Prophecy Update Newsletter
IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...
2020: The Year in Review - By Pete Garcia -
https://rev310.com/2019/12/2020-the-year-in-review ~Just in time for that time of year again. If you've read any of my previous years in review, you'll know (as I do) that I'm hit or miss on a lot of things. So take this with a grain of salt. If you want to go to last year's article to see what I got right and wrong, go here. ~Ever since Donald Trump became president, he has become a dynamic and powerful global leader. Thus, his presence (or absence) on the world stage has the potential to really disrupt global geopolitics. In this sense, I will largely use his absence as the bellwether for near-future scenarios. United States Economics ~First off, as the US continues to dig itself deeper into national debt (presently $22T), look for political leaders and "experts" to call for an alternative to the US Dollar. Technological advancements are now to the point that a loud and growing chorus will be singing the tune for a change to a new, digital currency. This may be staved off if Trump remains president. If he loses, however, and the Democrats control both houses, this will be swift move to abandon the fiat version of the US Dollar. ~Furthermore, an issue neither Republicans nor Democrats are apt to deal with is the rise of automation and artificial intelligence in the workplace. As more and more industries seek to bring their businesses back home, one way to offset the cost of the average American worker (which is considerably more expensive than Chinese slave labor) is to automate positions that are either low-skilled and/or repetitive. This is one of those unintended consequences that modernity brings, much in the same vein to what email did to the US Postal system. Technology ~Real prophecy coming to life. According to the book of Revelation, the Antichrist's Beast-government will be able to gain military, political, and economic control over every person on the planet, save those who are directly protected by God (Rev. 7:4-8). This means that everyone on the planet either lives in one geographic location or that technology reaches such a level that the Beast gains complete, totalitarian control. ~Ever imagine what Hitler could have done if he just had Google-earth? In contradistinction, the Antichrist will have at his disposal, the greatest and most powerful surveillance and weapons technologies ever devised. This leads to several irrefutable points: All currency has to become fully digitized Quantum technology must continue to become mainstreamed (to handle a total flow of all information processing) Cyber crises will continue to force governments, militaries, corporations to take more draconian measures to protect information ~You know (regarding technology), to look for 2020 to continue to be another groundbreaking year for all manner of unmanned aerial, aquatic, and subterranean vehicles, robotics, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, and quantum computing ~Expect increased Orwellian censorship by social media platforms against conservative and Christian speech, especially the time surrounding the election. ~President Trump 2020 reelection ~Sure seems like President Trump will win reelection (I believe he will), thus, what the Democrats and leftists couldn't do through kangaroo courts, fruitless investigations, and plain old traitorous treason will cause them to take more drastic measures. IF the president wins reelection, I expect him to also retake both houses. The Republican-controlled Congress didn't have Trump's back before the 2018 elections, and they paid for it. They have seen to what extremes the left will go to since then, and should fall in line behind the POTUS after 2020 ~The increase in lawlessness and ANTIFA-type violence and for it to be franchised throughout every major east/west coast city after a 2020 Trump victory. This, of course, will have the opposite reaction of creating conservative-counter groups, furthering the divide between left and right as civil discourse continues to erode ~Expect the deep state to use a "lone-gunman" for an assassination scenario on the President. The further the President digs into the pervasive corruption of the deep state, the more likely he is to face a JFK-Dallas scenario ~I believe the game changer to be both the Horowitz and Durham report. Although they have yet to be published (as of this writing in December 2019), so depending on how devastating the charges and criminality extends, this could potentially be the end of the democratic party as we know it. ~No President Trump Reelection ~Do I have a hard time seeing the Democrats pulling off a 2020 victory? I do. However, I think they have a hard time seeing victory as well. This is why we've had one, long, rolling, evolving, and non-stop investigation into Team Trump. The reason I have a hard time seeing their victory is that they have no clear front runner. They don't even have anyone in their current lineup that could stand a chance against Trump. ~If none of the numerous ongoing investigations bear any political fruit, the democrats will get very desperate. I would not put it past them to throw in Obama again. If (big