Don’t Be Discouraged :: By Nathele Graham

Published on: August 13, 2022 by RR7 Category:General Articles, Ron & Nathele Graham

It’s easy to get discouraged as we eagerly await the Rapture. To our human minds, it seems as if Jesus is dragging His feet, but remember, we live in a world with many, many lost souls who need to come to the saving grace of Christ.

“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

We need to earnestly thank God for His longsuffering and patience. I’m sure you know someone who has thus far rejected the Gospel and doesn’t see their need for Jesus. That person may be the one Jesus is waiting on. Instead of getting discouraged that He hasn’t called us Home yet, start witnessing to people. If you haven’t truly accepted His free gift of salvation, maybe He’s waiting on you.

Scripture is very clear about what the end of days will look like, and the signs are all falling in place. One thing many people miss is the fact that the Rapture and the Second Coming are two separate events. As we see signs of things that will happen during the final 7 years of Earth’s history (the Tribulation), remember that the Rapture precedes the Tribulation by at least seven years. That means that the Rapture is on the very near horizon. I’m excited, and I can tell from Scripture that we are getting very close. News headlines bombard us with wars and rumors of war. The newscasters don’t really understand that these wars fulfill prophecy, but Jesus tried to comfort us and calm our fears.

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet” (Matthew 24:6).

Mainstream news goes on and on about Russia and Ukraine, as well as China and Taiwan. The war in Ukraine is truly awful, and it’s all part of Russia’s march to the Middle East. Have you heard about the many bombs being hurled toward Israel? There’s been 1,000 of them. That’s where you need to keep your focus. That’s where the ultimate battle will take place. Before that final battle, we have more prophecies to come about. Specifically, the Rapture. The signs are all falling into place, and the Rapture could happen at any moment. Instead of being discouraged, dig into Scripture and have answers for others who fear what’s happening and need encouragement. Draw closer to our Lord, and let Him calm your fears and ease your discouragement.

Prophecy is a great witnessing tool, but it’s sadly neglected. The Apostle Peter had seen marvelous things as he followed Jesus – miraculous things that would boggle the mind. But in his second letter, he reminds his readers that, although the things he saw were marvelous, there’s a way to be more certain about Jesus and Scripture.

“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: knowing this first that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:19-21).

Be sure you pay attention to the fact that Peter was talking about God’s prophecy and not fortune cookies or Nostradamus.

Peter was one of the disciples who approached Jesus with questions about prophecy “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?” (Mark 13:3-4).

This event is also recorded in the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke. Matthew records the questions they asked as “…Tell us, when shall these things be: and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matthew 24:3b).

They were curious, just like we are, and I’m glad they asked. These men were still under the impression that Jesus would pull out His sword and free Israel from all oppression. That will happen, but it’s still in the future. Jesus explained to them what must come first. “And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you” (Matthew 24:4).

Deception comes when people try to make Scripture say what they want it to say instead of what God actually says. Remember, Peter, who was there, wrote that no prophecy is of any private interpretation. It’s all breathed by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus continued to answer the Disciples’ questions and described what life would look like as time moved toward the end. People would claim to be Christ. “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet” (Matthew 24:6).

All of the things Jesus said would lead to the end are happening, but most of the world is blind and have their fingers in their ears. Even Christians. There will be war between nations but also fighting within nations. “For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows” (Matthew 24:7-8).

Brothers and sisters, as we see these things become news headlines, remember, it’s just beginning. There will be betrayal and hatred; false prophets will deceive many people, and more. “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matthew 24:12).

The word “iniquity” comes from the Greek word “anomia” and means “contempt and violation of law, iniquity, wickedness.” Boy, oh boy, is this one coming to pass! There are many laws being violated. God’s law, as established in the beginning when He created all things, is being mocked. The moral law is being violated. Here’s a fact that people are willfully ignoring. God created man, and then He took woman out of man. There isn’t any room for speculation on that. Nobody can choose their gender, so “gender confusion” is not a reality but a mental disorder. Yet, there is a group of Christ-rejecting people going to schools and teaching the teachers how to encourage the children to become whatever gender they want, as well as training how to teach the children to hide it from their parents.

Today, I heard that in the little community in which I live, some students are convinced they are dogs. Instead of confronting the child with truth and dealing with the mental problem, it’s acceptable for that child to wear a dog collar and be led on a leash. Litter boxes are in place for the “dogs” to use. I looked it up online, and this is happening everywhere. Signs of the times? You bet. Parents, if at all possible, homeschool your children with a Christian-based curriculum. You may have to give up a luxury or two, but your child’s eternal soul is worth it.

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). It is the parent’s responsibility to teach their children.

“But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:37). What were the days of Noe (Noah) like? Many Bible “scholars” would have us believe that Seth’s sons married Cain’s daughters, and so God got really mad and destroyed the entire creation. Wrong. When you study Genesis 6, you’ll find that fallen angels were mating with human women in order to corrupt God’s creation. Genetic manipulation was corrupting everything. The only thing God could do was destroy all that was corrupted. Noah and his family were genetically pure.

