Monthly Archives: December 2019

Baptist, News

Carols @ Convention

The Carols @ Convention community event for 2019 was a great success which saw 550 people from the local community coming together to celebrate the Christmas season.

Belgrave Carols

The event was hosted by Belgrave South Baptist Church and Hope in the Hills Community Church at Belgrave Heights Convention Centre on Saturday December 14th on a perfect summer’s night. With a family fun time in the late afternoon there were jumping castles, animal petting zoo, face painting, fairy floss, a bbq put on by the local CFA and other ‘fun’ things were put on for people of all ages. This was followed by an evening of carols singing which included musical items by local schools (incredibly talented!!!), drama and a brief talk on the hope that is found in the Christmas story.

One of the many highlights was when the SES and local CFA workers were welcomed onto the stage and thanked for their work in the community. Not only were they moved but also ‘blown away’ by the financial gift that was given to them in support of their work. 

Belgrave Carols

You could not help but be encouraged on the night to see such a large gathering of community people who were having a great time, seeing the local churches working together and also being able to share the Christmas story in a welcoming way.

We were fortunate to have the support of the BUV and are so grateful it was given in such a generous way through the community engagement grant.  On behalf of all those involved in the planning and running of the event I want to extend my sincere thanks to the BUV for its support of our community event.

Tim Dyer
Belgrave South Baptist Lead Pastor

Baptist

Carols @ Convention

The Carols @ Convention community event for 2019 was a great success which saw 550 people from the local community coming together to celebrate the Christmas season.

Belgrave Carols

The event was hosted by Belgrave South Baptist Church and Hope in the Hills Community Church at Belgrave Heights Convention Centre on Saturday December 14th on a perfect summer’s night. With a family fun time in the late afternoon there were jumping castles, animal petting zoo, face painting, fairy floss, a bbq put on by the local CFA and other ‘fun’ things were put on for people of all ages. This was followed by an evening of carols singing which included musical items by local schools (incredibly talented!!!), drama and a brief talk on the hope that is found in the Christmas story.

One of the many highlights was when the SES and local CFA workers were welcomed onto the stage and thanked for their work in the community. Not only were they moved but also ‘blown away’ by the financial gift that was given to them in support of their work. 

Belgrave Carols

You could not help but be encouraged on the night to see such a large gathering of community people who were having a great time, seeing the local churches working together and also being able to share the Christmas story in a welcoming way.

We were fortunate to have the support of the BUV and are so grateful it was given in such a generous way through the community engagement grant.  On behalf of all those involved in the planning and running of the event I want to extend my sincere thanks to the BUV for its support of our community event.

Tim Dyer
Belgrave South Baptist Lead Pastor

Source: BUV News

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Culture War Part 17: The Only Solution

