Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Doctrine of Demons - Jack Kinsella - www.omegaletter.com
The concept of 'grace' is one of such sublime simplicity that it has become one of the most complicated topics in Christian theology. Right off the bat, there's a clue as to the magnitude of the complications it presents. Grace, as a concept, owes its mind-bending complexity to its basic simplicity. It is so simple that entire religious denominations have come into existence trying to decipherit's simplicity. The concept is so basic and rudimentary that it is hard to believe -- for some, it is impossible to believe. So they complicate it until they find it believable. "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty," Paul writes in his first letter the Corinthians (1:27). The word translated 'foolish' is translated from a derivative of the Greek, musterion meaning 'a mystery'. "Confound" is from kataischuno, meaning to 'bring shame.' Those being confounded are "the wise" (Greek; "sophos" meaning, wise, worldly, sophisticated) to whom the simple concept of grace remains a mystery, even after being saved. Grace is a mystery to those are wise in their own eyes. 1st Corinthians 1:27 is little more than an elaboration of the obvious as recorded by Solomon 1,000 years earlier: "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise." (Proverbs 12:15) The biggest obstacle to overcome when attempting to understand 'grace' is that we tend to see it only from our own perspective. But we are the recipients of that grace, not the Author of it. When viewed from God's perspective, it doesn't look the same. The Bible defines wisdom as thinking God's way and reminds us that it is through wisdom that one gains understanding. "For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding." (Proverbs 2:6) "Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding." (Proverbs 4:7) Why so much division and discord among the brethren regarding this single topic? Again, the best place to seek understanding is to delve into wisdom's Source Code: "Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom." (Proverbs 13:10) We discussed the Spirit speaking 'expressly' and what that means in this OL: "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;" One of the most seductive spirits to a Christian is the spirit of legalism. "Legalism" in its most basic form, is the attempt to live a life pleasing to God by the principle of the law. That is to say, we are saved by grace through faith, but now that we're saved, we must maintain our own salvation by adhering to the same law by which we were condemned. It is seductive because it sounds true. It suits our logic. It follows our own understanding. It redirects our trust towards something more tangible than in an invisible God and an ancient Sacrifice. We know the law -- look at the list of things that are forbidden to Christians. Everybody's list is different, but we ALL have a list. You don't think so? Ever hear of a Christian being arrested for some heinous crime and wonder if the guy was really a Christian? "How could he be a Christian and do that?" (So whatever that was, it is on your 'forbidden to Christians' list.) There is nothing that can compare with that bright, shining moment when our sins were first washed away. We never feel cleaner in our own eyes than we do at the moment of salvation. As we run our race through the entanglements of this world, we sometimes try to recapture that incomparable moment -- and failing, we start to doubt our continued cleanliness. The more we're tempted, the harder we try. The harder we try, the more we are tempted. Hal tells a story of a luxury hotel built on a pier with oceanfront balcony windows. On opening day, the manager, a fisherman, worried that people would be tempted to fish off the balconies. He feared the windows in the lower rooms might get broken when they cast their weighted lines into the wind. So he ordered signs posted in all the rooms strictly forbidding fishing from the balconies. People fished anyway. Windows got broken. In a staff meeting called to discuss the problem, somebody suggested simply removing the signs. As soon as the signs were gone, so was the temptation to fish off balconies. There is a saying to the effect 'laws are made to be broken' -- the very existence of a law is a source of temptation -- a principle sometimes expressed in another old saying about 'forbidden fruit being the sweetest'. There is a old Abbot and Costello routine about chocolate cake diet. "A chocolate cake diet?" says straight man Bud Abbot. "You can't lose any weight on a chocolate cake diet!" "I know," Costello says, before delivering the punch line, "But I'm never tempted to cheat." People on a diet are tempted by the things that are forbidden them. If you can eat anything you want, there is no temptation. Are you starting to see where I am going? The Spirit expressly labeled them 'seducing spririts' because their doctrine is so seductive. The doctrine of demons seduces you into forging your own chains to replace the old ones that fell off when you first got saved. The more things on your personal "forbidden to Christians" list, the more temptations you have to fight off. Nobody bats 1000 every time, so that wonderful, incomparable feeling of cleanliness we once had, grows more distant and seemingly unattainable. Your constant battle and your consistent failures gnaw at you and wear down your spirit. You wonder if you were ever saved. Or worse, if you have lost your salvation. ". . .and the last state of that man is worse than the first", Matthew 12:45. Assessment: We began our discussion with the discussion of grace and the simplicity of it all. We are saved by grace through faith that payment for our sins was made at the Cross and that the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. Everything in the above statement that comes after the word 'grace' is the direct result of grace. The mechanism whereby we are saved is that our sins are covered by the Blood of Christ, shed as full payment for the sins of the world. Dwell on that for a second. The sins of the world. The whole world. From the moment of creation to this present hour. You -- everything you are, all you know, all you've experienced, everything you've ever done or ever will do -- compared to every sinner and every sin