“But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God” (Genesis 6:8-9).

The word “perfect” doesn’t mean he was sinless but that he wasn’t corrupted. Today, there is much genetic manipulation happening. Do a study on this subject, and you will be shocked at how it’s infiltrating everything we eat and our health. Honor God in all you do. When you walk with God, you will follow His ways.

So many signs are manifesting today. Matthew isn’t the only one who wrote about signs. The Old Testament prophets wrote about the end times. Daniel is very clear in what he wrote; Ezekiel wrote about the dry bones coming together (the final rebirth of Israel, which has been fulfilled) and the final war that is yet to come; Isaiah contains prophecy about the end times; and many of the Psalms are prophetic. This is just a quick sample of where to look in the Old Testament for prophecy; it’s enlightening to search Scripture.

The New Testament also is clear as to what signs to look for and the truth that the Rapture will happen prior to the Tribulation. Many pastors won’t teach on prophecy, and that is a sad comment upon the quality of the rest of their teaching. Scripture seems to be secondary to funny jokes, secular “authorities,” and whatever sport happens to be in season. Many of our pulpits are filled with false teachers, and they will be held accountable when they stand before Jesus. That, too, is a sign that we are at the end. According to Revelation chapter 3, the last of the church age will be evidenced by Jesus not being welcome into the midst of the congregation.

“Behold I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20).

If your pastor isn’t preaching the pure word of God, then he isn’t feeding the flock properly. There’s no reason for you to starve. If you have a Bible, you need to study it. God knew that in these last days, there would be pastors who tickle ears and fear losing government tax exemptions more than they respect and honor God’s truth.

“Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it” (Amos 8:11-12).

People crave God’s word but will look in all the wrong places to find it if the pastor leaves them empty. Don’t look to Eastern Mysticism or any false doctrine, but look to Scripture and feed on God’s truth for yourself.

Don’t be discouraged, but look for ways that you can work for Christ while there is still time. “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4).

Jesus knew that He had much work to do before He allowed Himself to be crucified. He taught His disciples and led by example. When He was crucified and risen from the dead, He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell all of us who truly have placed our faith in Jesus. While we are still in the world, we need to share God’s truth. Arm yourself with God’s armor, and study Scripture.

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Christians will soon be taken Home in the Rapture, and we need to work for the Kingdom while we can.

Don’t be discouraged. The King is coming, and you don’t want to be caught pouting or sleeping. There’s work to be done, so get busy.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com
ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Recommended prophecy sites:

www.raptureready.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureforums.com

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.

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Famine, Pestilence, and Control Developing :: By Daymond Duck

Published on: August 13, 2022 by RR7 Category:Daymond Duck, General Articles

I apologize for this article being slightly shorter than usual. My computer acted up, and it took me three days to get it fixed.

Concerning famine and food shortages: past articles have mentioned that the World Economic Forum (WEF) is trying to control global farming by reducing the use of fertilizer and chemicals farmers use, reducing the number of cattle farmers and ranchers can raise, encouraging humans to eat insects instead of meat, etc.

Land use, food production, and climate change are part of the “Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”

An article written by award-winning international journalist, Alex Newman, dated July 20, 2022, says Newman believes:

“The U.N. ultimately wants to get rid of private land ownership.”
The U.N. wants “to remove small farmers, even medium farmers, from their land.”
Communists loved to create scarcity and dependents because “as long as you have independent people who are able to take care of themselves, there really is no need for the government to run your life and to control everything that you do.”
Controlling the food supply allows the government “to control humanity.”

It is incredible to believe, but if Newman is right (and I think he is because the WEF says we will own nothing under the New World Order), the leaders in several nations are trying to drive small and medium farmers out of business and take their land (by restricting the use of fertilizer and chemicals, passing laws that limit ownership of cattle, etc.).

Globalists don’t seem to care if Bill Gates, large corporations, or nations (China, etc.) buys up thousands of acres of land, but they want small and medium farmers out of business because they don’t want citizens to get food from individual farmers.

It is easy for this writer to believe that their actions will quickly lead to the famine, pestilence, and control of people prophesied in the Bible (Rev. 6:1-8; 13:11-18).

Here are more stories that seem to be prophetically significant.

One, concerning the energy crisis: hyper-inflation and an economic collapse during the Tribulation Period: on Aug. 5, 2022, it was reported that:

Spain ordered citizens to set air conditioners above 27 degrees C (80.6 degrees F) this summer.
The UK has warned citizens that their energy bills will increase about 60% in Oct. 2022 and more in Jan. 2023 (Biden’s sanctions on Russia and Putin’s retaliation are causing millions of people to struggle to pay bills, have enough to eat, etc.).

Two, concerning natural disasters and food shortages: on Aug. 2, 2022, it was reported that a severe drought has caused water prices in the state of California to increase 56% since the beginning of this year, water prices are the highest on record, the drought is getting worse, and crops that need to be irrigated are beginning to suffer.

