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Date 1/1/15 PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS HEADLINES Yesterday's Prophecies - Today's Headlines 1/1/15 HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY

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Date 1/1/15

  PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS

HEADLINESYesterday's Prophecies - Today's Headlines

  

1/1/15

HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 

TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY 

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http://www.trackingbibleprophecy.org/birthpangs.php

Palestinians join war crimes court after U.N. rejection

Abbas signs Rome Statute, paving way for possible war crimes probe against Israel at ICC

Liberman: The only ones guilty of war crimes here are the Palestinians

Netanyahu: The Palestinians have more to fear from the ICC than Israel

US 'deeply troubled' by 'counter-productive' move towards ICC membership

Hamas welcomes Abbas's decision to join ICC as a 'step in the right direction'

Hamas reiterates condemnation of PA over failed UN gambit

Leading Publishing House Wipes Israel Off Its Map

2014 a record breaking year for immigration to Israel

Netanyahu wins Likud nomination ahead of Israel general election

Egypt to begin expanding Gaza buffer zone next week

Syria's Assad said to have visited embattled Damascus district

Angela Merkel attacks 'prejudice' and 'hatred' of German Islamisation marches

Suicide bombing targets Shiites in Yemen; at least 33 dead

Rocket kills 26 at Afghan wedding party, police say

Russia threatens to change Iran stance over US sanctions

Lithuania joins euro as tensions with neighboring Russia rise

'CIA fingerprints' all over Kiev massacre - Oliver Stone

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Putin's ominous moves along Obama's road to global war, economic collapse in 2015

Vladimir Putin to Obama: Our shared mission is 'international stability'

Inside Obama's secret outreach to Putin

Obama finds an ally on political controversies at the Vatican

North Korea leader Kim Jong Un says open to summit with South

Greece formally dissolves parliament ahead of election

Venezuela confirms recession, inflation hits 63.6 percent in Nov

Oil prices fall 46% in 2014, worst since 2008

Specter of Debtors' Prisons Looms Over Americans Who Just Can't Pay

State, local governments face massive, growing budget gaps in 2015 and beyond

Federal Student Loan Debt Tops $800 Billion

Living under threat of terror increases health issues

Military hardware still flowing to local police after Ferguson

NYPD Investigates Threats to Kill Officers on New Year's Eve, Sources Say

US Warns of Threats to Media From Sony Hackers

Chik-fil-A investigates possible data breach

Intel files patent for real-time facial recognition system

New Year's Eve: Drones capture Sydney fireworks for first time

Another mysterious explosion heard in Bingham County; residents in Riverside say boom shook their homes

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5.2 magnitude earthquake hits near Hukay, Philippines

5.1 magnitude earthquake hits near Yonakuni, Japan

5.1 magnitude earthquake hits near Karonga, Malawi

5.0 magnitude earthquake hits near Kokopo, Papua New Guinea

4.4 magnitude earthquake hits near Hofn, Iceland

Tropical storm leaves 54 dead, 13 missing as it exits the Philippines

First Tropical Cyclone of Season to Form Near Australia

Rare Snow to Fall on Las Vegas, Blanket Desert Southwest on New Year's Eve

Severe Flu Cases on the Rise in U.S.

Black Sheriff Says if Black Lives Mattered They'd Protest at Abortion Clinics

PROPHECY UPDATE NEWSLETTER

STAY INFORMED, GET EQUIPPED, BE ENCOURAGEDPre-Millennium - Pre-Tribulation - PrePARED

*If you missed an issue or did not receive your daily copy - All Newsletters are archived at: 

http://www.prophecyupdate.com/newsletter-archives.html  (Featured Article at Bottom)

 

IN TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...  Obama's 2015 gift for Israel and Mid East:

Funding for a new Iraqi army - dominated by Iran's Rev Guards

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Who Is Behind The Oil War, And How Low Will The Price Of Crude Go In 2015?

Why prophecy is important (The world is unraveling)

 The Bridegroom is Coming Daily Devotion: The 3 Things we can give to

God in 2015  Featured Article: Avoiding the Lake of Fire 

Obama's 2015 gift for Israel and Mid East: Funding for a new Iraqi army - dominated by Iran's Rev Guards - http://www.debka.com/article/24321/Obama's-2015-gift-for-Israel-and-Mid-East-Funding-for-a-new-Iraqi-army---dominated-by-Iran's-Rev-Guards-  President Barack Obama's New Year gift to Israel and the Middle East is a multibillion fund for establishing an Iraqi army as a division of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC). Wednesday, the last day of 2014, two defense ministers, Iran's Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehqani and Iraq's Khallid al-Obeidi, signed a pact whereby Iran i.e. the Revolutionary Guards, will "continue to train new Iraqi military units" for replacing the army that crumbled under the onslaught launched by the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant since last June. "We do not see any other option than cooperation and being on the same side as Iran to uproot the terrorists," said the Iraqi general.  But he carefully avoided mentioning the 1,850 US soldiers posted to Baghdad, Kurdistan's Irbil and the Al Asad air base in the western province of Anbar, or the 1,300 addition American combat troops, including paratroops of the elite 82nd Airborne Division's 3rd Brigade Combat Team. The 3,150 US troops currently serving in Iraq are therefore sharing the task of rebuilding Iraqi military units with Iran's Revolutionary Guards! Two other key points glossed over by the two defense ministers are

