Prophecy Update Newsletter
November 23, 2016
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
In the Name of Jesus - By Pastor Mike Taylor - http://pastormiketaylor.blogspot.com/2016/11/in-name-of-jesus.html
6"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 7If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him." (John 14:6-7) 9"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11) 11"For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. 12So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God." (Romans 14:11-12) Of all the names written or spoken of in all of man's history on this earth, none has caused as much division among men, than the glorious Name of JESUS Christ, my Lord. Jesus was a historical, real person who lived in the occupied land of Israel by Rome some 2000 years ago, and since His birth, life, death, and resurrection, the secular world has tried unsuccessfully to marginalize the blessed Name of this God/Man who came into the world for one reason, to die for your sins and mine. The secular world has a real problem with the only sinless man that ever lived and established His Church on this earth on the Day of Pentecost in every believer that receives His Holy Spirit. I know this is a broad subject, so let me in a few words try and express why the Name of JESUS causes so much conflict in this world and makes unrepentant mankind angry just at the mention of His Name and why YOU need Him in your life. Note that there are two monotheistic religions that dominate the so called "modern" earth we live on, that being Christianity and Islam. Christianity in all its forms, some true, some not so true, comprise nearly 2.2 billion or 31.5% of the population and Islam (totally untrue) 1.6 billion or 22.3% of the population according the numbers posted on Wikipedia. Since Jesus ascension into heaven, men have attempted to suppress the "faith once delivered" to our fathers, but if you say the name of Allah, there is not even a peep from the secular world and they promote it as a religion of "peace and love". Really? The world and its leaders take great pains to forward this message about Islam even as the adherents of this so called "religion" murder and rape all who will not follow their beliefs and embrace the false god, Allah. Right off the bat, there is a clue that this "religion" is not about peace and love, as all men claim God is love. But understand that religion is not God. Religion is man's attempt to explain what they think God wants, or their attempt to make themselves acceptable to God. I"ve often said that religion would be a great thing, if man were not involved in it. Why? Because men pervert the message to their own self-interest and make a mockery of Who God really is. You can make anything your religion. Any old god will do..just pick one and make it your focus of worship. The world is full of false religions or man's attempt to justify himself, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Shintoism, or about every "-ism" you can name or you can just make up one of your own to suit yourself. But its not about religion, as even the Lord Jesus emphasized when He met the Samarian woman at the well. "Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe Me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. . . But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." (John 4:21.23-24) Jesus came to change all the religious traditions that had distorted the true worship of a Holy God and when on earth, although He was a God of love, His message did not promote "peace and love". He came not to bring peace, but a sword.' "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household." (Matthew 10:34-36) Jesus railed at the established religion of His day when He blasted the religious authorities for their hypocrisy and their "traditions". 9"And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. 10For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: 11But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban ( sacrifical offering: my explanation), that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. 12And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; 13Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.. (Mark 7:9-14) 27" Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. 28Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity" (Matthew 23:27-28) Followers of Jesus Christ are anything but a religion or traditions. It is a personal relationship with THE God that created the universe, based on the knowledge that all men are sinners are in need of a Savior. But religion is a practice of trying to make yourself acceptable to God by your own endeavors by balancing the scales of good and evil by doing more good than evil. So when religious or political leaders use the phrase "peace and love" when they speak of Islam, they reveal they don't know what they are speaking of. ISLAM IS HOLY??? During the present administration of the current POTUS, this "usurper in chief" has never failed to promote the "religion" of Islam. He can say that Islam is holy and the Koran is holy legitimizing "Allah" as holy and his "prophet" Mohammed as this "god's" messenger. Even with the belief of "separation of church and state" you will hear not a peep out of the ACLU. All the organizations that battle Christianity and the mention of the very word "Jesus" in our schools and the Ten Commandment on any government property, promote Islam all day long without fear of lawsuits. Indeed, there exist in the American school system, MANDATORY curriculums that amount to immersion courses in Islam, complete with the taking of an Islamic name, studying the Koran, and practicing Islamic rituals. but goes bananas when they attempt to profess America "One nation under God". Why is that? Well, the obvious answer to that question why Jesus and anything or anyone that mentions the God of the Bible producing a visceral response, is