Prophecy Update Newsletter
October 7, 2016
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Israel's Biggest Trouble - Alf Cengia - http://www.omegaletter.com/articles/articles.asp?ArticleID=8319
What is Israel's biggest trouble today? Modern Israel's problems echo those found in Jewish history. This is because Israel is fundamentally Jewish (descendants of Jacob-Israel). For this reason, unjust criticism of Israel must be considered in light of Israel's Jewish ethnicity. As far back as the records show - wherever the Jews lived in their extended exile - there were pogroms and inquisitions enacted against them. They were hounded out of countries and subjected to false rumors and conspiracies. Churchmen often labeled them Christ killers. The Jews were persecuted and murdered en masse in the Holocaust. Many today try to either deny the Holocaust, or minimize its extent. Why does no one question the authenticity of other examples of genocide? Since its birth the modern state of Israel has defended itself against a number of threats to its existence. The "Jewish problem" has followed it as a nation. Armchair critics (United Nations, NGOs and churchmen) routinely engage in pointing out Israel's alleged sins - apartheid, occupation and oppression. Aside from an assortment of "nutty Zionists", Israel doesn't have true friends. Even "moderate" Jordan's King Abdullah recently revealed his colors by accusing Israel of provocation. According to Jerusalem Post: Abdullah said that Jordan would resist Israel's "blatantly repeated attempts to change the status quo in Jerusalem regarding its landmarks and the prejudice against Islamic and Christian peoples." More recently, Jordanians protested a gas deal with Israel by shutting off their lights for an hour in displeasure, saying that: "The gas deal is an occupation." U.S. funding to Israel's defense systems is issued with strings (more like chains) attached. The money comes with a directive pressuring Israel to accept a Two-State solution. Israel must make peace with entities who refuse to recognize it, and who seek to destroy it. "...every drop of blood spilled in Jerusalem is pure, every shahid [martyr] will reach paradise, and every injured person will be rewarded by God...In a final resolution, we would not see the presence of a single Israeli - civilian or soldier - on our lands" ~ Mahmoud Abbas The world refuses to acknowledge Jerusalem as Israel's capital even though its history is inexorably linked to the city. Note the US Administration's recent tragically comical editing of a document which connected Jerusalem with Israel. Even President Obama's eulogy at Shimon Peres' funeral contained a backhanded slap to Israel by implication. Citing Peres: "The Jewish people weren't born to rule another people. From the very first day we are against slaves and masters." In his commentary on a possible US-Russia showdown, Brian Shrauger wryly notes that Mr. Obama quickly headed for home after Peres' funeral. Perhaps he realized just how close he was to the Aleppo conflagration. It's always better to moralize from a safe distance. Consider Israel's geographical position in the lethally chaotic Middle East conflict. For good overviews of the current status see recent info updates by J. D. Farag and John Haller. Given Russia's involvement with Iran (who has threatened to destroy Israel) and Syria, I also recommend George Friedman's analysis: Crisis & Chaos: Are We Moving Toward World War III? (While it's still available) With all this in mind: What is Israel's biggest trouble? You've likely already guessed it. In his Psalms By The Day devotional, Alec Motyer mentions Hezekiah's tunnel (page 374). His texts are Psalm 125:1-2 and Isaiah 22:1-14. Israel needed to ensure their water supply in Jerusalem (Isaiah 22:1, 11). By the way, I like that Jerusalem is called Valley of Vision in v1. And also notice that it is associated with Israel, according to God's Word. Anyway, Hezekiah's engineers started from two ends and dug through 643 meters of rock to achieve their goal. The tunnel was almost twice the size of a direct line because the engineers had to weave around problems and follow natural fissure. It was a marvelous feat that the ends met in the middle. They must have been proud. Yet, as Motyer points out, Israel's unforgivable sin was to trust its own prideful resources rather than Yahweh's promises (Isaiah 22:14). God held them accountable for their unfaithfulness. Israel's failure to trust God led it to disobedience and ultimately a denial of its redeemer, Jesus Christ. That's a lesson for us all. How often do we willfully disobey God - not just as individuals but also corporate churches? In Israel in the Plan of God, David Baron outlines Israel's birth, apostasy, idolatry, exile, tribulations, and its ultimate redemption. The book's four sections are based around Old Testament passages such us Deuteronomy 32, Psalm 105, Psalm 106 and Isaiah 51. I encourage everyone to read Baron's book (as well as his commentary on Zechariah) and these passages. Incidentally, Baron's shorter book, The Jewish Problem: Its Solution can be read on the Precept Austin website. God promised to redeem and save Israel (Psalm 46; Jer 33:19-26 etc). He also warned those who torment her:Thus says your Lord, The LORD and your God, Who pleads the cause of His people: "See, I have taken out of your hand The cup of My fury; You shall no longer drink it. But I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, Who have said to you, `Lie down, that we may walk over you.' And you have laid your body