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revealed here by debkafile's exclusive military and intelligence sources: The sources of financing and recruits. On the quiet, President Obama has promised Tehran and Baghdad to put up the funding for the new Iraqi army. It is to come out of the US budgetary allocation for the war on terror - a truly ironic gesture considering the missions of the Revolutionary Guards Corps's pro-active arm, its Al Qods Brigades, which are primarily to orchestrate external terrorism. The source of the new manpower was disclosed by Deputy Commander of the IRGC Brig. Gen. Hossein Salami, when he announced this week that Iran was assembling a mighty army from the various Shiite militias fighting in Syria and Iraq. "This force will be larger even than the Lebanese Hezbollah," he boasted. All those militias are under the direct command of the Guards. Therefore, the Obama administration has committed the United States to forging a strong military bond with Tehran and providing military and financial assistance for the creation of a strong regional Shiite armed force that will elevate Iran to the standing of leading military power in the Middle East.   US-Iranian cooperation in the war on ISIS is already in full swing in Iraq between the US officers and troops posted there and the headquarters of Iranian Al Qods Brigades Commander, Gen. Qassem Soleimani. Iraq's Shiite Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi provides liaison. So closely are the two forces aligned, that no Iraqi Shiite operation goes forward without first being cleared with the US command.

 Who Is Behind The Oil War, And How Low Will The Price Of Crude Go In 2015? - By Michael Snyder - http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/behind-oil-war-low-will-price-crude-go-2015  Who is to blame for the staggering collapse of the price of oil?  Is it the Saudis?  Is it the United States?  Are Saudi Arabia and the U.S. government working together to hurt Russia?  And if this oil war continues, how far will the price of oil end up falling in 2015?  As you will see below, some analysts believe that it could ultimately go below 20 dollars a barrel.  If we see anything even close to that, the U.S. economy could lose millions of good paying jobs, billions of dollars of energy bonds could default and

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we could see trillions of dollars of derivatives related to the energy industry implode.  The global financial system is already extremely vulnerable, and purposely causing the price of oil to crash is one of the most deflationary things that you could possibly do.  Whoever is behind this oil war is playing with fire, and by the end of this coming year the entire planet could be dealing with the consequences. Ever since the price of oil started falling, people have been pointing fingers at the Saudis.  And without a doubt, the Saudis have manipulated the price of oil before in order to achieve geopolitical goals.  The following is an excerpt from a recent article by Andrew Topf... We don't have to look too far back in history to see Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil exporter and producer, using the oil price to achieve its foreign policy objectives. In 1973, Egyptian President Anwar Sadat convinced Saudi King Faisal to cut production and raise prices, then to go as far as embargoing oil exports, all with the goal of punishing the United States for supporting Israel against the Arab states. It worked. The "oil price shock" quadrupled prices. It happened again in 1986, when Saudi Arabia-led OPEC allowed prices to drop precipitously, and then in 1990, when the Saudis sent prices plummeting as a way of taking out Russia, which was seen as a threat to their oil supremacy. In 1998, they succeeded. When the oil price was halved from $25 to $12, Russia defaulted on its debt. The Saudis and other OPEC members have, of course, used the oil price for the obverse effect, that is, suppressing production to keep prices artificially high and member states swimming in "petrodollars". In 2008, oil peaked at $147 a barrel. Turning to the current price drop, the Saudis and OPEC have a vested interest in taking out higher-cost competitors, such as US shale oil producers, who will certainly be hurt by the lower price. Even before the price drop, the Saudis were selling their oil to China at a discount. OPEC's refusal on Nov. 27 to cut production seemed like the baldest evidence yet that the oil price drop was really an oil price war between Saudi Arabia and the US. If the Saudis wanted to stabilize the price of oil, they could do that immediately by announcing a production cutback. The fact that they have chosen not to do this says volumes. In addition to wanting to harm U.S. shale producers, some believe that the Saudis are determined to crush Iran.  This next excerpt comes from a

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recent Daily Mail article... Above all, Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies see Iran - a bitter religious and political opponent - as their main regional adversary. They know that Iran, dominated by the Shia Muslim sect, supports a resentful underclass of more than a million under-privileged and angry Shia people living in the gulf peninsula - a potential uprising waiting to happen against the Saudi regime. The Saudis, who are overwhelmingly Sunni Muslims, also loathe the way Iran supports President Assad's regime in Syria - with which the Iranians have a religious affiliation. They also know that Iran, its economy plagued by corruption and crippled by Western sanctions, desperately needs the oil price to rise. And they have no intention of helping out. The fact is that the Saudis remain in a strong position because oil is cheap to produce there, and the country has such vast reserves. It can withstand a year - or three - of low oil prices. There are others out there that are fully convinced that the Saudis and the U.S. are actually colluding to drive down the price of oil, and that their real goal is to destroy Russia. In fact, Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro openly promoted this theory during a recent speech on Venezuelan national television... "Did you know there's an oil war? And the war has an objective: to destroy Russia," he said in a speech to state businessmen carried live on state TV. "It's a strategically planned war ... also aimed at Venezuela, to try and destroy our revolution and cause an economic collapse," he added, accusing the United States of trying to flood the market with shale oil. Venezuela and Russia, which both have fractious ties with Washington, are widely considered the nations hardest hit by the global oil price fall. And as I discussed just the other day, Russian President Vladimir Putin seems to agree with this theory... "We all see the lowering of oil prices. There's lots of talk about what's causing it. Could it be an agreement between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia to punish Iran and affect the economies of Russia and Venezuela? It could." Without a doubt, Obama wants to "punish" Russia for what has been going on in Ukraine.  Going after oil is one of the best ways to do that.  And if the