that Allah is nothing but a false god and its "religion" is nothing but a political movement. It doesn't really make much sense, when you realize that this false religion of Islam is promoting murder and mayhem all over the world, but you mention the name of Jesus and you get immediate revulsion that you even breathed His Name. Muslims worldwide are planning at this very moment their next murderous attack on the infidels that they hate so much for not bowing the knee to their hateful ideology. But this so called POTUS, promotes Islam at every convenient moment he can, and he calls himself a "christian"? I think not. Further, because Islam and its god is false, there is no threat from speaking or teaching about Islam...not to the world, and especially not to Satan as they are on the same side. Not so with the Name of Jesus, because Jesus is real and the True God of the Bible. To the secular world all the different gods are more or less the same, so who cares? Except for Jesus. There is something about Jesus and they can't stand it. JESUS IS THE ONLY WAY True blood washed Christians are condemned by the political and secular world, because we make Jesus and the salvation He provides as exclusive. Since we know that is their reason, "I can identify with that condemnation on their part" because I concur with their assessment. Men don't like that Jesus as the only Way, and being so exclusive. They want to have many different ways to justify themselves. They push the idea, just like Oprah Winfrey did on her now cancelled show, when she expressed that there were many ways to come to God. She likened it to a hub with its many spokes on the wheel. Just as there are many spokes, or ways to come to the center of the hub, there are many ways to come to God, "Just be a good person" she quips. Problem is with her analogy, is Jesus (for lack of a better explanation) is an exclusive way to God, or an "exclusive club". As the opening verse so aptly explains: "....I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6b) That's exclusive. There is no other way. No amount of good works, no belief in some other god or spoke in that wheel, no amount of giving to the church, no amount of confession before your priest, so exclusively there is NO other way, but Jesus. The apostle John explained is so easily and completely when he wrote in his Gospel of John beginning with the 1st verses: John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not." (John 1:1-5) The root and the trunk of the born again doctrine found in the bible is found in John's Gospel and centers on chapter 3. The other gospel writers do not expressly say it, but provide supporting evidence of this essential truth. In this gospel, John proclaimed the divinity of Jesus Christ, as Jesus talks of light, darkness, baptism, and the Temple of God in the first three chapters of the Gospel of John. Symbolism is used to illustrate the spiritual with the physical. Many of the symbols Jesus uses are understood by the people Jesus spoke to. Then came the Apostle to the point of the whole of your Bible, when he wrote what Jesus said to Nicodemus in John chapter 3: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosover believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life" God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but the world through Him, might be saved." (John 3:16-17) When Jesus proclaimed the spiritual truth in a physical way to the masses in the synagogue at Caperneum, some couldn't grasp what He was saying:John 6:54-58 "Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides [or "lives," or "dwells," or "continues"] in Me [That is, He is saying that it is a life-giving substance.], and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven-not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever." Thinking in physical terms, this idea repulsed most of the disciples and those who heard and many left Him, as they didn't understand the spiritual application of the New Covenant of His death and resurrection and symbolized when we take the bread and the wine at the Lord's Supper and commemorating this act of total surrender for our redemption. If you want to know the man, Jesus Christ, you need to start at the Gospel in the New Testament that proclaimed His divinity, His earthly ministry, and His death leading to His resurrection, as the first born of the dead. That Gospel is John. John uses the last days of Jesus ministry leading to the cross to illustrate who Jesus was, and what He did for all mankind. If you wish to understand how God the Son came down from glory and became a man with only one mission, to save mankind, then you must start at John and study the witnessed account of the life and ministry of Jesus the Christ up close and personal. Then read the surrounding gospels that support it, and read into the Pauline epistles of the man Paul, who met Jesus in His glorified state and how it changed his life. COMPARE THIS WITH ISLAM If you start dissecting the "religion" of Islam, you quickly discover that the basic concept is a "god of war", death and destruction. Led by an evil man who proclaimed this false god from all the polytheistic gods of the Arabian deserts and narrowed it down to one "feminine" moon goddess and made Allah male and a book of the Koran was written many years after Mohammed's death containing war verses of jihad, or holy war against infidels, or non-believers. Logically, if this "allah" is "holy" then how does one, being a mortal man come into his presence? By committing hideous acts of murder and conquest and becoming a abomination in front of other men? How does that logically compute? If "allah" is sinless and holy, then how does a murderer enter into his presence? Show me one place where this Allah was just, loving, or showed himself divine? Can't think of one? Neither can I, because there are none. Point being, Islam is not a true "religion", but a political ideology of evil men on a quest for domination of other men. What one entity that is described in your bible would compare to this description of Allah? 