Prophecy Update Newsletter
November 28, 2016
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Civil War and the Coming New World Order - Pete Garcia - http://www.omegaletter.com/articles/articles.asp?ArticleID=8344
This is quite a difficult and sensitive topic being discussed here today. But I feel that it is warranted, given what we are seeing play out before us. I don't have any particular scriptural basis for it, other than it being more of an observation of the times. If anything, I would liken it to the condition Jesus laid out for His disciples when asked what the signs of the end would be when He said... Nation (ethnos) would rise against nation (ethnos), kingdom (political power) against kingdom (political power) ...and the love of many will wax cold... (Matt. 24:7, 12) There is a storm brewing in our land, and has been for some time. Those dark, foreboding clouds have always been on the horizon, but now they are overhead and our grumbling like a Kansas thunderstorm laden with the potential for torrential rains, lightening, and tornados. While history is not everyone's favorite subject, it should be something we reconcile frequently. Studying history helps illuminate the challenges and similarities that our ancestors faced and may help us recognize the challenges we face in our own day and of days yet to come. The reason for this is because although the times change and the technology changes--the human condition never does. We tend to make the same mistakes over and over because we are a fallen race riddled with sin...and given enough time, history tends to repeat itself without fail. On November the 9th, 2016, quite possibly the largest political earthquake ever felt in the United States occurred in the wee hours of the morning with Republican Donald Trump's victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton. So stunning was the loss for Clinton and the Democrats that the media, the glitterati, the newspapers, print journals, pundits, and comedians all had assumed that her victory was so certain, that the election itself was just a formality. But since that day, the stammering and speechlessness has turned increasingly vitriolic and toxic as the reality that Donald Trump really will be the next President of the United States. Since then, we've been witness to an increasing number of "spontaneous" anti-Trump demonstrations along with a rash of growing anti-police violence. These protests are "spontaneous" in the same sense that Benghazi was a result of an 'anti-Islamic' video on YouTube. In all actuality, these protests are part of a greater concerted effort by uber-leftist/globalist groups like George Soros Incorporated and MoveOn.org, who are attempting to upend the system in the wake of their stunning political defeat. So if they can't win politically despite the rampant fraud and voter machine rigging, they will attempt it by funding and fomenting violence. The attempt now by the media to link the 'rise in white power groups' to Trump's victory, is another attempt to get him to backpedal. Their rise (neo Nazi's and the like) are not a result of Trump's election, but a reaction to the Black Lives Matter movement that have sprung up across the nation and have hijacked the narrative on race. Along those same sentiments is a growing call for secession from the Union from more traditionally liberal states like California and Oregon as a more formal protest against a Trump presidency. In the past, conservative states like Texas have threatened secession due to President Obama's federal overreach but it seemed more bark than bite. At the very least, things could get to the point where California itself divides between the liberal south and central, and the more conservative north. But one thing to watch here is the momentum of the movement at the state level and to what degree Governor Jerry 'Moonbeam' Brown supports it as an act of defiance over the 'sanctuary city' status they will maintain despite federal threats of financial penalties. But in watching the 'useful-idiot' movement (and media) attempting to justify their actions of blocking traffic, destroying private property, killing cops, threatening to kill cops, and provoking random violence, it reminded me of the events leading up to the American Civil War. Let us recap: 1820: The Missouri Compromise-Allowed Missouri to be a slave state, but added Maine as a free state to balance out Congress. Also divided the slave territories along the 36 by 30 parallel. 1831: Nat Turner's Rebellion-slave uprising killing 60 whites. Quelled after two days, 55 slaves, including Nat Turner, were executed, along with 200 more who were lynched. 1846-1850: Wilmot Proviso would have (it failed) outlawed slavery from expanding into the newly acquired territories at the end of the Mexican-American war, which gained the US much of the southwest including California. 1850: The Compromise of 1850-New western territories in the would be slave states, but compelled the northerners to abide by the Fugitive Slave Act, which required them to return fugitive slaves back to the South. 1852: Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin" popular book on slavery conditions in the south, considered by the north shocking and horrifying, but disparaging to Southerners who viewed this as gross mischaracterization. 