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U.S. shale industry gets hurt in the process, that is a bonus for the radical environmentalists in Obama's administration. There are yet others that see this oil war as being even more complicated. Marin Katusa believes that this is actually a three-way war between OPEC, Russia and the United States... "It's a three-way oil war between OPEC, Russia and North American shale," says Marin Katusa, author of "The Colder War," and chief energy investment strategist at Casey Research. Katusa doesn't see production slowing in 2015: "We know that OPEC will not be cutting back production. They're going to increase it. Russia has increased production to all-time highs." With Russia and OPEC refusing to give up market share how will the shale industry compete? Katusa thinks the longevity and staying power of the shale industry will keep it viable and profitable. "The versatility and the survivability of a lot of these shale producers will surprise people. I don't see that the shale sector is going to collapse over night," he says. Shale sweet spots like North Dakota's Bakken region and Texas' Eagle Ford area will help keep production levels up and output steady. Whatever the true motivation for this oil war is, it does not appear that it is going to end any time soon. And so that means that the price of oil is going to go lower. How much lower? One analyst recently told CNN that we could see the price of oil dip into the $30s next year...  Few saw the energy meltdown coming. Now that it's here, industry analysts warn another move lower is possible as the momentum remains firmly to the downside. "If this doesn't hold, we could go back to price levels in late 2008 and early 2009 - down in the $30s. There's no reason why it couldn't happen," said Darin Newsom, senior analyst at Telvent DTN. Others are even more pessimistic.  For instance, Jeremy Warner of the Sydney Morning Herald, who correctly predicted that the price of oil would fall below $80 this year, is now forecasting that the price of oil could fall all

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the way down to $20 next year... Revisiting the past year's predictions is, for most columnists a frequently humbling experience. The howlers tend to far outweigh the successes. Yet, for a change, I can genuinely claim to have got my main call for markets - that oil would sink to $US80 a barrel or less - spot on, and for the right reasons, too. Just in case you think I'm making it up, this is what I said 12 months ago: "My big prediction is for $US80 oil, from which much of the rest of my outlook for the coming year flows. It's hard to overstate the significance of a much lower oil price - Brent at, say, $US80 a barrel, or perhaps lower still - yet this is a surprisingly likely prospect, the implications of which have been largely missed by mainstream economic forecasters." If on to a good thing, you might as well stick with it; so for the coming year, I'm doubling up on this forecast. Far from bouncing back to the post crisis "normal" of something over $US100 a barrel, as many oil traders seem to expect, my view is that the oil price will remain low for a long time, sinking to perhaps as little as $US20 a barrel over the coming year before recovering a little. But even Warner's chilling prediction is not the most bearish. A technical analyst named Abigail Doolittle recently told CNBC that under a worst case scenario the price of oil could fall as low as $14 a barrel... No one really saw 2014's dramatic plunge in oil price coming, so it's probably fair to say that any predictions about where it's going from here fall somewhere between educated guesses and picking a number out of a hat. In that light, it's less than shocking to see one analyst making a case-albeit in a pure outlier sense-for a drop all the way below $14 a barrel. Abigail Doolittle, who does business under the name Peak Theories Research, posits that current chart trends point to the possibility that crude has three downside target areas where it could find support-$44, $35 and the nightmare scenario of, yes, $13.65. But the truth is that none of those scenarios need to happen in order for this oil war to absolutely devastate the U.S. economy and the U.S. financial system. There is a very strong correlation between the price of oil and the performance of energy stocks and energy bonds.  But over the past couple

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of weeks this correlation has been broken.   Energy Stocks - Zero Hedge It is inevitable that at some point we will see energy stocks and energy bonds come back into line with the price of crude oil. And it isn't just energy stocks and bonds that we need to be concerned about.  There is only one other time in all of history when the price of oil has crashed by more than 50 dollars in less than a year.  That was in 2008 - just before the great financial crisis that erupted in the fall of that year.  For much, much more on this, please see my previous article entitled "Guess What Happened The Last Time The Price Of Oil Crashed Like This?..." Whether the price of oil crashed or not, we were already on the verge of massive financial troubles. But the fact that the price of oil has collapsed makes all of our potential problems much, much worse. As we enter 2015, keep an eye on energy stocks, energy bonds and listen for any mention of problems with derivatives.  The next great financial crisis is right around the corner, but most people will never see it coming until they are blindsided by it.

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VISIT OUR STORE BY CLICKING HERE 

Dear Reader / Supporter,

 As our way of saying thanks for all you do, we are giving you 50% off all DVD orders, including bundles, from now to 2015. Just enter the following code when checking out, GIFT50, you can use this code as many times as you like, thank you! 

 READ SOME OF OUR REVIEWS: 

"Awesome - Great Work - Congratulations!"  - D. Koerner 

"I found it really moving" - D. Bower 

"The scene inside the church was awesome. I need to go home and lay on my face. Great work man!"- R. Miller

 "Awesome video! I watched it last night with my family, and we loved it, and plan to

share the word about it" -   C. Young 

"My wife and I watched the video and it is outstanding. Biblically solid...... we especially like the clear bible referencing and quoting. The video is a moving

tapestry tightly weaved with spectacular photography, bible references, and the signs of the times put together like a jigsaw puzzle. The gospel is presented clearly with tender love. We pray that this DVD gets distributed far and wide. I hope youth ministers have the courage to show this DVD rather than the garbage materials of the emergent church movement." - John Wicklund Board President for Olive Tree

Ministries  

"I received The End of Times DVD today. It is Superb! For those that don't know much, or anything about Bible Prophecy, this DVD should really open their eyes, a great teaching tool. For those that have grown cold or indifferent in the Lord, this

should awaken them." T. Nelson  

"The DVD provides an effective mix of biblical teaching and history, interspersed with the happenings in Israel today.  Particularly effective is the emotional ending showing the return of Jewish people worldwide back to Israel and traveling with a

sense of destiny.  Many commentators have said Israel is God's hour hand, Jerusalem is the minute hand, and the Temple Mount is the second hand on God's timepiece.  The video is a great introduction and myth-buster for those who do not know of the importance of Israel in God's eyes or who believe Israel has as much

significance in today's world as Madagascar or the Canary Islands." - John Wicklund, Chairman Olive Tree Ministries Board of Directors

 Got the DVD today and just finished watching it...outstanding!!! Loved it!!! - G.

