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The Fullness of Sin Part 2 - By Randy Nettles - https://www.raptureready.com/2020/11/12/the-fullness-of-sin-part-2-by-randy-nettles/
In my last article, the fullness of sin of the Antediluvian people (neither Jew nor Gentile) was discussed, as well as the fullness of the Gentiles’ sin (Sodom and Gomorrah). In this part, we will discuss the fullness of sin of the Jews, which came in three waves, before God’s judgment (at the hands of the Assyrians and Babylonians) befell them. The first wave began during the time when judges ruled the children of Israel after the death of Joshua, the servant of the Lord, and continued through the first three kings of the united kingdom of Israel. “When all that generation [of Joshua] were gathered unto their fathers, there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor the works which he had done for Israel. Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals: and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger. They forsook the Lord and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. “And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel. So He delivered them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies. Wherever they went out, the hand of the Lord was against them for calamity, as the Lord had said, and as the Lord had sworn to them. And they were greatly distressed” (Judges 2:10-15). The children of Israel did exactly what Moses prophesied they would do in Deuteronomy 31. This prophecy occurred before Moses died and Joshua led the Israelites into the promised land of Canaan. Moses said, “For I know your rebellion and your stiff neck. If today, while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the Lord, then how much more after my death? Gather to me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their hearing and call heaven and earth to witness against them. For I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you. And evil will befall you in the latter days, because you will do evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke Him to anger through the work of your hands” (Deuteronomy 31:27-29). Moses knew the children of Israel would break the laws of the Ten Commandments, especially the first two: You shall have no other gods before me and you shall not make idols. However, the Lord did not completely abandon His chosen people. The Lord raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those who spoiled them. The people would repent for a while and worship the Lord and follow his commandments, but when the judge died, the people would corrupt themselves more than their fathers in following other gods. This cycle continued for hundreds of years during the time of the judges. Samuel was the last of the judges who ruled Israel, before the time of the kings. He was a righteous person who listened to the voice of God even as a youth. He was the first true prophet of God amongst the children of Israel (besides Moses). When Samuel was old, the people made his two sons judges over Israel. “And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre [dishonest gain], and took bribes, and perverted judgment. Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, and said unto him, Behold, you are old, and your sons walk not in your ways, now make us a king to judge us like all the nations” (1 Samuel 8:3-4). This demand displeased Samuel, so he prayed unto the Lord. “And the Lord said unto Samuel, listen to the people for they have not rejected you but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them. According to all the works which they have done since the day that I brought them out of Egypt even unto this day; wherefore they have forsaken me, and served other gods, so do they also do unto you” (1 Samuel 8:7-8). Samuel tried to persuade the people against this action, but they would not listen. “The people said, No, but we will have a king over us; that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles!” (Samuel 18:19-20). The Lord told Samuel to hearken unto their voice and make them a king. Under the guidance of the Lord, Samuel anointed a man named Saul. Saul was of the tribe of Benjamin, and his father Kish was said to be a mighty man of power. Here is how 1 Samuel 9:2 describes Saul: “Saul was a choice young man, and a goodly [handsome]; and there was not among the children of Israel a goodlier person than he: from his shoulders and upward he was higher than any of the people [very tall].” The Lord chose Saul to demonstrate to Samuel and the children of Israel not to judge a person by their looks or their family lineage, but by their heart. “For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart [spirit]” (1 Samuel 16:7). King Saul initially proved himself to be a good military leader. Under his leadership, Israel defeated the armies of Moab, Ammon, Edom, Zobah, and had some success against the Philistines. However, in spiritual matters, he was a poor leader. Several times Saul did not keep the commandments of the Lord and made excuses for his disobedience. After one of these instances, Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly: you have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which he commanded you: for the Lord would have established your kingdom upon Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue: the Lord has sought him a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be a captain over his people, because you have not kept that which the Lord commanded you” (1 Samuel 13:13). Of course, the man after God’s own heart was David, the son of Jesse, from the tribe of Judah. David demonstrated this spirit as a young lad when he fought against the giant Goliath, a Philistine. Most people know this story