Prophecy Update Newsletter
December 2, 2016
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
Undertow - Pete Garcia - http://www.omegaletter.com/articles/articles.asp?ArticleID=8348
Then I stood on the sand of the sea. And I saw a beast rising up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his horns ten crowns, and on his heads a blasphemous name...So they worshiped the dragon who gave authority to the beast; and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" Revelation 13:1,4 Given the context of Revelation 13 we understand that the beast rising up out of the sea is that final world empire. We know this is an empire because of the consistency in the symbolism between Revelation 13 and Daniel 7-8, which portrays these beast (chimeras) as representing actual kingdoms. At this particular point in time, the people worship the beast (whatever system this ends up being), but in actuality are worshipping the power behind the throne. But how many people do you know today who actually worship government? Aside from North Korea who mandate the worship of the ruling Kim, governmental worship doesn't really exist anywhere else in the world at the moment. We know they are really worshipping Satan, because Revelation 12 confirms the identity of the dragon as Satan. My assumption is that they worship this final world system because there is some type of technological breakthrough that completely revolutionizes the way we live here on planet earth. It could be something supernatural, or technological, or both. It could be what the transhumanists refer to as the Singularity. For those who don't know what the Singularity is, here it is described by one of its biggest proponents, Google Director of Engineering and futurist Ray Kurzweil as: The Singularity is an era in which our intelligence will become increasingly nonbiological and trillions of times more powerful than it is today-the dawning of a new civilization that will enable us to transcend our biological limitations and amplify our creativity. Whatever it is, we can't be 100% sure, but we do know that this final system comes up out of the sea of humanity...meaning, it's a transnational system. This could represent a coalescing of regional autonomy within a global organization like the United Nations. It has seven heads (regions of authority) and ten horns (seats of power), and ten crowns (people who sit in these seats of authority). It is a regional system that is governed by a small body of ten leaders. The Antichrist, who then comes from out of this group, and is able to subdue three, and secures a majority rule which he ends up taking over completely. (Rev. 17:9-14) So given that introduction, we know according to Scripture, that it is not until the mid-way point that Satan actually comes down to inhabit this man we know as Antichrist. But why does he (Satan) wait until the midpoint? Clearly, the Antichrist is Satan's 'go-to' man from the outset, but I believe (along with many others) that it is only at the midway point that a number of different events transpire simultaneously forcing Satan's agenda in a direction he doesn't want to go: the angelic war in heaven, the Two Witnesses assassinated, the Antichrist's "miraculous" recovery after an assassination attempt, and now the earth-bound Satan, personally inhabits this man Antichrist. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time. Revelation 12:12 Assessment Undertow: noun un·der·tow \-ˌtō\
It appears to me that there is a bit of foot-dragging by Satan in wanting this all to play out. Yes, he wants to thwart God's plan by destroying and corrupting humanity, but he also has read the Book (see Luke 4:9-11) and at least peripherally knows where this is all headed. I'm not saying that he agrees with the Bible, or understands it, or even believes it...but at the very least, he's aware of what it says. Revelation 12:12 confirms that he knows he has very little time left to fight this. Given that premise, we should know that the frustration amongst many prophecy teachers, particularly over the past 16 years, is the frustrating mixture between the seeming immediacy of clear prophetic events such as a one-world currency/ religion/government, the Psalm 83-Ezekiel 38 wars, etc., and the lack of fulfillment of these same prophetic events. At the same time, there is still that unstoppable march forward making these events more of a matter of when, and not if. There is a war to both move the satanic agenda forward, but also a satanic attempt to frustrate the fulfillment by trying to circumvent it through schemes and plottings. For instance, we know that Satan doesn't know the future, so he always has to have a man in the wings ready to play the role of The Antichrist. During the 1920's-1940's, the man seemingly being groomed for that position was Adolph Hitler. It seemed initially, that the tide of time and events were on his side until God raised up the United States to thwart his (Satan's) plans to exterminate the Jewish race via the 'Final Solution'. But despite Hitler's best efforts with the Holocaust and 6M dead, what his actions really brought about was the prophetic fulfillment of the Jewish state