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Madison - Oklahoma 

 I watched "Israel God's Timepiece" last night and thoroughly enjoyed it. I have loved Israel ever since I read the book "Exodus", when I was in the Army in 1958. I

do everything I can to support Israel and get people involved in what they are going through, and more than that, to pray for Peace in Jerusalem, according to Psalm

122. Your DVD was a fitting tribute to this wonderful, spectacular country and God's very own "baby". Thanks for taking the time to put it together. Very well

done. - J. Masters - Mississippi 

It is really a professional production and I see why it is so well received. In fact we felt it is actually the best film we have seen on end time events. - Bill & Brenda

Hicks 

 At first I thought it was going to be another routine message but as it progressed it became more and more impressive. It was a great message. Congratulations on a

very well presented and produced DVD. - R. Webb - Williamsburg 

Another effective witness from Randy and Prophecy Update. The "There will be Tribulation" video describes the purpose and the sequence of events during the

final seven years prior to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The linkage to many Old Testament prophecies clearly show the importance of the nation of Israel to

this seven-year period. The pictures in the video document a world already full of tribulation- how terrible will be those seven years. Great teaching tool for small groups and youth ministers to present the gospel message through the topic of

bible prophecy. - John Wicklund Chair- Olive Tree Ministries Board of Directors

  "Moving and Inspirational" - D. Koerner, Bakersfield, CA

  "Your Presentation will literally scare the h-ll out some people. There is enough

scripture and warnings of what is coming to cause, anyone, who has put off accepting the Lord's salvation through Jesus to repent now!" - Don Mills - Director

of Programming - CSN Radio - Twin Falls, ID  

Brother Randy, to say it was a great movie documentary is an understatement. Thank you for doing the Lord's work. This movie gave me the chills. - Terrance Alan

- Kaukauna, WI  

Thanks so much for the DVD There will be Tribulation...I watched it the other day, finally.   It is well done and really holds your attention. In fact, it's

unrelenting...which of course is what it needs to be. - Rich and JoAnne - Temecula, CA  

VISIT OUR STORE BY CLICKING HERE   

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To order and more information - Click Here

 

Why prophecy is important (The world is unraveling) - http://the-end-time.blogspot.com/2014/12/why-prophecy-is-important-world-is.html   I love prophecy. To me, it is the clearest identifier of God as sovereign over the universe, the earth, humans, and time. He writes history in advance, because He is king of all, and what He says will come to pass.  I also love studying the bible. I believe it is the highest and best use of time, to get to know the attributes of the LORD, to seek His face through what He has told us. If you want 'direct revelation', the bible cannot be beat

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for informing us of our Lord and King, Jesus.  The bible is knowable and understandable to the Christian. We have the Holy Spirit in us to illuminate His word to us. (Ephesians 1:17-18). The Holy Spirit teaches us spiritual things. (1 Corinthians 2:10-13). Of course there are some things in the bible we cannot understand, such as the Trinity, One God in three Persons. We cannot understand the Spirit's overcoming Mary and producing a child. We do not understand all the ways in which God thinks. However, for the most part, the doctrines upon which He has given to us, are understandable.  One such doctrine is the doctrine of eschatology. This is the doctrine of 'last things', or end times. Just because there are many people who won't or can't understand the various threads of prophecy does not mean there exists confusion about what He plans to do. The pre-tribulation rapture is one of these understandable doctrines, clearly outlined in the bible to those who care to learn. Some people say Revelation is difficult, I find it easy to understand. I do find Daniel difficult, but that does not stop me from studying it, nor from turning to other scripture to help me interpret Daniel's book. It can be done, and it has been done. Oliver B. Greene's commentary on Daniel is wonderful. John MacArthur's book "Because the Time is Near" is a clear explanation of Revelation.  Even this is a doctrine! It is called the Perspicuity of Scripture. According to the Theopedia, the perspicuity of scripture means, The doctrine of the clarity of Scripture (often called the "perspicuity of Scripture") teaches that "the meanings of the text can be clear to the ordinary reader, that God uses the text of the Bible to communicate His person and will."   "The witness of the Church throughout the ages is that ordinary people, who approach it in faith and humility, will be able to understand what the Bible is getting at, even if they meet with particular points of difficulty here and there."  Yet there are some people who refuse to believe the doctrines of last things, because so many other people are mixed up over them. 'They can't be understood, so why try?' I was told by one man in church. "I'm a pan-tribber, it'll all work out in the end," he said. That is a highly offensive statement, and I said so to his face. It is a blight on Jesus, the Spirit, and God who inspired it, and all the Apostles who wrote the inspired word, and all the martyrs who protected it, to be so blatantly dismissive of 30% of God's holy doctrines. Jesus did not reveal last things to John, nor the angel to Daniel, so God's people could mock