like the ground, And as the street, for those who walk over." Isa 51:22-23 (See also Jeremiah 30:16-17) One thing which frustrates me is the church's historical rejection and agnosticism of God's prophetic plan for Israel. Many great Christian scholars, who faithfully defend God's Word, miss the clear prophetic thread which runs through the Old and New Testaments. I pray they rethink the mistake of Replacement Theology. We need to seriously consider that the mess we're currently witnessing may be pointing to Christ's soon return. The irrational treatment of Israel and its geographic location in the worst hotbed of conflict aligns with the prophetic end-time scenario. God is faithful to His Word. He has never ceased loving His elect nation Israel, despite its current rebellious condition. Yahweh will teach Israel that it cannot trust America or Russia or any other resource. The coming tribulation is foreordained as the means God will use to bring Israel back into fellowship with Himself. Could this scenario be just around the corner? More and more sober observers are suspecting that this might be the case. There seems to be a greater sense of urgency as we see the Middle East imploding and the Russian-Iranian ascendancy. It's time the church paid closer attention. UN Security Council to discuss settlements as 'obstacle to peace' - http://www.timesofisrael.com/security-council-to-discuss-settlements-as-obstacle-to-peace/
Move comes amid diplomatic tussle between Israel and US over new West Bank homes; Danon accuses Palestinians of using international community to 'harm Israel' The United Nations Security Council is expected to meet next Friday to discuss Israeli settlements in the West Bank, in what is considered the opening shot of a renewed Palestinian initiative to pass a resolution condemning Israel for the contentious issue. The meeting, while initiated by the Palestinians, was formally requested by Malaysia, Venezuela, Senegal, Egypt and Angola under the official banner: "The settlements as the obstacle to peace and a two-state solution." "The existence and expansion of the settlements on Palestinians lands which were occupied in 1967 endanger a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the two-state solution," a position paper distributed to participants, obtained by Israeli news site Ynet Friday, read. The paper castigates Israel and the Israeli security forces for "overlooking violent acts of the settlers against Palestinians and not giving them the protection to which they are entitled under international law." Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon criticized the Palestinians for the initiative, accusing them of "using the international community to harm the State of Israel instead of stopping incitement and sitting at the negotiation table." "The Palestinians are conducting state terror against the communities in Judea and Samaria," he charged, in reference to the West Bank, adding that the Palestinians were once again trying to bypass direct talks with Israel and turning to the UN and the international community instead. "The Palestinian leadership is choosing, once again, to reject our repeated suggestion for direct negotiations and is going straight to the UN. This move will not lead to an improvement in the Palestinian situation," Danon warned. "It is the international community's responsibility to strongly reject these attempts. Only an absolute stop to Palestinian incitement and the halting of terror against Israeli citizens will facilitate a dialogue." News of the upcoming Security Council session came after a week of diplomatic tussling between Israel and the US over the settlements issue, following Israeli approval last week of construction of new housing units for the homeowners of the illegal outpost of Amona ahead of its court-ordered evacuation. The plan calls for two phases of construction, with a further 200 units to be approved after a first round of 98 homes is completed. This May 18, 2016 photo shows buildings in Amona, an Israeli outpost in the West Bank, east of the Palestinian city of Ramallah. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty) The US sharply criticized the announcement and, according to a Channel 2 report Thursday, was particularly infuriated that it came so soon after the Obama administration agreed a record-breaking 10-year military assistance package for Israel, and right after Obama came to Israel, in a show of respect and solidarity, for the funeral of former president Shimon Peres last Friday. Israeli government members have been worried that Obama, before leaving office in January but after a successor is chosen in November, may seek to impose or advance a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or at least set out parameters for how it should be solved, including through the Security Council by not using the US veto for any anti-Israel resolutions. The TV report said cabinet ministers had been taken aback by the ferocity of the US reaction, after the White House on Wednesday accused Israel of a betrayal of trust over the new construction plans. "We did receive public assurances from the Israeli government that contradict this announcement," said press secretary Josh Earnest. "I guess when we're talking about how good friends treat one another, that's a source of serious concern as well." In a similarly strongly worded statement, the State Department said Israel's "recent decision to advance a plan that would create a significant new settlement deep in the West Bank." Invoking the name of Israel's former