Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Prophecy Digest: "we don't care." -Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

World powers discuss options should Iran miss nuclear deadline

From Elise Labott, CNN State Department Producer

December 23, 2009 -- Updated 0256 GMT (1056 HKT)

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says others can give Iran "as many deadlines as they want, we don't care."

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

·        Iran faces year-end deadline from other nations to address nuclear concerns

·        Permanent U.N. Security Council nations plus Germany discuss options

·        Iran yet to accept proposed deal on converting uranium abroad for medical reactor

·        Time running out for Iran to accept deal, White House spokesman says

RELATED TOPICS

·        Iran

·        Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

·        Nuclear Weapons

(CNN) -- World powers are discussing next steps toward Iran if it fails to meet a year-end deadline for addressing international concern over its nuclear program, the White House and State Department said Tuesday.

Top officials from the "P5 plus one" -- permanent United Nations Security Council members Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, plus Germany -- held a conference call Tuesday to discuss possible sanctions against Iran, Assistant Secretary of State P.J. Crowley told reporters.

He said the group "united its resolve that Iran must either answer the questions that we have about its nuclear aspirations or face additional pressure" and that Washington would be "consulting broadly across the international community in the coming days and weeks" about its options.

In October the six nations offered Iran a deal to send most of its low-enriched uranium abroad for conversion into fuel for a medical reactor in Tehran.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters that time is running out for Iran to accept the deal.

"The decision for them to live up to their responsibilities is their decision," Gibbs said of Iranian officials. "We have offered them a different path. If they decide not to take it, then the [nations that offered the deal] will move accordingly."

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissed the offer Tuesday, telling Iranians in a speech in the southern city of Shiraz that the international community can give Iran "as many deadlines as they want, we don't care."

He also accused the United States of fabricating a document said to detail Iranian plans for critical components of a nuclear device.

Gibbs countered his defiance, saying the international community is prepared to take additional steps if the year-end deadline passes without any Iranian action.

"Mr. Ahmadinejad may not recognize, for whatever reason, the deadline that looms, but that is a very real deadline to the international community," Gibbs said.

Western powers fear Iran is intent on developing nuclear weapons, a claim Tehran denies.

Prophecy Digest

This material was brought to you by Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity. Last Call Digest, is a ministry of Michael James Stone, volunteers, and people dedicated to the Love of God and Salvation of Souls. It is an aggragate of Christian Material selected to Bless you and Prepare you for each and every day you read them. May God Bless You as You Do!! Reading these Devotions will help you to prepare daily for life, living, and your Lord. You will hear God Speak To You thru them.  Jesus  is Coming Very Soon.

Last Generation (Gen 2012)

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Prophecy Digest: Why 1948 And Not 1967? -Jack Kelley

Why 1948 And Not 1967?

Q. Thanks for your honesty- you seem really sincere in your writing, and not a bit frustrated or tired of the same questions over and again.  That means a lot! Keep it up… I know that must be  a struggle.  However, I guess I do not really see how you conclude Mt. 24:34 to  mean a lifetime from 1948- why not 1967? I really appreciate you and
your ministry, it has been a huge blessing to me in my walk, and my own personal study.

A. I used to see 1967 as an alternate to 1948, primarily because the prophecies of the 1st coming in Daniel 9:24-27 all keyed off the rebuilding of Jerusalem, not the restoration of the nation. But a few years ago I was reviewing Luke 21:24 and when I read the phrase “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” it struck me that the same wording appears in Rev. 11:2 where it says the  Holy City will be trampled on by the Gentiles for 42 months, the duration of the Great Tribulation.  And Zechariah 14: 2 tells of Jerusalem being captured in connection with the Battle of Armageddon.  From this I concluded that even though God’s focus will be on Israel for the last 7 years, the times of the Gentiles will not end when the Church is Raptured.  They’ll only end at the 2nd Coming, when the Lord returns to restore Israel’s Kingdom.  To me this disqualified 1967 as a start date for the final generation’s lifetime.

Tags: End Times, Interpreting Verses, Prophecy

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Prophecy Digest

This material was brought to you by Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity. Last Call Digest, is a ministry of Michael James Stone, volunteers, and people dedicated to the Love of God and Salvation of Souls. It is an aggragate of Christian Material selected to Bless you and Prepare you for each and every day you read them. May God Bless You as You Do!! Reading these Devotions will help you to prepare daily for life, living, and your Lord. You will hear God Speak To You thru them.  Jesus  is Coming Very Soon.

Last Generation (Gen 2012)

Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity, operates by you, with you, and for you. “Freely you have received, freely give”  Pass this on, everywhere you can, anytime you can, anyway you can. You will be blessed if you do.  ProphecyDigest@michaeljamesstone.com

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Prophecy Digest: America's subtle change from religious to secular

America's subtle change from religious to secular         

http://www.christianpost.com/


Nonreligious Americans or "Nones" are no longer a fringe group, researchers state in a new report.

Nones presently make up 15 percent of the total adult U.S. population and the statistic is even higher among young people. Twenty-two percent of 18-29 year olds claim the nonreligious label, a jump from 11 percent in 1990, according to Trinity College's American Nones: Profile of the No Religion Population.