12"How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. 16They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;" (Isaiah 14:12-16) 8"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1st Peter 5:8) You see, Satan hates anything that belongs to God. He hates Jesus because He saves men because of their trust and faith in what Jesus did for them on a Roman cross. It was Satan's biggest victory, that became his greatest defeat. 7 "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 8Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." (1st Corinthians 2:7-8) THERE IS COMING A DAY For 2000 years, the Holy Spirit of God has been dealing with mankind, through all the false christs, all the false religions such as Islam and drawing a select remnant of the world's population to Him, those that heard the call of God and responded in human repentance and a broken and contrite heart, but as we see the world crumbling around us, that call for repentance during this Age of Grace we live in, will be cut off without warning. 51"Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal mus tput on immortality. 54So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1st Corinthians 15:51-55) These describe the coming of our Lord JESUS, the One true God that will come and remove His church from this earth. Then will begin the most horrible time that mankind will ever experience. I have talked about that seven years of the coming Tribulation repeatedly and I won't go over the ramifications of missing the trumpet call that Paul speaks of in the preceding verses in this message. I have numerous messages covering that subject, so go there to get an explanation of what those years will bring to sinful mankind. But the Name of JESUS, one day will be Lord over all the earth. My God, my Savior will come again to reign and rule for 1000 years, but not before He crushes all rebellion upon this earth with just a spoken word, the bible calls the sword of His mouth. The bible is most descriptive of what Jesus will do at that time: 11 "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. 12His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. 13And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. (sign of the saints, my explanation) 15And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. 17And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great. 19And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. 20And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. 21And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh." (Revelation 19:11-21) My God, the blessed Name of Jesus in person will come and destroy all false religions, all evil men who have taken the "mark of the beast" that I spoke of in my last message, and destroy the two evil men who proclaimed a "false god" and his messenger, the false prophet. Just as the prophet Isaiah spoke of in the book that bears his name, the prophet wrote down what those who remain and are fortunate to escape alive through the coming Tribulation will proclaim: 20Assemble yourselves and come; draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations: they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god that cannot save. 21Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together: who hath declared this from ancient time? who hath told it from that time? have not I the LORD? and there is no God else beside me; a just God and a Saviour; there is none beside me. 22Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I amGod, and there is none else. 23I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear." (Isaiah 45:20-23) 9Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:10-11) The two passage speak of the same glorious Person, Jesus Christ...one in the Old Testament and another in the New Testament, to God the Father's glory as God has proclaimed "JESUS" a Name above every name. WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH THIS GOD/MAN, JESUS? I have briefly shown you that Jesus is God, that all other religions are false, including Islam. In comparison, there is no other God. Make no mistake about it. Jesus is coming, and may come very soon. Will you continue to ignore the drawing of the Holy Spirit and reject the free offer of salvation to your own eventual destruction, or will you humble yourself and call out to the only Person who ever lived that can free you from the bondage of sin and the penalty of eternal death and separation from God Almighty? God calls all people, but only a few will submit willingly to the call of God to repentance and turn around from their evil ways and follow "the Way, the Truth and the Life" ...the glorious name of JESUS. This is Pastor Mike Taylor, proclaiming to you Jesus, in no other is there found salvation but through Him...if you need counseling, prayer, or just a friendly, listening ear, email me at [email protected] , God bless you all TILL WE MEET AT JESUS FEET 
Trump and General Flynn move in on Syria, Iraq wars - http://www.debka.com/article/25789/Trump-and-Gen-Flynn-move-in-on-Syria-Iraq-wars