president who died last week, spokesman Mark Toner added: "[I]t is disheartening that while Israel and the world mourned the passing of President Shimon Peres, and leaders from the US and other nations prepared to honor one of the great champions of peace, plans were advanced that would seriously undermine the prospects for the two state solution that he so passionately supported." On Thursday, an Israeli official deepened the latest dispute by charging that "disproportionate criticism" from Washington over the latest construction plans is "an alibi" to cover plans by President Barack Obama to take anti-Israel actions in the final weeks of his presidency. Speaking to Channel 2 news, the unnamed "senior political source" insisted that newly announced plans to build some 300 homes for Jews in the West Bank do not constitute a new settlement, and do not breach any commitments made by Israel to the United States. The "disproportionate" US criticism "is an alibi for one-sided actions being planned by Obama," the source was quoted as saying, "even though Obama pledged to Netanyahu that he won't take any one-sided actions concerning Israel" in the final weeks of his presidency. The TV report stressed that the comments did not constitute an official response from the government, and noted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not responded to the US criticism. Israel's Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said Thursday evening she did not think that the US administration would take any "mean-spirited" steps against the Jewish state, such as deciding not to veto anti-Israel resolutions at the UN Security Council, in response to the building plans. Shaked also called the condemnation from Washington "disproportionate." Shaked, from the pro-settlement Jewish Home party, said the US should focus its condemnation on Syria "rather than criticizing where Israel builds houses." "When the Middle East is in flames, when on the borders of Jordan and Syria dozens of men, women and children are slaughtered," making a statement like this "over a decision by the Defense Ministry to build a few dozen homes for the residents of Amona is completely out of proportion," she told Army Radio. "I think we need to build in Judah and Samaria," she added, using the biblical term for the West Bank. Shaked said that while Jerusalem cares what the US administration thinks, it has to act in its own best interests. "The US is a good friend, we are partners and we pay attention to what they say. But at the end of the day Israel has to do what is best for [the country]," she said. Russia Warns US Not to Intervene in Syria, threatens to Shoot Down Any Airstrike Attempts - Patrick Reevell - https://gma.yahoo.com/russia-warns-us-not-intervene-syria-threatens-shoot-181512495--abc-news-topstories.html
Russia has warned the United States not to intervene militarily in Syria against forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, threatening that it may shoot down any aircraft attempting to launch strikes. In a bluntly worded statement, a spokesman for Russia's defense ministry warned that Russia and the Syrian government had deployed sufficient air defenses to block any potential attacks. It follows rumbling in Washington that the White House may be considering launching limited strikes against some Syrian regime military targets as an alternative option for moving forward in the Syrian conflict after the collapse of U.S.-Russian cease-fire negotiations. The Washington Post reported on Tuesday that the Pentagon was presenting the Obama administration with the option of strikes at meetings this week. The strikes, which the Joint Chief of Staffs and the CIA are now said to favor, according to the Post, would see missiles fired at Assad air force bases, intended to punish the regime for its failure to abide by the cease-fire, hamper attacks against civilians and pressure it and Moscow to begin negotiating again. Although, the strikes are now back on the table, President Obama is still very unlikely to approve them, according to administration officials speaking to the Post, as well as former State Department officials and outside analysts. Moscow though has sought to head-off any U.S. intervention. Major-General Igor Konashenkov, the Russian defense ministry spokesman, directly addressed the reports in a briefing on Thursday, when he warned that Russia may shoot down any aircraft attacking Syrian government forces. Although Konashenkov did not directly say Russia would shoot down American aircraft, his point was unambiguous. "I would recommend our colleagues in Washington to thoroughly consider the possible consequences of the realization of such plans," Konashenkov said, before listing the array of anti-air defenses deployed in Syria and saying they would be used if Assad's or Russian forces were attacked. Konshenkov warned that Russia had deployed advanced S-300 and S-400 anti-aircraft missiles to its bases in Syria, noting that their range "can be a surprise for any unidentified flying objects." "It follows to really be conscious that there will hardly be time in the calculations of the Russian air-defense units to clarify on the "direct line" the precise flight-plan of missiles and who they belong to," Konashenkov said, referring to the hotline already established by the U.S. and Russia to prevent clashes between their aircraft conducting strikes in Syria. The strikes described by the Post would be launched from ships and aircraft belonging to the international anti-ISIS coalition assembled by the U.S., conducted