that is told in 1 Samuel 17, so I will just touch on a few particulars. Goliath stands out as a special adversary of the Lord and His people; an anti-Christ if you will. Symbolically, he even had the anti-Christ’s special number, 666, attached to him. According to 1 Samuel 17:4-7, Goliath had a height of 6 cubits, had 6 pieces of armor, and his iron spearhead weighed 600 shekels, thus 666. Goliath was also a blasphemer of the Lord God. As the armies of the Philistines and Israel gathered for battle, Goliath came forward and defied the armies of Israel with his speech. He challenged any of the warriors of Israel to a one-on-one fight. The winner would take all, and the loser would become their slaves. When Saul and all Israel heard the words of Goliath, they were dismayed and greatly afraid. Goliath presented himself and his challenge to the Israelites twice a day for 40 days with no response from Saul or his men, until the young man David arrived on the scene. “Then David said to Saul, Let no man’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:32). Saul reluctantly agreed to let David fight the giant. As the two drew near one another, the Philistine cursed David by his gods. “And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!” (1 Samuel 17:44). David responded with some of the greatest words in all the Bible, which clearly showed he was indeed a man after God’s own heart: “You come to me with a sword, and a spear, and with a shield; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of heaven, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into mine hand, and I will smite you, and take your head from you; and I will give the carcasses of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth; that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. And all this assembly shall know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear: for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give you into our hands” (1 Samuel 17:45-47). “Of course, everyone knows what happened next. David killed Goliath with a sling and a stone and chopped off the giant’s head. The outcome of the fight and subsequent battle (slaughter of the Philistines) was exactly as David had foretold to Goliath and the army of the Philistines. The battle belonged to the Lord! God had used a mere boy to defeat a ten-foot giant (with armor and sword) and win the battle for his people. This was the beginning of the end of Saul’s leadership, as his jealousy of David began to consume him, and his apostasy towards the Lord grew.” {1} Samuel’s prophecy regarding Saul’s kingdom and legacy proved true, as Saul and his sons died in battle against the Philistines in 1010 B.C. God then raised up David as king of Israel. David was Israel’s greatest king and was a mighty man of God, both spiritually and militarily. After Saul’s death, David went to Hebron where the people of Judah anointed him king. However, the northern tribes continued to follow Ishbosheth (Saul’s son) for another 7.5 years, until his kingdom finally collapsed. In the year 1003 B.C., David assumed the throne as king over all 12 tribes of Israel and made Jerusalem his capital. “David successfully conquered Israel’s enemies, built a royal palace, and secured the material prosperity of his kingdom. Even more importantly, he brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem and placed it in the tabernacle. God made a covenant with David, promising the eternal reign of his descendants (2 Samuel 7). David experienced great success and committed great sins, including violating the 6th and 7th commandments of murder and adultery (2 Samuel 11); but because he repented (2 Samuel 12), his descendant the Messiah now sits on David’s throne (Acts 2:30-36)” {2} Not only was David a great warrior, but he was also a great prayer warrior. Psalm 51 is a plea for mercy, forgiveness, and cleansing that David prayed to God after Nathan the prophet confronted him regarding his terrible sins. “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to your loving kindness, according unto the multitude of your tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with your free spirit” (Psalm 51:1-4). God forgave David, as He does for every believer in Jesus Christ who sincerely asks for it and turns from their sins. Sin committed will always have consequences. You will reap what you sow, but God will forgive you no matter how great your sins are. David’s sins had repercussions for his family, nation, and himself, but God restored him as Israel’s greatest king. David ruled in Hebron for 7 years (1010-1003 B.C.) and 33 years in Jerusalem (1003-970). He was 70 years old at his death. “Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father, and his kingdom was firmly established” (1 Kings 2:12). Solomon, the son of David and Bathsheba, became king of Israel in 970 B.C. “And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father; only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places. And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar. In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, Ask what I shall give you” (1 Kings 3:3-5). Solomon told the Lord to give him an understanding heart (wisdom) to judge the people, that he might discern between good and evil. This answer pleased the Lord, and God said unto him: “Behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you. And I have also given you what you have not asked; both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. So if you walk in my ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days” (1 Kings 3:12-15). Solomon’s first act as king of Israel (and before his dream) was to marry the daughter of the Pharaoh of Egypt. This was, in essence, seen as a pact or treaty between the two nations. This