HEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH - PROPHECY UPDATE



Date 12/30/15? PROPHECY UPDATE NEWS HEADLINESYesterday's Prophecies - Today's HeadlinesHEADLINES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH?TRACKING BIBLE PROPHECY rules raising hands permitted on Temple MountPMO officials rebuff report that Israel is planning to build on E1 Aliyah to Israel increased in 2015Why aliyah remains a critical global Jewish need Israel's Olmert to become first leader to go to prisonReport: US was spying on Netanyahu during Iran deal negotiations U.S. Spy Net on Israel Snares CongressThe real threat to Palestinian Christians is radical Islam Hillary Clinton Says Christians Facing 'Genocide' in Middle East at the Hands of ISISISIS fatwa aims to settle who can have sex with female slaves Probe into Brussels lockdown orgy - Police and soldiers said to have engaged in group sex while Belgian capital was in lockdownCoalition forces kill ISIS leader connected to Paris attackAs U.S. Focuses on ISIS and the Taliban, Al Qaeda Re-emergesIslamic State suffers double blow as Ramadi falls, leaders killedUS criticizes Russia over civilian deaths in SyriaReport: Islamist terrorism responsible for 40% of journalists' deaths in 2015 Suicide Attack Kills 26 in Mardan, Pakistan Intelligence report warns of Russian naval buildupIranian rocket passes within 1,500 yards of US aircraft carrierUS Senate seeks to extend Iran sanctionsCrusading former Pentagon chief says nuke danger is growing China Blasts 'Hypocritical' U.S. Over Anti-Terror Surveillance LawHeavily Armed Anti-Terror Police to Guard Times Square on New Year'sUnprecedented security set for California's Rose Parade, Rose BowlThousands of spy cameras watch drivers' every moveTerminal Confusion? DHS push could make some IDs invalid for flyingThe guy made famous by 'The Big Short' for predicting the housing crash has a dark warningSun Blasts Flare at Earth: New Year's Eve Storm?5.0 magnitude earthquake hits near La Gomera, Guatemala5.0 magnitude earthquake hits the Southern East Pacific RiseMagnitude-4.4 Earthquake Shakes Southern California SuburbsFour earthquakes, including 4.3 magnitude, rock Edmond, OK area TuesdayColima volcano in Mexico erupt to 20,000ftSanta Maria volcano in Guatemala erupts to 17,000ftCopahue volcano in Argentina erupts to 14,000ftTengger Caldera volcano in Indonesia erupts to 12,000ftFreak storm in North Atlantic to lash UK, may push temperatures over 50 degrees above normal at North PoleFlooding intensifies as massive storm rolls across U.S.Rare winter flood causes partial prison evacuation, threatens 19 levees in Missouri, IllinoisNorthern part of Great Salt Lake hits historic low level Vilsack says bird flu scare may not be overContagious Strains of Cancer May Be More Common Than We ThoughtAshley Madison Adds 4 Million Users Since HackU.S. gay sex slave trial exposes dilemmas faced by male trafficking victimsExorcisms as Popular as Ever2 Israelis arrested for flying drones over VaticanPope Says Cross is a Failure... AgainPROPHECY UPDATE NEWSLETTERSTAY 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:?? TODAY'S NEWSLETTER...?Featured Article: Love for the World??Concentrated Russian air strikes may open Syrian-Hezbollah door to Israeli border??U.S. Fears Grow of a "Newly Awakened" Russian Navy??Nearing Midnight: The Year That was 2015?Wildfires and Tornadoes in December? Two More Major Disasters Hit America??Prophecy in The Headlines??Daily Jot: How Daily Jot predictions 10 years ago stack up today??Daily Devotion: Why a Jealous God???Love for the World - By Scott Huckaby - continues to amaze me that not all who profess to follow Jesus Christ are excited about His soon return. The top reasons I have found for my fellow Christians being cold toward Bible prophecy can be summarized as love for the world.?This attitude appears to especially be a problem for the church in America because of our prosperity. But this problem is not just limited to the United States; it is also an issue in Europe and generally worldwide wherever Western civilization is embraced.?America's prosperity has lured us into idolatry. Collectively, we no longer believe we have been blessed by God to serve His purpose; instead, the conventional wisdom is that we have reached our comfortable position in life through strictly human achievement.?There is a general attitude today that we have gotten this far without God, so then there is no problem we can't fix given enough time, funding, and focused human will. This attitude is much the same as it was at the tower of Babel.??"Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves" (Genesis 11:4).? ?Babylon is famous for collective human achievement attempting to usurp the role of God.??Now you'd think we wouldn't have an idolatry problem in the Body of Christ, but the Idol of human prosperity has a big foothold in the American church. Jesus rebuked the Church of Laodicea for their being lukewarm toward Him and thinking their worldly wealth equated to spiritual wealth (Revelation 3:14-22).? ?Our prosperity has led American Christians to no longer be on fire for Jesus because we don't depend on Him for our daily needs. We may live in the final Laodicean phase of the Church Age but this doesn't mean we have to succumb to being Laodicean believers ourselves. ?Loving the world is a characteristic of not being a child of God.? ??"