Habakkuk 1:5 Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. -LORD God
I know it’s important to have a good reputation, but we sometimes worry so much about it that we aren’t truly being ourselves. Worrying what others think can keep you from being yourself. It keeps you from being confident. It keeps you from being happy. The quote “What God knows about me is more important than what others think about me” is something we all need to remember. You can’t be happy if you are constantly trying to protect your image or reputation. Just be you & the right ones will love you for it.
Proverbs 29:25 It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you, but if you trust the Lord, you are safe.
Daniel 11:40 At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack him…
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: The Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, has declared war on terrorism. The king in waiting has promised to “wipe terrorists from the face of the earth”.
“Beyond the killing of innocent people and the spread of hatred, terrorism and extremism distort the image of our religion.” -Mohammed bin Salman (MBS)
The prince (MBS) is the Saudi Defense Minister. MBS founded the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition in 2015. Some have dubbed this group as the “Arab NATO”. There are 41 countries that comprise the coalition. The group is primarily a Sunni Muslim organization. Some of the countries included are Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Afghanistan, Uganda, Somalia, Mauritania, Lebanon, Libya, Yemen and Turkey. Excluded is the Shia country Iran and its allies from Iraq and Syria.
The purpose of the alliance is to “mobilize and coordinate the use of resources, facilitate the exchange of information and help member countries build their own counter-terrorism capacity.” Pakistani General Raheel Sharif, Commander in Chief.
Granted, MBS is not a king at this time. He is promised to be the next king of Saudi Arabia. Multiple stories have emerged stating he is to be appointed king any day.
The crown prince has found favor with the United States and President Donald Trump. The Saudis have recently signed a $110 billion arms agreement to modernize their military.
Mohammed bin Salman is the youngest Defense Minister in the world at age 32. MBS is also in charge of the country’s oil industry. Self-control and temperament are considerations. He is known as a military hawk. He has already engaged in a war of words with Iran. MBS is strongly opposed to the expansion of the Shia brand of Islam supported by Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
For their part, Iran sees the young crown prince and his leadership group as “idiots”.
“We are a primary target for the Iranian regime…We won’t wait for the battle to be in Saudi Arabia. Instead, we’ll work so that the battle is for them in Iran,” Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi king in waiting.
Is the crown prince the promised king of the South per Daniel 11:40? He has recently consolidated his power. MBS arrested family members along with local authorities in the name of government corruption. At age 32, it appears bin Salman is going to be around for a while. MBS does merit our attention considering the times we live.
Time will tell…
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Matthew 24:6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. -Jesus
Developing Story…
North Korea appears to have launched a ballistic missile in the direction of Japan. Multiple reports are beginning to surface. The missile allegedly was fired from a submarine and was airborne for approximately 50 minutes. The missile is reported to have landed in the Sea of Japan economic zone.
Ballistic results are now indicating the entire continental United States is now in range of the North Korean missile program. Defense Secretary Mattis of the United States reports North Korea can threaten any region in the world.
South Korea has responded with its own ballistic missile test.
MORE: South Korean military conducted a "joint missile precision target drill into the East Sea" in response to North Korean missile launch. https://t.co/3S8l7oenTB
Revelation 3:8 I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
For those who need a reminder, Jesus “knows”. In this case, the word is οἶδα/oida. Defined by Strong’s, it means to remember or appreciate. Literally, it is to see with our physical eyes. Jesus is literally watching us with His eyes. And by watching, He mentally gets where we are spiritually by our works.
Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. Christ is reminding believers He is ultimately in control. This is a continuation of the concept from Revelation 3:7. This concept has its origins in the Old Testament. Isaiah 22:22 is an example. Jesus is authority. He holds the keys.
I know that you have but little power…The word for “know” in this case is ἔχω/echo in the Greek. It means: to hold or possess.
The church in Philadelphia possessed little power. Little or μικρός/micros is the idea. This is where we get the prefix of a microscope in English.
The Greek word for “power” is δύναμις/dunamis. The word defined: might, force, energy, physical power, or marvelous works. We get the English word “dynamite” from this Greek word.
Christ described His miracles as δύναμις/dunamis.
Matthew 11:20-21 Then He began to denounce the cities in which most of His miracles were done, because they did not repent.“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon which occurred in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes…” -Jesus
Believers in Philadelphia had a little dynamite. We need reminding today. We can pack a punch in Christ’s name.
…you have kept my word…The church at Philadelphia watched and guarded His λόγος/logos or word. The Word is synonymous with His name. Jesus Christ is the Word of God.
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Believers in Jesus are charged to guard and protect His Word, the Bible.