Unlike most US president elects, Donald Trump is not waiting to be formally sworn into office on Jan. 20. debkafile's exclusive military and Washington sources reveal that he has already plunged unannounced into managing America's military role in the conflicts in Syria and Iraq. His national security adviser Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn is secretly in close touch with the Head of the Russian Security Council, Nikolai Patrushev, as well as President Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey and Jordan's King Abdullah. Their covert discussions are preparing the ground for a combined assault on the Islamic State's bastions in Iraq and Syria shortly after Trump moves into the White House. Their plan of operation would also involve the regular armies of Turkey, Jordan, Iraq and Persian Gulf nations. Israel's role in the secret track began to surface in the new Golan border arrangements only just revealed by debkafile on Nov. 21: Israel, Jordan and Syria have embarked on secret discussions for the stabilization of their borders in southern Syria by restoring the status quo ante that reigned on the Golan prior to the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011. This is reported exclusively by debkafile from intelligence, Washington and Moscow sources. The incoming Trump administration in Washington and Russian President Vladimir Putin are in the picture; so is the United Arab Emirates ruler, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Although still at a preliminary stage, the talks have produced their first tangible result: A vanguard of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) has arrived on the Syrian side of the Golan. It has taken up position at its former Fawwar Camp base 4km east of Quneitra, which it evacuated during the Syrian fighting. The main body of the force, around 1,000 UN soldiers and 70 observers, is expected soon, to take up the task of reconstituting the former demilitarized zone that separated Israel and Syria under the 1974 armistice agreement. This DMZ runs 80km along the Hermon range up to the Lebanese border in the north and down to the Israel-Syrian-Jordanian triangle in southern Syria up to the Jordanian border. In the 25km long Golan strip, between half a kilometer and 10 deep, the IDF and Syrian army were originally limited as to the number of soldiers and types of weaponry they are allowed to maintain. The strip will revert to Syrian civil administration under UNDOF control, and the Israeli-Syrian border crossing point will be reopened in the Quneitra area under the joint supervision of UN, Israeli and Syrian officers. The military arrangements are still in discussion and changes may be introduced to this format. The main obstacle to the return of pre-Syrian war conditions to this sensitive border region is the presence of radical Syrian rebel forces in southern Syria, mainly the Khalid bin Walid Army, whose leaders have sworn allegiance to Islamic State commander Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. These forces will face the option of accepting the authority of the Syrian army or fighting a win-or-die battle. Israel has an additional, compelling interest in restoring the disengagement zone with Syria in that it leaves no room for the grab for a military presence opposite Israeli Golan and Galilee that was made in recent months by Iran and its Lebanese proxy, Hizballah, for the purpose of opening a new front for terrorist attacks against Israel - as debkafile was first to reveal. . An indirect clue to the secret diplomatic talks ongoing came from the Syrian ruler Bashar Assad in an interview he gave on Nov. 16 to a Portuguese radio station, when he said: "If -if - he [Trump] fights the terrorists, it is clear that we will be a natural ally, together with the Russians, Iranians and many other countries who want to defeat the terrorists." The parties with varying degrees of involvement in the restoration of the UN-controlled DMZ on the Golan border are, therefore, the incoming Trump administration, Moscow, Damascus, Amman, Abu Dhabi and Jerusalem. Russia, Jordan and the Emirates have gained relevance for the first time as a result of changes in the strategic balance engendered by the Syrian war. 
Iranian commander: Israel will be gone in 10 years - Elad Benari - http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/220654
Senior Iranian military commander predicts that the Palestinian Arabs will "get rid of Israel" in the next 10 years. Speaking to students near Tehran and quoted by the semiofficial Fars news agency, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Naqdi said the Palestinian territories will be "freed from Israel's occupation" within a decade, expressing hope that the notions, thoughts and ideology that led to Iran's Islamic Revolution would help the Arabs get rid of Israel. Naqdi further claimed that the Islamic Revolution helped Iran get rid of the United States over 35 years ago, rescued the country from Saddam Hussein's aggression and helped the Lebanese to get rid of the Americans as well. "Considering these developments, liberation of Palestine by the Islamic Revolution is not unlikely at all," he claimed, according to Fars. Naqdi's comments follow ones he made earlier this month when he predicted that the United States will collapse in less than 20 years and that President-elect Donald Trump will speed up the process. "According to the analysis made by the behind-the-stage and shadow decision-makers of the establishment in the U.S., the United States will collapse in 2035 and I think that it is an optimistic analysis as this will take place much earlier," he told Fars. Referring to Trump, Naqdi added, "The person that has ascended to power displays the reality of the U.S." The comments are another example of the anti-Israel and anti-American rhetoric that is constantly spoken by Iranian officials. Chief among them is Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has referred to Israel as a "cancer" and in the past threatened to "annihilate" the Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa. In March, the Supreme Leader ruled out his country having ties with the United States or "the Zionist regime" - that is, Israel - claiming he had proof that the United States was planning a coup in Iran. In May, a senior Iranian military commander threatened Israel and claimed that his country can destroy the Jewish state "in less than eight minutes". Earlier this month, Iran's Foreign Minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, claimed Israel is the biggest threat to humanity, world peace and international security. 
