Category Archives: Prophecy

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

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Mountain of Esau: Why Study the Book of Obadiah? Part 01

But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions — Obadiah 1:17
Introduction
It represents an famous and age-old rivalry between two brothers, Jacob and Esau. This conflict extends to the New Testament with Herod the Great’s attempt to destroy the young child Jesus. We are refer to the regions of Edom versus Judah and the Book of Obadiah, shortest of all the Old Testament prophetic books, is very clear who will win this struggle.
Obadiah predicts the fall of the nation of Edom, neighbour to Judah, especially because they gloated at the suffering and conquest of this region and its capital Jerusalem.
The great symbol of Edom is its majestic mountains that tower over 2,000 metres above sea level. Edom is the eastern neighbour to the Arabah, Valley of the Desert, which is a sub-region of the Great Rift Valley and shares a north-south border between Jordan and Israel.
Edom comes from the Hebrew word ‘red,’ and this is because of the colour of the lentil stew Esau ate in exchange for his birthright. Jacob’s brother moved to Mount Seir and set up residence. From the time of the twins until the fall of Jerusalem, the rivalry between the two siblings and their respective regions continued unabated.
Edom would not allow Moses and Israel to pass through its territory on the way to Canaan. David’s Joab helped subdue Edom, but it fought against Judean king Jehoshaphat and successfully rebelled against Jehoram. Judean king Amaziah conquered Edom, but the pride of his conquest was also his undoing. Under feckless Judean king Ahaz, Edom regained its independence. The Nabateans, an Arabian type people, forced the Edomites to migrate to Southern Judah, where they were forcibly converted to Judaism and became known as the Idumeans (Edom and Judean). The most famous, even notorious Idumean was Herod the Great, the Roman puppet king who tried and failed to kill the Christ child.
While Edom applauded the destruction of Jerusalem by Babylon in 586 BC, they paradoxically tried to defend the city – and failed – when the Romans destroyed it in AD 70. After that date, we hear no more about the Edomites. They disappeared from history, along with Herod’s temple.
If one place in Edom illustrates its greatness, it is Petra, the rose-red city carved in the rock. This vast ancient city that encompasses many hectares can only be reached by a narrow, natural 1.2 kilometre canyon called ‘The Siq.’ Its lofty position, with 200 plus metres cliffs, and difficult to access entrance made it very aloof and prideful. They felt they could go out, raid caravans on the King’s Highway, and safely retreat to their stronghold. The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down to the ground? (verse 3). Such a stance guarantees disaster. Proverbs 16:18 states: Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Obadiah confirms the pride and fall of Edom. TO BE CONTINUED

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Issues the Demand the Church’s Response Part 01

Sunday is coming and it is time to prepare the sermon. What shall we preach? The short answer is: The Word of God (II Timothy 4:2?). Not just preach about the Word but from the Word. The ideal is that every sermon is Word-based, Spirit-anointed, Christ-centred, and God-honouring.
And, it is important that the Word preached is the Word received by the preacher. Downloading prepared sermons from the internet is not fresh manna.
Hungry Christians are complaining about what is preached. Here are some of the options:
1.       Motivational messages: These can encourage people in practical areas (how to be successful, raise good children, build self-esteem) but tend to ignore basic sound doctrine like repentance, faith, sin, the resurrection and last judgement.
2.       Politics: The pulpit is used to exhort people to back a political cause, often though not always from the left. Such sermons will often be politically correct.
3.       Mish-mash: These are poorly-prepared, waffly comments that might be strung together but the necklace is not made of pearls.
4.       Word of God: We need to proclaim and expound God’s Word, which is good seed to the non-Christian, milk to the baby in Christ, and strong meat to the mature. It is a lamp to our feet and light to our path, quick, powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.
We can all agree that Number 4 is the only way. Yet, there is something else. We have to make the Word applicable to daily living. If we don’t, then it’s like healthy food whose nourishment is not absorbed into the digestive system, thus denying the benefits of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Burning Issues
A while ago I received an (group) email from a young Canadian Christian named Brady Shearer, who runs a business called Pro Church Tools https://prochurchtools.com
He did a survey about what people, particularly younger wants, wish their pastors would talk about. None of these are milquetoast items – they are hot, spicy, provocative, and potentially explosive. The topics are also very current. Yet, if the church won’t talk about these issues, be assured that the world will – and we will not like the answer they’re giving.
Using the topics Shearer gleaned, let’s look at these one-by-one. I would also like to make clear at the outset that I don’t claim to have great expertise on all these topics, nor do I claim to have the definitive answers. Yet, as one who has been observing and commenting on the world scene for years, I do have something to share. If any of my readers can come up with a better understanding of these subjects, from a Biblical view and with a good attitude, I would be more than happy to hear.
Shearer’s topics included:
1.      Politics: abortion, ill treatment of immigrants, systemic racism, normalisation of sexual abuse.
2.      Mental health
3.      Domestic violence: 1 in 4 women will experience severe violence by an intimate partner in its lifetime.
4.      Abuses of all forms: Spiritual, sexual, power
5.      Pornography & masturbation
If you are a preacher, would you address some or all of these issues? If so, how would you do it?
In our next issue, we will look at the ‘hot potato’ issue of abortion. TO BE CONTINUED