of Israel. Had he not attempted to exterminate an entire race, the world would not have supported the political rebirth of a once-dead ancient nation. In fact, the newly formed United Nations still only supported this initiative by a very slim margin...but it was just enough for God's purposes to work out...as predicted! (Isaiah 11:11; Amos 9:15) Even the disciples had a difficult time understanding the Messiah's divinely appointed task and purpose. They didn't know because the Old Testament (OT) for the most part (one exception being Daniel 9:24-27) does not present the prophetic events linearly and/or chronologically. Prophecy in the OT is sort of all over the place, and it really does take God's help for us to understand how the OT prophecies fit into and complete the events in the NT. This is why when Peter stated that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. (Matt. 16:17) The main distinction from the OT prophetically speaking, is how the NT presents the information. For instance, Matthew 1:21-23 points back to Isaiah 7:14 as the clear fulfillment of the arrival of the Messiah. Jesus outlines the order of end-times events systematically in the Olivet Discourse. In his letters to the church at Thessalonica, the Apostle Paul clearly outlines the order of events between the Rapture and the Tribulation (chapters 4-5) and again in his second epistle to them (chapter 2). The Apostle John was given the Revelation in a highly symbolized, but also decidedly chronological and structured order of events beginning with the first Seal Judgment all the way until the last Bowl Judgment. So compared to the OT's Major and Minor Prophets, the New Testament is very clear, both chronologically, and contextually. True, there are still some concepts and doctrines in the NT that are not completely understandable by us finite beings such as the Incarnation, the Trinity, and the timing of things, but there is definitely an order and a chronological method to the makeup of the prophetic NT Scripture. Conclusion Given what the Bible has to say about Satan, we know that he was the highest order of creation before the man Adam was formed out of the dust of the earth. We also know that he is exceedingly intelligent, deceitful, and crafty (Gen. 3:1-2, Ezekiel 28:12, Rev. 12:9). Remember that at the beginning (tower of Babel), this one-world concept was initially his. It was his evil plan then, because he didn't understand what God's plan was yet. But now, Satan knows. You want to know why the world is as divided, violent, hateful, and broken as it is, it's because the last thing Satan wants, is a one-world system. Don't get me wrong on this, the world has been given over to Satan (Luke 4:5-6; 1 John 5:19), and he hates God, hates Christians, and really hates the Jewish people. This is why one of the most prevalent and undisputed prophetic markers we see today is not some major war or supernatural phenomenon, but apostasy. Satan realized early on, that persecution causes Christianity to spread like a wildfire...but spiritual and theological corruption...oh that was much more effective. A one-world system is what man wants, and man is still a free-agent in this game. Satan knows where this will all lead, and he will continue to attempt to frustrate this march towards a final, one-world system. He is being dragged kicking and screaming out to sea. The sea, which represents this final, global system and the closer we get to it, the more it validates what the Bible says about his impending doom. There have been three key, technological inventions/discoveries that have made this march towards globalism not only possible, but inevitable: the harnessing of electricity, the mapping of human DNA, and the Internet. Each of these have been monumental paradigm shifts in human history and have unlocked so much potential change, that it can't be undone. Obviously, harnessing electricity has allowed the world to advance its technological processes. Mapping the human DNA has unlocked the potential for man to alter himself through some misguided ideals on evolution. The internet has leapfrogged man's ability to gather, assess, and use information in ways never possible before. There is also one geo-political issue that is a clear reaction against globalism, and that is regionalism. I know that might sound odd given the recent rise in populism and nationalism, as well as the Brexit and Donald Trump victories. But the world is way too interconnected these days to ever go back to that type of pre- World War I global model. We (the United States and western powers) want to partner with like-minded nations. The same goes for Islamic, socialist and communist nations as they help prop up like-minded countries. With that said, leftist globalism has for the moment, swung back hard right to pockets of populism, which will lead right back to where the Bible said we would be...regionalism. This regionalism is represented by the seven heads, ten horns, and ten crowns, but will ultimately fall under one system led by a single man, Antichrist. How does this happen if Satan is actively working to postpone it? Well, like most everything else, there is a process.
