Digging Into Details of Daniel’s 70th Week - By Gene Lawley - https://www.raptureready.com/2023/04/26/digging-into-details-of-daniels-70th-week-by-gene-lawley/   When is or was Daniel’s 70th week, and what is it all about? In Daniel 9:24-26, he reports the message from the angel Gabriel, saying, “Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.   “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. The street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times.   “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; and the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, and till the end of the war desolations are determined.”   In this prophecy, the angel foretells to Daniel (and anyone who desires to know the past and future as we stand in time today) what the future is for the Jewish people.   The first seven weeks of years are the times of Ezra and Nehemiah when they were writing of the restoration of the temple and the walls of the city. Then, sixty-two weeks until the time of the coming of Jesus Christ for a total of sixty-nine weeks of years. No specific 70th week is mentioned after that point.   The next event after the Messiah is cut off at the 69th week is His resurrection and forty days of instructions to His disciples with directions to go into all the world and tell of His death, burial, and resurrection, and that belief in Him would result in their everlasting life.   That commission has been ongoing and intentional until His return in the future. It was not for the Jews as a body of participants, however, for God had other intentions for them. The 70 A.D. destruction of Jerusalem and its temple had fulfilled God’s promise to scatter the Jews into all the world as punishment for disobedience to Him.    We see, then, that destruction of the city and its temple when Rome conquered Israel and fulfilled God’s pronouncement that He would scatter the Jews into every nation of the world. It took 65 years to see the total abandonment of Jerusalem by Jewish people, then 1,800 years of desolation came over the land of Israel. It was God’s way of preserving the land for the later habitation of His people.   His promise to restore the land to Israel began as nomadic Jews drifted into that desolate place. Annual rainfall, having been absent in any quantity during those years, began to increase, as did the Jewish population. Then many more years passed.   So where is that 70th week the angel proclaimed to Daniel?   After Messiah’s resurrection to heaven, He will return for His body of believers. It is a gigantic event at the end of the Christian church age, as Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Then we will be with Him.)   This “ingathering” is told in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 in detail, and in 5:2 as: “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night.”    When that “ingathering of believers in Christ” called the Rapture happens, John describes their appearance before the Lord Jesus Christ on His throne and receiving the representative twenty-four “elders” who have golden crowns issued to them. This is recorded in Revelation 4, and further information on them is in John 14:2-4 and other chapters in Revelation.   That Rapture event clears the way for God’s full attention to the 70th week we are learning about. This Rapture is the “snatching away” of those who have been saved by believing in that One who was “cut off, but not for Himself,” mentioned earlier in Daniel 9. The Apostle Paul writes of it in his two epistles to the Thessalonians, as he says in 2 Thessalonians 2:1, “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him ….”   In the turmoil when millions of believers in Christ have suddenly disappeared, a cry will go out for someone who can take control and lead the world out of its dilemma. Then that one of Roman heritage will come forth and be accepted. (Could it be that one who “has been primed to lead us into a New World Order?) With that authority, he will “confirm a covenant with many” nations that gives the Jewish people seven years of peace with their long-term enemies, the Arab/Muslim world. It will be the Jewish people who will exclaim “Peace and safety,” as is told in 1 Thessalonians 5:3.       Then the one who is the Antichrist will take control of a world of turmoil. Daniel 9:27 tells of this one who comes from the heritage of the Romans and shows up in prophecies of the future:   “Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week, but in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, even until the consummation, which is determined is poured out on the desolate.”   The Jews will think of him as their friend and their Messiah, for he has no nail holes in his hands and feet, and he allows them to rebuild their temple. For three and one-half years, he will be forming his takeover as that seventh head of the Beast that the Apostle John describes in Revelation 13 and its fulfillment in Revelation 17.   But verse 3 continues with “then sudden destruction shall come upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and none shall escape.”   Is this illustration particularly meaningful here? Look at it like this: The birthing process begins, first, as the woman’s “water breaks” and the labor begins. The Jewish people begin a powerful struggle for survival, with “labor pains” that will end with a totally new-born nation rightly related to their Messiah and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Lord. This is that 70th week.   As the angel Gabriel described this 70th week to Daniel, he said it was “to finish the transgression, to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy.”   As the seven years of tribulation come to its halfway point, the Antichrist declares he is God and demands that all worship him as God. The Jews realize he is not their Messiah, and as Zechariah 12:10 tells us, “They look upon Him whom they have pierced and mourn as one mourns for his first-born son…” They will celebrate this new revelation at the Feast of Atonement after the Antichrist reveals his true identity at the mid-point of the 70th week.   