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CULTURE WAR SERIES PART 16: The Only Solution

In the history of peoples and nation-states, conflict comes in two forms: internal and external. Which do you think is more deadly?
One prime example comes from church history. During the early years of the church, it was considered ‘counter-cultural’ and an enemy to the occupying Roman empire. Christianity was called a religio illicita, meaning ‘an illegal religion.’ There were periodic and savage outbreaks of deadly persecution. Yet, during heat of these dangerous days, the church did not diminish – it thrived. It is the proverbial principle of the diamond. As long as it is strong internally, it can withstand the mightiest of blows. Tertullian was quoted as saying ‘the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.’
However, there was a mortal threat to the church: the enemy from within. The Bible rightly warns against ‘false brethren,’ ‘false christs,’ ‘false prophets’ and ‘false teachers.’ They are the proverbial ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing. With their false doctrine and divisive heresies, they posed a greater threat to the Church than what any external foe could do.
The goal of the far left, including extreme progressives and cultural Marxists, is to alter, if not destroy, western civilisation. They have managed to do more damage to the West in just 50 years, than external foes have done in centuries. Because the culture war is a ‘conflict from within,’ ‘westerner pitted against westerner,’ in every respect it is a civil war. Remember, the American civil of the 1860s killed more Americans (655,000) than two world wars combined (116,000 in World War I and 406,000 in World War II).
How can we bring this long, protracted culture war to a close? There are several options:
1.       An armed conflict: Defeat the other side in a military engagement. With 350 million guns, there is plenty of ammunition. This, of course, is a horrible option, though not totally out of the realm of possibility;
2.       An economic depression: This would ‘wipe the slate clean’ regarding mammoth debts, discredit utopian ideologies, and bring us back to square one and hopefully some common sense. This option is not only simplistic, it is dangerous and destabilising. The cost is simply too great;
3.       Give it some time: If we give ourselves enough time, all of these issues will be sorted out. How much time do we need? At least 200 to 300 years! Well, we don’t have that much time to begin with. Besides, the destructive nature of this war precludes lengthy waiting – there might not be much left to sort out if we do wait.
None of the above are even remotely good solutions for our societal conflict.
What is the answer?The key is in remembering that at its core the cultural war is spiritual. It is not merely flesh and blood that are in disagreement. Thus, the person you see on the other side is not the true enemy; indeed, the real enemy is the one you cannot see. According to Ephesians 6:12 we do not wrestle with flesh and blood, but with principalities, powers, and hosts of wickedness in high places. As has been shared already, the culture war is spiritual and the solution is equally spiritually. TO BE CONTINUED

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Britain’s Challenges Part 02

Nations, like individuals, face challenges in life. Yet, it is no exaggeration to say that the United Kingdom is facing its biggest crises since the end of the Second World War. Yes, more than 30 years of trouble in Northern Ireland, or the 1990s scandals that rocked the Royal Family and saw the divorce of Diana and Charles, who is the heir to the throne.
As we learned in the last article, challenges include persistent calls for a ‘second referendum’ on Scottish independence. The shifting of the leftists and progressives from the Left to the ‘far Left,’ while some on the right are drifting leftward as well, embracing policies that would have been unthinkable a few years before. The UK election of 2019 offers a solid glimpse into the shifting political sands.
Most importantly immediate issue is the Brexit deadlock. Three and a half years after a referendum confirmed that the majority of UK voters wanted to leave the European Union – a ‘divorce’ to a 46 year old union – the nation still has not left. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tried to leave by the 31 October 2019 deadline, but parliament hemmed him in on every side. They said ‘No’ to a no-deal Brexit, the unprecedented demands on how the executive branch should negotiate with the European Union. Then parliament signalled agreement with his EU brokered deal but NO to his quick timetable. With such an impasse, the only logical course of action was to turn to the British public and have them decide by means of an election. As Johnson said, he did not want an early election and especially in the winter, but parliament left him no choice.
Northern Ireland
This province of the United Kingdom is arguably the most Christian. These friendly people are also poetic prayer warriors who can inspire an entire congregation by their supplications. ‘Socially progressive’ items like abortion and same-sex marriage are not legal in Northern Ireland – at least not yet. Northern Ireland’s parliament at Stormont has not met for over 2 years and the concern is that the ‘mainland’ may seek to impose these and other items by fiat, which is exactly what’s happening now.
Also, the question of the border with the Irish Republic is also worth watching. At present, there is no hard-border between the two sovereignties on the emerald isle. At Brexit, apart from an agreement, some kind of border may be imposed, supposedly endangering the 1998 Good Friday agreement that put an end to 30 years of ‘The Troubles.’ This point is highly debatable but it is worth watching.
From Queen to Charles
While the Queen has reigned with distinction since 1952, and appears to be in good health, at the age of 93 it should be obvious that she is in her last years. Since most Brits have grown up only knowing her as their monarch, and television has made her the most visible queen in history, the thought of her demise is seen as most unsettling and distressing. In reality, this should be the least of their problems. The chances of a smooth transition are excellent. After all, Prince Charles and William, collectively, have had over a century (71 years and 37 years, respectively) of preparation for the role of king.
In our next article, we will see how impressively ‘resilient’ this nation has been … and why. TO BE CONTINUED