The Power of God :: By Daymond Duck

Before I get started, I have read several articles lately that said Microsoft Outlook’s e-mail system had been hacked.

I have also received calls and e-mails from people saying they received an e-mail from me that they could not open.

I answer lots of e-mails every day, but I did not send the e-mails in question, and I do not know how to stop that from happening. (I advise everyone not to open an e-mail from me unless you are reasonably sure that I sent it.)

Moving on, in one of the most famous passages of Scripture, Paul said, “the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive shall be caught up [Raptured] together with them in the clouds” (I Thess. 4:16-17).

Here are some Scriptures about the resurrection of the dead:

  • Jesus was raised from the dead according to the Scriptures. Paul said, “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (I Cor. 15:3-4).
  • Job believed God would raise him with a new body. He said, “And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me” (Job 19:26-27).
  • Abraham believed God would raise Isaac from the dead. He took Isaac to Mount Moriah to kill him as a sacrifice, and when he got close, he told those that were with him, “I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you” (Gen. 22:5). The writer of Hebrews said Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac because he believed “that God was able to raise him (Isaac) up, even from the dead” (Heb. 11:17-19).
  • Joseph probably believed God would raise him from the dead because he wanted his bones to be buried in Israel, so “Moses took the bones of Joseph with him: for he [Joseph] had straitly sworn the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you; and ye shall carry up my bones away hence with you(Ex. 13:19).
  • David believed in the resurrection of the dead. He said, “my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption” (Psa. 16:9-10). Peter said, “He [David] seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses” (Acts 2:31-32).
  • Isaiah believed God will raise the dead. Concerning Israel, he said, “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise” (Isa. 26:19).
  • Hosea believed God will bring people out of the grave. He quoted God as saying, “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes” (Hos. 13:14; see also I Cor. 15:55-57).
  • Daniel believed in the resurrection of the body. He said, “And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Dan. 12:2).
  • Jesus taught that the dead will be raised. He said, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” (Jn. 5:28-29).
  • Matthew said many people were raised from the dead when Jesus was raised. “And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many” (Matt. 27:52-53).
  • Paul said he and many others saw the resurrected Jesus. “He [Jesus] was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time (I Cor. 15:5-8).

Those that do not believe in the resurrection and Rapture err because they do not know the Scriptures or the power of God (Matt. 22:29).

One, on May 29, 2020, Pres. Trump withdrew the U.S. from the World Health Organization (WHO) and stopped U.S. funding.

Leaked secret WHO documents show that the WHO believed China was covering up its involvement in the spread of Covid.

Trump accused the WHO of cooperating with the coverup.

Trump said the WHO was receiving about $450 million dollars a year from the U.S., about $40 million dollars a year from China, and the WHO was acting as a spokesperson for the Chinese government.

On Mar. 3, 2021, it was reported that the Biden administration has just sent $200 million to the WHO despite the fact that neither the WHO nor China has done anything to punish those that helped spread Covid.

Biden is reversing Trump’s withdrawal from the coming world government.

Two, concerning the coming global economic collapse: Biden killed more than 11,000 jobs when he stopped construction on the Keystone Pipeline; the U.S. Chamber of Commerce believes he will kill about 6.5 million more jobs with his reentry into the Paris Climate Change Accords; the new Congressional Covid Relief bill will pay cities and states to keep the lockdowns going (more lost jobs); his open border with Mexico is allowing thousands of unemployed people to enter the U.S. (free healthcare, free vaccinations, free food, free travel, stimulus checks, etc.); the cost of food and gasoline for legal citizens is rising; and America’s debt is approaching the $28 trillion mark.

Some financial analysts say the markets are showing signs of alarm over inflation, but Biden’s Treasury Sec. says she knows how to handle it.

World government, famine and economic collapse are coming (but the Rapture comes first).

Three, concerning the latter years and latter days Battle of Gog and Magog, in the last 2 weeks:

  • A Libyan oil tanker named the Emerald dumped an estimated 150 or more tons of tar and contaminated waste into the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Israel that polluted more than 90 miles of Israeli shoreline. A two-week investigation concluded that the Libyan tanker originated in Iran, was destined for Syria, and the pollutants were deliberately dumped near Israel.
  • There was an explosion on both sides of an Israeli-owned cargo ship coming out of Saudi Arabia in the Gulf of Oman. The ship and cargo were damaged, but the ship did not sink. Israel blamed the explosions on Iran.
  • An Iranian-backed militia in Iraq fired at least 10 rockets at a U.S. base in Iraq that killed a U.S. citizen.
  • Iranian-backed Houthis fired rockets at Saudi Arabia almost every day.
  • Iran threatened to destroy Tel Aviv and Haifa in Israel if Israel attacks Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Iran appears to be getting more aggressive since Biden took office.