The Cursed Coalition of Gog-Magog - By Dan Payne - http://raptureready.com/soap2/payne71.html
The invasion of Israel by a Russian led coalition which is known as the "Gog-Magog" war could happen at any time. The attempted Gog-Magog invasion of Revelation chapter 20 is not to be confused or compared with the Gog-Magog invasion of chapters 38 and 39 of Ezekiel. "Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them" (Revelation 20:7-9). The very beginning of verse 7 makes it abundantly clear that this gathering of Gog-Magog will take place "when the thousand years have expired." However, the last five verses in the book of Ezekiel make it abundantly clear that the Gog-Magog invasion described in chapters 38-39 of Ezekiel is an entirely separate event than that described in Revelation chapter 20. "These are the exits of the city. On the north side, measuring four thousand five hundred cubits (the gates of the city shall be named after the tribes of Israel), the three gates northward: one gate for Reuben, one gate for Judah, and one gate for Levi; on the east side, four thousand five hundred cubits, three gates: one gate for Joseph, one gate for Benjamin, and one gate for Dan; on the south side, measuring four thousand five hundred cubits, three gates: one gate for Simeon, one gate for Issachar, and one gate for Zebulun; on the west side, four thousand five hundred cubits with their three gates: one gate for Gad, one gate for Asher, and one gate for Naphtali. All the way around shall be eighteen thousand cubits; and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE" (Ezekiel 48:30-35). These verses describe the rebuilt city of Jerusalem as it will exist during the millennial kingdom of Christ and they also clearly describe a city completely surrounded by walls, for no gate can exist without a wall. However please note that the land described in Ezekiel chapter 38 has no walls: "You will say, 'I will go up against a land of unwalled villages; I will go to a peaceful people, who dwell safely, all of them dwelling without walls, and having neither bars nor gates'" (Ezekiel 38:11). There can be no doubt that the Gog-Magog battle as described in Ezekiel 38-39 takes place before the city of Jerusalem is rebuilt in preparation for her kingdom service to the Righteous King. A clue may also exist as to whether or not Gog-Magog of Ezekiel 38-39 will take place before or after the Rapture of the true Church. God says in Ezekiel that when He supernaturally defeats the Gog-Magog alliance, He will make the world know that He is the God of Israel. "So I will make My holy name known in the midst of My people Israel, and I will not let them profane My holy name anymore. Then the nations shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel" (Ezekiel 39:7). Notice that any reference by the Lord as the Holy One of the true Church is missing. Our Almighty God is recorded by Ezekiel as referring to Himself only as "the Holy One in Israel." And as we who believe in the Pre-Trib Rapture know, the true Church will be absent after the Rapture takes place. Yes, there will remain a false harlot church after the Rapture but God would certainly not claim Lordship over a false church. This may not mean anything, but it is interesting nonetheless: President-elect Donald Trump made his willingness to work with Russia as an ally in the fight against ISIS abundantly clear during his campaign, and also since his election. In conjunction with Assad's latest offer to work with the United States as an ally in the fight against ISIS [1], does Ezekiel 38:13 now seem plausible under a Trump administration? "Sheba, Dedan, the merchants of Tarshish, and all their young lions will say to you, 'Have you come to take plunder? Have you gathered your army to take booty, to carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great plunder?'" (Ezekiel 38:13) If anything else it appears certain that the battle of Gog-Magog will take place very soon, as new and stronger alliances are forming between Russia and the other nations that the Bible says will make up the cursed coalition (Russia, Iran, Turkey, etc. Ezekiel 38:2-6). Endnote [1] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-16/syria-would-be-ally-if-u-s-fights-terrorists-assad-says 
Nearing Midnight: The Continued War on Cash - Todd Strandberg - http://raptureready.com/rap16.html
The heads of government, the mainstream media, and banking institutions have become obsessed with the idea that currency is evil. Because cash cannot be traced or controlled, it is blamed for drug dealing, terrorism, money laundering and tax evasion. The solution to this problem is the introduction of a cashless system that will allow the government to monitor all transactions. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had the black market in mind when he ordered the withdrawal of current 500 and 1,000 rupee notes from circulation. Modi said that while people could exchange their old notes for new bills at banks or post offices until the end of the year, or deposit them in their accounts-they are now no longer allowed for daily transactions. "To break the grip of corruption and black money, we have decided that the 500 and 1,000 rupee currency notes presently in use will no longer be legal tender from midnight that is 8 November, 2016," he said in a televised address to the nation. Finance secretary Das said there had been a disproportionate rise in the number of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes in circulation in the last five years. The 500 and 1,000 notes, which are worth around $7.50 and $15 respectively, are the largest bills in use in India. The average Indian only makes about 200,000 rupees or $3,000 a year. Numbers logic would call for the printing of 5,000 and 10,000 notes; but that would make it easier for the criminals to haul around the cash used for their fraudulent schemes. The sudden move has triggered total panic in the nation. The Indian people are lined-up at banks trying to deposit their cash or exchange it for new notes. All types of business transactions that depend on cash have come to a standstill. The value of the rupee has dropped on foreign exchange markets. The Indian government has