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January 2023 – There is No “Mother Nature!”

       Proclaiming the Prophetic Word for 31 years!

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P r o p h e c y T o d a y N e w s

January 2023

Published monthly

All Bible references are from the KJV

(Examining Current Events in the Light of Bible Prophecy)

P.O. Box 13006, Roanoke, VA 24030-3006

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There is No “Mother Nature!”

“Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, … [changing] the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the [creation] more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.” Romans 1:22, 25

By Mike Wingfield

Worshipping “Mother Nature” will not rescue the nations of the world from the tragic and dangerous time in which we live. As our world tumbles deeper into spiritual darkness, the world’s leaders stubbornly refuse to give God His rightful place. They continually reject Him as Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, Judge, and King. They ignore His presence and power! They have chosen to pretend that He does not exist. They are defiant against God’s creative order, commandments, and eternal promises. In their pride and arrogance, they foolishly plan how they might thwart the prescribed judgment of God that is coming upon the earth and all creation at the approaching end of this age.

In his quest to lie and deceive, man has created the theory of evolution to mask the reality that God created everything as described in Genesis 1-3. Evolution makes chance and fate the explanation for the existence of creation. From man’s perspective, there is no design or designer of creation. Man foolishly believes everything from the atom to the galaxies came together through random evolution of cosmic forces. Mimicking the demonic deception of many ancient cultures, our world has chosen to worship “Mother Nature.” When people refer to everyday events in the weather or the catastrophic forces of creation, they point to this as an act of “Mother Nature”. This designation of the world’s god is a term that views the earth as a woman. In their sinful way of thinking, the earth is the source and controlling power over all creation. Just like a mother who gives birth and nurtures her children, the world believes that earth, in the evolutionary process, gave birth to all life. They believe that earth, not God, provides us with all that we need to sustain life. Consequently, climate change proponents are demanding a radical shift in our lifestyles to avert what they believe will lead to a catastrophic end to life on earth.

This is nothing new (Ecclesiastes 1:10). The Bible gives several references to a pagan goddess that was being worshipped in Israel and all the other cultures that preceded and followed Israel’s tragic worship of a demonically created goddess. This goddess was called “the queen of heaven” (Jeremiah 7:18). The ancient prophet of God, Jeremiah, rebuked the people of Israel and warned them that they were incurring the wrath of God if they continued to worship idols rather than the living God. However, the men of Israel refused to heed Jeremiah’s warning, stating that they were following the advice of their wives, since they believed that it was “The Queen of Heaven” who had blessed them (Jeremiah 44:15-19). This goddess was a fertility god. They believed that her worship would improve their way of life. They imagined that this goddess would provide them with bountiful food, prosperity, and keep them safe and secure. Like today, the worship of this goddess was filled with lustful sensuality.

Tragically, Israel refused to heed Jeremiah’s warning. Consequently, God destroyed its culture, including the Temple in Jerusalem in 586 B.C. Those who survived became the slaves of Babylon for 70 years.

Today, in a similar fashion, our pagan global culture views “Mother Nature” as a goddess who is providing and protecting us with many blessings. This is a religion that is sweeping across the world. This is the demonic force behind all the hype concerning climate change. In November, more than 40,000 people attended a summit in the Sinai near the mountain where many believe God gave Israel and the world the Ten Commandments. They gathered to create the “Climate Justice Ten Commandments” (Israel 365 News, November 7, 2022).

America, and the world are traveling down the same path of apostasy and disobedience as nations that were destroyed before us. We are defiantly rejecting the One and only God of the universe. In our foolish and sinful pride, we have elevated man and God’s creation above the worship of the God of glory.

This gathering, which had the blessing of the United Nations, included leaders in business, banking, education, and politics. Among its participants were Christian, Muslim, and Jewish religious leaders. This gathering held “Climate Repentance Ceremonies and put forth a prophetic inter-religious call to action” (Israel 365 News, November 7, 2022). Clearly, the entire world, including Israel, has been duped into the deception of worshipping the creation, rather than the Creator.

Friends, the worship of “Mother Earth” is creating a response of wrathful judgment in the heart of our holy God. He is the One and only God! The first and most important of all the commandments is, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3). God has demanded that we not worship or serve any other god. If we do, He has promised, “I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me” (Exodus 20:5). The priority for all mankind is to worship God, and God alone!

Several decades before Jeremiah, the prophet Isaiah was called to warn Israel to turn from its sinful and idolatrous ways. At the heart of God’s plea was for His people, Israel, to recognize that He was the One and only God. Through Isaiah, God repeatedly said, “I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me” (Isaiah 45:5). See also Isaiah 45:6, 18, 21, 22; 46:9. In Isaiah 42:8, the Lord said, “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.”

Friends, America, and the world are traveling down the same path of apostasy and disobedience as nations that were destroyed before us. We are defiantly rejecting the One and only God of the universe. In our foolish and sinful pride, we have elevated man and God’s creation above the worship of the God of glory.

The universe and all that is in it has been created by God for His glory. The chief aim of man is to glorify God. In the beginning of creation, God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth” (Genesis 1:26). The entire testimony of the Bible is that only man has been created as the image bearer of God. That simply means that it is God’s desire for mankind to be reflectors of the infinite glory of God. We are to live, speak, think, act, and plan in such a way that we display the glory of God. What does that mean?

Perhaps one of the most difficult things for the depraved, finite mind of man to grasp is the glory of God. The term “glory of God” points to the collective conception of all that God is. It is the shining forth of His infinite attributes or character. When we delve into the depths of the infinite mind and character of God our intellectual abilities fall short of being able to grasp the fullness of all that God is and has done. While exploring the infinite knowledge and presence of God, the psalmist declared, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it” (Psalm 139:6). After exploring God’s eternal purposes for Israel, Paul exclaimed, “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counsellor” (Romans 11:33-34)?

God has created us in such a way that we should be in awe of the creation of human life. The birth of a baby should move us to be in awe of God and to see His divine plan and purposes for the creation of man. This is made clear in Psalm 8. “O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! Who hast set thy glory above the heavens. Out of mouth of babes and [newborn infants] hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger” (Psalm 8:1-2). The Psalmist is simply saying that even the enemies of God should be silenced when they look at the life of a new-born baby. They should be in awe of the divine process of the creation of life in the womb (Psalm 139:13-18). Babies are a gift from God (Psalm 127:3).