Four, concerning a departing from the faith and apostasy: in Feb. 2019, Pope Francis announced plans to build the “Abrahamic Family House” in Abu Dhabi.

The “Abrahamic Family House” will have a Church, a Synagogue, and a Mosque (separate places of worship for Christians, Jews and Muslims), and it will have a fourth place for people of all religions to come together as one body.

Readers should know that many prophecy teachers (including this writer) believe the Bible teaches that a godless world religion will be located at the site of the ancient city of Babylon at the end of the age (Zech. 5:1-11; Rev. 17-18)).

On Mar. 6, 2021, Pope Frances was in Iraq (the only Pope to ever visit the land of Babylon, the cradle of civilization.).

The purpose of his trip is to promote peace, coexistence, and brotherhood among all religions.

He spoke to Christians, Muslims, and Jews at the ancient city of Ur (original home of Abraham before God called him to move to Israel).

Francis prayed for peace, but there was no mention of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.

Worship without Jesus is worthless, and prayer in the name of other gods sounds like what is going on in the U.S. House of Representatives.

We have reached the point where the U.S. government is ignoring Jesus, the Pope is ignoring Jesus, and according to the Bible, the Antichrist and False Prophet will ignore Jesus.

Anyway, Francis appears to be trying to unite the world’s religions around Abraham (not Jesus).

Some call this new religion Chrislam because it is an effort to merge the faiths of Christianity, Israel, and Islam.

Those that support this new religion will have to abandon or change many of their beliefs (but Jesus is the only way to be saved).

This could be the rise of MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH (Rev. 17:5).

During the Tribulation Period, the Antichrist and False Prophet will persecute and kill those that do not go along with Babylon’s harlot religion.

God will respond by calling 144,000 Jewish evangelists, Two Witnesses, and an angel to preach the gospel to everyone on earth.

Realize as you are reading this that the Bible teaches that the global false religion will locate at Babylon when Israel is back in the land, Jerusalem has been rebuilt, the world government will have the ability to track all buying and selling, there will be global pandemics, etc. These conditions are appearing today.

Know too that the Bible story of Abraham is about calling out one man to start a religion to bring forth the Messiah (Jesus), and it has absolutely nothing to do with uniting the religions or creating a one-world religion that replaces faith in Jesus with faith in false gods.

Here is one more thing that caught my attention: While in Iraq, Pope Francis met with Iraq’s Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani (in a secure location about 35 miles from where the ancient city of Babylon was located).

An Iraqi analyst said, “Both the pope and Ayatollah are renouncing violence and killing, and both would like mankind to live in peace, security (peace and safety) and faith.”

The Tribulation Period will begin when world leaders declare peace and safety.

Finally, if you want to 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.

Prophecy Plus Ministries, Inc.

Daymond Duck

duck_daymond@yahoo.com

My Faith Looks Up to Thee :: By Nathele Graham 

I’ve always loved hymns. When I was a child, I sang the words each Sunday and tried to memorize all the verses. It wasn’t until I was older that I really began to pay attention to the words and appreciate the message in the great hymns. In times of testing, it’s easy to turn away from God, and many people do. On the other hand, those times of testing can strengthen our faith. All of us have faced struggles and heartache, and the longer we live, the more we endure. Christians should never lose faith.

“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin of which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2).

Jesus gave His life for us, and faith in Him gives us strength to keep going.

Faith is the conviction of the truth of something. Sometimes faith is misplaced, such as if we put our faith in the whims of mankind instead of the truth of God. For a Christian, faith means we believe in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We have faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our sins are forgiven, and eternal life is ours. When we place our faith in Him, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit.

“That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:12-1 4).

This faith is not misplaced. Our faith looks up and finds peace with God.

Sometimes we get weighed down with the cares of life and forget to lean on our faith to see us through the trials. Have you ever come to the place in your life when you felt far from God? Have you felt as if your prayers fell to the floor rather than rising to the Throne of Grace? Faith tells us that no matter what we feel, God is always there. He hears all our prayers, and by faith we need to accept His answer, whether we understand His answer or not. God’s answers may not be exactly what we asked Him for, but He always knows best.

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation” (Isaiah 12:2).

By faith we need to trust and accept His answers to our prayer.

“My Faith Looks Up to Thee” by Ray Palmer

My faith looks up to Thee

Thou Lamb of Calvary

Saviour divine!

Now hear me while I pray

Take all my guilt away

O let me from this day

Be wholly Thine.