act of marrying wives of foreign nations started a habit that would last for the rest of Solomon’s life. David’s last words to Solomon was to keep the charge of the Lord your God, and to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes and commandments, and His judgment, and His testimonies, as is written in the law of Moses. One of these statutes is found in Exodus 34: “Take heed to yourself, beware lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, wherever you go, lest it be a snare in the midst of you; and you go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call you, and you eat of his sacrifice; and you take of their daughters unto your sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make your sons go a whoring after their gods. You shall make you no molten gods” (Exodus 34:12-12). Solomon inherited the fruits of his father’s labors (wars). This was truly the golden age of Israel. “Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing. For he (Solomon) had dominion over all the region on this side of the River from Tiphsah even to Gaza, namely over all the kings on this side of the River; and he had peace on every side all around him. And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, each man under his vine and his fig tree, from Dan as far as Beersheba, all the days of Solomon. God granted Solomon’s request for wisdom. “And God gave Solomon wisdom and exceedingly great understanding and largeness of heart like the sand and seashore. Thus Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the men of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt. And men of all nations, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom, came to hear the wisdom of Solomon” (1 Kings 4:29-30;34). God also added great wealth to Solomon, for he was pleased with Solomon’s request for wisdom. “The weight of gold that came to Solomon yearly was 666 talents of gold, besides that from the traveling merchants, from the income of traders, from all the kings of Arabia, and from the governors of the country. So King Solomon surpassed all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom” (1 Kings 10:14-15, 23). Solomon initially proved to be a wise and understanding king. His greatest achievement was building the Temple in Jerusalem, which began in 966 B.C. (1 Kings 6:1-9) and was completed in 7 years. The Temple was one of the most magnificent structures of the ancient world. It was built on Mount Moriah in the very spot where Abraham almost sacrificed Isaac and where David had built an altar to the Lord. Unfortunately, Solomon did not heed the last words of his earthly father, David; nor did he obey the word of the Lord regarding this matter: “Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites – from the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel, You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods. Solomon clung to these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. “For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidionians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not fully follow the Lord, as did his father David. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon. And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. “So the Lord became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the Lord had commanded. Therefore the Lord said to Solomon, Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. “Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your son. However I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen” (1 Kings 11:1-13). This was the beginning of the end for the united kingdom of Israel due to their rapidly approaching fullness of sins against the Lord their God. The sins of Solomon, the wisest man in the Old Testament, would leave a lasting legacy on the future generations of the kings of Israel. Solomon traded the wisdom of God for the foolishness of man (and women). Solomon ruled Israel for 40 years (as did David and Saul) before his death in 930 B.C. Solomon did not receive the conditional promise of the Lord regarding living a long life. “So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days: (1 Kings 3:14). The Bible doesn’t record his age at death, but he was probably 60 or younger. I assume this because of the following verse in 1 Kings during the time of Solomon’s dream and conversation with God: “Now, O Lord my God, You have made Your servant king instead of my father David, but I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in” (1 Kings 3:7). In the next article, we will look at the second and third waves of the fullness of sin regarding the divided nations of the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah as it builds up to an unstoppable crescendo of apostasy. Randy Nettles [email protected] Endnotes: [1] https://www.raptureready.com/2015/10/20/spirit-lord-part-2-randy-nettles/ . {2} When and Where in the Bible and Throughout History by E. Michael and Sharon Rusten – Tyndale Publishing pg. 20 Hezbollah’s Precision Strike Missile Program Is an Explosive Regional Threat - by Yaakov Lappin - https://www.algemeiner.com/2020/11/19/hezbollahs-precision-strike-missile-program-is-an-explosive-regional-threat/ The arrival of the first of four new German-made warships in Israel next month provides some clues about Hezbollah’s increasingly accurate firepower. One of the primary missions of the new Sa’ar 6-type Corvettes will be to protect offshore gas drilling rigs in Israel’s economic waters. According to Israeli navy officials, some 70% of Israel’s electricity consumption today is based on gas, meaning that if the natural gas rigs are shut down due to attack, Israel shuts down. Disruptions to the transfer of natural gas from the rigs to power production plants is therefore