Then comes that half of the period called the Great Tribulation because it brings in all of the vicious actions of the Antichrist as he sets up the Mark of the Beast, killing all who do not take the mark. The preview in chapter 6 tells of this increased judgment as Jesus opens that sixth seal.   The Antichrist and his false prophet are coming into their ultimate goal, the solitary 8th head of the Beast, as foretold in Revelation 17. All opposition has been conquered… except God. The Second Coming of Jesus wraps up the end of that 70th week at the Feast of Tabernacles of that time. And the Antichrist and the false prophet are thrown alive into the lake of fire to burn forever and ever.   As Jesus takes authority over the world from the “throne of David” in Jerusalem for the Millennium, then the angel’s message comes forward, and there is “an end to transgressions, to sins and inequities, and everlasting righteousness is brought in to finish the missing “70th week of Daniel.”   Contact email: andwegetmercy@gmail.com

The Prophetic Chess Pieces Are Moving: Iran Supplies Russia Massive Military Aid – By Erick Stakelbeck - https://harbingersdaily.com/the-prophetic-chess-pieces-are-moving-iran-supplies-russia-massive-military-aid/   The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Iran, over the past six months, has supplied Russia with some “300,000 artillery shells and a million rounds of ammunition.” Russian cargo ships are taking these materials by way of the Caspian Sea and Russia is using them for its war against Ukraine. Folks, that’s a pretty massive military supply from Iran to Russia, over just a six-month span.   Of course, it comes on the heels of persistent reports that Russia has received hundreds, if not 1000s, of these suicide drones from Iran. They’re mass-produced inside Iran, packed with explosives, and are flown into the target.   Russia has used these with great and deadly effect in Ukraine, in places like Kyiv, attacking civilians with these Iranian-made drones to the point where Iran plans to open a drone factory in Russia, east of Moscow, very soon, where they will mass produce. No surprise there. Iran views itself as a drone superpower, using them not only for their own ends, but to attack—by the way—US bases in Syria and Iraq.   Iran is also supplying these drones to the likes of Hezbollah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Houthis in Yemen, and those Shia militias in Iraq and Syria. Iranian proxies, one-and-all, are armed to the teeth by their masters in Tehran, so it makes perfect sense that Iran would also supply these drones to its good friends in Vladimir Putin’s regime.   The big question is: What does Iran get in return?   There have been reports that Russia may look to replenish its stockpiles with some ballistic missiles from Iran—Russia has also reached out to North Korea on that end.   But Iran is giving a lot here, folks, 1000s of drones, a drone factory on Russian soil, a million rounds of ammunition 300,000 artillery shells in the past half year alone. This begs the question, is this a quid pro quo relationship? The Iranian regime is not doing this out of the goodness of their hearts; what do they get in return?   Now, a few things here, Russia is reportedly supplying more up-to-date fighter jets to Iran; the Iranian Air Force is severely outdated. Additionally, Russia could look to provide Iran with nuclear know-how.   The alliance has become so close, and Russia is now, to an extent, reliant on Iran, not only for weaponry, but for support in the diplomatic arena as well, just as Russia is cleaving closer to China on that end, too.   So yes, Russia could return the favor by supplying Iran with military hardware— and it’s done so already—but the bigger option for Russia, which Iran has been requesting now for the past several years, is that Russia create a no-fly-zone in Syria.   Why is that important? Over the past several years, Israel has carried out hundreds, if not more, airstrikes against Iran, Hezbollah, and their various jihadist allies in Syria, at Israel’s doorstep.   Russia, which has 1000s of troops in Syria, is closely aligned with Iran and Hezbollah. Nonetheless, Russian forces have stood back and allowed Israel to carry out these airstrikes. Could a day be coming when Russia says, “no more, we are creating a no-fly-zone and Israel, we will no longer let you operate in Syria against our close allies”?   Folks, for Israel, that’s a non-starter. This is an existential threat in the form of Iran and Hezbollah at Israel’s Northeastern border in Syria. Iran is attempting to transmit precision-guided missiles into the hands of Hezbollah, which would be used to strike Israel in a very deadly fashion. Again, this is a red line for Israel. They’re not going to allow it. That’s why freedom of movement in Syria is crucial for Israel.   If Russia suddenly says, “the game’s over; we’re not going to allow it anymore,” What happens then is a very precarious position for Israel—that’s one reason Israel has sought to not anger Russia when it comes to Ukraine.   This is a very complex position for Israel right now, folks. I believe this is leading to what I’ve called the great betrayal, where Russia eventually will turn very nastily against Israel, and lead up that Ezekiel invasion force laid out in the book of Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39. The war of Gog and Magog. Funny name, I know, but you should know it very well!   Russia will, I believe, align with Iran, Turkey, and others against Israel. The good news is that they don’t get very far. They meet their demise on the mountains of Israel when the God of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of the Bible, intervenes in a very powerful way.   I’ll leave it at that because I want you to go and actually read Ezekiel 38 and 39. Folks, the prophetic chess pieces are moving on the board, no doubt.   WATCH - Iran Supplying Russia MASSIVE Military Aid; Israel & Russia Collision Course? FINAL 4 DAYS TO ENTER OUR DRAWING!!!