1854-1861: 'Bleeding Kansas' The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 overturned parts of the Missouri Compromise, by allowing these states to determine whether or not to be free or slave. The both went free after a bloody, five year struggle. 1857: The Dred Scott Case-The Supreme Court ruled that slaves were property, further complicating the North's opposition to slavery. 1859: John Brown's Raid-White Southerners and freed black slaves raided ammunition arsenal and began arming other groups to rise up. Was captured and executed becoming a martyr to the Abolitionist movement. 1860: Election of Abraham Lincoln-The election of the Republican A. Lincoln was overwhelming, considering he was not even on the ballot in many southern states. His election was followed by the secession of South Carolina some 30 days after. Six more states would secede by the spring of 1861. 1861: Battle of Ft. Sumter-Following S. Carolina's secession, Ft. Sumter suddenly found itself on foreign land. Lincoln decided to send supplies and was met with a Southern blockade. This sparked the start of the actual Civil War. (Reference: http://www.civilwar.org/education/history/civil-war-overview/triggerevents.html) Assessment As you can see, the Civil War didn't start because Republican Abraham Lincoln was elected as President. Lincoln's election was simply the straw that broke the camel's back. There were decades of unchecked grievances and emotions leading up to the election of 1860. Former President Thomas Jefferson made this forewarning upon hearing of the Missouri Compromise of 1820 on slavery. In it he... "Considered it at once as the (death) knell of the Union. It is hushed indeed for the moment. But this is a reprieve only, not a final sentence. A geographical line, coinciding with a marked principle, oral and political, once conceived and held up to the angry passions of men, will never be obliterated; and every new irritation will mark it deeper and deeper." Thomas Jefferson saw slavery as an issue that would not simply go away by appeasement and compromise. It would continue to fester in the hearts and minds of Americans (both for and against), until it resolved itself in the bloodiest war ever waged by Americans. In regards to this concept of unchecked grievances, I would like to draw a parallel to the issues of our day. The battle over the hearts and minds of Americans has been over a century in the making, and is so ingrained into our culture that we no more think about our eroding liberties than a frog thinks about the water he is in warming up. There would be no need to work for liberty were liberties not being lost. Most Americans are unaware of a decline in individual liberty, and the reason is obvious: the decline rarely takes the form of sudden personal deprivations but, instead, takes the form of unnoticed erosion, and thus we come, as do the Russians, to regard whatever state we are in as a normal condition." Leonard E. Reed, (1965) The outrage by normal Americans over the past eight years has resulted in the loss of some 900 Democrat seats of power, the rise of the Tea Party movement, and culminated with the election of Donald Trump primarily because of Obama's overreach. He didn't do anything different than any other president before him, which was to create more bureaucracy, more overreach, and add to our burgeoning national deficit. Obama simply got too greedy, too fast. His federal abuse was too obvious and it awoken the silent majority much in the same way that the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor awoke a largely isolationist-minded American public in the 1940s. Understand that there has already been a soft coup in this nation going back a hundred years or more. This coup began with the varying ideological theories from people like: Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels, Charles Darwin, Herbert Spencer, Friedrich Nietzsche, Margaret Sanger, John Dewey, and many others who at their foundation, espouse a rabid anti-Christian, anti-American, and anti-Constitutionalist ideas. Although the aforementioned specialize in different areas (economics, science, eugenics, psychology, and education), they all feed off of each other and use each other as stepping stones to validate their own agendas. Their goal, largely accomplished today, was to spread this infectious ideology first through European seminaries, universities, and then on to the rest of the world via public education and governance. This then would be reinforced through the relentless "consensus-mantra" beatings by media and pop culture on the average citizenry. Now those most indoctrinated by socialism (in its varying forms) are firmly embedded in most of the western governments. Their goal is a one-world system. But first they need to 'divide and conquer' which is why we see the parties (even within themselves) so divided over fiscal, social, and political issues we face today. Although the swing left was greatly exacerbated during the Clinton and Obama administrations, Hillary's third term was meant to be the icing on the cake. It was meant to usher in an avalanche of demographic change via massive, unchecked immigration that would change the electoral make up of this country forever, so that no Republican could ever win again. This