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15).?In context, the world, here refers to the system created by society to manage the world. The world system people have collectively created is one that appeals to our natural selfish human nature. If we allow our selfish human nature to be the guide for our lives, we will find ourselves on a path away from God.?Our selfish human nature seeks the pleasures of this world, that which is attractive, and that which makes us feel good about ourselves.??"For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of the world" (1 John 2:16).?The three basic sins mentioned in 1 John 2:16 represent all the things that lead us from God. These appeals of the world were the very ones Satan leveraged to tempt Eve in the Garden of Eden and Jesus during His 40-day fast (Genesis 3:6 and Matthew 4:1-11). Society's godless world system is driven by seeking the pleasurable, the attractive, and whatever makes us feel good.? ?God is the Creator of pleasure, attractiveness and all things good. But it is sin to seek these blessings through strictly human efforts while not regarding them as gifts from God to be enjoyed within His constraints and in His timing.??Society's humanist world loving mindset has crept into the Church today causing many to be lukewarm toward Christ. Many in the Church now take a liberal view of Scripture, no longer seeing the Bible as the inerrant, inspired Word of God but just the story of mankind's search for God. Thus there is less desire to spend time personally studying God's Word.? ?Why waste time reading the Bible if it is just words of men that are subject to interpretation? Why bother to personally study the Bible if it has to be interpreted for you by scholarly theologians to tell us what God really meant by what He said? And why take any of this too seriously since we can't really know if Bible interpreters are just making things up??If the Bible is? not the inspired Word of God then people are free to pick and choose whatever doctrines of men they like. And these dogmas change with the mores of society, causing people to be? carried about with every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14).? ?The only way to avoid being blown about by society's changing winds of doctrine is to be well-grounded in God's Word. And it is not possible to be well-grounded in God's Word unless you have a correct view of the Bible as being inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16).?Another way followers of Christ have allowed love for the world to creep into the Church is to embrace the world's concept of evolution which attempts to explain how the creation could come to be without a Creator. Darwinian evolution is only a theory with no proof but the world has elevated it to the level of scientific truth.? ?If you don't embrace Darwinian evolution as absolute "settled" truth you are considered by society to be an unscientific hayseed. Nobody wants to be rejected by their peers so this has given rise to followers of Christ figuring out how to fit evolution into Christian theology. ?The idea that God used an evolutionary process to bring about the creation is called Theistic Evolution and to believe it requires you to take a pretty liberal view of Scripture. And it joins with the world in rejecting all the scientific evidence that supports the literal Genesis account of creation.? ?Theistic Evolution can be considered to be within the pale of orthodoxy because it technically has nothing to do with a person's salvation. But theistic evolution does represent a gross compromise with the world that has contributed to the lukewarm attitude toward Christ that characterizes this Laodicean Age. ?The problem with being lukewarm toward Christ is that one has to wonder if such individuals are truly children of God or if they are just deceiving themselves. Cultural Christians can talk the talk and walk the walk but don't necessarily have a personal relationship with the Savior. Jesus said He would spew lukewarm Christians out of His mouth (Revelation 3:16).? ?He also said that many who did great things even in His name would find themselves banished from heaven because, I never knew you (Matthew 7:21-23). If you are truly seeking a personal relationship with the Savior, it is hard to be lukewarm toward Him.?A key indicator of Christians loving the world is Amillennialism. The idea that the kingdom of God will only be a spiritual kingdom until the eternal state is ushered in requires the same spiritualized, liberal view of Scripture that is necessary to embrace Theistic Evolution. The two false doctrines go hand-in-hand and are characteristic of the lukewarm church of this Laodicean Age.? ?It is hard for Christians who take a liberal view of Scripture to get excited about the return of Jesus. If it took millions of years for Jesus to come the first time, it will probably be millions of years before He returns.??Scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, 'Where is the promise of His coming?'" (2 Peter 3:3-4).?We are told in 1 John 2:17 why we shouldn't love the world system men are building; this world along with even the passion for it-is passing away. Despite the prevailing humanist optimism, people inherently know there is something very broken with this world. No matter what we do, we still have poverty, despair and war in this world.? ?While most still think we can fix these problems through even more collective effort, we have been trying this and things are getting worse rather than better. Those who put their hope in more and more powerful human governments will have their own crisis of faith because the Bible says these efforts will fail. ?We can already see the stage being set for a spectacular failure of the collective human effort. For example, we have been financing our prosperity by immorally building up debt. National and personal debt is a problem worldwide that has reached monumental proportions. Our collective conscience telling us that it is wrong to live beyond our means has been seared.?Debt always leads to bondage (Proverbs 22:7). And there will be consequences whether it is individual or national debt. It is increasingly obvious that there is an economic crash coming that will be so bad the world will demand a global government to fix it. ?The only fix true for what ails this world is Jesus Christ; He will make a difference collectively to the world when He returns to establish His millennial kingdom. But He makes a difference to individuals in the here and now when we allow Him to be in our life as Savior and Lord. ?Pursuing that relationship enables us to overcome the sin of this Laodicean Age to be resurrected as part of the Bride of Christ when He comes for us prior to the Tribulation that will prepare the world for the millennial kingdom. ?The good news is that,? he who does the will of God abides forever (1 John 2:17). The will of God is to trust in Jesus Christ for your salvation (John 6:40). Don't allow yourself to be distracted by allures of creation that would cause you to miss out on a personal