Prophecy Update Newsletter
November 17, 2016
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Will the Gospel Change Things? - By Don McGee - http://raptureready.com/soap2/mcgee33.html
Tragic and hate-inspired events are happening with growing regularity in civilized countries like our own. The question some Christians are asking is this: "Can the gospel still make a difference? But, the most prophetically precise question is this: "Will the gospel still make a difference?" The distinction between the two is not about the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, but rather it is in understanding the spiritual monster that is being passed off as the gospel in these last days, and how it gives voice and inspiration to these hateful events. Understood in light of prophecy, a "yes" answer to the first question can leave people somewhat hopeless because they clearly see this is not happening. A "not much" answer to the second question shows Satan's end time tool of a mongrel version of the gospel is having great effect. Some of the statements in this article may sting a little bit, so it is necessary to preface them with a few thoughts. One: It is a fact that every preacher and teacher will be misunderstood at times, but that is a hazard that comes with the calling. Two: The gospel must always be presented with kindness and love if its message is to be heard. Three: It must also never be soft-sold or watered down to fit any culture. Four: The powerless social gospel message bears much of the blame for fostering the current and growing social unrest. People do not agree on what these things mean because they do not all use the same standard by which end-time culture and its influences are measured. When it comes to end time events Christians can be broken down into two basic groups. The smaller group consists of those who are not just knowledgeable of the Bible, but who are particularly aware of the nearly 33 percent of the Bible that was prophetic when it was written. The much larger group consists of those who don't know and make little effort to know. I believe that our readership is quite capable of interpreting current events through the lens of scripture, and will understand that the thesis of this newsletter is biblical. To begin, there is a popular but false religious belief that the Church will win the world to Jesus thus creating a global social/religious utopia which will be presented to Jesus as some kind of gift. There are several problems with this false teaching, not the least of which is that it soon becomes apparent to any objective observer that the church is not winning the world to Jesus. So if a person's faith about the future is based upon a church-inspired utopia, we ask what happens to that person's faith when they realize that the church is not doing this? Satan has provided religious people with a response to this perceived failure by giving them a false gospel that they believe will solve the ills of society. David, in Psalm 2, clearly explains how Jesus is going to rule this world. First, God the Father, not the Church, is going to give the nations of the world to Him. In Isaiah 9:6-7 we see that it is the government that will rest upon His shoulders, not the Church. Jesus will rule this world (Romans 8:16,17; Revelation 3:21, etc.), but He will do so with a rod of iron (Psalm 2, Revelation 2:26ff). I know this does not fit with the social gospel's view of the tolerate Jesus, but that does not matter. The fact is that during the Millennium He will take the reigns of this world and will force it into subjection, and we can be assured it won't be through the meaningless social gospel. Now, look at one example of how many self-professing Christian leaders are taking the wrong path in the face of social unrest. In response to the continued assassinations of police officers, pulpits and social media are filled with comments by Christians who say they just want justice, good will, etc. Then they recommend doing things that range from: Apologizing for one's race, to sympathy for murderers, to encouraging people to leave extravagant tips in restaurants, to driving through crime-infested neighborhoods and waving to people in order to be friendly. This not only has nothing to do with the gospel, but it is absurd. Just when the truth is most needed they feed people this pabulum from hell's kitchen. The lives of people will be changed by only one thing, and that is the truth. They won't be changed by feel-good appeasement, or by Christians making nonsensical comments and doing ludicrous and dangerous things. All this looks good, smells good and sounds good on its surface, but it is empty except for its inherent, self-centered vanity. But, there is something else here; something that is practically ignored by many and that is the fact that the gospel is not going to be received by most people (Matthew 7:13,14). In short, most of the people on this planet will be lost. A small gate and a narrow path is not what most people want. Most like the idea of salvation that the gospel offers, but they flat-out reject the narrow confines of discipleship the gospel demands. A wide gate and a broad way is easy and allows for a lot of individual expression in religious life, but the problem with that wide and easy way is that the end is destruction. The gospel of Jesus Christ can indeed do much regarding the social ills of the world, but its central truth will not be widely accepted because the world does not want it. Know this: most people do not want God in their lives. Instead of "Repent!" the plaintive cry is, "Everybody just needs to come together and get along..." Discipleship and revival begin with repentance. It is that simple. But the message from pulpits today is all about somebody's idea of justice, equality, sharing of wealth, etc. That message will not get a person out of their bed much less to heaven. This truth does not sit well with the social gospel crowd. They don't want to hear about wrong choices and the resulting destruction they bring. The modern "It's all about feelings" church has substituted the gospel with a social counterfeit that is spiritually impotent. There is no power in this modern message because there is no truth in it that the Holy Spirit can use for conviction. What is being presented as the gospel sounds more like a university humanities class. But, when civil tragedies happen like the racially inspired murders of white police officers the social-gospel is the first thing that many Christians pull-out and present from pulpits and social media to whoever will listen. Sadly, many young people are being sucked into this narrowing vortex of emotion-fueled false conclusions. And what makes it so tragic is that when these young people finally realize the impotence of these fallacious social arguments they tend to just "give up on religion and the church" instead of seeking the truth about this degraded world from Scripture. If there are any changes in behavior through the social gospel the