Prophecy Update Newsletter
October 20, 2016
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
God Deposes Kings and Raises Up Others - J.L. Robb - http://www.omegaletter.com/articles/articles.asp?ArticleID=8324
I was riding down the highway last Friday, listening to the Herman Cain Show on talk-radio, when a caller said God had spoken to him about the upcoming national election in the United States. Hillary Clinton will be the winner. Well, when I recovered, I carefully backed out of the woods and drove up the bank and back onto the highway. Fortunately, neither I nor the trees were injured. God was endorsing Hillary? No way. I listened further. Then it dawned on me that the caller did not say that God had endorsed a presidential candidate but had only named the winner. As the conversation briefly went on, the caller quickly showed his disdain for anything not of the Democratic Party. He seemed especially disturbed about Donald Trump and his inability to say what people want to hear, at least many people. The Donald has not been groomed since adolescence to live in the world of international politics and corruption and favoritism and nepotism. He has not been groomed to say what the little people want to hear, but then ignore the people who put him in office. I personally do not know what God's involvement might be in the election process of the United States, or the election process in any country of our world for that matter. I do not know if God really spoke to the rabid caller but have my doubts. I do not believe that The Almighty is particularly pleased with any of our candidates. Donald Trump, according to James Dobson and many other prominent Christians, is a Christian and should be elected, even though Mr. Trump said publicly that he never prayed for forgiveness. This is an oddity to Christians, because most Christians believe they sin daily and pray about it. Since Christians do not hold the belief in animal sacrifice like many of our Jewish brethren believe even to this day, for the atonement of sin; we pray to God for forgiveness and believe that Jesus was and is the Messiah who was sent to the Jews in Judah to offer them eternal salvation since they had so much trouble keeping the Law of Moses. Jesus would offer himself as a blood sacrifice for their sins, a permanent atonement. While most of the Jews of that day rejected the offer, thousands of Jews recognized Jesus as the Messiah and became followers. I suppose, to those Jews, seeing a dead person get up and start walking pretty much did it. This rejection by the mainstream Jewish population and led by the rabbis, turned out to be lucky for us, the non-Jewish. Because of that, Jesus' grace and mercy was extended to anyone who would believe and acknowledge that he was who he said he was: The Messiah. It was The Messiah who said that we all fall short in the eyes of God, that no one makes it to God's Kingdom because of their extra-special works, even Mother Teresa, without God's great forgiveness. On the other hand, we have Hillary Clinton who has at least a thirty-year history in politics. She and her husband, the forty-second president of the United States, have been rubbing elbows with the movers and shakers in the national and international political arena, for what seems like forever. Her support for abortion at any time during pregnancy is well documented, as is her belief that the unborn have no rights. Additionally, she expects we-the-people to pay for it. After this week's leaks to the media of Clinton staff/support emails condemning Catholic and Evangelical beliefs as antiquated and stating the Church needs to modify its stand on gender recognition and lots of other stands, the citizens are forced to pay for the deaths of the truly innocent, those who have not even had an opportunity to sin. This logic, of course, has been displayed since the US Supreme Court ruled that for the first time in the history of the world, men could marry men and enjoy whatever tax benefits that have traditionally been awarded to those who chose natural marriage. God refers to this behavior as abominable. That is not good. Immediately after the SCOTUS ruling, Christian bakers were told that they would have to build wedding cakes and cater weddings for those who disagree with God and think He needs to lighten-up and get with the gender-recognition program. This is Hillary's world; and it seems pretty Godless: Abortion anytime until birth; The unborn have no rights; Christianity needs to modify its beliefs for the benefit of the LGBTQ2R community; Blaming and belittling the multiple women that her husband victimized through his usurp of power. If God was a Voter, this would be a hard one to call. Two people who seem to believe they are flawless. But have no doubt, God does have His hand in it; and in the rulers of all countries. "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning." Daniel 2:20-21 NIV When Satan and God decided on a contest concerning Job to see if Satan could get Job to reject God, Satan was given much leeway to take most any actions he deemed necessary, outside of death. Satan did not attempt to win Job's affection with sweet talk and promises; he planned to gain Job's rejection of The Almighty by making him miserable. Didn't work. Throughout Jewish history, when God was rejected or scorned, the Jews had a bad day. It is the same way with us today, Jew and non-Jew. America is stumbling all over itself by its rejection of God. It is my opinion that God is letting Satan determine the rulers today. God is giving him great leeway. Franklin Graham sums it up nicely: "Contrary to what one of the candidates said...our country isn't great because we are good. America is great because God has blessed it. We need His favor to survive as a nation." I do not much think either candidate is showing God's "favor." I think we are in big trouble. 