relationship with the Creator.?? Concentrated Russian air strikes may open Syrian-Hezbollah door to Israeli border - 's military and political leaders became intensely anxious Tuesday, Dec. 29, when they saw how concentrated Russian air strikes were swiftly dislodging anti-Assad rebels from southern Syria and beginning to open the door for the Syrian and Hezbollah armies to come dangerously close to the Israeli border.?debkafile's military and intelligence sources report that Russian air strikes in other parts of the country have tapered off. Instead, heavy Russian bombardments are giving the combined Syrian-Hezbollah force its first chance to recover Sheikh Maskin, the southern town housing the Syrian Army's 82nd Brigade which has been passing from hand to hand for months. If the rebels lose that fierce battle, the way will be clear for the combined pro-Assad force to advance on the two key southern towns, Deraa and Quneitra on the Golan.?The rebel groups assaulted by the Russian air force Tuesday included moderate, pro-Western, pro-Israeli militias, such as the Southern Front and the First Column. Both suffered heavy casualties.??IDF unease as a result of Russia's aerial intervention in the fighting in southern Syria is rising in proportion to the current military tensions with Hezbollah. If the Lebanese Shiite terrorists manage to get the late Samir Quntar's anti-Israel terror Front for the Liberation of Golan up and running, the Israeli air force would be severely hampered in launching its own strikes against this enemy by the dozens of Russian bombers using the same patch of sky without pause.??On the face of it, Moscow and Jerusalem make a show of their smooth air force collaboration in Syrian air space. But this picture is wide of the situation: The Russian air force omitted to notify Israel ahead of its massive bombardment close to its border Tuesday.?Some Israeli official circles suspect that Moscow is deliberately bringing Israel under pressure to accept a deal for southern Syria. One of President Vladimir Putin's main objects from the outset of Russian's military buildup in Syria was to eradicate the rebels in the South and the threat they posed to the Assad regime in Damascus.?More than once, Putin suggested to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu that they work out a Russian-Israeli deal for that part of Syria. The Israeli leader was unresponsive, mainly because Israel is bound by prior understandings to coordination with the US, Jordan and moderate Syrian rebel groups. A deal with Moscow would counter those understandings.?However, The concentrated air strikes in the border region is intended by the Kremlin, according to some views, not just to push the rebels out, but to twist Israel's arm for settling the issue with Moscow.U.S. Fears Grow of a 'Newly Awakened' Russian Navy - David Axe - new report from the U.S. Navy's intelligence branch paints a sobering picture of Putin's increasingly aggressive fleet-and its deadly international shows of force.?For the first time in 24 years, the U.S. Navy's intelligence branch has published an unclassified report warning against a rapidly rearming and increasingly aggressive Russian fleet.?And while the report-which the Navy intends for public consumption-has been years in the making, recent events have underscored just how serious its findings are. It's becoming clearer by the day that, with the strong backing of President Vladimir Putin, the Russian navy is making a serious effort to challenge the world's preeminent maritime power-the United States.?"Russia has begun, and over the next decade will make large strides in fielding a 21st-century navy capable of a dependable national defense [and] an impressive but limited presence in more distant global areas of interest, manned by a new generation of post-Soviet officers and enlisted personnel," The Russian Navy: A Historic Transition concludes.?Sixty-eight pages long and lavishly illustrated, the Russian navy report, published online and in print in mid-December, is the uncredited work of one man-George Fedoroff, the top Russia expert at the Maryland-based Office of Naval Intelligence.?Fedoroff started out as a Navy linguist, reportedly rising to become the sailing branch's best Russian speaker in the 1990s before moving into intel work. While other military analysts-and American politicians and the general public, too-focused their attention on terrorists, Iran, North Korea, China, and other military threats, Fedoroff apparently never wavered from Russia.?The Office of Naval Intelligence had ceased publishing its previous annual report on the Russian fleet, Understanding Soviet Naval Developments, in 1991, the year the Soviet Union collapsed and took the country's navy with it. Hundreds of ships, submarines, and warplanes rusted away at dilapidated bases, idled by a lack of funding.?But Russia inherited the remnants of the fleet and, under Putin, began rebuilding. In early 2014 the resurgent Russian navy supported the Kremlin's lightning invasion of Ukraine's strategic Crimean Peninsula, arguably heralding Russia's return as a major military power. It was around that time the Pentagon decided the Russian fleet warranted a new public report.?The Office of Naval Intelligence knew just the person for the task, according to Norman Polmar, an author and longtime analyst who wrote the first edition of Understanding Soviet Naval Developments, way back in 1974. "Let's get George Federoff to do it" is how Polmar characterized ONI's thinking.?"He did a great job," Polmar added.?Poring over the raw data, Federoff got busy counting the Russian fleet's new ships, subs, and planes, assessing its new weaponry and gauging the quality of its sailors and officers, and its standing within the wider Russian military and political systems. He confirmed a naval force on the rebound.?"Since 2000, as Russia's governmental order and economy have stabilized, there has been a focused and funded effort to revitalize the Russian military-including the navy," Fedoroff wrote. "Suspended construction programs are now moving toward completion and new construction programs are beginning to provide the navy with 21st-century submarine and surface platforms."