Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
What God Said Will Happen - By Daymond Duck -
https://www.raptureready.com/2020/09/27/what-god-said-will-happen-by-daymond-duck/ Several people have asked for my opinion on Israel's recent peace treaties with the UAE and Bahrain, so this is my effort to put it into writing. At the Sept. 15, 2020, signing ceremony, Israel's Prime Min. Netanyahu said, "This peace will eventually expand to include other Arab states, and ultimately, it can end the Arab-Israel conflict once and for all." These treaties have been called historic, a profound geopolitical shift, stunning, a fundamental reordering of the Middle East, etc. These treaties are not the 7-year covenant with many that will be confirmed by the Antichrist (Dan. 9:27) and triggers the Tribulation Period, but they are a very significant step in that direction and will eventually lead to people declaring "peace and safety" in the world (I Thess. 5:3). A Foreign Policy statement released by the White House on Sept. 15, 2020, even says, "The Parties shall be guided in their relations by the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law governing relations among States. In particular, they shall recognize and respect each other's sovereignty and right to live in peace and security (the same thing as "peace and safety"), develop friendly relations of cooperation between them and their peoples, and settle all disputes between them by peaceful means." https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/abraham-accords-peace-agreement-treaty-of-peace-diplomatic-relations-and-full-normalization-between-the-united-arab-emirates-and-the-state-of-israel/ A second Foreign Policy statement released by the White House on the same date reads, (The UAE and Israel are) "Determined to ensure lasting peace, stability, security and prosperity (the same thing as "peace and safety") for both their States and to develop and enhance their dynamic and innovative economies." https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/abraham-accords-peace-agreement-treaty-of-peace-diplomatic-relations-and-full-normalization-between-the-united-arab-emirates-and-the-state-of-israel/ A third Foreign Policy statement released by the White House on the same date reads, "The parties discussed their shared commitment to advancing peace and security (the same thing as "peace and safety") in the Middle East stressing the importance of embracing the vision of the Abraham Accords, widening the circle of peace; recognizing each State's right to sovereignty and to live in peace and security, and continuing the efforts to achieve a just, comprehensive, and enduring resolution of the Israeli- Palestinian conflict." https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/abraham-accords-declaration-peace-cooperation-constructive-diplomatic-friendly-relations/ Two more nations have now acknowledged Israel's right to exist, and more nations will follow suit, but the fact that some nations are willing to make peace with Israel doesn't mean that there are not other nations and groups that want to destroy Israel (peace and safety with many doesn't mean peace and safety with everybody). Many nations have noticed Israel's wealth (silver and gold; cattle and goods, etc.). The Arabs want to increase their wealth by negotiating and trading with Israel. Russia, Iran, Turkey, and others want to increase their wealth by plundering Israel (Ezek. 38:11-12). Netanyahu said the peace deals will bring billions of dollars into Israel's economy, making the plunder more enticing. The peace treaties (called the "Abraham Accords because Arabs and Jews are both descendants of Abraham) suggest that Israel is now safer (as in dwelling safely; Ezek. 38:11). They make an attack by Saudi Arabia less likely; and they make an attack by Russia, Turkey, and Iran more likely, etc. (Ezek. 38:13). The U.S. will sell the UAE and Bahrain more powerful weapons (F-35 jets, high-tech equipment, etc.) that will strengthen the Arab alliance against Iran; be used against Iran's allies in Libya, Yemen and other places; and put a greater strain on Iran's economy (increasing Iran's need for plunder). The peace treaties have caused the PA to feel abandoned and increased the pressure on Israel's terrorist enemies (Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, etc.). The PA can now be expected to do one of two things: 1) Step up their war against Israel (which will fulfill Bible prophecy), or 2) Sit down at the negotiating table (which will result in the 7-year covenant). They will likely go to war first and sit down at the negotiating table later (after their defeat). On Sept. 16, 2020, the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, David Friedman said, "The peace treaties between Israel, Bahrain and the UAE mark the beginning of the end of the Israeli-Arab conflict." On Sept. 16, 2020, Jared Kushner, Trump's Advisor and Son-in-Law, said he is very confident that the peace