PROPHECY UPDATE 10/21/2022

 

Why Are We So Certain of Our Hope in Jesus' Appearing? – Jonathan Brentner - https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/https/jonathan-brentner-g8fgsquarespacecom/config/2022/10/19/will-your-anchor-hold-during-perilous-times   We live in “perilous times” on steroids.   In one sense, the characteristics that Paul wrote about in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 have been true of godless people down through the ages. Such people have always made life “perilous” for those with biblical faith. On the other hand, these characteristics have become much more prominent in our world during the past several decades and have greatly intensified during just the past few years.   These attributes are a contributing factor to the dramatic increase in wickedness and lawlessness in our world. Nothing in history rivals the widespread deception that has permeated virtually every nation in the world.   As for the globalists, they continue their murderous campaign of depopulation. It’s hidden, however, from those that rely on the mainstream media as their primary source of information.   I believe the word “anarchy” best describes the lawless and evil time in which we live. The elite talk of nuclear war as though it’s expected rather than dreaded.   As I was thinking on these things one morning, the words of Hebrews 6:13-20 came to mind. I focused on verses 18-19 in particular:   “ . . . so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain.”   As the walls of the world close in on us and threaten our wellbeing, freedoms, and perhaps even our lives in the days ahead, we know that our hope rests securely in the “steadfast anchor of our soul,” namely Jesus and His soon return for us. He is our hope!   The writer of Hebrews used Abraham as an example of someone who believed the Lord when all the evidence pointed in the opposite direction. God promised to bless and multiply the offspring of the aged Patriarch when it seemed impossible for them to have even one descendant. In spite of his age, Abraham placed his confidence in what God told him and trusted Him to fulfill His promises.   Just as it was for Abraham and the first century saints, so it’s still the “two unchangeable” factors that explain why we can be so confident of our hope in these “perilous times.”   God’s promises God’s character   1. GOD’S PROMISES   Our New Testament hope in Jesus’ imminent appearing rests upon God’s unfailing Word. Just as with Abraham, we have a sure foundation for our anticipation of glory because of the promises contained in Scripture.   Passages such as 1 Corinthians 15:51-55, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11, John 14:2-3, Revelation 3:10-11, and Philippians 3:20-21 provide vivid pictures as well as assurances of the gloryhope that lies ahead for us as New Testament saints.   Abraham trusted God’s promises when it seemed impossible that he and Sarah could have a child. For many today, the Rapture also seems like a highly improbable event.   In spite of what we cannot see, we trust the New Testament promises of Jesus’ appearing and fix our hope on the super-miraculous event that we call the Rapture. Jesus will surely rescue us and take us home to the place that He’s preparing for us (John 14:1-3).   The Bible makes it clear that we walk by faith and not by sight. This is especially true in regard to our hope in Jesus’ appearing. I believe Paul wrote Romans 8:24-25 in regard to the Rapture, which he referenced in verse 23:   For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.   Just as with Abraham and the first century saints, our hope rests secure on God’s promises.   2. GOD’S CHARACTER   I love that the writer of Hebrews adds these words in 6:18, “in which it is impossible for God to lie.” The hope of a future glorious kingdom for the nation of Israel rests on God’s immutable character. He does not change His mind regarding the promises that He makes.   The same is true for those of us that eagerly await Jesus’ appearing; we know that the promises of glory ahead for us are certain because of God’s person: He cannot lie. He cannot revoke the solemn promises He had made to us.   When writing about the future salvation and restoration of Israel, the Apostle Paul wrote these insightful words in Romans 11:29:   For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.   God cannot renege on promises He makes because His character makes it impossible for Him to do so.   In Ezekiel 36:22-38, we find a prophecy regarding the yet future restoration of the people of Israel to their Land. We see a foretaste of these promises already in the miraculous emergence of Israel as a nation and God’s continuing protection of the country.   However, in this text we also see that Israel’s assurance of a restored kingdom not only rests on God’s promises, but also on His person.   