ever committed in the history of man. You know that the Blood of Christ was sufficient for them. But you're different? Wisdom is thinking God's way, and God's way of thinking is expressed by His Word. Understanding comes from seeking wisdom in God's Word and seeing its application to a given situation. Legalism as a doctrine is a seduction against which the Spirit expressly warned. The Law had a purpose -- it tells us exactly how far we can go without sinning. But by definition, we find that line by crossing it. Now we are on the other side. God knows that. He designed things that way. The Law was created for the express purpose of exposing the impossible nature of sin so man would know he needed salvation. Salvation reveals the need to walk close to God. But not for the purpose of currying His favor with good works, but rather for protection against the temptations of the law. That's why we are not under the law, but under grace. (Romans 6:14-15) Under grace, God accepts us based on the fact we are in Christ and judged according to Christ's performance on our behalf. Under the law, we are judged exclusively on our own performance. Law and grace are therefore each complete systems unto themselves. They are also mutually exclusive. To mix these principles robs the law of its terror and grace of its graciousness. Grace cannot be made complicated, despite our best efforts, because in the end, it only means one thing, and every expression of that meaning carries with it the very flavor of heaven. 'Grace" (Greek: charis) means 'gift' -- but it means so much more than that. It also means acceptable, benefit, favor, joy, liberality, pleasure, thanksworthy, -- the word 'grace' carries so much yet it weighs so little on the mind. Grace cannot be appropriated, it can only be offered freely, or it is no longer grace. And grace cannot be rescinded, or it was never grace to begin with. "Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved:) and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places with Christ Jesus: that in the age to come He might shew the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness towards us through Christ Jesus." "For by grace are ye saved through faith, and than not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:5-8) "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." (Romans 8:15) In Hebrew, "Abba" means, "Daddy." Hamas chief: We won't discuss recognizing Israel, only wiping it out - Dov Lieber - https://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-chief-we-wont-discuss-recognizing-israel-only-wiping-it-out/ Yahya Sinwar says 'no one in the universe can disarm us,' likens belief that terror group will relinquish weapons to 'Satan dreaming of heaven' The Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip on Thursday dismissed US and Israeli demands that it lay down its arms and recognize the Jewish state, saying the terror organization is instead debating "when to wipe out Israel." The remarks came during a closed roundtable discussion between Yahya Sinwar and Gazan youth about the ongoing reconciliation negotiations with rival Palestinian faction Fatah, to which some media outlets were invited to attend. "Over is the time Hamas spent discussing recognizing Israel. Now Hamas will discuss when we will wipe out Israel," Sinwar said, according to the Hamas-linked news agency Shehab. A Hamas spokesperson released a few official quotes from the meeting. The Sinwar comment about discussing "when we will wipe out Israel" was not included in the transcript, which featured the Hamas leader again rejecting disarmament and Israel recognition. "No one in the universe can disarm us. On the contrary, we will continue to have the power to protect our citizens," Sinwar said, according to the official statement. "No one has the ability to extract from us recognition of the occupation." Since its inception nearly three decades ago, Hamas has sought to destroy the State of Israel. Sinwar's comments on Thursday came as much of the international community was scrutinizing the terror organization as it attempts to join the internationally recognized government of the Palestinian Authority, which is controlled by PA President Mahmoud Abbas's party, Fatah. On Thursday the United States called for Hamas to disarm and renounce violence before being allowed to implement the highly touted unity deal with Fatah. "Any Palestinian government must unambiguously and explicitly commit to nonviolence, recognize the State of Israel, accept previous agreements and obligations between the parties - including to disarm terrorists - and commit to peaceful negotiations," said White House Mideast peace envoy Jason Greenblatt in a statement released by the US Embassy in Tel Aviv. "If Hamas is to play any role in a Palestinian government, it must accept these basic requirements," Greenblatt said, in comments later commended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. One issue that threatens to derail the reconciliation process is the question of what will be the future of Hamas's 25,000-strong military and its weapons arsenal. Abbas said he wants full control of all guns in Gaza. On Thursday, Sinwar doubled down on Hamas's stance that it will not relinquish its armed forces. "Disarming us is like Satan dreaming of heaven. No one can take away our weapons," he said. He also reportedly admitted that the talks could collapse. "There is a danger to the reconciliation project," Sinwar was quoted as saying, though he did not elaborate. Last week, the two rival Palestinian factions signed an agreement in Cairo to allow the PA to take full control of the Gaza, which it was kicked out of 10 years ago by Hamas in a violent conflict. During his talk, Sinwar also touched upon prisoner negotiations between Hamas and Israel. In his statement, Sinwar reportedly said "we are ready for a second Shalit deal," a reference to the 2011 prisoner exchange for abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit that was his own ticket out of Israeli prison. In the new deal, he claimed, Fatah leader and convicted murderer Marwan Barghouti, as well as others, would go free. Hamas is said to be holding captive three Israelis - Avraham Abera Mengistu, Hisham al-Sayed and Juma Ibrahim Abu Ghanima - all said to have entered the Gaza Strip of their own accord. Hamas is also