Abortion and the abuse and neglect of children are other indictments against our godless culture. Every year, millions of babies are killed in the womb. Furthermore, children are the target of unimaginable violence and wickedness. The message of the Bible is clear. How we treat children, and all other people, is a testimony to what we think about God and who God is. The first four of the Ten Commandments deal with man’s response to God. The last six of the Ten Commandments deal with man’s response to man – who has been created in the image of God. We do not know God and cannot glorify Him when we kill human beings. “Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murdered hath eternal life abiding in him” (1 John 3:15).

Man is not the only part of God’s creation that reflects His glory. All the heavens and the earth were created for His glory – to lead us to adore, worship, and serve Him, and Him alone! As the Psalmist in Psalm 8 continued to speak of God’s glory, he spoke of God’s creation of the heavens as “the work of [God’s] fingers” (Psalm 8:3). The vastness of the splendor of God’s creation is to cause man to be in awe of the God who spoke them all into existence (Psalm 33:6) out of nothing (Hebrews 11:3).

King David of Israel, 3,000 years ago, exclaimed, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament [shows] his handywork” (Psalm 19:1). The word “declare” in Hebrew could be translated as “continually count.” The idea is that the vastness of the heavens, and the innumerable stars contained therein, should cause the human mind to be in awe of the One who created them.

Compared to the knowledge of David’s time, our comprehension of the universe today is amazing. David’s generation only observed the vastness of the starry heavens with the naked eye. In our generation, we have powerful telescopes on earth and in space that aid us in visually exploring the galaxies. Our faith ought to be greater than the faith of David. We ought to be more in awe of the heavens and therefore, we should seek to glorify God in a greater way. How sad that this is not true. Instead, we have rejected God and His revelation. Due to man’s pride, man has chosen to ignore God’s written revelation, the Bible, and God’s general revelation written in the heavens. According to Romans 1:18-32, this is always the beginning of man’s tragic journey away from God. Read this passage and reflect upon the truth of Paul’s message.

The field of science, in many cases, began as an exploration of creation for the glory of God. For example, Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), was a German scientist who studied the heavens. He discovered and wrote about many of the observations and facts still used today by astronomers and NASA. Kepler, by his own writings and testimony, was a committed believer who held the Scriptures as his rock-solid foundation for all truth. He dedicated himself at an early age to serve God.

How sad that today, most of those who work in the field of science have been blinded by the lie of evolution. The theory of evolution began with the work of Charles Darwin (1809-1882), who followed almost 300 years after Kepler. There is a debate concerning whether Darwin was an atheist. We cannot be sure. However, at one point in his life he said that he did not believe Jesus Christ is God. He also stated that he did not believe the Bible is the Word of God.

Today, we should be stunned by the vastness of the universe and the tiny speck called earth. God told Isaiah, “The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool” (Isaiah 66:1). In light of what we now know, this is truly an amazing revelation given to God’s servant more than 2,700 years ago!

First, the heavens, the universe, are viewed in the Bible as the dwelling place of God. Yet, God, who is everywhere present at the same time, cannot be contained by the vastness of space. At the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem, King Solomon acknowledged, “Behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house that I have builded” (1 Kings 8:27)?

Just how immense is the universe? The answer to this question is unknown. Even with our most powerful telescopes we have only viewed about 1.25 percent of all that God created by His spoken Word thousands of years ago. Scientists tell us that the expanse of the universe is so stunning that if you could travel across the known outreaches of space, traveling at the speed of light – 186,000 miles per second – it would take you more than 40 billion years to do so. Within this space are believed to be more than 100 billion galaxies! This is stunning! Unimaginable! Our home, the Milky Way, is only a small galaxy when compared to others.

Within each of these galaxies there are hundreds of billions of stars. The number of stars created by the sudden breath of God in the beginning is beyond our human comprehension! Someone has surmised that the number of stars is more than the number of words spoken by man since the beginning of time. Another scientist has estimated that the number of stars would probably be equal to roughly 10,000 stars for each grain of sand on every beach on earth! Let that sink in for a moment!

The Bible tells us that all of God’s creation, including the stars, planets, moons, comets, and asteroids, and all of creation are the servants of God (Psalm 119:91). This means that God is the Creator, Ruler, and Sustainer of every aspect of His creation (Colossians 1:16-17). Jesus proved this when He came to earth. He controlled food, winds, water, diseases, and even demons. He made the blind see and raised the dead!

God is sovereign over every atom and galaxy! Listen to what Psalm 147:4-5 tells us about how infinite God is, “He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.” God not only knows how many stars He created, but He has also named them all!

When we think about stars, we need to remember that our sun is one of them. The sun and stars are simply great balls of fire. They have been created with immense amounts of fuel so that they can fulfill His purposes to shine for His glory. Our sun is huge to the human eye. It is estimated that the sun is 1,300,000 times bigger than the earth. Scientists estimate that it would take about 1.3 million earths to fill up the space taken up by the sun. Yet, the sun is one of the smaller stars in our universe. One star, Antares, is calculated to be 700 times bigger than our sun. Amazing! Stunning!

Think about this. This universe is so infinite in the mind of man – yet the heavens cannot contain God! God has described Himself as the One who “[stretched] forth the heavens, and [laid] the foundation of the earth, and [formed] the spirit of man within him” (Zechariah 12:1).

The finite, depraved mind of man struggles to understand who God is. We tend to think of God in such a way that we make Him like man. And tragically, we foolishly think of man, making him like God. The Bible repeatedly declares that God is holy. That simply means that God is infinitely set apart from all His creation. All creation is finite. Only God is infinite!

In Isaiah 40:25, God asked, “To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal.” Then, He answered His question by demanding that man look up into the heavens, “Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things, that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that he is strong in power; not one faileth” (Isaiah 40:26).

Another testimony of God’s greatness is His comparison to earth itself. To those who were worshipping the Queen of Heaven, He reminded them that He could hold the oceans of the earth in the palm of His hand. He knows the exact weight of planet earth. (See Isaiah 40:12.) In this little speck in the universe there are nations. These nations and their leaders think they are so powerful. Compared to God, they are nothing! The Bible declares, “Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. … All nations before him as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity” (Isaiah 40:15, 17).

The Bible tells us that “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life” (Proverbs 14:27). Also, “The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility” (Proverbs 15:33). The word fear speaks of man being in awe of God. When we think of God in terms of His glory, we will be greatly humbled. This is where great faith begins – humility! When we see God in His glory and mankind in his utterly helpless state of foolishness and sin, then we can be humble and wise.