a history of trying to restrict the financial options of its citizen. In 2013, the government imposed a 10 percent import duty on gold to dampen demand for the precious metal in the world's second biggest consumer. The rich people of India have no trouble escaping taxes and exchange rules. Their money is safe in Swiss and Singapore bank accounts. Over the past decade, some $439 billion left the country, according to estimates from the Global Financial Integrity group in Washington. When the dust settles in India, I doubt the government is going to have a large windfall from taxable money that suddenly appears in the bank accounts of their citizens. India's largest employment sector is agriculture-which employs literally hundreds of millions of people. It is completely exempt from paying income tax. The only people who do regularly file income taxes are believed to be salaried employees at big companies whose bosses file for them. Despite widespread chaos and economic uncertainty in India following its surprise announcement, UBS Bank analysts think Australia should follow India's lead and scrap its 100 dollar bank note. UBS supports the move because it would increase bank deposits in Australia by about 4 percent. One major victim of the war on cash is the 500 Euro note. In May, the European Central Bank said it will no longer produce the 500 Euro note because of concerns that it could help facilitate illegal activities. Politicians and bankers would also like to get rid of the $100 U.S. note, Switzerland's 1,000 franc note and Britain's 50 pound note. I think it is a great danger to allow government to use excuses to restrict access to cash currency. Governments should exist for the pleasure of the people, and not the other way around. It just seems that a demonic spirit is driving the world closer and closer to the point where the financial powers will be able to dictate how we live our lives. Anyone who has a basic understanding of Bible prophecy should recognize the danger of cashless system. The Bible predicts that the Antichrist will use a financial system that allow him to enslave the world. All who fail to receive the mark of the beast will be locked out of the banking system. Because the 666 mark will occur within the Tribulation hour, believers in Christ have the hope of escaping this sinister financial system. "And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name" (Rev.13:16-17). 
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 
God's Blessing Game - Commentary by Jack Kelley - https://gracethrufaith.com/topical-studies/holidays-and-holy-days/gods-blessing-game/
Every year at Thanksgiving I'm reminded of the holiday's origin, the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. It was the crowning event in Israel's cycle of fall feasts that also included Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. It was a celebration of the harvest, of God's mercy in forgiving their sins for another year, and a remembrance of the time when He lived among them in the wilderness, setting them apart as His people. When the Pilgrims had experienced their first successful harvest in the New World, they decided to give thanks for the Lord's provision, even though half of them had died in the year since their arrival. Inviting the neighboring natives to join them, they held a three-day celebration patterned after their knowledge of the Feast of Tabernacles. Here's How It All Began The Jews were about to enter the Promised Land. The Lord had Moses tell them that in the future they were to set aside a tithe (1/10th) of their production each year and bring it, along with all their other voluntary offerings, to the place He would choose for them to worship Him. They were to eat them there in a gigantic national feast. Think of it, 1/10th of all the lambs, goats and cattle born that year, 1/10th of the grain, vegetables and fruit from through out the land, breads and cakes and barrels of wine. Each fall, after the harvest, everyone in Israel came to Jerusalem to celebrate. It was the biggest Thanksgiving dinner ever. The sounds of laughing and singing and the aroma of exotic foods filled the air for a whole week as the people gave thanks to God for blessing them (Deut. 12:8-12, 17-19). Every third year they gave their tithes to the Levites and stayed home. This assured that there was always enough to take care of the Levites (who were the teachers and doctors and lawyers and had no land to till) and all the widows and orphans, the indigent, and the aliens among them. Each year they celebrated His provision and the Lord blessed them with more so that their abundance grew. He commanded them to do this every year so that He could "bless them in all the works of their hands." (Deut. 14:22-29) By setting the Lord's share aside and then using it to give thanks to Him, they found that each year their blessing increased. But after their return from the Babylonian captivity, the Lord caught them cheating Him. He warned them that they had put themselves under a curse because they weren't setting aside their tithes properly. They were giving the Lord their worst, not their best, and even this was being done resentfully as if it was a great burden. Because of this they were not being blessed but were working harder and harder for less and less. "Return to me and I'll return to you," He told them. "Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. Test me in this and see if I don't throw open the flood gates of Heaven and pour our so much blessing that you won't have room enough for it." (Malachi 1 & 3:7-10) And that's always the way it is with the Lord. No hard feelings, no resentment, just return to Him and He'll return to you. All is forgiven, because His mercies are new every morning. We can always begin right where we are and He'll respond as if the past had never happened. The Rules Of The Game So by these two passages we learn the rules of what I call God's Blessing Game. We show our gratitude by giving God His due and He blesses us with more. We increase our giving and He increases His blessing, allowing us to give still more. And on it goes. But when we become stingy or resentful and try to short-change God, then the blessings