changes are generally insincere, superficial and short-lived. New Orleans is a good example of this, in that this crime-ridden city has had many religiously-led re-commitments to peace, tolerance and non-violence all of which, however, were absent the demand for repentance. Of course these choreographed productions have not worked. And the reason for failure is the truth was not presented, thus the power in the message was personified in a charismatic snake-oil salesman type of leader instead of the Holy Spirit. These "hold to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power...avoid such men as these" (2 Timothy 3:1-5). We are not to become cynical, but we are also not to become fools. Modern reprobate social/religious leaders misconstrue the gospel because they not only have no idea what they are talking about, but they hate the truth. They are all about "God is love" but they vehemently dismiss any move toward repentance, discipline and responsibility. It has been said that it is spiritually nauseating to witness Christians cowering down in what is, in reality, prideful self abasement before this hideous forgery of the gospel. Their overwhelming desire seems to be to appear humble, noble and Christ-like in the eyes of whoever is angry about whatever, but in reality they have misrepresented Jesus' message. The purpose of the gospel is not to appease people, but it is to turn people to Jesus after the Holy Spirit convicts them by pointing His finger in their faces and saying, "You are the man!" (2 Samuel 12:7) It is true that what sets Christianity apart from the pagan religions is God's grace and mercy, and for all eternity we will praise God for His love that produced His grace and mercy. But, the atoning blood of Jesus is not to be handled with carelessness. It's about repentance, forgiveness and discipleship-not worldly sorrow, license and carnality. When Jesus forgave the woman taken in adultery He said, "Go and sin no more" (John 8:11). It is that last part that the vendors of the social gospel leave out of their sermons, speeches and media posts. And it is because Jesus said those words that most people refuse to accept the whole truth of the gospel. Such is the case presently in our country. The question is not whether Christians should do what they can to help people. The question, rather, has to do with how it is to be done with honesty and without compromise and appeasement. Honesty will cause Christians to ask themselves some probing questions regarding the social chaos we are seeing. For example, who is in most danger of assault, robbery, etc.; a white person stopped at a convenience store in a black neighborhood, or a black person stopped at a convenience store in a white neighborhood? Who kills more black people; white cops or black criminals? But, you see, many Christians have been so thoroughly intimidated by the secular church and its social gospel that they will not dare even ask such questions though their beloved social gospel is supposed to be so powerful and unbiased. Most community leaders refuse to think about, much less ask such questions. Interestingly, in the wake of their silence some Christians feel awkward and think they must say or do something "to show Jesus to victims of injustice." In the process they ramp-up the social gospel guilt theme which takes away from the only message that can save their souls. Sadly, the social gospel greatly influences young, gullible people. In a graduate class at a Christian university I heard a young minister who, by the way, drank the Kool-Aid long before he entered that classroom, say, "What I do is to tell my wife that when she and the kids drive through a high-crime neighborhood she is not to lock the doors on the van so we don't offend the people." Folks, this is insanity! And to think, these are the men leading many modern churches!! The first chapter of Romans has been referenced many times in these pages, and for good reason because it is a vivid 1st Century description of society in the end times. In the 18th verse Paul gives a grave warning to those who "suppress the truth in unrighteousness." And one way modern preachers and social gospel commentators do this is to reject integrity of insight. That is, they know the truth about these things, but do not have sufficient personal integrity to admit it. Take this example from the world of church-dom. Some years ago an editor published an article listing a number of things he said premillennialists must believe simply because they are premillennialists. He was wrong on each alleged pre-mill belief he listed, so I wrote him a letter in which I said I was pre-mill, that I did not believe any of those things he listed and concluded by saying I knew of no pre-mill who did. He never responded to my letter, but he did respond to a friend who had also written him with the same argument. He wrote to my friend, "You are wrong! A man who takes the pre-mill view of prophecy must believe these things! His core problem was that he refused to acknowledge the definition of pre-millennialism, whether he accepted pre-millennialism or not. He found more satisfaction in believing the false definition of pre-millennialism than he could ever find in admitting the truth. Besides that, he kept his job as editor of the publication and he remained in the good graces of his peers. After all, there is nothing like the ego-boosting recompense one receives for standing by a popular accusation even when they know it is not true. Such is the case with the social gospel perversion and its lack of integrity of insight. This also seems to be a characteristic of many politicians. Further, the base nature of humanity feeds on the social gospel's dregs and the result is often sickening. This can be seen in the way professing Christians will quite often "like" or comment positively on certain social media posts where the message is filled with sewer-filth language. The disturbing thing about this is that their consciences have been so deadened by the prevalence of that kind of thinking and language that they simply shrug their shoulders when it is brought to their attention saying, "Oh well, no big deal. That is our society, and anyway God understands." Yes, Christians should help real victims, but for someone to disagree with a political sign does not make them an offended victim of social injustice. Especially so, when the one allegedly offended viciously assaults the sign bearer. This is just one result of turning the gospel of Jesus Christ into a sociology dissertation that Tony Campolo and Brian McLaren would be proud of. Bastardizing Scripture and tagging it as "the gospel" leads one to ignore and thus tolerate hatred, murder and self-indulgence in the name of justice. In these last days Satan has successfully duped people into believing the main purpose of the church is to make people happy with life when the real purpose is to make people disciples of Jesus Christ. "Woe to those who call evil good and good evil..." (Isaiah 5:20). 