If the younger generation remains nonreligious, researchers point out that the percentage of the U.S. population made up of Nones will continue to rise.

"Will a day come when the Nones are on top? We can't predict for sure," lead researcher Barry Kosmin told USA Today.

Kosmin and Ariela Keysar released statistics earlier this year revealing the rise in the number of Americans who do not identify with any religion over the past two decades. The Nones increased from 8.1 percent of the adult population in 1990 to 15 percent in 2008, findings from their widely reported American Religious Identification Survey showed.

The researchers released a follow-up report on Tuesday to provide a more detailed look at who the Nones are and offer predictions on the growing nonreligious population.

Nones may best be described as skeptics. Twenty-seven percent of Nones believe in a personal God. Hard and soft agnostics make up 35 percent of the None population and atheists account for only 7 percent of Nones. Contrary to what many believe, Nones are not particularly superstitious or partial to New Age beliefs. They are, however, more accepting of human evolution than the general U.S. population.

"American Nones embrace philosophical and theological beliefs that reflect skepticism rather than overt antagonism toward religion," the researchers state.

Compared to the general population, Nones are disproportionately male, younger, and more likely to be Westerners and political independents. But researchers found that they are increasingly similar to the general U.S. population in terms of their marital status, educational attainment, racial/ethnic makeup and income.

When it comes to religious roots, researchers found that the majority of Nones came from religious homes (73 percent) and are first-generation Nones or "(de)converts" to non-religion (66 percent).

Nearly a quarter (24 percent) of Nones are former Catholics and 11 percent are former Christians. Almost a third (32 percent) who are currently Nones were Nones at the age of 12.

Researchers note that among those who reported being Nones at 12 years of age, 41 percent switched to join a religion after the age of 12 and 59 percent remained nonreligious. Among those who identified with a religion at 12 years of age, only 12 percent switched to become a None. The retention rate is higher for the religious but the report points out that Nones are growing at the expense of the religious.

"Mathematically, Nones can lose a larger percentage than the religious and still grow as a percentage of the population because they are starting as a smaller percentage of the population," the report states.

If current trends continue, Nones can make up around a quarter of the American population in two decades. But the report highlights that the annual growth rate has slowed at the beginning of the 21st Century. Whereas 1.3 million adults were joining the ranks of the nonreligious in the 1990s, the number of Americans being added to the None population has halved to 660,000 a year since 2001.

Still, researchers caution that because of the Nones' similar social characteristics to the rest of the population, "the transition from a largely religious population to a more secular population may be so subtle that it can occur under the radar as happened during the 1990s."

Prophecy Digest

This material was brought to you by Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity. Last Call Digest, is a ministry of Michael James Stone, volunteers, and people dedicated to the Love of God and Salvation of Souls. It is an aggragate of Christian Material selected to Bless you and Prepare you for each and every day you read them. May God Bless You as You Do!! Reading these Devotions will help you to prepare daily for life, living, and your Lord. You will hear God Speak To You thru them.  Jesus  is Coming Very Soon.

Last Generation (Gen 2012)

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Prophecy Digest: ALL PROPHECY HAS NOT BEEN FULFILLED -Daymond Duck

ALL PROPHECY HAS NOT BEEN FULFILLED

 

(WHY PRETERISM IS A FALSE DOCTRINE)

By Daymond Duck


Those who believe all prophecy has been fulfilled are called Preterists. Not all Preterists agree with each other. There are partial Preterists and full Preterists. The partial Preterists are divided into historicists and futurists. Some of the partial Preterists believe the full Preterists are pagans, etc.

The word “preterist” means past. Generally speaking, it means most Preterists believe most prophecy was fulfilled in the past, specifically, by 70 A.D. Partial Preterists say most but not all of it was fulfilled in the past.

After giving the Parable of the Fig Tree Jesus said, “When ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled” (Matthew 24:34). The problem centers around the identity of “this generation.” Preterists believe “this generation” means the generation that Jesus was talking to. Many non-Preterists believe “this generation” means the generation that sees the fulfillment of all the prophecies Jesus was talking about.

For many, the problem with Preterists is the fact that they spiritualize and explain away many prophecies, especially the Book of Revelation. Instead of studying the Book of Revelation they dismiss it as nothing more than a book of symbols. The prophecies say one thing, but they say the prophecies mean something else. They attach private interpretations to the prophecies instead of letting the Bible interpret itself. When they do this, they not only change what the Bible says, they dismiss, explain away or spiritualize hundreds of other verses in Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Zechariah, Matthew, II Thessalonians, etc. Everything those prophets said about the first coming of Jesus literally happened. It’s a mistake to say that none of what they said about the Second Coming of Jesus is going to literally happen.

Many Preterists say Nero was the Antichrist. But Nero wasn’t the Antichrist because he committed suicide instead of being cast alive into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 19:20). Nero didn’t track all buying and selling. And Nero didn’t force people to take the Mark of the Beast.