covertly to avoid legal blocks as well as direct clashes with the Russians. Konashenkov, however, suggested Russia would target any unidentified aircraft attacking Syrian government targets and warned "American strategists" not to assume a covert intervention would go unanswered. "The illusions of dilettantes about the existence of 'stealth' aircraft may encounter a disappointing reality," he added. Konashenkov also warned that Russian troops were now widely deployed across Syria, implying any strikes could hit them, pulling the U.S. into conflict with Russia. Konashenkov referred again to a strike on Sept. 17, when U.S. military aircraft killed dozens of Syrian government troops accidentally. The Pentagon has said the strike was a mistake, but Konashenkov said Russia was prepared to prevent "any similar 'mistakes'" against Russian troops. The White House has been examining more so-called "kinetic" options since the cease-fire deal brokered by Secretary of State, John Kerry with Russia collapsed at the end of September amid mutual recriminations and Russian and Syrian government aircraft launched a ferocious air assault on the besieged city of Aleppo. The bombardment has been described as among the most intense of the conflict, with Western countries accusing Russia and the Syrian government of committing war crimes and prompting calls for the U.S. to intervene more muscularly to pressure the Kremlin and Assad to halt them and begin negotiating again. Kerry this week formally suspended the talks with Russia, with the State Department saying there was now nothing to talk about. The rapid unraveling of the talks has sent the Obama administration back to the drawing board on Syria. The intensity of the Russian strikes, even as the cease-fire foundered, has persuaded some observers that without hard pressure Moscow and Assad will never negotiate in good faith. Former State Department officials and Syria watchers have suggested that the strikes could take the form cruise missiles hitting Syria air facilities and cratering runways to cripple Assad's air force. Besides the strikes, the U.S. is said to be considering providing rebels inside Syria with heavier weaponry. While it remains unclear whether Russia would actually down an American plane attacking a target in Syria, the possibility threatened to push the conflict out into a new stage, with Russia and the U.S. placed in the most direct stand-off of anytime since the Syrian war began. The odds, however, that the Obama administration will approve military intervention in Syria still seem very long. "I will be shocked," Robert Ford, the last U.S. ambassador to Syria, said in an interview earlier his week. Throughout the Syrian civil war, President Obama has made it clear he is reluctant to use direct force against the Assad regime. Although coming close in 2013 when Assad crossed the much criticized "red-line" over chemical weapons, the White House called off strikes after Moscow forced Assad to hand over his chemical arsenal. In recent interviews, the president and administration officials have suggested that reluctance has only become stronger as Syria has slid further into chaos and Russia and Iran have increased their involvement. "To me it's remarkable that the administration is even considering it again," said Ford, who resigned discontented by the administration's unwillingness to provide more support to rebels. "Because it's going to be out of office in three and a half months. And you know Obama doesn't really want to do it." "But the drums are loud over here," he said. Ford and other former State Department officials said they believed some new steps were relatively likely, such as sanctions on Russia, as well as increased and heavier weapons to the rebels, though they expressed doubt the administration would dramatically change its tactics. "Sanctions could happen," said Frederic C. Hof, a former adviser to the State Department on Syria, who also left frustrated by the U.S.' refusal to back the rebels more heavily. "What's really needed is anti-aircraft defense and I just don't know that the United States is ready to lift its veto on that." "There are things the Americans could do that would certainly get the Russians attention and cause them to re-engage," Ford said, suggesting the U.S. could consider supply 3 or 4 anti-aircraft missiles for bringing down a small number of Russian military planes. "That wouldn't be so hard," he said. Such steps would be intended to return the Russians to negotiations at some point, observers said. Even as Russia has threatened the U.S. and accused it of shielding terrorists in Aleppo, Russian officials have held out the possibility that talks could one day resume. Former diplomats noted that the U.S. had suspended not terminated its contacts with Russia over Syria. "This is not a transformative or a terminative event." said David Aaron Miller, a former long-term State Department adviser on Middle East negotiations, referring to the collapse of the cease-fire talks. "It's another twist." "In the Middle East, something can be dead or something will be dead and buried. And if you ask me, the notion of a political process with the Russians is not dead and buried." Bible Codes Expert: Hurricane Matthew a Warning to the US - By Rivkah Lambert Adler - http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/76765/bible-codes-expert-hurricane-matthew-warning-us/