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Your Support is Important to this Ministry - We Could Not Do This Without Your Support!   Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift! II Corinthians 9:15     Worthy of Your Support?   It has been said, one of the most reliable ways to determine if a ministry is worthy of your financial support is to examine its fruits. If Prophecy Update is keeping you informed and if that information inspires you and causes you to draw closer to the Lord, if Prophecy Update equips you with valuable information and knowledge to share with and encourage other believers and open the eyes of non-believers and if Prophecy Update keeps you connected to current events relating to Bible Prophecy then you are partaking of the fruit produced through this ministry. None of this would be possible without the Lords blessings and your support. I believe where the Lord guides, the Lord provides and most of the time He provides through the willing and generous hearts of believers just like you and me.   I genuinely believe that Prophecy Update and many other like-minded ministries, are needed now more than ever! The world is getting darker daily, almost hourly, but never has the light of the Word of God shone so brightly. Never in our history has there been such a thirst for Truth and a need for a Savior! The Prophecy Update website, newsletter, and Video Channels are all dedicated to providing the truth, encouraging and informing believers, and prayerfully opening the eyes and hearts of non-believers with the Gospel, but none of it would be possible without your prayers and support.   DONATE HERE Your can also mail your support to: Prophecy Update PO Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384

What’s Mercy Got to Do with Bible Prophecy? – Jonathan Brentner - https://www.jonathanbrentner.com/https/jonathan-brentner-g8fgsquarespacecom/config/2023/4/14/whats-mercy-got-to-do-with-bible-prophecy   Ruth, my wife, and I have a cat named Adaline. On the surface, one might wonder why she has captured our hearts. I don’t fully understand why I’m so attached to her, although she is adorable.   She most often demands her own way and audibly grumbles when that doesn’t happen. Adaline exhibits “management qualities” when she senses a change in our routine. In spite of all that, she has become a beloved member of our family since the day we chose to adopt her and brought her into our home.   Does that not illustrate, albeit to a small degree, God’s mercy toward us? I’ve gained a better understanding of His steadfast love toward us since the day we rescued Adaline.   Romans 5:6-8 gives us a window into His great love for us:   For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.   The understanding of God’s compassion in forgiving all our sins makes an enormous difference in our walk with God as well as in what we believe about biblical prophecy. A key false teaching in regard to future things developed in the early church because of theologians not fully grasping the extent of Lord’s mercy toward sinners.   Lest you think I’m a bit crazy for saying that, let me explain.   UNDERSTANDING GOD’S MERCY   My conviction regarding the necessity of comprehending God’s mercy also grew through my long-term study of several minor characters in the Bible, many of whom ruined their lives because they failed to grasp its significance. My book, Cancel This! What Today’s Church Can Learn From the Bad Guys of the Bible, details the failures of several “bad guys” and explains how a deeper understanding of God’s merciful forgiveness of all our sins enables us to avoid their errant paths and reckless decisions.   In contrast to the Jesus’ Parable of the Unforgiving Servant (Matthew 18:21-35, several of them viewed the sins of others as far greater than their own disobedience to a holy God. As a result, they refused to let go of their anger, pride, and bitterness toward those that wronged them. They felt justified in harboring bitterness and in exacting their own revenge.   The words of 2 Corinthians 5:21 sum up the wonders of God’s great mercy toward us in not only canceling all our sins, but applying the “righteousness of God” to us:   For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.   This lies at the heart of our “justification by faith,” which Paul explains in Romans 5-8. When we call upon the Lord in saving faith, He declares us righteous in His sight. The word Paul used for “justify” came from the law courts of his day. It signified a judge declaring the accused to be “not guilty.’   That’s the depth of God’s mercy to us. At the moment of our salvation, God declares us to be “not guilty” of all our many sins, past, present, and future. And the good news is that it’s impossible for anyone to overturn that verdict! That’s the glorious message of Romans 8:31-39.   If you think it might be difficult, or even impossible, to overturn an earthly judges’ “not guilty” verdict, try attempting to do that with an all-knowing and sovereign God who has already seen all the evidence one could possibly bring to His attention.   WHAT DOES MERCY HAVE TO DO WITH BIBLICAL PROPHECY?   “What does mercy have to do with biblical prophecy?” you ask.   During the early centuries of church history, an error regarding Bible prophecy sprang up because of a failure to understand God’s mercy. Just like many of the guys in my book Cancel This!, the proponents of this false teaching believed that the sins of others were far greater than their own transgressions.   