is why this Trump win is such a stinging defeat. They (media, politicians, "experts") were so sure it would happen that Clinton never even thought to write her concession speech. Such was the power of the media to distort the facts on the ground. Even now, you can see now how the media is already trying to shape what President Trump's agenda should be. This is the same media that completely got the election wrong. They keep trying to shape the argument that what real American's are angry about, is their talking points. To set the record straight about the average American: We aren't angry over "climate change." We aren't angry because men can't use women's restrooms. We aren't angry because we hate immigrants. We are angry because the progressive-left has hijacked the Constitution and is trying to redefine it into something it was never intended to be-- a license for lawlessness leading to a global government. We are angry about unchecked immigration, sanctuary cities, overwhelming national debt, global trade deals that would crush the US economy, and an overburdened, and under resourced military. We are angry at the lawlessness and corruption permeating every facet of our society. We are angry that the America we got the privilege to grow up in, will not exist for our children at the current rate. Conclusion Slavery is a system of both commerce and thought, and has been around as long as man has. It always seeks to put one class above the other. One works while the other reaps the benefit of that work. In the past centuries, the workers and reapers were determined by race and ethnicity. But as the west came to abandon the actual practice of slave holding, the concept remained. In the 20th-21st centuries, the class division wasn't so much about race as it was political and religious ideology. While slavery was the issue of the day back in the 1850's and was rightly rejected by the Republican Party, the issue of slavery still holds sway over the world today. This new form of oppression in the west is more akin to the proletariat versus bourgeoisie of the communist revolutions that swept through places like Russia, China, Cuba, and Vietnam in the 20th century. This new form of oppression is between the haves and have nots, the elite and the 'unwashed' masses, between the enlightened and the 'deplorables', and between the media and the alternative watchdogs. The Democrat party never abandoned the idea of slavery, they just redefined it. Lyndon B. Johnson's "Great Society" wasn't based on truly helping poor, minority communities, but enslaving them into systemic poverty and guaranteeing party loyalty for decades to come. Even the leftist Snopes 'fact checking website' has a very difficult time walking back his vehemently racist comments. But here is the greater proof, if the Democrat party truly had the best interest of minorities in mind, democratic strongholds like Detroit, Chicago, and Washington D.C. would be beacons of peace and prosperity. But those cities, like so many others, are markedly divided between the 'go and no go' zones of the rich and affluent and the poor and desperate. But to the left, even racism and slavery are only means to an end, not the end itself. It is even somewhat disingenuous to claim on the left want globalism, because there are many so called Republicans who are also in the tank for a one-world system. Racism, sexism, 'homophobia', 'islamophobia', etc., are tools they use via Cultural Marxism to create 'identity politics' as a means to divide and conquer a nation. To this end, the left will never concede of their own volition to constitutional governance because they've already spent the last 100 years corrupting the system and have come too far. For them, the Constitution is only useful in how they can use it to destroy the entire system. Put in another way, they (globalist-left and right) want us to commit constitutional suicide. Since they will never yield, we are really only left with one option if we are to preserve our way of life (life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness), and that is by making them bend to our will, not the other way around. We should also accept the reality that mainstream media has become irrelevant. Their agenda, is not the American agenda. The Democrat party is in massive decline and implosion and in the process, have lost around 900 seats (governorships, congress, senate, etc.) since 2010. We can make a rather sobering assessment that the Democrat party itself will die, and out of the ashes will rise something between a mix of outright communism and Sharia Law. They want an international system of socialism because in their heart of hearts, they truly believe that this is the only way in which man can solve all of his problems. That is why they are intent on destroying the very system that affords them the ability to even have thoughts of destroying it. And just as the Civil War didn't start in 1820 with the Missouri Compromise, nor did it begin with Lincoln's election, rather, it was a long series of steps that led straight to the battlefields of Antietam and Gettysburg, in which brother killed brother, and neighbor killed neighbor. We would be smart to remember the old axiom that Mark Twain once said...although history doesn't repeat itself, it sure does rhyme. 