The Two-State Solution and the Golem - Jeffrey Ludwig - http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/19638
The Golem, like Oslo and the two-state solution, was conjured into existence by the pride and magical thinking of its creator. Jonathan Tobin in a recent article expresses concern that "the Americans [will not] keep their promises to prevent the UN from imposing a solution on Israel that will compromise its security and its rights." Thus, Obama may impose the two-state solution upon Israel even though the original premise of the Oslo Accords was that two states (an Israeli state and a Palestinian Arab state) would only be accomplished through negotiations (UN Resolution 242). The UN is likely to pass a resolution giving the Palestinian Arabs living in Judea and Samaria statehood, and this resolution could only be voided by a U.S. veto, which veto may not be forthcoming. As wicked as such a failure to veto would be, Tobin fails to see that the Oslo two-state solution was ill-conceived from the beginning, and could only have a bad end. This writer would instead use as a parallel the creation of the Golem in Jewish folklore. The Golem looked like a person, but like Frankenstein, "it" was not a man. Rather, the Golem was conjured into existence by the pride and magical thinking of its creator. Likewise, the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Gaza under Hamas control were, to some degree, products of the magical thinking of various Israeli and American leaders who believed that a two-state solution to the tensions between Israel and the Palestinian Arabs was possible. It looked like a solution, it was ratified by Bill Clinton at the White House standing with glowing approval September 13, 1993 as Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO terrorist leader Yasir Arafat shook hands. This historic handshake was the direct result of earlier talks begun in Oslo, Norway between the parties. The deal symbolized by the handshake was portrayed by the NY Times and pundits throughout our land as though it were a solution; and it was embraced by Israel and a whole series of American leaders both Dems and Republicans from the 1990's until the present. But ultimately the two state "solution" was a magical creation out of magical thinking. It was generated by a wish, not by a reality. It moved forward claiming to be "real," but it was a chimera disguised as reality. It was based on mere words, and pseudo-documents, not on eternal verities. So, for example, if the Ten Commandments is correct (and it IS more than correct, as it contains the moral law of Almighty God) then "thou shall not murder" is a bedrock truth, and not negated because the murderer claims his/her action is a consequence of political differences. Anyone who takes it into their own hands to murder innocent others cannot excuse himself by citing some political concern. We negotiated with murderers who should be punished, not negotiated with. The murderers were not put to death by Israel, but held as prisoners and later exchanged at various times in negotiations with the PLO. PLO murderers should be put to death, executed like any other criminals would be who commit a heinous premeditated murder. Thus the words of congeniality and "peaceful coexistence" - handshakes between Rabin and Arafat -- were not built upon reality, but upon mere words. In light of this back-looking clarity, let us look at what Talmudic literature has to say about the Golem: "According to one story, to make a Golem come alive, one would shape it out of soil, and then walk or dance around it saying combination of letters from the alphabet and the secret name of God. To "kill" the Golem, its creators would walk in the opposite direction saying and making the order of the words backwards. "Other sources say once the golem had been physically made one needed to write the [Hebrew] letters aleph, mem, tav, which is 'emet' and means 'truth,' on the Golem's forehead and the Golem would come alive. Erase the aleph and you are left with mem and tav, which is 'met,' meaning 'death'," Thus, to draw the parallel to its conclusion, the two-state solution and the documents that moved it forward -- the agreements -- were not worth the paper they were written on. More civilian Jews have been killed since the two-state solution became the official U.S. and Israeli policy in the 1990's than in all the years from the re-creation of Israel in 1948 up to the Oslo Accords and the fateful handshake in 1993. (This writer will never forget the ignorance disguised as generosity of Mort Zuckerman for buying Israeli greenhouses and giving them to Hamas when they took control of Gaza in 2005, which the Gazans promptly destroyed when they took over.) When will people learn you do not reward evil behavior? This two-state solution happened because there was a strong element of magical thinking involved. Now those who, like this