in every aspect of their culture and have become a nation once more. No other ethnic group in human history can claim this sort of tenacity and this kind of revival. From Haman's murderous plan in the book of Esther to Antiochus Epiphanes' rages, from the medieval Crusades to the Russian slaughters in the 19th Century, and from Hitler's holocaust to Islam's fanaticism, the Jews - since antiquity - have overcome the worst odds to become a modern miracle. While history presents a compelling case for God's protection of His chosen people, the Scriptures are very clear. This is why responsible believers diligently seek to understand and apply the truth of God's Word. The Bible, when it's properly taught and received, always corrects the media's deception, exposes the political posturing, and shames the vacuous spiritualization that infects all issues concerning Israel these days. As I interpret the Bible literally, it's plain that the Jews have been supernaturally regathered in Israel. The Scriptures outline two occasions in which the Jews are regathered from their worldwide diaspora - just two. This is important, because if there were more than two such events, then who is to say it could not be three, four, or more? How would we really understand Israel today if the Bible didn't make this point clear? In Ezekiel 20:33-38, God looks back to the Egyptian exodus and He uses that historical event as an image for a prophetic provision. This passage clarifies that God had "entered into judgment" against His people, even as He guided them into the Promised Land. As a result, not everyone made it in. This passage affirms that God will do all this again. Ezekiel prophesied that God will collect the Jews from all parts of the world for a gathering of judgment. It means this newer event will be defined by great trouble for the Jews. Within their condition of spiritual poverty, God will sovereignly regather the Jews to the land of Israel after His judgment has been poured out on them, and even as His wrath upon them continues past that point (Ezekiel 22:17-22). Let's take a look at the history of recent Israel to see if this lines up. It's clear that the Jews returned to their ancient homeland after the trauma of the Nazi holocaust and because of it. Today, many Jews continue to return to Israel from all parts of the globe. Therefore, we are able to look back on this terrible period of history and comprehend it as God's judgment according to the terms of Ezekiel 20:33-38. It could be nothing less. It's why Israel's rebirth as a nation remains the single greatest prophetic event within the last few generations. The tragic time of the Nazi holocaust was an event that was within God's divine control. He used it to prepare the stage for Israel to be regathered and to become a true nation once more. That happened on May 14, 1948 in precise fulfillment of Ezekiel's prophecies. Today, Israel is a secular nation, "regathered in unbelief" in total compliance with the Scriptures. While God's ambition still remains to bring about His Millennial Kingdom through this diminutive nation, this will only happen after the continued expression of His judgments - his "wrath" - upon the Jewish people. We've seen the first stage of that process, but in Ezekiel 22:17-22, God's Word tells us there is more to come. He has gathered them "in judgment" and "for wrath." Next time we'll look at the second worldwide regathering of Israel, but this second one will be in belief instead. We'll review the Scriptures which spell out only two regatherings, and we'll examine the obvious implications of this fact. They say much about Israel's situation as things stand today - and as they will be in the times to come! Russia's Actions In Syria Threaten A Broader War - By Shoshana Bryen - http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=2597 The delivery of Russian S-300 air defenses to Syria threatens to broaden the war there, as these advanced systems could allow for a conflict with Israel. By announcing this delivery, to be made in the coming two weeks, the Russian military appears to be on the side of Iran and hostile to Israel, neither of which is part of President Vladimir Putin's approach to the Middle East or, for that matter, the future of Russia. Russia saved the Syrian regime from collapse by bringing in air power and encouraging the Iranians and their allies in Hezbollah to provide renewed muscle for ground fighting. Russia brought in its top aircraft, including the Su-35, protected its main base Khmeimim with the formidable S-400 Triumf missile defense system, and worked out a deal with Israel. Iran contributed large numbers of Shiite mercenaries, including jihadi fighters, Pakistanis, and Afghans led by Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officers. The Israeli-Russian deal instituted a "deconfliction" system so that Israel could maintain certain red lines in Syria without encountering Russian fighter aircraft or missiles launched from Khmeimim. The deal was recently upgraded to keep Syrian, Iranian, and Hezbollah forces away from the border with Israel. One Israeli red