…have not denied my name. The Greek word for “name” is ὄνομα/onoma. Per Strong’s, it can be translated as: name, character, fame, or reputation. The “name” is used for everything which the “name” covers, everything the thought or feeling of which is aroused in the mind by mentioning, hearing, remembering, the “name”.
The character and essence of Christ are at stake. He is watching and paying attention to the individual believer. Will you defend and stand up for the character of Jesus?
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Ezekiel 38:1-3 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him and say, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.
Ezekiel 38:5 Persia, Ethiopia and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet…
Ezekiel 38:6 Gomer and all his hordes; Beth-Togarmah from the uttermost parts of the north with all his hordes—many peoples are with you.
These are the modern day countries of Russia, Iran, and Turkey. For a detailed study of each ancient name and correlation to the 21st century country, see the links below. These articles were posted on Trey Smith’s God in a Nutshell project.
November 22, 2017, Sochi, Russia: President Vladimir Putin welcomed Turkey’s Recep Erdogan and Iran’s Hassan Rouhani for a summit. The goal was peace in the Syrian civil war. All three leaders are in favor of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad maintaining power.
“The militants in Syria (ISIS) have sustained a decisive blow and now there is a realistic chance to end the multi-year civil war,” per Vladimir Putin.
A follow up meeting is scheduled for December in Russia. The goal is to pave the way for a Syrian constitution which would include presidential term limits. Assad’s previous time as president would not be included in future term limit discussions.
It appears Russia, Iran, and Turkey will be the primary actors in rebuilding Syria.
The United Nations is complaining that Putin is interrupting the “peace process” in Syria. The United States and the European Union were not part of the discussions. Vladimir Putin is establishing himself as the dominant power broker on the world stage.
Later the same day, the following statement was made by Vladimir Putin. The Russian president placed all Russian companies (public and private) on alert. Prepare for a “rapid transition to war time operations”.
“I would like to note that the ability of any economy to rapidly increase the output of defense products and services when it is needed is one of the most important conditions of the nation’s military security. All strategic and… large enterprises must be ready for this.” -Russian President Vladimir Putin
Ezekiel’s gang is together as promised. If the prophesied time and events are approaching, more troops from the three countries will pour into Syria near the Golan Heights. Are we watching Gog of Magog take the lead?
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Leviticus 7:12 If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the thanksgiving sacrifice unleavened loaves mixed with oil, unleavened wafers smeared with oil, and loaves of fine flour well mixed with oil.
This is the first time the word “thanksgiving” is used in the Bible. “Thanksgiving” is mentioned before “thanks”. Thanksgiving is the Hebrew word todah. The issue is an attitude of the heart.
Psalms 107:1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
This is the Hebrew word yadah. It means to throw or cast. So throw it to the Lord. Laud and praise.
1 Timothy 4:3-4 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving…
In the New Testament, the Greek word is εὐχαριστία/eucharistia. Translated literally, it is the giving of thanks for God’s grace or good grace. The word means: thankfulness or gratitude.
It is the perfect word for the verses out of 1 Timothy 4. Get the legalism and all the rules out of your life. Invite God’s grace. Be thankful for what God has provided and respond with a heart of gratitude.
The point is…God is the source. And that needs to be recognized.
Romans 14:6 He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God.
May this Thanksgiving find you, your family, and friends with many blessings.
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Be thankful everyday. Show your thankfulness to others with appreciation for them. Give thanks to God every day for what he provides for you. Count your blessings instead of your wants. A thankful heart is a happy heart.
Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts , to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
Colossians 4:2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
Philemon 1:4 I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers.
Revelation 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.
Pηιλαδελπηεια/philadelphos: “Brotherly love” in the original Greek (Strong’s Concordance).
Philadelphia is a city of Lydia in Asia Minor. It is located near the eastern base of Mount Tmolus approximately 25 miles southeast of Sardis. Historically, the city has been hit by multiple significant earthquakes. This is the modern day city of Allah-Shehr, Turkey. To the Muslim, this means “city of God”.
Jesus Christ is going to define a couple aspects of His character.
Holy or ἅγιος/hagios: It means set apart by (or for) God, holy, sacred. Jesus Christ is different.
True or ἀληθινός/aléthinos: It literally means made of truth. Substantially true, real, or genuine. Jesus Christ is the real deal. He is the essence and integrity of truth.
Definitions provided by Strong’s Concordance.
…the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens.
The remainder of the verse is a reference to Isaiah 22:22 And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.