So take comfort in the knowledge that despite the chaos, despite the seemingly endless tide of evil that is flooding the world we live in...that God has us exactly where He intended us to be at this final juncture in history. My intent was not to give the devil any credit, but to show that what we see on the surface, is not always what is really going on beneath. Therefore, let not your heart be troubled. Only God knows the future, and for those of us who are born-again, are hidden in Christ... But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Cor. 2:7&8 Kerry, in stinging rebuke of settlements, doesn't rule out UN action - By Rebecca Shimoni Stoil - http://www.timesofisrael.com/kerry-in-stinging-rebuke-of-settlements-doesnt-rule-out-un-action/
Outgoing US secretary of state excoriates Netanyahu government, slams Naftali Bennett for 'disturbing' remarks on two-state solution WASHINGTON - Secretary of State John Kerry excoriated the Israeli right, claiming that support for settlement construction stems from a desire to subvert Israeli-Palestinian peace, during a speech before the Brookings Institution's Saban Forum on Sunday afternoon. A subdued Kerry, wearing reading glasses and referring to extensive notes, notably refrained from committing to veto any UN resolution intended to establish a Palestinian state, only promising a veto "if it is a biased, unfair resolution calculated to delegitimize Israel." US officials last week indicated that US President Barack Obama had nearly ruled out any major last-ditch effort to put pressure on Israel over stalled peace negotiations with the Palestinians, including at the United Nations. Kerry, who will end his tenure as secretary of state in January, warned the audience that "you can fight about where we are in this process, but I'll tell you this: There is no status quo. It is getting worse. It is moving in the wrong direction." In his lengthy appearance, Kerry accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government of suffering from a lack of leadership, and explicitly cited Education Minister Naftali Bennett's recent comments lauding the demise of the two-state solution as "profoundly disturbing." Hours after Netanyahu emphasized in his video address before the forum that settlements are not the cause of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Kerry challenged Netanyahu's broader claim that failure to recognize Israel as a Jewish state is at the heart of the failure to reach an agreement. Settlements, Kerry said, "are not the cause of this conflict. But...if you have a whole bunch of people who are strategically locating outposts and settlements in an area so that there will not be a contiguous Palestinian state, they are doing it to be an obstacle to peace." Kerry said that he was certain that settlement construction was intended to serve as just such an obstacle. "I cannot accept the notion that [settlements] don't affect the peace process, that they aren't a barrier to the ability to create peace," Kerry argued. "The left in Israel is telling everyone that it is a barrier to peace and the right, which supports it, is openly telling people that they support it because they don't want peace. They believe in Greater Israel." Kerry singled out Bennett as one such voice. "Out of the mouths of ministers in the current government have come profoundly disturbing sentiments," he admonished, citing the minister's claim that Israel has reached "the end of the two-state solution." "We have not passed (the tipping point) but we're getting there," Kerry warned. During his video address earlier, Netanyahu was asked whether Donald Trump's incoming administration will allow Israel to do whatever it wants regarding settlement building in the West Bank. "Well, I think we have been doing what we want," Netanyahu told host Haim Saban. Right-wing politicians have contended that settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem has nearly ground to a halt under the Obama administration, which forcefully condemns any building over the Green Line. Kerry, by contrast, said settler numbers had grown by 20,000 since President Barack Obama first took office. The secretary of state also strongly disavowed proposals voiced by a series of Israeli legislators to first negotiate an agreement with neighboring Arab states, and only then to sit at the table with the Palestinians. "There will be no separate peace between Israel and the Arab world. Let me make that clear to you," Kerry insisted, saying that his conclusion had been reaffirmed in recent weeks through talks with Arab leaders. "There will be no advance or separate peace in the Arab world without advancing the Palestinian issue. Everybody needs to understand that. That is a hard reality." Kerry acknowledged that while every American