line is the acquisition by Hezbollah of sophisticated missiles. Iranians transport missiles to Hezbollah through Syria because the military part of the Damascus airport is heavily defended unlike the one in Beirut (the alternative option), and because the airbase is better protected against commando operations. Israel has focused on staging areas and warehouses, many of them clearly under the control of the Syrian military. To keep Israel away, some of the warehouse roofs have been painted with UN symbols or with DHL logos. This backfired, however, as it makes it easier for Israel to find its targets. Israel is looking for missiles manufactured primarily by Iran, but also those from China, North Korea, or re-transferred to Syria but made in Russia. Some are based on Russian designs and others on Chinese rockets, such as the WS-1 Weishi (Guardian). While most are unguided, they represent a threat to Israeli communities, especially in the north, including large cities such as Haifa, which has already suffered missile attacks from Hezbollah. Other Israeli operations appear to have targeted Iranian troops -- including IRGC officers. Last July, Israel allegedly destroyed a Revolutionary Guard center near Aleppo. In January 2015, Israel hit a convoy, killing six Hezbollah soldiers, and Mohammad Ali Allahdadi, a Brigadier General in the Quds Force of the IRGC. The Quds Force is an elite commando force of the Revolutionary Guards that reports directly to Ayatollah Khamenei. Its commander is Major General Qasem Soleimani. The same strike killed Jihad Mughniyah, an important Hezbollah leader. One possible option for Israel is to surround Iran's military forces including proxies and force Hezbollah to fight with them. In this way, both forces could potentially be defeated, even liquidated. Israel has been carrying out extensive military training and planning, as well as military drills that even include a war scenario where Russia is directly involved. The Americans have now been added to the mix. Last August, National Security Adviser John Bolton said that Putin would like to see the Iranians leave Syria, but lacks the influence to get rid of them (whether that is true or not, it is a signal from Putin). Putin has sent other signals about his concern with the Iranians, because Iran could very well threaten Russia's interest in Syria or force Russia into a war it does not want or need. Just this week, Bolton laid down an American red line, announcing that the US would remain in Syria as long as there were Iranian troops and their proxies there. This is the bigger war that is potentially brewing in Syria -- mostly concerning Israel and Iran. The Russian response to losing its Il-20M aircraft to Syrian fire appears to bring that war closer instead of postponing it, and could jeopardize Russia's ability to remain in Syria. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to telephone the Russian president about the incident. Shortly afterwards, Putin made it clear that the shooting down was "a chain of tragic accidental circumstances," and not Israel's fault. He also directed his military to keep the deconfliction mechanism in place. An Israeli delegation in Moscow provided a detailed account of its mission in Syria on the night the plane was shot down. Even so, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced Russia was moving its S-300 air defense system to Syria. Shoigu noted that Russia had suspended the delivery of the S-300 system in 2013 "at the request of Israel." He said Syrian gunners were already trained and the S-300 would arrive in Damascus within a fortnight. The minister made clear this was retaliation. Most important, Shoigu added that Russia would henceforth "jam satellite navigation, onboard radars, and communication systems of combat aircraft that attack targets in the Syrian territory, in the regions over the waters of the Mediterranean Sea bordering with Syria." Israel probably has tactics to deal with the S-300. The Pentagon has confirmed that Iran tested and deployed the S-300, which was delivered in 2016 and took two years to become operational. Israel and the US believe these missiles have boosted Iranian air defenses at least a full generation. A similar system in Syria may take time to become operational, despite the training back in 2013 of Syrian operators -- unless, of course, the Syrians bring in Iranians to do it for them. This would be a game changer and could be enough to trigger a broader war. This would put the Russians in a much more dangerous position. Instead of Syrian missiles being only an incidental target when they engage Israeli aircraft, the S-300 could potentially become a target of the Israeli Air Force. That would be bad news for Putin, who wants to stabilize Syria, retain his bases there, and avoid more war. Putin's strategic objective would seem to be to work a deal, principally with the United States but with Israel's agreement, that would recognize Russia's long-term interest in Syria as a "guardian" of whatever future Syrian government is agreed to. Iran is a big sticking point, and the S-300 could make