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them.  Did you know that every NT book except Philemon mentions last things? All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, (2 Timothy 3:16) So I was so pleased when John MacArthur was asked about eschatology in his latest Q & A session at Grace Community Church. In Q&A session #62 it was stated by the interviewer that they had received more than a dozen questions regarding eschatology.  First, MacArthur noted that a church without a solid understanding of eschatology has got a huge loose end. Here are MacArthur's words on the importance of the church understanding and teaching last things: a church without a solid biblical eschatology, meaning understanding of the end of history has got a huge loose end. It's huge. I said something about that this morning when I was kind of wrapping up. I said, the Jews wanted to force all the prophesies regarding the Messiah into His first coming. We have Christians who want to take all the prophesies concerning Christ and push them back into His first coming. They're called pretrerists, amillenialists. So they have this theology with this totally open end. It just has no closure. They don't seem to care particularly. It's almost like a badge of Reformed loyalty to be unsure about how everything ends. I am running into this attitude more frequently, the badge of loyalty to uncertainty. "I'm super-spiritually humble because I refuse to state how things will end." Or, "I'm super tolerant of all the different interpretations, because who am I to say dogmatically? It's all just beyond little ole me." Uncertainty is the new loyalty. But is that right? Is that honoring to Jesus? Here's more from MacArthur. I don't know about you, but that doesn't work well with me. First of all, I don't think God gave a clear beginning and just kind of lost Himself at the end. I don't think if Genesis 1 says that God created in six days and there's no question about it, and He lays out exactly how He did it; and you get to the book of Revelation and you hear about periods of certain weeks and certain months and certain years and a thousand year millennium, and then an eternal state. I don't think God lost His way at the end. I don't think He was confused at the end. I think the end is as precise as the beginning. To be honest with you, I am far more concerned about the end than I am the beginning. The beginning is over. I'm glad it was what it was, and it explains why things are the way they are. This is an important point. God did not state it clearly in the beginning and

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then back away from clarity for the end. He is just as clear in Revelation as He was in Genesis. As for the people who say, 'There are so many interpretations, it's just best to let go and let God. It'll all work out in the end, anyhow,' I say that's just a bunch of lazy hooey. There are not many views of last things. There is only one view, God's view, and He has shared it with us. But I don't think you can over estimate the value of a church with a clear ecclesiology and a clear eschatology. Clear understanding of the church, and a clear understanding of what the Bible says about how things are going to end. It does say something. It doesn't say everything, and it doesn't say whatever you want it to say. It doesn't have ten views or five views or four views. There's just one view.  MacArthur went on to describe a wonderful moment in Kazakhstan some years ago. Kazakhstan is east of Mongolia and north of Turkey. It is around the world. He was asked to teach 1600 men at a pastor's conference. MacArthur taught 8 hours a day for 6 days a week. The men were hungry for the word, to be taught. They had been behind the Iron Curtain and now were released into more freedoms, including the freedom to practice religion, and to gather. They'd been denied a congregation, education, commentaries, access to internet or anything resembling study aids. They had each other, and the bible...and the Holy Spirit. So they wanted to know about all the doctrines, including eschatology.  MacArthur said, I laid out; I went through the book of Revelation systematically and showed them the end. They said to me after that - I took a day to do that. The end of that day they said, "You believe what we believe." I said, "I believe what you believe?" Same Bible. Guess what? It's so clear that people with no training, no seminary, and no commentaries could understand what the book of Revelation said. The reason I gave you the illustration about Kazakhstan is because that is as alien a place as you could ever be. Thirty-five hours to get there. You step off the plane. I've never been there. I don't know what's going on. I teach them a whole day on the end times, and they tell me that's exactly what they believe. How did they come to that? They don't have seminaries. They don't have books. They don't have anything. That's what the Bible says. You have to go to school and listen to somebody who deceives you to undo that because that's what's there.MacArthur has said before that any believer who landed on a desert island with nothing else except his bible can and would understand eschatology. The 1,600 Kazakhstan men were as close to desert island as you can get

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in this modern world, and eschatology was made understandable to them- because they studied it. As a note, what a glory it is that we believers have this unifying thread! What a moment of recognition between a Scottish-descended pastor from Sun Valley CA and Kazakhstani men isolated behind the iron curtain, to know each other as brothers! This unifying thread is the holy word, the Bible.  For men to say, 'Ack, it's all too much for me, it'll all work out in the end, anyway,' is a direct rejection of the wonder of being able to recognize and commune with brothers via a common and eternal understanding of God's word, wherever you are on earth.  Rejecting eschatology is also a rejection of the work that the Spirit has done in men that He has raised up. Many resources are out there, as I mentioned, commentaries, sermons, books, timelines...it is all there for us.  To continue what MacArthur said about eschatology, I think it matters how it all ends. I think God is glorified when we acknowledge Him as the Creator, the beginning; and I think He is glorified when we acknowledge Him as the consummator, the end. I think that's a huge benefit for Christians looking at the world and wondering where is this going? Where is this going?   In talking to Al Mohler when I was back there a few weeks ago, he said he's more eschatological than he's ever been. He's almost apocalyptic because he sees a world that just there is no way to reverse this. This thing is in a massive free fall, and there is no way to stop this. He's pretty well-attuned to the way things are, and he says, "I've never felt so eschatological, so apocalyptic about the way the world is going." Well, if you want to understand where the world is going, you can as a believer. That gives us such a powerful confidence that all that is coming is laid out for us on the pages of Scripture. I think that's a treasure that a church can't underestimate. Do not reject the treasure of eschatology. It is just as much a treasure as the Psalms and the Gospels. Do not reject the work we are to do through eschatology. We have the answer to how it will all end. Lost people are confused and frightened about where this world is headed. We know it. Do not be afraid to study, and then to share.  What message does it send when a mature man of the faith in church makes a public statement dismissing eschatology? It tells the next generation that it is not worth studying, and bible illiteracy increases, just at