Menorah and Oil Stand Ready for Third Temple as Hanukkah Approaches - By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz - http://www.breakingisraelnews.com
"And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made, even its base, and its shaft; its cups, its knops, and its flowers, shall be of one piece with it." Exodus 25:31 (The Israel Bible™) A ritually pure oil has been carefully prepared by the nascent Sanhedrin so that the people of Israel will be ready to light the menorah should the Third Temple arrive by Hanukkah, which this year begins on December 24. "The oil is ready, so if the government decided to permit it, we are ready to go up to the Temple Mount and light the menorah," affirmed Rabbi Yaakov Savir, appointed by the Sanhedrin to oversee the complex oil-making process. He explained that lighting the menorah is actually considered a ritual offering to God: "The oil is burned just like an animal sacrifice and is considered one of the daily Temple offerings." Interestingly, the Temple itself is not actually needed to perform the commandment of lighting the menorah, though in current times it would be extremely difficult to take a menorah onto the Mount, let alone light it there, as any type of Jewish prayer is not permitted. However, the Sanhedrin remains hopeful. "We can do this part of the Temple service on the Temple Mount right now without building a Temple. We are preparing the oil now, so that if the situation suddenly arises, we will be ready to perform this mitzvah (Torah commandment)," Rabbi Savir told Breaking Israel News. According to the Torah, the Temple menorah should be made out of beaten gold. Lacking such a menorah, one made of any type of metal is kosher to be used in the Temple. The Temple Institute has built a replica of the original Temple menorah, but it is made of wood, and thus not suited for use in the Temple. If the need for the Temple menorah suddenly arises, the Institute has a metal replica as well. In a few weeks, all of Israel will be recreating the Temple mitzvah in their homes when they light the eight-branched domestic version of the seven-branched Temple menorah. Lighting the Hanukkah menorah is the only time Jews are commanded to recreate an aspect of the Temple service in their homes. Ayal Kellman, manager of the Israel365 Store, noted that many non-Jews also purchase menorahs, either to participate in the mitzvah of lighting or simply to show love for Israel and the Jewish people. "In addition to being used for ritual observance, the menorah can also be a public display of support for Israel, as it is the official state emblem, and is often displayed in synagogues, homes and churches around the world," Kellman told Breaking Israel News. Rabbi Hillel Weiss, spokesman for the nascent Sanhedrin, emphasized the importance of the menorah in connecting individuals to the Temple. "God arranged it so the holiday of Hanukkah comes just after the harvest of the olives," Rabbi Weiss told Breaking Israel News. "Lighting the menorah during this season, when the oil for the Temple was being prepared, connects the home to the Temple." The special oil will be lit on the sixth night of Hanukkah, the evening of December 29, with the wooden replica menorah. The ceremony will take place in Jerusalem, and Kohanim (men of the priestly caste) dressed in their priestly garb will light the oil, just as their ancestors did in the Temple. The Biblically-mandated process for preparing the oil is complicated, and Rabbi Savir has made small batches for several years, working at recreating the exact process used by priests when the Temple was standing. "The Torah specifies that the olives are pounded. No other means of extracting the oil is permitted by halacha (Torah law)," explained Rabbi Savior. And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually. Exodus 27:20 "After pounding them individually, the olives are allowed to sit for several days without any pressing so the oil can drain out of them. The yield is very low, only about two percent, but the quality, measured by the oil's acidity, is far superior to any other method." On Wednesday, assisted by a group of volunteers, Rabbi Savir prepared 45 pounds of olives, which should produce a little over two and a half quarts of oil. Rabbi Savir explained his motives for making the Biblically-mandated oil. "There is an opinion that the Temple will come down from heaven without any effort on our part. That is not my opinion, though I would not be upset if that happened," he told Breaking Israel News. "It is clear though, that the Temple will be rebuilt. It may happen sooner or it may happen later, but people are becoming more conscious of the Temple, studying about it, and the number of visitors to the Temple Mount is rising rapidly. It is inevitable that the will of the people, their desire to build the Temple, will become a reality." When it does, the menorah - and its oil - will be ready. 