not something that Israel can afford. The new ships are equipped with advanced air defense systems and powerful radar, designed to detect and track a range of threats — including fast, low-flying cruise missiles, ballistic surface-to-sea missiles and rockets, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). All of these weapons are believed to already be in Hezbollah’s arsenal. “We as a Navy cannot allow any missile, ballistic threat, cruise missile, or UAV to go through us and hit any gas rig. What we are doing is like building an iron wall in defense of the gas rigs,” one naval official said earlier in November. Hezbollah is keen on building up capabilities that can target Israel’s Mediterranean energy resources, but that same firepower also can threaten land-based strategic targets. Hezbollah’s inventory of approximately 150,000 projectiles includes some 200 long-range missiles and 3,500 medium-range rockets that can reach Tel Aviv. However, the difference between guided and unguided threats is very significant. While Israel’s air defense layers can stop many projectile attacks, a barrage of guided missiles on strategic or critical sites would pose a significantly greater challenge to the country’s infrastructure, economy, or ability to defend itself (depending on the target). According to some reports, Hezbollah is in possession of a supersonic Russian made anti-ship cruise missile, the Yakhont, having trafficked it from the Assad regime, likely with the assistance of the Iranian overseas special operations unit, the Quds Force. It also has an inventory of sub-sonic Chinese-made C-802 cruise missiles (used by Hezbollah in its 2006 conflict with Israel to strike an Israeli naval ship). If fired from the Lebanese coastline, such cruise missiles can theoretically be used to hit coastal targets in Israel, such as navy bases or civilian ports. The vast majority of Israel’s imports occur via sea lanes, underlining just how critical it is for Israel’s national security to keep the ports operational at all times. Yet the biggest potential conventional threat comes from Iranian and Hezbollah intentions to set up domestic missile production sites inside Lebanon. These sites are designed to serially produce guided ballistic missiles, or to convert unguided rockets into precision guided missiles (PGMs). The IDF exposed three PGM manufacturing sites in Beirut last month, all either in or close to civilian buildings. It remains unknown at what stage of operations the sites are, or whether they were exposed before they began full-scale operations. One site is underneath a seven-story residential building, home to over 70 families, and adjacent to a medical center and a church. A second PGM manufacturing site is located underneath a five-story residential building, home to approximately 50 families, and is near a mosque. A third PGM manufacturing site was marked out in an industrial area, near two gas companies, and a gas station. “Hezbollah’s strategy to hide weapons and operate from civilian neighborhoods stems from its intentions to draw the IDF to target these civilian areas in times of escalation. If Hezbollah were to target Israeli civilians from these sites, the IDF would have no choice but to react, potentially placing Lebanese civilians in harm’s way — causing international outrage toward the IDF,” the IDF said in its release exposing the three sites. The exposure constitutes the latest Israeli warning to Hezbollah and its Iranian patron to cease and desist from their intentions to create PGM factories in Lebanon, a program Israel views as its number one conventional security threat, and one that Israel is unwilling to tolerate. It remains unclear whether Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah has fully grasped the extent of Israel’s determination to stop PGM production lines from being set up on Lebanese soil. In response to the IDF statement, Hezbollah took journalists in Lebanon on a tour of the sites in an attempt to deny the existence of the PGM activities. In fact, ongoing attempts by Hezbollah and Iran to proceed with the missile program form one of the top potential triggers for escalation in the region. This remains a priority, although Hezbollah is neck deep in attempts to navigate Lebanon’s political and economic woes, inflamed further by the coronavirus pandemic, Hezbollah’s own conduct, and the August Beirut blast, which killed 204 people, injured more than 6,500, and damaged 80% of the capital’s residential buildings. Meanwhile, Lebanon’s economy is bankrupt, with no life preserver in site. Despite these conditions, the IDF’s latest exposure shows that Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah is prepared to risk exposing Lebanon to further destruction by planting PGM production sites in heavily populated areas. Nasrallah has the ability to dissuade Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei from pressing on with the missile production program in Lebanon if Hezbollah’s secretary-general concludes that it is too risky. The fact that Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani, who was eliminated in a US drone strike in Baghdad in January, is absent from the scene could aid in convincing Hezbollah to back down. Soleimani has been replaced by his former deputy, Esmail Ghaani, and this less charismatic leader may struggle to be as effective as Soleimani was in taking Khamenei’s ideology of building missile bases, smuggling networks, terror cells, and militias. Still, Iran is determined to continue trying, despite being under major US sanctions pressure and facing coronavirus challenges at home. The ongoing tension on the Israeli-Lebanese border, meanwhile, sparked by Nasrallah’s attempt to take “controlled revenge” against Israel for the death of