When I was a little boy, my mother would say to me, “Son you are getting too big for your britches.” This was her kind way of saying that I was acting foolishly, thinking that I was older and wiser, instead of realizing I was still a little boy in need of my parents. This is where we are as a world. We have gotten too big for our britches! The world thinks it doesn’t need God. He has been replaced with a demonic idol called “Mother Nature.”

We need to be reminded that earth is a speck in this enormous universe – only the lowly footstool of God. The heavens are His dwelling place. Isaiah wrote, “It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in” (Isaiah 40:22). God says that man is like a grasshopper before Him. That is a humbling thought. All of mankind needs to remember that we are at the mercy of the Almighty! All that we have and are, is nothing in His sight!

Pride is the hallmark cornerstone of depravity. It was pride that triggered the beginning of sin in the heart of Lucifer when he thought he could replace God. Satan appealed to the pride of Eve in the Garden of Eden by tempting her with the idea that she could be like God.

The scientific achievements of man in the last 150 years have been amazing. Yet, they are nothing compared to God who made the heavens and the earth in six days (Exodus 20:11). Prideful people think that scientists are so intelligent. However, when they fail to give God His rightful place and see Him as the God of glory, they are acting like fools. “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Psalm 14:1).

According to the Bible, God will deal a death blow to the pride of man at the end of this age. As in the days of Noah, God will use His creation to bring a massive upheaval upon this earth. God told Noah thousands of years ago that He would destroy His creation “with the earth” (Genesis 6:13). In Noah’s day, God spoke to the earth and caused a massive global earthquake, allowing the subterranean waters to flood the earth (Genesis 7:11). He also emptied the massive translucent water canopy over the earth (Genesis 1:6-7), eventually covering the entire earth with water for 150 days (Genesis 7:24).

For seven long years during the Tribulation, mankind will be judged by God with climate change, and catastrophic events such as global earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis. Diseases, demons, and darkness will plague all the earth’s inhabitants. All of this will be used by God to humble mankind and exalt Himself. Isaiah wrote about that day and warned that God will “[arise] to shake terribly the earth” (Isaiah 2:19, 21). God will do this “for fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty” (Isaiah 2:19, 21). Why? “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day” (Isaiah 2:11, 17).

When that day comes, man will realize how foolish his worship of idols and the ideas of godless men has been. They will cast aside their idols and be stricken with their foolishness (Isaiah 40:2-21). Scientists will be helpless. Everyone will know there is no “Mother Nature.” They will know that earth is not a god or a provider.

Scientists look at the immense universe and conclude there must be life on other planets. However, according to the Bible, God created life only on earth (Isaiah 45:18). Why such an awesome display of billions of galaxies and innumerable stars? It is not about us! It is about Him – the God of Glory! In the beginning, God created the heavens with the earth and man in mind. Earth is mentioned 21 times in Genesis 1. The lights of the heavens were for those living on earth (Genesis 1:14-19). God intended that they would look up and see His glory (Psalm 19:1). The Spirit of God caused the Apostle Paul to notice that God has revealed Himself to us. He wrote, “That which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath [showed] it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:19-20).

No Bible believer should ever use the term “Mother Nature.” I must personally confess that when I hear that term I cringe. I am struck to the heart that the Lord God is being rejected. I am awestruck at the blindness of our world and even many in the professing church. We want God to fix our marriages, families, and broken world. However, we are not concerned about giving Him, and Him alone, the glory that is due to Him.

Are you guilty of using that term “Mother Earth”? If so, repent of it now! The use of this pagan term is an insult to the God of glory! Those who do believe and speak of the earth as a goddess are guilty of worshipping the creation instead of the Creator (Romans 1:25). The kind of world that does this is described in detail in Romans 1:21-32. We are living at such an hour!

Is the glory of God the chief aim of your life? Do you live to please Him? Glorify Him? Praise Him? Worship Him? This is the chief aim of man. We were created to have fellowship with God. We were made to know Him and worship Him. If your life’s focus is not upon Him, and Him alone, you are miserable. God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). According to the Bible this is “the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11).

Only seconds after we have received our new body and mind and are in the presence of our Lord, we will have a clear understanding of all of this. Then we will say, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11).

“Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).

Be ready for the shout that will take us out! What a day that will be!

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December 2022 – The Jewish Roots of our Faith

       Proclaiming the Prophetic Word for 31 years!

PTNews

P r o p h e c y T o d a y N e w s

December 2022

Published monthly

All Bible references are from the KJV

(Examining Current Events in the Light of Bible Prophecy)

P.O. Box 13006, Roanoke, VA 24030-3006

Download this Newsletter

The Jewish Roots of our Faith

“What advantage then hath the Jew? … Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God.” Romans 3:1-2

By Mike Wingfield

Very soon, people in many nations around the world will celebrate Christmas. Sadly, most people who celebrate Christmas view it as a holiday that focuses on secular traditions. Christmas has become a part of a growing trend that captures the world’s attention in a way that is far away from God. Only a small remnant of true believers will wake up quietly on Christmas morning and give reverence to its true meaning. We know that Jesus Christ was not born on December 25th. From a Biblical perspective, we should celebrate Christ’s birth every day of the year.

The finite mind of man continues to struggle with grasping the fact that God Almighty became flesh in Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago! Jesus fulfilled the hope of a coming Redeemer and King who is eternal, and yet born among men. Jewish believers were anticipating the fulfillment of the coming Messiah since the time of Abraham. For the two millennia preceding the birth of Jesus, God had spoken through His Jewish prophets to declare that He would come as a suffering Messiah, and then in the last days as a conquering Messiah. These precious, yet complex prophecies, have continued to perplex the Jewish people and the entire world for more than 4,000 years.

While rejecting these profound prophecies, most people live in utter confusion and some refuse to accept the Jewish connection of God’s Messiah, our Savior, and the Head of the church (Colossians 1:18). According to the Scriptures, the Messiah would be Jewish. He is a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Matthew 1:1-2). He is a descendant of Israel’s two greatest kings – David, and Solomon (Matthew 1:6).