Defense minister: Israel will respond with 'full force' to IS attacks - By Raoul Wootliff - http://www.timesofisrael.com/defense-minister-israel-will-respond-with-full-force-to-is-attacks/
In first comments since clash on Syrian border, Liberman says aggression against IDF soldiers will face 'immediate' retaliation In his first public comments after IDF troops killed four Islamic State fighters in a confrontation along the northern border with Syria, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said Monday that Israel would not tolerate any provocations by the group and would respond unilaterally to attacks with "full force." Speaking at his Yisrael Beytenu's weekly faction meeting at the Knesset, Liberman said aggression against IDF soldiers would be met with an "immediate" response, and without coordination with other countries fighting in Syria. "For the first time an Islamic State force attacked our soldiers and we replied appropriately - with a powerful response," Liberman said. "Israel is not looking for a fight but when we are faced with provocation - in Gaza, on the Syrian or Lebanese borders - we will respond with full force, as was done here." Sunday saw the first case of an IS affiliate deliberately attacking Israeli troops inside Israel. Numerous mortar shells have fallen inside Israel, some of which may have been fired by these terrorist groups, though most were likely spillover from the fighting in Syria rather than a directed attack. The incident was sparked when soldiers from the Golani Brigade's reconnaissance unit crossed the security fence with Syria to conduct an "ambush operation," while remaining inside Israeli territory. The troops came under small arms fire from members of the Khalid ibn al-Walid Army, formerly known as the Yarmouk Martyr's Brigade, an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson said. They returned fire, but soon came under attack from mortar shells. In response, the Israel Air Force targeted a truck "that had some sort of machine gun on top of it" and killed the four terrorists who were riding in it, the spokesperson said. Military officials have since described the incident as a one-off, saying they did not expect the jihadists to press ahead with more attacks on Israeli troops. Asked if Israel had coordinated with other countries fighting in Syria or planned to in the future, Liberman said that when attacked on its sovereign territory, Israel had no need to coordinate with anyone else and would respond "immediately." "When we identify the source of fire, we respond to it. If not, then the sovereign is Assad's army and we will respond there," he added. Echoing Liberman, Netanyahu told his own Likud faction that Israel would not allow any Islamic extremist groups to open a new front on the country's borders. "There have been several attempts to attack Israel's forces along the border," the prime minister said. "We will not allow any drizzle [of assaults], and if necessary, we will attack the enemy." Both the IS-affiliated Khalid ibn al-Walid Army and the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, formerly the al-Nusra Front, which is linked to al-Qaeda, have been present on Israel's borders for years, though they and the IDF had maintained a "live and let live" relationship until Sunday. Since March 2011, when the war broke out, dozens of mortars have landed in Israeli territory as a result of spillover fighting. The IDF often responds to fire that crosses into Israel by striking Syrian army posts. Israel has maintained a policy of holding Damascus responsible for all fire from Syria into Israel regardless of the source. Israel has also reportedly carried out airstrikes against Hezbollah and the Syrian Army deep inside the country to prevent arms transfers, with some of those reportedly coordinated with the US. Since Russia became heavily involved in Syria, Jerusalem and Moscow have held several top-level meetings aimed at making sure their forces do not become entangled in the labyrinthine civil war. 
As Israel burns, are we looking at a new form of eco-terrorism? - http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Are-we-looking-at-a-new-form-of-terrorism-473566
With wildfires currently raging across Israel for a third consecutive day, many are concerned that this may be a new form of terrorism. Fires from an estimated 220 points of origin have broken out throughout central and northern Israel since Wednesday and assessments by police have strengthened suspicions that many were deliberately set and were nationalistically motivated. Boaz Ganor, founder and executive director of the International Institute for Counter- Terrorism, told The Jerusalem Post that, "even if a portion are intentional, it is not organized. It's not that you have a terrorist organization giving orders to their members to carry out fire attacks, though maybe in a few hours you can have groups like Hamas claiming the fires." But "one thing is clear," Ganor said. "It is not a new form of terrorism. Arson attacks and setting fires in populated areas or forests are a well known modus operandi of terrorist groups, and not only in Israel. In the ninth issue of the English-language Inspire magazine, released by al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula in 2012, a significant portion was dedicated to attacking the United States by starting wildfires. The magazine listed instructions on how to ignite forest fires and the materials required, and instructs readers to look for two factors needed for a successful wildfire: dry conditions and high winds. "When we define this phenomenon as 'fire intifada' - words used by the media, politicians and laypeople - we are overestimating the phenomenon," Ganor told the Post. Nevertheless, Ganor explained that the pictures on social media