All posts by Kameel Majdali

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Issues the Church Can’t Ignore – Part 02 ABORTION

Our society faces issues and asks many questions. People are looking for answers. It is time to address some of the big issues from an informed and pastoral view. We will begin to focus in the next few issues on abortion.
I have a niece in the United States. She is a Millennial, born in 1991. My niece is an intelligent thinker, thoroughly postmodern and secular progressive, has a soft, sweet, and compassionate side, but can be militant and combative, perhaps ‘triggered,’ if she doesn’t like what she hears. She loved US presidential candidate Bernie Sanders back in 2016 – she ‘felt the Bern.’ Though she had been exposed to the gospel, she chose to embrace an alternative lifestyle. She knows and respects that I am an ordained Christian minister with a conservative, high-view of Scripture.
Imagine my surprise when she asked me via Facebook the following question:
What is your view on abortion, and why do you feel that way? Your professional and personal qualms with the issue would be appreciated. Please feel free to get as deep as you would like. The more information the better. Thank you uncle.
So, as a blogger, I decided to share my answer to my niece with the world.
What would you say to your niece if she asked you about abortion?
Here is what I said to mine:
Terminology: First, let’s define terms. Abortion means the deliberate termination of a pregnancy, with the loss of life for the foetus. Miscarriages are actually called ‘spontaneous abortions,’ meaning they come from nature at any time, usually in the early weeks or months of a pregnancy. ‘Therapeutic abortion’ is caused by direct human intervention, normally by a medical professional. Unless there is human intervention in or interruption of the pregnancy, the mother will carry the child to term. It is the subject of  ‘therapeutic abortion’ to which I will address.
Why abortion was outlawed in the past: If the foetus in the womb is truly a human-person from conception, then abortion is clearly murder. This was the consensus for centuries and the law treated it as a criminal offence. The Judaeo-Christian heritage of the western world, and the Ten Commandments as the foundation of the legal system, made it so. The sixth of the ten commandments clearly states ‘Thou shalt not murder’ (Exodus 20:13).
Even so, abortions have happened throughout history, despite the physical risks and the legal and Scriptural prohibitions.
Why did things change? We have had 200 years of The Enlightenment, where human reason became king and sought to marginalise Bible and theology. Then we had the advent of liberal theology, higher criticism that has a lower view of Scripture, and the rise of evolution. Add to this a cultural civil war that has lasted over half a century. In this war we’ve had a sexual revolution, the feminist movement, cultural Marxism, and postmodernism with its ‘truth is relative’ and ‘tolerance is a must.’
Roe vs. Wade 1973: The watershed happened on January 22, 1973. On this date, the United States Supreme Court handed down its landmark decision called ‘Roe vs. Wade,’ which gave American woman a right to have an abortion. Overnight, thirty-one states had their abortion laws overturned in an instant. Though ‘Roe’ was considered a ‘compromise’ and not a ‘blank cheque’ for abortion on demand, the fact is that over 60 million abortions have been performed in the US since 1973. That is more than the amount of people who perished in World War II.
TO BE CONTINUED

Articles, Bible, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

The Prophet from Galilee: Why Study the Book of Jonah? Part 01

INTRODUCTION

It is an ideal ‘Sunday School’ story. Yet, this book is not just for children; it is a prophetic word for all of God’s people. While some will scoff at the notion that this prophet spent 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the great fish, Jesus Christ treated it as historic fact. More than that, He made Jonah’s 3 days underworld excursion a sign of His own burial, which is an important component of the gospel: Christ died, was buried, and rose again, according to the Scriptures (I Corinthians 15:3-5).




HEBREW NAME
The book is known as ‘Yonah,’ which means ‘dove.’
AUTHOR
Jonah is the author of the book that bears his name. He is the ‘son of Amittai’ and II Kings 14:25, is the only verse in the Bible that tells us anything about him. The text says: He (King Jeroboam II of the Northern Kingdom of Israel) restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher.
What we learn is that Jonah was a prophet from the Northern Kingdom; he came from a village known as Gath Hepher, known today as Mashhad, which lies in-between Cana of Galilee and Nazareth, which is 3 miles to the south. The Pharisees declared in John 7:52 that no prophet came from Galilee; they were totally wrong because Jonah did. For that matter, so did Jesus, Who is more than a prophet, of course.
Jonah accurately prophesied that King Jeroboam II who have enlarged borders, past Damascus itself to the land of Hamath. His greatest prophecy is the one that did not come to pass: in 40 more days, the City of Ninveh will be destroyed. This lack of fulfilment does not mean Jonah failed as a prophet; on the contrary, he succeeded beyond his wildest dreams.
Because Jonah focuses on the salvation of Gentiles, in this case, the Assyrians of Nineveh, some critics try to give the book a late date. However, it was always God’s intention to save the Gentiles (Genesis 9:27; 12:3; Leviticus 19:33-34, I Samuel 2:10, Isaiah 2:2; Joel 2:28). He was the only Hebrew OT prophet sent to the Gentiles, and like the apostle Paul centuries later, Jonah was stunningly successful. His results were better than anything the prophets in and to Israel experienced.
PORTRAIT OF CHRIST
Jesus Christ compares Himself to Jonah the prophet. He used Jonah’s experience in the belly of the great fish as a sign to His own looming experience in the tomb. Matthew 12:39-41 says: But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: 40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
Yes, the men of Nineveh are going to condemn those in Israel who refused to believe, since Nineveh repented at Jonah’s preaching and, behold, a greater than Jonah is here.
THEME OF BOOK
God is totally just and totally merciful. His will is the salvation of all people, Jew and Gentile. Jonah learned in the belly of the great fish that, ‘Salvation is of the Lord.’
TO BE CONTINUED