holding the bodies of Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, two IDF soldiers who were killed in the Strip during the 2014 Gaza war. Last month it was reported that Hamas had accepted an Egyptian proposal for a prisoner swap with Israel whereby the bodies of 39 Palestinians killed in the 2014 Gaza war, 19 of whom are Hamas members, would be handed over to the group in exchange for Hamas acknowledging the fate of IDF soldiers Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul. The IDF says the two were killed in the Gaza Strip during the 2014 war. Hamas has hinted that it is holding the two soldiers and has also implied that they could still be alive. In the second stage of the Egyptian plan, Israel would reportedly release the so-called "Shalit captives" - 58 Palestinians who were rearrested in the summer of 2014 after being set free in the 2011 swap for IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. Speaking immediately after signing the deal, Saleh al-Arouri, the Hamas deputy political leader, said Palestinian unity was vital "so that we can all work together against the Zionist enterprise." Sinwar on Thursday reiterated his group's desire for the reconciliation process to be successful, and personally invited Abbas to hold the next meeting of his party's central committee and of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the largest Palestinian political umbrella group, in Gaza. "I call for the Fatah Central Committee and the Palestine Liberation Organization to hold its next meeting in Gaza, headed by [Abbas]," Sinwar said, according to a Hamas spokesperson. During his talk, Sinwar also touched upon prisoner negotiations between Hamas and Israel. In his statement, Sinwar reportedly said "we are ready for a second Shalit deal," a reference to the 2011 prisoner exchange for abducted IDF soldier Gilad Shalit that was his own ticket out of Israeli prison. In the new deal, he claimed, Fatah leader and convicted murderer Marwan Barghouti, as well as others, would go free. Hamas is said to be holding captive three Israelis - Avraham Abera Mengistu, Hisham al-Sayed and Juma Ibrahim Abu Ghanima - all said to have entered the Gaza Strip of their own accord. Hamas is also holding the bodies of Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, two IDF soldiers who were killed in the Strip during the 2014 Gaza war. Last month it was reported that Hamas had accepted an Egyptian proposal for a prisoner swap with Israel whereby the bodies of 39 Palestinians killed in the 2014 Gaza war, 19 of whom are Hamas members, would be handed over to the group in exchange for Hamas acknowledging the fate of IDF soldiers Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul. The IDF says the two were killed in the Gaza Strip during the 2014 war. Hamas has hinted that it is holding the two soldiers and has also implied that they could still be alive. In the second stage of the Egyptian plan, Israel would reportedly release the so-called "Shalit captives" - 58 Palestinians who were rearrested in the summer of 2014 after being set free in the 2011 swap for IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. Iran's Revolutionary Guards vow to step up fight against Israel - https://www.timesofisrael.com/irans-revolutionary-guards-vow-to-step-up-fight-against-israel/ Responding to tough US approach to regime, Islamic Republic forces pledge to accelerate missile development, put up 'relentless' battle against Jewish state Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards on Thursday threatened a "relentless fight" against Israel, a day after the US urged the international community to confront Tehran over its "destructive conduct" across the Middle East. "We will continue the relentless fight against the hegemonic system and Zionism more resolutely and powerfully than before and... will not hesitate a moment in defending the Islamic Revolution and the country's national interests," the IRGC said in a statement published by the semi-official Fars news agency. The armed forces made similar comments earlier on Thursday, in a statement that also blamed the "Zionist regime" along with the White House for implementing "devastating" policies in the region. On Wednesday, US Ambassador Nikki Haley urged the UN Security Council to adopt the US's tough approach to Iran and address all aspects of its "destructive conduct" - not just the 2015 nuclear deal. The Trump administration has threatened to label the IRGC, a branch of the armed forces acting at the behest of the country's supreme leader, as a terrorist group. Haley told the council that Iran "has repeatedly thumbed its nose" at council resolutions aimed at addressing Iranian support for terrorism and regional conflicts and has illegally supplied weapons to Yemen and Hezbollah militants in Syria and Lebanon. The Revolutionary Guards also vowed to continue to accelerate its missile development program, despite threats from US President Donald Trump to impose sanctions on the regime if it does so. "The regional influence and might and development of the Islamic Republic's missile power which was established when the country was fully under sanctions will continue and advance without a stop and more rapidly," the statement said. Earlier this month, the commander of the IRGC threatened that if the United States designates it as a terrorist group, it will consider the US Army as equivalent to the Islamic State terror group. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari also said that if new sanctions against Iran go into effect, the US will have to "find a new place for its military bases, 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles) away, outside the range of Iranian missiles, according to Iran's official IRNA news agency. "If reports on the US decision to enlist Iran's IRGC as a terrorist group happen to be true, the Iranian force would also treat the American Army everywhere in the world and especially in the Middle East in the same way as Daesh (IS) terrorists," he said. Jafari was responding to plans by the US administration to target Iran's affiliates, with a focus on the Revolutionary Guard. Trump's refusal last week to re-certify the nuclear deal has sparked a new war of words between Iran and the United States, fueling growing mistrust and a sense of nationalism among Iranians. Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the European Union - the other parties to the nuclear accord - all have been urging Trump's administration not to abandon the accord. Trump has yet to announce a withdrawal from the pact, instead kicking it to Congress for a decision. Iran's very good week - Caroline B. Glick - http://www.jpost.com/printarticle.aspx?id=507929 The Islamic Republic doesn't play around. You have to hand it to the Iranians. They don't play around. Just hours after President Donald Trump gave his speech outlining the contours of a new US policy toward Iran, senior Iranian officials were on the ground in Iraq and Syria not only humiliating the US, but altering the strategic balance in Iran's favor. Last Friday Trump said that from now on, the nuclear deal his predecessor Barack Obama concluded with the Iranian regime would be viewed in the overall context of Iran's many forms of aggression. Iran's support and direction of terrorism, its subversion of neighboring regimes, regional aggression, weapons proliferation, development of ballistic missiles and harassment of maritime traffic will no longer be dealt with in isolation from Iran's nuclear program. Trump pledged that it will henceforth be US policy to ensure that Iran is made to pay a price for all its aggressive actions, including its breaches of the nuclear deal. Among other things, Trump singled out Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps for its role in sponsoring and engaging terrorism. He came within a hair's breadth of defining the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization. But words to one side and actions to the other. On Saturday morning, Maj.-Gen. Qasem Soleimani, who commands the Qods Force, responsible for the IRGC's international terrorist operations, landed in Iraq's Kurdish city of Kirkuk. The Kurds have been autonomous in Iraq since 1992 and have exercised de facto sovereignty over Iraqi Kurdistan since 2003. One of their chief disputes with the central government in Baghdad was control over the oil rich city of Kirkuk, adjacent to autonomous Kurdistan. Kurds make up a large majority of the population of the city. That dispute seemed largely settled three years ago when in the summer of 2014, Kurdish Peshmerga forces took over the oil town and other areas south of their official territory. The Kurds moved in after government forces fled Kirkuk and other areas, in the face of Islamic State's offensive. The Kurds played a key role in the anti-ISIS campaign. Both in Iraq and Syria, the Kurds have been the US's only reliable ally. Iraqi regime forces, like the Shi'ite militia that fight alongside them, are controlled by Iran. Masoud Barzani, the president of the Kurdish Regional Government in Iraq and the head of the Kurdish Democratic Party (KDP), thought that ISIS's defeat in Iraq and Syria was the right time to call in the US debt to the Kurds for the central role they have played in the fight to defeat ISIS. And so on September 25, he held a referendum on Kurdish independence. Nearly 93% of Iraqi's Kurds voted in favor. Support for independence is so overwhelming that even the Talabani family supported the referendum. For generations, the Barzanis and Talabanis have vied for control of Iraqi Kurdistan. And whereas the Barzanis have enjoyed longstanding warm ties with Israel and the US, for the past generation, the Talabanis have grown close to Iran. Jalal Talabani, the head of the Talabani clan, served in the ceremonial position of Iraqi president from 2005 until 2014. He was the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan or PUK party. Talabani, who died two weeks ago, opposed Kurdish independence. On Saturday, flanked by the Iraqi Shi'ite militia commanders - two of whom are on the FBI wanted terrorists list - Soleimani told the Talabanis to support the restoration of Iraqi government control - that is, Iranian control - over Kirkuk. Ala Talabani, Jalal's niece, told an Arabic television station that Soleimani came to pay his respects to her late uncle. According to The Washington Post, Ala Talabani praised Iran's role in Iraq and said, "Soleimani advised us that Kirkuk should return to the law and the constitution, so let us come to an understanding." In other words, he offered them a deal. In an article in The American Interest, Jonathan Spyer, director of the Rubin Center at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya, said the deal was concluded the next day between one of the Shi'ite militia leaders and Bafel Talabani, Jalal's eldest son. Based on Kurdish media accounts, Spyer wrote that the deal involves establishing "a new authority in the Halabja-Sulaymaniyah-Kirkuk area to be jointly administered by the Iraqi government and the 'Kurds' (or rather the PUK) for an undefined period." Spyer summarized, "The federal government would manage the oil wells of Kirkuk and other strategic locations in the city, while also overseeing the public-sector payroll." So two days after Trump's speech, the Iranians and the Talabani family agreed to split Iraq's Kurds in two and set up an Iranian puppet in the new governing authority, killing any thought of an independent Kurdistan. So far, the deal has gone off without a hitch. The Peshmerga forces in Kirkuk, which are loyal to the Talabani family, abandoned their posts on Monday when the Soleimani-controlled combined force of US-armed and -trained Iraqi government forces and Shi'ite militias took over Kirkuk and other areas. Despite Trump's stated position in favor of weakening Iranian power and influence, and despite the fact that the occupation of Kirkuk was directed by the IRGC, which Trump just sanctioned, the Americans to date seem fine with this outcome. According to Kurdish and US commentators, Iran or no Iran, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi wouldn't have dared to order the strike on Kirkuk without US agreement. It's true that the US has never gone out on a limb for its Kurdish allies. Despite the fact that 1,700 Peshmerga fighters were killed fighting - and defeating ISIS - over the past three years, and despite the fact that an independent Kurdistan would constitute a severe blow to Iran's hegemonic ambitions in the region, the US vocally opposed last month's referendum. Following the vote, US officials told reporters that since Barzani ignored their position, they