treaties will make an ultimate resolution with the Palestinians more likely. According to the Bible, a worthless treaty with many will be signed by the Antichrist after the Rapture. According to Pres. Trump, the peace treaties allow Muslims to visit the holy sites in Israel (the Temple Mount and more), including the Al Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Israel and the U.S. believe this opens the door for the Temple to be rebuilt. Many prophecy teachers believe the 7-year covenant with many will give Israel permission to rebuild the Temple, and they will quickly do it after the Tribulation Period begins. So, 72 years (about one generation; Matt. 24:32-35) after Israel has become a nation in one day (Isa. 66:7-9) before the Tribulation Period, the nation is rich, possibly on the verge of many peace treaties that are expected to lead to peace and safety in the Middle East, the door to rebuilding the Temple could be starting to open, and Israel's enemies (Russia, Turkey, Iran, etc.) are amassing north of Israel just like the Bible says (Ezek. 38:15). We cannot know the day or the hour (Matt. 24:36), but we can see the day approaching (Heb. 10:25) and know when our redemption is near (Luke 21:28). Here are some other things that recently caught my attention: One, a friend sent this link to me of prophecy teacher Don Stewart's fascinating interview of Dennis Swick, the owner and founder of His Channel TV: https://hischannel.com/WorldNewsBriefing/1050A5 On Sept. 17, 2020, Swick was interviewed on Stewart's "World News Briefing" TV program. About 30 min. into the program, Stewart and Swick started talking about the fact that Elon Musk has been authorized to put up 12,000 satellites into orbit (he wants to increase it to 40,000) to make high-speed Internet and TV service available everywhere on earth. Many Bible prophecy teachers know that this will literally make it possible for the gospel to go all over the world, for the Antichrist and False Prophet to track all buying and selling, for everyone on earth to see the Antichrist kill the Two Witnesses, to see the bodies of the Two Witnesses laying in the street in Jerusalem, and for everyone on earth to see the Two Witnesses raised from the dead and Raptured into heaven at the middle of the Tribulation Period (Rev. 11). Stewart wanted to know when this system (called Starlink) will be complete, "in five years"? Swick, who receives technical notes from Musk, replied "less than that. Some people will go online this year, and the system will be operational in a few years" (it just needs to be operational 3 ½ years after the Tribulation Period begins). Two, a second thing that caught my attention in the Stewart-Swick interview concerns social distancing. Bill Gates wants to force everyone on earth to be numbered, tattooed with a quantum dot tattoo, and vaccinated for the Coronavirus. He wants to deny those that refuse the right to hold a job, buy and sell, etc. The enzyme that activates the quantum dots in Gates' vaccine is called Luciferase (Lucifer was Satan's name when he fell; Isa. 14:12). Swick talked about why officials want 7 feet of social distancing (He probably misspoke because it is 6 feet), and he said scanners may misread people's numbers if the people and their numbers are too close together, but if the people are at least 7 feet (he means 6 feet) apart, the scanners will accurately read the numbers. I don't know if this is right, but Swick has excellent knowledge of technology, and the media is now reporting that 6 feet of social distancing may not be enough. Three, on Sept. 17, 2020, Rev. Franklin Graham was talking about what God said will happen, and I think it is important to hear Dr. Graham's opinion. He was talking about his upcoming Prayer March in Washington, D.C., on Sept. 26, 2020, and he told the Christian Post, "I just sense there is something moving in our country. I don't believe that our country is going to be spared from God's judgment. We are not a Christian nation. We are a secular nation, and the secularists are wanting to strip God out of everything. "Maybe this election could possibly slow that down, but we know there's going to be a one-world system one day. We know that people aren't going to be able to buy, sell, or trade unless they have the mark of the Antichrist. We know that there will be a great war. "We see God's judgment coming against this earth for the rejection of His Son, and we see the Lord Jesus Christ coming back triumphant to establish a new Heaven and a new Earth. We know how the last chapters of history are written. "I think we're kind of in that period of time on God's clock where some of these things might just be beginning to unfold. To say that we're not going to be able to reset God's clock, in the sense where He's going to change His mind, no, it's written. But He might delay just a little bit." https://www.christianpost.com/news/franklin-graham-ahead-of-national-prayer-march-us-is-crumbling-god-is-only-hope.html I