matters much worse. It is unclear if the Russian military might be willing to risk a confrontation with Israel. While upset about the destruction of the Il-20M, they have long wanted to be considered a top power like the US. Putin shares these concerns, but he also has to worry about the impact of precipitous military decisions on the whole Russian state. To have any hope of delivering an end to the war in Syria that preserves Russian bases and influence, Putin has to keep the Iranians away from the S-300 in Syria, or delay its delivery into the unforeseeable future. News from Hal Lindsey Media Ministries - Hal Lindsey - www.hallindsey.com The Apostle Paul warned Timothy, "In the last days... men will be... malicious gossips... treacherous...." (2 Timothy 3:1-4 NASB) Later in the same chapter he declares that in those days, "Evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse." (2 Timothy 3:13 KJV) And Paul didn't even know about social media, fake news, or The New York Times! "Mainstream Media" wasn't even in his vocabulary! When it comes to discussing how these conditions are present today, I think the combat fighter pilot's term fits perfectly: It's a target-rich environment. Setting aside the mind-numbing insanity of the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation ambush (that's not "target-rich," that's "target-overload"), on this week's program I will discuss two recent incidents that perfectly fit Paul's warning. And they both involve literal threats to our nation's well-being and, perhaps, survival. A few weeks ago, The New York Times Editorial page ran a piece by someone it called, "a senior administration official." The op-ed was written by an "anonymous" author (or authors), but the paper's editors assured us they knew who wrote it. The identifying phrase, "a senior administration official," is intentionally vague. Barack Obama's former chief strategist, David Axelrod says that description includes all who carry "the title of assistant to the president and all cabinet officials." That means it can only refer to the very top leadership in an administration. The supposedly "senior" official (remember, it's The New York Times) wrote: "The dilemma -- which [President Trump] does not fully grasp -- is that many senior officials in his own administration are working diligently from within to frustrate parts of his agenda and his worst inclinations. I would know. I am one of them." He, she, or they said that the Administration's successes "have come despite -- not because of -- the President's leadership style, which is impetuous, adversarial, petty and ineffective." Friends, I believe with great confidence that the author(s) of that op-ed is lying. If high-ranking members of the Administration really believed the President might go "off the rails," they would certainly not write about their undercover activities in the nation's "newspaper of record." Making it public would undermine their efforts. Calling attention to themselves would only warn their superiors to be on-guard and watchful. If you are genuinely worried that someone is unstable and might harm themselves or others, why would you push them toward paranoia? Unless that is your goal. No one who truly loves this country and its institutions and freedoms would intentionally try to weaken or break the trust between the President and his highest officials. And that is clearly what this editorial intends. It is an extreme example of the prophesied increase in "malicious gossip" and treachery in the last days. Not to be outdone by its Editorial cousin, The New York Times News division raced to get in on the action. It published a story in which it claimed that U.S. Deputy Attorney-General Rod Rosenstein had "proposed wearing a wire" to his meetings with President Trump. The article stated that Rosenstein wanted to expose the President's chaotic style of leadership. (I'm not sure, but I don't think an unorthodox "style of leadership" necessarily constitutes a crime, or even a threat! But then I'm only a normal American. I don't understand such complicated concepts!) The Times insists that Rosenstein was serious. However, sources for other news organizations say that Rosenstein did say it, but he was only being sarcastic. The New York Times also claims that Mr. Rosenstein considered lobbying members of the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment and remove President Trump from office. Now, Deputy Attorney-General Rosenstein (remember, he is the de facto chief law enforcement officer in the nation since his boss, Attorney-General Jeff Sessions seems to be in some sort of perpetual, limboesque "recusal" from everything but immigration and gang-related issues) explicitly denies believing Trump should be removed from office. But his denials are vague, at best. The Times story itself raises other questions. It says, "Several people described the episodes in interviews over the past several months, insisting on anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The people were briefed either on the events themselves or on memos written by F.B.I. officials." Note