Culture War 17: The Only Solution to This Conflict. Like two strong weather patterns colliding over a city, or the clash of titans in a sporting arena, so we have been learning for nearly two years about the 50 + year old ‘culture war.’ This is the verbal, cultural, and political battle between the left-wing progressives and traditional values conservatives. What is at stake is nothing less than the survival of western civilisation as we know it. Yet there is more to this war than culture and politics. At its core, it is a spiritual issue and involves powerful yet unseen forces. Ephesians 6:12 is clear on this point: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. While many may be oblivious to this spirit-realm, the mature, Spirit-filled and discerning believer will be well aware and armed. In this instalment, we want to explore the solution for the culture war and how to implement it practically. That solution, dear friends, is revival. Coming from two words: viva which is life; and re’ which is again. In other words, revival means to ‘come alive again.’ If you invest time in your spiritual life, and fight battles in the heavenlies, you will fight less of them on earth. Since the ultimate solution for the culture war is a Holy Spirit revival, this can only come from a people who diligently seek after God. Revival means being ‘fully alive to God’ and yet simultaneously being ‘dead to the world.’ Read Romans 6 and 8 for a deeper perspective on this. Let’s face it: most people are the other way around – alive to the world and dead to the things of God. The only way to remedy this situation is by the new birth (John 3:3) and infilling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4; Ephesians 5:18; Jude 20). Prophecy and the prophetic help to spark revival (Ezekiel 37:1-10). Once activated, it provides a prayerful prophetic push-back against godless, rebellious, statist forces that seek to dominate the world and take the place of God in our lives. Some of the recent election upsets, where mainstream candidates won despite their underdog status, can be directly attributed to prevailing prayer. Though we know that God is above partisan politics, He will respond to the fervent prayers of the righteous (James 5:16). Components of revival include repentance, prayer, obedience, faith, and Spirit-filled living. We want to offer some practical tips, starting with this one: FIND A SECRET PLACE It is difficult, if not impossible, to become ‘revived’ in the busy beehive world that many westerners live it. What’s worse is that much of the busyness is for nothing. The classic case of overly preoccupied by the cares of this world was Martha of Bethany in Luke 10:38-42. While she was in the kitchen preparing to serve her guests, which included Jesus and probably His disciples, too, she developed a bad attitude of resentment and ‘works orientated’ righteousness. This never impresses God, even if it does people. Her sister Mary, on the other hand, had her priorities right, chose the ‘one needful thing’ to which, the Lord declared, no one could take it from her. What can we do to unwind from the hectic life and gain the divine perspective? Find a secret place, a refuge from all of life’s storms. Psalm 91 is a classic on this point Secret Place of the Most High: Psalm 91 is a classic on this point. We are invited, indeed encouraged, to dwell in the ‘secret place of the most High and abide under His shadow (91:1). Then God becomes our refuge, fortress, and God (verse 2). The Name of the Lord: The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe — Proverbs 18:10 Cave of Adullam: David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him. 2And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men. — I Samuel 22:1-2 In Adullam, David found: 1. Safety from Saul; 2. A possible place to write the psalms; 3. Became a prominent leader, especially of those who had no more future under Saul’s leadership than he had. This band became David’s ‘mighty men;’ 4. These mighty-men, who started off from Adullam, helped David prevail over the Philistines, Moabites, Edomites, Ammonites, etc. They also helped him conquer Jerusalem! When that happened, it changed history! Rehoboth: And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land — Genesis 26:22 Rehoboth, located 80 kilometres south of Beersheba, is a wonderful refuge. It provides: 1. Room; 2. Water; 3. Fruitfulness; 4. No strife. When you find your ‘secret place,’ wait on God until He speaks and empowers you for on-going service. ‘Waiting’ includes prayer, fasting, Scriptural meditation, praise, worship, devotional Bible study, and any other thing you do in order to get closer to God (James 4:8). Open up wide, be filled with the Spirit, and let Him guide you to your desired haven. Becoming and remaining Spirit-filled is the secret of on-going personal revival. TO BE CONTINUED

