Category Archives: Prophecy

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

What Is the Church Part 02

And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God — Matthew 16:16
‘What is the church?’ ‘How does it work?’ Most importantly, ‘why does it make a difference in our world?’
In our first part, we attempted to answer these questions by focusing on the founder of the church, Jesus Christ Himself. While the world has debated Jesus’ identity for the last 2,000 years, it can be neatly summarised in Peter’s declaration above. Jesus is the Christ/Messiah, the Son of David who will sit on his throne. He is also declared as the Son of God.
While ancient Israel had anointed prophets, priests, and kings, the anointing of Jesus is unique. He is ‘the anointed of the anointed:’ Anointed
1.      A Prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15);
2.      A Priest like Melchizedek (Hebrews 5:6, 10; 6:20; 7:11, 15, 17, 21); and
3.      A King: like David (Psalm 18:50; 89:20; Luke 4:18; Acts 4:27; 10:38; Hebrews 1:9).
Only Jesus of Nazareth fits this description and Peter affirmed it in his confession. It is on this confession that the church is built. Jesus, doing a play on words regarding Peter’s name, calls him petros meaning a detached or boulder stone, or ‘little stone,’ that can be cast down. But on this confession, called petra,[1] an unmovable ‘mass of rock’ that is used for a sure foundation to build the church.
In other words, Jesus calls Peter a detachable, throwable stone, but on this unmoveable foundational rock Christ will build His church. It is the confession of Jesus’ identity as Christ, Son of David, Son of God, not the person of Peter himself, which is the foundation stone for the church.[2]
God purchased the church with the shed blood of His Son (Acts 20:28). Jesus Christ is head of the church (Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18). Christ loves, nourishes, and cherishes the church (Ephesians 5:25), which He will present blameless in glory on day (v. 27). Christ prime responsibility is to build His church (Matthew 16:18), and one of His methods is by spiritual gifts (Ephesians 4:12).
Defining ‘The Church’
Now that Jesus’ true and complete identity is revealed to Peter and the disciples by the Heavenly Father (Matthew 16:17), it is time to ‘talk church.’ First, note that this is first out of 77 times that the word is used, all in the New Testament. So what does the word actually mean?
‘Church’ comes from the Greek word is ekklesia (Greek: ἐκκλησία). It means those who are ‘called out’ from their normal dwelling and/or the world into a special assembly. In its most basic sense, ekklesia, (from where we get the word ‘ecclesiastical),’ means an an organised assembly of citizens in some public place. From the spiritual view, it is a gathering of Christians for the purpose of worship and service.
Yet it does not stop there. Ekklesia/church is every person, redeemed by faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ, from the day of Pentecost until the second coming of the Lord. Even those who have died in faith are very much part of the church and may very well constitute the ‘great cloud of witnesses’ spoken of in Hebrews 12:1. This is the universal church. Church also is referred to as Christ’s body (Ephesians 1:22; 5:23; Colossians 1:18), of which He is the head.
As one person aptly put it, the church in the Old Testament was concealed, but in the New Testament revealed.
Summary
In summary, the church of the New Testament is built on the confession of Jesus being the Christ, Son of David who will sit on his throne forever. He is also Son of God (Matthew 16:18). Those that believe this confession are grafted into the church. We note that:
1.      Christ is building His church;
2.      This church-building program uses people. God’s method is a person, not a program;
3.      Anyone can join the church through repentance from dead works, faith, and confession towards Christ, Son of God, Saviour, Lord of all;
4.      The New Testament church built on the confession that Jesus is Christ, Son of God (Matt. 16:18). As Bob Gass says, Christ had to be God to save us and man to die for us.
In our next instalment, we will learn what does the church do.