if) the left manage to pull out an election victory (through wide-scale election fraud), things will become very, very, very uncomfortable for conservatives and Christians through 2024. ~Democrats will seek revenge on conservatives and Christians at a level that will make the Obama years seem nostalgic. If they win, I would expect many mainline churches, as well as those seeker-sensitive/prosperity gospel/kingdom now/social justice gospel types, to abandon their Christian principles in droves and fall in line with the new social order of things. If the president loses, expect him to lose both houses. ~November 2020 Election Summary ~Obviously, a Trump landslide victory, or a democratic upset win by fraud and deceit, does not bode well for the national cohesiveness that has kept our country afloat since the last Civil War. Either scenario has the potential for martial law at best or civil-war at worst. Remember what Abraham Lincoln once famously said, a house divided against itself, cannot stand. ~The Middle East Trump loses the 2020 election: ~Kingdom of Saudi Arabia-major destabilization event there as Iranians continue their attacks against their oil output. A Democrat Administration would not come to the aid of the Saudis ~Israel's PM Netanyahu will be removed from office (a democratic administration would put significant pressure on Israel to ensure this outcome) ~Look for 2020 to be a high-watch time for the Gog-Magog War (Ezekiel 38-39). If Democrats control the Executive and Legislative branches, their move toward-full anti-Semitism will be on steroids. They would not lift a finger to come to the aid of Israel. (See Ezekiel 38:13) ~Look for an Isaiah 17 or Psalm 83 scenario to precede the Gog-Magog War ~Historically speaking, Islam has been losing for the past two centuries with the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the War on Terror. However, after these two wars in particular (when they happen), Islam (as a religion) will finally be neutralized. Expect it to lose its militancy and start to fold into the rising, last-days religion of the Antichrist ~I expect that after one or both of these military victories, Israel will be at a point politically or militarily, where they would have the political will to build their third Temple Africa If President Trump loses the 2020 election: ~Massive instability for the rest of the world. This would mean a significant increase in political and economic instability in Africa with a complete US withdrawal from the continent under democratic control ~Somalia will be colonized by China as a testbed for taking over the rest of the continent ~Expect a renewed ISIS/Islamic Brotherhood-type revolution to sweep through North Africa (minus Egypt) before the Gog-Magog War ~Look for national instability/civil wars throughout sub-Saharan Africa as the US largely downsizes its military footprint on the continent, opening up a power grab for other local and world powers. South African persecution against the Whites will be escalated, look for a white-exodus to Australia, Europe, and Russia. A revival of hemorrhagic fevers began to become uncontrollable and global as civil wars break out in central Africa Asia If President Trump loses the 2020 election: ~Freedom movement in Hong Kong comes to its inevitable end as China conducts another Tiananmen Square moment there. China may reach that conclusion long before the elections, but I think they are hesitant at present with an unpredictable Donald Trump at the helm. -War finally breaks out between India and Pakistan -A weakened US (Democratic leadership) means a resurgent and militaristic China and North Korea. The only nation able to withstand the kind of pressure an antagonistic China will be India, with the aforementioned conflict, could result in a nuclear-tipped, Mexican-standoff -US Troops are completely pulled out of Afghanistan, causing further destabilization of the region -China reclaims and reinforces all of the South China Sea with no one to oppose her -Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines would no longer able to turn to a strong US for military coalitions. This will cause them to turn eastward to China for a new alliance Europe If President Trump loses the 2020 election: -A weakened US will result in a resurgent European Union. This means: -a concerted effort to convert the NATO into a standing EU military force (Trump has already begun pushing them in this direction with regards to unequal funding squabbles -a massive increase in Anti-Semitism. With large numbers of Muslims immigrating into Europe, as well as the general satanic spirit that has filled a post-Christian Europe, anti-Semitism will rise to the levels of pre-WWII Europe -a weakened US economy could spell an exodus of American-based military-industrial complex organizations from the US. These organizations will choose to resettle their headquarters and primary businesses in Europe, which could speak to the rise of this last days European/Roman Empire as a military power -with Islam on the decline (post-Gog/Magog and Psalm 83 scenarios), and a presumably untouchable Israel, the EU will look to negotiate peace and security treaties with the rising star of the Middle East (Isaiah 28:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:3) Conclusion I truly believe that God used an imperfect man like Donald Trump to 1) provide a grace period as a warning to the world, and 2) to accomplish the things with Israel He needed to be done in order to set the prophetic stage. With that said, not sure that God will still need Trump for another four-years. However, this is not to say it couldn't happen, but Satan is currently running this world (Luke 4:5-6, 1 John 5:19), and he is none-too-happy with a guy like Donald Trump. Satan needs the world to fall in line, and quickly, and thus, explains the current irrational and unrelenting attacks on the Trump Administration by the left, Hollyweird, academia, and the media. Black Swan Event One event that we have not thrown in here yet, is the Rapture of the Church. If God is using Trump to accomplish the things He needs to be done to set the prophetic stage, then placing a Rapture-event into the years of 2016-2020, seems counter-productive in my estimation. Nevertheless, if God is using Trump as His grace-mechanism to the world, then it stands to reason, He would also not put the Rapture in 2020-2024 window if Trump wins re-election. However, this assumes several things. First, a Rapture-event would immediately remove the top three leaders of the Executive Branch. Second, is that the world would be thrown into total chaos. HOWEVER, this then assumes that Trump 1) keeps Pence as his Vice-President, 2) keeps Mike Pompeo as his Secretary of State, and 3) he does not replace either with his son-in-law Jared Kushner. Presumably, if Trump wins reelection, then there is a strong chance Republicans could reclaim both houses of Congress. This would mean: -a continued pro-Life agenda -a continued pro-Israel agenda -a continued pro-Christian agenda -a continued pro-America-first agenda Sadly, none of these seem to fit the last day's scenario. The Bible states that in the last days, things will go from bad to worse. The scenario that seems to play out, would then seem that the democrats win in 2020 and quickly escalate our date with judgment. However, there is a silver lining to all this seemingly negative news. The good news is, that even if Trump loses, I would expect a Rapture to happen sooner rather than later. The Democrats will be pushing a leftist agenda on steroids. Things will become very, very difficult for true, Bible-believing Christians. This seems to fit more with that of the Philadelphian-Church type scenario. End State: If Trump wins, the US will continue with an extended, yet politically turbulent grace period where God allows a little "extra-time" for people to come to faith. However, I still expect Western society to continue its downward trajectory toward outright Luciferianism. If Trump loses, I would expect things to get really dicey for true Christians. I would also expect that the Rapture would happen toward the end of that 2020-2024 period. Is this date setting? No. I don't know the day nor hour. Neither does anyone else. I am simply hypothesizing on a likely period of time as the geopolitical/ economic/ spiritual picture unfolds. However, we know that this current world structure is primed, and is at the right window of time (so to speak) from Creation (end of the sixth day), from the flood (77 generations), from Israel's rebirth (between 70-80 years-Psalm 90:10/Matt. 24:32-34), and the cultural and geopolitical pictures all seem to align just as the Bible said it would. Things, as they are, cannot continue on for much longer. While God is absolutely longsuffering, His sense of divine justice also demands that this patience have an expiration date. So if the times seem dark, and the coming storm is now on the horizon, remember Jesus's words... I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie-indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Revelation 3:8-10 Are you ready? Nearing Midnight: New Year for New World Order - Terry James - https://www.raptureready.com/category/nearing-midnight/ Lest one thinks the leftists on the political spectrum are solely responsible for the globalist dementia that seems to be infecting half of America today, we must remember the facts. George H. W. Bush (Bush 41,) upon taking office following the Reagan years, spoke nineteen times, with ebullient eloquence, about the New World Order he and the world community leaders planned. Suddenly there was no talk of making America great again, or of sovereignty of nations. The emphasis of his speeches was sprinkled with mention of the "thousand points of light" that would make the world at large safer and more prosperous. Mr. Bush's move away from Ronald Reagan's America-centric ideology and actions was surprising to most so-called conservative thinkers. After all, Reagan's vice president promised that his (Bush's) election would mean a continuation of the Reagan agenda. He even promised "Read my lips... No new taxes!" while campaigning against Democrat Michael Dukakis. It should not have surprised. George H. W. Bush was totally in the camp of the globalists elite. From his years at Yale until the time following his years as war hero, then as head of the CIA, he was a one-worlder bent toward erasing nationalistic borders-both