Greetings in the majestic name of Jesus, the Lord of hosts.  Wow, what a summer!  Since my last newsletter, former President Trump was shot on the campaign trail.  President Biden, who was “all in” to run for a second term, suddenly declares he is not fit to run the country; he states someone else would be better and drops out of the race.  Israel has contained the threat of Hamas in Gaza and has now turned its focus of retaliation to the attacks of Hezbollah in Lebanon, which may include Iran.  Ukraine has invaded Russia and has advanced close to one of its nuclear facilities, taking prisoners along the way. London is being overrun with Muslim mobs rioting in the streets with knives and machetes.  In India, Hindus are also being massacred by Muslims.  I could go into all these and how they pertain to Bible Prophecy; however, allow me to encourage you in these days.

Thus says the LORD: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the LORD.  For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see when good comes, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited.”    —Jeremiah 17:5-6 

We must not be like the man Jeremiah talks about.  So, let me tell you some good news.  People are getting healed, saved, and delivered by the power of Jesus Christ.  In recent meetings, I’ve seen young and older people getting filled with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongue.  This is an equipping of power for the believer—the power to be led, comforted, built up, and made stronger by God.  Also, this manifestation of the Spirit is to be a witness of God and His Son, Jesus.  Your trust must not be in what you see in these Last Days.  News outlets are so corrupt with an antichrist spirit that they cannot be trusted.  Artificial intelligence (AI) has grown so sophisticated it can create video and audio recordings that sound and look just like you are saying and doing things you would never do or say.

The Bible is true, and perilous times are upon us.  Wicked people and deceivers are growing worse and worse with a greater ability to carry out their deception. We can no longer trust in man to get the truth.  Jesus said, “I am the way, THE TRUTH, and the life”(John 14:6).  When Jesus prophesied about His coming and the end of the Age, the first and, therefore, most important thing Jesus mentioned was deception.

So, how do we keep from being deceived?  By being found in Him (Phil. 3:9).  But, how do we get in Him?  First, to be born again (2 Cor. 5:17).  Second, Jesus is the Word made flesh; therefore, to be in Him is to be in His Word (John 1:1).  This includes not only the letter of the Word (reading your Bible) but the Spirit of the Word, who is the Holy Spirit; it takes both to avoid deception.  I’m talking about a very close, intimate relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The “religious” and very elect called of God can be deceived if they do not stay in a close, constant relationship with God through the Word and the Spirit.  Jesus says,

“For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”    — Matthew 24:24 

This verse mentions great signs and wonders that AI and technology is making available.  Deception grows to its climax during the Tribulation Period when the false prophet appears to make an image come to life and causes (what seems) to be fire from heaven.  This tells me that one of our primary senses, the eyes, is not as reliable today when determining the truth.  The Apostle Paul states:

While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.  For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.  —2 Corinthians 4:18 

This is a powerful verse of Scripture for End-Time believers, and it deals directly with faith.  Bible faith is the substance of things not seen (Heb. 11:1).  It is the truth of what really lies out there in the future.  Truth has to be known, and to be known, it must be received; to be received, truth must be preached or spoken (Rom. 10:14).  Truth creates faith that is the substance that produces the fulfillment of every promise of God.  “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17).

The prevention of deception is an intimate relationship with the Word and Spirit. Without knowledge of the Word (the Truth), you cannot access the faith or substance you need in order to see God’s promises come to pass.  You must know for yourself from the Word and Spirit that Jesus has already healed, delivered, and sent you free . . . that your every supply is Jehovah Jireh (the Lord, my provider).  I suppose the question is this: Is the world you are living in, the world that you see?  Or, do you believe and look for the kingdom that God promised you could live in?

This brings us back to Jeremiah.  Are you looking for God’s goodness to manifest in your life, or do you trust that the things of this world will make you happy and successful?  The world I see is growing darker and darker (according to Isaiah chapter 60).  At the same time, the world I live in is getting brighter and brighter because I can see Jesus is coming soon!  Like Peter walking on the water, he saw Jesus and called out to Him (Matt. 14:25-29).  Jesus said, “Come.”  When Peter heard the Word, believed the Word, and acted on the Word, he walked on the water; he did the impossible until he took his eyes off of Jesus.  Stay focused on Jesus, the Word, and the Spirit; when you do, impossible events will come to pass because of your faith.

Regardless of who leads our nation, we pray for them that we might live a quiet and peaceful life in all godliness and reverence (1 Tim. 2:2).  That’s a promise, although that peace may not be what we “see” around us.  In fact, it could be far from what we see; however, no one can steal the peace that Jesus gives us.  So, do not let your hearts be troubled.

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat [trouble] comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.”  —Jeremiah 17:7-8 

Remember Jesus is Coming Soon! Be Ready!