one his operatives in an alleged Israeli airstrike in Syria, has led to a deceptive calm in the region. But this calm rests on highly fragile foundations, which are always prone to collapse and the eruption of conflict. The PGM program remains a top threat to this tense quiet. The missile production program in Lebanon should be seen as one component in Iran’s wider malign activities in the region, which include attempts to build guided missile factory and launch pads in Syria, and setting up Iranian missile bases in Iraq. Deploying missiles to Iraq is designed to let Iran target both Saudi Arabia and Israel, representing a new threat that did not exist just a few years ago. Iran is also reportedly deploying long-range ballistic missiles to Yemen, representing a constant threat to Saudi Arabia. Another Iranian aspiration is to create a network of surface-to-air missile batteries across the Shiite axis, stretching across Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Iran, in order to challenge the Israeli Air Force and any other adversarial air power, such as Saudi Arabia or the UAE. The commander of the IRGC’s Aerospace Force, Amir-Ali Hajizadeh, is reportedly involved in attempts to smuggle surface-to-air missiles to Syria. In July, Iran announced its intentions to bolster the surface-to-air missile systems of the Assad regime. Iran’s efforts to deploy PGMs in Syria appear to have run into a wall of repeated Israeli air strikes, preventing this effort from coming to fruition. Yet Iran has succeeded in moving a number of cruise missiles to Syria. Overall, Iran looks set to continue to take advantage of upheaval in Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen to proliferate its missiles to terrorist proxies. In addition to its active defense campaign, Israel is also responding by beefing up its air defense capabilities, and ensuring that it widens its aerial and intelligence superiority, so that it can detect emerging threats, disrupt them in time, and continue to exercise deterrence against Hezbollah and the remainder of the Iranian radical axis. The arrival of the new Sa’ar 6 warships will significantly boost Israel’s capabilities to deal with these threats, both during routine security missions and in any escalation. Yaakov Lappin is a military and strategic affairs correspondent. He also conducts research and analysis for defense think tanks, and is the military correspondent for JNS. His book The Virtual Caliphate explores the online jihadist presence. What Is “The Great Reset”? - by Michael Snyder - http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/what-is-the-great-reset The Internet sure has been buzzing about “the Great Reset” lately. That term has been trending on Facebook and Twitter, and the New York Times even published an article dismissing it as a “conspiracy theory”. But it is definitely no conspiracy theory. I was determined to get to the bottom of this whole thing, and I am going to share the facts that the New York Times either could not find or refused to share. It turns out that “the Great Reset” is actually an initiative that was started by the World Economic Forum that is designed to get “global stakeholders to cooperate in simultaneously managing the direct consequences of the COVID-19 crisis”. The following comes directly from the official website of the World Economic Forum… There is an urgent need for global stakeholders to cooperate in simultaneously managing the direct consequences of the COVID-19 crisis. To improve the state of the world, the World Economic Forum is starting The Great Reset initiative. So the New York Times put out fake news when they told all of us that “the Great Reset” is just a “conspiracy theory”, and they owe all of us a major apology. According to the World Economic Forum, “the Great Reset” is a “unique window of opportunity” for global leaders to shape “the future state of global relations, the direction of national economies, the priorities of societies, the nature of business models and the management of a global commons”… As we enter a unique window of opportunity to shape the recovery, this initiative will offer insights to help inform all those determining the future state of global relations, the direction of national economies, the priorities of societies, the nature of business models and the management of a global commons. Drawing from the vision and vast expertise of the leaders engaged across the Forum’s communities, the Great Reset initiative has a set of dimensions to build a new social contract that honours the dignity of every human being. In other words, “the Great Reset” is essentially just an updated blueprint for a New World Order. The man behind “the Great Reset” is named Klaus Schwab. He is the founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, and elsewhere on the official site of the WEF there is an article by Schwab entitled “Now is the time for a ‘great reset'”. The following is an excerpt from that article… To achieve a better outcome, the world must act jointly and swiftly to revamp all aspects of our societies and economies, from education to social contracts and working conditions. Every country, from the United States to China, must participate, and every industry, from oil and gas to tech, must be transformed. In short, we need a “Great Reset” of capitalism. He is very open about the fact that he wants to “revamp all aspects of our societies and economies”. That means that all aspects of human activity would fall under his plan. But in particular, he very much wants a “Great Reset” of capitalism. That definitely sets off alarm bells. When people start talking about dramatic changes to capitalism, usually what they mean is that we should move even more in the direction of socialism. According to