?From an early 2000s nadir when just a handful of vessels were seaworthy and capable of combat, today the Russian fleet boasts 186 war-ready subs and surface ships operating in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans plus the Black Sea, the Baltic, the Caspian, the Mediterranean, and even the Arctic, according to Fedoroff's report.?This makes the Russian navy the world's third-biggest maritime force after No. 1 America-with more than 280 modern warships plus more than 100 support vessels-and second-place China.?And in certain key aspects the Russia fleet has recently, and to the rest of the world's great surprise, caught up to the Americans. In October, Russian warships in the Caspian Sea fired new Kalibr cruise missiles thousands of miles to hit rebel targets in Syria. And in December a Russian submarine repeated the feat, firing Kalibrs into Syria from the Mediterranean.?Before the twin missile launches, only the United States had demonstrated the modern ability to launch long-distance cruise-missile strikes from ships and subs, against ground targets. Sea-launched cruise missiles are a key weapon system for any country hoping to stage precise military interventions while also avoiding serious risk to its own forces.?Fedoroff anticipated these impressive missile strikes by repeatedly highlighting Kalibr in his report. "Kalibr provides even modest platforms, such as corvettes, with significant offensive capability and, with the use of the land attack missile, all platforms have a significant ability to hold distant fixed ground targets at risk using conventional warheads," he wrote. "The proliferation of this capability within the new Russian navy is profoundly changing its ability to deter, threaten or destroy adversary targets."?Ironically, the final edition of Understanding Soviet Naval Developments in 1991 had also anticipated the advent of powerful new "smart" munitions such as Kalibr, according to Eric Wertheim, an independent naval analyst and author of the definitive reference work Combat Fleets of the World.?"It is almost as if time was paused for 20-plus years between the two naval reports-and now the Russian navy and military is reawakening from its slumber," Wertheim told The Daily Beast. "This latest report from ONI allows us to take stock of this newly awakened and growing force."?"This is a highly significant publication," Polmar said of Fedoroff's report.?? Nearing Midnight: The Year That was 2015 - Todd Strandberg - the end of each year I like to review what has occurred over the last twelve months, and how these events have impacted Bible prophecy. I do this as a refresher so I can see how end-time events are progressing. ?In my first Nearing Midnight article of 2015, I warned about the rising tide of radical Islam in France and the anti-Semitism that has a direct connection to the growing population of Muslims in France. The 400,000 Jews in that nation are now outnumbered by Muslims by around 15 times. ?Two weeks after we published that article, the attack against the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo took place. European leaders expressed shock and outrage. There was a huge rally to honor the 17 victims of Islamic terror. "Today, Paris is the capital of the world," said French President Francois Hollande. "Our entire country will rise up toward something better." ?France did not become a better place. Months later came a much larger attack. Eight Islamic terrorists stormed into popular bars and restaurants in the French capital and murdered 130 people. I expect more attacks in the future because most people refuse to deal with the obvious fact that there is something deeply wrong with the Muslim faith. ?While Islam's image in 2015 has been that of Teflon, the general view toward Jews would have to be classified as Velcro; every new accusation made against them sticks. The current mounting hatred against Israel seems like a replay of the anti-Semitism of the 1930s. One of the most shocking trends is the growing number of people who claim the Holocaust was a lie, and Hitler wasn't such a bad guy after all. ?One event this last year which I find prophetically significant is the European Union's ability to hold together. The last days resurgence of the Roman Empire is often called the second most important end-time prophecy, which is just behind the rebirth of Israel. With Greece needing a third bailout in 2015, it is no wonder that some people had forecasted the EU's doom. ?Former U.S. Federal Reserve chairman, Alan Greenspan, had predicted that Greece will end up leaving the Eurozone and that the euro would not long survive its departure. Despite a host of other problems, the European Union has weathered every storm. ?Another key occurrence of this past year has been President Obama shifting to full throttle mode in his anti-Israel agenda. During his previous years as president, Obama has always maintained a pretense of friendship with Israel. In 2015, it became clear that this man has a deep-seated hatred for the Jewish state. ?Something else that became obvious this year is Obama's undying support for the Islamic faith. Every time there is a terrorist attack by Muslims, he would remain silent or lecture us about Islamophobia. Obama's fixation with allowing Muslims to flood into our nation is a most dangerous indication of his Islamic allegiance. ?The Supreme Court's ruling on Gay marriage is an another event that needs to be highlighted. It was shocking enough to see the nation's top justices shaking their fists at God. But what I find most disturbing about that fiasco is the total surrender by the Church on this issue. Instead of talking about of the impeachment process or legislative options, there was deafening silence. ?The most prophetic development of 2015 would have to be the massive deployment of Russian troops into Syria. Russia has had a military presence in Syria for several years, but they were just token forces. This move is the largest deployment of Russian forces into a region since the collapse of the USSR. I believe this a direct fulfillment of Bible prophecy because it would put Russian troops in the location they would need to be before the coming Gog-Magog invasion of Israel. ?I think the most important take away from 2015 is a realization that world events are following the birth-pang guidelines that Jesus gave us as a warning of His return. Because the past several months have shown a dramatic acceleration of the unfolding of Bible prophecy, I'm looking forward to seeing what 2016 has to offer. If we continue on this exponential curve, it would seem obvious to me that the Rapture is very near. ?"Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book" (Revelation 22:7).FROM THE HEARTPLEASE REMEMBER PROPHECY UPDATE?IN YOUR END OF THE YEAR GIVING - THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!??IF YOU HAVE BEEN BLESSED THROUGH THIS MINISTRY, THEN WE ASK THAT YOU WOULD PLEASE REMEMBER PROPHECY UPDATE IN YOUR GIVING - WE ARE TRULY,?TRULY,?THANKFUL FOR YOUR SUPPORT??Prophecy Update has no corporate sponsors. This ministry is paid for and prayed for by readers and supporters. Without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update, Please pray about becoming a monthly supporter - thanks!??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 Lindsey1) We need your prayers!- We proclaim the Truth of the Word of God and we are under constant spiritual and sometimes even physical attack.2) We need your encouragement!- We need to hear from you, let us know how the Lord is blessing you through this ministry so that we can share it with others.3) We need your input! - If you have a prophetic article or story or if there is a news related item we missed, let us know. 4) We need your financial support!- To put it quite simply, without your support, there would be no Prophecy Update.I ask that you would prayerfully consider partnering with us to get the Word out and keep the world informed. Remember, your gift, no matter how small, does make a difference! You will be helping to touch lives, around the world, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, thanks to the internet your generosity carries a global impact! - Thanks!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 9:10-13Prophecy Update is a 501 (c) (3) tax exempt -?non-profit?organization, and all your donations are tax deductible.??If you have been blessed by Prophecy Update and would like to help support this ministry financially. You can make a secure donation online by going to:DONATE NOW?Or Visit our website: write us at:?Prophecy Update P.O. Box 40516 Bakersfield, CA 93384-0516???Wildfires and Tornadoes in December? Two More Major Disasters Hit America - By Michael Snyder - is not normal for the United States to experience massive wildfires and giant tornadoes right around Christmas. The huge wildfire that erupted northwest of Los Angeles on Christmas Day and the devastating tornadoes that ripped through the Dallas area on Saturday can be added to a growing list of freakish disasters that have hit the United States since the month of September. So why in the world is this happening? Many are blaming the worst El Nino pattern that we have seen in at least 15 years. Right now we are witnessing very strange weather all over the world, including an unprecedented heat wave in Australia and the worst flooding in South America in 50 years. And it is true that El Ninos have significantly disrupted weather patterns in the past. But is the current El Nino really to blame for everything that we have been seeing? Because without a doubt, the last few months have been truly bizarre.?For example, who has ever heard of a giant wildfire erupting on Christmas Day??That is precisely what happened this year in southern California. A mammoth blaze that quickly engulfed more than 1,200 acres erupted near Ventura, California, and it shut down both the Pacific Coast Highway and U.S. 101 for an extended period of time.?This was truly a frightening fire. You can watch some amazing footage of a family actually driving through the wildfire right here. Fortunately, firefighters seem to be getting the blaze under control at this point.?I have written repeatedly about how this was shaping up to be the worst year for wildfires in U.S. history, but just like everyone else I had assumed that wildfire season was over by now. For a fire of this magnitude to erupt in southern California at this time of the year is definitely unusual.?The day after this fire erupted, at least 11 people died as 11 deadly tornadoes ripped through the Dallas, Texas area.?Isn't it funny how "11" just keeps popping up everywhere? I don't know what it means, but I just thought that I would mention it.?Authorities have estimated that as many as 1,000 homes and buildings were destroyed by these tornadoes. The tornado that shredded parts of Garland was categorized as an EF-4, and it had winds "of at least 166 mph"...?The tornado that roared through Garland was rated an EF-4, with winds of at least 166 mph, the National Weather Service said Sunday. This is the USA's first EF-4 tornado to strike in December in 15 years. It is also the farthest west a tornado of that strength has formed in December, according to the tornado research site U.S. Tornadoes.?For Dallas County, it's only the second EF-4 tornado ever recorded since accurate records began in 1950.?Some news outlets are reporting that the tornado actually had peak winds somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 mph. If it seems strange to you that something like this would happen during the month of December in the state of Texas, that is because it is very strange. As the article quoted above noted, we haven't seen any EF-4 tornadoes in the entire country in December in 15 years, and it was only the second EF-4 tornado to hit Dallas County since 1950.?Meanwhile, as I mentioned at the outset of this article, other areas of the planet are experiencing very bizarre weather right now as well. For instance, just check out what is going on in South America. According to the BBC, quite a few South American nations are currently being hit by the worst flooding that they have seen "in 50 years"...?Vast areas in Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil are being hit by the worst flooding in 50 years, forcing the evacuation of more than 150,000 people.?Days of heavy rains brought on by the El Nino weather phenomenon have caused three major rivers to swell, and officials