Three, concerning natural disasters: on Aug. 5, 2022, it was reported that a narrow strip of land in Eastern Kentucky received 14-16 inches of rain in four days. Record rains over an eight-day period in Missouri, Kentucky, and Illinois killed 39 people and destroyed homes and crops.

Four, concerning wars and rumors of wars: on Aug. 5, 2022, it was reported that North Korea has offered to send 100,000 troops to Ukraine to fight with Russia’s troops.

Five, concerning Islamic efforts to destroy Israel:

Following the arrest of a Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) leader on the West Bank, Israel endured four days of terrorist threats and lockdowns.
On Aug. 5, 2022, Israel called up about 25,000 reservists; Israeli jets struck several targets in Gaza, killed the PIJ commander in Gaza, and killed the members of several PIJ rocket crews.
PIJ terrorists responded with a 45-minute barrage of rockets at southern Israel (most of the rockets fell short, landed in Gaza, went into the sea, or were shot down by Israel’s Iron Dome system).
On Aug. 6, 2022, the PIJ was still firing rockets at southern Israel, Israel arrested 19 Jihadis in the West Bank, and both sides started preparing for several days of confrontation (the PIJ fired a total of about 1,100 rockets at Israel).
On Aug. 7, 2022, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said to the best of their knowledge, they had eliminated all senior PIJ leaders in Gaza.
The PIJ asked for a ceasefire, and Israel accepted it on Sunday night, Aug. 7, 2022.

Six, concerning deceit, the weakening of America, and the tracking of buying and selling: on Aug. 7, 2022, the U.S. Senate passed the $739 billion deceptively named “Inflation Reduction Act” (The Congressional Budget Office, a few Democrats, and all Republicans say it will not reduce inflation).

The bill:

Contains no money for more troops to defend America.
Contains no money for more police to make America’s cities safer.
Contains no money to make America’s borders more secure.
Funds about 87,000 new IRS agents to track American citizens’ buying and selling.

Pres. Biden promised that he would not raise taxes on Americans that earn less than $400,000 a year, but the bill imposes a 16.4 cent tax on every barrel of crude oil and petroleum products, and that will be passed on to everyone that buys gasoline for a vehicle.

(More: On Aug. 8, 2022, Gary Bauer wrote, “There are a couple of fundamental economic principles. One is that you can’t tax your way out of a recession, and this bill imposes a lot of new taxes. Second, you can’t spend your way out of an inflation crisis, and this bill increases spending by hundreds of billions of dollars.”)

Seven, concerning the decline of America and a global economic collapse: many economists now say America has entered a period of “stagflation” (a stagnant economy with continuing inflation).

Put another way, America’s economy is slumping, but prices will keep going up. (Increasing the tax on fuel probably guarantees it.)

Eight, concerning corruption and world government: on Aug. 8, 2022, about 30 FBI agents (probably with the approval of America’s corrupt Dept. of Justice) raided former Pres. Trump’s house (Mar-a-Lago) in Florida.

As I see it, Democrats (under the influence of the Shadow Government) are transitioning the U.S. into the New World Order (one-world government), and they will stop at nothing to destroy anyone that stands in their way (even a former Pres. of the U.S.).

People that haven’t truly accepted Jesus as their Saviour, especially unsaved people that have joined the Church, need to realize that when the New World Order (world government) comes into power, they will obey that government or be killed.

The extremists that have taken over the U.S. do not intend to be removed from office.

Trump is not the only person they hate. They also hate the 75 million people that voted for him. If you think they won’t come after you, ponder what they have done to the Jan. 6 patriots.

Remember that they did nothing to the Antifa and Black Lives Matter arsonists and looters. Ponder what they have done to Gen. Michael Flynn, Steve Bannon, Peter Navarro, Roger Stone, Rudy Giuliani, Jeffrey Clark, protesters at school board meeting, etc.
Remember that they did nothing to Hillary Clinton and Hunter Biden. FBI agents had time to go to Mar-a-Lago and go through Melania Trump’s clothes. But they haven’t had time to go through Hunter Biden’s Laptop from Hell.
Several officials have said there are not enough millionaires and billionaires in America to need 87,000 more IRS agents. But they plan to start using a digital currency that can be tracked, and they need 87,000 IRS agents to track all of your buying and selling.

Some in the FBI and DOJ are corrupt and should be prosecuted.

The chance of an honest election is looking slim.

Nine, concerning a digital currency: on Aug. 10, 2022, it was reported that Pres. Biden has signed an executive order to develop a “Digital Dollar” (sometimes called a Central Bank Digital Currency—CBDC).

One investor called it “a step toward the end of cash.” It will allow the government to track your buying and selling and force you to obey by freezing your bank account.

This is truly a sign that history is approaching the Tribulation Period.

Finally, are you Rapture Ready?

If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this.

duck_daymond@yahoo.com