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

AUSTRALIA’S BUSH FIRE CRISIS: A CHRISTIAN RESPONSE

Have you heard of Ash Wednesday? And Black Saturday? These are the names of two infamous and deadly bush fires, in 1983 and 2009 respectively, that have left an indelible impression on the ‘land down under.’ Bush fires are not unusual in this bone-dry continent. However, the yet unnamed ‘Bush Fire Season 2019-2020’ is shaping up to be the worst on record.
To give some perspective:
Ash Wednesday Fires of February 1983: Affected the Australian states of South Australia and Victoria, burning 418,000 hectares or 1 million acres, destroyed 2,400 houses and killed 75 people.
Black Saturday February-March 2009: Affected State of Victoria, burned 450,000 hectares or 1.1 million acres, destroyed 2029 houses and 2000 other structures, and killed 173 people (including respected Melbourne newsreader Brian Naylor).
2019-2020 Bush Fires – Burning since September 2019. New South Wales and eastern Victoria are worse affected, with 12 million acres or 50,000 square kilometres burnt. As of New Year 2020, 1400 homes destroyed and upward to 20 killed, with dozens missing and unaccounted. And, worse of all, there is no end in sight. Until the winds change and the rains come, the bush fire emergency continues. The nation’s capital, Canberra, is being smoked out by fires in neighbouring New South Wales. The world is noticing with concern the bush fire crisis and Australia is receiving some international help already.
The causes: Weather over the last decade is pointed to as the worse culprit. The Indian Ocean Dipole has delivered hot, dry spells. Record high temperatures of 42 C (107.6 F) have been recently recorded. Add to that a decade-old drought, especially in New South Wales, makes parts of the state bone-dry. Major regional communities are in danger of running out of water. Menacingly, there are reports that some fires were the result of arson.
HOW SHOULD CHRISTIANS RESPOND?
POLITICS: It is conventional wisdom that in the face of a national emergency, politics should be kept out completely out of the picture. This is not the time for grandstanding, virtue-signalling, or other forms of woke behaviour. It is a time for the country to pull together.
Unfortunately, it appears that is not the case here. Some loud voices are crying ‘climate change’ and ‘global warming,’ as if legislation and paying money now will immediately solve the problem. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been abused, sworn-at, and heckled, when he visited fire-ravished places like Cobargo NSW. Yes, he appeared to have an ill-timed holiday in Hawaii while Australia burned, but there is more to the unrest and it is sinister. Inner city cultural elites, who are no where near the fire scene, are stirring up the pot, simultaneously criticising the Prime Minister for not doing enough while also criticising former Prime Minister Tony Abbot for actually fighting the fires personally. It’s a ‘can’t win’ scenario, reminiscent of criticism Jesus received in Matthew 11:17-19.
What should we do? Let’s support the fire-fighting effort, pull together as a nation, and have a national conversation later. Now is not the time for debates. Apparently, Federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has been very honourable in this regard, supporting the fire-fighters on the front, while refusing to throw mud at the Prime Minister during this national emergency. And so it should be.
GIVING: In our current political culture where the dominant progressivist view looks to the government to take care of everything, in some cases ascribing powers to it that belong to God Himself (omnipresent, omni-rich). We recognise and honour government, as we are commanded to do in places like Romans 13. However, there are many things government cannot do, like make rain. Also, the national bank balance is not inexhaustible, especially where there are deficits.
A very constructive way to respond is through giving to the fire fighting effort. There are several worthwhile places you can donate. Here are a couple:
Community Enterprise Foundation
https://www.communityenterprisefoundation.com.au/make-a-donation/bushfire-disaster-appeal/?int=appleNews
Australian Christian Churches Bushfire Appeal
https://donate.acci.org.au/form-5025979/mdisaster-bushfires
PRAYER
For people of faith, this should be the first and last port-o-call. History and modern events prove the effectiveness of heartfelt prayer. James 5:16 affirms that the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. II Chronicles 7:14, the classic verse on revival, promises that if God’s people will humble themselves and prayer, seek God’s face, and turn from their wicked ways, God will hear, forgive, and ‘heal the land.’
How shall we pray? Here are some points:
1.       Fire-fighters: Pray for the health, stamina, protection, and effectiveness of the fire-fighters as they valiantly put out the blaze. This is like a war and they are the foot-soldiers. They deserve our continuous prayers.
2.       Danger: Pray for the people and communities that face danger, that God’s peace and fearlessness will be there portion. May they face the days ahead with courage, and may they experience divine protection and supernatural deliverance from the fire, smoke, and destruction.
3.       Loss: Pray for those who have lost loved ones and homes; that they will receive sufficient support and resource to rebuild their lives (Matthew 5:4).
4.       Leaders: Pray for our local, state, and federal leaders, including Prime Minister Scott Morrison, New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews and all in authority, that they will have the strength, wisdom, and courage, to lead their respective constituents through this national crisis.
5.       Weather: Since Jesus has authority over the winds, rain, and elements of nature (Matthew 8:27; Luke 8:25), pray for the winds to change and rainfall to come.
Without question, Australia will get through this crisis. Not just because Aussies are a ‘tough lot,’ but more importantly, because it is the ‘Southland of the Holy Spirit.’ Let’s pray that the natural rain is followed by revival rain.