ideologically and in geophysical terms. He was a nice guy. I liked him. Still do think fondly of him in some ways. But, he fell into the satanic trap of believing that human effort, apart from the controlling hand of God, can change the hearts and minds of fallen humanity. Many, even among Christians who believe that only the God of Heaven can make this planet more peaceful and more righteous, are convinced that President Trump is on the way to changing things. That is, this president, these believe, can and will defeat the global humanists. The tables, they believe, are beginning to turn away from the Barack Obama view that America is fundamentally at fault from its foundation and must come under the umbrella of globalism. The global elite now see that they will have to take a backseat to the United States and forget their plans for establishing their vaunted New World Order. This seems the opinion of a good number of observers. If the likes of the people within the intelligence services of the US and the mainstream media can be exposed, tried, convicted, and marched to incarceration, the pathway will be clear to make America great again. This is the thinking of many who are fed up-as am I-with the shenanigans of what has come to be called the Deep State. Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh says emphatically that this scenario just isn't in the offing. He believes that these who should be frog-marched in orange jumpsuits to jail, as he puts it, are but the pawns of forces much higher than themselves. Those in the globalistic stratosphere who tried-and are still trying-to pull off a coup d'etat against Trump will bring more pressure than ever in order to establish their desired one world order. I agree, but only in part. Rush sees the evil as strictly human in their constituency, although he does acknowledge, in a cursory way, seemingly demonic influence. We who believe God's Word can be assured that the forces at the highest levels of these intrigues who are fomenting all the evil are the "powers and principalities" of Ephesians 6:12. These will never give up their "wickedness in high places." Their very existence depends on winning their war against all that the God of Heaven has established as truth. To lose means they'll be assigned for eternity in the Lake of Fire. Therefore, the battle-the war-is destined to grow infinitely worse while the time of Christ's Second Advent nears. That they are already in process of ratcheting up the final stages of war against God is, like all other converging signs of these end times, in today's news. The following opinion piece gives enlightenment to the coming assault. Here we are, on the cusp of 2020 and a brand-new decade, and the global elites no longer feel the need to hide themselves or their agenda...the Bilderberg Group no longer meet in secret, being sure than nothing can stop their New World Order Agenda. Such is the case with a group called Global Citizen which brags of a $48 billion dollar bank account, and the endorsement of top-name Hollywood music and movie stars to sell their message to ignorant and worshipful millennials... Tonight, Hollywood superstar John Legend wowed the crowd at London's Royal Albert Hall, along with other icons in the entertainment industry: The artists performing at the inaugural Global Citizen Prize ceremony include Jennifer Hudson, host John Legend, Raphael Saadiq, Sting, Stormzy, and special guests Chris Martin and H.E.R. As well as musical performances and calls-to-action for Global Citizens everywhere, the program will feature powerful, inspirational stories of people taking action to positively impact their communities-to serve as a reminder that every one of us is capable of achieving great things. Interestingly, they did it with a stage set that was built around the Illuminati All-Seeing Eye, just like Kanye West did at Lakewood Church with Joel Osteen. ("Singer John Legend and Hollywood Elite Meet in London to Hand Out 'Global Citizen Prize' under the Illuminati All-Seeing Eye," Geoffrey Grider, Now The End Begins, Rapture Ready News, December 21, 2019) The year 2020 doesn't seem to be the year that promises a step-back from the hate-filled assaults on the political, societal, or religious fronts. Rather, the new year seems to be a harbinger of the doubling-down of the warfare by the minions, both human and demonic, in the "high places" of Ephesians 6:12. Of course, there is always the "blessed hope" of Titus 2:13, who must even at this troubling moment be preparing to call His people, the Church, to Himself. "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter." (Revelation 4:1) War Drums 2020: US Airstrikes Hit Iranian-Backed Militias, More Conflict Coming - By Michael Snyder/End of the American Dream - https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=3737 A lot of people seem to have forgotten that we were literally on the brink of war with Iran earlier this year. Back in June, President Trump cancelled a major U.S. bombing mission against Iran at the last minute, and things seemed to settle down quite a bit since that time. But now tensions are rising once again. On Sunday, U.S. airstrikes targeted Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria that U.S. officials believe have been behind recent rocket attacks against U.S. forces. Of course those Iranian-backed forces never would have launched such attacks in the first place if they did not have permission from Tehran itself. The Iranians love to hide behind proxies, and for now the U.S. is only conducting airstrikes against those proxies. But at some point President Trump's patience is likely to run out, and at that point we could start hitting Iran itself. Over the past six months, the U.S. has sent 14,000 more troops to the Middle East, and it is being reported that "the Pentagon is considering deploying additional forces to the region". The drumbeats of war are starting to get louder again, and many believe that eventually one side is likely to push the other side a bit too far. The attacks that we just witnessed were supposed to send a very strong message to Tehran. According to the Daily Mail, five separate targets were hit, and at least 19 people were killed... US air strikes left 19 people dead in Iraq and Syria on Sunday in retaliation against an Iranian-backed militia group blamed for a rocket attack two days earlier that killed an American contractor. F-15 Strike Eagles hit five targets associated with Kataib Hezbollah, the Iranian-sponsored Shiite militia group, said Defense Secretary Mark Esper. These airstrikes were launched to directly retaliate for the casualties that U.S. forces suffered from a rocket attack on one of their bases in Iraq on Friday... Officials with the U.S.-led mission to defeat ISIS said Friday that a U.S. civilian contractor was killed and several American troops were wounded in a rocket attack targeting an Iraqi base in Kirkuk. The attack, which occurred Friday around 7:20 p.m. local time in Iraq, also wounded several Iraqi personnel, officials with Operation Inherent Resolve told Military Times in an emailed statement. But of course that attack was just the latest in a series of rocket attacks that have targeted U.S. forces lately... U.S. officials believe Iranian-backed militias are behind a recent spate of rocket attacks that have targeted U.S. bases and interests in Iraq over the last couple months. A U.S. official told Military Times that Iran-backed militias are now using more lethal and longer range 122 mm rockets in their attacks. Friday's attack on Kirkuk is at least the eleventh rocket attack targeting an outpost housing American forces in the last two months. I am certainly not a fan of military conflict, but if I am sitting in the White House and someone keeps lobbing rockets at my troops I wouldn't wait two months to hit them back. So why did President Trump wait so long? As I noted earlier, these Iranian-backed militias wouldn't be doing anything without approval from Tehran. If Trump really wants these rocket attacks to stop, Iranian leaders need to be sent a message that will be clear and unmistakable. And it appears that U.S. officials may be starting to lean in that direction. In fact, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper told the press on Sunday that more military action "could be warranted"... Pompeo, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and General Mark Milley, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, appeared briefly in a club ballroom to comment on the airstrikes. Esper termed the offensive "successful," but said that Trump was informed that a further military response could be warranted. Personally, I don't know what the Iranians are thinking. Perhaps they believe that if they use their proxies to make things uncomfortable enough for U.S. forces that Trump will eventually pull them out of the region. But if that is what they are really thinking, they have badly miscalculated. Meanwhile, Iran continues to get cozy with Russia and China. In fact, the three nations are currently conducting "their first-ever joint naval drills"... This weekend, China, Iran, and Russia began their first-ever joint naval drills in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Oman. The training exercises were announced by China's defense ministry on Thursday, as all three nations continue to have strained relations with the United States and its allies. The Russians have developed a very strong military presence in the Middle East in recent years, and Russia and China have both warned about what a war between the U.S. and Iran would mean for the entire region. A major war in the Middle East would have very serious implications for the entire globe, and it would risk sparking a much wider conflict. Right now our relations with Russia are already the worst that they have been since the end of the Cold War, and they just continue to deteriorate. Most Americans don't spend too much time thinking about a potential war with Russia, but over in Russia there is lots of talk about a possible military confrontation. In fact, Russia's top general recently warned that the western powers are preparing for a "large-scale military conflict"... Russia's top general has warned a big war is coming in a chilling prediction amid ongoing tensions with NATO. Valery Gerasimov, the chief Vladimir Putin's general staff, has said he believes the West are preparing for a "large-scale military conflict". He was