agree with everything Dr. Graham said: God is still on the throne, and prayer changes things. By the time this article is posted, the Prayer March will be history, but Christians need to keep praying. We are in a spiritual battle for the heart and soul of America. Four, concerning Syria, Russia's economy is hurting, Putin is moving more equipment and weapons to Syria, and Russia is becoming more aggressive. This has prompted the U.S. to send 100 troops with vehicles, helicopters and jets back to Syria to protect the oil fields that are under Kurdish control. A U.S. company has just inked a deal with the Kurds to develop the oilfields and sell the crude, and the Russians are very unhappy. Five, concerning natural disasters, several wildfires have now merged, creating the largest California wildfire on record since record-keeping started in 1932, and 83% of the state of Utah is now experiencing an "extreme" drought emergency. Six, concerning wickedness, in Chicago, IL, homicides are up 52% over 2019, and the vast majority of those killed are people of color. Black Lives Matter and defunding the police are about overthrowing the U.S. government, not about protecting or bettering the lives of people of color. In New York City, homicides are up 27% over 2019; murder, robbery, domestic violence, and other crimes are also up, and the story is similar in other cities. Now, even before we know who the nominee will be, left-wing activists are threatening violent riots if Pres. Trump and Mitch McConnell try to fill the Supreme Court seat left vacant by the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Trump and McConnell have not caved, and they have said there will be a nomination and vote. These things are setting the stage for what God said will happen. God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin born, sinless Son of God, who died for the sins of the world, was buried and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this. Prophecy Plus Ministries, Inc. Daymond Duck [email protected] The Dangerous New Iran-Qatar-Turkey-Hamas Alliance - by Khaled Abu Toameh - https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/16553/iran-qatar-turkey-hamas Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's continued rapprochement with the Iran-backed Hamas is jeopardizing the Palestinians' relations with Egypt. Egyptian media outlets have resumed their scathing attacks on the Palestinian leadership in general, and the Islamist movement that has been ruling the Gaza Strip since 2007 in particular. The Egyptian attacks came on the eve of a meeting in Turkey between leaders of Abbas's Fatah faction and Hamas. At the meeting, held under the auspices of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Hamas and Fatah leaders discussed ways of ending their dispute and holding long overdue Palestinian presidential and parliamentary elections. The Fatah-Hamas meeting in Turkey took place in the context of Abbas's initiative to achieve Palestinian "national unity to confront Israeli and American schemes against the Palestinians." The reconciliation efforts are also designed to thwart normalization agreements between Israel and some Arab states. The Egyptian attacks, focusing mostly on Hamas, are aimed at sending a warning to Abbas against joining the extremist camp led by Iran, Qatar and Turkey. In addition, the attacks are aimed at reminding Abbas and the rest of the world that Hamas, an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, continues to pose a real threat to Egypt's national security. Abbas, however, seems determined to ignore the Egyptian warnings and is marching forward with full speed toward forming an alliance with Hamas and its masters in Iran, Qatar and Turkey. Abbas has already damaged the Palestinians' relations with some Arab countries by condemning the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain for signing peace treaties with Israel. Abbas and his senior officials have accused both Gulf countries of "stabbing the Palestinians in the back" and betraying the Palestinian cause, Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque by signing normalization accords with Israel. A sign of the growing rift between the Palestinians and the Arab world surfaced on September 22, when Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad Malki announced that the Palestinians decided to "relinquish" their right to preside over the Council of the Arab League at its current session, in protest of the decision of the UAE and Bahrain to normalize relations with Israel. "Since the decision to rush after [normalization] was taken in Washington, it does not serve any purpose to exert any more effort to sway [the Arabs] against normalization, particularly since they are not the decision-makers, regretfully," Malki explained. The decision marks the beginning of a divorce process between the Palestinians and the Arab world. The Palestinian leadership has been boycotting the US administration since