administration in the past four decades has opposed settlement construction, the United States had not managed to effectively use its leverage to get Israel to cease construction. Alongside his critique of what Kerry described as a "continued settlement process that narrows the capacity for peace," the secretary of state also noted that "there has simultaneously been a process of demolition of Palestinian homes." Kerry cited 11,000 standing demolition orders against Palestinian-constructed buildings in the West Bank, while noting that only one Palestinian building was granted official construction approval in Area C between 2014-2015. Kerry repeated warnings commonly heard over the past four years that if a two-state solution is not achieved, Israel will be untenable as a Jewish and democratic state. "So how does this work?" Kerry probed. "How do you have a one state that is Jewish and democratic and also has provisions in place for Israel's security?" "What's your vision of a unitary state?" he continued. "If Palestinians are majority, will there be a Palestinian prime minister of Israel? Hezbollah vs ISIS vs Israel - By Jonathan Spyer - http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/ISIS-Threat/Hezbollah-vs-ISIS-vs-Israel-474233
Two incidents this week showcase the complexity of the challenges facing Israel on its northern front. In the first, an air strike killed four members of the Islamic State-affiliated Khalid Ibn al-Walid Brigade after a patrol of the Golani reconnaissance unit in the southern Golan Heights was targeted by the organization. Israeli aircraft then targeted a facility used by the group in the Wadi Sirhan area. In the second incident, according to regional media reports, Israeli aircraft operating from Lebanese airspace fired Popeye missiles at targets in the Sabboura area, 8 km. northwest of Damascus. There were no casualties, according to SANA, the official Syrian news agency. London-based Arabic newspaper Rai al-Youm reported that the Israeli strike was targeting a Hezbollah-bound weapons convoy. The paper also reported that Israeli aircraft carried out a second strike on a facility of Syria's 4th Armored Division, near Damascus. Israel neither confirmed nor denied the second incident. But on a number of occasions over the last four years of war in Syria, Israel has used its ability to operate in the skies over Syria to prevent weapons transfers to Hezbollah in Lebanon from the Syrian regime. It is possible that this incident was the latest act in this effort. These two events are of tactical importance only. Neither is likely at this stage to lead to broader engagements, but they reflect a reality in which some of the world's most powerful non-state military organizations are deployed close to Israel's border with Syria, making war against one another while planning and organizing for a future war against the Jewish state. The Khalid Ibn al-Walid Brigade is a franchise of the Islamic State. It was formed from the merger of two Salafi organizations operating in southern Syria - the Shuhada al-Yarmuk group and the Muthanna organization. The group controls an area of the border east of the Golan Heights, from south of the town of Tasil, down to Syria's border with Jordan. From this area, the brigade is conducting a war against the Syrian rebels to its north. It does not fight the forces of the Syrian government because they are not deployed in its immediate vicinity. Israel has long eyed the Islamic State-affiliate with particular suspicion, expecting that sooner or later a clash would be inevitable. This week it came. The volume of the Israeli response was clearly intended to reestablish deterrence against the Sunni jihadis, with the hope that it will cause them to think again before engaging with Israeli forces. Islamic State is facing battle for survival in its main domains farther north and in Iraq and it is unlikely that it is in a position to contemplate opening a front against a newer and more powerful enemy farther south. The non-Islamic State rebels who control the rest of the border, with the exception of a small-regime controlled part at the northern edge near Beit Jinn, are of lesser concern to Israel. Indeed, a relationship of tolerance and cooperation exists between Israel and elements among those rebels. Israel's main concern, rather, is the Iran/Assad/Hezbollah side. The reported strikes in the Damascus area, if they took place, were the latest incidents in a limited Israeli campaign against these elements intended to produce two outcomes: first, to limit the transfer of complex weapons systems to Hezbollah, and second, to keep the Iran-supported militia and its allies from replacing the rebels along the borderline. As of now, it is difficult to assess the extent of the success of the first