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the time when the next generation may be the very generation to see these things come to pass and could have been more fervent and diligent about sharing the truth with lost and confused people.  John MacArthur is a unique individual and is in a unique position. It was common in the old days for a pastor to stay for decades. Not so any more, where the average pastoral stay is 5 years or less. MacArthur has been at Grace Church for 46 years. He is 75 years old. He has seen history unfold, prophecy fulfilled and apostasy rise. He said, I'm seeing this world unravel. There doesn't seem to be any way back. I mean this is totally out of control. This is a free fall down a black hole. So, you can't just say, "Well, eschatology doesn't matter." That is not helpful. People want answers. Where is this thing going? It's not fair to God, it's a dishonor to God to say, "Well, the Bible is not clear." It is clear. It is absolutely clear.Yes, it is sad and offensive that there are so many people who refuse to study last things. Those who dismiss the Spirit's work in inspiring that portion of the bible are simply missing out on so much glory. It is also sad that so many brethren have unfortunately come to different understandings of what God clearly laid out. But does that mean we reject it all? Does that mean that is is useless for us individually to study it? No. I just wish that the church was unified on what the Bible says. I don't like it that there are Christians who don't believe in Creation, but believe in some form of evolution. I think that dishonors God and confuses people. I don't like it that there are Christians who don't accept what the Bible says about the end either. But I think it's wonderful that we do, and the answers are there. God's word has all the answers, including last things. Please do not be afraid to jump in and read, learn, pray, and receive illumination from the Spirit. Do not be afraid to seek credible, quality study aids. Always remember the perspicuity of scripture. The bible is clear.

 

The Bridegroom is Coming - Lea Sylvester - http://www.omegaletter.com/articles/articles.asp?ArticleID=7960   Are you a Bride or are you a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ? Or are you

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both? We must daily fill our vessels, we must keep our lamps full with oil, the Living Word, to shine brightly before the King! We should be so intimate with the Lord that not only does one hear His voice without a doubt, but also has His Word written on the heart with the desire to be pure, spotless, without wrinkle or blemish. He too, knows you personally, intimately and intently. Your heart is Jesus' heart. You are one with our precious Messiah! Do not desire to be the least in His Kingdom! Desire to be at His feet, eternally! "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made. Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." Matthew 25:1-13. (KJV) The number one sign of immaturity in believers is that they are simply just waiting on the Lord. They are just sitting around waiting when there are thousands of things to do for the Kingdom of God. They are just waiting for Jesus to return. Certainly we are to be watching and ready for Him. But there are things to do in order to prepare oneself for His return.There is a preparation. Many pastors and preachers teach "oh just get saved and you're in." This will be addressed later in this commentary. First, however; let's look at the "traditional" American wedding customs. First there's the engagement. The man proposes to the woman. Then the bride begins to prepare for the wedding. There's much to do. She looks for a hall. She appoints her wedding attendants. She searches for her wedding gown. It has to be perfect. The flowers, the food, all have to be perfect for her day - her wedding. This is a big day for a woman; her wedding day. She desires to present herself with no wrinkle nor spot on her gown. She wants her groom to see her with no blemish, only beauty and perfectly presented to him on her wedding day. Now, let's take a look at the Hebrew wedding customs. First of all, the bride is chosen and she has to be a virgin. The man

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chooses her and they are engaged. They are separated for a year after this has been done. They do not see one another for the year. During this time, the bride is preparing herself for the wedding. That is all she is to do. When Jesus talked about the wedding, He referred to this.  The soon-to-be bridegroom is busy. He is busy building a home and an income in order to prepare for the Bride. He sends his best man to see if his bride-to-be needs anything. This is prior to the wedding. Perhaps the best man comes back with a list and, if so, this is provided to the bride. The bridegroom is actually providing for his bride before the ceremony even takes place. The bride is preparing; the bridegroom is preparing for her. This is beautiful. After the year is over or has passed, the father of the bride goes to the husband to be in order  to inspect and to see if the man has done all to provide for his daughter, once the father approves he gives the okay. There is no set date for a wedding. This is in contrast to Western weddings. In the Jewish customs there is no date set. In Western or American customs a date is set and the bride knows when she will be married. Even though the bride has no set date, she  knows the time is near because the year is up. She knows her bridegroom will be coming for her but she doesn't know the exact date this will happen. She is waiting to hear the shout. And, it happens in the middle of the night. She waits and is prepared. She is watching and waiting expectantly and excitedly.

 Do you see how Jesus related the wedding to the Jewish customs? He did this for their understanding as well as for ours today. Being a servant and being a bride are different. If one studies the Word of God, this it is evident. There is a misconceived interpretation frequently taught taken from the parable of the five wise and the five foolish virgins. Many say (and teach or preach) that the five foolish are not saved or that they represent the unsaved. Think about this and about the setting. All ten are together. If the five foolish virgins represent the unsaved, why would they be together with saved virgins; unbelievers, waiting for a bridegroom? They wouldn't be!The five that were wise were overfilled with the Word of God and with the Holy Spirit. "There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up." Proverbs 21:20. "For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life." Proverbs 6:23

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 What are these ten virgins holding? A lamp. There is a light, from where does it come? A wick. When the bride enters the bridal chamber, which is expressed with the five wise virgins; they were prepared, purified, and their heart was intimate with Jesus. The five wise knew Him but the other five did not have enough oil to have intimacy with the Lord.  They had not prepared, they had no intimate knowledge of Him. When Jesus said He didn't know them, it meant they did not seek to know Him with all their heart, soul, mind and body, so the door was shut. They could not enter into the marriage. Back to the Jewish customs: once the bride and groom enter the wedding chamber, the door is shut for seven days. The bridegroom and the bride are not to be disturbed at all. After, the bridegroom comes out of the chamber and he literally announces that the bride is pure and has perfected herself for him.  There is actually a crowd gathered at this time, awaiting the appearance of the bride and the groom. Then a huge celebration takes place; a wedding supper, or a feast. When Jesus gave the parable, the foolish did not prepare themselves by washing daily. They were at the wedding supper. They were on the other side of the door with the guests. Why? Because they did not seek to have a relationship with Him. They did not take the time to prepare themselves to be the bride. A servant is only a doer of the word and not a hearer (as in hear, understand, obey). The Word of God tells us we are to be both. God doesn't want only servants; He already has them, they are called angels. The definition of being a servant is to obey, serve others. It is to move into a deeper intimate relationship with the Lord that is also part of this process.  Many do not move into this. They just stop there at being a servant. Many mighty say, "Just as long as I make it to heaven, I will be happy." They do not prepare themselves by being intimate with their Lord. That is not God's intention. How easy would that be to just make it into heaven? He wants us to pour out ourselves all that is not of Him and fill ourselves, our lamps, with all that is of Him. It is continually seeking His face, filling ourselves with His oil (Holy Spirit) and going to the well in order to be replenished  as we sit at His feet. "Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone?