December 2017, when President Donald Trump announced his decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The Palestinians have also suspended their ties with Israel, including security coordination. The Palestinians have, in addition, lost the support of several Arab countries because of their recurring condemnations of Arab governments and leaders who want to make peace with Israel. Now it appears that the Palestinians are also headed toward ruining their relations with Egypt because of Abbas's decision to make peace with Hamas and appease Iran, Turkey and Qatar. Egyptian journalists and writers have joined the chorus of critics in the Arab world who are accusing the Palestinian leadership of lacking a clear strategy that would serve the interests of the Palestinians. The journalists and writers have also launched a scathing attack on Hamas for its involvement in terrorism and for throwing itself into the open arms of Iran, Turkey and Qatar. According to Egyptian writer Farouk Jweideh: "The Palestinian issue is no longer at the forefront of Arab issues, and it has retreated in international forums and behind the scenes of the United Nations, and even in the Arab League... The Palestine issue was the first Arab issue in all situations. Nobody now knows Mahmoud Abbas's future, because everyone has abandoned him." Jweideh held Palestinian leaders responsible for the "decline" of the Palestinian issue, and in particular the conflict between Fatah and Hamas. "No one knows how Mahmoud Abbas thinks and what the considerations of Fatah, Hamas and the rest of the Palestinian factions are... The state of confusion and disintegration that afflicted the Arab world put the leaders of Palestine in a historic deadlock. No one is standing with the Palestinian issue and people now." Egyptian writer Abdel Mun'em Said accused Turkey, Iran, Qatar and Hamas of "using history profusely, selectively and tragically to impose appropriate political and strategic choices to maintain a state of tension, hostility and conflict in the region." According to Said, the goal of the four parties is to infiltrate the Arab countries and obtain material and political gains in the region. Egyptian broadcaster Basma Wahba noted that Hamas has a history of igniting strife in the region, with the help of Qatar and Turkey. "We lived in a great illusion that Hamas aims to fight Israel to liberate Jerusalem," Wahba said. "It is time for people to know the truth about this movement and its sabotage goals in this region. With the backing of Qatar and Turkey, Hamas has armed militias and plays a destructive role in the region. Hamas is present and involved in every Arab country. Erdogan has used the Hamas leaders to achieve his goals in the region, and many Hamas members have acquired Turkish citizenship." Commenting on Hamas's hypocrisy and corruption, Egyptian writer Hashem al-Fahkrani remarked: "Those who believe that Hamas's first goal is to resist Israel are mistaken. Its first and only goal is to receive money. Hamas's slogan is: Loyalty to anyone who pays the most." Al-Fakhrani was referring to the Qatari cash grants that have been delivered to Hamas in the past year. Noting that Hamas operates under the guidance of the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist organization, he added: "Hamas, founded on December 15, 1987 under the name of the Islamic Resistance Movement, is one of the wings of the international organization of the Brotherhood. Hamas aims to achieve the goals of the organization without taking into account other considerations." Al-Fakhrani pointed out that Hamas has condemned some Arab countries for normalizing their relations with Israel, while ignoring that the Qatari cash grants it receives were being delivered to the Gaza Strip with Israeli permission. "Qatar has provided Hamas with more than a billion dollars since 2012," he said. "Qatar did not provide these funds out of a humanitarian standpoint and to help the residents of the Gaza Strip. The Qataris did so to help Hamas and its leaders and to enable Qatar to establish a foothold in the region." Egyptian writer Mustafa Anbar denounced Hamas as a "satanic movement with a misleading history and constant support for terrorism." He accused Hamas of serving the Turkish-Qatari agenda in the region. "Day after day, the malicious goals and intentions of Hamas are revealed through its trading with the Palestinian issue in order to achieve unlawful gains at the expense of the Palestinian people... This is the agenda of Turkey and Qatar: supporting terrorism." Another Egyptian writer, Isra'a Ahmed Fouad, wrote that Hamas's real goals have been exposed: While its leaders seek to enrich themselves, they are working to serve Turkish ambitions in the region. Noting that Hamas has committed many crimes against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and threatened Egypt's national security, Fouad said: "The Hamas bombing of the Ibn Taymiyyah Mosque in the city of Rafah was one