the word, "briefed." That simply means The New York Times used sources that had only HEARD secondhand about the events and memos. Of course, it goes without saying that FBI communications of any sort should now be viewed with great suspicion. Judge Judy would call that "hearsay" and "inadmissible." You and I might call it "gossip." The Apostle Paul would probably double down and call it "malicious gossip!" Even so, portions of the Times story have been confirmed by other sources. Deputy Attorney-General Rosenstein apparently did discuss wearing a wire to record his conversations with the President. Even if he were just joking, it is disturbing. It's difficult enough to be President of the United States in such a polarized, antagonistic political atmosphere. But President Trump is having to govern in times when "malicious gossip" and "treacherous" men (and women) are running wild. Just as the Bible predicted. Last week, Jews around the world celebrated Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. It is the holiest day on the Jewish calendar. On Yom Kippur 45 years ago (October 6, 1973), the Arab world launched a sneak attack on the nation of Israel. The blitz caught Israel off-guard on both fronts. In addition to Egypt and Syria, Israel faced forces from Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, and even Cuba. All supported and supplied by the Soviet Union. The "Yom Kippur War," as it is known today, was not like any of Israel's previous wars. This time, Arab armies scored major, dramatic victories. Israeli casualties were the highest yet. It appeared that the Arabs would finally fulfill their dream of pushing the Jews into the sea. But Israel held on and was slowly able to fully mobilize its forces. At a heavy cost in personnel and equipment, they began to repel the Arabs. After the Soviet Union reacted quickly and began to resupply the Arab armies, U.S. President Richard Nixon hesitantly decided to begin a full-scale resupply effort for Israel. Once that massive resupply began, the tide fully turned. Soon, the IDF was advancing on Cairo and shelling suburbs of Damascus. A United Nations-brokered ceasefire saved Egypt and Syria from almost unimaginable defeat. There are myriad stories of inexplicable incidents that occurred during the fighting that prevented Israel from being overrun. For Israelis who lived through the Yom Kippur War, one word comes up again and again: Miracle! Israel triumphed because God intervened. It wasn't the first time and it won't be the last. Don't miss this week's Report on TBN, Daystar, CPM Network, various local stations, www.hallindsey.com or www.hischannel.com . Please check your local listings. Is The Bible True Or Not? - By Grant Phillips - https://www.raptureready.com/2018/09/22/bible-true-not-grant-phillips/ Why is it so hard for some people to believe the Bible? The Bible is the Word of God delivered to mankind through men set apart by God to deliver His message. The Spirit of God spoke through these writers, using their own personalities, to deliver the divine message to mankind. Yet, so many people from all walks of life simply cannot believe its words are from God, but instead consider it to be composed of the opinions of the writers, fables and fairy tales. Few today consider the Bible, in its entirety to be the absolute inerrant (incapable of being wrong) Word from Almighty God (in the original languages). God informs mankind through the apostle Paul: "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16) ["Inspired" means literally "God-breathed." Every word comes from God.] "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2:12-16) How does the true Christian "have the mind of Christ?" The true Christian has "the mind of Christ" by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit within us. He/she also "has the mind of Christ" in the Bible we hold in our hands. To the unbeliever it is just a book, but to the believer it is a book that contains the words of God. God said through a man named Moses, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1) Do you believe it? God said through the apostle John, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." (John 1:1-5) ["Comprehend" means "overcome."] Jesus, the 2nd person of the Godhead, not only created the world, He is the light of the world. Do you believe it? I ask again, why is it so hard for some people to believe the Bible? Jesus gives us the answer through the apostle John. "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44) Any person who does not believe in Jesus Christ as their own personal Savior and Lord is under the thumb of Satan (the Devil). Their father is the Devil. The Devil (Satan) "is a liar and the father of lies." "There is no truth in him." Those under his thumb cannot believe the Truth, because they listen to their father instead of the Word of God. Their only escape from Satan is to accept the provision God made to save them, and that again is the Son of God who died and rose again. God says through the apostle Paul, "May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, "THAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS, AND