Iran Pressuring Palestinian Jihadists to Resume Terrorism Against Israel - by Aaron Klein and Ali Waked - http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2016/11/17/exclusive-source-iran-pressuring-palestinian-jihadists-resume-terrorism-israel/
Iran has been prodding Palestinian jihadists to resume hostilities against Israel, a Palestinian security official told Breitbart Jerusalem. He said that Palestinian security services have noticed increased efforts on the part of the Iran-financed Islamic Jihad terrorist organization in Gaza to recruit West Bank operatives, especially in and around the cities of Hebron and Jenin. Palestinian Authority officials have been prevented from operating in Gaza since the 2007 coup in which Hamas seized control of the territory, but according to intelligence collected by the PA, Iranian Revolutionary Guard officials have pressured Islamic Jihad to set up a terrorist infrastructure in the West Bank. The official states that Iran, encouraged by Hamas' success in restoring its infrastructure in the West Bank, charged Hezbollah with recruiting militants formerly associated with Fatah's military wing, and has more recently turned to Islamic Jihad in hopes that the terror group would rebuild its own West Bank infrastructure, which was left in ruins at the end of the second intifada. Last week, the Israeli media reported that members of an Islamic Jihad cell were arrested after they planned to carry out an attack on a wedding in the south of Israel and kidnap soldiers. Among the detainees were an Islamic Jihad operative who was arrested upon attempting to enter Israel as an international businessman, two Palestinians who resided in Israel illegally, and an Arab Israeli man. The Palestinian official said that the Islamic Jihad operative's cover was blown when he insisted on entering Israel despite having lost contact with his collaborators, who had been arrested. "It's unclear why he didn't suspect that the reason they disappeared was that they had been arrested," he said. "For two weeks they were in detention, and he all the same insisted on reaching the Erez Crossing, between Gaza and Israel." He said that Iran's attempts to rekindle Islamic Jihad's terrorist activity are likely to continue. He also said that an Islamic Jihad activist who was recently arrested near Jenin said that he had been recruited by Gaza operatives and told interrogators that some of the group's funds originated in Iran. 
Palestinians: A Generation Raised on Hate Will Never Compromise with Israel - By Khaled Abu Toameh - http://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=809
Last week, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas tipped his hand concerning his ultimatum on any revival of the peace process with Israel. "I'm 81 years old and I'm not going to end my life drooping, making concessions or selling out." Thus declared a defiant Abbas at a rally in Ramallah, marking the 12th anniversary of the death of his predecessor, Yasser Arafat. Abbas in this way relayed to the hundreds of Palestinians who gathered in Ramallah to commemorate Arafat: "I have no intention of going down in history as a leader who compromised with Israel." Like Arafat, Abbas would rather die intransigent than achieve a peaceful settlement with Israel. Yet the position of the two Palestinian leaders is deeply rooted in the Palestinian tradition and culture, in which any concession to or compromise with Israel is considered an act of high treason. Upon returning to Ramallah in the summer of 2000, after following the botched Camp David summit, Arafat explained his decision to reject the offer made by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak. According to Arafat, Barak wanted the Palestinians to make concessions concerning Jerusalem and its holy sites. "He who relinquishes one grain of soil of the land of Jerusalem does not belong to our people," Arafat announced. "We want all of Jerusalem, all of it, all of it. Revolution until victory!" At Camp David, Arafat and his negotiators demanded full sovereignty over the entire West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, including its holy sites and the Jewish Quarter in the Old City. They also repeated their long-standing demand that the "right of return" for Palestinian refugees be fully implemented, allowing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to flock into Israel. Barak, for his part, is said to have offered the Palestinians a state that would be established on 91% of the West Bank, large parts of East Jerusalem and the entire Gaza Strip. What is certain is that Barak wanted the Palestinian leader to make some concessions on the explosive issues of Jerusalem and refugees. The Camp David summit failed the moment Arafat realized that he was not going to get all of his demands met. Arafat later informed his confidants that he walked out of the summit because he did not want to go down into history as a leader who succumbed to Israeli and American pressure. Fast-forward 16 years: Abbas stands near Arafat's grave in Ramallah and spouts similar sentiments. Vowing to continue in Arafat's path and honor his legacy, Abbas said that these days he was being "inspired" by his predecessor's "determination" and "resolve." Abbas is at least up-front in his intentions. No