of the most heinous of these crimes, as they destroyed the mosque with rocket launchers. After Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip, its members committed murders, kidnappings and torture. Its members also carried out many crimes by leaking poisonous gas into the cells of prisoners and detainees." Fouad quoted a Palestinian security officer as saying that "shameful acts" were being carried out inside the tunnels that Hamas built on Gaza's borders with Egypt and Israel: "In addition to smuggling operations, other immoral acts were practiced inside the tunnels, especially during the rule of the ousted [Egyptian] President Mohamed Morsi... Anyone who attempted to expose these acts was killed by Hamas. Hamas used to pump poisonous gas into the tunnels to kill those inside, and then it would claim that Israel had bombed the tunnels." The Egyptian newspaper Sout Al-Omma accused Hamas of abandoning the Palestinian cause and aligning itself with Qatar, which poured billions of dollars into its coffers to serve its own agenda and goals in the region. The paper quoted Egyptian MP Hammam al-Adli as saying: "[Hamas] adopts an extremist ideology and has a close relationship with Qatar, which is a suspicious relationship that takes place within the framework of supporting armed terrorist organizations and planning sabotage and terrorist operations in some Arab countries." Hamas, he added, is serving the agenda of Qatar in return for the large financial funds that Hamas receives from the Qataris. Another Egyptian MP, Mohammed Salim, said that Hamas has fallen into the arms of the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood organization in Qatar. Hamas, he added, "supports their malicious goals and plans in the region, and the plans of incitement against Egypt and some Arab countries to destabilize their security." Were these allegations against Hamas published by Israel, they would have been dismissed by many in the West as "Israeli propaganda." These accusations, however, are coming from Egypt, the largest Arab country that has a shared border with the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. The Egyptians are trying to sound an alarm bell to Abbas and the rest of the world about the dangers of the Hamas-Iran-Turkey-Qatar alliance that poses a threat to security and stability in the Middle East. Yet, the Palestinian leadership and the international community appear distinctly indifferent to the looming danger of this newest axis of evil. For them, the only fate worse than death is normalization between the Arabs and Israel. Abbas has once again pegged his hopes and those of his people on entities that would obstruct the Palestinians and destroy Israel. How Should Christians View 2020? - Tony Perkins - https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=4312 What if the problems tearing our nation apart right now are not truly about racism, police brutality, or equality? What if the central problem we face is not a physical one, but a spiritual one? In the introduction to the third episode of FRC's Pray Vote Stand 2020 broadcast series, FRC President Tony Perkins made this sobering observation: "America is approaching this moment from a position of real spiritual weakness." Only six percent of the country has a biblical worldview, down from 12 percent 25 years ago. What's more, 58 percent of adults (including 23 percent of Christians) believe that moral truth is up to the individual to decide. So what can we as committed believers do to influence America when we only make up six percent of the population? It turns out we can do a lot. As we've seen across human history, God only needs a committed remnant to change the world. It's this committed and believing remnant that can and must spread the biblical worldview in this critical election season. George Barna, FRC's new Senior Research Fellow for Christian Ethics and Biblical Worldview, laid out the stakes of this election plainly: "The 2020 election is not about personalities, parties, or even politics. It is an election to determine the dominant worldview in America." As Barna has learned from his decades of experience interviewing tens of thousands of people, our worldview directs our attitudes and actions. "When you look at every major issue that's involved in this election, it has a worldview connection. When we look at how people are going to vote, really they are going to vote their worldview." It's clear that in order to get our country back on track, more people need to hold to and live out a biblical worldview. This has to start in the home. As one man from Virginia asked during the program, how can parents make sure their children grow up with a biblical worldview? Barna made it clear what has to take priority for parents: "The Bible teaches that a parent's most significant job in life is to raise up their children to be spiritual champions -- people who know God, love his word, and live according to it." How? " They need to look at