"Therefore wait ye for Me saith Hashem until the day that I rise up to the prey; for My determination is to gather the nations that I may assemble the kingdoms to pour upon them Mine indignation even all My fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy." Zephaniah 3:8 (The Israel Bible™) In a newly released video, Bible Codes expert Rabbi Matityahu Glazerson makes the case that Hurricane Matthew, which has already killed 339 people and is said to be the most powerful storm in 118 years, is a divine punishment to the US for interfering in Israel's policies in Judea and Samaria. The video opens with a reminder that, in 2005, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, who was then head of Israel's right-wing Shas party, stated that Hurricane Katrina was the "direct result of support for the disengagement plan." Hurricane Katrina, one of the five deadliest hurricanes in US history, began just days after the disastrous expulsion of 8000 Jewish residents of the Gaza Strip. That expulsion is often referred to as the disengagement, when Israel disengaged from Gaza, an action that created a terror state in Hamas-controlled Gaza. Rabbi Glazerson continued his introduction to the table by highlighting the US State Department's recent strong condemnation of Israel's plan to build 300 housing units in the Biblical city of Shiloh in Samaria. Turning to the table itself, which is sourced in two chapters of the Book of Genesis, Rabbi Glazerson pointed first to the words hurricane and Matthew, spelled in Hebrew letters. He noted the significance of the fact that these two words were found in such close proximity and parallel to one another. Next, he pointed out Tishrei 5777, which is the current Hebrew month and year. The Jewish people are currently in the Ten Days of Repentance, which span from the first day of Rosh Hashana to Yom Kippur. Here, Rabbi Glazerson pointed out the word teshuva, which means repentance. The next code he mentioned is an abbreviated form of the words Artzot haBrit, which is how the United States is referred to in Hebrew. Then he pointed out the word onesh, a Hebrew word that means punishment. Right beside the Hebrew word for punishment, he found "B. Obama" spelled in Hebrew letters. In the same portion of the table, Rabbi Glazerson pointed to the words Islam and Ishmael, the father of the Arab Muslims. Making the case that the pressure applied on Israel by the Obama administration is influenced by Islamic interests, Rabbi Glazerson also identified the word Pelishtim, the Biblical name - Philistines - from which "Palestinian" was derived. Rabbi Glazerson stated clearly that, "According to Kabbalah (Judaism's mystical tradition), Israel is the brain of the world. Therefore, small places in Israel impact on the whole world. That is definitely what Obama and the other nations, Europe, don't want." He said that this is why government approval for the first group of 98 houses in the Biblical city of Shiloh made the US State Department furious. "The reason is kabbalistically (mystically), the more Israel settles, the more influence it will have on the world." In reviewing the table, Rabbi Glazer called it "amazing" that there are so many Bible Codes connected to current events "in such a small, concentrated area". In a final lesson toward the end of the video, he pointed out the code for Moshiach (Messiah) and taught that the War of Gog and Magog will bring "a realization of the greatness of Lashon HaKodesh (literally, the Holy Tongue and a reference to Hebrew)." NBC is reporting that two million people in South Carolina, Georgia and Florida are being urged to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Matthew. Forecasters are predicting wind speeds of 145 mph when Matthew hits land. Florida's Governor Rick Scott anticipates that the impact of Hurricane Matthew on Florida "will be catastrophic." WATCH: https://youtu.be/ozBuFnAAQns On This Week's "Hal Lindsey Report" - Hal Lindsey - www.hallindsey.com
On September 28, FEMA, the FCC, and the National Weather Service conducted a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS). EAS allows the federal government to take complete control of the content of television and radio stations, as well as cable systems. Broadcasters are required to place the EAS switch between their studios and the station's transmitter. When the government activates the switch, the broadcaster's own sound and picture are replaced by the government's. Only once before has this system been tested nationally. That was in November of 2011. There were several glitches and the system failed to perform adequately. Apparently, last week's test was a complete success. Ostensibly, EAS will be used to alert the public in the event of an impending natural disaster, probably a catastrophic weather emergency. Maybe even a national defense threat. Who could object to that? I don't. But we've all seen movies where the super-villain somehow interrupts every broadcast in the nation (or the world) to announce his threats or demands. In real life, the EAS system used far too many and varied protocols for that scenario to be even a remote possibility. But EAS is now part of the wider Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS). It is based largely on the internet. This wider system not only has the power to commandeer broadcast and cable content, it can also access smart phones. After the recent bomb attacks in New York and New Jersey, the government sent out a warning to smart phone users in that area to be on the lookout for the primary suspect. For the first time (unlike an Amber Alert or an Emergency Weather Alert), they transmitted the man's picture. Interestingly, your smart phone gives you control over the