report at least six deaths.?A state of emergency is in force in Paraguay, the worst hit nation, where 130,000 people have fled their homes.?In northern Argentina, some 20,000 people have left their homes.?If you just look at one of these disasters in isolation, it may not seem like that big of a deal.?After all, there are significant natural disasters every year.?But collectively, all of these strange disasters seem to indicate that something truly unique is happening. I cannot recall ever seeing the U.S. (and much of the rest of the world) being hit by so many wildfires, floods, historic droughts, earthquakes and major volcanic eruptions in such a short period of time.?Perhaps things will eventually settle down and this stretch will be considered a strange anomaly by this time next year.?Perhaps things will go back to "normal" very soon.?But what if they don't??What if they just keep getting worse??Personally, all of this strange weather is something that I am watching very, very closely. I am convinced that our planet is becoming increasingly unstable, and I expect weather patterns to become even more wild and even more unpredictable as we roll into 2016.?Prophecy in The Headlines - Belle Ringer - ????? As we approach the New Year, I can't help but feel that we are all going to witness a new reality in world history.? As you know, while I have to live "in this world", I try not to be "of this world".? That means that I always have one eye on what world events seem to be showing me in relation to Biblical prophecy.? Those who cannot understand this perspective, will simply blow me off as failing to see the rational and logical reality of their man-centered viewpoint.????? That is why so many people are caught up in politics and social movements as the answers to the world's problems.? They do not understand the spiritual connections to all the chaos and war in the Middle East, the increasing fanaticism and violence caused by terrorists, or the attempts to intensify racial and cultural division within our society.? Even if they were able to identify them as the strategy of our Enemy to extend his power and bondage over the human race, it is difficult for them to see specific illustrations in the Bible that correspond to current events.? That is part of the devil's attempts to cast doubt upon God's Truth.?????? But there were two specific headlines that jumped out at me over the last day or two.? Both articles appeared on Walid Shoebat's website.? He is a Palestinian American who converted to Christianity from Islam. Shoebat stated he used to be a Palestinian Liberation Organization terrorist in a CNN television interview.? While he is a controversial subject to those who want to discount his message, his Middle Eastern background provides a perspective that we in the West do not have.? So when he runs what are, essentially, two back-to-back articles this week with headlines that say, Erdogan Has Just Been Declared The Leader Of The Entire Muslim World, Muslims Are Already Calling Him God; and the equally interesting By Peace They Will Deceive Many: Agreement With Turkey 'Close', Says Israeli Foreign Ministry Head, then I sit up and pay attention. ?????? Are these forecasting the possible fulfillment of Biblical prophecy?? I am not qualified to make that declaration.? But as a Christian, I am aware of what my Bible tells me will occur as the world approaches the End of Days.? The Old Testament prophet Daniel tells us that there will be a king who rises out of a confederation to "depose kings and raise up others", and "The king will do as he pleases. He will exalt and magnify himself above every god and will say unheard-of things against the God of gods. He will be successful until the time of wrath is completed, for what has been determined must take place."? ?????? Then the New Testament apostle Paul tells us that there will be a Man of Lawlessness, "Who opposes and exalts himself so proudly and insolently against and over all that is called God or that is worshiped, [even to his actually] taking his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming that he himself is God."?? So, we have two divinely-inspired men, born over 600 years apart who verify each other's visions and prophecies.? Add to that the recent developments in Turkey and the growing power of President Erdogan, who is setting up his own system of government, and it should certainly give us pause.?????? Consider the recent statement by Erdogan's "fatwah-giver" Hayrettin Karaman (remember a fatwah is "a ruling on a point of Islamic law given by a recognized authority", which in this case is Erdogan, himself): ?"During the debate on the presidential system, here is what everyone must do so while taking into account the direction of the world's national interest and the future of the country and not focus on the party or a particular person. What this [presidential system] looks like is the Islamic caliphate system in terms of its mechanism. In this system the people choose the leader,? the Prince, and then all will pledge the Bay'ah [allegiance] and then the chosen? president appoints the high government bureaucracy...".????? We must take into account, President Erdogan's recent declaration, in which he proclaimed, "I am a leader of a political movement."? That may sound rather vague and benign to the Western ear, but it has profound implications in the Muslim world.? As the Turkish website Today's Zaman reports, "In calling himself "leader of a political movement," Erdo?an is reaching out to a wide spectrum of people, one that stretches from moderate conservatism to radical Islam. He is using rhetoric that taps into the rich history and political traditions linked to Islam. The controversial theories of political Islam show us what we need to grasp from the phrase "leader of a political movement... According to the general theory of political Islam, the relationship between those who lead and those who are led is based upon a "contract of allegiance." Those who are led declare, via their representatives, that they will obey their leader, thus surrendering all of their political rights -- unconditionally -- to said leader. And so the contract draws up the parameters for both sides: The leader will lead justly, while those who are led will be obedient. In the meantime, within the traditions of political Islam, those who use their power in this way are called "caliphs." And a caliphate is, for leaders who rely upon religious references in the Islamic world, the name of the system that they will inevitably turn towards."