PREVAIL WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED."" (Romans 3:4) God says through the apostle John, "Who is the liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son." (1 John 2:22) "The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son." (1 John 5:10) So obviously, if we do "not believe God," who speaks to us through His Word (the Bible) we are calling Him a liar. "Jesus said to him, ""I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me."" (John 14:6) Are any of these verses believable to you, or do you just brush them off as "not important?" ALL Scripture is from God and ALL Scripture is relevant. Not a word in the Bible is written from the viewpoint of men unless their viewpoint agrees with God's Word. They wrote what God, through His Spirit, had them write. Don't think so? God says to us through the apostle Peter, "So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." (2 Peter 1:19-21 emphasis mine) Prophecy is (from Blue Letter Bible): A discourse emanating from inspiration and declaring the purposes of God, whether by reproving and admonishing the wicked, or comforting the afflicted, or revealing things hidden; esp. by foretelling future events. Used in the NT of the utterance of OT prophets of the prediction of events relating to Christ's kingdom and its speedy triumph, together with the consolations and admonitions pertaining to it, the spirit of prophecy, the divine mind, to which the prophetic faculty is due of the endowment and speech of the Christian teachers called prophets. The gifts and utterances of these prophets, esp. of the predictions of the works of which, set apart to teach the gospel, will accomplish for the kingdom of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:12-16 (shown above) tells us that the natural man (the unbeliever) cannot understand the Bible because they do not have the Holy Spirit living within them. No wonder they think it is just a hodgepodge of historical, fanciful writings. The last puzzling question in my mind related to this subject matter is, "What excuse does the person have who claims to be a Christian, but yet denies the Bible as the authoritative, inerrant Word of God? Why are you blind to the Truth? I humbly suggest, for your own spiritual welfare, maybe you need to consider the following Scripture. "Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you-unless indeed you fail the test?" (2 Corinthians 13:5) Is the Bible true or not? Maybe some of it is true and the remainder is not true? If that is the case (and it is not), who decides what is true and what is not true? Either the Bible is true in its entirety, or none of it is true. I have said this in two previous articles, but I'll repeat it once more. As an 18 year old Christian, I made a decision against the liberal viewpoint which stated that some of the Bible was true and some was not. I chose to believe it all to not only be true, but to be the very Words of Almighty God and totally inerrant in the original languages. I chose to believe this precious book we call the Bible is absolutely true from Genesis 1:1 through Revelation 22:21. The longer the Lord allows me to live upon this earth, the more certain I am that I made the correct decision. The world (Satan and his pals) is going to come at you with all kinds of liberal nonsense, trying to tear down the authenticity of the Bible. You can allow it to deter you from the Truth and take your soul to hell or you can believe the Bible and act upon it and be victorious, spending eternity with your Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. I will add that the world can be very convincing. It is very convincing because Satan is the father of lies, and he has had a lot of time to be the best at it. Don't even try to answer all the liberal drivel. Leave them in God's hands, and just believe HIM. Think about this. If you suddenly got an interest in learning how to fish, would you go to the person who has fished all of his life and knows all about it, or would you go to someone who doesn't even know which end of the fishing pole to hold? Now that may not be the best example, but I prefer to believe God (the Creator) over anything that comes from the mouth of man (the created). Satan convinced Eve (and Adam) to not take God seriously. We all know how that panned out. If Satan can succeed in convincing us that the Bible doesn't need to be taken seriously (as he did Eve), where does that leave mankind? It can only result in confusion, chaos, rebellion, apostasy, and judgment. "The Word of God is alive and powerful ..." (Hebrews 4:12). Don't let Satan steal the joy in Jesus Christ you could have by taking His Word lightly. The entire Bible is the very Word of God. If you don't know Jesus as your Savior and Lord, His book, the Bible, will tell you what He has done for you. Read it and put your faith in Him. Trust Him. Maybe you are a Christian, but weak in faith. Read the Bible. Believe it. Trust your Savior and Lord, not the trash talk that comes from a world bound for judgment. Make your decision today to