Many Preterists say Israel’s religious leaders were the False Prophet. But Israel’s religious leaders didn’t build a statue of the Antichrist. Israel’s religious leaders didn’t make that statue speak. Israel’s religious leaders didn’t make the Jews commit idolatry by worshipping the statue. And Israel’s religious leaders didn’t get thrown alive into the Lake of Fire with the Antichrist.

Many Preterists say the final world government was the Roman Empire. But the Roman Empire was the legs of iron on Nebuchadnezzar’s statue not the feet of iron mixed with clay (Daniel 2). The Second Coming of Jesus will be in the days of the feet of iron mixed with clay not in the day of the legs of iron.

Many Preterists say the Second Coming of Jesus was a spiritual coming that took place in 70 A.D. and no one could see it. But the Bible says every eye will see Jesus when He comes back (Revelation 1:7). Two angels said Jesus will come back the same way He went away which was visibly because people could see Him (Acts 1:9-11). Over and over again, Jesus and others told us to watch for the Second Coming, but watching for the Second Coming of Jesus is meaningless, if Jesus has already come back. Watching for the Second Coming is meaningless if is a spiritual return that no one can see. The Bible says so many people will be killed at the Battle of Armageddon when Jesus comes back the blood will flow up to the horses bridles for almost 200 miles. That doesn’t fit with an invisible return that no one can see. Jesus said the sun will be darkened, the moon won’t shine, the stars will fall from heaven, everyone on earth will mourn, the lost will be removed from the earth, the sheep and goat nations will be judged, etc., but none of that happened in 70 A.D. (Matt. 24:29-30; 13:41-42, 49-50; 25:31-46).

Many Preterists say the destruction of Jerusalem and the persecution of the Church in 70 A.D. was the Tribulation Period. The Church won’t be here during the Tribulation Period. There was no seven-year covenant in 70 A.D. There wasn’t enough people on earth for a 200 million man army to invade Israel in 70 A.D. The Euphrates River didn’t dry up. The Two Witnesses didn’t lie in the street for three and one-half days while the whole world watched. Babylon wasn’t destroyed by fire in one hour. Jesus didn’t rescue Israel at a Second Coming in 70 A.D., etc. (Rev. 9:16; 16:12; 13:11-18; 11:9).

Many Preterists say the Church is the New Jerusalem. The Bible says the New Jerusalem will be about 1500 miles square, it won’t need the sun or moon, it will have twelve gates of pearls, twelve foundations of precious stones, streets of gold, and the tree of life. The Church still needs the sun and moon, we still have pain, death, suffering, we’re a spiritual building not a physical building with walls, streets, etc. (Rev. 21-22).

Many Preterists say the Millennium is a long period of time not a 1,000 years and we’re living in the Millennium right now. But the Bible says we will have peace on earth during the Millennium. Instead of peace on earth, we have wars and rumors of wars. Instead of thanking God because His kingdom has already come to the earth, we are praying that His kingdom will come to the earth.

To believe Preterism people have to ignore the differences between the Church and Israel, ignore current events, reject the most widely accepted date for the writing of the Book of Revelation, explain away hundreds of verses of Scriptures all over the Bible, etc.

A good question to ask is, “When was the Rapture?” This is actually why some Preterists shove the Rapture over to the Second Coming. If the destruction of Jerusalem and the persecution of the Church is the Tribulation Period, they have to move everything between the Rapture and the Second Coming to the period before 70 A.D.

If the prophecies aren’t literally fulfilled, it’s impossible to know when anything is fulfilled. If the prophecies aren’t literally fulfilled, there is no need to watch for anything. If the prophecies aren’t literally fulfilled, there are no signs of anything. If prophecies aren’t literally fulfilled, we need to forget about heaven, rewards, the resurrection of the dead, etc. because those things won’t literally happen.

Christians should not want to lead anyone wrong. But those who say all prophecy has been fulfilled, the Book of Revelation is nothing but a book of symbols, no one understands it, and the like are leading people wrong. The Bible says study those symbols, search the Scriptures, let Scripture interpret Scripture, blessed is the person who reads, hears and keeps the things in the Book of Revelation, don’t take anything out of the Book of Revelation, the Holy Spirit can help you understand it, etc.

Prophecy Plus Ministries

Daymond & Rachel Duck

daymondduck@bellsouth.net

rachelduck@bellsouth.net

1-731-692-3162

Prophecy Digest

This material was brought to you by Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity. Last Call Digest, is a ministry of Michael James Stone, volunteers, and people dedicated to the Love of God and Salvation of Souls. It is an aggragate of Christian Material selected to Bless you and Prepare you for each and every day you read them. May God Bless You as You Do!! Reading these Devotions will help you to prepare daily for life, living, and your Lord. You will hear God Speak To You thru them.  Jesus  is Coming Very Soon.