one, he says unashamedly -- not the Israelis nor the Americans nor the Europeans -- ought to harbor any illusions. "Peace" with the Palestinians, says Abbas, means Israel fulfilling each and every demand he -- and Arafat -- has made. "Peace," in other words, with no Palestinian concessions. Arafat continues to enjoy massive popularity among Palestinians because he died without "selling out" to Israel. His hero status hinges on his rejectionism at Camp David. Had Arafat accepted Barak's offer at that summit, he would have been condemned as a "pawn" in the hands of the Israelis and Americans, a failed leader who betrayed his people. Abbas's self-fashioning himself in the guise of Arafat is not new. For many years, he has been following in the footsteps of Arafat and honoring his legacy. Moreover, Abbas is well aware that, like Arafat, he is not authorized by his people to make any concessions to Israel. This is not merely because Abbas is now in his 12th year of a four-year-term in office. Even if Abbas were a legitimate president, no concessions to Israel would be forthcoming. Arafat was quoted back then as saying that he rejected the Barak offer because he did not want to end up drinking tea with assassinated Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, the first Arab leader to sign a peace agreement with Israel. Thus, Abbas is in no hurry to return to the negotiating table with Israel. Indeed, for Abbas, there is no negotiation -- only demands. He knows that concessions on his part would result in being spat upon by his people -- or killed. Hence the PA president has in recent years avoided even the pretense of negotiations with Israel, and instead has poured his energies into strong-arming the international community to impose a solution on Israel -- one that would indeed supply the Palestinians with nearly all their demands. Abbas and the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah want the international community to hand them what Israel will not give them at the negotiating table. Abbas is hoping to achieve his goal through international conferences on the Middle East, like the one being floated around by France, or through the United Nations and other international agencies and institutions. In fact, this has been Abbas's sole strategy in recent years: a diplomatic war in the international arena that is aimed at isolating and delegitimizing Israel, in order to force it to comply with all Palestinian demands. Of course, this strategy has its risks. Yet, if it fails, Abbas will at least depart the scene without being branded with the scarlet letter of "traitor." His successor, he hopes, will stand next to his grave and pledge to follow in his footsteps, as he himself has done for Arafat. And this is not an idle hope. Thanks to decades of indoctrination and anti-Israel rhetoric, for which both Arafat and Abbas are also responsible, Palestinians have been radicalized to the point where it is impossible to identify a single leader who would negotiate in good faith with Israel. Under the current circumstances, any attempt by the Obama Administration -- in its remaining months in power -- to support a United Nations vote in favor of a Palestinian state will be seen as a reward to those Palestinians who are opposed to a resumption of peace negotiations with Israel. Many in Europe, particularly France, seem be aching to do just that -- as a "present" to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to show how submissive the French can be; to encourage more "business" with Arab and Muslim states, and, they might hope, to deter more terrorist attacks. Actually, if the members of the UN Security Council declare a Palestinian state unilaterally, they are encouraging more terrorist attacks: the terrorists will see that attacks "work" and embark on more of them to help the jihadi takeover of Europe go even faster. The Obama Administration (and the next US Administration) need to make it clear to Abbas and the Palestinians that the only way to achieve a state is through direct negotiations with Israel, and not additional UN resolutions. Similarly, the French would do well to abandon their plan for convening an international conference on peace in the Middle East. They need to understand that Abbas and the Palestinians are hoping to use the conference as an excuse to stay away from the negotiating table with Israel -- the only country that could really help the Palestinians achieve a state through direct talks. Declaring a Palestinian state in the Security Council only makes them look as if their actual goal is to destroy Israel by allying "two sides of the Mediterranean" against Israel -- and they know it. They would be fooling no one. The message that needs to be relayed to the Palestinians is that UN resolutions and international conferences will not bring them closer to achieving their aspirations. Another message that needs to be driven home to the Palestinian leadership is that without preparing their people for peace and compromise with Israel, the whole idea of a two-state solution is meaningless. An entire Palestinian generation has been raised on the poisonous idea that even the consideration of compromise with Israel is traitorous. The next US Administration might do well to consider this unpleasant reality. 