are curtailed accordingly. The Israelites proved beyond all doubt that by following the rules of the game they could win every time. And they demonstrated the futility of cheating. But is there any New Testament version of God's Blessing Game? Of course there is, because God is the same yesterday today and forever. Luke 6:38 tells us "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Show a little gratitude and get a little blessing. Show a little more and the blessings increase. The more generous we become the more abundant our blessings will be. Paul gave us the ultimate outcome in 2 Cor. 9:11. You'll be made rich in every way so you can be generous on every occasion. Every time we feel moved to help someone out, we'll find the money's there to do it. And it will all result in thanksgiving to God. Treasure In Heaven Lots of people overlook the last half of this promise, and find that because they do it doesn't come true. The Lord didn't promise to make us rich so that we could have bigger houses and more cars, He promised to make us rich so that we could be more generous. As one commentator has put it, "God's blessings are not to increase our standard of living. but to increase our standard of giving." We're supposed to be a distribution center for His blessings, not a warehouse. The blessings we receive are supposed to flow through to others, not stop with us. The riches we store up are for Heaven, not Earth. Good thing too, because here they only last a little while, but there they last forever. (Matt. 6:19-20) This is God's Blessing Game. It's a game that He developed and that everyone can win. The rules are clear and don't ever change. We establish the level of blessings we'll receive by the gratitude we express through our generosity toward others. The Lord loves a cheerful giver and will reward us accordingly. So the Pilgrims decided to take a lesson from the Israelites. They took the little they had and gave thanks, inviting the natives in their midst to join them to show their generosity. In return the Lord blessed them. And so it began. To one degree or another, it's been going on ever since and look how we've been blessed. Americans are the richest people on Earth. If you don't believe that, try living somewhere else, anywhere else, for a while. It's Our Little Secret It's a testimony to God's understanding of the human condition that the Thanksgiving Holiday's roots have been obscured. You see, he longs to bless us but the rules of the game require an expression of gratitude on our part. By allowing Thanksgiving to be perceived as a secular holiday instead of a religious one, He can receive our thanks without risking the same demand that He be taken out of the loop as there is for Christmas. There's no public outcry by the pagans, no suits by the ACLU, and no attacks by other religions against its origin. Very few people are even aware of the Biblical roots of this "American" holiday. But being devout Christians, the Pilgrims knew Who they were thanking, and why. You and I do, too. It's our little secret. Ours and God's. I pray that your Thanksgiving is a happy one, and that through out the holidays you'll remember the rules of God's Blessing Game and always play to win. 
Daily Devotion: New Sheriff in town - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com
We are seeing the impact of the new leadership. One significant event is President-Elect Donald Trump's off the record meeting with mainstream television network media moguls. The New York Post broke the insider story depicting how Trump used the time to dress down the media, quoting an unnamed source saying "The meeting was a total disaster. The TV execs and anchors went in there thinking they would be discussing the access they would get to the Trump administration, but instead got a Trump-style dressing-down...Trump kept saying, "We're in a room of liars, the deceitful, dishonest media who got it all wrong." Since the meeting was off the record, Trump proved once again their dishonesty. As someone who has been a media advisor to politicians, chief executive officers and celebrities most of my adult life, I can say with certainty that it took a lot of nerve to gather all the big on-air talent into a room and call them liars. A lot of people said this was a bad move, but it is the kind of leadership that we may grow to expect from Trump. It's time to shake things up and there is a new sheriff in town who is doing just that. One of the attributes of President Ronald Reagan was his directness. While he was far more gracious in disagreement than Trump, one always knew where Reagan stood. Trump appears to be that and more. The fact is that the TV execs know they lied. Trump knows it. And we know it. Another indicator of new leadership is a little reported event that happened last week. Ford CEO Mark Fields called Trump to tell him that Ford Motor Company was staying in the US rather than moving a plant to Mexico. Of course, the media reported that Trump was wrong all along that Ford didn't intend to move at all. This is an example of how the media twists things. But Ford and its jobs are staying here and it appears Trump's election had something to do with it. In fact, business in general is improved already. Saying they are moving from an interest rate-driven market to an earnings-driven market, US stocks have been on an upward swing since Trump's election, setting an all time record high Tuesday. Meantime, the globalist at the United Nations, for example, are crying the blues because their agenda of resettling the world population to make all nations the same is being met with a hard push back. Antonio Guterres, the incoming UN Secretary General, said that many people are rejecting globalism. He says people in developed nations are rejecting refugees because their jobs have been lost to cheap labor. Guterres said, "So globalization has not been as successful as we had hoped." When you think about it, we have had globalist presidents since 1988. It didn't work out so well for us. Maybe the new Sheriff in town will shake things up more than we thought. Proverbs 29:2 says, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice." Let us pray for righteous leadership. 