networks of flames in the center of Haifa and surrounding Jerusalem are "heaven for those who may want to join the so-called 'fire intifada,' especially if you add the false reasoning of revenge for banning the call to prayer." Yoram Schweitzer, head of the program on terrorism and low-intensity conflict at the Institute for National Security Studies, told the Post that the term "fire intifada" should not be used, stressing that before accusing anyone there should be a full investigation into the fires. The wildfires have been cheered by many on social media using the hashtag #IsraelBurns. Many postings saying that this is divine retribution for the pending controversial law to ban mosque loudspeakers for the Muslim call to prayer. Last week Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal said that, "What the Israeli occupation state is doing at al-Aksa Mosque, as well as preventing the call to prayer in Jerusalem, is playing with fire. This created a fierce reaction in the Palestinian community and the whole of the Islamic nation." Ganor says "we should not exaggerate the terrorist motivation behind the wildfires," stressing that "the conditions right now are perfect for fires, with an extended period of dry weather and strong winds." Michael Horowitz, director of intelligence at Prime Source, a Middle East-based geopolitical consultancy firm, agreed. "It is too early to conclude that this is a "new form of terrorism," but it definitely can turn into that because of the virality of the trend," he told the Post, adding that "it's been praised by Hamas, and the hashtag "Israel is burning" is trending in Arabic. The mere perception of success can be enough to encourage copycat attacks." Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday visited the Fire and Rescue Service's coastal district forward command center, where was briefed on the efforts to put out the fires, many of which he said are "deliberate acts of arson." In Haifa, senior firefighter Shimon Ben Ner, told Army Radio that "I know for a fact that they tried to set fire to the department's station in Haifa deliberately, to cause the Haifa fire department to be paralyzed." In 2010, 44 people were killed in Israel's worst forest fire. The three-day Mount Carmel forest fire destroyed thousands of hectares of land and forced some 17,000 people to be evacuated from their homes, as well as various prisons, hospitals and military jails. Two residents of the Druse town of Daliat al-Carmel were arrested for allegedly attempting to start a fire in the Mount Carmel area. While police officials later said no wrongdoing had been established with certainty, many believe that arson was behind the Carmel forest blaze. 
New Putin move to win a military base in Libya - http://www.debka.com/article/25804/New-Putin-move-to-win-a-military-base-in-Libya
Libyan Gen Khalifa Hafter arrived in Moscow Sunday, Nov. 26, with a request for Russian arms and military support for his army. He was welcomed in Moscow, which saw an opening for Russia to gain its first military base in North Africa. According to debkafile's military and intelligence sources, President Vladimir Putin began to envision a second Mediterranean base on the coast of Benghazi, twin to Hmeimim in Syria's Latakia. This one would accommodate Russian naval as well as air units and be located 700km from Europe. The US-born Hafter, a general in the army of the late Muammar Qaddafi, carries the title of supreme commander of the Libyan army. However, Libya is today riddled with hundreds of militias vying for control. Haftar heads a powerful group that was once backed by the United States. But since refusing to recognize the government established by the UN in Tripoli, he relies mainly on the support of Egypt and some of the Gulf emirates for his eastern Libyan Benghazi stronghold. Egypt and the UAE provide Hafter's army with air support from Egyptian bases in the Western Desert. It was their leaders who urged him to accept the Russian invitation to Moscow and bid for military assistance. This was Hafter's second trip to Moscow. He was there in June and met with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and National Security Adviser Nikolai Patrushev. Then, the Kremlin was wary of extending military aid to the maverick Libyan general. US, Italian and British special forces were at the time pressing a major offensive to drive ISIS out of the key Libyan port of Sirte. However, this offensive has still not achieved its goal. Donald Trump's election as US president is already causing seismic rumbles in the region. Putin is now offering Hafter's army jet fighters attack helicopters, armored vehicles and assorted missiles as well as air support for fighting the Islamic State. It is too soon to say whether the Russian leader's Libya initiative betokens an invitation to the new US president to work together in the Middle East, or he is cashing in on an uncertain transition period between the presidencies to build up a stack of chips ready to face Trump as a rival power. At all events, Russian planes in Hmeimim are capable of covering the 1,500km distance to Libya, while the Russian carrier Admiral Kusnetzev is anchored not far away, off Syria's Mediterranean shore. Both are therefore available for operations in support of the Libyan general. This would be the first time a Russian aircraft carrier went into action in this part of the Mediterranean. The battles ongoing along the Mediterranean coast his week among the various militias, including Hafter's army, are in fact a tug-o'-war for control of Libya's oil fields. Libya's oil riches are certainly not absent from Putin's calculations. Moscow's assistance in helping his Libyan visitor gain the upper hand in this struggle could augur the first Russian stake in the Libyan oil industry. 