speaking at a senior briefing for the military - saying that the West has assigned "adversary status" to Russia. Ultimately, one of the big reasons why Trump may have been so hesitant to be more aggressive with Iran is because he realizes that it could potentially spark World War 3. Because once we go to war with Iran, the Iranians are going to start launching missiles directly at Israel, and Israel would undoubtedly strike back with overwhelming force. Once the dominoes start falling, it could very easily set off a sequence of events that nobody is going to be able to control. We definitely live at a time of wars and rumors of wars, and peace could be taken from the Earth very easily. So let us hope that cooler heads prevail. But if the Iranians keep pushing their luck, it is only a matter of time before Trump gets fed up, and when he decides to hit them directly he is going to hit them exceedingly hard. Happy New Year - By Jack Kelley - https://gracethrufaith.com/topical-studies/holidays-and-holy-days/happy-new-year/ 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). New Year's Resolutions I'm not big on New Year's resolutions, because most people break them almost immediately. The two most popular resolutions are also the two most frequently broken, often before the sun goes down on day one. If you guessed "stop smoking" and "lose weight" you're correct. One problem is that they're both based on eliminating something and the mind can't focus on the absence of a thing, only the benefits that the absence brings. Much better to say, "Today I'm going to begin enjoying the benefits of being a non-smoker" and then make a list of them that you can read when the urge for a cigarette arises, to help you focus on the desired result. You can think of losing weight as a weight adjustment and say, "I'm going to adjust my weight to 185 lbs." This will allow your mind to focus on the positive result of the resolution and begin to "see" a thinner you. Another problem with New Year's resolutions is that there's nothing magical about the first day of the year. Unless it's accompanied by a sincere desire to achieve the resolution being set, the fact that you set it on New Year's day isn't going to make it any easier to achieve. And if the desire for achievement is present, one day is as good as any other to begin. Even so, this year I recommend setting one resolution, and since it requires eliminating something, I'm going to include a positive replacement to help make it more likely to work. I think we should eliminate the words "luck" and "lucky" from our vocabulary, because I'm convinced there's really no such thing. As an expert in the field of human behavior once reminded me, "Luck is simply the intersection of preparation and opportunity." I see his point. For the one who's unprepared, an opportunity could just as easily bring about disaster as benefit. Blessed Are The Believers And that brings me to the word that should replace luck in our vocabulary, and it's blessed. Because that's really what's happening in the life of a person we call lucky. I think it's about time we start attributing all the good things that happen in our life to their true Source. God is the Author of our victories (1 Cor. 15:57), the Giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17), and He loves to give good gifts to His children (Matt. 7:11). Remember what He had Moses tell the Israelites: You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today (Deut. 8:17-18). The church I grew up in had a tradition that was part of every Sunday service. After the offering was collected, it was brought to the front of the church to be blessed by the pastor. Then the congregation sang a short response called the Doxology. The first line was, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow". It was to remind us that the money we had just given was not ours but had come from God, and it was only a portion of what He had given us. Now we were giving that portion to Him to express our gratitude. "But what about things that just happen by chance?" you ask. Attributing God's blessings to chance denies His involvement in our lives, just as surely as adhering to the theory of evolution denies His involvement in the creation. In both instances chance is the rival conjecture, the substitute for God, and one definition of blasphemy is to credit the work of God to some other source. We laugh at the ancients who attributed God's work to the idols they carved out of wood and stone, and yet today many believers attribute some of His finest work to nothing but chance. Whose is the greater sin? Things like chance and luck and their own cleverness are ways unbelievers explain the good things that happen. As believers we know different, and we should take every opportunity we can to acknowledge the Lord's involvement in our lives. Now What Do I Do? If you've got your heart set on trying to live in a manner more pleasing to God this year, more power to you. This world could use a lot more people doing that. A good place to start is to decide you're going to become more aware of the blessings He brings you every day, and more diligent in thanking Him. He really goes for that. Once you become aware of the blessings you're