kinds of alerts or notifications you receive, such as Amber or weather alerts. But you do not have the ability to disable an alert from the White House. The President's order overrides everything else. In view of what Bible prophecy says about the Antichrist's ability to communicate with the entire world, I think this is an interesting development. Someone recently remarked to me that the EAS is old news. It's been around for years. My thought was that it has never worked satisfactorily. Until now. It was never fully comprehensive. Until now. I replied that every system or tool the Antichrist needs to accomplish his worldwide takeover has been in development for years, decades, even centuries. What makes it interesting is that they are all coming into completeness and full utility now. Just in time for the Antichrist's arrival. Something else makes the rapid emergence of the tools and mechanisms he will need even more amazing. That is the fact that they are all being placed into the hands of global entities and authorities beyond the control of individual nations and states. As of October 1, oversight of the internet has been completely ceded to an international agency. The ultimate authority to grant internet domain addresses now rests with a corporation outside the reach of the United States government. It remains to be seen what protections and rights that we, as American citizens, will now have available to us. That pattern is repeating itself over and over. On September 20, President Obama told the United Nations that the United States has too much power and needs to relinquish some of its sovereignty. I know that's hard to imagine, but it's part of a worldwide trend. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a perfect example. That agreement took years to negotiate and is over 5,000 pages long. Though it is promoted by our leadership as a "trade" agreement, actually "trade" is only a small part of what it governs. By agreeing to it, the United States is ceding an alarming amount of our own sovereignty and right of self-determination to a group of shadowy, globalist bureaucrats. And the TPP leaves very little recourse to us if we find it to be oppressive or harmful to our interests. Most of it was negotiated during Hillary Clinton's tenure as Secretary of State. In 2012, she called it, "...the gold standard in trade agreements." Now that she's running for president, she claims to be against it. But if elected, you can be sure she will reverse course again and promote it vigorously. TPP legally obligates its members to implement the United Nations' Agenda 2030. That's the program the UN claims will end poverty and pollution by 2030. Its provisions first become active in 2018. Agenda 2030 is an update of the notorious Agenda 21. It passed the UN unanimously last year. And it calls for massive changes in all our lives. It is literally a scheme to subjugate mankind under the heel of corporate and international elites. When the Antichrist assumes power, he will need global tools and organizations, as well as incredible technology, to accomplish his purpose. And it looks now like he will have everything he needs. Right on time. Just as the ancient prophets predicted. Last week, Israel's last major founding figure passed away. Shimon Peres died at age 93. As a young man in his mid-twenties, Peres was part of the group that established the modern state of Israel. He joined the team in 1947, almost exactly one year before the War of Independence in 1948. He was a trusted protege of "modern Israel's founding father," David Ben-Gurion. From the beginning, Ben-Gurion entrusted young Peres with a variety of important tasks and positions. Throughout his long service to his nation, Peres served as Director General of the Israeli Defense Ministry, Minister of Finance, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Internal Affairs, and other high positions. He oversaw the creation of Israel's military. In the 1950s, he convinced Ben-Gurion to initiate Israel's nuclear weapons program. That program alone has possibly been the major factor in Israel's effective deterrence of invasion by its much larger enemies. In later years, Peres was twice Prime Minister of Israel. Later, he served for seven years in the largely ceremonial office of President of Israel. In fact, he is the only person in Israel's history to have been both Prime Minister and President. But in the 1990s, the man who worked so long and hard for Israel's security, made a terrible mistake. As Israel's Foreign Minister, Peres was the primary force behind The Oslo Accords. Even though he shared Nobel Peace Prizes with Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin for their efforts, the Oslo Accords have been called "Israel's Munich." It was a disaster of the first order. Oslo led to major intifadas (almost immediately), bus bombings, wars, and a general sense of chaos throughout the land. The Oslo Accords never brought peace. Though he was wrong in this instance, I believe we can say that Shimon Peres tried with all his might to bring peace to his nation. In his speech on the White House lawn the day the Accords were signed, Peres said, "Let us bid once and for all farewell to wars, to threats, to human misery. Let us bid farewell to enmity, and may there be no more victims on either side." I believe he truly longed for those words to be true. Can you imagine how disappointed he must have been when the opposite happened? I met Mr. Peres only once. I have always counted it a privilege to have spent time with one of Israel's most