[1] “G4073 – petra – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible. Accessed 22 Dec, 2017. https://www.blueletterbible.org//lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G4073&t=KJV
[2] “G4073 – petra – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible. Accessed 22 Dec, 2017. https://www.blueletterbible.org//lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G4073&t=KJV
Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

What Is the Church Part 02

And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God — Matthew 16:16
‘What is the church?’ ‘How does it work?’ Most importantly, ‘why does it make a difference in our world?’
In our first part, we attempted to answer these questions by focusing on the founder of the church, Jesus Christ Himself. While the world has debated Jesus’ identity for the last 2,000 years, it can be neatly summarised in Peter’s declaration above. Jesus is the Christ/Messiah, the Son of David who will sit on his throne. He is also declared as the Son of God.
While ancient Israel had anointed prophets, priests, and kings, the anointing of Jesus is unique. He is ‘the anointed of the anointed:’ Anointed
1.      A Prophet like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15);
2.      A Priest like Melchizedek (Hebrews 5:6, 10; 6:20; 7:11, 15, 17, 21); and
3.      A King: like David (Psalm 18:50; 89:20; Luke 4:18; Acts 4:27; 10:38; Hebrews 1:9).
Only Jesus of Nazareth fits this description and Peter affirmed it in his confession. It is on this confession that the church is built. Jesus, doing a play on words regarding Peter’s name, calls him petros meaning a detached or boulder stone, or ‘little stone,’ that can be cast down. But on this confession, called petra,[1] an unmovable ‘mass of rock’ that is used for a sure foundation to build the church.
In other words, Jesus calls Peter a detachable, throwable stone, but on this unmoveable foundational rock Christ will build His church. It is the confession of Jesus’ identity as Christ, Son of David, Son of God, not the person of Peter himself, which is the foundation stone for the church.[2]
God purchased the church with the shed blood of His Son (Acts 20:28). Jesus Christ is head of the church (Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18). Christ loves, nourishes, and cherishes the church (Ephesians 5:25), which He will present blameless in glory on day (v. 27). Christ prime responsibility is to build His church (Matthew 16:18), and one of His methods is by spiritual gifts (Ephesians 4:12).
Defining ‘The Church’
Now that Jesus’ true and complete identity is revealed to Peter and the disciples by the Heavenly Father (Matthew 16:17), it is time to ‘talk church.’ First, note that this is first out of 77 times that the word is used, all in the New Testament. So what does the word actually mean?
‘Church’ comes from the Greek word is ekklesia (Greek: ἐκκλησία). It means those who are ‘called out’ from their normal dwelling and/or the world into a special assembly. In its most basic sense, ekklesia, (from where we get the word ‘ecclesiastical),’ means an an organised assembly of citizens in some public place. From the spiritual view, it is a gathering of Christians for the purpose of worship and service.
Yet it does not stop there. Ekklesia/church is every person, redeemed by faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ, from the day of Pentecost until the second coming of the Lord. Even those who have died in faith are very much part of the church and may very well constitute the ‘great cloud of witnesses’ spoken of in Hebrews 12:1. This is the universal church. Church also is referred to as Christ’s body (Ephesians 1:22; 5:23; Colossians 1:18), of which He is the head.
As one person aptly put it, the church in the Old Testament was concealed, but in the New Testament revealed.
Summary
In summary, the church of the New Testament is built on the confession of Jesus being the Christ, Son of David who will sit on his throne forever. He is also Son of God (Matthew 16:18). Those that believe this confession are grafted into the church. We note that:
1.      Christ is building His church;
2.      This church-building program uses people. God’s method is a person, not a program;
3.      Anyone can join the church through repentance from dead works, faith, and confession towards Christ, Son of God, Saviour, Lord of all;
4.      The New Testament church built on the confession that Jesus is Christ, Son of God (Matt. 16:18). As Bob Gass says, Christ had to be God to save us and man to die for us.
In our next instalment, we will learn what does the church do.