already receiving, you'll be amazed at how many there are. And when you become more thankful for them the blessings will increase exponentially. As I said, the Lord loves to give good gifts to His children, and this is especially true when we show a little gratitude for receiving them. And I'll tell you what other good things will happen. You'll begin living a happier, more peaceful life, regardless of the situation you're in. More exciting too, because looking for God's blessings makes every day a treasure hunt. And now may you and yours enjoy a happy, peaceful, and blessed New Year. Daily Jot: The year of ideological bigotry - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com As we close out 2019, there are several stories that characterize the condition of souls. The news media, to me, is the biggest of them. When freedom of the press is abused as it has been during the past year, it is no longer free, but rather a slave to agendas. The political intolerance and ideological bigotry of the news media is so far off the charts that it is the story of 2019. For without these characteristics of the news media, the ongoing coup to remove a duly elected president, the false narratives of Russia, Ukraine, and that anyone who voted for Donald Trump or supports conservatism and Christianity is a bigot or worse, would not be established within American society. This is the story of 2019. Washington Times columnist Robert Knight recently observed: "Anyone tuning in to CNN, MSNBC and the three major networks - NBC, CBS and ABC - will see nonstop left-wing propaganda. Many media outlets run stories that rub raw the nation's racial wounds. Much of it is designed to convey that liberals and Democrats love people and the truth, while conservatives and Republicans are racists who hate people and lie all the time. The same goes for nearly every major metropolitan newspaper, including The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times, plus the wire services such as the Associated Press." Yet when faced with the truth about weaponizing fake news, the media bristles and whines about the "conservatives" and Trump's attack on free speech. At the recent annual White House Correspondents dinner, the president of the White House Correspondents Association, Olivier Knox, said, "In nearly 23 years as a reporter I've been physically assaulted by Republicans and Democrats, spat on, shoved, had crap thrown at me. I've been told I will never work in Washington again by both major parties. And yet I still separate my career to before February 2017 and what came after...And February 2017 is when the president called us the enemy of the people." Donald Trump did not say the media was the enemy of the people. He said fake news media was the enemy of the people. This misquoting of the President is a precise example of the propaganda of the leftist media. But by the twisting of this quote, ironically, the media is not only admitting to being "fake," but also embracing it. In reality, the media's own agenda is the threat to free speech and a free press-not those who point out the inaccuracies and weaponized media narratives. This hate by both the media and the leadership in the Democratic Party made 2019 the year of ideological bigotry. This is fuel for persecution and we are seeing it in both the Jewish and Christian communities. Ever so important that we respond as a 1 John 3:18 people: "let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth." Truth is so hard to come by! Daily Devotion: Get Past Your Past - by Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.-Philippians 3:13 I heard about an interesting New Year's Eve custom in Italy. As evening approaches, the streets are cleared and even the police take cover. Then at the stroke of midnight, the windows of the houses fly open, and every member of the family pitches out a whole catalog of personal possessions that remind them of something in the past year they're determined to wipe out of their minds. The apostle Paul recognized the importance of putting the past behind him as well. He said, "I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead" (Philippians 3:13 NLT). We cannot live in the past. We cannot be controlled by past mistakes or live in past victories. So if you have blown it in past year, learn from it. And don't do it anymore. Make changes in your behavior, in your habits, and in your choices to avoid going down that road again. Learn from your mistakes. At the same time, don't live in past victories. If God did something wonderful in your life in the last year, be thankful for that. But a new year is before you with many new opportunities. So press on for what God has for you. Paul continued, "I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us" (verse 14 NLT). If you're a runner, you know there is pain involved in running a race, especially if you're running a marathon. After a while, it is hard to move one foot in front of the other. In the same way, the Christian life is not a cake walk. It's a battle. Paul was saying, "I'm straining to move forward." These words are for every follower of Jesus Christ. So press on toward what God has for you. FROM THE HEART
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