Heal Our Nation - Nathele Graham - [email protected]
"With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness." Isaiah 26:9. The United States of America has just faced a grueling presidential election. A lot was riding on the outcome and many Christians were in earnest prayer seeking God's guidance. I was one of those people and I hope you were too. For the last eight years, the President of this nation has waged a war against God and the values that Christians hold dear, such as the sanctity of life and the God ordained one man/one woman marriage. Our Constitution has been shredded as liberal judges stepped outside of their Constitutional bounds in order to impose their own perverted ideas morality. Most Americans have never read the Constitution so there was little outrage. On Tuesday, November 8, 2016, Americans voted against the destruction of America when Hillary Clinton was defeated in her bid for the White House. Christians prayed and God has given us another chance to be a nation that blesses God. Is Donald Trump the perfect man for the job? Well, he's against everything that Obama and Hillary stand for, and that's a very good thing. Is he a perfect person? Of course he isn't. He's human with failures like everyone. Mr. Trump claims to have accepted Christ as his Saviour, and that's a blessing for him and for this nation. One of the most moving pictures I saw just prior to the election was Mr. Trump surrounded by people laying hands on him and praying. That's a good beginning, and as we move forward into his presidency, it will become clear if his conversion was real. God knows for sure. With the election over, it's time for America to heal. The wounds that Obama inflicted upon America almost caused the death of this great nation, but God has given us another chance to be a nation that rejects satanic ways and honors 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. Christians make up a large portion of the population of America. By accepting Christ as our Saviour we have become sons of God and we belong to Him. While we live on this side of Heaven we need to do all that's within our power to ensure that this nation doesn't fail God. It's important that Christians in every nation live their faith so that God is honored. Americans have much to thank our Lord for, including our freedom of religion. That's a protection in our Constitution. The past eight years have seen that freedom trampled upon as sin has been glorified and God has been openly mocked. Christians have been criminalized because we believe God's word, recognize sin, and don't want anyone to spend eternity in the Lake of Fire. The last eight years have seen our rights being diminished and the blessings that come from being a nation that honors God have been weakened. Satan is behind those who mock God and weak minded puppets were easily led down the path of destruction. It took the fear of Hillary Clinton being elected President to bring Christians to their knees in prayer for God to change the course of this nation. God answered our prayer and now it's time to heal. That will happen if Christians continue in prayer. We also need to examine our own lives and live to please God. "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." Proverbs 29:2. The last eight years under Obama have been cause to mourn. Will Donald Trump be a righteous leader? Time will tell, but he needs our continual prayer. The disturbing thing is the reaction some Americans have to Mr. Trump's election. Over the last few days since the election I've read many articles and watched many videos about the election results hoping to find people rejoicing. People have reacted in astonishing ways. One college professor told his students that they didn't have to take their exams if they were too upset by the election results, there have been riots, and newscasters (who are supposed to report the news) are openly shocked that Hillary lost. The comments below most articles are also astonishing. The language is vulgar and the messages are filled with anger and hatred. Surprisingly, these comments are written by men and women who claim to be conservatives, and some even claim to be Christians. It's shameful, and surely the result of the satanic leadership that has influenced America. One of the most insulting things Hillary Clinton said during her campaign was to call those who supported Mr. Trump "deplorables", but that's exactly how many people are acting. That has to stop. "Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ" Philippians 1:27a. Brothers and sisters, let's be leaders in healing this nation. Stop the name calling and stop the vicious hatred. These actions don't reflect the Gospel of Christ. Remove vulgar words from your lips, and speak in Christian love. Let's get busy living Godly lives that show Christian values to the dark and evil world around us. It's time that Christians begin to walk in fellowship with God. There has been a decline of Godly values in America, and even Christians have sided with Satan rather than opposing the wickedness in our government. "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." Psalm 9:17. The leadership of a nation reflects the attitude of the people, especially in a nation wherein the people elect the leaders. Will Mr. Trump show leadership based upon Christian values that America needs? He is certainly surrounding himself with respected Christian people, such as Dr. Ben Carson. That shows wisdom and a desire to do right before God. Mr. Trump will certainly make mistakes, and the satanically inspired press will be sure to point out every error. What Mr. Trump needs now is our prayers. We prayed and God answered by coming against Hillary Clinton. Now Christians need to turn from our own wickedness and begin fresh in our walk with God. "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. God promised this to Israel, but the challenge was to those who are His people and called by His name. I'm a Christian and I take His name seriously. Do you? Sin in our life hampers our fellowship with God and we all need to turn from any wickedness that we embrace. Brothers and sisters, seek the Lord daily and turn away from whatever sin is controlling your life. We humbly prayed, or maybe we prayed in desperation, and God answered our prayer. Those prayers should not stop. In the recent past, the president embraced sin and even Christians began to accept the unacceptable. There was a remnant who stood opposed to the evil inundating our government and our nation. Hillary Clinton was defeated and the evil turned aside. The healing of our nation has begun, but we need to follow through on our part. Each of us can be a leader of righteousness in our own community if we live for Christ. Seek God's face and live to honor Him. The fight isn't over. I am neither naïve enough to think that Mr. Trump is the answer to everything, nor blind enough to think that Hillary was. I've heard Hillary's stance on abortion and her angry "it doesn't matter" speech about Benghazi. I also heard Bill Clinton say that Hillary communes with Eleanor Roosevelt, and that's a satanic practice. Brothers and sisters, our fight is not against people but against the powers of darkness and this fight is ongoing. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12. Satan is our enemy, not people. Many celebrities promised to leave this nation if Mr. Trump won. They are all going back on their word and will be doing their best to be Satan's voice in America. Stop buying their music, stop watching their movies, stop watching their satanic rituals during half-time at the Super Bowl. These people need our prayers, not our animosity, but we need to stop supporting them. Put on the spiritual weapons needed to fight this spiritual battle. "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." Ephesians 6;13. Fight like a Christian...with prayer and love, but do not compromise. We can't expect God to heal this nation if Christians don't repent and truly seek God's face. Don't join in the anger that is being flung about by those who supported Hillary. Show Christ's love wherever possible. "If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men." Romans 12:18. Keep Jesus first in your life and let those who are rioting and spewing hatred see Christ living in you. Maybe your example will bring them to repentance, but you need to be separate from the sin around you. Heavenly Father, 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. 