In Ezekiel 36:22-23, we see that God’s future over-the-top blessing of Israel does not depend upon the descendants of Jacob, but upon the Lord Himself.   “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.” (Emphasis mine)   God keeps His promises because that is who He is. It’s impossible for Him to do otherwise. We might backtrack on the promises we make because of the disappointing behavior of others, but that’s impossible with our Heavenly Father.   For us, not only do God’s promises confirm our hope in Jesus’ imminent appearing, but so does the unchangeable nature on the One who gives us those assurances in Scripture.   You see, both the restoration of Israel and our future eternal glorification depend solely on God’s holy character rather than the behavior of the promised recipients of the blessing (and I’m so glad that’s true!).   THE CERTAINTY OF OUR HOPE IN JESUS’ APPEARING TO TAKE US HOME   The Lord will come for His church before His wrath overwhelms the earth. The certainty of this glorious anticipation rests on the promises of Scripture as well as the unchangeable nature of the One who made them.   We have a sure anticipation of glory, which is why the writer of Hebrews referred to it as a hope that’s both “a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain” (Hebrews 6:19).   My heart goes out to those in churches where the people never hear the about the glorious hope that can provide an anchor for their soul in tumultuous times. The lack of teaching about our blessed hope, or its outright denial, leaves many saints unprepared for what might lie ahead. As it is, the silence from most pulpits fixes one’s hope on earthly aspirations rather than those of eternal value.   Those in the chairs (or pews) might hear a mention of eternal life, but not the glorious details of the wonders that the Bible promises for those of us securely in Christ.   At this point, one might ask this question: Why am I so certain of my assertion that Scripture teaches a future restoration of a kingdom to Israel and Jesus’ appearing for us before the judgments of Revelation 6-18?   In response, I’m going to again dive into a defense of what Scripture teaches our hope in Jesus’ imminent appearing. I will begin with the biblical basis for the future restoration of Israel during the millennium because it’s the first step to recognizing the surety of our anticipation of the Lord’s soon appearing.   If you have not yet placed your faith in Jesus and His saving work on your behalf, please do so without delay. In my post, Jesus Is the Only Path to Eternal Life, I explain how you can know that you find forgiveness for your sins in the blood that Jesus shed on the cross when He died for you. Then you can know that your anchor will also hold amid the storm.   My book, The Triumph of the Redeemed-An eternal Perspective that Calms Our Fears in Perilous Times, is available on Amazon. In this book, I provide a biblically sound foundation for our hope in Jesus’ soon appearing.   Note: Please consider signing up for my newsletter on the home page of my website at https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/ . It will help me reach more people. Thanks!

Elections Have Consequences… And The World Is Paying The Price – By Amir Tsarfati - https://harbingersdaily.com/worldview-w-amir-tsarfati-elections-have-consequences-and-the-world-is-paying-the-price/   There are certain weeks where both the quantity and the intensity of the news can almost be overwhelming. This was one of those weeks. So much took place that I could fill a whole newspaper, let alone a newsletter. However, instead of drowning you in details, I’m going to focus on the headlines and their ramifications. This will be a view of the forest; read my Telegram if you want to see the trees.   Russia Targeting Ukraine’s Electrical Grid   Dozens of Iranian-made Shahed-136 kamikaze UAVs have been employed by Russia against Ukraine’s electrical supply. Over 50% of the battered country’s electrical system is now down. Not only are the deadly drones going after Ukrainian infrastructure, but they are also hitting civilian targets in many major cities, including Kyiv. Tehran is denying training Russia in the use of the aerial weapons, but the Iranian-led drone training spotted down in Crimea tells a different story.   Belarusian Belligerence Against Ukraine   What began as Belarus allowing Russian soldiers access to Ukraine through their country is now on the verge of becoming a second front in the Russia/Ukraine war as this land-locked state is amassing their own soldiers on the border. President Alexander Lukashenko and the Minsk government are spoiling for a fight and are making up reasons to start one, including accusing Ukraine of supporting terrorists operating within the Belarusian borders.   