As a result, they placed the blame on the Jews of the first century AD for Jesus’ crucifixion and as a result, they refused to believe that God could possibly bless them with a future kingdom. Yes, other factors such a Platonism were also involved, but anti-Semitic passions fueled this false belief from the fifth century through the entire time of the Reformation.   These theologians overlooked three critical considerations in their errant rush to assume that God had rejected Israel as a nation and replaced it with the church.   First, Jesus willingly laid down His life as a sacrifice for our sins. In Mark 10:44, Jesus said, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” As God, He had the power to avoid arrest and death. He could have called upon thousands of angels to rescue Him, but He didn’t. Instead, He freely gave up His life as an atonement for our sins.   Second, it was the sins of all the redeemed of all the ages that put Jesus on the cross. These early theologians erred in their failure to understand the full scope of God’s mercy in forgiving their own sins via the cross. They overlooked the truth that Jesus gave up His life so that they themselves might call upon Him in faith might receive forgiveness of sins.   Third, Jesus’ arrest, trial, death on the cross, and resurrection fulfilled biblical prophecy. The God who promised a gloriously restored kingdom for Israel also revealed the death and suffering of the Messiah on the pages of the Old Testament.   You see, if God can change His mind regarding His unconditional covenants He made to Israel based on behavior He knew all about at the time He made the promises of a still future kingdom for Israel, then we are all in whole lot of trouble.   What does it say about the Lord if He’s capable of reneging on promises based on behavior He knew all about when He made those promises?   IT’S ALL ABOUT GOD’S MERCY   Why did the apostle Paul write Romans 9-11 after affirming unchangeable nature of our justification in Romans 8:31-39?   It was to show that with both our election as New Testament saints and God’s unconditional calling of Israel as a nation, it’s all about His unchanging mercy.   In Romans 9:14 the apostle asserts God’s sovereignty in the matter of His choices, “For he says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom is have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” Just as God decided to choose Abraham and subsequently bless Jacob and all His descendants, so He justifies the elect as New Testament saints (see Romans 8:30). It’s all about His sovereign mercy for both Israel and us.   Paul declares in Romans 11:29 that “the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” This signifies that just as His calling and justifying of us can never be undone, the same is true of His determination to bless Israel in the future. Romans 11:28-32 confirms what the apostle said in earlier in the chapter, “God has not rejected his people [Israel].”   As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.   Why are we eternally secure as New Testament saints? It’s solely because of God’s sovereign mercy toward us. The One who justifies us will never let go of us. No one can overturn God’s verdict of “not guilty” regarding us. Don’t let anyone tell you that one can lose their salvation or walk away from their faith; such a statement displays a serious misunderstanding of what it means to be “justified by faith.”   Why will God keep His promises to restore a glorious kingdom for Israel? Again, it’s solely because of His unfailing mercy to the people that He chose long ago. Just as for us, His compassion never fails! He keeps all His promises to His beloved.   A biblical understanding of God’s mercy negates all forms of teachings that deny the restoration of a glorious future kingdom for Israel and claim that the church has replaced Israel as the Lord’s kingdom. The church is the body of Christ; it’s not God’s physical kingdom.   Those who properly comprehend God’s mercy have no problem believing what the Bible says about the abundant blessings ahead for the nation of Israel. They understand the connection between His holiness and the resulting multitude of future blessings for Israel as explained in Ezekiel 36:22-38. There will be a remnant of Jewish people who turn to Jesus at the end of the Tribulation and inherit the glorious kingdom promised to them throughout the pages of the Old Testament.   A.W. Tozer, in his book, The Knowledge of the Holy, wrote this about the necessity of understanding the person of God as a believer:   What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us….   We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God. This is true not only of the individual Christian, but of the company of Christians that composes the Church. Always the most revealing thing about the Church is her idea of God, just as her most significant message is what she says about Him or leaves unsaid, for her silence is often more eloquent than her speech.   It’s solely because of God’s sovereign mercy that we have hope in Jesus’ appearing to take us home to glory. Just as with His promises to the nation of Israel, the Lord can’t renege on His gift of eternal life to us and our blessed hope in Jesus’ appearing. This is the best news we could ever hear!    Maranatha!