Isaiah spoke of the coming Messiah, and wrote, “For unto us a child is born…” (Isaiah 9:6). The pronoun “us” in this context makes direct reference to the Jewish people. The promise of the coming Messiah was given exclusively to the Jewish people. God gave this promise to an unbelieving Jewish king, Ahaz, “Behold a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14). The name Immanuel means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). In essence, God told this wicked Jewish king that God would become a man and be born of a Jewish virgin. This sign, a supernatural event, would demonstrate to this wicked king that the God of Israel keeps His promises.

Both Joseph, the legal father of Jesus (Matthew 1:16) and Mary, the physical mother of Jesus (Luke 3:23-38), were Jewish descendants of King David of Israel. This means that Jesus has both the legal and physical rights to the throne of David as the Messianic King. It was this connection to the lineage of David that brought Joseph and Mary more than 2,000 years ago to the little Jewish town of Bethlehem, where Jesus would be born (Luke 2:1-7). In an amazing prophecy, 700 years before Jesus was born, God revealed to the prophet Micah that the future “ruler in Israel: whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2), would be born in Bethlehem.

Clearly, the Scriptures demand that Jesus was conceived as a Jew; born as a Jew; lived as a Jew; died as a Jew; arose as a Jew; and will return as a Jew. I emphasize this because the world rejects the fact that Jesus is Jewish. Some Christians naively think Jesus is a Christian because the Bible declares Him as Head of the church. And they wrongly concur that since He is the Head of the Christian faith, He must be a Christian and not a Jew.

We must remember that the church did not exist when Jesus was on earth during His first coming. Jesus always referred to the church in the future tense (Matthew 16:18). Jesus never preached in a church. He preached and taught in synagogues throughout Israel (Matthew 9:35). He never preached the gospel that is preached in churches today. The gospel is about His death, burial, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Obviously, that message had to follow His ascension to heaven (Acts 1:9).

Let’s clarify this confusion. First, the term “Jew” is the designation of ethnic identity. It is a term that defines the ethnic identity of a group of people who can trace their lineage back to one of the 12 tribes of Jacob. Jews also can be identified by a nationalistic term. For example, they can be an American Jew or an Israeli Jew. An American Jew is a person who has a Jewish ethnicity, but lives in America. An Israeli Jew is a Jewish person who lives in Israel.

The term “Christian” is not a term of ethnicity or nationality. According to the Bible, a person cannot be born a Christian. A true Christian is one who has made the personal commitment to repent of his sins, believe the gospel, and receive Jesus Christ [“Christ” means Messiah] as their personal Lord and Savior. A true Christian believes Jesus is both God and man. They believe Jesus is the eternal Son of God. In other words, the term “Christian” is about a person’s spiritual standing with God.

Christians are from many different ethnicities and nationalities. The Bible speaks clearly about the distinction between a person’s ethnicity and spiritual standing. In the Bible there are two major ethnicities – Jews and Gentiles. The term “Gentile” refers to all other ethnic groups that are not Jewish. The Bible also refers to the nation of Israel, in contrast to “the nations” [all the other nations in the world]. So, in the Bible it clearly distinguishes between a person’s ethnicity and general nationality.

A person’s ethnicity and national status is not to be confused with their spiritual standing. All true believers are a part of the one body of Christ [Messiah] – the church (Ephesians 4:4). They can be a Jew or Gentile. They can be of any nationality. God only has one plan of salvation, and it is for all people (John 3:16).

When a person becomes a Christian, it does not change their ethnic or national identity. For example, they could be a Jewish Christian living in Germany. They are ethnically a Jew. They remain a citizen of Germany, but spiritually they are a member of the body of Christ – the church.

When Paul wrote to the Corinthian church about not being offensive to people while practicing their faith, he wrote that they were not to offend people of any ethnicity – Jew or Gentile. He also concluded that they were not to offend a brother of sister in Christ. He wrote, “Give none offense, neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God” (1 Corinthians 10:32).

The confusion about the Jewish identity of the Christian faith [the church] has been in existence since the time of the first century. CAUTION: THIS MAY NOT BE IMPORTANT TO YOU, BUT IT IS HIGHLY IMPORTANT TO GOD! Jesus will judge the world based on how they have treated the Jewish people (Genesis 12:3; Matthew 25:31-46).

In this article, I would like to address two biblical facts about the Jewish identity of the true church.

Biblical Fact #1- The Jewish Origins of the Church

The church began in 30 A.D. at the Jewish feast of Pentecost in Jerusalem (Acts 2). The believers in the church on that day and for the next seven years were exclusively Jewish. Their focus, as commanded by their Lord, was on Jerusalem and Judea (Acts 1:8). Jerusalem continued to be the hub of the infant church for the first 14 years (30-44 A.D.). It was not until Acts 10 [44 A.D.] that the first Gentile was saved and became a part of the church. For the next four years, the number of Gentile believers began to increase. Due to opposition from the Jews who rejected the gospel, the Jewish Christians were forced to flee from Jerusalem. Acts 8:4 says, “Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.”

According to Acts 13, it was not until 48 A.D. (18 years after the birth of the church) that the predominantly Gentile church in Antioch began to be a prevailing voice in the early church.

During the early years of the church, the believers gathered in the Temple in Jerusalem, synagogues, or homes. Church buildings did not come into existence until the latter part of the second century.

A study of Romans 11 reveals that the church was grafted into the true historical Jewish faith, which had roots grounded in the faith of Abraham and the Old Testament saints and prophets. In Romans 11, the Apostle Paul makes it adamantly clear that the spiritual life of the church comes out of the faith of the Old Testament believers. The faith of the church is the grafted extension of the faith of the Old Testament believers! Therefore, the faith and message of the church grows out of the faith and message about Jesus the Messiah as presented in the Old Testament Scriptures.

Biblical Fact #2- The Jewish Message of the Church

For the first 15 years of the church, they had no New Testament Scriptures. All they had were the 39 Old Testament books. James was the first New Testament book, written about 45 A.D. (15 years after the beginning of the church). The other 26 New Testament books were written over the next 50 years and they were passed around the churches as individual scrolls, while individual copies were made. The recognition of all 27 books as the New Testament did not take place until 300 years later at the end of the 4th century.

The Bible is a Jewish book. With Luke as the only exception, all the writers of the Bible were Jewish. The Apostle Paul declared, “unto them [the Jews] were committed the oracles of God” (Romans 3:2). God’s Word, which is eternal, is also a historical book set in time. God’s written revelation to man is immersed in the language, customs, geography, and history of the Jewish people and the nation of Israel. To ignore or reject this is to depart from the Word, will, and way of God! It is a defiant act of sinful pride. It becomes compliant with Satan’s scheme to reject God’s chosen people (Revelation 11). Attempting to remove the Jewish foundation and source of the true church is like removing the heart and brain of a body – it means sudden spiritual death!