objective. Hezbollah is known to now possess advanced SA-22 anti-aircraft missiles and Yakhont anti-ship missiles. So, as might be expected, it appears that the sporadic Israeli efforts have not succeeded in sealing the Lebanese-Syrian border from efforts by the Assad regime and Iran to supply their ally to the west. Regarding the border, however, as of now, it remains almost entirely out of government hands, reflecting greater Israeli success. Nevertheless, Israeli planners are carefully observing events farther north. President Bashar Assad's regime, with Russian help, is set to reconquer the northern city of Aleppo. This will represent the greatest setback for the rebels since 2012. Once the reconquest of eastern Aleppo is completed, regime forces will hope to move against remaining areas of rebel control in Idlib Governorate. If they succeed also there, then eventually the southern front will come back on to the agenda. At this point, the Israeli concern will be that similar methods to those that helped the regime to prevail elsewhere will be used here too. The Russian entry into the Syrian arena has tilted the balance for the regime and complicated the picture from Israel's point of view. It is Russian air power that is enabling the regime to advance in the north. If employed in the south, it can be expected to eventually produce similar results. It is probable that Israel will be quietly lobbying Moscow to take account of Israel's security needs on the border when contemplating action in the south. The Russians are not hostile to Israel, but will act according to how they perceive their own interests. Their decision as to whether to allow Assad to reconquer the southwest of his country - and by so doing to allow Iran and Hezbollah to reach the border with Israel - will be decisive. Of course, even in the worst case scenario in which they decide to allow this, the task facing Israel on the border will not fundamentally change. It will mean that instead of needing to deter hostile but relatively weak Sunni jihadi forces from contemplating action against the hated Zionists, Israel will need to deter hostile and less weak Shi'ite jihadis with the same intentions. Iran/Hezbollah and Islamic State agree about relatively little, but on the goal of destroying Israel and returning Jerusalem to Islamic rule they are entirely in consensus. Israel, naturally, prefers the weaker, non-state enemy in close proximity to the stronger. The events of this week show that it is engaged in a tacit, ongoing, unstated and limited war against both. "Syrian 5th Corps" is new Shiite foreign legion - www.debka.com
Syria and its allies came closer than ever to taking Aleppo on Friday, Dec. 2, when they captured the Tariq al-Bab district to gain control of 60 percent of the rebel-held eastern part of the city. Drawing on the lessons of this success, the winning forces have begun building a military outfit modeled on the format of the victorious coalition. It is designated the "Fifth Corps" of the Syrian army, but debkafile's military and intelligence sources can identity the new unit as the framework for an international Shiite brigade or foreign legion. It is the brainchild of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' Gen. Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iranian Mid East operations, who is in Iraq at present, supervising the Shiite militias on the Mosul front. However, his officers are overseeing its construction of the new military legion. It is composed of the remnants of the Syrian army's First and Second Corps, which took a bad beating in the five years of conflict, the Hezbollah expeditionary force in Syria and the Shiite militias which Tehran imported from Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan to fight for Bashar Assad. The new framework aims to field 50,000 to 70,000 fighting men. Its command structure is already taking shape in a form that is new for the Syrian army and indeed any other fighting force in the region. Syrian, Hezbollah and foreign Shiite officers will make up this command, but not direct their own forces, only mixed units composed of Iranian, Syrian, Shiite and Hezbollah servicemen. It will be the first Shiite army or foreign legion ever seen in the Middle East. An oblique reference to the novel force came from a Hezbollah source this week who said: "The Fifth Corps is an important turning-point for the ties between allied forces within the same axis - Syria, Iran, Russia and Hezbollah." Russia? debkafile's sources have heard no hint of the Russians joining the new Shiite legion. But Hezbollah has been spreading reports in the past fortnight about its deepening ties with Russian officers, mainly on the Aleppo front, and their supposed appreciation of the Lebanese Shiites' fighting prowess. The