writer, had embraced the Oslo two-state solution can see clearly that it was wholly unrealistic, built on an unwarranted optimism about the goodwill that well-intentioned people could generate in the mad world of medieval Muslim manias that characterize Arab civilization. The magical words of two state solutions and of Oslo, like the words that generated the Golem, must be repudiated and reversed. If the PLO governed areas of Judea and Samaria are declared an independent country, it would automatically have the effect of superseding and cancelling UN Resolution 242 which declares the land now often called the 'West Bank' to be the subject of negotiations, not as land belonging to either Israel or the Palestinian Arabs occupying that land. At that point, Israel should forbid Palestinian Arabs from entering as guest workers based on work permits issued to Gazans and those in Arab occupied Judea and Samaria. All Palestinian Arabs who want to work in Israel would have to apply for work visas as if they were foreign nationals. Israel should no longer supply electricity or water to this "new country." They should cut off all trade with this "new country" or gradually phase out trade to the extent possible with the least damage to the Israeli economy. Further, all Palestinian Arabs living in Judea and Samaria should then be portrayed as unlawful foreign nationals living on Israeli soil and subject to expulsion, to be carried out to the degree possible. 
Archaeologists find battle site where Romans breached Jerusalem walls - By Gavin Rabinowitz - http://www.timesofisrael.com/archaeologists-find-battle-site-where-romans-breached-jerusalem-walls/
Discovery confirms Josephus's account of the conflict that saw destruction of Second Temple nearly 2,000 years ago, says Israeli Antiquities Authority Israeli archaeologists found the site of a fierce battle where the Roman army bombarded and breached the walls of Jerusalem before conquering the city and destroying the Second Temple almost 2,000 years ago, officials said Thursday. They said that the discovery, made last winter during an excavation of a construction site for the new campus of the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design outside the Old City, also finally confirmed the description of the wall that was breached provided by the historian Josephus Flavius. During the dig, the archaeologists found the remains of a tower surrounded by scores of stones and boulders fired by Roman catapults at the Jewish forces guarding the wall, the Israel Antiquities Authority said in a statement. "This is a fascinating testimony of the intensive bombardment by the Roman army, led by Titus, on their way to conquering the city and destroying the Second Temple," the statement said. "The bombardment was intended to attack the sentries guarding the wall and provide cover for the Roman forces so they could approach the wall with battering rams and thereby breach the city's defenses," it said. The part of the wall that was breached was known as the Third Wall. It was found in the area of modern Jerusalem known as the Russian Compound. According to accounts by Josephus, this part of the wall was designed to protect a new quarter of the city that developed outside the other two existing walls. For much of the 20th century, scholars have been debating the route of this Third Wall and "the question concerning Jerusalem's boundaries on the eve of the Roman onslaught," the statement said. "It seems that the new discovery in the Russian Compound is proof of the wall's existence in this area." In his "The War of the Jews," Josephus describes the wall as follows: "... the beginning of the third wall was at the tower Hippicus, whence it reached as far as the north quarter of the city, and the tower Psephinus ...It was Agrippa who encompassed the parts added to the old city with this wall, which had been all naked before." The Third Wall had been completed as part of preparations by the Jews for the Great Revolt against Rome that began in 66 CE and ended in 70 CE when the Romans breached the walls of Jerusalem and destroyed the Second Temple. Hundreds of thousands of Jews were killed, and the rout heralded the start of nearly two thousand years of exile. The excavation findings will be presented in a conference at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem later this month. News of the discovery comes during a week in which Israel has been engaged in a fierce diplomatic spat with UNESCO, over a decision by the United Nations cultural body that Israel says ignores Jewish and Christian historical ties to Jerusalem's holiest sites. The resolution, passed last Thursday in the committee stage at UNESCO, referred to the Temple Mount and Western Wall only by their Muslim names and condemned Israel as "the occupying power" for various actions taken in both sites. The resolution was confirmed by UNESCO's executive on Tuesday. 