believe the Bible in its entirety, even if all the world says differently. Only God will always give us the Truth, and His Truth is found in His Word, the Bible. Grant Phillips Email: [email protected] Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com Rapture Ready: http://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html ATTENTION! My email address has changed to [email protected] Daily Jot: America torn apart - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com Irrespective of how the vote goes for Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, the spectacle of what has transpired is a travesty. The left leaning UK Daily Mail posted a headline, "America tears itself apart." It isn't America tearing herself apart. It is the Democratic Party tearing America apart. The bottom line is that there are ways to have civil discourse to solve problems or reach conclusions without destroying lives. In this case, both Kavanaugh and his accuser are victims of a power hungry political machine that is seeking to overthrow a duly elected government by using any means possible, even to the ruination of private lives and families. The lack of respect and civility was disgusting to watch. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) summed it up. "(To Feinstein) What you want to do is destroy this guy's life; hold this seat open; and hope you win in 2020. (Pointing to Feinstein) You said that, not me. (to Kavanaugh) You've got nothing to apologize for...This is the most unethical sham since I've been in politics. (to Feinstein) And if you really have wanted to know the truth, you sure as hell wouldn't have done what you did to this guy....(to Kavanaugh) I cannot imagine what you and your family have gone through. (to Feinstein) Boy, y'all really want power. I hope you never get it. I hope the American people can see through this sham." In short, these allegations could have been handled without the political firestorm if those involved were sincere about the truth and concerned about the accuser. At the end of the day, the Democrats, with the left-leaning news media amplifying their loathing, likely stirred their base, emotionally manipulated the uninformed voter and blind follower, and further divided the homeland. They were pictured laughing it up with each other before the hearing. To underscore the insincerity of their over-the-top circus, not 30 minutes into the hearing Senator Mazie Hirono (D-HI) sent a fundraising email asking for donations from those who think there should be no Supreme Court justices who have "credible sexual misconduct allegations" against them. Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) also used the hearings to try to raise money for their reelection campaigns. Kavanaugh and his accuser are but disposable pawns in a death struggle about political power over interpreting laws. Since the 2016 presidential election, the Democratic Party has been throwing a temper tantrum. It was unable to complete the socialist revolution that began to solidify a decade ago. It has been relentless with incitement to violence, obstruction, and just down-right mean-spiritedness. Decent people should reject this behavior and demand reform of this political atmosphere. Americans ought not treat one another the way we have seen over the past two years. Jesus said in Matthew 7:12, "Therefore all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them." It's the Golden Rule--very tarnished today because wickedness has prospered, and the love of many has waxed cold. Daily Devotion: Hope for Late Bloomers - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org Enoch lived sixty-five years, and begot Methuselah. After he begot Methuselah, Enoch walked with God three hundred years, and had sons and daughters. -Genesis 5:21-22 The Bible tells us that Enoch started walking with God when he was 65 years old. It appears that the birth of his son, Methuselah, brought about Enoch's conversion. The name Methuselah means "When he is dead, it shall be sent." Because Enoch walked with God, it was revealed to him that when his son died, judgment would come. And how long did Methuselah live? He lived 969 years. This tells us that God takes no delight in bringing judgment. Sometimes we wonder why God hasn't come back to bring justice to this planet. Why hasn't He returned for us yet? Here's the answer: "In the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. They will say, 'What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created' " (2 Peter 3:3-4 NLT). But then God gives us the answer: "A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent" (verses 8-9 NLT). God is waiting. God always keeps His appointments, by the way. He is never late. He always shows up on time, and He has an appointed time that He will return to this earth. He is waiting for more people to come into His kingdom. Enoch walked with God during one of the darkest times in human history. And if Enoch was able to live a godly life at a time like that, then we can live godly lives as well. FROM THE HEART
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