Syrian high command has meanwhile moved forward on the new scheme with a decision this week to send the entire next class of military recruits to the new Fifth Corps. The new Shiite foreign legion or international brigade presents a major headache for Syria's neighbors, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Israel. It provides a cover for Iran and Hezbollah to sneak troops right up to their borders. Whenever this happened in the past, Israel and Jordan pushed back hard. But this will be more difficult once the Fifth Corps is set up as an integral part of the Syrian army. Western and Arab observers following the Syrian war believe that, as soon as they finish off the rebels in Aleppo, the new foreign legion's forces will turn south to repeat the exercise there with Russian support. The Russian bombardment of rebel concentrations outside the southern towns of Jasim and Daraa Sunday, Nov. 27, was seen a message from Moscow to Jerusalem and Amman that southern Syria is now in line for the next battle. EU Military - By Daymond Duck - http://raptureready.com/featured/duck/dd256.html
I think it is clear that the Antichrist will rise to power over a Revived Roman Empire (the EU) and head up a powerful military during the Tribulation Period (Dan. 9:26-27). The Antichrist will do according to his own will (exercise absolute power; Dan. 11:36), prosper until the Tribulation period is over (until the indignation is accomplished; Dan. 11:36) and honor the god of forces (Satan; Dan. 11:38). He will attack some of the strongest forces on earth (with Satan's help; Dan. 11:39); defeat the king of the South and the king of the North (Dan. 11:40); overthrow many countries (Dan. 11:41); and plunder Egypt, the Libyans and the Ethiopians (Dan. 11:42-43). When Jesus breaks the first seal on the seven-sealed scroll he will go forth conquering, and to conquer (Rev. 6:1-2). By the time the middle of the Tribulation period arrives people will ask, "Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him" (Rev. 13:4)? For at least 20-30 years (and perhaps more), the EU has "talked about" building a powerful EU military. "Talked about" seems to be an accurate depiction of the situation because every time the subject of a powerful EU military comes up it turns out to be more talk than fact. The EU nations want to be defended, but some have not paid their fair share of the costs. Some have relied upon their membership in NATO to protect them, but they have spent their money on other things. Donald Trump came on the scene saying he would put America first. He criticized NATO and said it is obsolete. He indicated that it would be difficult for him to send American troops to defend NATO countries that aren't paying their dues. He called non-payment a big deal and said it cannot be ignored. Donald Trump's amazing November victory caught more than the American pundits by surprise. It exploded like a bomb in EU offices all over Europe. Nervous diplomats started calling for an EU military again. The president of the EU Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, said the European Continent cannot always rely on the U.S. to protect it. German Defense Minister, Ursula von der Leven, called for an EU military that can match NATO Other panicked officials expressed similar concerns. It took just two weeks for the EU Parliament to assemble and pass a non-binding resolution that calls for the creation of a European Defense Union. The EU Commission will meet in December to consider their resolution. Is this it? Are world leaders finally going to see a strong EU military? Many experts say it as highly unlikely. And they may be right. But don't overlook the fact that God's Word will be fulfilled. He will allow the Antichrist to rise to power and prosper. Satan will be behind what the wicked one does, etc. God's ways are beyond our understanding. When the Hebrew children were trapped against the Red Sea who would have thought that God would part the water and let them cross on dry ground? When God's appointed time came for the birth of the Messiah, who would have thought that He would be born in a stable instead of a nice Jewish inn? Who would have thought that a man that has never held public office could win the nomination for president of the U.S.? Who would have thought that Donald Trump would criticize NATO and it would trigger a call for an EU military? It reminds us that God said, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways" (Isa. 55:8). I don't know whether the world will soon see an EU military or not, but I want to be careful about trying to explain it in human terms because a spiritual war between God and Satan underlies the events that are taking place. And when the appointed time comes God's Word will be fulfilled. 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 Watchman Warning: Holiday Warning And Hope - By Hal Lindsey - http://www.hallindsey.com/ww-12-2-2016/