Schwab, there are three main components to “the Great Reset”. The first involves reforming our economic systems so that they will “promote more equitable outcomes”… Moreover, governments should implement long-overdue reforms that promote more equitable outcomes. Depending on the country, these may include changes to wealth taxes, the withdrawal of fossil-fuel subsidies, and new rules governing intellectual property, trade, and competition. Unfortunately, I think that he means the exact same thing that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez means when she talks about “more equitable outcomes”. Secondly, Schwab says that one of the main components of “the Great Reset” would involve massive government investments in “green” urban infrastructure and other similar projects… The second component of a Great Reset agenda would ensure that investments advance shared goals, such as equality and sustainability. Here, the large-scale spending programs that many governments are implementing represent a major opportunity for progress. The European Commission, for one, has unveiled plans for a €750 billion ($826 billion) recovery fund. The US, China, and Japan also have ambitious economic-stimulus plans. Rather than using these funds, as well as investments from private entities and pension funds, to fill cracks in the old system, we should use them to create a new one that is more resilient, equitable, and sustainable in the long run. This means, for example, building “green” urban infrastructure and creating incentives for industries to improve their track record on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics. Doesn’t that sound a whole lot like the “Green New Deal” that many on the left have been pushing here in the United States? Thirdly, Schwab envisions applying the “innovations” that we have witnessed during the COVID pandemic as a model for “every sector” of society… The third and final priority of a Great Reset agenda is to harness the innovations of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to support the public good, especially by addressing health and social challenges. During the COVID-19 crisis, companies, universities, and others have joined forces to develop diagnostics, therapeutics, and possible vaccines; establish testing centers; create mechanisms for tracing infections; and deliver telemedicine. Imagine what could be possible if similar concerted efforts were made in every sector. In other words, Schwab thinks that the global response to the COVID pandemic can be a blueprint for governing every area of our lives moving forward. Doesn’t that sound just wonderful? Of course in order for the globalists to get the United States on board with this “Great Reset”, they will need to get Donald Trump out of the way first, and they think that they are very close to achieving that goal. The globalists envision a “sustainable” future in which all forms of human activity are very closely monitored and controlled for “the good of the planet”. They are entirely convinced that a global system in which all the nations of the world are increasingly integrated is what is best for humanity, but those of us that are resisting the globalists understand that a one world system will inevitably evolve into a complete and utter global nightmare. Globalist publications such as the New York Times will continue to try to convince all of us that plans such as “the Great Reset” do not even exist, even as globalist organizations such as the World Economic Forum are publicly announcing their plans right out in the open. In times like these, it is absolutely imperative to think for yourself, because deception is everywhere and those that tell the truth are often greatly ridiculed. What Are You Thankful For? - Nathele Graham - [email protected] There are so many things to be thankful for. God gives us so much, but sometimes we misplace our values. Instead of humbly being thankful for the breath in our lungs and the food on the table, we thank Him for things that we shouldn’t take pride in. Our Lord knows the difference between true thankfulness and self-righteousness pride. Jesus taught many lessons through parables. In that way, His point was made but only those with ears to hear could understand the hidden truth. One day, He had some truth to teach regarding thankfulness. “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:” Luke 18:9. Jesus pointed this lesson to self-righteous people who had little regard for others. Was He speaking to you? Maybe not entirely, but this parable does have a lesson for all of us. “Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.” Luke 18:10. These two men were socially complete opposites. Scripture tells us much about Pharisees, and very little is good. For the most part, they were very religious. They knew the Law inside and out…and all the loopholes. They were also very proud of their perceived perfection, and tended to look down upon anybody who wasn’t part of their inner circle. The other man in this parable was just the opposite. He was a publican…a tax collector. This class of people were detested by most people. They were Jewish by birth, but had “sold out” to the Romans. One of the perks of their job was collecting more than the amount of the tax and keeping the difference. You might remember Zacchaeus who, according to Luke 19:2 was chief among the publicans and rich. He saw Jesus coming his way and was excited. Zacchaeus was “little of stature” so he climbed a sycamore tree to see Jesus as He passed by. Long story short, Jesus chose to visit Zacchaeus at his house and that encounter totally changed this publican. “And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.” Luke 19:8. Zacchaeus turned his life around. Anyone who has truly encountered Jesus is