The Bible demands that the message of the church must be an extension of the written message of the Jewish apostles! The teaching of the Jewish apostles is the foundation of the doctrine of the church (Ephesians 2:11-22). If a message that someone proclaims does not agree with the teaching of the apostles, then it is not of God. The apostle John wrote, “We are of God: for he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God [does not hear] us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:6). While facing false teachers in the first century, the Apostle Peter admonished the church to remember the teaching of the apostles (2 Peter 3:1-3). The Apostle Paul clearly warned that anyone who attempts to change the message of the apostles, “let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8).

At the heart of the apostle’s doctrine are the following six core teachings:

  1. Jesus is the predicted Messiah of the Old Testament

  2. The triunity of God- three persons & one God

  3. The sacrificial death of Jesus Christ

  4. The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ

  5. Salvation is based upon faith alone in Christ

  6. The Messianic hope – including the prophetic end-times

A careful study of Matthew 16:13-18 shows that Christ is building His church upon the testimony of the apostle Peter at Caesarea Philippi. Peter declared, “Thou art the Christ [Messiah], the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). This means that Christ must be recognized as the physical Jewish descendant of King David – the Jewish Messiah. It furthermore demands that Jesus must be recognized as the spiritual eternal Son of God.

Many professing churches fail to accept these core teachings that are demanded of all true believers. Many churches and professing Christians ignore the Jewishness of Jesus. They reject His people [Israel] and their renewed settlement of the Promised Land. They refuse to believe and teach the doctrines of the Messianic hope. They do not believe in a literal future tribulation on earth. They also reject a physical millennial kingdom when Christ will rule over all nations [which was the core teaching of Jesus in His earthly ministry].

Most churches today refuse to proclaim the prophetic Jesus because He doesn’t fit their mold of expectation. They view this Jesus as offensive, and to them, He does not appeal to the godless, rebellious, self-centered, materialistic, and morally bankrupt society that they want to lure into their assemblies. Our world today doesn’t want to hear about judgment. Instead, they want to hear about how they can feel good about themselves, and how they can appeal to God and have Him bless them where they are in their sinful pride.

The confusion of the Jewish identity of the true church has existed almost since the very beginning of the church. The Spirit of God caused the Apostle Paul to clearly teach about this in Romans 9-11.

Those in the true church must accept the divine role of Jesus’ Jewish brethren. Our efforts of evangelism should be “to the Jew first” (Romans 1:16). We should also “pray for the peace of Jerusalem” (Psalm 122:6). The Lord expects us to assist, protect, and support “His brethren” (Matthew 25:31-46).

As we celebrate Christmas this year, let our minds go back to Bethlehem, where Christ was born. Let us also remember that it was outside the walls of Jerusalem where the Messiah was crucified for our salvation according to the Scriptures (Isaiah 52:13-53:12).

The Changing Face of Bethlehem

Almost all Christians know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem (Luke 2:4). What they do not know is that the city of Bethlehem is now under the authority of the Palestinian government, which is totally controlled by the tenants and traditions of Islam.

Many decades ago, when I took tours into Bethlehem, the city had a very strong Christian community. However, when the Israeli government was forced by the international community in 1993 to surrender the “West Bank” to the Palestinians, this included the city of Bethlehem. Consequently, the Arab Christians in Bethlehem were persecuted and murdered by Islamic terrorists. For the last 30 years, the Palestinian government has done nothing to stop or curb the attacks upon the Christians in the West Bank, including the city of Bethlehem. Because of this, most of the Arab Christian community has left the West Bank and moved into areas controlled by Israel. They know that the Israeli government provides equal protection for Christians and Muslims in the territories under their control. Only a small remnant of the Arab Christians has chosen to remain in Bethlehem and suffer the threats of persecution or death.

But amazingly, many American Christians have been deceived into making Israel the aggressor in the conflict in the Holy Land. This is simply not the truth. I know! I have personally interviewed Arabs and Jews living in Israel and I know the real facts! Our media and the liberal church leaders in America are anti-Semitic. They are ignorantly supporting the side of the conflict that is openly killing Jews and Christians. They also ignore that the “West Bank” is the same territory known in the Bible as ancient Judea and Samaria. Most of the events mentioned in the Bible took place in what is now called “the West Bank.”

Bethlehem is a Jewish Biblical city. Rachel, the wife of Jacob died near Bethlehem and is buried there (Genesis 35:19). King David was born in Bethlehem and was anointed there by Samuel (1 Samuel 16-17). Hence, Bethlehem became known as “the city of David” (Luke 2:4). The story of Ruth took place in the fields of Bethlehem (Ruth 1-4).

Seven hundred years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Micah declared that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2). When Herod was inquired of the Magi where the Messiah would be born, the chief priests and scribes pointed to Micah’s prophecy as the place of the birth of Messiah (Matthew 2:1-6).

Many people in the world listen to the Palestinians’ propaganda about their historical ownership of the land. The Palestinians say the Jews never lived in the land. Their lies totally ignore the Biblical history of this significant Biblical city. They even claim that Jesus was a Palestinian martyr. It is amazing to me how many liberal and Biblically illiterate so-called professing Christians agree with the enemies of Jesus and hate His people, Israel.

The hatred of the Jewish people has permeated the nations, and even the liberal churches of the world. These same people have created another religion that is totally foreign to the true Biblical church that was founded and established by Jesus and His Jewish apostles (Ephesians 2:19-22).

What to do When Surrounded by Evil (Part 3)

For the righteous child of God, this is a very difficult time to maintain our joy if we allow the sin around us to smother our strength in the Lord. If we, like the world, think only in terms of the physical world around us, then it can be very depressing. America is collapsing before our eyes and is facing the wrathful judgment of God. The hope of what has been called “the American Dream” is rapidly vanishing by the day. The church is in a state of decline. There seem to be so few professing Christians who are genuinely interested in spiritual things. The Psalmist said it so well, “The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted” (Psalm 12:8).

What should we do? How do we live in the face of evil? In the October and November 2022 newsletters, I wrote about five of eight spiritual realities to cling to when you feel overwhelmed by an avalanche of evil. Let us now turn our attention to the final three spiritual realities that will help us to rejoice during the onslaught of evil and its deadly effects.