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bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Luke 10:38-42. In the scripture Luke gave us, we can see that Martha was the servant and Mary was the bride. Mary is at the feet of her Lord, desiring that intimate relationship. She knew when to be in the presence of the Lord. She knew there would be time to serve. She wrapped herself around his feet when she had the opportunity. So, we as believers, must be both servants and also perfect ourselves to be the Bride. We are told that Rebekah visited the well daily. She was so filled with God and with the Spirit, that when the messenger came to her and called for her she was ready because she had been prepared. Keeping in mind the Jewish wedding customs, when her parents heard Issac wanted her right then, they tried to talk her out of it. But, Rebekah knew God's voice, she had visited that well daily. She obeyed when the messenger came. And look what she became out of her obedience to God! The account of Rebekah and Issac is a beautiful love story. She is an example to show us how the Bride of Christ is to be. Here are a few characteristics of The Bride: holy, pure, peculiar, stands out in a crowd, obedient to the Word of God, seeks a pure and divine relationship filled with intimacy with Him so that the the Father's voice is known in order to overcome and to endure. Do we really want to be the least in the kingdom. Are we of the mindset, "I just want to make it as a servant or the bride?" Is this what we are striving to be? Or, do we want to be right at our King's feet? Through every trial and tribulation in which we walk, we must never lean unto our own understanding but instead, to God's. He is purifying us to make us ready. Do not turn to the world with your problems, instead raise your hands and your hearts to the Lord who loves you. He wants those who know His voice. Let us all be so worthy to be that Bride!  

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Daily Devotion: The 3 Things we can give to God in 2015 - Greg Laurie - www.harvest.org  "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" -Matthew 6:21 As we enter into a new year, here is something to remember: When it's all said and done, we have three things we can offer God-our treasure, our talent, and our time. Each of these is given to us by God, and each of them should be given back in generous portions. First, there is our treasure. I urge you to commit yourself to give faithfully and generously to the Lord in this coming year. Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:21 NKJV). Whenever we put our money into something, we develop a vested interest in it. It makes sense to us that we would place our treasures where our hearts are. If we love reading books, or being entertained, or the latest technology, we spend our treasure on those things. And if our heart's desires change, that changes where we put our treasure. But it works the other way too: Where we put our treasures, our heart will follow. Do you want your heart to be in the things of God? Then put your treasures in the things of God! Develop a vested interest in God's kingdom. The second thing we can give to God is our talent. God has gifted each believer in different ways. Everyone has something to offer for the work of the kingdom. Romans 12 says, "Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us different work to do" (NLT). Finally, there is our time. Let's say that one day your phone rang and it was the president of the bank that you use. He told you that an anonymous donor who loved you very much had decided to deposit 86,400 pennies into your bank account each and every morning. At first, maybe that didn't seem like a lot. But then you figured out that it was $864 a day. At seven days a week and 52 weeks a year, those pennies add up to almost $315,000 each year! But the bank president added one thing: "The anonymous giver said you must spend all of the money on the day you receive it! No balance will be carried over to the next day. Each evening the bank must cancel whatever sum you failed to use! Remember, what you don't spend is lost." That may sound like fantasy, but here's the reality: Every morning,

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Someone who loves you very much deposits into your "bank of time" 86,400 seconds, which represent 1,440 minutes, which of course equals 24 hours each and every day. God gives you that much to use each day. Nothing is ever carried over on credit to the next day. There is no such thing as a 27-hour day. It's called time, and you can't escape it. Time is ticking away right now. The Bible tells us to "redeem the time"-to make sacred and wise use of every opportunity. Offer God your treasure, your talent, and your time. Live this next year as if it were your last, because it could be. Make those minutes count!

FROM THE HEART

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If ever there was a time to invest in God's Kingdom, it's now!

What on earth are you doing for Heaven's Sake?

"Share in the Blessings and Rewards that will last Forever!"

"Folks, it's all beginning to unravel. America is in more danger of falling than at any time in its history.

But I believe Bible prophecy predicts this very decline. From this point on, we believers have to get

serious. We are going to face discouragement, disillusionment and, most certainly, persecution in the

time between now and the Rapture. But don't be discouraged or disillusioned. The coming turmoil will provide us unrivaled opportunities to share the good

news of the Gospel. So be ready to share your faith and your hope with those who need Christ. We still have time to reap a great harvest of souls for God's

kingdom!" - Hal Lindsey

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Our Prayer for You- "Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." 2 Corinthians 9:10-13