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

in’s Challenges Part 03: The Brexmas Landslide

Boris Johnson became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in July 2019. He had his work cut out for him. A volatile parliament was saying ‘No,’ ‘No,’ ‘No,’ to the withdrawal agreement hammered out with the European Union and UK, including members of his own party. This agreement would be the intermediate state between EU membership and full-blown ‘hard-Brexit.’ Not only was Johnson cornered regarding the ‘deal,’ he was cut off at the pass regarding a ‘no deal’ Brexit, which he did not really want but was prepared to implement if necessary.
With such an impasse, what is a political leader to do? Go to the people in an election!
The UK normally has an election every 5 years. Yet, it has had 3 elections in 4 1/2 years (yet spare a lot for Israel, which is facing 3 elections in less than 1 year). Boris Johnson was taking a gamble, since there was not only election fatigue, but it was in the winter just before Christmas. Yet, the Brexit deadline loomed for 31 January 2020, and the election was the only way to break the parliamentary deadlock. Thus, this election was dubbed ‘Brexmas.’
By American standards, the UK election campaign was mercifully short but hard-fought. The Labour opposition party was led by Jeremy Corbyn, a Marxist/socialist who has been accused of befriending terrorist organisations and ignoring anti-Semitism in his own party. Polls suggested that the race was tightening. When election day rolled around on 12 December 2019, Boris Johnson and the Conservatives won an absolute majority.
Here is the electoral map:
Conservative Party (Tories): 365 seats, an additional 47.
Labor Party: 203 seats, minus -59.
Scottish National Party (SNP – favour Scottish independence from the UK): 48 seats, +13
Liberal Democrats (LD): 11 seats -1 (their leader since July, Jo Swinson, actually lost her
seat to the SNP by around 150 votes).
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP – Northern Ireland): 8 seats, – 2
Call it a ‘landslide,’ Boris Johnson has a mandate to implement Brexit, although don’t think the extreme Remainers to give up just yet.
The only other party to gain seats was the pro-independence Scottish National Party.
Nicola Sturgeon, Scottish first minister and leader of the SNP, says they have a mandate for a second referendum for Scottish independence, though the ‘once-in-a-generation’ independence referendum was only held in 2014. Sturgeon said the election results proved that Scotland did not want a Boris Johnson government and that he had ‘no mandate’ to take Scotland out of the EU.
While Scotland is immensely important, at this moment, Brexit takes centre stage.
Like every other recent election where the stakes were very high, this one was bathed in persistent, prevailing prayer. While God does not belong to any political party, He will answer fervent effectual prayers of righteous people accomplishes much (James 5:16). In essence, prayer is like a ‘vote in heaven,’ which will affect votes on earth.
The Resilient Nation
At the 75th Anniversary of the Allied D-Day Landing in Normandy, France of 6 June 1944,
which was the beginning of the end of Nazi rule and World War II, in the presence of US President Donald Trump and other dignitaries, the Queen commented that her war-time contemporaries were ‘a resilient generation.’ The same description could apply to the UK as a whole. Keeping this adjective in mind, what is the likelihood that Britain will survive the Brexit crisis, Scottish independence push, and all the other challenges? Past is prologue.
This is the nation that survived (and even thrived) in the following crises:
• The Norman invasion;
• The black death plague;
• Civil wars;
• Henry VIII’s divorce and the English Reformation;
• His daughter Mary Tudor’s counter-reformation;
• The Spanish Armada (1588);
• The execution of King Charles I (1649);
• The great fire of London (1666);
• The Glorious Revolution (1688);
• The loss of the American colonies (1776);
• The abdication crisis of Edward VIII (1936);
• The Battle of Britain and Nazi blitzkrieg (1940);
• Post-war economic crash;
• The ‘troubles’ of Northern Ireland;
• The divorce of heir-to-the-throne Charles and Diana.
Yes, Britain has overcome all this. But never forget: ultimately, British resilience is due, not to the ‘stiff upper lip’ or the motto ‘Keep calm and carry on,’ but to prayer. The role of prevailing prayer in the UK is enormously impressive. Now is not the time to ‘roll over and go to sleep,’ but to ‘watch and ‘pray.’ Let’s keep filling the bowls of heaven (Revelation 5:8) on behalf of this nation who has
blessed the world.

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Mountain of Esau: Why Study the Book of Obadiah Part 02

In our previous article, we were introduced to this ‘postcard prophetic book’ which speaks of the age-old rivalry of Esau’s inheritance, Edom, with Jacob’s domain Judah and Jerusalem. In the New Testament, it was the murderous but futile attempt of Herod the Great, an Idumean who is part Edomite, to destroy the Christ child who is from the tribe of Judah(Matthew 2), that saw this deadly competition play out again. The rose-red city of Petra and the mountains of Edom tower 2,000 metres above sea level and made Edom aloof and arrogant. They rapturously cheered as Judah and Jerusalem were trampled by their enemies. Yet Obadiah bravely predicts that the tables will turn and Judah will prevail in the end, and the kingdom will be the Lord’s. 

Hebrew Name of Obadiah The name ovadiah can mean ‘servant of Yahweh’ or ‘worshipper.’ Author of Obadiah The author is one of 13 Obadiahs found in the Bible. While he is universally accredited as being the author of the book that bears his name, we actually know nothing about him. The one thing we do know is that he is from Judah. 

Time of Obadiah The date of Obadiah is uncertain, and so are the invasions of Jerusalem to which the book refers. We have two options: 1) 586 BC: This is a famous date when Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar conquers Judah and destroyed Jerusalem, including Solomon’s temple. This conquest is referred to in II Kings, II Chronicles, and Jeremiah. The argument is that Obadiah 1-6 sounds similar to Jeremiah 49:9, 14-16. Ezekiel, a contemporary of Jeremiah, also speaks of the evil works of Edom (Ezekiel 254:12f; Psalm 137:7; Lamentations 4:21). 2) 845 BC: Judah and Jerusalem were invaded by the Philistines and Arabians during the reign of king Jehoram. Here the victors shared the spoils together. Could you imagine Nebuchadnezzar, a prominent Bible character, anonymously attacking Judah? He is always named. Also, would he share the spoils with anyone? Highly unlikely. If this is the timing of Obadiah’s prophecy, then he would be one of the earliest of the Old Testament prophets. 