Last Generation (Gen 2012)

Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity, operates by you, with you, and for you. “Freely you have received, freely give”  Pass this on, everywhere you can, anytime you can, anyway you can. You will be blessed if you do.  ProphecyDigest@michaeljamesstone.com

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Prophecy Digest: It All Began With Abraham -Todd Baker

It All Began With Abraham (Israel: The Super Sign of the End-Times, Part 1)

By Dr. Todd Baker


 

    Preachers and theologians are often fond of saying that History is “His story,” meaning that God plans and determines the details and events that make up human history ruling over the process from beginning to end to fulfill His great purpose for Mankind. Nothing could be truer of Israel. The history of the Jewish people is “His story” played out within human history, which has been revealed, foretold, and written in the Bible. Israel’s history is supernatural from beginning to end. It began with the Patriarch Abraham some 4,000 years ago when God called this nomadic wanderer from Ur of the Chaldeans (Modern day Iraq) to leave his homeland and go into the land of Canaan (Genesis 12:1-3). Abraham obeyed that call and became the father of the nation Israel and the Jewish people. Though Abraham, and Sarah his wife, were well beyond the age of having children (Genesis 18:11), God miraculously rejuvenated the ninety-year old body of Sarah to bear them a son; Isaac through whom God would raise up the people and nation the Messiah would come through (Genesis 21:12). With the promised child came the Promised Land — the land that is called Israel - where Abraham and his descendants would live. In Genesis 13:15 and 17:7-8, God promised to give the land to Abraham and his descendants (the Jews) for an “everlasting possession” under the unconditional terms of an “everlasting covenant”:

 

“For all the land which you see I have given it to you and your descendants forever. And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. And I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land in which you are a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession.”

 

    Here we observe from Israel’s inception that the history of the Jewish people and their divine destiny is inextricably bound up with the land God promised them.  The covenant referred to in Genesis 17:7-8 is formally called the Abrahamic Covenant. It is an eternal covenant made between God to Abraham and his descendants forever. God essentially established through this Covenant with Abraham a people from him (the Jewish people), a place for them (the land of Israel), so that the purpose of blessing all the nations of the world could occur in perpetuity, that is forever. Thus God gave the land of Israel to the Jews forever and to no other ethnic group or nation, protestations from the Arabs, Palestinians, and international community notwithstanding. One of the basic laws of Bible interpretation is the law of first mention. The law of first mention states that when a thing is mentioned for the first time in the Bible it carries the same meaning all throughout the Scriptures.  It establishes the Bible as consistent in its meaning from beginning to end as it applies to persons, places, events, and things.

    In Genesis 13:15 we have the first mention in Scripture stating that God gave the land of Israel to Abraham and the Jewish people forever. This truth is reiterated throughout the rest of Scripture and establishes the rightful owners of the land to be the Jews granted by divine right. There is no deviation or alteration by God from this covenant. It stands for all time. The ongoing struggle for Israel’s right to live in the Land of Promise has already been settled once and for all by the eternal counsel of God as codified and enacted in the Abrahamic Covenant. God has spoken and His Word on this matter is settled forever (Psalm 119:89); thus all the political wrangling about who the land belongs to is quite simply moot and in the end irrelevant and inconsequential. The current Middle East crisis centers around who owns the land of Israel and the city of Jerusalem. But unbelief coming from the world disputes and dismisses the whole issue being settled by the inerrant Word of God. One cannot begin to understand the current Middle East crisis and how it relates to Israel’s past, present and future without knowing and understanding the fundamental importance of this divine covenant. Author Richard Booker wisely wrote: “Indeed the key to understanding today’s headlines and tomorrow’s news lies in the past within the sacred covenant God made with Abraham.”  (Richard Booker, Blow the Trumpet in Zion, p.17). In the series of articles to come, we will explore how this is true throughout the divine panoramic plan God has for Israel in the past, present, and future as revealed through Bible prophecy.

    Part of the reason for the return of Israel's Messiah will be to enforce the everlasting decree of God's land grant to the Jewish people and to overthrow the nations of the world in league with the anti-Christ who will violently attempt to take the land away from them  (Zech. 12-14; Ezekiel 47:13-48:35). In fact, the boundaries God gave for the Promised Land stretch from the river of Egypt (Wadi El-Arish) to the Euphrates River near the Syrian/Iraqi border (Gen. 15:18-21); an area yet to be occupied by the Jewish nation that well includes the two presently disputed areas of Gaza and the West Bank (Judea and Samaria).

    The covenant God made with Abraham not only would produce the Jewish people from his ("seed") posterity with a land to live in, but their presence in the world also would greatly benefit and bless Mankind. The Lord said:  "And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 12:3). Indeed the Jews have brought the world immeasurable blessings. They wrote and preserved the Scriptures (the Bible), which is the number one best-seller in the world and were the people through whom the Messiah came to redeem humanity from sin (Romans 3:2; 9:5). The Jews wrote the Bible and the Messiah Jesus is a Jew.

    God subsequently reaffirmed this covenant with Abraham to his son, Isaac, and Isaac's son, Jacob (Genesis 25:5-6; 35:9-15). From these three patriarchs, God eternally promised the land of Israel to the Jewish people. From a divine and biblical perspective then, the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people. And so God chose this Land and the Chosen People to play a central role in His plan of redemption for the world and mankind that naturally involves the past, present, and the future.

