Author: Mike Wingfield

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Israelis Turning their Eyes toward Heaven

I believe that the present circumstances in Israel are preparing the hearts of many Israelis to find salvation in Jesus as their Messiah and Savior. The effects of the coronavirus are having a big impact upon the tiny nation of Israel. Israelis have a great value for the sanctity of human life. Therefore, they have been taking great measures to protect their people for this very contagious virus.

The entire country is on a strict quarantine to remain in their homes. Presently, 25 percent of all the adults in Israel are unemployed. This ongoing condition is bringing many Israelis to their knees emotionally and economically.

Added to this is the political dilemma in Israel. Israel has been without an elected government for one full year and may now be facing an unprecedented fourth election in a little over one year. Furthermore, Israel continues to hear the call for their destruction from Iran and the other terrorist groups on their borders.

As a result of all of this, Israelis are being humbled and spiritually broken. They are seeking for help and many are turning to the Lord. Recently, many Jewish residents in the disputed territories gathered on their balconies to sing Psalm 54. To watch this go to

www.israeltoday.co.il

Looking at our present world conditions, it appears that our Lord could come at any moment. I remind you that the Tribulation Period will begin with a massive Jewish spiritual turning to the Lord for salvation (Ezekiel 39, 7, 22; Joel 2:28-32; Revelation 7). Salvation requires that people humble themselves and turn to the Lord for salvation. Could it be that we are witnessing the work of the Spirit that is preparing Israel for the great moment of salvation of tens of thousands of Jews at the opening of the Tribulation?

Great ready for the shout that will take us out!

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Understanding the True Nature of the Coronavirus

Once again, our world is facing the horrific scourge of a highly infectious, lethal disease. One of the trademarks of our modern culture in the last century has been the spread of these kinds of diseases. Jesus said that this would be one of the signs of the final generation before He returns. Read Matthew 24:7 and Luke 21:11.

In my lifetime our world has been plagued with Mad Cows Disease, Avian Flu, Sars, HIV (Aids), and Ebola. One of the most lethal of all pandemics was the Spanish Flu in 1918. This disease killed at least 100 million people around the world. That was about 5 percent of the global population.          

One of the reasons why the coronavirus is so dangerous is because of its’ highly infections rate. The contagious rate of this disease is one reason why we must all do our part to limit our social contacts (keeping a distance of at least 6 feet away from others).          

This is a new disease. The human body does not have any immunity with which to resist this disease. Therefore, the entire global population is at risk. It is estimated that 70 percent of the global population will contract this disease. The disease attacks the respiratory system. Therefore, the death rate among the elderly and others with respiratory issues is much higher. It is believed that the morality rate of this disease is about 3 percent. Therefore, that means that about 155 million people will die from this disease.

We are being told that this virus may be with us for more than a year until a vaccination is found and produced in enough quantities that we can vaccinate the global population. Until that time comes the only course we have is to slow the contagious rate down by limiting our social contacts. In some cases, this will require us to make great sacrifices to self-quarantine ourselves to limit the spread of the virus.

Some people are not taking this virus seriously because they do not feel personally threatened. This virus is not usually fatal to people less than 60 years old. However, that is a very selfish approach to helping the world deal with this threatening disease. The fear is that if the coronavirus cases multiply too fast it will overwhelm our medical system. That would mean that there would not be enough facilities and equipment to help all those who develop the pneumonia like symptoms. Therefore, this would push the morality rate even higher. Let us look at it in a personal way. What if you do not limit your social contacts? You can contract this virus but not have any symptoms for 3-5 days. Data suggests you will probably come in contact with about 250 people during the time of your incubation of the disease. Therefore, you will have infected 250 people and about 7 of them will die. Do you want to be responsible for that?

The Bible tells us that we are to think more about the welfare of others than we do about ourselves. “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others” (Philippians 2:4). Your life and the lives of others are very important. Life is more important than things or wealth.           As believers in Jesus Christ we are sending a message to the world about life and death.

As the Scriptures command us, let us pray for our government leaders.   Read 1Timothy 2:2. Pray that they will have wisdom to guide us through this difficult time. We need to obey them. Read Romans 13:1-7.

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A Message To Those In Crisis

As many of us are forced to take some time away from our busy schedules and are quarantined due to the coronavirus, we need to look at our situation from God’s perspective. As our world comes to a grinding halt, what is God saying to all of the inhabitants of earth?  The answer to this question is no secret. The Bible gives a clear answer for us in Psalm 46.