Portrait of Christ in Obadiah Christ, whose coming culminates the ‘Day of the Lord,’ comes to this planet as the righteous judge of all nations (15-16). Christ is the Saviour and possessor of the coming Kingdom (21). Theme of Obadiah This prophecy highlights the fall of Esau and the nation of Edom due its meanness, cruelty, and pride. At the same time, Judah and Jerusalem will be restored due to the covenant faithfulness of Almighty God. It shows how prideful people are most vulnerable to falling (I Corinthians 10:12). Edom’s lofty and secure geography cannot prevent its ultimate judgement.

Key Verses of Obadiah 15For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head. 21And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau; and the kingdom shall be the LORD’S. 

Summary of Obadiah Esau and Edom, long-term rivals to Jacob and Judah, gloated at the suffering of the latter during one of history’s many invasions. This attitude, coupled with mountain-high pride, history of unfriendliness, ensured Edom’s ultimate fall. Like a see-saw, as Edom falls, Judah rises again. The focus on Edom widens to the nation’s of the earth and the momentous ‘Day of the Lord.’ No longer is it the Mountain of Esau but the Mount Zion that comes into view, where the Saviour also becomes the King, Son of David, who inherits the throne which will rule over all the nations. 

Outline of Obadiah Edom’s Judgement Predicted 1-9 Why is Edom Being Judged 10-14 What Happens when Edom is Judged 15-18 Edom and the Nations Possessed by Israel 19-21

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Say ‘No’ to Idolatry: The Second Commandment Part 03

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven
above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5Thou shalt not bow
down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the
iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate
me; 6And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments —
Exodus 20:4-6
The second commandment is a prohibition against idolatry and that it is very wrong. So
far, we have learned the following:
First, idolatry is wrong because it uses human reason to describe God on its terms;
Second, idolatry leads to the worship of creation, rather than the Creator.
Third, it is a deficient and substandard form of worship.
Fourth, idolatry makes God jealous, preventing us from receiving the full benefits of His
love, grace, and salvation. We continue:
Idolatry is not limited to man-made statuettes and figurines. Colossians 3:5 says that
covetousness is idolatry, and in the absence of the fruit of repentance, will be judged
accordingly. ‘Covetousness’ is condemned in the 10th and final commandment, too. It
means to be greedy, to eagerly desire something that legitimately belongs to another. A
good example is David ‘coveting’ Uriah’s wife Bathsheba, or Ahab coveting Naboth’s
vineyard.
Remember that often times the ‘idol’ is not evil in itself. Mountains, trees, rivers, gold,
silver, clay, are morally neutral. It is when we put a higher value of these things or any
thing above God Himself – and make them an object of worship – then idolatry kicks in. In
other words, if your focus, life, and devotion is on anything else beside the living God, you
are in danger of idolatry.
Even though today we don’t face gods with such names as Baal, Chemosh, Molech, and
the like as they did in the time of the Bible, we still face the same issues that ancient Israel
did. Pride is to worship the false gods of sin and self. Covetousness worships the false god
of money and materialism. Sensuality worships of false god of pleasure. John wonderfully
summarises these normal human idols in I John 2:15-17:
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. 16 If any man love the world, the
love of the Father is not in him.For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the
eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth
away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever
The three pitfalls include:
1. Lust of the flesh;
2. Lust of the eye;
3. The pride of life
When indulged, they are the false gods that compete with the living God. Eve learned the
hard way that letting these imposters get in the way of her walk with the true God, was a
ticket to death itself. In Genesis 3:6, these three gods came before the Lord.
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food (lust of the flesh), and that it was
pleasant to the eyes (lust of the eyes), and a tree to be desired to make one wise (pride of life),
she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
The end result was death itself. Romans 6:23f echoes this sentence: the wages of sin is death
Wisdom decrees we avoid idolatry like the bubonic plague. As John concludes his epistle
of I John, he says in the very last verse 21: Little children, keep yourselves from idols.
Amen.

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

IMPEACHMENT! What Is It? What’s Next?