Who do you want to rule over you? - Nathele Graham az - twotug@embarqmail.com   Israel has always been a unique nation. It was established by God, but its history is filled with many ups and downs. When they obey God, they prosper. When they rebel, things aren’t good. Even in rebellion, God never deserts them. They had strong leaders in Moses and Joshua. These men led them from captivity and conquered the land that God had promised to Abraham forever. God’s plan was that He would be their King and they would prosper. After they settled in the land God promised them, there were disputes. Instead of a human king to rule over them, God raised up judges, but the people eventually demanded a king.    Samuel was a prophet and a godly man who served God faithfully. His sons weren’t as honorable as their Father. “And it came to pass when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba. And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment.” 1 Samuel 8:1-3.   Samuel served God, but his sons weren’t honorable men. Still, they became judges over Israel. There had been judges for many years, but no king. Judges and kings are human, and unless God is looked to as the ultimate King, there will always be failure of nations. The rule of the judges was a time when Israel rebelled. “In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” Judges 21:25.   That same attitude seems to be governing our world today. The people were fed up with the evil in their land, and today in America, the people are getting fed up with the corruption. The people in Israel approached Samuel with their dissatisfaction “And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.” 1 Samuel 8:6. The people went to Samuel, another human, asking him to make them a king, but they should have gone before God, then waited for His answer. People haven’t changed much over the many, centuries since that time. Instead of wanting a king just like the nations, they should have desired for God to be their King.    History is a good teacher if we pay attention. We forget to consult God when we choose our leaders. Samuel wasn’t happy with the people, but he did turn to God. He felt that he had been rejected. “And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.” 1 Samuel 8:7.   God should have been their king, but the people rejected Him. God gave them what they deserved: Saul. He looked good…tall, dark and handsome, but those aren’t qualifications for a God-fearing leader. If the people had been patient and waited, God would have provided a godly king. That’s really what causes most of our problems in life. We try to solve our problems by our own efforts in our own time. The people demanded a king and Saul was selected. He wasn’t the best leadership material. He had mood swings and was a violent man who couldn’t lead his army with competence. Not the best choice for king. In addition to that, he was a Benjamite. The Kings were to come from the Tribe of Judah, so he was wrong on every point. It was a young boy from the tribe of Judah named David whom God had chosen for their king. David was the youngest son of Jesse, and a shepherd. God was preparing him for leadership but it would be many years until he was skilled in fighting enemy armies and leading the nation of Israel. God allowed Saul to be king until David was ready.   David was a great king and his heart was humble. He was far from perfect, but when sin was brought to his attention, he didn’t try to justify his actions. He turned to God in humble repentance. “For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightiest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.” Psalm 51:3-4.   David had committed more than one great sin. He lusted after a married woman named Bathsheba and she became pregnant by him. Her husband was a very loyal member of David’s army, and David made sure he was put in a position in battle where he would be killed. The sin was great and worthy of David’s death. At least, David didn’t have the baby murdered in the womb. When his sins were brought to his attention, David was broken. He realized that he could lose the closeness he had with God. That’s when he went before the Lord and acknowledged his sin. “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10.   How do you react when you sin? Do you just keep on sinning and justify your actions? Or do you go before the Lord, repent, and then turn away from sin? David ran the very real risk of losing his salvation. Christians are sealed with the Holy Spirit, but David lived before the Cross and his salvation could be lost. He loved the Lord, but he understood the seriousness of his sin. He repented and was forgiven. Brothers and sisters, do you acknowledge the sin in your life and go to God for forgiveness? “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9. God loves us and will forgive all sin, but then we need to turn away from our sin.    David and Bathsheba’s baby was born in very poor health. David had mourned deeply as the baby struggled for life. David fasted, and prayed, and mourned. Then the child died. “Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed himself, and changed his apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.” 2 Samuel 12:20.   