Daily Devotion: Remember to Give Thanks - Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, "Praise God!" He fell to the ground at Jesus' feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan. -Luke 17:15-16 In Luke 17 we find the story of some men who had a lot to give thanks for. They were miraculously touched by Jesus. Complete outcasts, they were the very scourge of society. These men had leprosy, and at that time in history, you couldn't get any lower. They were forbidden to have contact with anyone who didn't have that incurable disease. They lived isolated, miserable, and lonely lives. Yet these ten men called out to Jesus and asked for His healing touch . . . and Jesus gave it to them. However, only one of them took time to return and give thanks. The Bible tells us this man was a Samaritan. That may not mean a lot to us today, but in those days, Jews and Samaritans had no dealings with each other. The Jews looked down on the Samaritans. However, it wasn't one of the sons of Abraham who came back to give thanks; it was a Samaritan. Not only did this man come back and give thanks, but verses 15 and 16 tell us that he "came back to Jesus, shouting, 'Praise God!' He fell to the ground at Jesus' feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan." The term shouting used here is translated from the same Greek words that form our word megaphone. The Samaritan was a megaphone of praise. This caused Jesus to ask a question: "Didn't I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?" (Luke 17:17-18). In effect, the Lord is still asking this question today. Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God? There is so much to give thanks for. Have you remembered to thank Him? 
FROM THE HEART
IF YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED THROUGH THIS MINISTRY, THEN WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD PLEASE REMEMBER PROPHECY UPDATE IN YOUR GIVING - WE ARE TRULY, TRULY, THANKFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT Prophecy Update has no corporate sponsors. This ministry is paid for and prayed for by readers and supporters. Without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update, Please pray about becoming a monthly supporter - thanks! If ever there was a time to invest in God's Kingdom, it's now! What on earth are you doing for Heaven's Sake? "Share in the Blessings and Rewards that will last Forever!" "Folks, it's all beginning to unravel. America is in more danger of falling than at any time in its history. But I believe Bible prophecy predicts this very decline. From this point on, we believers have to get serious. We are going to face discouragement, disillusionment and, most certainly, persecution in the time between now and the Rapture. But don't be discouraged or disillusioned. The coming turmoil will provide us unrivaled opportunities to share the good news of the Gospel. So be ready to share your faith and your hope with those who need Christ. We still have time to reap a great harvest of souls for God's kingdom!" - Hal Lindsey 1) We need your prayers!- We proclaim the Truth of the Word of God and we are under constant spiritual and sometimes even physical attack. 2) We need your encouragement!- We need to hear from you, let us know how the Lord is blessing you through this ministry so that we can share it with others. 3) We need your input! - If you have a prophetic article or story or if there is a news related item we missed, let us know. 4) We need your financial support!- To put it quite simply, without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update. I ask that you would prayerfully consider partnering with us to get the Word out and keep the world informed. Remember, your gift, no matter how small, does make a difference! You will be helping to touch lives, around the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thanks to the internet your generosity carries a global impact! - Thanks! Our Prayer for You- "Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." 2 Corinthians 9:10-13 Prophecy Update is a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt - non-profit organization, and all your donations are tax deductible. If you have been blessed by Prophecy Update and would like to help support this ministry financially. You can make a secure donation online by going to: DONATE NOW Or Visit our website: http://prophecyupdate.com/donations/ Or write us at: Prophecy Update P.O. Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384-0516 
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