what influences the worldview of their children and recognize that developing a worldview starts at 15-18 months of age and is almost fully formed by the age of 13." Barna pointed to media, public school education, and church youth education as some of the most influential forces on kids. One disturbing statistic that illustrates this is the fact that the typical American teenager has been exposed to over 32,000 hours of media by age 18. At the end of the day, Barna observed, parents need to know "what impacts our children and be very careful about what we allow them to be exposed to in those arenas." It's obvious that Christian's won't get a biblical perspective on the most pressing issues of our day from secular culture. That's where FRC's Director of Christian Ethics and Biblical Worldview David Closson comes in. The goal of FRC's Biblical Worldview Series, which he authored, is to "help Christians and pastors think through these major issues that we are debating in the public square from a specifically biblical perspective." As Closson pointed out during the webcast, there are some issues that all people of good faith can have differences of opinion on, but there are foundational issues such as life, human sexuality, and religious freedom that the Bible speaks clearly to. "At the end of the day... there's such a thing as objective truth. It's important to funnel whatever the issue is through the lens of God's word." Passing on biblical principles doesn't just affect our families and church communities, it ultimately effects all of society. The lack of biblical principles only leads to chaos, as Kenosha resident and business owner Scott Carpenter learned all too well. His family furniture business was destroyed by fire during the riots in Kenosha. "As a Christian, I had to find forgiveness in my heart for what happened and in order for my heart to heal and move forward," Carpenter said during the webcast. Incredibly, he is using the tragedy he has experienced to witness to Christ. He replaced the melted sign in front of his burned business with one that says, "No Jesus, No Peace. Know Jesus, Know Peace." "God can take a riot and turn it into a revival," Carpenter said. "This has God's hand all over it." Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in California put it best with a stirring message of courage in the face of tribulation: "This is our time to stand for Christ and to exhibit glorious exploits for the kingdom of God... it's our time to be courageous, it's our time to stand strong, and it's our time to make history... This is a glorious moment not to shrink back but to step up. No matter how our nation goes physically, the way it goes spiritually -- that's on our watch." Never Die - By Dennis Huebshman - https://www.raptureready.com/2020/09/25/never-die-by-dennis-huebshman/ John 11:23-27, "Jesus said to her, your brother [Lazarus] will rise again. Martha said to Him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in Me, though he/she die, yet he/she will live; and everyone who lives and believes in Me, shall never die. Do you believe this? She said to Him, Yes, Lord; I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world." (Emphasis mine - remember the question in Verse 26.) Most people have heard the account of the death of Jesus' friend, Lazarus, and how the Savior was able to raise him back to life. There was a song written by Aaron Wilburn and sung by Karen Peck that had a line, "He was 4 days late, but He was right on time." By the way, even though Jesus is fully God, He gave thanks to the Father for allowing Him to perform this miracle, and did so in front of others. While on this earth, He fully subjected Himself to the Father's will (John 11:41-42). God's clock is totally different than ours, and He made our 24-hour system just for us (Genesis 1:3-5). We will be able to understand all this when we are free from our human perishable bodies with limited brain function. All who are taken up in the Rapture - the dead in Christ will rise first followed by those true believers who are still alive - will be given new, forever, immortal, imperishable bodies with a totally new mindset. We will be able to understand everything in a new way for us. We will finally totally realize that our Heavenly Father is absolutely true and pure and just. There are people who say that this is wrong, because when a person dies, there is no longer any life for them. They cannot understand that passing from this life to the next is but a blink of the eye. There may have been suffering before the last breath is taken here, but the instant life ceases here, it begins again in eternity. Some will be in a wonderful, marvelous and glorious outcome, and some to eternal misery. Best part for true believers in Jesus the Christ is we will find out for certain that by having chosen to receive and accept His gift given at Calvary, we will be immediately with Him. Worst part will be for those who chose this world over Jesus. Whether they were aware of it or not, they will have chosen Satan as their leader, and with their last breath here, they will be in instant misery and will realize they made the worst mistake ever. There is no other option, and their choice will be one that cannot be undone. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31 is a demonstration of what will happen at the instant an unbeliever dies. Some may say this is totally unfair, but they had chances to make better decisions while still on this earth. It also tells us that Lazarus was immediately in paradise (Abraham's bosom). At this point, the final judgment has not taken place. This is a prelude that started with the creation, and goes all the way to the Great White Throne Judgment. Hell that was made for Satan and fallen angels, or demons, as stated in Matthew 25:41, will receive its first occupants when the ultimate evil antichrist and his false prophet are thrown in there as given in Revelation 19:20. The next resident one thousand years later will be Satan himself (Revelation 20:10). After he is there, everyone from pre-Calvary who refused to do God's will, and those from Calvary through the Millennium that refused to accept Jesus as Savior will go through the Great White Throne Judgment of Revelation 20:11-15. They will wish they could cease to exist altogether, but their torment will go on forever. All who were in God's will pre-Calvary, and all from Calvary to the end of the Millennium will also go through a judgment; however, the atmosphere will be totally different We will be shown all we did, and maybe be shown how we could've done better; but the fact remains that all who called on Jesus to be their Savior will not be condemned (Romans 8:1). Ours will be a judgment where rewards are gained or lost, but we will not have lost our eternity with the Savior in Heaven. Paul told us in 1 Corinthians 3:13-15, "Each one's work will become manifest, for the day will disclose it; because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he/she will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he/she will suffer loss, though he/she will be saved, but only through fire." Before going further, the Bible is specific about not being saved by works. Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by Grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works so that no one may boast." The "work" in 1 Corinthians is how did we honor Jesus after calling out to Him for our Salvation. Knowing what He did for us to keep us all from eternal damnation, we would want to repent and turn away from our habitual sin. By doing so, we show we don't take lightly His sacrifice. We won't be perfect as long as we are in these immortal bodies, and we will still sin. Our attitude should be more loving toward the Father and our brothers and sisters (Matthew 22:36-40). Remember the question in John 11:26? "...and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" Martha had the best answer by saying, "Yes Lord, I believe You are the Christ, the Son of God who is coming into the world." Couple this with Matthew 16:16; Mark 8:29 and Luke 9:20 with Peter's confession that Jesus was the Christ (anointed one or Messiah). You now have the basis for our Salvation. Romans 10:9-13 says for us to confess our sins and believe that only Jesus can save us. All who call on Him sincerely will be saved. This is given point blank in John 14:6 and Acts 4:12. In this life there will be some good times, but also some bad times. Best part for believers is, this ain't Home! All this will be forgotten when we get to be in the presence of our Savior. "I Can Only Imagine" says it best; "Will I be able to speak at all?" Times are rapidly pushing this world toward the New World Order and the Tribulation reign of the antichrist. For believers, we're concerned, but not totally discouraged or defeated. We are going Home soon, and it will take less than a second for us to be with Him when He calls. Please review 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17. Then look at 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:9; and finally Revelation 3:10. These verses and others tell us that God will not put any true believer through the 7-year wrath. The antichrist will be revealed only after we have been raptured (2 Thessalonians 2:7-10). We have the choice of a "Total Win" or "total loss" situation. Eternal life with Jesus in Heaven forever, or eternal misery, yet still alive in the Lake of Fire forever. By trying to "overanalyze" God's plain message, there are those who just can't believe it doesn't involve more. They believe there has to be more "ceremony" than God gave us. Just take it as it says; believe, confess, repent, accept Jesus and you will be saved. No manmade rituals will count; no special recitals; no giving certain treasures to the "church"; just be up front and honest with Jesus, and you will become one of His flock. He's waiting for your call right now. Ahavah B'Shem Yeshua! (Love