The Temple and End Times - Amazing New Developments - By Enoch Lavender - http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=735
For us who are watching prophetic developments in the earth, there is something very exciting about monitoring the historic preparations taking place for the rebuilding of Israel's Temple. In the last few weeks, two big stories have hit the headlines that are worth noting. The first news item concerns the resurfacing of a report of a mysterious gemstone that could belong to the original breastplate of the High Priest. The second news headline is that Israel's reconvened Sanhedrin has taken the momentous step to nominate a High Priest - for the first time since the Temple's destruction in AD 70! In this article we will look more at these intriguing developments and will then look at the prophetic implications for us as believers as we draw closer to the time of the Lord's coming. Mysterious Gem Discovered Detailed reports of a mysterious gem re-surfaced this week and have also made headlines in the secular media. There is strong speculation that the gem could be from the breast plate of the High Priest. Others suggest that it may be one of the two stones worn on the High Priest's shoulders or even be part of the legendary Urim & Thummim. While these speculations may seem far-fetched at first glance, a detailed and scientific analysis of the gem has highlighted its stunningly unique and mysterious features. The precious stone - which has been carefully passed down the documented line of a Crusader's family tree - is a semi-precious sardonyx with little intrinsic value in and of itself. It has been cut into a hemisphere, and researchers are baffled as to how the ancients could possibly have cut the stone in this way. Even more astounding than the cut of the stone, is an inscription in ancient Hebrew inside the stone, visible through its clear surface. Professor Moshe Sharon - who is an expert on ancient Hebrew Script at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem - describes the Hebrew inscription as being in a style of Script from approximately 1000 BC. This Hebrew inscription leads to speculation that the gem could belong to the legendary Urim and Thummim which were used in Bible times to determine God's will (Ex. 28:30, 1 Sam 28:16). It is interesting to note that the Jewish Talmud describes the Urim and Thummim as being stones that would light up to spell an answer in Hebrew in response to petitions to God. Could this stone be one of the mysterious Urim and Thummim? Another mystery is how this ancient Hebrew script was inscribed inside the gem - without any visible signs of engraving or cutting of the stone. Noted professor of archaeology and religious studies Dr. James Strange comments that, 'there is no modern or ancient technology known to me by which an artisan could produce the inscription (inside the stone), as it is not cut into the surface of the stone". Upon examination, Dr. Strange also noted that the stone has no external markings, ruling out that it had been part of a ring or necklace. His conclusion was that the stone must have been set in a large plate or breastplate. Ian Campbell, a leading South African gemologist, priced this unique gem at $200 million as a starting point, but acknowledged the difficulty of pricing a one-off unique gem with such tremendous religious significance. While the owners have expressed interest in the gem being restored to Jewish hands, the cost is prohibitive and its authenticity must be proven. Dr. Strange is today issuing a call for a fresh scientific examination of the stone to determine whether it is an elaborate hoax or a genuine artifact belonging to the Jewish people. At this stage it is too early to tell, but perhaps this stone will be restored to Israel and play a role in the rebuilt temple? The Sanhedrin Nominates a High Priest Just prior to the reports about this mysterious gem, another prophetic headline ricocheted across the world as the Israeli Sanhedrin announced that it had taken the ground breaking step to nominate a High Priest. The Sanhedrin at the time of Jesus served as a kind of Supreme Court for the Jewish nation. It was disbanded in 425 AD, and was only reconvened in 2004. At the time, leading prophecy teachers hailed it's reconvening as an important step in preparing for the rebuilding of the Temple. The modern reconvened Sanhedrin consists of 71 distinguished rabbis (after the pattern of Moses + 70 elders), and it meets monthly to rule on key spiritual issues. Rabbinical teaching holds that the High Priest for the Third Temple would either be appointed by the Sanhedrin or by the King (the Messiah Himself). In the absence of the Messiah, and in the lead up to the all important Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) sacrifice for the nation, the Sanhedrin has agreed on the need to nominate a High Priest who can perform this vitally important sacrifice if permission is granted. Permission to sacrifice on the Temple Mount could come sooner than many expect. With the unexpected and dramatic rise of Temple Mount activist Rabbi Yehudah Glick into Netanyahu's coalition government, and the increasing support for a rebuilt Temple among both Government ministers and a small but growing segment of the population, the Sanhedrin can sense a change in the air. This sense of change also carries with it great responsibility as it would be a disaster if permission was granted and no High Priest was ready to perform the crucial Day of Atonement sacrifice for the nation. It is against this backdrop that the momentous decision was taken by the