feel they owe him no loyalty. And indeed, the US couldn't be more disloyal than it is today - siding with Iran against America's only dependable ally in Iraq. The implications of Iran's successful strategic offensive against the Kurds are disastrous for the US. Iran's establishment of a Kurdish satrapy in Iraq harms the US in three ways. First, America's only stable Iraqi ally is now destabilized. For the past several years, the Barzanis and Talabanis had managed to more or less bury the hatchet, each content with their own sphere of influence. Now, they are once again at each other's throats. Even if the Americans never asked them to do it, Iraq's Kurds protected America's interests in Iraq. And their prosperity and stability were viewed as an American achievement. Now that is a thing of the past. Second, Iran's successful neutralization of the Kurds clears away the only major obstacle to Iranian hegemony over Iraq. This development has major implications for the region. If there is no safe base for operations against Iran in Iraq, any plan to block Iran's regional rise has become far more complicated. And finally, the US's reputation and its strategic credibility in the region and beyond have just taken a massive hit. Until Soleimani's forces marched into Kirkuk, it was possible to believe that the US's recent preference for Iran over its own allies was a function of Obama's radical worldview. Now that Trump is in office, the policy was effectively over. In the face of the US's betrayal of the Kurds to the benefit of Iran, that position is no longer credible. Trump can claim till he's blue in the face that he has abandoned Obama's Iran policy, but so long as Iraqi government forces control Kirkuk - for Iran - his claims only discredit him. The consequences of the US's acceptance of Iran's Kurdish gambit are already being felt on the ground. On Thursday, the Washington Post reported that Syrian Kurds, who just this week led the forces that defeated ISIS forces in Raqqa, are now concerned that the US will abandon them as well. Syrian Kurds now exercise autonomy. But with ISIS now defeated, Syrian Kurds fear the US will withdraw its forces from Syria and allow them to be overrun by Assad regime forces controlled by Iran and Hezbollah. Luckily, not everything is black. Israel isn't the US. But it is more powerful than the Kurds. And Israel is doing what it can to both help them and curb Iran's expanding power. This, even as Trump seems incapable of translating his positions into policies on the ground. The same day Iranian-backed forces were taking control of Kirkuk, Israel both destroyed a Russian- made anti-aircraft battery in Syria in retaliation for Syria's targeting of IAF jets, and welcomed Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to Israel for his first visit in office. Israel's willingness to attack the Syrian battery the day Shoigu arrived made clear that Russian support for its Syrian client is not unconditional. This was brought home yet again and more powerfully the next day. On Tuesday, Maj.-Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of the Iranian military, made an official visit to Damascus. While he was there Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Russian President Vladimir Putin to talk to him about Iran's nuclear weapons program and its increased presence in Syria. Netanyahu also beseeched Putin to support Kurdish independence in Iraq. Interestingly, it was Putin's office, not Israel, which revealed the call had taken place. Russia's willingness to accept Israeli air strikes in Syria and to openly work with Israel indicates that Iran may have overstepped the boundaries. It is possible that Russia is not interested in having an empowered Iranian ally. Given past Russian practice, it is likely that Russia would like to see Iran weakened and therefore more dependent on Moscow. Then there are the Germans and British. Whereas German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Theresa May came out strongly for maintaining the nuclear deal with Iran, both leaders indicated this week that they are willing to take a stronger stand against Iranian support for terrorism, missile development and regional expansion. Netanyahu reportedly has spoken at length to both leaders, and to a host of others, in recent days lobbying them to support the anti-Iranian Kurdish regional government. By not abandoning the Kurds and by continuing to press for the West - including the Trump administration - to support Barzani and his government, and by pushing back against Iran's empowerment in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon, Netanyahu is trying to exploit and expand Iran's weaknesses. He does this even as Iran's strengths become more obvious and Iran's power rises against an America that remains strategically adrift. Netanyahu's actions alone will not stop Iran. But they do make it clear that Iran's rise is not unstoppable. There are plenty of actors with plenty of reasons to oppose Iran's empowerment. And once they see the danger Iran poses to them, working together and separately, they can help to cut it down to size. At some point, the Americans may come to their senses and finish off the job. News from Hal Lindsey Media Ministries - Hal Lindsey - www.hallindsey.com For sixty years, I've been teaching about things we now see every day. I'm not special. The Bible is my insight and revelation. As I study, I ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate His word. You can do the same thing. When I began teaching about Bible prophecy, news stories coinciding with and confirming prophecy came along every few months. Eventually, that became every few weeks. Then every few days. In the last few months, it has been relentless. Newscasts have become apocalyptic. When I work on this television program, the hard part isn't finding things to talk about. It's deciding what to leave out! The last week's news headlines alone read like the Bible prophets. That's why the introduction to my program says, "Yesterday's prophecies, today's headlines!" Wars and rumors of war: Recently, Secretary of Defense James Mattis issued a warning to the U.S. Army. The Army Times headline reads: "Mattis to Army: 'Stand ready' if North Korea diplomacy fails." The University of Hawaii issued an email detailing what actions to take "in event of