Nuclear Possibilities Against Ukraine   If Belarus joins the fight, then it is very possible that NATO may finally step into aid Ukraine. This is not an eventuality that the Kremlin could allow. Thus, we see Putin’s rhetoric surrounding the nuclear option continuing to increase. Whether by threat or by actual launch, the Russian president may see nukes as the only way to hold the West at bay. Already, Moscow has begun preparing its streets and its underground for nuclear ramifications. China, India, and many other countries are calling their embassies and their citizens home from Ukraine in light of the real nuclear threat.   Iran Supplies Weapons to Russia While Advancing their Nuclear Program   As we’ve seen, Iran has not only supplied unmanned weapons to Russia, but is training them on how to use them most effectively against Ukraine. Now it appears that Tehran’s terrorist regime will send long-range Fateh-110 and Zolfaghar surface-to-surface missiles to Russia. Meanwhile, Iran boldly continues their nuclear program, greatly enhancing the level of their centrifuges in the Natanz nuclear facility.   Israel Caves to Hezbollah   As I reported last week, the weak Israeli government buckled under US pressure and accepted a deal with Hezbollah-controlled Lebanon. In the agreement, Israel gave up maritime rights to the Qana gas field in return for “stability”. The murderous, terrorist organization Hezbollah promises us stability – I wish you could see the relief on my face. But this is what Israel gets when we vote in a government that cares more about how people feel than how strong the nation is.   Russia Warns Israel to Butt Out of Ukraine   Responding to a poorly thought-out comment by an Israeli government official regarding the possibility of supplying arms to Ukraine, former Russian President and Prime Minister and current Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev shot back, “A very reckless move. It will destroy government relations between our countries.” The relationship between Russia and Israel is already tenuous at best. The EU turning to Israeli gas after the Nord Stream 1 & 2 explosions hasn’t helped the situation. It is out of this diplomatic deterioration that the Ezekiel 38 war could very well explode.   North Korea’s Increasing Nuclear Strength   The Hermit Kingdom is rapidly accelerating their nuclear technology, particularly when it comes to missile delivery systems. Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said their missile technology is developing at “a rapid pace” making their missiles “more difficult to intercept”. He also said that all was in place for Pyongyang to conduct its seventh nuclear test. Kim Jong Un and his servile nation are wild cards on the world stage. Their growing alliances with China and Russia are concerning.   Political Turmoil in the United Kingdom   Just today, Prime Minister Liz Truss resigned her position just 45 days after assuming office, making her tenure in office the shortest in history. She faced little option after losing much of her supporting coalition following the collapse of her economic program which caused a crash in the pound. With an impending recession and 40-year-high inflation, the United Kingdom is facing difficult times ahead.   US Culpability in the World’s State   I love the United States. It’s like my second home. That’s why it pains me so much to have to say, “America! What were you thinking?” Much of the reason the world is in the mess it is now is because of the president that is now in office. And, yes, I understand that there were major problems with the last election. But what was accomplished by the liberals in 2020 took years of backroom preparation by the left and just as many years of political softening and compromise by the right. This didn’t happen overnight, and by the time people began to see it coming it was too late. Now the leader of the free world is a man who no one takes seriously. Putin isn’t scared of him like he was of his predecessor, so he’s doing whatever he wants in Ukraine. The ayatollahs aren’t scared of him, especially after he lessened their sanctions, so they are rushing forward with their nuclear program and are supplying Russia with various weapons. Xi Jinping isn’t scared of him, so China’s noose around Taiwan’s neck gets tighter and tighter. Kim Jong Un isn’t scared of him, so North Korea has instituted its missile-launch-of-the-month club. Elections have consequences. My country is paying the price for electing in a “government of change”. The world is paying the price for the US putting this administration into office. This is all the more reason for everyone in the church to be passionately praying about the November 1 election in Israel and the November 8 election in the United States.