Sanhedrin to appoint a High Priest - for the first time since the temple was destroyed in AD 70! The nominated candidate for High Priest was Rabbi Baruch Kahane, an expert on the complicated laws pertaining to the Temple Service. In a surprising twist, Rabbi Baruch declined the role at this time, but accepted a similar role with the title of 'Rosh Kohanim' (Head of the Priests). This role is often but not always synonymous with being High Priest. In other words, Rabbi Baruch will be available to be called on to be High Priest if and when the situation should arise. It is important to note that sacrificing on the Temple Mount does not require the prior existence of a rebuilt Temple and can be restarted before the construction has even begun. If granted permission by the Israeli authorities - which would still be a major miracle in itself - the Sanhedrin's goal is to be ready to conduct sacrifices with only a week's notice. The appointing of a High Priest is therefore a crucial step in preparation for the resumption of sacrifices on the Temple Mount. The Temple and End Times Believers in Jesus rightly point to Him as the ultimate sacrifice for mankind and that we as believers no longer require animal sacrifices for sins. However, restoring the sacrificial system could be an important step in preparing the Jewish people for their Messiah and certainly plays a key role in the End Times. Modern rabbinical Judaism has moved away from sacrifices to good works as a means of salvation, and it is therefore hard for many Jewish people to understand the significance of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. But as sacrifices are restored to the Jewish nation, it will shift modern Judaism back closer to Biblical Judaism. This would open the eyes of many to the importance of the sacrifice in dealing with sins, and perhaps even help prepare the way for the nation to understand fully the sacrifice of Jesus and what was accomplished at the cross. In regards to End Time Prophecy, many believe that the Scriptures warn of Temple Sacrifices being stopped for a period of time by the Anti-Christ (Dan 9:27). If this is correct, then a rebuilt Temple is an essential piece of the prophetic puzzle. The rebuilding of the Temple and the re-institution of a High Priest (with or without the mysterious gem!) are therefore all significant steps bringing us that much closer to the day when the Lord Himself will return! 
Obama vs Baghdad on Sunni cleansing of Mosul - http://www.debka.com/article/25723/Obama-vs-Baghdad-on-Sunni-cleansing-of-Mosul-
A major dispute on combat tactics which has sprung up between Washington and Baghdad hangs over the coalition's Mosul offensive after three days of combat. Thursday, Oct. 20, President Barack Obama and US commanders challenged Iraq's Shiite Prime Minister Haydar al-Abadi and is generals over a 500km long route, the Ba'aj Road, which does not appear on maps, but is pivotal for the offensive's continuation, debkafile's exclusive military and intelligence sources report. This route is a kind of "Burma road" developed by the Islamic State as a private corridor between Mosul in Iraq and Raqqa, the terrorist group's Syrian capital, during the terrorist group's two years of control. It runs through the Iraqi town of Tal Afar before crossing into Syria and passing south of areas controlled by Syrian Kurdish militias, among which US special operations forces are embedded. The argument flared over a demand by President Obama and US commanders that Iraqi government forces turn to the Syrian border and block the Ba'aja Road, and so cut off the ISIS fighters' escape route from Mosul to Syria. The Americans can't bomb the corridor because it is also packed with a stream of refugees in flight from the fighting in Mosul. So long as it is open, ISIS is free to move thousands of fighters and masses of weapons, ammunition and other supplies between its two strongholds. This freedom of action, Obama warned Al-Abadi, would prolong the Mosul operation beyond the Dec. 20 deadline set by the coalition for its termination. However, according to our sources, the Iraqi prime minister countered this demand with a proviso unacceptable to Washington. He was prepared to order Iraqi forces to block the Ba'aja Road provided Mosul's entire population of 750,000 Sunni Muslims was expelled from the city. He argued that ISIS could not be defeated until then because the Sunnis were supporting and collaborating with the Islamist terrorists. Obama fiercely opposes the mass Sunni expulsion, seeing it as an attempt by the Shiite Iraqi prime minister to cleanse Iraq's second city of its Sunni inhabitants and using the Mosul offensive against ISIS as a pretext for such action. EXCLUSIVE: Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani greets Shiite fighters outside Mosul. debkafile's sources add that Al-Abadi has found support for his side of the argument with the arrival of the Iranian Al Qods chief Gen. Qassem Soleimani at the command posts of the pro-Iranian Iraqi Shiite militias, who have not yet been thrown into the Mosul battle. The Mosul offensive came up in the third US presidential debate in Las Vegas early Thursday. The Republican candidate Donald Trump, who appeared to have been updated on the state of play there, commented that the big winner from that offensive would be Iran. Our military sources report that three days of combat have not brought any major coalition forces advances against ISIS. On some sectors Iraqi forces are moving forward slowly, backed by US air strikes and rocket artillery fire; on others, they are stalled by Islamist resistance. 
