Today's Study will be very different from our usual sermons, but one of absolute importance in our Christian walk, our understanding of the world in which we live, our understanding of how God is working through Israel, and how Satan is cleverly working on Israel, and the world to bring about the Times of the End. So many well-meaning Christians are completely oblivious to the truths of current event because of the ignorance and even purposeful lies being parroted around the world. So many people are uncertain of the reasons behind all of the current events in Israel and Gaza today. So many people are rapidly turning against Israel because of the current military retaliation in the Gaza Strip. So many people blame Israel for the conflict—allegedly, because of their mistreatment of Palestinians and especially their “occupation" of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank Territories. We will take a look at some of the history and see the truth of this situation today from some of the most unbiased and completely informed sources, rather than from tainted and distorted opinions which are being screamed loudly around the world in the largest, quickest anti-Semitic growth the world has known since the Holocaust.

Israel is at war. Here is a portion of the address to Israel from their Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday morning: "Citizens of Israel, we are at WAR. Not in an operation or in rounds, but at war... I have ordered an extensive mobilization of reserves and that we return fire of a magnitude that the enemy has not known. The enemy will pay an unprecedented price... We are at war and we will win it." Hamas, one of two major political parties in Palestine—which governs more than 2 million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip—is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the U.S., the E.U., Canada, Egypt, and Japan, and is part of a regional alliance offering them support, composed of Iran, Syria, and the Shi'ite Islamist group Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hamas conducted a massive ‘surprise attack’ on Israel during a major Jewish holiday (Feast of Tabernacles) and on a Sabbath at 6:30am—which they have called "The Al-Aqsa Flood/Storm" (Hamas is angry over Jews praying at Temple Mount). This attack coming almost 50 years, to the day with the 1973 Yom Kippur Attack against Israel (Oct. 6, 1973). The attack consisted of: a barrage of more than 5000 rockets overwhelming and confusing the "Iron Dome" anti-rocket system, and a coordinated ground attack launching from land, sea and air; took out 50 Israeli outposts along the border and made way for 1000 enemy terrorists to rush in—with over 100 soldiers, commanders, and civilians being murdered in their homes and taken hostage by the terrorists. Men, women and children were paraded on main road, dead bodies paraded on main road. Latest available updated tell us over 300 killed, over 1450 wounded (October 8, 2023)—the most civilian casualties in one day since rebirth of Israel. Israel has notified the U.S. that they will conduct a "prolonged and powerful campaign" deemed, "Operation Iron Sword" to destroy this threat.

I just want to start out point blank with where we are going today. We are not meant to know the day or hour of Jesus' return, but He did not give us hundreds of prophecies about the events of the Last Days so we would be blind to His works; so we would be blind to the days we are living in. There have been alarmists in every generation believing they were seeing the events of the Last Days. Some were honest enough to recognize the end could not come unless Israel was home. We have seen this incredible return of Israel from every corner of the world in our time. We cannot know the day or the hour of His return, but we can see certain objective facts which undeniably say He is close at the door. Jesus warned us not to be lackadaisical about His coming, but watching, vigilant, ready. I want us to stop for a moment and take in the snowballing events around us today and look up.

Last study we had a life-changing talk...About how God's Greatest Desire is not just…
To have a Saved believer...But that His Ultimate Goal...Is to have real, intimate connection with us RIGHT NOW!
 
THAT... Is the SOLE reason we were Created! Today's Study will have no impact on you...
If you do not truly grasp that FACT! So, please go back to last weeks Study if you missed it!
 
If you embraced the Truth of last week's Study...Of just how deeply God Wants to know you better NOW! The OBVIOUS NEXT QUESTION has to be..."HOW do I make that happen?"
Some would answer by saying, "I have tried to be closer to God for years..And it's never happened!.. Is it even possible?!"

We all have a lot of distractions!...But, even though we all obviously WANT to be here...It is so easy to be distracted with others in service...So easy to be distracted with thoughts in our heads...So easy to be completely focused on everything...
But why we are really here!
 
In every one of our lives... Everyday...God Wants our focus... Our attention... Our closeness... Our reverence...We’re too busy, distracted, self-focused, uninterested...
Or honestly... Too lacking in desire...To ever stop... And completely, totally be given to HIM!