In this psalm, the writer is faced with a major crisis that he describes as a time of “trouble” (verse 1).  The original word could be translated “tight places.” In other words, the world of the psalmist was closing in on him and he felt threatened, just like we do in our current situation. The psalmist speaks of a time when his world was being destroyed by massive earthquakes that caused the mountains to be cast into the sea.  This colossal geological upheaval created destructive tsunamis. All of this brought about destruction upon the earth. Furthermore, the psalmist invites us to “Come, behold the works of the LORD, what desolations he hath made in the earth” (Psalm 46:6).

The first thing that God wants us to know is that He is in control.  There are no situations or events that transpire in our world that do not come from the hand of the Lord – the Creator of heaven and earth. This global crisis is not an accident. 

We should not try to point the finger of blame at China or any other nation.  The bottom line is that the Lord has chosen for this virus to march across the face of the earth at this point in time for His purposes.  Long ago, King Solomon of Israel observed, “God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work” (Ecclesiastes 3:17).

God uses diseases and viruses for His divine purposes.  Read Deuteronomy 28:21-22, 27-28, 35.  Our life and health are in His hands for His purposes.  Long life and good health are a gift from God.  When Jesus walked this earth almost 2,000 years ago, He demonstrated that all diseases are under His authority. Read Mark 1:30-34. 

In Psalm 46, the psalmist declared that one of the major reasons for the crisis in his time was to cause people to cease from being busy and get to know God.  Through him, God shouted out to the people, “Be still, and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10). This is at the heart of what God wants from all of us. He wants all of us to fix our attention upon Him.  We are to adore Him.  Worship Him.  Be in awe of Him.  One of the major compelling desires of our lives ought to be to discover the truth about God and to respond to Him in worship and service from a pure heart for His glory. 

Unfortunately, most of the inhabitants on earth never think about God during the day.  Their thoughts are very far from Him. It is obvious that they do not know Him.  This is the major problem in our world – people do not know God.  During the days of the ancient prophet of Israel, Hosea, God spoke to the rebellious nation of Israel and said, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6) 

God wants the very best for each one of us. The real peace and joy we are looking for will not be found in plenty of food, money, entertainment, or our creature comforts.

God wants you.  He created you for His purposes.  He is a jealous God. Read Exodus 20:5-6. His goal is not to make you happy, but to glorify Him. When you walk with Him you will have what you are looking for.  There is no greater joy than to know Him and serve Him.  After all, that is what we will be doing in heaven for all of eternity.

Maybe in the next few days you can take the time to reflect upon all of this.

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What about Trump’s Peace Plan?

(Our March newsletter will give a more comprehensive report concerning the current peace plan offered to the Israelis and Palestinians by the Trump administration.)

The latest announcement of the Trump Peace Plan on January 28th raises a lot of questions for those who know the prophetic Scriptures. We understand that the struggle over the Promised Land between the sons of Isaac and Ishmael (the Jews and Arabs) is at the heart of the conflict that will produce a peace covenant between Israel and the Antichrist (Daniel 9:27).  According to the Bible, it will be this covenant that will mark the beginning of the 7-year Tribulation Period. Therefore, any effort to bring about a covenant that resolves the conflict between Israel and her Arab/Muslim neighbors makes us wonder how this relates to this future covenant.

First, I applaud the efforts of the U.S. administration and the Israeli administration for seeking peace. The Bible exhorts us to seek to live in peace with all people (Hebrews 12:14). However, it is impossible to have real peace without living in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 1:7). Only the “Prince of Peace” can bring real lasting peace to the Middle East. Not until He comes will the world have peace. Only then will there be no more war (Isaiah 2:4).

I believe that we should view the Trump Peace Plan as only one of many efforts to bring a real lasting peace to a region that is filled with hate for the God of the Bible, His people (Israel), and His land (the Promised Land). Obviously there have been many failed attempts at bringing the Israelis and Palestinians to an acceptable agreement that would encourage them to mutually accept and respect one another, and live in harmony together. This latest plan will also fail. It is one of many such plans that are laying the groundwork for the ultimate covenant of the Antichrist.

The basic part of this plan calls for a two-state solution, with Israel retaining the Jordan Valley and about 30 percent of the areas of the “West Bank” (the Biblical heartland of the Jewish people) where Jewish people are currently living. Jerusalem would remain the undivided capital of Israel. For the first time, the Palestinians would be given a state with recognized and definable borders. The Palestinian state would be about twice the size of the area it now controls. It would be connected via a tunnel with the Gaza Strip.   A part of East Jerusalem would become the recognized capital of the Palestinian state. However, the Temple Mount would continue its status quo, with the Muslims having exclusive religious rights and the Israelis controlling security over this highly sensitive area. The Palestinians and other Arab states are being offered great economic assistance to support this plan. These suggested parameters are to be negotiated and finalized between the Israelis and Palestinians within the next four years.