Nuclear Bombs and the Bible - by Bill Perkins - https://compass.org/nuclear-bombs-and-the-bible/   Ezekiel 38/39 - Israel vs. Russia and Iran   In the short term, if porous borders, destruction of the dollar and castrating children weren’t enough, the U.S. continues to do everything it can to get Russia to use nukes in its war against Ukraine. A brief review:   September 21 Putin warns Biden that he will use nuclear weapons -- it's not a bluff.   September 28 The Russia to Germany natural gas pipelines, Nord Stream 1 and 2, are blown up underwater by what is assumed to be the USA. This will most likely cause misery, even death, in Germany this winter while depriving Russia of income. If it can be proven it WAS the USA, it is an act of war against Russia.   October 8 The Biden regime, or whoever, blows up the Crimean peninsula Kersh bridge that is a key supply route for Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine.   October 11 Putin says enough is enough and takes the gloves off. He begins hammering Ukraine’s energy grid with missiles made in Iran. Iranian troops are actually programing and directing the missiles. It is estimated that 30% of the energy in Ukraine is out, probably for most of the winter. Missiles also are coming from Belarus, not far north of Ukraine's border.   October 14 Iranian troops secretly fight alongside Russians.   Don't think for a moment Russia doesn't know who blew up their pipes and bridge. So we are now effectively at war with Russia. To add fuel to the flame, Israel comes to the aid of Ukraine by supplying its iron-dome defense technology. ISRAEL!!   Bible prophecy pundits are just about to wet their collective pants watching all this set up for the Ezekiel 38/39 Russian/Iranian invasion of Israel. Iran already hates Israel. Now Russia hates Israel.   And since everyone is talking about using nukes, it’s worthwhile to note what the Bible says about nuclear weapons in the last days.   When the New World leader comes out of the chute in Revelation 6, God says he uses a “great sword.”   And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him. Rev. 6:4   How “great” is this sword? Well, it seems when the great sword is used, a person’s flesh is burned off before the bones hit the ground. That IS a big sword.   Now this will be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the peoples who have gone to war against Jerusalem; their flesh will rot while they stand on their feet, and their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongue will rot in their mouth. Zech. 14:12   That certainly sounds like the effects of a neutron bomb.   Russia will use their great nuclear sword when they attack Israel. We know this because after that battle the land is so polluted with radioactivity that it has to be cleansed for 7 months.   “For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them [Russia’s dead soldiers] in order to cleanse the land.” Ezek. 39:12   They bury the radioactive waste:   “They will set apart men who will constantly pass through the land, burying those who were passing through, even those left on the surface of the ground, in order to cleanse it. At the end of seven months they will make a search. As those who pass through the land pass through and anyone sees a man’s bone, then he will set up a marker by it until the buriers [In hazmat suits?] have buried it in the valley of Hamon-gog." Ezek. 39:15   The post-invasion human bones left on the battleground are so radioactive that they won’t touch them. Rather, they'll call in the hazmat teams.   So we know there will be a nuclear war between Russia, Iran and Israel. We know Russia and Israel have nukes, and probably Iran does also (or is close). So this Biblically prophesied war could happen at any time.   But there’s one more thing—I, and many other Bible prophecy readers, believe this Ezekiel 38/39 battle happens post-Rapture.   My main reasoning for thinking this is because it sounds like the Holy Spirit has departed and Russia is pulled by God to invade Israel using gold and silver treasures as the carrot. Nations of the world ask Russia if the real reason for the invasion of Israel is to capture the gold and silver treasures.    “Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish with all its villages will say to you, ‘Have you come to capture spoil? Have you assembled your company to seize plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to capture great spoil?”’ Ezek. 38:13   But the vast gold and silver treasures have not yet been located. So whatever is going on in Ukraine may put things in place for the Russian invasion, but it will not happen until one of those archeologists now looking for scrolls and artifacts in the Qumran area accidentally discovers Solomon’s long-hidden treasure estimated to be around $80-$100 trillion.   So, keep your eyes on Israel, God’s prophetic time clock.   BP   While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape. 1Th. 5:3