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 
National Repentance - Nathele Graham - [email protected]
In the Book of Revelation we read about God's wrath being poured out and it's easy to be shocked at the violence of the judgment during the Great Tribulation. The angels of God know Him to be fair. They sang as He laid the foundation of the earth and they sang at Jesus' birth and they know how much God loves His creation. John was shown the future and he saw the angels pour out God's wrath and heard them proclaim God's righteousness. "And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou has judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments." Revelation 16:5-7. God is righteous and always gives us warnings prior to judgment and also a way to avoid His wrath. This is still a future event, and you can still avoid God's wrath. God's wrath and judgment will soon come upon the whole earth. Is there anyone you think deserves to go through this judgment? In truth we all deserve God's wrath because of sin. We are all sinners. Listen to this carefully, the only way to escape God's judgment is to accept the only way of salvation. Only faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ makes a person worthy to avoid God's judgment. All roads don't lead to salvation, good works aren't enough, and nobody is "good enough" to stand before God Almighty at the Great White Throne. Only through faith in Jesus Christ are you worthy to either be with Jesus after you die, or to be called Home if the Rapture happens prior to your death. Your eyes might be blinded and your ears plugged, but the things that are happening around the world, and specifically happening to Israel, are telling us that the end time events are quickly coming to pass. Study prophecy. Christians haven't replaced Israel, but are a special group of humans who have chosen to follow Christ. "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus...There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26 & 28. Christians will be Raptured prior to God's wrath. The nation of Israel is blinded to the fact that Jesus is the promised Messiah but during the Great Tribulation they will recognize Him. They will finally understand that He had already come in the human form of Yĕhowshuwa`...Jesus the Christ. Salvation comes only through Him. In ancient times God spoke through prophets to warn the Jewish Northern and Southern Kingdoms against looming captivity, and also warned Gentiles. Amos prophesied against Damascus, Tyrus, and other Gentiles that had come against Israel, and we know Jonah took a message to Nineveh. The Old Testament centers on Israel but God didn't ignore the Gentiles. God called Abraham out of the nations and began His plan of salvation by choosing the lineage that would give birth to the Messiah. Today we know that our Saviour was born from the tribe of Judah (as prophecy foretold), was born of a virgin (as prophecy foretold), and was crucified (as prophecy foretold). Prophecy has been fulfilled in the past, and as we watch the news we can see end time prophecies are being fulfilled today. Whether you have Jewish roots or Gentile, end time prophecies affect you. God gave the only way to avoid His wrath. "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Romans 6:23. Heed this warning and repent. Will it turn God's judgment away from an entire nation? Jonah was sent to tell the Gentiles in Nineveh that God's judgment was about to fall on them. Jonah really wanted God to give them what they deserved instead of showing mercy. These people were vicious and evil, but because Jonah spoke God's warning to them the king and all the people repented and their judgment was delayed for 100 years. We need people today who aren't afraid to share God's word with others. Only faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ brings salvation. A nation filled with unashamed Christians is blessed. Just as seen in Nineveh, leadership of a nation matters. The leadership of the nations in today's world are secular and don't respect God Almighty. "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance." Psalm 33:12. This is speaking about Israel, but it's truth is for all nations. What about the United States? There are many people here who claim to be Christians, but by looking at the mess this nation is in it's obvious that very few live their faith. The leadership of America has sunken into pure evil. Satan has been working to destroy America and his patience is paying off. In 1962 prayer was removed from school, in 1963 the Bible was also removed from schools and in 1973 abortion (human sacrifice) was legalized. In 1980 the Ten Commandments were removed from public places. Look back at American history since 1962 and be ashamed. Drug abuse opens a person's mind to demons, sexual "freedom" spreads disease and promotes abortion, and now homosexuality is condoned and same sex marriage was legalized in 2015. Today the Bible is banned from schools, but Satan Clubs are welcomed. Parents, be aware of what your children are being exposed to in the name of "tolerance". Your children are more