important founding figures. Now that the last of the generation of courageous leaders that founded Israel (God's timeclock) has passed, it reminds me that every day we are moving closer to the climax of this Age of Grace. Speaking of which, this week I want to tell you the difference between the Resurrection and the Rapture. Let me give you a hint. If you are reading this, you don't need Resurrection, you need Rapture! But you can prepare yourself for both, in exactly the same way! Don't miss this week's Report on TBN, Daystar, CPM Network, The Word Network, various local stations, www.hallindsey.com or www.hischannel.com . Check your local listings. Watch this week's Report before it airs! An HD quality MP4 download of each week's show will now be available for purchase from the website. Visit the store at www.hallindsey.com to get your report. ![]()
My Review of "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" Over the last 35 years, I have literally read hundreds of books on Bible Prophecy and End Time signs. I especially enjoy books on the Rapture, and I have read almost every Rapture-related book published. In all those years, devouring thousands of pages, and millions of words, I have not read a better book on the Rapture than, Rapture Ready...Or Not? Terry James might be physically blind, but he is spiritually sharp and well discerning beyond most authors. In "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" Terry has nailed the pre-trib Rapture, and removed any doubt what so ever about the Church going through the Tribulation. With great insight and Godly discernment, Terry explains with simple, yet profound words, why and how that he has come to believe the ways he does about the Rapture, the Tribulation, and the End Times scenario. I think after reading "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" you too will believe as Terry does, and be Ready for the Rapture like never before! - Randy Thomas - Publisher / Editor - Prophecy Update For more information and or to get your copy of "Rapture Ready...Or Not?" use this link: http://www.raptureready.com/terry/book35.html Broken Vessels - By Grant Phillips - http://raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips340.html
We could pick any spot on this earthly globe and find many who are suffering from brokenness. It plays no favorites. Whether you're rich or poor, educated or illiterate, male or female, child or adult, many can identify with the few verses I have selected in the Psalms. "I am forgotten as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery." (Psalms 31:12) "I am exhausted and completely crushed. My groans come from an anguished heart." (Psalms 38:8) "Scorn has broken my heart and has left me helpless; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found none." (Psalms 69:20) Some try to find a way out through drugs, some through alcohol, others through a job, still others through sex, or maybe even through popularity. Each has their own demon to fight against, but they can't win. Little do we know sometimes what lurks behind a smile. Do the eyes dance with real peace and happiness or is sadness hidden deep within? Robin Williams comes to mind. He made millions laugh, but hid a deep sadness that came from being broken within. Many people have reached the "end of their rope," and just don't see any worth to what they see in the mirror. They have let others down, even those they love, and despise what they have become. There seems to be no hope. Other people can break us. Our own failures most certainly can bring us down to the pit of life. So what do we do? Know this. You may feel like the biggest failure on earth. You may feel unloved, unwanted, unappreciated and like you're a hopeless cause, but there is a God in Heaven who loves you. This God, the one and only true God can make you whole and put a spring to your step. Instead of continuing to be a broken vessel, be brokenhearted for the Lord God. By that we mean, lay out your heart before God and call on His Son Christ Jesus to give you a real meaning for living. Ask Him to forgive you and save you. He will give you eternal life and a reason to live as a new child of God. Listen to the Psalmist in the following verses. "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." (Psalms 34:18) "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." (Psalms 51:17) "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." (Psalms 147:3) "He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. (Psalms 40:2) If you're looking for happiness, peace, real worth, there is nothing like the fellowship you can have with Him. He takes the most despicable of us and cleans us up, puts a new robe upon us and breathes real joy into our life. Our spirit is made new in Him, and through Him we have everything to live for in this life and the promise of spending eternity with Him when we leave this world. Again, notice what David says in this passage from Psalms: Bless the Lord, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget none of His benefits; Who pardons all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; Who satisfies your years with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle. As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. (Psalms 103:1-5, 12-14) The world tells us to think highly of ourselves. Everything is about us. The world revolves around us. But God calls that self-righteousness and it is good for nothing. "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6) Instead, "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." (Romans 