For most people entering the Christmas season, first thoughts go to shopping, travel, party plans, church events, and other things that go along with and help us prepare for the celebration of Christmas. But this year, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, we have something else to think about - terror attacks. DHS released a statement saying the season brings "opportunities for violent extremists," and they warned against "terrorist-inspired individuals" attacking holiday events in the United States this year. The State Department issued a similar warning for U.S. citizens traveling in Europe during the holidays. Christmas events make an obvious terrorist target. Primarily, they are Christian in nature. That automatically draws the hatred of radical jihadists. But just as important, Christmas-related activities are easily hit. They are what security experts call "soft targets." This week at Ohio State, we learned again the vulnerability of people on a sidewalk. During holidays, ordinary sidewalks can be as packed as those that lined the Boston Marathon when it was bombed. People can be crammed into stores, as well. In some locations, shoppers gather by the thousands. But stores have few if any of the special protections of government buildings, or airports. The store's goal is to get people in. They don't want barriers to customers. Other holiday gatherings can be even more crowded. Parties, church events, and seasonal concerts place thousands of people inside soft target venues. That's like blood in the water to a group of sharks. And yet, if we live in fear, we not only let the terrorists win, we directly disobey God. Isaiah 41:10 says, "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." (NKJV) Think about the identity of the Speaker. It is the God who said, "Let there be light: and there was light." (Genesis 1:3 KJV) It is the same God who said, "I have made the earth, and created man on it. I - My hands - stretched out the heavens, and all their host I have commanded." (Isaiah 45:12 NKJV) King David said, "His greatness is unsearchable." (Psalms 145:3 KJV) The God who says "Fear not," is perfect and great. His power is so complete, that Jesus said, "With God all things are possible." (Matthew 19:26 KJV) That is the God Who says to you and me, "Fear not, for I am with you." He says not to fear, then gives the perfect reason for not fearing. He is with us. The God to Whom "all things are possible" is with us. Amid a world in chaos and pain, we need not be dismayed. Why? He answers by saying, "For I am your God." That doesn't mean we chose Him. It means He chose us. The God who "made the earth, and created man on it" chose to identify with us as our God. And then He makes a series of promises so rich and beautiful they are beyond the greatest poet's ability to express. Yet He says it in a few simple words. "I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." The God Whose "greatness is unsearchable" gives you and me an intimate, highly personalized promise to strengthen, help, and uphold us. It is especially comforting to know that He does the upholding. He doesn't depend on my strength or my righteousness. In fact, He says that my righteousness is like a pile of filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6 says, "All our righteousnesses are like filthy rags." (NKJV) A filthy rag is nothing to be clothed in - especially for an audience with the King. But that's the best we can do on our own. So, He does something extraordinary. He provides us a wedding garment of perfect purity; a garment of His own making. (Matthew 22:10-14) He clothes us in His righteousness. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (NKJV) Your own righteousness will not uphold you, but "the righteousness of God in Him" is perfect. That's how He can say, "I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:13 continues the thought begun in verse 10. "For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.'" (NKJV) Who does the holding? He does. The Lord your God holds your right hand, and He says to you personally, "Don't be afraid. I've got you. I'm holding you in the strong right hand of My righteousness." Shopping... cooking... eating... gifts... plays... parties.... They can all be wonderful. But we also face difficulties during this season. Either way, remember why we celebrate. A child was born. He bought salvation for all who will receive it. Don't be afraid. Let Him who "rules the world with truth and grace," reign joyfully in your heart. Daily Jot: Fitting end to Castro's last ride - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com