The plan of redemption for Israel and the world focuses around two epochal events - the first and second comings of the Messiah Jesus Christ. In both advents, Christ has and will personally come again directly to Israel. The covenant God made with Abraham plays a special significance and role in end-time Bible prophecy. The fact God guaranteed the people of Israel a national existence and homeland forever that brought the material and spiritual blessings through Jesus Christ to the Gentile nations basically defines and determines the primary focus of the whole eschatological program of God. The covenant of Abraham with the provisions of a land, nation, Messianic descendant, and blessing to the world is the building base and foundation upon which the plan of God is built and enlarged through the other covenants.

    The creation of the Jewish people and the bestowal of a national homeland via the Abrahamic covenant were preparatory for the first coming of the Messiah. Gentiles who come to faith in Him are adopted into Abraham's family and receive the blessing promised through that covenant (Galatians 3:8; 14-29). And just as the establishment of the Jewish people as the nation of Israel was crucial to the first coming of Christ, so too Scripture indicates that the regathering of the Jews into their ancient homeland, after being scattered throughout the world for nearly 2,000 years, and the reestablishment of the nation of Israel are necessary for the second coming. In fact, it would serve as a super-sign that will set the stage for the prophesied series of events that will culminate in the return of Christ to Israel. Without the reconstitution of the nation of Israel in our generation, none of the events of End-time prophecy could occur or be possible.

Thomas Ice and Timothy Demy articulate and underscore this point well when they write:

    God's plan for history always moves forward in relation to what He is doing with Israel. Thus, the fact that Israel has been and continues to be reconstituted as a nation is prophetically significant, so significant that it makes Israel God's super-sign of the end times. Were Israel not a nation again it would be impossible for events of the end times to occur since so many of them take place in that tiny country or in reference to it. But it has returned and so it is that all other aspects of Bible prophecy are also being prepared for the grand finale of history. (Thomas Ice and Timothy Demy, Prophecy Watch, p. 61).

 

You can reach Todd at:

Brit Hadashah Ministries
P.O. Box  796127
Dallas, Texas 75379-6127

 E-mail: todd@brit-hadashah.org
Web site: www.Brit-Hadashah.org or www.searchthescripturesonline.org

Propehcy Digest

This material was brought to you by Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity. Last Call Digest, is a ministry of Michael James Stone, volunteers, and people dedicated to the Love of God and Salvation of Souls. It is an aggragate of Christian Material selected to Bless you and Prepare you for each and every day you read them. May God Bless You as You Do!! Reading these Devotions will help you to prepare daily for life, living, and your Lord. You will hear God Speak To You thru them.  Jesus  is Coming Very Soon.

Last Generation (Gen 2012)

Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity, operates by you, with you, and for you. “Freely you have received, freely give”  Pass this on, everywhere you can, anytime you can, anyway you can. You will be blessed if you do.  ProphecyDigest@michaeljamesstone.com

Posted via email from Prophecy Digest-"The Last Generation"

Prophecy Digest: Seven Letters To Seven Churches, Part 3 -Jack Kelley

Revelation 2 And 3 … Seven Letters To Seven Churches, Part 3, conclusion

To the Church in Philadelphia

"To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:  Philadelphia means City of Brotherly love.  In the chronicle of church history, Philadelphia represents the evangelical church born in the 1800's during the 2nd Great Awakening.  (The first took place about 100 years earlier primarily in the Northern colonies.)  For centuries scholars had taught an allegorical interpretation of scripture, especially prophecy, but in the mid 1800’s the rank and file was energized by a return to the literal interpretation.  The pre-tribulation rapture and 1000 year reign of the Lord on Earth, views that were prevalent during the 1st century but abandoned with the allegorical interpretation were once again popular.  The church was born again.

      

(Title) These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.  Jesus is the Messiah who holds the keys to the Davidic Kingdom.  He alone has the authority to grant and refuse entry. 

 

(Commendation) I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.  The open door is the one through which John will enter heaven in chapter 4 to stand before the Throne of God, a type of the Rapture.  The Church in Philadelphia, receiving no criticism, is also granted admission. This is symbolic of the fact that for those saved by grace through faith, it’s as if no sin was ever committed. 

 

In the 1st Century Philadelphia, like other gentile churches of the day, was beset by "Judiazers."  They insisted that before a Gentile could become a Christian, he had to become a Jew and keep the law. They'll be forced to admit that the path to Christianity did not lie through Judaism, but went straight to the foot of the cross.

 

In the latter days, the advocates of Replacement Theology (those believing the church has replaced Israel) and other groups claiming Israel's inheritance as the favored of God, will also be required to bow down before the true church and admit the error of their ways.    

 

(Admonition) Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. The promise of a pre-trib rapture.  The Greek word translated "from" in this passage literally means "out of altogether" and excludes us from the time, place, and cause of the end times judgments.  Only one "hour of trial" is prophesied to be world-wide, and only one is designed for the Earth dwellers. It's the Great Tribulation. Throughout the balance of Revelation the church is referred to as those who dwell in Heaven.

 

(Call) I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Here's one of those places that distinguishes the free gift of salvation from the crowns we'll earn as prizes for our work done in the Lord's name out of gratitude for His gift.  One of those crowns is reserved for those who long for His appearing (2 Tim. 4:8) and that describes the attitude of the Church in Philadelphia perfectly.  The Greek word translated soon in the NIV actually means speedily.  When He comes, He'll come suddenly, without warning.  Don't let anyone talk you out of the promise of His coming.  Don't lose hope!