So, What Makes “This Time” Any Different? - By Dave Hubley - https://www.raptureready.com/2022/10/15/so-what-makes-this-time-any-different-by-dave-hubley/   Over the decades, the subject of the Rapture, Daniel’s 70th week, and the Millennium have been studied, examined, debated, discussed, analyzed, and dissected in great detail.   Many different conclusions have been drawn by sincere and honest people, as well as some who have displayed a remarkable degree of (intentional?) Biblical ignorance.   There have also been numerous attempts by authors, who are obviously unsaved and hostile to the Word of God, to discredit any view or deny the Scriptures altogether.   But God, as ever, already had a response prepared within His Word.   “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).   For the sake of this commentary and as far as answering the title question, we will deal with those who are Christ-following and worshipping believers: genuine Christians.   None of the various conclusions drawn relative to eschatological views have any direct effect on soteriological requirements for salvation, regardless of the view that may be held by any saved individual. They are either saved, or they are not, under the conditions required and recorded in the Word of God.   (At the end of this commentary, there is a special message that outlines these conditions.)   Having attempted to clarify this important (even critical) distinction, we move on to the main point.   The canonization of the New Testament has led to the present-day version we have come to know and love. The timing and determination of this canonization is a study in and of itself, and it has been argued and debated. There are many opinions.   What I do know is this? God made sure it was assembled according to His Authority and to achieve the purpose for which He sent it.   “For as the heavens are higher than the earth So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater, So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:9-11).   And that is sufficient for me.   So, what do I mean by “this time”?   I have not been shy about my Pre-Tribulation, Pre-Millennial viewpoint, and it is the necessary view in order to understand the balance of this commentary.   (Note: The Tribulation, Daniel’s 70th Week, and The Time of Jacob’s Trouble all describe the same event/timeframe.)   The imminence of the Rapture of the Church (the true Church) has undergone many undulations over the years. By imminence, I do not mean the scriptural indications – they remain changed.   I mean the anticipatory indications. Jesus Himself provided the information necessary for sober anticipation of the future when asked by His disciples on the Mount of Olives.   “There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see THE SON OF MAN COMING IN A CLOUD with power and great glory. But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near” (Luke 21:25-28).   While this was spoken to His Jewish brethren and the church was yet to be – and the conditions described were related to his second advent to rescue His remnant when they cry out to Him and finally acknowledge Him as Messiah – these described conditions are manifest, in living color, today.   How much closer would we anticipate the Rapture prior to the beginning of Daniel’s 70th Week to be, since these conditions exist at levels never before seen in human history?   “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows” (Mark 13:8).   Nations indicate different ethnic groups, races, and ideologies. Kingdoms also indicate countries and other political entities. Earthquakes are everyday occurrences, but the intensity is rising. Famines have never before been so widespread and are even being engineered to achieve a scale that will dwarf Stalin’s engineered starvation of 1930-1933 and Mao’s state-sponsored starvation of 1958-1962. Different countries/kingdoms, etc., proudly proclaim “close partnerships,” “close ties of fellowship,” and other fluffy-sounding drivel, yet the back-stabbing and treachery continue. And Troubles? Troubles are growing overnight like dandelions.   Well, you might say, “these things are nothing new,” and you would be right, but you left off “but.”   BUT, the levels of these conditions are on an exponential curve that is rising at hypervelocity.   So, what is different this time?   In the past, open rebellion against God and His Son and rejection of the Holy Spirit were masked and disguised under a veneer of respectability or a semi-pseudo morality. A good analogy of that might be “putting lipstick on a pig.” In the past, the normal state of families was that children were objects of affection and revered by BOTH parents. In the past, youngsters were not butchered, irrevocably altered and convinced that they could achieve peace and happiness via a biological impossibility as a cottage industry! (1 Tim 6:10a). In the past, there was not a plan being actively implemented to starve an entire planet full of people (except the ungodly privileged). People, human beings, who are openly being defined as “useless eaters.” In the past, variations of God’s created order, based on the family and biological norms He created, were not being openly celebrated as credible (Romans 1:32). In the past, there was no viable(?), wanton effort to meld humans with machines and/or biotechnology. A clear message to God that He is not necessary. The “Climate change” narrative, unbelieving politicians, etc., quoting (misquoting) Bible verses in order to have the appearance of Godliness but denying its power.   “Having a form of godliness but denying its power” (2 Timothy 3:5).   I could continue for quite some time to list the ongoing depravity and lawlessness of human activity at this late stage of history, but we are all witness to it every single day.   “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12).   Indeed, the “new normal” has become willful ignorance of or outright hatred of all things in God’s established order and, as a result, hatred of God Himself.   And this by a very large majority of the world’s population.   On and on it goes: the continuing race of humankind towards destruction but for the mercy of God.   “And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened” (Matthew 24:22).   This race has a terminus, and those who study Bible prophecy are very aware of it.   Now to the crux of this commentary.   There have been times of heightened anticipation of the Rapture of the church over the decades by believers who have paid attention to or lived in the reality of world events but who have not necessarily studied the conditions that must be in place before that event could actually occur.   A couple of more noteworthy examples might be during WWII when the world was indeed in great turmoil. A poorer example (but still an example) would be the angst over the year 2000 and its associated anticipation.   More recently, the 2012 furor which was clearly not applicable as it was largely based on a Mayan “prophecy,” yet it sprouted movies and conjecture in abundance.   But (there’s that word again), there is one more “condition” that I think needed to exist.   The rampant, open, debilitating evil that now permeates every aspect of human existence. The “New Normal.”   It has arrived, and the “New Normal” is truly now the new normal.   God indicated in His Word that this expansion of evil that He has allowed has a reason (as does everything He does). The following two verses lend credence to this understanding. There are others, but these should be sufficient to make the point:   “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).   “So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear” (Matthew 13:40-43).   “For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles” (Romans 1:21-23).   It is important to note that there are many, many, moral and upright people in every ethnic group (race) and country, who have every belief system imaginable and that they have placed their trust in, who do not have Jesus Christ as their Savior. They want nothing to do with this “new normal” and refuse to participate in it, and there are even many who actively resist it at great personal cost to them.   BUT, the One and Only God of creation: The Only God who has proven Himself to all humankind by foretelling the future from the beginning and carrying it to completion, has made it clear that He will bring the entire world into judgment for rejecting his Son who paid the price for sin for anyone who would believe. He has also made two things abundantly clear:   “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Emphasis added by me.   “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20). Emphasis added by me.   The following two verses, I believe, encapsulate this Truth.   “Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure'” (Isaiah 46:9-10).   “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).   There is every possibility that God may pause the Rapture once again by His own Power and Authority. That should not be overlooked.   But the evidence is mounting up, and the conditions are clear that the level of sin has reached new and unprecedented heights.   Is the cup of the God Almighty’s indignation nearly full?   “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear and obey what is written in it, because the time is near” (Rev 1:3).   “And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” (Mark 13:37).   The special message I promised you:   For anyone who may read this article and has not trusted in Jesus Christ and therefore has no hope or peace in your life:   You can have hope. You can have the peace that Jesus has promised to all who have made Him their Lord and Savior. The peace that passes understanding.   It requires that you come before God on His terms.   And what are His terms according to His Word?   Genuine repentance (turning to God instead of continuing to reject or ignore Him). Confession of sins (that you are a sinner and acknowledge that to God). That you understand that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). To acknowledge to God that you are unable to pay that debt. Belief that Jesus Christ paid your death sentence for you on the cross. To believe that Jesus is the Way, the only Way, that God has established by which humans may be saved from the consequences of their sin and rebellion.   God has made it absolutely clear that there is no one who comes before Him, under His terms, that will be refused.   No one: no race, no color, no country of origin, regardless of any previous belief system: no one. No matter what your past sins have been, God can and WILL forgive you because He says He will. Salvation is available to everyone without any exceptions.   If you put all your trust for salvation in Jesus, and Him only, you can follow that prayer up by simply saying, “Thank you, Father God, for hearing my prayer and saving me,” because we can trust Him to keep His Word. He always has. He always will.   John 5:24: “Truly, Truly, I say to you that he who hears My words and believes the One who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned. He has crossed from death to life.”   There are no answers and there is no hope in the world by governments, organizations, politics or politicians. There are only lies and deception. But you can have the Truth and the peace you seek.   The answers are in the Word of God—The Bible. If you ask God with all your heart, He will hear you. “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).   Pro Salvator Vigilans   To contact me: canoeman96@gmail.com