nuclear attack." In Somalia, truck bombs killed more than 270 people and injured more than 300. On October 4, four U.S. soldiers were ambushed and killed in Niger. Weekly, North Korea issues a new threat of nuclear war. But daily, its army of 6,000 cyber hackers tries to steal secrets and money and wreak havoc among the free nations. Russia engages in cyberwar, too. The Department of Homeland Security alleges that in 2016, Russia tried to hack in to the election systems of 21 states. Evidence shows that the Russians have made similar efforts in several western nations. Famines: Recently, the United Nations News Centre reported that "Twenty million people risk dying of hunger in South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, and the north-east of Nigeria." The World Food Program called the present food crisis "...unprecedented...." Pestilences: Smack in the middle of the deadliest and costliest wildfires in its history, the state of California had to declare a state of emergency because of an outbreak of Hepatitis A! Earthquakes: Last week, USA Today reported: "Scientists working in and around Yellowstone National Park say that the supervolcano sitting under the tourist attraction may blow sooner than thought, an eruption that could wipe out life on the planet." "...wipe out life on the planet!" That's not some TV evangelist or conspiracy nut saying that. Those are scientists supposedly reputable enough to be quoted in a major international newspaper! Now, the Bible does not say a volcanic eruption will wipe out life on earth. But, it speaks of several major earthquakes occurring during the coming Tribulation, including one that will be greater than any in the history of mankind. Revelation 16:18 says, "There was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth...." Could it be Yellowstone? A great "falling away": Today, it seems like whole denominations are falling away from the true Gospel. Almost regularly, we read about major church organizations who officially adopt spiritual positions that are diametrically opposed to the teachings of God's Word. And many churches who still preach the true Gospel are losing members who are offended by the pastor's Bible-based preaching against practices like same-sex marriage and abortion. I could go on and on, but you get the picture. We are on the precipice of a new era. The Age of Grace is rapidly nearing its end. That means the Rapture of the Church is very, very close. Get ready! Last week, President Donald Trump infuriated the Left and irritated some of our western allies. What did he do that was so terrible? He told the truth. He announced to the world that Iran is not adhering to its part of the bargain in the so-called "Iran nuclear deal." So he said that he will no longer "certify" to the U.S. Congress that Iran is complying with the deal. He's only saying something the West has known since the day the agreement was signed. Now, no matter what you hear from Iran or their friends in the mainstream media, the President is not pulling the U.S. out of the deal just yet. And he's not breaking it by re-imposing economic sanctions against Iran. Instead, he's doing something the Left thinks is much worse. He's putting the issue squarely in the lap of the U.S. Congress. And they don't want it because it means they'll have to make a decision and shoulder part of the blame if it doesn't work. But to hear the Left squawk, you'd think President Trump has declared World War III or thrown the world back into the 19th century! Far be it from anyone in the media or left of center to learn a lesson from North Korea. Weak U.S. and U.N. policies allowed North Korea to build nuclear weapons -- along with the missiles to deliver them. Now, North Korea is using that arsenal to blackmail the whole world. But even if Iran follows the rules of the nuclear agreement (which President Trump says is maybe the worst deal America has ever made with anyone!), it will soon be able to create its own nuclear arsenal anyway. To be accurate, when the P5+1 nations made their "deal" with Iran, they changed the balance of power in the Middle East. They set up Iran as the most powerful Muslim nation in the region. They traded long-term peace and security for short-term political gain. They turned a poor country led by radical Islamic terrorists into a rich country led by radical Islamic terrorists. And Iran's leaders are as radical as ISIS. On top of all of that, Iran remains a steadfast trading partner of North Korea. And that's a problem. Those two rogue regimes work hand in hand. The North Koreans have nuclear and missile technology, but no money. Iran wants nuclear and missile technology, and because of President Obama's "deal" with Iran, they are now loaded with money. That's a marriage made in Hell. This is important because Ezekiel 38 tells us that in the last days, Russia and Persia (modern Iran) will lead a confederacy of nations in a battle against Israel. If this deal is allowed to stand, it means that the Iran that attacks Israel will be a nuclear-armed Iran. Finally, this week I will discuss a private revelation -- which was also a prophecy -- that Jesus made to His disciples. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said, "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hell shall not overpower it." The word translated "church" is "ekklesia." Until this moment, that word had never been used in this special sense. The occasion was Peter's public confession of Jesus as "the Messiah, the Son of the Living God." [Matthew 16:16 NLT] Peter was the first of the disciples to make this confession. In the original Greek, it is clear that the foundation of the church is not Peter himself. The word "Peter" or "Petros" is masculine. it does not agree with the word "rock" or "petra" which is neutral gender. The foundation Jesus spoke of was Peter's confession of faith in Jesus, "the Messiah, the Son of the Living God." That is what brings a person into the one true Church -- the body of Christ. It was also a prophecy. Jesus said, "...I will build My church...." He could not build it at that time because Israel had not made its final rejection of Him as Messiah and the Holy Spirit had not arrived to effect the marvelous union of the believer and Christ. That was all still to come. But it happened soon afterward. And now Jesus Christ Himself takes up permanent residence inside each believer when we make our personal confession of Jesus as "the Messiah, the Son of the Living God" and accept the free gift of pardon from our sins that He purchased with His sacrifice on Calvary. Here's how Jesus Himself described that union: "In that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you." [John 14:20 NASB] Christ in you, the hope of glory! [Colossians 1:27] Don't miss this week's Report on TBN, Daystar, CPM Network, various local stations, www.hallindsey.com or www.hischannel.com . Check your local listings. It's a Heart Thing - By John Lysaught - http://www.raptureready.com/2017/10/11/its-a-heart-thing/ It's hard to deal with people sometimes. Let's be honest; they can really get to us and stir up emotions of anger and discontent. People talk to us with disparaging words to hurt us or to make us angry. It seems to be a societal norm to do this, Christians and non-Christians alike. We live in a society that makes this seem normal, even if it means hurting others with words. Yes, I've seen and you have seen other believers do this. They forget the first will be last and last will be first. They have no problem hurting and destroying others to get to the top, get ahead in life, or to just make themselves feel better about themselves by putting others down. They have forgotten that Jesus taught and lived otherwise. They put themselves first before others when it should be the opposite. It's a heart thing concerning how we treat others. Jesus wants our hearts, and if our hearts are blackened or sour, is there really a relationship with Christ? Is there really the love of Jesus in us? I don't think so. Sure, at church, people act the role; but what about outside the walls of the sanctuary. I'm a greeter at church and an usher, and even at church there are people with sour looks on their faces. When I greet them, they don't even acknowledge me; they just walk into the sanctuary. And when they leave, they are the ones who rush out the door to the safety of their cars, to go on with their day. My daughter is a waitress, and she tells me that Sundays are her worse days. She tells of people coming from church (in their Sunday best) who are usually rude, complain a lot, and are the worst at giving tips. What does this say about us as lovers of Jesus? The condition of our hearts is reflected in our outward demeanor towards others. It's these Christians that make the rest of us look bad and portray us as hypocrites in the eyes of nonbelievers. 1 Timothy 1:5, KJV says, "Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned." Do we really live this way? Do we have pure hearts to show others the love of Jesus? How can people proclaim their love for Christ when they can't even show the love of Jesus to others? They are double-minded people, who speak out of both sides of their mouths. They want to portray themselves as lovers of Jesus to man, though they really don't have Him in their hearts. I wonder if they even realize this? It begs the question as to whether they have really accepted Christ into their hearts. I'm not saying us Christians are perfect, but sourness out of our hearts, and then our mouths, should be very few and far between. We all slip up, but when we do speak evil to others, we are quick to be convicted and immediately rectify ourselves by apologizing and by learning from our mistakes. Those who don't do this are in a wrong place with their hearts, and need to really find and be changed by Jesus. Romans 2:5 states, "But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God." This is a pretty clear-cut statement. Bad hearts translate into wrath. It makes me wonder why some Christians have such hard hearts? Or should we even call them Christians? I don't know. Personally, I believe the heart equates the faith one has. Hard hearts lead to destruction and open the door for Satan to occupy and use them for evil. They profess themselves as Christians, and yet, they spew forth hate and display evil tendencies towards others. This can be seen by such things as arrogance, judgment of others, and uncaring attitudes. Do you ever see how some people at church show arrogance, because they own the newest and more expensive car? Or they avoid people who aren't dressed as they are or who look a bit disheveled? I see it every Sunday as I observe people while serving as a greeter. It is sad. Instead of going out of their way to show love and concern for those who look downtrodden, they avoid them. They talk amongst others who are more like themselves about so and so looking this way or that way. What a shame! Don't get me wrong; there are more that do the opposite, but it's the ones who show discontent that are stuck in our minds. As followers of Jesus, we need to have a heart for people regardless of what they look like or how they talk or act. Jesus showed love and concern for all people. He didn't gravitate to the wealthy or healthy; he sought after those who were broken and poor. We need to emulate this in how we interact with others, with a true and pure heart. If we don't have a pure heart, our actions are for nil, and people can see right through it. More so, God knows. Having a pure heart for others is not something to be forced, if we are in Christ, but will be a natural extension of ourselves, showing the love of Christ in us. 1 Samuel, 16:7 says, "But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." God looks at our hearts, not what we have, how nice our hair looks, how big our house is, or what we wear. No, He looks at our hearts. Our hearts show what we truly have inside of us, and our standing with Him. There is no gray area for what the heart reflects. There is either a pure heart or an evil heart. One cannot say they have a good heart most of the time. It is either all of the time, or it is fake. People can try and pretend to others on the outside that they have a pure heart, but their true selves will show through eventually and will be on display for all to see. They will reap what they sow; and if it is a sour heart, their lives will mirror it; maybe not today or tomorrow, but God has a way of revealing the true nature of a person. When we become a child of God through accepting Christ in our lives, our hearts will change. If hearts don't change, one must question the honesty of a proclamation of