in the name of Jesus!) [email protected] Daily Jot: Consumed with politics - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com here are so many things happening so fast in the world that it is difficult to focus. The Senate released results of its investigation into Joe Biden using his position as Vice President to enrich himself and his family through a vast network of bribery and financial espionage in Russia, Ukraine, and China-the very things, and worse, that he and his political party were accusing President Trump of doing. Additionally, Trump has announced his Supreme Court nominee, already under extreme attack by the media and Democrats. And the Presidential Debates are upcoming. We will report on all these events, but first, to kick off the week, I want to share with you about what some people are dealing with each day. While we debate politics and corruption, there are those who are wondering when they will eat next. Over the weekend, across on the other side of the world, there are hungry children who have parents that can only try to feed them and their selves. From our church setting in the US, we were fortunate to participate in feeding a community in Ghana, West Africa. Pastor William Agbeti had arranged to feed children and their parents nutritious meals and he was able to "live feed" us through video technology. We actually were able to see and speak to some of the people he and the volunteers were feeding. Here is a report written in Agbeti's words: "No child should go to bed hungry. That thought kept ringing in my mind as we set up in the middle of a typical compound house in a run-down neighborhood at Osu, a suburb of Accra, Ghana. Compound houses have several single rooms, inhabited mostly by poor families who share common areas, as well as toilets and open bathrooms, without running water. Bedrooms are crammed with lots of children, becoming common sleeping places at night. It's from such background that over 200 children and some parents came for hot meals, nutritious drinks and apples. Many of the children ate apples for the first time in their lives. One 6-year-old had quickly eaten his meal, returned to the service table with the last piece of an apple in his mouth. He wanted some more. I had to hold myself in check, else I wouldn't be able to stop weeping! "Originally, we planned to serve 200 children. We ended up serving 250, still counting more children and parents who could not be helped. As a rule, the extra 50 people were served from a reserve supply we always keep for eventualities. The rest we couldn't help! It became a heavy burden on us too, as we saw many also burdened with hunger! Isaiah 58:7 says, "Is it not to deal your bread to the hungry, and that you bring the poor that are cast out to your house? when you see the naked, that you cover him; and that you hide not yourself from your own flesh?" At least, many will go to bed for a night on full stomachs, with broad smiles on their faces, dreaming about apples!" As we watched from the US, I couldn't help but think there are people who are hungry spiritually and physically, and we are so consumed with politics that we don't notice. Daily Devotion: But God . . . - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org But God is my helper. -Psalm 54:4 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/but-god/ - Listen Have you ever looked up the phrase "but God" in the Bible? You'll find it in a lot of interesting situations where God intervened. Take the story of Noah, for example. I wonder if he started to lose hope as he and his family bobbed around in that ark with all those animals after the Flood. Genesis 8:1 tells us, "But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and livestock with him in the boat. He sent a wind to blow across the earth, and the floodwaters began to recede" (NLT, emphasis added). Then we have the story of Joseph. His brothers sold him into slavery and thought he was dead. Yet God preserved him. He elevated Joseph to a position of great power in which he was in charge of the food supply. When a famine struck, his brothers appeared before him one day, asking for food. Joseph said to them, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people" (Genesis 50:20 NLT, emphasis added). The nation of Israel faced the Red Sea-an insurmountable obstacle-with the Egyptian army in hot pursuit. But God intervened. And what looked like a hopeless situation became a time of glorious deliverance. The Bible tells us, "But the people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, as the water stood up like a wall on both sides" (Exodus 14:29 NLT). The lives of Noah, Joseph, and the Israelites remind us that "with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26 NKJV). Maybe, like them, you're in a place where the only way out is God. You can be sure of this: God is bigger than your problem. And God will always have the last word. 
FROM THE HEART
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