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 
Giving God the Credit - J.L. Robb - http://www.omegaletter.com/articles/articles.asp?ArticleID=8338
I haven't watched much professional football this year because I am protesting. The TV ratings are at an all-time low in recent history, and the team owners seem at a loss as to why? Maybe the presidential election will help them figure it out. Most Americans are patriots. Many of us are veterans. We love God, we love his Holy Son, we love our flag and we love our country. Most of us are not liberals about all facets of life and believe there are rules that God set out several millennia ago. To the NFL owners: if you wish to improve ratings, then you should consider firing your employees who publicly defame our national symbols. It's poor marketing. Over the years, one of the things I've noticed about professional football and sometimes college, is the narcissistic displays when one scores a touchdown. They might dance, they might point at themselves, it's all about them. Fortunately many of the athletes will occasionally acknowledge The Almighty with a humble salute to Heaven. I don't think anyone has God figured out, at least I do not. I study His book, both the Old Testament and New Testament and spend a lot of time trying to figure out what He meant by certain things that He said or actions that He took. But one thing I have noticed is that God does not brag, and He does not do a little dance when he performs a great miracle for us. Even though our world is all about God to two-thirds of Earth's population, He never pats himself on the back about His abilities. He did, however, cover the subject in the first two Commandments that He gave to Moses: And God spoke all these words: "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. "You shall have no other gods before[a] me. "You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. Exodus 20:1-6 NIV "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery." This seems like a simple enough statement that God gave to the Children of Israel. It was a blanket statement that He had their backs. He was their tent of protection against all odds and barriers. He had worked the world's greatest miracles before the eyes of the pharaohs of Egypt and his chosen people, the Hebrews, the descendants of Abraham. Did God get credit? Did God get appreciation? I think not. Bringing the Hebrew people out of Egypt and from under the thumb of the narcissistic, cruel pharaoh must have been a sight to see, one plague after another; but as it says in the prophecies concerning the last days and how it will be, the worse it got the more defiant Pharaoh became toward God. Bring it on was his apparent desire, and The Almighty did just that. He does not like ridicule or rebellion toward Him. Are we listening? But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 NIV The Children of Israel did not give God credit for the wonders He worked and began complaining to Moses about their new freedom. They gave Moses credit and complained that they had good food, safe shelter, everything was dandy as a slave to Pharaoh. Try to imagine waking up one morning, leaving for work and when you pass over the local river, it is as red as blood. You walk in the office, hit the water fountain button and blood-red water comes out... and it smells like death. A few days later there are plagues of flies and gnats and frogs as more and more animals in the water die as did those animals who drank from the streams and lakes. A few days later there are the worst hailstorms in memory and thousands of animals and people are killed. Finally, after the straw-that-broke-the-camel's-back, a plague of darkness and death as the Children of Israel were instructed to swipe lamb's blood on their doorways, hits the land. The lamb's blood on the doorway would let the Angel of Death know they were the chosen and would "pass over" them. This final plague is described today in the scientific community, much the way other supernatural occurrences are explained: It did not happen like the Bible claimed though something happened, something Mother Nature caused. Mother Nature gets the credit, not God; but since they, the scientific community, believe this to be so, the story must be changed. They, like Pharaoh, resist the truth because it is beyond their imaginations. Scientists need natural laws that cannot be altered. This last plague does present a challenge for science when defined the way Exodus defined the near collapse of the Egyptian Empire. Science theories range from a carbon monoxide cloud to a carbon dioxide cloud and to some, sulphur dioxide? If the cloud had a sulfur component, I am sure the smell would have been mentioned. But this last plague was much more than a poisonous cloud. It was a cloud that somehow avoided seeping into the abodes of the Hebrews, though the construction of the homes of these slaves would have certainly had openings and leaks through which the gas would naturally penetrate. How would the poisonous cloud know not to penetrate the shoddy Hebrew homes but to penetrate Pharaoh's and the other Egyptian homes? Then there is another problem: how would this cloud of poison know to kill only the first born sons of the Egyptian population, as well as only the first born of the livestock? At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well. 30 Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead. Exodus 12:29-30 NIV This time Pharaoh listened and did give God the credit. The scientific community of which many give God little credit for anything, cannot explain how this supposed poisonous cloud could depict second born from first born. God is humble when He wants to be, but he calls us blessed if we are humble. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5 NIV Humility is not an easy thing. When we get a new hair-doo or new suit, it is hard to not feel like we look good! Riding around in a shiny, new car gives us an air of achievement. I am guilty myself, though now that I recognize that flaw, I am working on it. Every day it seems I discover yet another flaw. It is important that we give God credit for all He does for us. He did create the universe somehow, because it wasn't always here. He did create a planet that has all the ingredients for life as we know it: just the proper breathable atmosphere, just the proper livable temperature range, seed-bearing plants and animals to help with our burdens. Science seems to think this could happen anywhere in the Universe under the "right" circumstances. It hasn't happened in our solar system, only planet Earth. We spend billions world-wide to find life somewhere else in the Universe but to no avail. We need to give God credit. He is a jealous God. 
Daily Jot: The real truth with the Electoral College - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com
America is not a democracy. I know that may shock some people, including some one-world order president's we've had in the last 30 years. Democracy is the rule of the majority, irrespective of the law. Similar to what we have seen in the White House over the past ten years-might makes right, ignoring the laws that don't suit the agenda because you can. That's not America's Constitutional form of government. The US is a representative Republic. A Republic is governed by elected representatives according to the rule of law. This unique concept of American government is carried through to the Electoral College to ensure that all people are fairly and equally represented in the presidential election. Our American form of government is actually derived from Exodus 18:21 where Jethro advised Moses: "Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens." There are 435 elected representatives in the House of Representatives. There are two senators per state, totaling 100. Likewise, there are 535 electors plus three for Washington, DC., in the Electoral College. As provided by Article 2 of the Constitution, Electors cannot be officeholders, and 29 states plus Washington DC require their electors to vote for the winner in their jurisdiction. The Electoral College was established so that there would be fair representation of the states in the presidential election. Keeping the Electoral College is smart because population centers could control who becomes president. For example, New York and California could get together and control every election with the populations they have, but the Electoral College prevents that and ensures that the people in every state are represented. It's not fair or right to have immense blocks of the population have more of a say than those who live in less populated areas. The representation of the vote should be commensurate with representation in Congress. This is how a Republic ensures the rights of all of its citizens. There have been five times in US history where a president has lost the popular vote, but won the presidency-John Quincy Adams in 1824; Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876; Benjamin Harrison in 1888; George W. Bush in 2000; and Donald J. Trump in 2016. In this year's election, it would appear that Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by about a million votes, although media outlets are not reporting official results as yet. The Electoral College prevents a candidate from running up the score in a specific area to win an election. It means that your vote counts whether it is in New York or Montana. The Electoral College stands in the breech against anarchists and communists taking over the presidency by vote stacking in various states and big cities. 
Daily Devotion: How Unforgiveness Hurts You - Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.-Ephesians 4:32 If you're someone who holds grudges, if you keep score and can't let things go, then you need to know something: You will suffer in life. You also will see your prayer life come to a screeching halt. Forgiveness is the key to all healthy, strong, and lasting relationships. That's why we must realize how important it is to forgive. Jesus said, "So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God" (Matthew 5:23-24). Maybe you've decided that you won't forgive someone who has wronged you. Guess who will be the one to get hurt? You will. Harboring resentment and unforgiveness will hurt you more than the person you're refusing to forgive. If you want to be healthy and vibrant spiritually, then you must learn to forgive. Jesus taught us to pray, "Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us" (Matthew 6:12). You may think they don't deserve forgiveness. But do you? Do I? No, we don't. Our forgiveness doesn't hinge on forgiving others, but forgiving others should hinge on God's gracious and generous forgiveness toward us. The forgiveness that comes to us from Christ is based on His merit and on His death and His love for us. If we know anything about what Christ has done for us, then we should forgive others. The Bible says, "Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:32). Forgiven people should be forgiving people. And if you want to be healthy and vibrant spiritually, then you must learn to forgive. 
FROM THE HEART
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