conversion. At the acceptance of Christ, with the change of our hearts, and as we grow in Christ, so too will our hearts for others grow. Our pure hearts will be a motivator for the good works Christ desires for us to do. Our pure hearts will give us emotions for the well-being of others. Our hearts will drive us to help others. Matthew 5:8 says "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." Pretty clear statement. Flip this upside down - Those without a pure heart will not see God. Makes sense. Having a pure heart is key to walking with and being with Christ. Christ's pure heart saved us all from damnation once we accepted Him in our hearts and lives. There is no wiggle room on this. Matthew 5:8 makes this clear: If you don't have a pure heart, you won't have God. Luke 10:27 says to love God with all our heart, soul, and strength. Since God is the purest of pure, we cannot love Him with anything other than a loving heart. Jesus charges us to love with our heart. How can we love without a loving heart? We can't. We may have empathy or sympathy, but these cannot be confused with having a loving heart. I may feel bad and sympathize with someone who is facing a hardship that I also endured, but if I don't help them out of love, what kind of heart do I have? Love is a blanket of comfort to those facing hardships. Those who have a loving heart will wrap others in a blanket of love. If our hearts are closed and not filled with love, what good are we to God? Not good at all. No works or deeds will replace the need of love in the heart. Think about where your heart is, where it was, and where you want it to go. Your heart is capable of endless love for Jesus and for others. If you have a sour or hard heart because of a situation or a hurt, or you are just plain grumpy, it's time to open your heart to love. Love grows into forgiveness, gives hope to others, and draws you nearer to Christ. [email protected] Daily Jot: Your good citizenship matters - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com There is much discussed and written about how the United States is under judgment and how the nation needs to repent. The news media and politicians usually are angered greatly by these assertions. "Certainly, it is those right wing Christian lunatics at it again," they might say. Everyone and anyone has license to ridicule those who believe that the moral decay of our nation found across political parties as well as entertainment, media, business, education and other fields could be reasons that our nation is facing sure financial crisis, a media crisis, a breakdown of the family, a marriage crisis, a murder crisis, especially of the unborn, and continuous threat from Islamic terrorists. In all fairness, perhaps Christians too often attribute this condition to God when much of the problems of this nation have been brought on by ourselves--we, as citizens. There are just certain principles that apply. If you spend more than you take in, you are in debt; if you allow the breakdown of the family structure, your society will reflect it; if your choices go against good wisdom, there are consequences. Enough people doing the wrong things can bring down an entire society. There is also a collective nature to a society that God judges as a reflection of the people. Now is when people hit the unsubscribe button and run out of the room screaming, "I'm a good person. I didn't support these rogues. Its not my fault." Nations endure difficulties because the people of the nation, and God's people specifically, are not living righteously. The nation suffers because of the condition of the people, and the nation also suffers because of the condition of the leadership. One good example is found in Ezekiel 22:30, "And I sought for a man among them, that should build up the wall, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none." Another is Proverbs 29:2, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked bear rule, the people mourn." You see, both people and leaders share responsibility. Set aside politics and the United States. Let's look at the Kingdom of God. If followers of the Messiah do not impact their society, what will that society look like? Jesus told us in Matthew 5:13, "You are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men." He later says that we are the light of the world, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." These are commands for action. It is those who know Jesus who are to impact the world. Good citizenship in the Kingdom of God translates to good citizenship in your nation. When it is not exercised in deed and in accountability, the nation declines or faces the consequences of its actions. Daily Devotion: His Protecting Presence - By Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. -Psalm 91:7 There are so many things we can be afraid of in life. We can be afraid to get on a plane. We can be afraid to drive a car. We can be afraid to do this or that. We can be filled with fear over just about everything. But in Psalm 91, we find this promise for believers: "Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you: (Psalm 91:7). Isn't that great to know? It isn't over until it's over. Until that time, we can go out with boldness, knowing that God is in control of our lives. I read the story of a courageous Christian who was standing before a king who wanted him to deny Christ. The king threatened, "If you don't do it, I will banish you." The Christian replied, "You can't banish me from Christ. He says He will never leave me nor forsake me." The king said, "I will confiscate your property and take it all from you." The Christian said, "My treasures are laid up on high; you cannot get them." "I will kill you," the king told him. "I have been dead forty years," the Christian answered. "I have been dead with Christ; dead to the world. My life is hid with Christ in God, and you cannot touch it." The king said, "What can you do with such a fanatic?" May God give us more Christians who know something of God's protection like this believer did. However, there is a difference between trusting the Lord and testing the Lord. Don't take unnecessary chances with your life and expect Him to bail you out. Yes, He will keep us in all of our ways-but our ways should be His ways. 
FROM THE HEART
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