Israel has accepted this plan. Many of the Sunni Arab states support the plan, including Saudi Arabia and Egypt. However, the Palestinians and the Jordanians have rejected it.

In my estimation, this plan will not work because of the religious difference between the Jews and Muslims. The Jewish people know that God has given all of the land that was once called Palestine to them. It was deeded to them by the God of Israel in an unconditional and eternal covenant with Abraham 4,000 years ago (Genesis 13:14-15). The Muslims in the region, including the Palestinians, believe that all of the land once call Palestine was a part of an Islamic empire under the Ottoman Turkish rule from 1517 to 1917. It is a firm Muslim belief that once a piece of property becomes a part of the Islamic religion, it must never be surrendered to the infidels (non-Muslim). Therefore, the radical Muslims can never accept the Jewish people living in a land that is, in their eyes, a part of a land that belongs to their God, Allah.

Therefore, this is holy war for a holy land. It is a war between the God of Israel and the god of Ishmael. It is not about policies of governments or a better economic opportunity. Therefore, these two sides can never reach an agreement. Ultimately, the Antichrist will trick Israel into a false covenant of seven years. Then, he will break that covenant at the mid-point of the covenant and attack Israel.

While we are looking at this peace process there is something else that is of utmost importance that is taking place. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing charges of bribery and may be forced to step down. If in the March Israeli elections his opponents win, it will mean that a more liberal political party will be leading Israel in the peace negotiations. This party is more willing to make concessions to the Palestinians that the right-wing government of Netanyahu.

Long ago, the prophet Isaiah wrote about a covenant that liberal leaders in Jerusalem would make with a people who are liars and are in league with the powers of hell. That covenant is mentioned in Isaiah 28:14-22. I believe that we are about to see the fulfillment of this passage that will lead to the covenant of the Antichrist. I will explain all of this in more detail in my March newsletter.

We are living in amazing days in which the stage is being set. The details of the prophetic Scriptures are coming into clear focus. Get ready for the shout that will take us out.

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Workshop for Peace and Prosperity in the Middle East

After waiting for months to hear the details of President Trump’s Middle East peace plan, the wait is over. A delegation of global heads of state and global financial leaders gathered on June 26-27 in Manama, Bahrain to consider phase one of the proposal. The theme of the gathering was “Peace to Prosperity.” Jared Kushner, the son-in-law and appointed advisor of this peace initiative, spoke to the group, explaining the details of this innovative approach to obtaining peace and security in the Middle East. The first step of the plan is to offer a $50 billion incentive to four countries to help them out of their cycle of poverty. Those who will be recipients of this aid are Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, and the bulk of the aid going to the Palestinians. This investment will be made to help these countries develop their infrastructure and create jobs for millions of people. The idea is to help these nations out of poverty, hoping this will foster an atmosphere that will allow them to work toward a political solution for peace. The political aspects of this offer have not been revealed. The Palestinians refused to attend this conference. The Israelis were not invited.

It is my opinion that this plan will fail because religion, not economics, is at the heart of this struggle. The real problem is the refusal of those who have adopted the radical views of Islam. According to Islamic tradition and law, once a piece of property becomes a part of the global Islamic state, it must never be surrendered for any reason to an infidel (a non-Muslim). Islam controlled the land of Israel for more than 500 years. Therefore, the occupation of this land by Israel is an embarrassment to Islam. The world will continue to struggle with this conflict until the future Islamic messiah offers his peace plan to Israel, beginning the 7-year tribulation (Daniel 9:27).

According to a report release the last week of June, the Muslim Brotherhood openly stated, “there will be no peace in the Middle East as long as Israel exists. [Furthermore], in a revealing video report, Muslim Brotherhood leaders in the United States and abroad made it clear that their ultimate objective remains the replacement of every governmental system on earth with Islamic law.” (www.wnd.com) It is my opinion that the future global Islamic government will the same as the future global kingdom of the Antichrist that will rule the entire world during the last half of the tribulation.

Watch the following 15 minute video about the goals of the Muslim Brotherhood. Warning: There is some very disturbing material on this video. To watch this video, clink on this link .

The fact that this offer for peace is called “Peace to Prosperity” reminds me of the warning given in 1 Thessalonians 5:3, “For when they [the world] shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.”

To watch the opening remarks at this summit, click on ths link.