Impeachment: We have been hearing this word since the election of Donald Trump as US President in November 2016. Now, it will become a reality. But what is it and what will happen next?
Impeachment, by definition, is the laying of charges against a public official. The US Constitution gives a provision for the removal of a person from public office if they are rightly convicted of bribery, treason, and especially ‘high crimes and misdemeanours.’
Impeachment is initiated by the US House of Representatives. After approving articles of impeachment, the process goes to the US Senate, where a trial is held. If the 100 Senators vote in a 2/3’s majority to convict the official, then he or she is removed from office. Impeachment is serious business; a safety valve for getting rid of overly corrupt leaders who imperil the nation. Never was it intended to be weaponised against political opponents and, like pepper, should be used sparingly.
It has. Until now, since American independence in 1776, only two other Presidents have been impeached. President Andrew Johnson was impeached in 1868 and Bill Clinton in 1998. Neither man was removed from office because the Senate failed to convict them (in Johnson’s case, he escaped conviction and removal by only 1 vote). Richard Nixon resigned before he could be impeached, simply because his fellow Republicans warned him that he would be convicted in the Senate because of the extent of the Watergate scandal.
The Impeachment Train: On 6 December 2019, Speaker of the House of Representatives (the 3rd highest office in the land), Nancy Pelosi, announced that charges will be drawn up against US President Donald Trump, for abuse of power. The accusation is that Mr. Trump pressurised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a July 2019, threatening to withhold aid to Ukraine unless he investigated former US Vice-President Joe Biden, a political rival for dealings involving his son Hunter Biden. This quid pro quo (meaning, you scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours) was meant to be for Mr. Trump’s personal gain. Pelosi said Trump ‘abused his power for his own personal, political benefit’ and ‘seriously violated the Constitution.’
Concerning impeachment, Pelosi used phrases like ‘no one is above the law,’ ‘all we want is the truth … why are the Republicans afraid of the truth.’ To allow Trump to continue as President would come at ‘the peril of our republic’ and ‘our democracy is what is at stake.’ She and her fellow Democrats and committee chairmen Adam Schiff and Jerry Nadler also claim:
1.        The facts are indisputable and uncontested;
2.        Impeachment has nothing to do with politics or the 2020 election;
3.        They derive no pleasure from this action but do it with a ‘heavy heart;’
4.        They are fulfilling the principles of America’s founding fathers;
5.        They are not sure how they will vote on articles of impeachment when presented in the House; they are reserving judgement.
Are these claims credible and truthful? Are they sincere? You be the judge.
Either these Democratic leaders are being high-minded and principled, only wanting to protect America from another ‘King George III’ (an analogy made by Pelosi herself against Trump)? Or, are they foaming-at-the-mouth partisans who cannot sleep at night until their political coup d’état succeeds and Trump promptly leaves the White House?
Are they like Queen Esther, from the Book of Esther, who have come to the House of Representative for such a time as this? Or are they Haman of old, who, full of seething hatred against Mordechai, built the gallows whereby he was hung instead?
A closer look: Again, the accusation is that President Trump threatened to withhold military aid to Ukraine unless he investigated the Bidens for his own political gain. The affair began through an anonymous ‘whistleblower’ who appears to have partisan motives and second hand information. The House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff did not define the scope of the impeachment inquiry, gave no right to call witnesses or confront accuses, no right to rebuttal or subpoena power, right to be present, or even exercise the normative rule of law ‘presumption of innocence’ unless ‘proven’ guilty. Mr. Trump, on the other hand, released the transcript of his call immediately and his account was backed up by the Ukrainian President himself.
At one point, the White House’s case seemed imperilled by isolated text messages, implying Presidential pressure. But when put in context, it adds to the President’s case. Steve Hilton, host of The Next Revolution on Fox News, did his own investigation. He refers to an 11 page statement given to Congress by Kurt Volker, US Special Envoy to Ukraine. Six times in the 11 pages, Volker, who is at the centre of this whole affair and considered an honest broker by all parties, said he saw ‘no evidence’ of efforts to investigate Biden as a political rival means or linking aid to for a quid pro quo.
The media, who had access to this information, has said nothing, apart from Mr. Hilton. Are they as committed to impeachment, no matter what, as are the House Democrats?
With the evidence being thin, why don’t the Democrats return to the legislative sphere? There should be bills passed on infrastructure, helping lower drug prices for seniors, securing the border, enabling the military and assisting farmers. Have any of these things been dealt with in 2019?
What’s next? There will be a trial in the Senate. What’s their chances of gaining a conviction? With Trump’s Republicans holding a 53-45 majority, it seems unlikely that the Democrats can convinced 22 Republicans to vote against their President.
After all, the next US Presidential election is in November 2020. Why not do the Democratic thing and simply let the American people decide Donald Trump’s fate? Why the ‘rush to impeach?’ As one Democrat bluntly put it, we can’t allow him to continue … he might be re-elected!