 

(Challenge) Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. Who is it that overcomes the world, John asks?  Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God. (1 John 5:5.)  The New Jerusalem is the home of the church.  Nothing impure can ever enter it, only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. (Rev. 21:27) With all that identification, there'll be no doubt as to who is authorized to live there. 

 

(Promise) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. Once again we're admonished to stick to the basics of the Gospel.  Keep to His Word. Don't deny His name.  Hold on to your convictions.  Keep looking up. 

 

It was a clear and beautiful day when we arrived in Philadelphia, modern Alashehir, just after lunch.  Perfect timing, I thought, since historical sites in Turkey often close at 3:00 PM.  We spotted the signs pointing the way to the church site and arrived without difficulty about 1:30.  It was a quiet neighborhood and the site itself was like a park, green and clean. 

 

The sign on the gate told us we were there during visiting hours and, as at the other sites we had visited, there was a little office for collecting fees and distributing literature.  But unlike every other place, though we stayed for almost an hour, we saw neither visitor nor employee.  It was as if everyone had vanished, just like the Lord promised.

 

The Kingdom Parable that describes the Church at Philadelphia is the Pearl of Great Price.  Pearls are uniquely Gentile, since oysters are not kosher. A pearl is the only gem that's formed from a living organism.  It grows in response to an irritant while hidden in the sea.  At harvest time, it's removed from its natural habitat to be set apart as an object of adornment.  Sounds just like the church.  And of course Paul's Letters to the Thessalonians, that introduced the Rapture on Earth, match beautifully as well. 

To the Church in Laodicea

"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: Laodicea means "the people rule." The Laodicean church represents the apostate church at the end of the age.  Many in the New Age and Emergent Church movements are part of this church.  


(Title)These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. He's letting them know that they don't rule the church, He does.

 

 (Criticism) I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. Laodicea receives no commendation, only this criticism, rich in symbolic sarcasm.  Laodicea got its water from nearby Heiropolis, a hot spring resort that still flourishes today, now called Pamukkale.  The water came across the valley in an open aqueduct.  Having begun its journey fresh from the hot springs, it was luke warm by the time it arrived.  Too cool to be used for cleaning or bathing, and too warm to be refreshing, it was unfit for use until it could be either heated up or cooled down.

 

The fire of the Spirit had gone from the Church in Laodicea leaving its members engaged in "form without substance" ritual. Not that they minded.  They were happy as clams with their no commitment, no responsibility religion.  So it is in much of the emergent church today.  They look like a church and do some things that a church does, but you won't detect the power of the Holy Spirit there and the gospel of our salvation is only obvious by its absence. Even though their congregations are often large and well financed, their spiritual condition is one of poverty.

 

(Admonition) I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Laodicea was a prosperous regional banking center, also famous for a rich black wool cloth its residents produced, and a soothing salve that helped reduce the painful effects of eye strain caused by astigmatism. They were rich in the worldly sense but poor in the things of the Spirit, thought themselves well dressed in their shiny black wool, but lacking the white robes of righteousness were actually naked, able to see all the opportunities for worldly gain, but in need of a healthy dose of the Lord's eye salve to restore their eternal perspective. Sound like anyone you know? The Church of Laodicea is alive and prospering in the 21st Century.

   

(Call) Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. Often called the great evangelistic call, this passage screams out one extraordinary fact.  The Lord's standing outside!  He's knocking on the door trying to get in, hoping (dare I say praying?) that someone, anyone, will hear His voice and invite Him in. If they do, He'll say, "Better change your mind about your need for a savior.  Time's about up."  

 

(Challenge) To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. Right up until the time of the Rapture, anyone in the Church of Laodicea can recognize his or her need for a savior and look to the Lord for salvation.  And even if it makes them the very last member of the Body of Christ they'll receive full rights and privileges.  The number's almost complete. If you’re a Laodicean reading this, you just may be the one we're all waiting for.   

 

(Promise) He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."  There's a bit of the Laodicean in all of us.  Some part of the Word we're lukewarm about, some area of our life where we think we're self-sufficient, some sin we've blinded ourselves to. Let's get right about it while there's time.

 

As we stood beside the Greek amphitheater that morning (Laodicea has both Greek and Roman amphitheatres) it was clear that the Church at Laodicea did not hear the Lord knocking at their door. What remained of the church was but an empty shell.

The Parable of the Net describes how things will turn out for those who ignore His call.  This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt. 13:49-50)  Paul's Letter to the Colossians is the appropriate match here.  Colosse was just a few miles down the highway from Laodicea.

Let’s Get Personal

As you sit in your seat each Sunday, regardless of the sign on the church door, you're joined by folks from Thyatira.  They’re the ones who add to the Gospel: Jesus plus someone or something else, grace plus works, scripture plus tradition.  There are also some from Sardis.  They subtract from the Gospel.  “You don’t need to be born again, just join the church, give some time and money, you’ll be fine.”  And then there’s the group from Laodicea.  “Jesus was a great man and teacher, and lived a life of such gentleness and grace that it’s ALMOST as if he was God.  Just love everybody like he did.  The good life you live is an obvious sign of your favor with God, and everyone knows there’s no real heaven, I mean come on.”