?????? Granted, there have been many leaders throughout history who have appeared to resemble this man of lawlessness.? But when Erdogan and his party suffered a major setback earlier this year when they lost their majority hold on the parliament, many predicted his disappearance from the pages of history.? But Daniel 11 prophecies that the Man of Lawlessness will "come up and become strong with a small number of people."? And Erdogan has done just that, managing to defeat three other major parties within his government to exert the power he now professes.?????? Furthermore, Erdogan matches the Biblical prophet Habakkuk's description of the Man of Lawlessness (or dare I say, Antichrist) as "the Proud Man" who "enlarged his desires as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all peoples" (2:5). Erdogan is definately a "proud man" who desires to "gather unto him all nations" in his neo-Ottoman Caliphate dream to unite the Muslim world. He denies Father and Son (1 John 2:22) and "does not honor the God of his fathers" as Turkey at one point in time was Christian.? The December 27th article on provides many more Biblical similarities that are due your examination and deliberation.? They are hard to dismiss.?????? Add to this Shoebat's report that Dore Gold, Director-General of Israel's Foreign Ministry, gave a rare interview to a Saudi website, in which he stated that an agreement with Turkey on normalization of ties was close.? "Some points have already been finalized and others are still being discussed, but things are on track."? Gold added that "the interests of Turkey and Israel at this time are finding a lot of common ground due to regional events. Things are headed in a positive direction towards a solution to satisfy the desires of both parties, but there is still no date for a final agreement to be reached."? Is this the seven-year "covenant", about which Daniel prophesied?? In full disclosure, the Erdogan government's official comment is, "while progress was made in talks, no agreement has been reached."?????? And to be completely honest, I want to be very careful about reading too much into these news stories.? I do not want to get caught up in "predicting" the future or claiming to know God's timeline.? But I also discern that I am to be "awake" and prepared to minister to both unbelievers and lukewarm Christians, should God determine that our generation will be blessed to see the appearance of the Antichrist and the return of our Savior.? I am to know the signs and the seasons and be prepared to preach the gospel message at all times. ????? ?So, whether 2016 will see these two stories accelerate these Last Days, or not, remains to be seen.? I have long felt a "tension" in my spirit regarding Turkey, and see clear reason to keep my spiritual antennae up when it comes to their activities.? They always seem to be in the background of front page headlines, and I believe there is more going on there than we are allowed to see. ?????? But, I want to encourage you not to become anxious or worried about potential prophetic fulfillments.? God will make it clear to our spirits when the Day of the Lord is at hand.? Let us remain steadfast in Him, declaring our allegiance to the One True God, and employing our full armor against the deception and strategies of the Enemy.? Then the headlines won't matter; we will be one step ahead of the dark forces, and one step closer to our reward.? And that's what truly counts.???? 2 Thessalonians 2:11???? "Therefore God sends upon them a misleading influence, a working of error and a strong delusion to make them believe what is false..."?Daily Jot: How Daily Jot predictions 10 years ago stack up today - Bill Wilson - ?At the end of 2005, I wrote a Daily Jot entitled "The Year Ahead" looking at what could happen in the year 2006, a decade ago. When I look at what was happening then and what we are seeing today, I am taken back by how rapidly events that were on our radar ten years ago have shaped our culture today. Here is what the Lord was impressing upon me at the beginning of 2006, take a moment to compare it to what we are facing as we enter 2016: "Pundits take this time to apply their experience and knowledge to look forward at what they believe will be major occurrences throughout the new year. Prophetically, there are some profound challenges that may confront God's children in 2006, testing our faith and action.?"Here in America, I think the new year will bring an intensification of the culture wars.? We will see in 2006 a major assault on marriage as pro-homosexual groups will continue to tear away at the fabric of traditional family institutions in hopes of redefining modern family and society.? America's children will continue under attack-both in terms of values, but also physically.? Our children are at the heart of the culture war.? Satan's strategy is to destroy this generation through murder, abortion, sexual promiscuity, moral relativism and by blurring the lines between Biblical truth and a one world religion.? Look too, for some major ministries to be tripped up because they are playing politics instead of following their first love.?"Internationally, we may well see a sharper division between the world and Israel.? China and Russia will continue to use military technology and weapons to peddle influence in the Middle East, destabilize the area and control its natural resources.? At the same time, these nations will attempt to expand their political power by using the Islamic nations as puppets in an onslaught against the only obstacle that stands as a roadblock to their goal of Middle East dominance-Israel as assisted by the United States.? Developments in Iran, Syria, and Iraq will come into clearer end time focus as the Northern half of Africa may begin to show how Libya and Ethiopia fit in the Ezekiel 38 prophecy.?"Most of these things in of themselves are major apocalyptic events that could be considered overwhelming. Our response as Christians, however, must not come from confusion or fear.? Ephesians 6:12-13 reminds us, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against power, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."