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!

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Say ‘No’ to Idolatry: The Second Commandment Part 02

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
In Part 01 of the 2nd Commandment, we learned that idolatry is very wrong.
First, because it uses human reason to describe God on their terms;
Second, idolatry leads to the worship of creation, rather than the creator.
Third, it is a deficient and substandard form of worship.
We now continue to outline the case that idolatry is ‘dead wrong.’
Fourth, idolatry makes God jealous. The Hebrew word for jealous is ken-a. This term applies to God and God alone. It means that God has no rivals, since there are no other gods but Him. Idolatry means that His creation, made in His image, seek to create rivals of God through their own misdirected creative work. Remember the distinction between covetousness (which is the subject of the 10th commandment) and jealousy. The former seeks to obtain out of pure greed something that belongs to someone else. Jealousy is the emotion one experiences when they are about to lose something or someone that rightly belongs to them. For example, Jack covets Marilyn, the wife of Joe. Joe is jealous that he will lose Marilyn to Jack. True, Bible-based, Spirit-filled worship belongs to God and God alone. Anything else is delving into the dangerous trap of idolatry.
Divine jealousy is not some ego-trip; it is truly love in action. God is jealous for us, not from us. God knows that when people focus on Him, they get forgiveness of sins, the new birth, the gift of eternal life, and an immeasurable inheritance. Idolatry hijacks the idolater and diverts them to a pathway of death and destruction. Idolaters hate God and will be punished to the third and fourth generation.The second commandment is designed to spare us of this grief. True worshippers who love God and obey His commandments will receive great mercy.
After the Babylonian captivity, the Jewish people appeared to have learned their lessons and forsook the idols of the past, like the golden calves at Bethel and Dan. In fact, they understood the last days apostasy preceding the Messianic kingdom would be called the ‘abomination of desolation’ (Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15; II Thessalonians 2:3-4). And what is this? The one-world antichrist figure will have a statue of himself that will be set up for worship. In the Book of Revelation, there will be an image of the beast who will come alive, speak, and slay all who do not worship him. This is idolatry on steroids!
TO BE CONTINUED

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

RECIPE: Vegetable Korma

This simple recipe helps you to get your 5 out 5 vegetable quota in a tasty dish.
Servings: 2
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/4 cup korma paste
1 small thinly sliced brown onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped coriander stems
1 red capsicum, cut into 2cm pieces
1 zucchini, cut into 2cm chunks
1 carrot, finely diced
1 cup cauliflower
1/2 cup (125ml) vegetable stock
1 cup (250 ml) coconut milk, plus extra to drizzle
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 kale leaves, stems removed & finely chopped.
1 cup coriander leaves, plus extra to serve
1 cup cooked Quinoa, to serve
Directions:
1. Heat coconut oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook the korma paste for 1 minute. Add the onion, garlic, and coriander stems until translucent. To this add the red capsicum, zucchini, carrot, and cauliflower to the korma paste and cook for 3 minutes.
2. Add vegetable stock and coconut milk to the pan. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the peas, kale and coriander until the kale wilts and the peas are cooked. .
3. Serve the korma on the quinoa, topping with coriander, salt and pepper.
4. ENJOY