12:3) The world tells us to put ourselves first, but until we put Him first, we will never have the peace and joy He desires for us. "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:33) Only Jesus can take away the demons that are destroying our lives. In Him there is life, but there is only death in the crutches we use that keep us broken. Ask Him to come into your heart and save you. He will. No child of God is a broken vessel. We are a child of the King, and we are important to Him, so important, He gave Himself a sacrifice so that we could have eternal life. Grant Phillips Email: [email protected] Pre-Rapture Commentary: http://grant-phillips.blogspot.com Rapture Ready http://www.raptureready.com/featured/phillips/phillips.html Daily Devotion: Of choices, votes, good, evil - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com
I have been receiving hundreds of emails about various opinions on voting in this election. Many believe there is no choice in this presidential election. Some believe that it is predetermined who will win. I know that when I was working in politics, Christians were involved at the local level in choosing candidates. We had committee members and chairmen, organizations of conservatives and Christians working together to choose candidates. That doesn't appear to be the case anymore, so the moderates and moderately Christian or non-Christians are choosing the nominees. We have/had a choice, our choice was not to be involved as much as we could have been. Now we choose from another's choice. I do not believe that the president is already chosen. I do believe that the king-makers have hedged their bets and are doing whatever they can to place their most favored person--communists and capitalists alike (although all these moneyed people are capitalists, despite their hypocritical political leanings). We must also be vigilant against voter fraud--it is a huge problem. Your choice on election day is a choice. You will vote. You may not vote. You may vote for one of the two-party candidates, or you may write in. But you will make a choice. And any choice short of voting for Donald Trump is in actuality a vote for Hillary Clinton. How you justify that choice is what will make you angry at my last statement. Our nation is at a crossroads for all the reasons you already know. Things are going to get better or get worse by our nation's decision. I think so often Christians tend to over-analyze and use scripture to justify the way they feel or their actions. Its called isogesis. Our free will is a gift from God and He sees how we use it. Our actions determine our situation, even after much prayer and supplication. God not only gave us free will, He allows us to live out the consequences of our decisions. Maybe we blame God for too many things for which we ourselves are responsible. All choices, whether they be action or inaction, have consequences! For me, I am not voting for the lesser of two evils. I am choosing/voting to get rid of an evil with hopes that we as a people can begin to change the godless direction of this nation. We are at a pivotal and dangerous point where if we do not stop this, we are going to suffer even greater consequences. Some will blame it on God's judgment (and to a large extent, be correct). But also, how much of these horrors we will experience are the result of our own inactions of not overcoming evil with good? As Romans 12:21 says, "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good." As I see it, my vote--and I will vote-- will be a vote of good intent and faith that the Lord may use it for His good purpose. Be blessed and follow your heart as weighed in the balance of our Lord! Do what you will. I will. Hopefully, we are in the Lord's will. Daily Devotion: Sticking Together - Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man separate. -Mark 10:9 When I was a kid, I would build models. However, I was really bad at it, because I would get glue everywhere. So when I decided to build a model as an adult, I thought I would be so much better at it. But I discovered that I was as bad as I always had been. Glue was everywhere. Then I discovered superglue. It sounded so simple. Only a couple drops here and there would hold things together. But then I got it on my fingers, which the instructions warn against. So my thumb and index finger were stuck together for a while. When Genesis 2:24 (KJV) uses the word "cleave" to describe the relationship between a husband and a wife, it uses a Hebrew term that speaks of adhering to or sticking together. It is to be attached by some strong tie. The verb suggests a determined action. So it is not that a husband and wife are stuck together, but they are sticking together. They are holding on to one another. There is nothing passive about it. When we come to the New Testament use of the word, it is a term that means to cement together and stick like glue, so the two cannot be separated without serious damage to both. This involves constant communication before marriage and during the marriage. In a poll that was taken among people who were divorced, 86 percent cited deficient communication as the number one reason for the breakup of the marriage. There was a communication breakdown. Every marriage will have its conflicts, and couples need to learn how to resolve this. Cleaving together means putting the needs of your mate above your own. And as Ruth Graham once said, "A successful marriage is made up of two good forgivers." FROM THE HEART
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