Reality #6- Refrain from the Presence of Evil and those who Practice Evil

The Bible teaches that victory over evil always accompanies those who desire to be holy. God has called us to live in a world of great spiritual darkness. He has demanded, “Be ye holy; for I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16). The only way this can be accomplished is for the child of God to continually set himself apart from the spiritual filth around him. We have been called into a relationship with a holy God. In order to maintain fellowship with God we must strive for holiness and continually confess our sins. This will always be accompanied by a hunger for the Word of God (Psalm 1:2; 119:11; 1 John 1:8, 10).

Our lifestyle must be different. Our speech, our attitudes, our actions, and interests must not be like those who are in love with the world (1 John 2:15-16). Psalm 26:5 says, “I have hated the congregation of evil doers: and will not sit with the wicked.” Proverbs 4:14 warns us, “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.” A holy God will not bless those who want to mimic the lifestyles of sinners (Psalm 1:1).

This simply means that the child of God will not continually entertain himself with sin. He will guard his eyes, ears, and thoughts from wicked things (Proverbs 4:23-27)! He will not listen to ungodly music. He will not watch violent or lustful forms of entertainment on television or anywhere else. He will be careful about the friendships he develops. His heart belongs to a holy God. Therefore, he runs from everything that is offensive to God!

Reality #7- God’s Promises of Salvation are more Important

in the Day of Evil, Rather than my Riches!

If we are honest with ourselves, we tend to be too concerned about the loss of our comfortable way of life. The child of God must not fall into the trap of loving material prosperity more than spiritual prosperity. His focus must be upon eternal things (Colossians 3:1-4). The true child of God may be living in this temporal world, but his heart and soul will be longing for his spiritual and eternal home in heaven. He understands that “weeping may endure for a night, but joy [comes] in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).

Abraham was said to have a great faith because he was looking “for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10). While these eternal promises were in the distant future, these great men of faith “embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13).

When difficult times come, physical riches cannot calm the soul or bring contentment and joy. The godly man in Psalm 49 said, “Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, … They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: for the redemption of their soul is precious…” (Psalm 49:5-8). A relationship with God in a time of evil is far more important than the false security provided by physical possessions. The evil culture in which we live may rob us of our wealth, but it cannot take away our faith and hope in the Lord! Nothing can separate us from the love of our Savior (Romans 8:35-39).

Reality #8- Remember the End of the Wicked!

According to the testimony of the godly in the Bible, the child of God seems tempted to wonder why the ungodly seem to flourish in the hour of evil, while the righteous suffer. (See Psalm 37; 52; 73.) The psalmist said that the prosperity of the wicked at times is very difficult to understand (Psalm 73:12-16). However, we can see the goodness of God when we consider the eternal destiny of the wicked (Psalm 73:17-19). God allows the wicked to prosper in this life because this is their heaven. For the righteous, this is hell. For the sinner, it will never get any better. For the child of God, there is a better day coming.

Sinful men live as if there is no God. God in His patience does not immediately judge them for their sin. However, there is a day for them in the righteous courts of God!

When the child of God keeps these eight spiritual realities in focus, he can have joy in the midst of the storms of evil around him. As our world approaches the Tribulation Period, we must remember that at any moment, we will be rescued by the Lord and taken into His arms where we will never suffer the rejection, torments, or hatred of the wicked anymore.

I love the testimony of Revelation 7:14-17 which tells us of the love of our Savior that will be poured out upon the martyrs of the tribulation saints when they enter His presence.

Real joy in this life comes from serving the Lord who purchased our salvation. The world cannot begin to touch the rewards that come from being in His presence and the center of His will. “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness” (Psalm 84:10).

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November 2022 – God has Spoken, Is America listening?

       Proclaiming the Prophetic Word for 31 years!

PTNews

P r o p h e c y T o d a y N e w s

November 2022

Published monthly

All Bible references are from the KJV

(Examining Current Events in the Light of Bible Prophecy)

P.O. Box 13006, Roanoke, VA 24030-3006

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God has Spoken, Is America listening?

“For the nation and kingdom that will not serve [the Holy One of Israel]

shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.” Isaiah 60:12

By Mike Wingfield

We live at a time when the nations are stumbling around in spiritual darkness. They are spiritually dead toward the power and purposes of the God of heaven. Collectively, they curse Him and ignore Him, while refusing to give Him the honor, praise, and service that He deserves. Even the professing Christians who attend church services each week around the world are ignorant of the Word of God. They too, like the world, do not see the hand of God or hear His voice as He speaks.

America has once again suffered a major hurricane, Ian. This great storm was sent from God upon the shores of this proud nation, whose people are far away from God. Hurricane Ian formed as a tropical depression off the coast of West Africa on September 19, 2022, and slammed into the coast of Florida on September 28, 2022, only hours after Israelis finished celebrating the Jewish New Year. Thus, God began His new year with His people by bringing a massive calamity upon the eastern shores of America.

In his meticulous well-documented book, As America Has Done to Israel, author John McTernan, illustrates the connection between U.S. natural disasters and the actions of U.S. Administrations forcing Israel to surrender the land given to them by God. Hurricane Ian perfectly fits this historical pattern.

The Bible makes it abundantly clear that God is totally sovereign over His creation and uses natural disasters as a form of His divine judgment against the enemies of His people, Israel. Psalm 148:8 declares that “stormy wind” fulfills God’s Word.

All of this is historically illustrated in the Biblical prophetic book of Nahum. The prophet’s name means “comforter” or “consolation.” God’s message to His people through this prophet is that He comforts His people by defending them and their land by destroying their enemies.

The theme of the book of Nahum is the divine historical destruction upon the city of Nineveh, the capital of ancient Assyria. Assyria was the evil superpower of Nahum’s time. Its armies were known for the cruel and inhumane forms of execution and torture of its victims of war. Assyria was the chief enemy of Israel during Nahum’s life. In 722 BC, Assyria successfully defeated the northern kingdom of Israel and carried most of the 10 Jewish tribes into exile. This little book illustrates God’s vindication upon the enemies of Israel.

God has a unique love for His people, Israel. The Bible is filled with reminders that God will defend and protect His people and destroy all those who come against them and the land He gave to them. Nahum begins his inspired message to his people by causing them to remember the very heart of their God. He wrote, “God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet” (Nahum 1:2-3).