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Featured Article: Avoiding the Lake of Fire - Ron and Nathele Graham - www.straitandnarrowministry.com   " And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. " Revelation 20:13-14. The lake of fire is a place of eternal torment and you don't want anyone you know to end up there. You don't want to end up there. It is where the Beast and the False Prophet will be cast into and it is a place of eternal suffering. The only way to avoid spending eternity there is to place your hope and faith in Jesus. Those who have accepted His free gift of salvation will live eternally with Him and will avoid the Lake of Fire. Don't even think that eternity separated from God in the Lake of Fire is one big party. It is eternal torment. Jesus was very clear when He talked of salvation. The purpose of His life on earth was to offer us the only way of salvation...to be our kinsman redeemer. When Adam chose to sin, fellowship with God was broken. No longer could Adam and Eve live in Paradise...Adam's sin had condemned mankind to be separated from God and we are still under that curse. We can't begin to imagine the glory that Adam and Eve knew in the Garden of Eden where they had fellowship with God. Sin cannot go unpunished and because of Adam's choice he and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden. We live in this world and can see much beauty around us, but that is pale when compared to the Garden of Eden. We only know this world, and we accept the evil that surrounds us as "normal". Wars, hatred, and anger are just a part of life as we know it and we are numb to it...we don't feel the outrage against sin that we should. We who are born again believers in Jesus Christ know there is a beautiful life waiting for us, but for now we have to live in this world of sin. Nicodemus was a Pharisee who sought to know the truth. One night he came to visit Jesus to find answers to his questions. " Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God ." John 3:3 . The English word "again" is translated from the Greek word "anōthen" which means: from above, from God, from God above, anew, over again. Everyone is born once and has inherited the sin nature from Adam's sin, but we can only be "anōthen", or born again, if we accept the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as the atonement for our sin. The very instant that we say yes to Jesus Christ we are born again.

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Adam's sin separated us from God, but Christ's sacrifice gives eternal life to all who admit they are sinners and ask Him for forgiveness. He is our Saviour and our only way to salvation. " Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. " John 14:6. Accepting Christ is the only way to avoid the lake of fire. Once a person trusts Christ for salvation, the Holy Spirit is sealed within him or her. In Paul's letter to the Ephesians he spoke of being sealed with the Holy Spirit upon accepting Christ. " ... after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise ," Ephesians 1:13 . God's Holy Spirit is sealed within us at the very moment we truly believe. Paul also wrote about this to the believers in Corinth. " Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts ," 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 . Faith in Christ seals our destiny. The born again believer in Christ need have no fear of spending eternity in the lake of fire. We who are born again receive much comfort from these verses. God "stablisheth" us when we become born from above. The word translated "stablisheth" is the Greek word "bebaioō" which means: to make firm, to establish, confirm, to make sure. This is done through God's power, not ours. Outside of God we have no power, no firm foundation, and no hope. It is our choice whether to accept Christ as our Saviour, but rejection of Him will only bring eternal torment. If a person chooses to reject Christ they have chosen to spend eternity in the Lake of Fire. There are many reasons a person may reject God. Some blame God for things that have happened to them, but the evils of this world come from Satan. In rejecting God they have to believe He exists, but that is not faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Some people believe in god, but not God. Allah is god (satanic and evil) and cannot do anything except lead his followers into the Lake of Fire. Mormons believe in someone they call Jesus, but he is another false god that leads to the Lake of Fire. Many people expect that being a "good person" by human standards or religious works to be enough to meet the criteria to avoid the lake of fire, but good works will not save you, only faith in Jesus Christ. Those who choose to reject God's free gift of salvation are destined to everlasting damnation in the lake of fire. It is an individual choice. " He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad. Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be foregiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. " Matthew 12:30-32. There is no middle ground. Either you admit that you are a sinner in need of a Saviour and

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accept Jesus Christ, or you have rejected Him. It is a choice each person has to make for themselves. Thank God that we have a choice in where we will spend eternity. Once we are born from above (have said yes to Jesus) our choice is sealed. We can't back out of that choice once we've made it, and who would want to? We are held safe in God's hands; He keeps us and sanctifies us, never to be lost again. You see, God doesn't wish that any should parish but that all should come to repentance. Once we are in His hands we are forever in His hands. " And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand . I and my Father are one. " John 10:28-30 . You may be way out of fellowship and missing out on the joy of your salvation, but if you have accepted Christ as your Saviour you will avoid the Lake of Fire. You can have a more fulfilling life if you fully surrender to Him and strive to be like Him. You will earn eternal rewards if you live for Him, but your salvation is secure once you sincerely believe in Him. Being born from above brings new responsibilities. We need to study God's word and conform to it. We need to tell others about the Gospel. There needs to be a change in our life and attitude because we are no longer the same person as we once were. " Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new ." 2 Corinthians 5:17 . As believers we can see what's happening around this fallen world and certainly we can equate these things to what Jesus tells us to look for concerning the end times. The Rapture will happen soon...very soon. Then, for those who have chosen to reject Christ, life will become difficult...very, very difficult. Daniel's 70th week will begin and last 3 1/2 years of that week will bring great sorrows. Jesus described it this way " For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. " Matthew 24:21. Some people will come to know Christ during that time, but don't think it will be easy. The horrors of that time are unimaginable to us, but we can read Revelation and get a glimpse of what those who have rejected Christ will face. The False Prophet and the Beast are pure evil and Satan rules them. Their destiny is to be cast into the lake of fire; those who reject Christ will join them. " And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. " Revelation 20:15 . You don't want to go there. It is an eternal choice. If you do not accept Christ now then you have chosen to reject Him. Your choice needs be made today before you step into eternity. That eternity will either be spent in Heaven with Christ surrounded by perfect love, or it will be spent in the lake of fire in eternal separation from God's love and in eternal torment. 

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Do you want to avoid the lake of fire? The only way to do that is to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. He is the only way to eternal life. God bless you all,Ron and Nathele Graham [email protected] [email protected] Previous commentaries archived at http://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html  All original scripture is "theopneustos" - God breathed. This commentary was started by Ron Graham before his death on March 14, 2013, and finished by his wife, Nathele Graham. If you would like to be on my mailing list to receive the commentaries, just drop me an email and let me know.

 

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