Daily Jot: The Farm Chronicles: The trial by sawtooth and fire - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com   When I was a kid, we often went to Cook Forest, a state park in Northwestern Pennsylvania, for weekend camping trips in the 1950s-60s with Mom and Dad’s friends—the Flynns and McCarthy’s. As a kid, there was a lot to do at Cook Forest. There were trails to follow, wildlife to see, the most majestic trees. All those things that spark the imagination of youngsters and grow an appreciation for God’s creation. One of my favorite places at Cook Forest was the fire tower. Rindi Flynn and I would often race to the top. We would start out strong, but by about the fifth set of steps things slowed down considerably. Sometimes, we would get lost on one of the trails and had to use our sense of direction to get back.   Packing for these trips was a great affair—making sure we had all our supplies, sleeping bags, saws, hatchets and axes for firewood, and lots of hot dogs, hamburgers, and marshmallows to cook on those wonderful, smokey campfires. Once there, we would find an appropriate camp site and begin the unpacking. A lot of packing and unpacking. It was still quite the wilderness there in the 1950s-60s. Primitive outhouses, hand pumps for water, Smokey the Bear signs. We had to make sure the food was secure at night because racoons and bear would be snooping around for whatever goodies they could get. If food wasn’t secure, at daybreak the camp would look like a war zone of leftovers strewn about and trailing into the forest.   One particular camping expedition, however, was particularly difficult. We were setting up camp, and of course, I wanted to help. So Dad sent me into Warren’s pickup truck to fetch a hammer out of the back. I was climbing around trying to find the hammer when I slipped and landed on the teeth of a large two-man saw. The saw tooth had went deep into the inside of my thigh. I was bleeding and we were too far away from any civilization to drive me to a doctor, so Sue used some bandages and tape to apply pressure and stop the bleeding. Never did get it checked and to this day I have a 1” X 1” scar that looks incredibly like an old saw tooth. But that was just the beginning omen of this ill-fated trip.   The Flynns’ were styling. They had a small camping trailer. We were all sitting around the table in that camper one night and the kerosene lantern wasn’t working right. Dad was pumping it, and in a flash, it exploded catching the trailer on fire. Amid the commotion, Dad picked me up by my hair, which had caught on fire, and threw me out the door and I hit the ground and kept running. And even though his arm was on fire, he made sure everyone else was out before he emerged from the smoldering remains of the camper. It was a trip to forget, but we all remember it. Gave new meaning to Acts 2:3: “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.” I have no doubt, though, that the Holy Spirit was guiding Dad’s quick actions, the night I ran like my hair was on fire—because it was.

Daily Devotion: Compromise Reaches No One - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org   Yes, Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day. - 2 Peter 2:8   https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/compromise-reaches-no-one/ - Listen   After Lot became a prisoner in a war that wasn’t his own, Abraham intervened. He put together an army of more than three hundred trained men, launched an attack, and rescued Lot.   We could have expected Lot to say, “Uncle Abraham, thank you. I’m going to turn to God and have faith like I’ve never had before.”   Instead, Lot moved to Sodom. And in Genesis 19, we find him sitting at the gates of the city. This meant that Lot was one of Sodom’s leaders. We have to wonder what kind of compromises he made to get there.   Graham Scroggie wrote that compromise “prompts us to be silent when we ought to speak up for fear of offending; it prompts us to praise when it is not deserved to keep people our friends.”   Lot hadn’t pulled the people of Sodom up; they dragged him down. He hadn’t affected them; they were affecting him. And he was worn down.   The Bible tells us, “But God also rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a righteous man who was sick of the shameful immorality of the wicked people around him. Yes, Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day” (2 Peter 2:7–8 NLT).   In other words, Lot was living there and hating it. He had reached no one, and he was staying there when he should have left.   Are you in a situation like that? You are not pulling anyone up, but they are pulling you down. And it’s getting worse as the days, months, and perhaps even years go by.   How important it is for us to realize that compromise reaches no one. If we’re lowering our standards to extend our reach, then we’re defeating our purpose.