 

But if you know you’re a sinner and have given your heart to Jesus because He gave His life for you, then you’re from Philadelphia.  There may be some others there with you, but you’ll never really know for sure how many till you all vanish together some day soon.  And don’t be surprised when you’re joined by some who're Catholic, some who're Protestant, some conservatives, some liberals, and even some who didn’t appear to attend any church at all.  After all it's not what you say you are, but what you believe in your heart that matters.

Next time we'll begin part three of the Revelation, "the things that will be after this." See you then.

Propehcy Digest

This material was brought to you by Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity. Last Call Digest, is a ministry of Michael James Stone, volunteers, and people dedicated to the Love of God and Salvation of Souls. It is an aggragate of Christian Material selected to Bless you and Prepare you for each and every day you read them. May God Bless You as You Do!! Reading these Devotions will help you to prepare daily for life, living, and your Lord. You will hear God Speak To You thru them.  Jesus  is Coming Very Soon.

Last Generation (Gen 2012)

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Prophecy Digest: India warships to be equipped with Chinese-made missiles

RI warships to be equipped with Chinese-made missiles

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Navy`s warships will be equipped with missiles made in China, Navy Chief of Staff Admiral Agus Suhartono said here on Monday. 

"We will continue to procure C-802 missiles from China after we tested the weapon with good results,` he said adding that the Indonesian Navy was also negotiating with China to obtain C-705 missiles that were more slender in shape.

"Both types of missile will be added to the armament of of the navy`s fast patrol boats and Van Speijk warships," Agus said.

He said the navy would increase the combat capabilities of its Van Speijk and fast patrol boats by integrating their armament systems with weaponry from China.

"We are still unable to make missiles domestically. But fortunately, state shipbuilding firm PT PAL already has the technology to integrate weapon systems imported from abroad with those already in place on our warships," he said.

The navy chief admitted with limited budget for his department, his officials would continue making a priority scale on the procurement of weaponry system.

"Our main priority now is security in sea border areas and the outer islands of Indonesia," he said adding that the navy would also replace some 27 of its warships with newer types and better combat capabilities. 

Agus Suhartono had previously said Indonesia`s western waters were prone to various maritime crimes such as smuggling, human trafficking and poaching.

"The sea crimes are not the only problems we have in the western waters. In these areas we also have border problems with India, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia," the navy chief said.

He said that in order to maintain security in the area, the navy conducted routine patrols in the Indonesian western waters. It had maintained a joint patrols with its counterparts from India, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.

As a result, the maritime crime rate in the western waters had dropped , particularly in the Malacca Strait. (*)

Propehcy Digest

This material was brought to you by Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity. Last Call Digest, is a ministry of Michael James Stone, volunteers, and people dedicated to the Love of God and Salvation of Souls. It is an aggragate of Christian Material selected to Bless you and Prepare you for each and every day you read them. May God Bless You as You Do!! Reading these Devotions will help you to prepare daily for life, living, and your Lord. You will hear God Speak To You thru them.  Jesus  is Coming Very Soon.

Last Generation (Gen 2012)

Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity, operates by you, with you, and for you. “Freely you have received, freely give”  Pass this on, everywhere you can, anytime you can, anyway you can. You will be blessed if you do.  ProphecyDigest@michaeljamesstone.com

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Prophecy Digest: Revelation Ephesus -Chuck Missler

Revelation

(Vid)

Chuck Missler

Chuck Missler Revelation

Session 03 Ch 2 1 7

The Letter To The Church Of Ephesus

part 1/7

Propehcy Digest

This material was brought to you by Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity. Last Call Digest, is a ministry of Michael James Stone, volunteers, and people dedicated to the Love of God and Salvation of Souls. It is an aggragate of Christian Material selected to Bless you and Prepare you for each and every day you read them. May God Bless You as You Do!! Reading these Devotions will help you to prepare daily for life, living, and your Lord. You will hear God Speak To You thru them.  Jesus  is Coming Very Soon.

Last Generation (Gen 2012)

Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity, operates by you, with you, and for you. “Freely you have received, freely give”  Pass this on, everywhere you can, anytime you can, anyway you can. You will be blessed if you do.  ProphecyDigest@michaeljamesstone.com

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Prophecy Digest: Revelation Two -Chuck Smith

Chuck Smith

(Vid)

Revelation Two

http://media.calvarychapel.com/twft/video/C4648.mp4

Propehcy Digest

This material was brought to you by Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity. Last Call Digest, is a ministry of Michael James Stone, volunteers, and people dedicated to the Love of God and Salvation of Souls. It is an aggragate of Christian Material selected to Bless you and Prepare you for each and every day you read them. May God Bless You as You Do!! Reading these Devotions will help you to prepare daily for life, living, and your Lord. You will hear God Speak To You thru them.  Jesus  is Coming Very Soon.