influenced by what they are taught in public school than what they learn in Sunday school. You do take them to Sunday school, don't you? Teach your children to honor God in spite of what this satanic world condones. The United States is a nation that has been blessed by God but has turned against Him. An election will soon take place that is crucial, and Christians must pray to make the right choice. Before you vote, look at the history behind each candidate. Donald Trump is a successful businessman with proven leadership abilities, but has made mistakes. He has little tact, but what he says lets you know where he stands. A recording from many years ago has been dug up that contained some crude talk about women, but recently he claims to have accepted Christ for salvation. This should begin to change his attitude. Men, have you ever said similar things? If you've accepted Christ then your attitude since then should have changed. Women, I've heard much the same talk in secular circles. Such behavior should never be condoned, but be careful about what you base your vote upon. What about Hillary? Her husband was President and the shenanigans in the Oval Office went far beyond thoughtless words. She stood by him, thereby condoning his actions. There are claims of rape against him, illegitimate children, and there's a long trail of criminal activity surrounding these two people who resemble Ahab and Jezebel. What about domestic troubles and foreign policy? She supports abortion. We certainly don't need any more liberal ideology in the White House. What's her stand on Israel? She's ill so what will happen when her "pneumonia" (more likely Parkinson's disease) comes back on her when North Korea or Russia attacks? Will she ignore it like she did in Benghazi? I'm concerned for America because Hillary is high in the polls. Vote wisely. Pray. God exists outside of time and knows what will happen. That's why Bible prophecy is accurate. "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." Revelation 1:8. Is it too late for national repentance? We live in times that were foretold so don't be ignorant of end times prophecies disclosed by Scripture. Daniel was given quite an interesting prophecy regarding the end times and Jesus answered a question from His disciples regarding the end of the age by revealing events that will happen during Daniel's 70th week. Read Revelation beginning in chapter 6 and you'll see a very graphic description of the horrors to come. Is there any good news in this? Yes! The Rapture will happen prior to Daniel's 70th week. The only way to avoid the outpouring of God's wrath during the Great Tribulation is to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour today. Some people like to say that those of us who believe that the pre-trib Rapture will take us away from the wrath of God are living in denial. Wrong. There's a big difference between "persecution" and "The Great Tribulation". Persecution has been going on since Jesus walked this earth, but the Great Tribulation will be far worse. Again, read Revelation beginning in chapter 6 and read what those who have rejected Christ will face. "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Thessalonians 5:9. Praise God for His promises. Never neglect studying Old Testament Scripture. It's true that Israel is the apple of God's eye, but Christians can learn from His warnings. Looking back in Scripture we learn that we are to avoid sins, such as idolatry, sexual impurity, pride, and so forth. If you say you're a Christian you need to seek Him...you bear His name. "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14. This was written to the nation of Israel but we need to pay attention. God is also aware of what Gentiles do. The Assyrian capital of Nineveh was filled with evil, but God sent Jonah to preach truth to them. Because the king and all the people heeded God's word and turned from their wicked ways, God's judgment on that nation was delayed. One by one individuals can repent and turn from wickedness and a nation can be changed. Christians are one body in Christ and wherever we live we need to heed the above verse. Humility is important as we seek God and live to please Him. Christians are forgiven and are saved by grace, but the wickedness of sin still comes between our fellowship with God. We cannot be right with God while living like the world. Turn from your wicked ways and let God rule your life. If every person who claims to be a Christian would make decisions that honor God and live life accordingly it would certainly bring healing to our nation. Is national repentance possible? Only if those who claim to be Christians put Christ first, repent of sin, and turn from our wicked ways. May God heal this nation. God bless you all, Nathele Graham [email protected] www.straitandnarrowministry.com [email protected] Ron Graham's previous commentaries archived at http://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html All original scripture is "theopneustos" God breathed. If you'd like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries just drop me an email and let me know. 