King David did what was right. He sought God while the child was alive, but when the baby died, David cleaned himself up, and went “…into the house of the LORD, and worshipped…”. Again, here’s a lesson to be learned. Pray fervently while we can, but when God’s answer isn’t what we prayed for, it’s important to make ourselves presentable and worship the Lord. Never blame or accuse God.    Bathsheba was also in mourning for her son. “And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the LORD loved him.” 2 Samuel 12:24.   Time passed and eventually Solomon became king over Israel. Solomon began his reign as a God-fearing monarch, and God granted Solomon wisdom. “And he spake three thousand proverbs: and his songs were a thousand and five. And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes. And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.” 1 Kins 4:32-34.   Solomon had a father he could look up to and use as an example of a godly man and king, but Solomon didn’t follow David’s example of worshipping God and wasn’t a good steward of God’s blessings. Solomon made many mistakes, such as marrying pagan wives, and building them pagan places of worship. He never forgot God, but he never honored God in the way David did. Solomon did do some very good things, such as building the Temple which David had desired to build for God.    God was pleased with Solomon’s efforts, but He had a warning and a promise for Solomon, the Jewish nation, and for Christians. The warning was for all of God’s people. “If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:13-14.   God’s blessings are all around us, but there are troubles too. Natural disasters, famine, and more. God wants us to turn from the wickedness of our daily life. If all of God’s people would turn from wickedness and turn to God, we would be amazed at the blessings we would receive. Sin is out of control within Christian congregations. Just like Samuel’s sons, authority is being abused and God’s truth is being perverted and rejected. Many congregations today take pride in accepting sexual sin within the congregation and leadership.   Read the first chapter of Romans to see what God thinks of rejecting Him as the Creator. The lie of evolution isn’t a minor issue. The punishment is homosexuality. It’s a sin to participate, but also a sin to accept it as normal. Take a look at the nations that are on the verge of collapse, and ask yourself whether we should turn from our wicked ways. The answer is “Yes”! I listen to news reports and there are some encouraging things happening. Men who think they are women are being stopped from competing in woman’s sports, many states are coming against abortion, and some states are requiring the 10 Commandments to be posted in public schools as well as Bible study. This is a start, but Christians need to get behind these laws. We need to stand strong for our Lord and King, Jesus. America will soon have elections to choose leaders. We must vote for candidates who support Biblical truth.    Saul was given an amazing blessing from God, but he didn’t appreciate it and was very much like the world in his attitude. David honored God, and even when troubled times came, he praised God. When he failed, he didn’t treat his sin lightly or cover it up, but humbly repented. Solomon was blessed by God with wisdom. He didn’t use his gift wisely and was very dissatisfied with life. His riches and wives didn’t bring the contentment that his father David found in serving the Lord.   There is a greater King. “I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; that thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.” 1 Timothy 6:13-16. All praise and honor to our King, Lord, and Savior, Jesus Christ!    Christians should learn a lesson from these accounts. God wants the best for each of us, but it might be that we want our way and we want it now. We can see the result of everyone doing what is right in their own eyes. God’s truth must be first. God wants His best for us and will give it in His perfect time. When we pray, we need to listen to His answer and be content. It’s good to present our desires to God, but we need to be patient. Israel wanted a king like the nations had. Those kings were pagan, idol worshippers who didn’t know the True God. We need to turn away from the world and only worship God Almighty. Jesus needs to be the King of our life.   The world around us is getting darker and darker with wickedness and evil. Jesus is the Light. Live your life according to the Gospel. The world cannot understand God’s truth, so we need to shine brighter than the darkness. “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light ot the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” 2 Corinthians 4:3-4. Let the Gospel shine in you, and don’t let Satan make you blind.   Who do you want to rule over you? A fallible human who is only trying to please the world, or do you want the King of kings to reign? Jesus will soon call Christians Home to live eternally with Him. You would be wise to let Him be King of your life today.   God bless you all,     Nathele Graham twotug@embarqmail.com ron@straitandnarrowministry.com   Recommended prophecy sites: www.raptureready.com                                                    www.prophecyupdate.com                                                    www.raptureforums.com   All original scripture is “theopneustos” God breathed. If you’d like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries just drop me an email and let me know.