Last Generation (Gen 2012)

Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity, operates by you, with you, and for you. “Freely you have received, freely give”  Pass this on, everywhere you can, anytime you can, anyway you can. You will be blessed if you do.  ProphecyDigest@michaeljamesstone.com

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Devotion Digest: God is the Giver of the gift -Billy Graham

He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not . . . freely give us all things?”

-Romans 8:32

God is the Giver of the gift. The capability of the donor usually gauges the value of the gift. We don’t usually think of a person as a gift, but actually interpersonal relationships are the most valued and cherished gifts of all.

But the Bible teaches that God gave a Person as a gift to every one of us, and that Person is Jesus Christ. One day a six-year-old boy in a southern town answered a knock at the door.


It was his father, just returned from Southeast Asia. He didn’t ask, “Daddy, what did you bring me?” He threw his arms around his father’s neck and said, “Oh, Daddy, this is the best Christmas present I’ve ever had!”

Prayer for the day

Your costly gift of Jesus, Father, fills all the longings and desires of my heart.

Devotion Digest

This material was brought to you by Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity. Devotion Digest is a ministry of Michael James Stone, volunteers, and people dedicated to the Love of God and Salvation of Souls. It is an aggragate of Christian Devotions selected to Bless you and Prepare you for each and every day you read them.May God Bless You as You Do!! Reading these Devotions will help you to prepare daily for life, living, and your Lord.  You will hear God Speak To You thru them.  Jesus  is Coming Very Soon.

Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity, operates by you, with you, and for you. “Freely you have received, freely give”  Pass this on, everywhere you can, anytime you can. Anyway you can. You will be blessed if you do. DevotionDigest@michaeljamesstone.com

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Devotion Digest: But He Made Himself of No Reputation -Adrian Rogers

But He Made Himself of No Reputation

"But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." Philippians 2:7

Jesus came in a manger for you and for me. He willingly left the glories and riches of heaven to be born in a stable.

Jesus became poor, so that we might become rich.

He lived a life of such abject poverty that when He had to pay taxes, He had to look for a coin in a fish's mouth.

When He sent out His disciples, He told them to take nothing, but a staff and the power of the Holy Spirit (Mark 6:7-9).

He was put to death like a common criminal so that we could wear a royal robe!

Child of God, you are rich! I am rich! Praise God!

Read Philippians 2:6-11 with your family or friends today as a Christmas devotional. Spend time praising God for His Son, Jesus.

Philippians 2:6-11 - Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven,  and things in earth, and things under the earth;  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Devotion Digest

This material was brought to you by Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity. Devotion Digest is a ministry of Michael James Stone, volunteers, and people dedicated to the Love of God and Salvation of Souls. It is an aggragate of Christian Devotions selected to Bless you and Prepare you for each and every day you read them.May God Bless You as You Do!! Reading these Devotions will help you to prepare daily for life, living, and your Lord.  You will hear God Speak To You thru them.  Jesus  is Coming Very Soon.

Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity, operates by you, with you, and for you. “Freely you have received, freely give”  Pass this on, everywhere you can, anytime you can. Anyway you can. You will be blessed if you do. DevotionDigest@michaeljamesstone.com

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Devotion Digest: Is Peace Possible in Bad Times? -Charles Stanley

Is Peace Possible in Bad Times?

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READ | John 16:28-33

Is it possible to be at peace when you have just received a “pink slip”? When your 16-year-old daughter discovers that she is pregnant? When your spouse says, “I don’t want to be married anymore”?

Is it possible to be at peace when you fall into a deep depression? Yes! God’s peace is available no matter how painful and hopeless your situation seems.

Peace is not gained by manipulating circumstances. Sometimes people think that if they could just rearrange their situation a bit, then life would be wonderful. That kind of self-reliance is both foolish and unbiblical. Fixing a problem outside of the Lord’s will might result in temporary calm, but lasting peace will continue to be elusive.

A tranquil heart is the result of trusting the Lord, no matter how messy life gets. Jesus warned that believers would have trouble on this earth, but He has overcome the world. In other words, we can have peace in spite of our trials. Although a storm of trouble rages around a believer, he can travel through it with a sense of serenity because Jesus walks alongside him. Thanks to his relationship with Christ, the believer receives all that he needs to face his trial—including courage, wisdom, guidance, and comfort.

Jesus promised peace for those who trust in Him. Thankfully, He also “delivers” on everything He promises. Our part is to take one day at a time and believe that God will carry us through. Divine peace and everything else that we need will follow our faith.

Devotion Digest

This material was brought to you by Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity. Devotion Digest is a ministry of Michael James Stone, volunteers, and people dedicated to the Love of God and Salvation of Souls. It is an aggragate of Christian Devotions selected to Bless you and Prepare you for each and every day you read them.May God Bless You as You Do!! Reading these Devotions will help you to prepare daily for life, living, and your Lord.  You will hear God Speak To You thru them.  Jesus  is Coming Very Soon.

Broadcast(B.C.)Christianity, operates by you, with you, and for you. “Freely you have received, freely give”  Pass this on, everywhere you can, anytime you can. Anyway you can. You will be blessed if you do. DevotionDigest@michaeljamesstone.com

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