The records of history demonstrate that God aided the Medes as they were attacking the massive and seemingly impregnable city of Nineveh. God sent a massive storm to flood the city, located on the Tigris River. After a long siege, Nineveh fell in September of 602 BC. Thus, Nahum’s prophecy was fulfilled.

While America is not militarily attacking Israel, some of the past administrations have attempted to weaken Israel by taking up the cause of the Palestinians. The Palestinians have a seething hatred of Israel and they have continually plotted the destruction of the Jewish state.

The Biden Administration is currently siding with the Palestinian cause. U.S. ambassador to Israel, Thomas Nides, has repeatedly stated that he is opposed to any Jewish settlements on the West Bank [Biblical Judea and Samaria]. In March 2022 he publicly stated, “Israeli settlement growth infuriates me … We can’t do stupid things that impede us from a two-state solution” (The Jerusalem Post, March 16, 2022).

After President Joe Biden’s visit to Israel and the Palestinian areas in July 2022, the president of the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA), Morton A. Klein, released the following statement: “The policies and statements made by President Joe Biden last week during meetings with Israeli and Palestinian Arab leaders, including terrorist dictator Mahmoud Abbas, make it clear that Biden is becoming one of the most hostile presidents to Israel ever. Moreover, it’s becoming clearer that Biden is being greatly influenced by former President Barack Obama, as these policies are similar to Obama’s anti-Israel policies and virtually all of Biden’s hostile-to-Israel appointments were closely associated with Obama. One might argue that this is really Obama’s third term” (ZOA.org, July 18, 2022).

At these meetings, President Biden demanded that Israel retreat to its pre-1967 indefensible borders. This would make one area of the nation’s borders only nine miles wide (see map). This area would be dangerously close to Tel Aviv, one of Israel’s most populated cities. He also demanded that Israel move toward the creation of a Palestinian State on the land promised to Israel by God more than 4,000 years ago (Genesis 13:14-15). Notice that God’s land covenant with the Jewish people was given to the seed of Israel “forever” (Genesis 13:15).

Biden also demanded that Israel cease to have security checkpoints that restrict the flow of Palestinians with terrorist records into Israeli territory. Obviously, this would make Israel extremely vulnerable to radical Palestinian terrorists who are attempting to murder innocent Israelis. Furthermore, he increased U.S. financial support to the Palestinian government by $316 million, bringing the annual U.S. contributions to $816 million. These funds enable the terrorist-supported Palestinian government to finance their murderous schemes against innocent Israeli citizens. In essence, America’s policies and financial support of the Palestinian leadership are funding the ongoing war aimed at the annihilation of the Jewish nation in its national homeland. U.S. President Donald Trump understood this and that is why he cut off all U.S. funding sent to the Palestinian government.

Since these meetings in July, the Biden administration has ramped up its meddling into Israeli affairs. Biden and his cohorts are making ridiculous demands that would threaten the security and existence of Israel in a volatile Middle East.

Furthermore, Biden has chosen to pursue a nuclear treaty with Iran that is an existential threat to Israel and many of the Arab nations in the Middle East. Once again, Biden is mimicking the evil, anti-Semitic policies of Barak Obama. During his eight years as president, Obama did everything in his power to make Israel vulnerable to the radical Islamic goal of destroying the Jewish nation as a major step toward the creation of a global Islamic empire, known as a califate.

While Biden pays lip service to befriending Israel, his actions indicate otherwise. It appears that the Lord used Hurricane Ian to display his wrath against the U.S. administration and their attempts to make Israel vulnerable to her enemies.

Hurricane Ian was a large and destructive Category 4 Atlantic hurricane. It was one of the most deadly and destructive hurricanes to strike Florida in nine decades. The most devastating aspect of the storm was the massive surge of water that flooded the southern Atlantic coastal areas. Currently, the estimated damage is $75 billion. It took man decades of building and billions of dollars to construct the buildings that God destroyed in a matter of a few hours!

Friends, this is the heavy hand of God. He has spoken. But is America listening? Unless we have a change in the U.S. administration, or the current administration changes its course in the Middle East, America is heading toward massive divine judgment from the hand of God.

Unless we have a change in the U.S. administration, or the current administration changes its course in the Middle East, America is heading toward a massive divine judgment from the hand of God.

Notice that Nahum said God is “jealous” for His people and His land (Nahum 1:2). The Hebrew word for jealous communicates a burning zeal. It points to a feeling of injured justice – to vindicate wrongs done. The righteous God of Israel is seeking to bring His holy and just vindication against the enemies of His people. The prophet Zechariah delivered the same message to Israel. In Zechariah 1:14, God said, “I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealously.” Later Zechariah spoke about Jerusalem and said, “For he that [touches] you [touches] the apple of [God’s] eye” (Zechariah 2:8).

Friends, it pains me to see that America is beginning to turn away from its support for Israel. A seething hatred for Jews and Israel is moving like a plague across this land. America is rapidly becoming an enemy of Israel. Please understand, the Bible says those who hate Israel also hate God (Psalm 83:2-3). A divine sentence of destruction and death is upon America. Unless we repent, we will continue to witness the demise of America.

When we examine the early days of America, it is clear that God raised up America to serve Him and His purposes. As long as America has honored the God of the Bible and has given Him His rightful place in the nation, the nation has been blessed by God. Psalm 33:12 says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD.” However, Isaiah 60:12 gives this warning, “For the nation and kingdom that will not serve [God] shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted.”

“He [rules] by his power forever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves.”

Psalm 66:7

Hurricane Ian was not just a random disaster. Its timing and path were guided by the sovereign hand of the King on His throne in heaven. God rules over all the nations. Psalm 22:28 declares, “The kingdom is the LORD’S: and he is the governor among all the nations.” The Bible proclaims, “He [rules] by his power forever; his eyes behold the nations: let not the rebellious exalt themselves” (Psalm 66:7).

America and the nations need to humble themselves before the God of heaven. In our sinful human pride, we think we are so powerful. However, before the God of heaven, the nations with all their armies, weapons, wealth, and technology are nothing compared to the Almighty! Isaiah 40:15, 17, 22 declares, “Behold, the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance: behold, he taketh up the isles as a very little thing. … All nations before him are as nothing; and they are counted to him less than nothing, and vanity. … It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers.”