Daily Jot: Final debate exposes much - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com
The final presidential debate of this election cycle is logged and in the books. Fox News moderator Chris Wallace did a great job pushing the candidates on the issues and keeping the debate focused. Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton appeared to be on the defensive most of the night as Republican candidate Donald Trump answered his questions directly then exposed Clinton for her graft and corruption, her bad foreign policy decisions, and 30-plus years of being on the public dole without getting anything done. Trump's moment, however, was when he said he would "keep you in suspense" whether he would accept the results of the election if he thought it was rigged. This has leftists screaming. It started with leftist in chief Clinton saying "that's horrifying." The media analysts at the end of the debate were beside themselves that a presidential candidate may not accept the results of the election and in doing so unify the country. Let's get real. The most logical reason they are collectively horrified is that contesting the election if it appears to be rigged will expose the Democratic Party's system of rigging elections. Precincts voting over 100% for a candidate, dead people, illegal aliens, felons are voting. They vote Democratic. They sway elections. Not to mention the voting machines owned by a George Soros affiliated company. Every American should be questioning the veracity and results of the election. Let us recall the last presidential election where a candidate wouldn't accept the results. That would be Al Gore, a Democrat, who conceded then called to retract his concession. He contested the election all the way to the Supreme Court, which declared George W Bush the winner some 34 days after the election. Here we have a perfect case of how communists work-they accuse others of doing the deed they did then propagandize it as if it was the worst act of mankind. When Al Gore would not accept the results of the election, it was the leftists, including the news media, who thought the Gore challenge was the right thing to do. Imagine black robed oligarchs choosing our president. It happened. But to another point that is lost in this frenzy-Trump said of Clinton and the election, "She's guilty of a very serious crime. She should not be allowed to run. And just in that respect, I say it is rigged." Clinton handled our nation's secrets carelessly-a crime for which many have gone to jail. The law also states that if one is found to have done this, they cannot hold a public office. After her husband Bill Clinton met with Democratic Attorney General Loretta Lynch in the back of her jet for a half an hour, the FBI, which is under Lynch's authority, said no reasonable prosecutor would prosecute Clinton. This is a travesty. The final debate exposed much. Proverbs 12:26 says, "The righteous should choose his friends carefully, For the way of the wicked leads them astray." The same should apply to leaders. 
Daily Devotion: A Servant by Choice - Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? -1 Corinthians 6:19 The apostle Paul often referred to himself as a bondslave or a doulos-a voluntary servant. Doulos is a Greek word often used in the New Testament for a slave or servant. It describes a unique class of servant, someone who was not made that way by constraint or by force. A doulos was someone who had been freed, but chose to serve his or her master out of love. Thus, this servant would be called a doulos-a bondservant, a servant by choice. As Christians, that is what we are. Christ has paid an incredible debt for us. He has pardoned us. He has forgiven us. And now we should become His voluntary servants, serving Him not because we have to but because we want to. We serve Him because we love Him, recognizing that He has instilled certain gifts, certain talents, and certain resources in our lives that we are to use for His glory. The Bible says, "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Jesus said, "So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple" (Luke 14:33). The words forsake all mean surrender your claim to and say goodbye to. This doesn't mean taking a vow of poverty; it simply means recognizing that it all belongs to God. Our lives belong to God. Everything is the Lord's. We as Christians will stand before God one day and give an account for what we have done with all that He has given to us. 
FROM THE HEART
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