Good News - By Daymond Duck - http://raptureready.com/featured/duck/dd255.html
Many Christians call the gospel as the "Good News." One sentence can't adequately cover the subject, but it is basically the Bible teaching that a loving God has freely provided a way for anyone to enter His kingdom through a sincere faith and acceptance of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus as a personal atonement for their sins. The idea that sinners can be forgiven and brought into a right relationship with God by believing what the Bible says about Jesus and truly accepting Him as Lord and Saviour, asking for forgiveness, and asking Him to come into one's heart is truly the greatest of all good news. But this article is about two different kinds of good news. The first item of good news concerns a "Resolution in Support of Israel." "Resolved, That the messengers to the Tennessee Baptist Convention meeting in Sevierville, Tennessee, November 15-16, 2016, commit to bless Israel (Genesis 12:3; Numbers 24:9) and be it further." "Resolved, That we support the right of Israel to exist as a sovereign state and reject any activities that attack that right by promoting economic, cultural, and academic boycotts against Israel; and be it." "Resolved, That at this critical time when dangerous forces are mounting up against the nation of Israel, we recommit ourselves to pray for God's peace to rule in Jerusalem and for the salvation of Israel (Psalm 122:6; Romans 10:1), for the Gospel is 'God's power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew' (Romans 1:16) and be it finally." "Resolved, That we pray for Israel and for all nations of the Middle East, that God would change hearts and bring peace through the work of grace in His Son, Jesus Christ." I was not present at the meeting, but I have been told that the resolution passed by more than 900 to 1. Praise God for the wisdom, faith, sound theology and courage of the Tennessee Baptist "Messengers." God promised to bless those that bless Israel so their Biblical stand truly is good news (Gen. 12:3). A second item of good news concerns a growing awareness of what is needed for America to be great again. It has been reported that Donald Trump believes the good news of the Bible and he has accepted Jesus as his Savior. After that, he selected a proven Christian (Mike Pence) to be his running mate. After that, he promised to protect religious freedom and he took a strong pro-Israel stand. After that, he announced the establishment of a new "Evangelical Executive Advisory Board" which includes Michele Bachman, James Dobson, Robert Jeffress, David Jeremiah, Richard Land, James Robison and several other highly respected spiritual leaders. But he didn't ask these leaders to endorse him. He asked these leaders to meet regularly and advise him on issues that are important to evangelicals and others of faith in the U.S. After that, Dr. David Reagan wrote a three-part article contending that America's greatest need is not Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, but spiritual renewal (Lamplighter Magazine, Lamb & Lion Ministries, Nov.-Dec. 2016). Then, Sean Osborne called for Donald Trump's "Evangelical Executive Advisory Board" to establish a National Day of Prayer and Repentance, and to have a meeting in the President's White House office to pray and dedicate it as a place for the Lord's will for America to be done (eschatologytoday.blogspot.com; Global SITREP D12-16). This (or something like it) needs to be done. Donald Trump can't make America great again, but God can. And Trump's Evangelical Executive Advisory Board could get the ball rolling on Jan. 20, 2017 or before. There is hope for America if Christians and ministries will ask for forgiveness and try to do what God wants us to do. But there is no hope for America if we don't. To God be the glory. Prophecy Plus Ministries Daymond & Rachel Duck [email protected] 
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 
Who Are We, Anyway? - A Bible Study by Jack Kelley - https://gracethrufaith.com/topical-studies/spiritual-life/who-are-we-anyway/#more-356
As we begin another Christmas season, let's review exactly what the Lord's arrival on Earth has done for us. It'll help us remember the reason for the season and rekindle our joy in the midst of all the hustle and bustle. As we begin another Christmas season, let's review exactly what the Lord's arrival on Earth has done for us. It'll help us remember the reason for the season and rekindle our joy in the midst of all the hustle and bustle. Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. "As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. (Matt 13:36-43) "Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matt 13:47-50) In the parable of the weeds in the field, we're told that the good seed represents the sons of the Kingdom while the weeds are the sons of the evil one. They're both left to grow together in the field (the world) until the harvest. Likewise in the parable of the net, the good fish and the bad fish are drawn in the same net from the same body of water. In both cases the good and the bad seem to be similar in location and appearance until they're separated. By the way, some point to the parable of the weeds as proof of a post-tribulation rapture while others use the parable of the net to justify their pre-trib position. Neither is correct, for reasons I share in my 4 part commentary on the Kingdom Parables. But if both these parables point to a co-existence of believers and non-believers during the church age, and if they both allude to a physical similarity between the two, what is it that makes us different? Who Are We Anyway? Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Cor 5:17) You may look and even feel the same as you did before you were saved, but in God's eyes you're totally different. The old you no longer exists. As far as He's concerned, you're a new creation, as righteous as He is. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor. 5:21) Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1:12-13) This change came about as the result of a new birth. No matter who your earthly parents are, or what their nationality is, God has given you the authority to be born again as one of His children. You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Gal. 3:26-28) You might have been a Jew or a gentile before you were saved, but now you're neither. You belong to an entirely new race of Human, and God has adopted you directly into His family. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. (Ephes. 2:15-16) Since the Fall of Man, God has never been able to dwell successfully among His people. They simply can't live according to the standards of Holiness He requires. But He loves us too much to abandon us. So after the cross He began taking some from the Jews and some from the Gentiles, forming His new race of Human, and by His death making us as Holy as He is. The ones He takes are the ones who ask to be taken. Finally He now has children with whom He can dwell in peace. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. (Gal. 4:4-7) But that's not all He did at the cross. Being His children makes us His heirs, inheritors of Creation. In both Greek and Roman cultures, even a biological son had to be legally adopted by his father in order to qualify as an heir. This usually happened between the ages of 14 and 18 and was intended to prevent wayward, rebellious, or incompetent offspring from getting their hands on dad's estate. It was called receiving the full rights of a son. When you were born again as a child of God, whether male or female, you immediately received the full rights of a son, qualifying you as His heir. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (Rom. 8:15-17) Since we have allowed the death of our Lord to wipe away our debt of sin, thereby sharing in His sufferings, we are entitled by the power of the Holy Spirit to call the Creator of the Universe our Daddy and share with the Lord Jesus the inheritance set aside for Him. This inheritance is identified in Psalm 2:7-8. I will proclaim the decree of the LORD : He said to me, "You are my Son; today I have become your Father. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. By agreeing to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you are qualified to share in this inheritance. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. (Ephes. 2:6-7) Note the past tense of the verbs. As Far as God is concerned this has already been accomplished in Heaven, even though we wait for it to happen on earth. In other words it's as good as done. And in ages yet to come, when God is asked, "What was the greatest demonstration of Your love for Your people," He'll point to us, the church. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephes. 2:10) This literally means that we're His work of art, the very best example of His creative genius. We are destined to spend eternity in His presence, to rule and reign with Him in His Kingdom. We're future Kings and Priests in training for our coming coronation. Let's Begin Acting Like The Royalty We Are Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." (John 6:28-29) So what does this training consist of? We must believe with all our hearts that Jesus did what He came to do, and entrust our eternal destiny to His completed work alone. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. (John 15:12) With the power of the Holy Spirit invested within us, we must strive to love each other as He loved us. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephes. 4:22-24) We must begin to change our attitude about life, letting our gratitude for what He's done for us permeate every aspect of our lives. Here are some examples. Be joyful always; (1 Thes. 5:16) No matter what happens, we should be so thankful for all He's given us that nothing can steal our joy. Pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thes. 5:17-18) He wants a never ending conversation with us, and for us to find something in every situation that we can give thanks for, because He knows this will make us happier. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:4-7) No matter what happens, our reaction should be to rejoice. We should worry about nothing, pray about everything, and be thankful for anything. In return He will give us peace in our lives. Peace that never fails. Peace that's beyond our understanding. The peace of God Himself. So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matt. 6:31-33) He knows we need food, a place to live, and clothes to wear during our life on Earth. He promised to provide all these things for us, if we'll just make Him our first priority. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. (Phil 4:8) He has given us an incredibly powerful mind, the limits of which are beyond measure. There's no end to the things we can create in our imaginations. Such power can be destructive when it's used improperly, such as when we focus on hate, or greed or envy. He wants us to focus our minds on good things, things that are beautiful, pure, excellent and praiseworthy. He knows this will make us happier and healthier. Happy Now? We who've been given everything must learn not to worry about anything. We have the promise of One who cannot lie that He will look after our every need, and that He'll never leave us or forsake us to the very end of the age. And then we'll spend eternity in never ending bliss with Him. All we have to do is believe it. That's the gift He brought us when He came to Earth that first Christmas. Selah 