There is coming a time when all the redeemed nations during the Millennial Kingdom will go up to Jerusalem to worship the King on His throne (Isaiah 2:2-3) The nations will also give honor to His people and His land (Isaiah 60). Speaking of that time, Isaiah wrote, “For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish; yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted” (Isaiah 60:12).

Before the kingdom of God comes upon this earth, the Lord will arise “to shake terribly the earth” (Isaiah 2:19). The strong shaking of global earthquakes during the Tribulation will humble a remnant of those living in the nations. The Lord will use these earthquakes to produce the “fear of the LORD, and for the glory of his majesty” (Isaiah 2:10). The pride of man will be destroyed during the Tribulation Period. The devastating shaking of the earth will destroy all of man’s ability to be independent of God. The modern lifestyles of living in this technological age will come to a grinding halt. Isaiah declares, “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day” (Isaiah 2:11).

Our world is ripe for the judgment of God. The nations are in revolt against Him. They are turning to the spirits of hell to satisfy their sinful longings. Satan’s demons are no longer masking their presence. The manifestation of their wicked, rebellious, violent, and immoral presence is all around us! Our world is prepared for the one-world government of the Antichrist. Soon, and very soon, the Rapture of the church will take place.

Friends, be ready for the shout that will take us out!

What to do When Surrounded

by Evil (part 2)

In the October 2022 newsletter, I began to sharing eight spiritual realities to cling to when you feel overwhelmed by an avalanche of evil. As we continue to live in a world that is filled with violence, wickedness, and immorality, we are tempted to be overwhelmed with fear. This is not pleasing to God. Fear and faith are not compatible in the heart and life of the child of God. What can we do?

We have examined the first two of the spiritual realities. Let us now continue to examine additional truths that we must focus upon to overcome evil for the glory of God.

Reality #3- Continually Recognize the Presence of God

From the moment we are saved, God is living in us. The same Holy Spirit Who raised Jesus from dead has taken up residence in our bodies (Romans 1:4). Meditate on that and let it sink in! Why should we be afraid of anything or anyone? His powerful presence is in us and with us. Jesus has promised, “I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20).

No matter how threatened we may feel, He is with us! We are never alone to face an enemy. The Lord reminded Joshua, “Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with [you wherever you go]” (Joshua 1:9). King David of Israel faced many life-threatening situations. He said to the LORD, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou are with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).

Far too often, we do not see the hand or presence of God. We move through our daily routine without ever recognizing that He is dwelling inside of us and surrounding us with His protective care. That is why we are commanded, “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:6).

The core problem today is that believers do not know God. Our faith is no greater than our knowledge of God. Read Psalm 46. During the storms of life, God says, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Getting to know God happens when we stop long enough to examine and meditate upon the very nature of God revealed in the Word of God. This should be the greatest passion of our life! The Bible speaks of the “fear of God.” That simply means we are in awe of Him. Are you amazed at the greatness of our God? The Bible says, “In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death” (Proverbs 14:26-27).

The avalanche of evil will overwhelm you if you do not remain focused upon the presence of our awesome God!

Reality #4- Examine His Testimonies of Deliverance

The Lord has recorded for us in His Word many testimonies of how He delivered His people from danger and death. This is one of the great values of studying the Old Testament. Speaking of this, the Apostle Paul wrote, “Now all these things happened unto them for [examples]: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come” (1 Corinthians 10:11). Many children of God have been encouraged by the testimonies of God’s deliverance of His people. The Psalmist said, “The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I will consider thy testimonies” (Psalm 119:95).

Consider the following promises given to us. Psalm 97:10– “… he [preserves] the souls of his saints, he [delivers] them out of the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 121:7– “The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.” Proverbs 3:25-26– “Be not afraid of sudden fear, neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it [comes]. For the LORD shall be thy confidence and shall keep thy foot from being taken.”

Some of my favorite testimonies of His deliverance are:

I take great joy in reading these accounts about the hand of God in the lives of those who completely trusted in Him. We serve the same God who is able to deliver us. We do not need to be afraid!

Reality #5- We must learn to think like God!

We have inherited from our forefathers a mindset that is fixed upon the finite limitations of man. When we come to Christ for salvation, we must know that He wants us to reprogram our minds so that we begin to think in terms of His holiness, grace, mercy, and power. Our finite thoughts always fall woefully short of His thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9).

The only way we can reprogram our minds to be more like His mind is to immerse ourselves in the Word of God. Our minds need to be saturated with His Word. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2).

When our minds are flooded with the Word of God, we will stop looking at threatening situations with fear. Instead, we will know that our God is always able to overcome whatever obstacle lies before us. In His infinite power and wisdom, He will also “make a way to escape” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

This article will be concluded in the December newsletter.

God’s Boomerang

When explorers went to Australia, they found that the wild aboriginals had a curious weapon. It was a stick, with an angle over 90-degrees, curved, and weighing about 8 ounces. They used it for war and hunting. The skilled hunter could throw it about 100 yards. If it missed its target, it would come back to him.

When the wicked throw their wicked schemes against the Lord and his people, their sinful deeds will come back upon them. This is the testimony of many Scriptures.

Psalm 7:15-16– “He hath made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. His mischief shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own [head].”

Psalm 10:2– “The wicked in his pride doth persecute the poor: let them be taken in the devices that they have imagined.”

Matthew 7:2– “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure you [measure out], it shall be measured to you again.”

In God’s righteous vengeance, He has ordained that the very devices of evil that have been designed against Him, and His people will backfire upon the wicked. It will be like a boomerang and come back upon the wicked to their own demise. Pharaoh tried to destroy the Jewish nation, and he drowned in the Red Sea. Haman prepared gallows to hang Mordecai the Jew. Instead, he was hung on the same gallows. Daniel’s opponents [the presidents of Persia] plotted to have him thrown in the lions’ den. Later, they were cast into the same lions’ den.

This will happen again in the future. The wicked leaders of the world are plotting how they might remove 80 percent of the global population. During the Tribulation, God’s judgments will remove far more than 80 percent of the wicked population of earth. These same evil leaders are twisting scientific information to promote their Green New Deal. In the Tribulation, God will send real burning climate change. The same nations that are plotting the demise of the nation of Israel will be destroyed by God in the final battle of this age at Armageddon.

God’s boomerang is called divine justice. He has declared, “Vengeance is mine: I will repay” (Romans 12:19).