By faith we believe that Jesus was God incarnate. He entered His creation and gave His life for us. He shed His blood for our salvation. John the Baptist recognized this fact. “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). 

Jesus was crucified on the cross at Calvary as the perfect sacrificial lamb. Only God’s pure blood could take sin away. If you’ve accepted His death, burial, and resurrection, then your sins are forgiven. Your prayers are heard by God, but the answers may not be what you want. When God doesn’t do our will, we need to remember that God’s ways are perfect, and if your prayer isn’t answered in the way you want, it only means that God knows more about the situation than you do. Instead of getting angry with God, give yourself fully to Him and be sure that you are living within His will. By faith we need to trust Him to know what’s best.

May thy rich grace impart

Strength to my fainting heart,

My zeal inspire;

As Thou has died for me,

O may my love to Thee

Pure, warm, and changeless be,

A living fire.

Christians cannot let our faith grow cold. The world today is in a crisis. The headlines are bleak, and if you’ve studied Biblical prophecy, you know it’s not going to get better. We are moving quickly towards the end of days, and the Rapture is on the near horizon. As the days grow darker, Satan’s useless plan to undermine God’s truth seems to be winning. Remember, those of us who know Christ as our Saviour have hope.

“In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God” (Psalm 62:7).

Can the heathen boast of that?

King David lived long before Jesus walked this earth, but he still understood that his strength originated from God. In faith David looked forward to the promise of the coming Saviour.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Hebrews 11:2-3).

When we begin to believe worldly lies instead of Godly truth, our faith becomes a dead faith. Our joy disappears, and our zeal for Christ diminishes. Many Christians are looking for worldwide revival of faith. Has this revival happened in your own life? Don’t wait for it to happen to others, but surrender yourself to Jesus now. Let the fire of the Holy Spirit shine through you and guide your ways. Study Scripture and conform your life to God’s guidance. You just might spark a revival in yourself and the people around you.

While life’s dark maze I tread,

And griefs around me spread,

Be Thou my guide;

Bid darkness turn to day,

Wipe sorrow’s tears away,

Nor let me ever stray

From Thee aside.

It’s easy to see that the darkness in this world is spreading fast. Satan seems to be laying traps for Christians in order for us to stumble in the dark. Temptations, disease, fear, war, death, natural disasters, and much more can cause us to lose sight of what’s important. Our faith in Jesus Christ needs to be our focus. Instead of getting lost in the dark, follow Jesus, who is the Light of the world. He will lead you along the right way.

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).

Follow Jesus and allow Him to lead you through the dark maze in this life and into the light of His presence. There will always be sorrows and distractions, but the more you place your faith in Jesus Christ, the easier it will be to find the joy of salvation even in tough times.

When ends life’s transient dream,

When death’s cold, sullen stream

Shall o’er me roll,

Blest Savior, then, in love,

Fear and distrust remove;

O bear me safe above a ransomed soul.

We don’t like to think about death, but it will come to all of us one day. Every person is just one heartbeat away from death. Do you fear death? Do you fear it because you don’t know where you’ll spend eternity? If you haven’t accepted Christ for salvation, then you have every reason to fear. If you have truly accepted His sacrifice for your salvation, then you’ll spend eternity with Him, and you have nothing to fear. We all sin, but through the blood of Jesus, all our sin is forgiven. If you’ve been moving away from Him, then you need to ask His forgiveness and draw closer to Him. The grace of Jesus Christ offers salvation.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9).

It’s the righteousness of Jesus Christ, not our own, that allows us to find salvation. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do all you can to move away from the sin in your life. We sin daily, but His grace covers us. The way you live is evidence of your love for Jesus. His death on the cross is evidence of His love for you. Look up to Him in faith and conform your lifestyle to Him.

I never truly appreciated this hymn until I had faced many of life’s trials. It’s when troubles and sorrow enter our life that we learn to trust Jesus by faith. Events of a day, a week, or a year can test our faith to its limits, but peace in times of conflict comes only from faith in God. Instead of blaming God for the trouble we face, turn to Him in humble prayer. That’s when the trials of the day become easier to bear. We live in a time of great turmoil which can easily turn to fear. Confusion and fear are not from God.

“For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints” (1 Corinthians 14:33).

Whether it’s within our worship services, world events, or in our own life, God has not caused the turmoil and confusion but has given us a way to find His peace. Faith in Jesus Christ will bring peace in such times. Standing upon His promise of salvation through faith will bring peace that only can come for God.

“According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death” (Philippians 1:20).

In Christ there is no fear. My faith looks up to my Lord and Saviour to see me through the dark maze of this fallen world. In Him there is nothing to fear. May that faith be real to you.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

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

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