Daily Jot: Hypocrisy Heights - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com
If you have been following the news, there is a new nationwide show called Hypocrisy Heights. It stars defeated communists, Green Party Presidential candidate Jill Stein and Democratic Party Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Clinton, if you remember, was spastic about the possibilities that Donald Trump would not accept the results of the presidential election if he lost. Stein and Clinton have decided to challenge the results of the election in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan, if they can raise enough money to do so. In reality, Clinton likely will also assist in funding the recounts initiated by Stein. This, after her fit that Trump may undermine the democratic process with a challenge if he lost. On October 20, the news narrative was full of stories about Trump responding to a question during the third presidential debate about whether he would accept the result of the election if he lost. He responded, "I will tell you at the time. I'll keep you in suspense." Clinton tweeted that his stance was "horrifying" saying that it "was not the way our democracy works." Trump was labeled "dangerous" and damaging to democracy by the current "president." Reporters speculated for days what Trump not accepting defeat would do to the country. Political analysts at colleges and universities said it undermines the credibility of the elected president and could foment a shadow presidency by the loser, a divided nation. Nary a mention from the news media about all the post-debate hysteria by Clinton, the Democratic Party and the "president." Clinton's camp is saying it wants to show that it is exploring all the options even though there is no "actionable evidence" suggesting foul play. Using the narrative that Russia could have hacked the US election and put Trump in office, Clinton justifies undermining the Republic. In reality, she shouldn't want a recount considering there are several experts pointing to untold millions of illegal votes cast by noncitizens and dead people who are likely to have voted Clinton. But Clinton is now exploring all options to something she called horrifying a month ago. Hypocrisy Heights. As citizens, we all should be concerned that elections are fair and conducted without foul play. Trump should insist on a recount of all the votes in New York, California, Oregon, Washington, New Jersey, and just for kicks, Illinois, where the cemeteries are full of reliable voters. He may win by a landslide of the popular vote after all the illegal votes are thrown out. Notwithstanding, Clinton and her backers will not stop in trying to undermine our Constitutional Republic and replace it with a form of communism. As Jesus said about the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23:28, we can say about these hypocrites, "...you outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity." 
Daily Devotion: A Thermometer or a Thermostat? - Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth. -Luke 1:26 It's interesting how cities are known for certain things. Rome is known as the Eternal City. Paris is called the City of Lights. New York is the City that Never Sleeps. And Las Vegas has been nicknamed Sin City. Nazareth, too, could have been called Sin City in the first century. Overrun by Roman soldiers, it was one of those places you went through on the way to another place. Nazareth was also known for its sin. One commentator described it as a hotbed of corruption. This is why, when Nathanael heard that Jesus was from Nazareth, he asked, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46). Imagine if Jesus were born today. We might expect Him to be born in Jerusalem, or maybe in Rome, London, or Paris. But what if He were born in Las Vegas? The Savior has arrived: Jesus of Las Vegas. That's what it would have been like to use the term Jesus of Nazareth. In that wicked city, however, lived a young woman of royal blood. Living in an impure world, Mary was pure. She showed it is possible to live a holy life in an unholy place. We often blame our wicked culture for the way we are, but the fact is that it's our job as followers of Jesus to permeate and affect our culture. Here's a question to ask yourself: Are you a thermometer or a thermostat? A thermometer is affected by its surroundings. Depending on the temperature, it goes up or down. In contrast, a thermostat affects its surroundings. Unlike the thermometer, it controls the environment around it. Do you merely react to what is happening around you, or do you have some kind of impact on it? Are you changing the culture, or is the culture changing you? 
FROM THE HEART
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