So here we go-the stage is set. There are thousands of people lining the streets, likely forced to be there, even to chant "Long Live Fidel"-and "The Caravan of Liberty," the same name Castro's rebels called their bloody march from Santiago to Havana during the "La Revolution" was rolling along with carrying Castro's ashes in a glass encased box in the back of an olive green Soviet-made one-off of an American Jeep. When just at the crescendo of the funeral dirge, the vehicle broke down and the soldiers of the revolution, the comrades of a day past, were reminded of exactly what communism is all about-the "have-nots" pushing the "haves" to their destination. Power to the working class, right? So fitting. Fidel Castro is getting a lot of press in his death. Most of these leftists are portraying him as some kind of hero, a defiant revolutionary who stood up to the big bad Americans. That he did. But he destroyed hundreds of thousands of lives, perhaps millions, while doing it. All the while he painted an image of himself as the olive uniformed man of the people when he really was using his position to accumulate wealth and live in luxury. Worse than the pandering of the leftist news media to the Castro regime was that of the US "president" who broke protocol and took his family to Cuba to pay homage to this ruthless Communist dictator nine months before his death. The US "president" gushed that his daughters wanted to go to Cuba "because they understood." Whatever that was supposed to mean. The US "president" issued this statement upon Castro's death: "History will record and judge the enormous impact of this singular figure on the people and world around him." Enormous impact? Really? The Miami Herald reported on April 23, 2006 that Fidel Castro was responsible for 31,173 executions and prison deaths since he took power in1959. Some 5,728 were killed by firing squads. He refused medical attention to those trying to escape the island by boat, resulting in another estimated 77,000 deaths. Nearly all the sources indicate an exact number of deaths by Castro's regime is unattainable, with estimates of over 1.5 million. Why couldn't the US "president" call Castro what he was-a murderous dictator? The Communist Manifesto states: "...Communism abolishes eternal truths, it abolishes all religion, and all morality, instead of constituting them on a new basis." This is the basis of deception for all socialism and progressivism. It is godless and evil. The Bible tells us in Galatians 5:!, "Stand fast therefore in the Liberty wherewith Christ has made us free and be not entangled again in the yoke of bondage." Communists ply human nature with powerful words of freedom like "rights" when, in reality, they wish to kill, steal and destroy. Castro was among the worst of our lifetime. He is an example of how an antichrist figure can deceive people to destruction with vain words. Castro's green Soviet funeral car breaking down is a fitting last ride and should stand as a subtle prophetic warning to all who entertain his ways. Daily Devotion: It Began with a Tree - Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org
And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. -Genesis 2:9 The Christmas story begins with a tree, but not the kind of Christmas tree with brightly colored lights or ornaments. The Christmas story begins with a tree called the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, in the Garden of Eden. God had given Adam and Eve only one restriction in that literal paradise: stay away from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But before long, that's just where we find them. Of course, we know the rest of the story. They listened to the serpent and ate the forbidden fruit. And once that happened, they lost their sweet fellowship with God. A few verses later, we come to the first Christmas verse in the Bible, where God said to the serpent, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel." Here the battle lines were drawn. The devil knew this Messiah would come-and that He would come from the Jewish people. So he tried to stop that from taking place. Really, as we look at the Christmas story, we realize that it doesn't begin in Matthew or Luke. It begins in the Old Testament. Before there was a world, before there were planets, before there was light and darkness, before there was matter, before there was anything but the Godhead, there was Jesus-coequal, coeternal, and coexistent with the Father and Holy Spirit. He was with God. He was God. Jesus Christ became human without ceasing to be God. He did not become identical to us, but He became identified with us. The real message of Christmas is that God came to this earth. The real message of Christmas is Immanuel, God is with us. FROM THE HEART
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