Daily Jot: The “Abort God” movement - Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com   The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, makes it a federal crime to use force with the intent to injure, intimidate, and interfere with anyone because that person is a provider of “reproductive health care.” The Biden Administration sent the FBI in full SWAT gear to arrest Catholic activist Mark Houck, pointing guns at him, his wife and children. In January, a jury found Houck not guilty and acquitted him. This an example of the clash between a powerful federal government at odds with religious doctrine. A pro-abortion activist accosted Houck’s son while he was praying outside an abortion clinic. The FBI, however, is not so concerned when pro-lifers are attacked, as is the case in Ohio.   In Bowling Green, Ohio on April 15, a pro-life pregnancy center was vandalized by the radical group called “Jane’s Revenge,” whose members spray painted on the clinic “Abort God,” among other pro-death slogans. Jane’s Revenge is a militant extremist group that encourages and claims responsibility for vandalizing and firebombing crisis pregnancy centers and churches. Since the Supreme Court decision overturning the federal “right” to an abortion, Jane’s Revenge has been allegedly responsibility for attacking some 20 crisis pregnancy centers and pro-life offices. In June 2022, Kyle Shideler, a senior analyst for Homeland Security and Terrorism at the Center for Security Policy told the Catholic News Agency that there was a “very poor” federal response and such groups were treated as a local law enforcement problem.   Ohio Right to Life’s Chief Executive Officer Peter Range said in a statement, “In the broader context, though, there have been well over 100 attacks against pro-life pregnancy centers and pro-life organizations since last year. Everyone in this state and nation, no matter their political affiliation or stance on abortion, should support centers and organizations that help mothers. I pray local officials, statewide elected members, and national leaders will all rise to the moment and speak out against these attacks to put an end to these senseless attacks once and for all.” Let’s take an inventory: The FBI makes a big show about arresting somebody who is praying outside an abortion clinic, but leaves firebombing a pro-life crisis pregnancy center to local police. In Bowling Green, the local police say they are “investigating” the incident.   As in Isaiah 59:14, “Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, And equity cannot enter.” “Abort God,” really? It is very hard to imagine that the FBI, with all of its high-tech tracking ability, cannot find these Jane’s Revenge terrorists. There have been a lot of examples lately where the Biden Administration and the FBI, in particular, have been using their power to crack down on those who disagree with them politically. In many cases now, and in the future, the clash between religious beliefs and political ideology will become even more harsh. Being pro-life, also meaning God-fearing, is becoming more and more dangerous in this “one nation under God,” especially among those who wish to “abort God.”

Daily Devotion: When God Turns Away - by Greg Laurie – www.harvest.org   Listen! The LORD’s arm is not too weak to save you, nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call. It’s your sins that have cut you off from God. Because of your sins, he has turned away and will not listen anymore. —Isaiah 59:1–2   https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/when-god-turns-away/ - Listen   After years of walking with the Lord, the apostle Paul said, “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me” (Philippians 3:12 NLT).   The great apostle was saying, “I have so far to go. I have so much to learn. So much is still before me. I’m going to forget what is behind me, not only my past failures, but also my past victories. I want to keep growing. I want to press on.”   If we can look at our lives and say, “I don’t really need to study the Bible that much anymore. I think I have it down. I don’t know that I need to go to church that often. I think I’ve heard all there is to hear,” then we are far from where we need to be.   If we have a sense of self-satisfaction about our spiritual lives and a resulting complacency, that is an indication that we’re in bad shape spiritually.   Certainly we have things in our lives for which we need God’s cleansing on a regular basis. There are sins of both commission and omission. A sin of commission is breaking a commandment, while a sin of omission is not doing what God tells us to do.   If we don’t confess our sins, then our prayer lives will come to a halt. And if we are holding on to some kind of sin, then we won’t have our prayers answered in the affirmative. The psalmist wrote, “If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened” (Psalm 66:18 NLT).   The closer we are to God, the greater our sense of sin will be.