? Our job is really as Christ commissioned us in Mark 16:15, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."? May 2006 find us so obedient." We have see the cause and effect of these events over the past decade. Let us not grow weary in our focus of what the Lord has commanded us to do.Daily Devotion: Why a Jealous God? - Greg Laurie - ?"For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me." -Exodus 20:5?We usually view jealousy as something negative, and certainly it can be. We might think of a jealous person as controlling, demanding, and even prone to fly into a rage without the slightest reason.?But in Exodus 20 God says, "You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image-any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God" (verses 4-5, emphasis added).?God is a loving Father. He loves us and wants an exclusive relationship with us. Is that unreasonable??If you have children, then I think you are probably a jealous parent. You want the best for your child. You probably think your child is the best at whatever it is that he or she does, whether it's athletics or music or something else. In the same way, God loves you, and He wants the best for you. So He is jealous in a sense.?I would also think that if you are married, you are probably a jealous husband or wife. How would you feel, wives, if your husband said, "My date is here. I'm going out with her now. Can she borrow that outfit that looks really good on you?" No self-respecting wife would put up with something like that. Nor should she.?God is a jealous God and wants an exclusive relationship with us. He is saying, "You belong to Me, and I have committed myself to you. So that is the way it needs to be." That is the concept being communicated when God described himself as a "jealous" God.Magog Rising - Preview Trailer?NOW SHIPPING!!!More than 2,500 years ago, God gave?the prophet Ezekiel an astonishing prophecy to give to the world, one that would be fulfilled in "the latter days." Many Bible scholars feel that the prophesied events, found in Ezekiel 38 and 39, could be fulfilled in the near future, and that we might already be witnessing the stage being set and the actors being moved into place, in light of current events happening in the Middle East, right now.?In Ezekiel 38, Russia, Iran, and an alliance of Muslim nations invade Israel due to a "hook placed in the mouth of Russia" to bring Russia down to invade Israel. That hook could very well be the natural-gas fields discovered off the coast of Israel or the more recent finding of massive oil deposits in the Golan Heights.?With Russian and Iranian military forces now cooperating? and engaging in combat in Syria, just miles north of the border of Israel, people are asking if these events are setting the stage for the fulfillment of what Bible scholars call the "War of Gog & Magog" that is supposed to take place in the End of Days??Join us in this exciting new DVD as we examine Ezekiel 38 & 39 and the infamous war of Gog & Magog, and compare it to today's headlines and current events in the Middle East.??TO ORDER THIS NEW DVD - CLICK HERE?The Burden of Damascus and The Psalm 83 War - PreviewNow Shipping!The Fate of Damascus and the Psalm 83 War?About the time of the end the biblical prophet Ezekiel tells of a future invasion of Israel by a vast coalition of nations, known as the battle of Gog and Magog, we find this in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39. As we read the headlines in the newspapers of today, and witness the conflicts in the Middle East, it's not hard to imagine that this invasion prophesied over 2600 years ago, could be fulfilled in the immediate future.? Ezekiel 36-37 predicts a gathering of the Jews to the nation of Israel, which will be followed by this massive invasion.? For 19 centuries, the Jewish people were scattered throughout the world, and until May 14, 1948, there was no nation of Israel to invade.? With the nation of Israel now a reality, the stage seems set for the war that will usher in the tribulation and the rise of the Antichrist; a war that will end with the destruction of Israel's enemies by God Himself, and lead to the signing of a peace treaty with the Antichrist.?As you read Ezekiel 38 and 39, it isn't just the creation of the nation of Israel that makes this prophecy seem likely to be fulfilled in the near future.? The nations that God tells us will form this coalition against Israel seem more likely now than perhaps ever before to form just such an alliance." The leaders of this coalition will be Russia and Iran, and currently both of these nations are right on Israel's doorstep, under the pretense of battling ISIS in Syria. I believe that there are a couple of unfulfilled prophecies that will lead-up to this massive invasion of Israel, and as we read today's headlines, we find that the fulfillment of these two prophesied events,?could happen very soon! ?The Fate of Damascus and the Psalm 83 WarTo Order this Video on DVD Click Here!We are very pleased to offer all our readers this FREE download on Bible Prophecy from the Evangelical Bible College of Western Australia - Just download and enjoy and be blessed! Feel free to share it with all your friends and family members.Click below to download!"AS YOU SEE THE DAY APPROACHING"?If You Died Today, Would You Go To Heaven?Find out, visit:Prophecy Update - GoodSearch Toolbar Prophecy Update Toolbar is free to download and allows you to raise money for our cause every time you search or shop onlineDID YOU KNOW?You can submit an article, leave a comment or praise report at email:prophecyupdate@bak.Maranatha! (Lord Come Quickly)??"On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand, All other ground is sinking sand."??"Let Us make the short time we have left count for all eternity!"??YBIC-RandyStay Connected?? ?? ?? Prophecy Update - PO Box 40516 - Bakersfield, CA 93384 ................
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