In ancient times, officials in charge would literally carry keys tied to a kerchief on their shoulder. Who knows, we may see Jesus with keys tied to his shoulder at some point in the future.
Figuratively, Jesus is the sole authority in charge of the kingdom of Israel. The kingdom lineage goes through the line of David. Responsibility and burden of leadership goes through Him. Christ has the ultimate say and He is control. His decisions are final and He is ultimately responsible.
The same concept is communicated by Jesus to His disciples within the context of the church. Believers or church members will be fellow heirs in the kingdom.
Matthew 16:19 “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Oh, it is coming…
Isaiah 9:6-7 For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.
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Exodus 27:20 You shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may regularly be set up to burn.
The Sanhedrin is preparing oil for the menorah in a future third Temple. They are practicing the production of the olive oil should the third Temple be built. The rabbis state a Temple is not necessary to begin using the oil. Moving the menorah to the Temple Mount would be sufficient.
The olives come from trees on the previous West Bank settlement of Amona. The location is north east of Ramallah. This is the same Amona where 3,000 Jewish settlers were evicted and their homes destroyed. Amona was erased in early 2017. But the olive trees remain.
The olives are hand pressed and drip for many days. Workers use plastic hammers on a marble surface. The workers wear surgical masks and latex gloves. The process is completed outdoors with an open sky.
Even though the olive trees are located in the West Bank, the olive trees bear witness to ownership of the land for the Jewish people. This concept is per the prophet Amos.
Amos 9:14-15 I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them,” says the LORD your God.
“God presses Israel just like we press the olives. It appears the olive is destroyed, but what is actually happening is the bitterness is being removed and the oil, the sweetness, is being saved and purified to send light into the world.” -Rabbi Hillel Weiss, Sanhedrin Spokesman
More detail and pictures of the olive oil process are provided in the link below.
Exodus 25:31-38 You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The lampstand shall be made of hammered work: its base, its stem, its cups, its calyxes, and its flowers shall be of one piece with it. And there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on one branch, and three cups made like almond blossoms, each with calyx and flower, on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. And on the lampstand itself there shall be four cups made like almond blossoms, with their calyxes and flowers, and a calyx of one piece with it under each pair of the six branches going out from the lampstand. Their calyxes and their branches shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it a single piece of hammered work of pure gold. You shall make seven lamps for it. And the lamps shall be set up so as to give light on the space in front of it. Its tongs and their trays shall be of pure gold. It shall be made, with all these utensils, out of a talent of pure gold.
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Ezekiel 38:1-2 The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal…
Ezekiel 38:5 Persia, Ethiopia and Put with them, all of them with shield and helmet…
Ezekiel 39:2 And I will turn you about and drive you forward, and bring you up from the uttermost parts of the north, and lead you against the mountains of Israel.
November 15, 2017: Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has publically stated Iranian troops are staying in southern Syria. Per the Interfax news agency, Iran is “legitimately” involved in Syria.
What is very concerning to Israel is the alleged construction of an Iranian military base. The reported base is less than 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Israel’s Golan Heights border. The location is believed to be 14 kilometers (8 miles) south of Damascus near el-Kiswah.
The context of the discussion was a cease fire agreement in southern Syria which was brokered by Russia, Jordan, and the United States. The U.S. was under the impression Iranian backed troops would be removed from Syria. Russia’s comments are counter to the Americans.
Russia sees itself clearly in charge of the happenings in Syria. Lavrov went on to the further comment.
“We’ve just stated the fact that there is Russian and Iranian legitimate presence on the invitation of the legitimate government [on the Syrian territory] and we have also stated the fact of the illegitimate presence of the coalition created by the United States, which is carrying out military actions, including unilateral ones.”
“To seek withdrawal from the line of contact of non-Syrian groups, which are currently present in this very complicated Syrian region, yes, this was agreed upon. But this is a two way street and if one looks at who is the most dangerous, they are those who are under the care of the United States.” -Sergey Lavrov, Russia Foreign Minister.
Israel has vowed to defend its safety. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued the following statement.
“Iran is scheming to entrench itself in Syria. They want to create a permanent air, land and sea military presence. We are not going to agree to that. I have said very clearly that Israel will work to stop this, and we must all work together to stop Iran’s aggression and its pursuit of nuclear weapons. If we stand together we will achieve it. But, if we have to, we will stand alone. Iran will not get nuclear weapons, it will not turn Syria into a military base against Israel.” -B. Netanyahu, Israel PM
In ancient times, officials in charge would literally carry keys tied to a kerchief on their shoulder. Who knows, we may see Jesus with keys tied to his shoulder at some point in the future.