changed. Back to the parable. The Pharisee’s prayer is highlighted first. He was full of gratitude, but was he thankful for the right things? “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.” Luke 18:11. The Pharisee was thankful, but do you think God was pleased by his prayer? We need to thank God for all that He gives us, but the Pharisee in this parable had a heart problem. He was filled with pride. He was thankful that he was better than others. In his opinion, God had made him better than “…extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican”. Then, the Pharisee went on to remind God of just how good he was. “I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.” Luke 18:12. Those are nice things to do, but they were done for the wrong reasons. They weren’t done to glorify God, but they were done to prove how superior the Pharisee was than others. Good works cannot bring salvation, but should be a result of true faith. They should be done to honor God and not to honor yourself. The publican also prayed. “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.” Luke 18:13. The prayer was simple, but it pleased God much more than the prayer of the Pharisee. The publican was humble. Instead of being sure he was in the spotlight where everyone could see him pray, this humble publican stood quietly off to the side. There, he fellowshipped with God asking for mercy because of his sins. This man recognized that God alone is to be exalted. Jesus compared these two men and their attitude towards God. “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Luke 18:14. God notices the intent of our heart when we pray. Prayer is a time of communicating with God. It’s Him who is to be exalted and praised. The Pharisee only saw God’s blessings in his life as something that made him better than others. His riches were, in fact, his god. What if his circumstances changed? If he lost his fortune and his status among the people, he would have nothing because he wasn’t thankful for true blessings. He saw these material things as lifting him above other people, such as publicans. Would the Pharisee still go the Temple and pray his arrogant prayers if he was poor? On the other hand, the publican was humble and recognized that he was a sinner. He had no false god in his life and humbled himself before the one true God. A few Pharisees did earnestly seek God. Nicodemus was one of them. Historic records say that he was quite rich, but Scripture discloses that he was also a man who wanted to know truth. He turned to Jesus to find truth. “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.” John 3:1-2. This Pharisee was very different than the one in Jesus’ parable, in that he was humble in seeking God. Scripture also records that it was Nicodemus, along with Joseph of Arimathaea (a rich member of the Sanhedrin), who took Jesus’ body from the cross and placed it in the tomb. These two men humbly put Jesus above their wealth. They were more blessed than the Pharisee who thought himself better than other people. They had truly found blessings through faith, not through riches or social standing. What about publicans? Scripture tells us of one who chose to leave his wicked ways behind to follow Jesus. “And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.” Matthew 9:9. As noted before, publicans weren’t respected among the people at all. Tax collectors were considered traitors because they were Jewish men who worked for the Roman government to collect unfair taxes from their fellow countrymen. Any money they collected above the required tax was money in their own pockets. Yet, when Jesus called Matthew there was no wavering. Matthew immediately left his dishonest profession and followed Jesus. He gave up worldly riches for eternal blessings. When a person sees the sin in their life and turns to Jesus, He will welcome that person no matter what the past sins are. Like Matthew, forgiven sinners must leave their sin and follow Jesus. Religion cannot bring salvation, and if you’ve put your faith in rites and rituals you’ve rejected grace through faith offered by Jesus at the cross. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9. Although it’s difficult for a religious Pharisee, Catholic priest, or any sinner who sees fault in others but not themselves to humbly put God above status and riches, even they can find salvation in Christ. Jesus Christ was not religious and the rites seen in many so-called Christian congregations are not Scriptural. Only humble faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ will bring salvation. The Apostle Paul is a good example of that. He had been a Pharisee who knew the Letter of the Law and wanted to force every Jewish-born man and woman to bow before the letter of the Law. Then he met Jesus. His life and attitude were totally changed by that encounter. He learned to be thankful to God no matter what came his way. “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Colossians 3:17. His encounter with Jesus changed the way he saw life. Instead of stoning people who disagreed with him, he understood that only things done for Christ mattered. No matter if he was in prison because of his faith or shipwrecked on an island, he was thankful to God. “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18. That’s a good lesson for all of us. Too often we thank God for our comforts and status, but forget to thank God in the bad times too. Even a Pharisee learned that lesson. Is your gratitude like the Pharisee grounded in pride and arrogance? Or are you humbly thankful for what God provides, like the publican? I’m thankful that God has blessed me richly and I recognize the blessings are from Him. I’m thankful that my feet were set firmly on a Christian foundation when I was very young. I’m thankful that God gave me a wonderful husband who drew me closer to God and that my three grown children all know Jesus as their Saviour. I’m thankful my bills get paid each month, and that there is food on my table. Mostly, I’m thankful for salvation through Jesus Christ and want to share that blessing with others. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace:” Ephesians 1:3-7. That blessing is above all other blessings. What are you thankful for? Pharisee and publican alike can find salvation through Jesus Christ. One isn’t superior to the other, but all are sinners saved by grace. That’s what we all need to be thankful for. God bless you all, Nathele Graham [email protected] www.straitandnarrowministry.com [email protected] All original scripture is “theopneustos” God breathed. If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries just drop me an email and let me know. Daily Jot: Election fraud news conference—media scoffs – Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com The news conference by the Trump Campaign led by Former New York City mayor Rudi Giuliani with attorneys Sidney Powell and Jenna Ellis opened a Pandora’s Box of extreme issues orbiting the election results. If even a small fraction of the legal case outlined by Giuliani is true, America is in a crisis where the Democratic Party has attempted to steal the election, moreover an attempted coup. Second, the news media solidified its complicity with the Democrat narrative by digging in that the Trump team still has produced “no evidence” to back its “baseless” claims of election fraud, despite hundreds of affidavits—court admissible evidence—to the contrary. We are, indeed, in perilous times. Giuliani, Powell and Ellis outlined the case that massive and intentional election fraud took place across America, notably in the states of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia, Nevada, New Mexico and, quite possibly, Virginia. Over 200 affidavits have been signed as admissible evidence that poll watchers were instructed to count ballots multiple times, count unregistered and unsigned mail-in and absentee ballots multiple times, and that election officials in Democratic strongholds—under the instruction of Dominion Voting Services representatives—uploaded illegitimate ballots for Joe Biden by the tens of thousands, trashed ballots marked for Trump, and allowed ballots found in garbage bags to be counted multiple times. One has to suspend disbelief to even begin to digest the depth of what is documented. Moreover, Powell and Giuliani reviewed how Dominion voting machines and Smartmatic software were developed to ensure election of communist dictator Hugo Chavez in Argentina and used in various countries in South America and in Europe to throw elections. Giuliani pressed the assertion that Michigan’s Democratic officials knew that Dominion was sending American citizen’s votes to Spain and Germany to be tallied, yet did nothing to prevent it. Giuliani estimates that Trump won landslide victories in the contested swing states. Powell said that there were so many votes for Trump in Michigan and Pennsylvania that it overwhelmed the algorithm that was changing votes for Biden at a specified ratio. She said that this is why the machines had to be shut down, implying that the vote totals needed to be manipulated manually. Giuliani stated that with just the illegitimate votes from mail-in ballots and unqualified ballots, Trump wins the election. He took the media to task for refusing to report on the story, to the detriment of the American people and the nation itself. Media questions after the news conference were as uninformed and ignorant as I have seen in my lifetime. The media believes the left’s narrative and will consider no other perspective. Their headlines ridicule Giuliani’s hair dye, his baseless claims, and mock his remarks about communism and so on. Several “news” stories outright said Giuliani presented no evidence to back the previously proven false claims. This is historic. As in Isaiah 59:14, “For truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter,” the biggest barricade to the truth is the media, which is supposed be working to expose truth. Daily Devotion: More Loved Than You Know - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. —Romans 3:22 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/more-loved-than-you-know/ - Listen There are a lot of things people believe the Bible says that it actually doesn’t. For instance, people think they’re quoting the Bible when they say, “Money is the root of all evil.” Actually, the Bible doesn’t say that. Here’s what it does say: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Timothy 6:10 NKJV). Here’s another one: “God helps those who help themselves.” Not only is this falsely attributed to the Bible, but it’s also not biblical. The truth is that God helps those who can’t help themselves. To put it another way, God helps the helpless. The apostle Paul establishes this truth in the first three chapters of Romans. He systematically destroys every defense that nonbelievers may offer as to why they don’t believe. He shows us that we’re all guilty before a holy God whom we have offended. And then he shows us where the answer is: “But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ” (Romans 3:21–22 NLT). Humanity, with all of its rituals, regulations, and religion, hasn’t been able to reach God. But God reached out to us by sending His son, Jesus, to die on the cross and rise from the dead. Despite our shortcomings, God has extended His grace (unmerited favor) toward us. Despite our sin, God has never stopped loving us. You’re more loved than you ever thought you were. FROM THE HEART
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