[1] “G4073 – petra – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible. Accessed 22 Dec, 2017. https://www.blueletterbible.org//lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G4073&t=KJV
[2] “G4073 – petra – Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible. Accessed 22 Dec, 2017. https://www.blueletterbible.org//lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G4073&t=KJV
Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Britain’s Contribution to the World Part 02

In our first part, we looked at the unique and powerful contribution Great Britain has made on civilisation. Areas of parliamentary democracy, constitutional monarchy, and even technology, were cited.
One article is not enough, thus we continue to explore this important topic.
Cause of Freedom: Britain has made 2 major contributions to the cause of freedom. First was the abolition of the slave trade by committed Christian William Wilberforce. Through immense perseverance, Wilberforce was able to turn the tide on this lucrative but iniquitous practice. Yet there is more – twice in the 20th century Britain played a key role in the defeat of euro-fascism, during the first and second world wars. History would have been greatly altered had they lost!
The Commonwealth of Nations: This 52 nation association, mostly from former British colonies, cooperates in trade, defence and fraternity. The Queen is the symbolic head and the Secretary-General has executive power. The commonwealth is a unique concept in post-colonial history.
Economic contributions: These include free-trade, free-market, mercantilism, capitalism London was and still is a great global financial hub. The British Empire in the 19th Century started the process we now know as globalisation, or more accurately, ‘Anglo-globalisation,’ which sought the free movement of goods, services, capital, people, and ideas worldwide. Britain’s contribution to the luxury car market include Aston Martin, Bentley, Rolls Royce, Jaguar, developed by British engineers.
Sport: Yes, the British gave the world cricket, bridge, and snooker. Yet it can also be argued that many of the sports involving kicking a ball around the field also came out of Britain. It helped to standardised the structure and rules of many famous sports, like with football, rugby, and tennis, giving it an oversized role in modern sport. It is fascinating how former British colonies, now independent nation-states, are addicted to British-derived sports like cricket.
Newton’s laws: Sir Isaac Newton was a famous British mathematician and physicist. In the field of physics, he documented and outlined 3 important laws of motion: Law One: A ‘resting’ inanimate object remains so unless provoked or prompted by an external force; likewise, an object in motion will remain so unless interfered by an external object. Law Two: An applied force on a given object equals the rate of change at its momentum. Law Three: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. He also documented the phenomena of universal gravitation. Newton is arguably one of the greatest scientists in history, along with Albert Einstein.
The English language: This is one of the greatest of exports of Britain. Though it is the mother tongue of 450 million, it is spoken fluently by over 2 billion worldwide. English is the true modern-day lingua franca, the international language, as Greek was in the ancient world.
English literature: Along with English language is world-shaping English literature. The most famous, of course, is William Shakespeare, but don’t forget Britons Charles Dickens, Rudyard Kipling, John Milton.Charlotte Bronte, Emily Bronte, Agatha Christie, Geoffrey Chaucer, John Donne, Samuel Johnson, Joseph Conrad, Christopher Marlowe, Jonathan Swift, and John Keats. This is only a partial list.
In this department, it needs to be said that the single-greatest contribution to English language and literature is not the Oxford English Dictionary, valuable as it is. It is the King James Bible, which, more than any other literary piece, has helped to shape the English language as we know it. KJV is replete with idioms that we used on a regular basis. Here is a partial list

•   A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush;
•   A drop in the bucket;
•   A fly in the ointment
•   A house divided against itself cannot stand
•   A leopard cannot change its spots
•   A man after his own heart;
•   A multitude of sins;
•   A sign of the times
•   A two-edged sword;
•   A voice crying in the wilderness;
•   A wolf in sheep’s clothing;
•   All things must pass;
•   All things to all men
•   Am I my brother’s keeper?
•   An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth;
•   As old as Methuselah;
•   As old as the hills;
•   As white as snow;
•   As you sow so shall you reap;
•   Ashes to ashes, dust to dust
•   At his wits end;
•   Baptism of fire;
•   Beat swords into ploughshares;
•   Bite the dust;
•   Blessed are the peacemakers;
•   Born again;
•   Breath of Life;
•   By the skin of your teeth;
•   Can a leopard change his spots;
•   Cast the first stone;

Even famous atheists sing high praises of the King James Bible and its role in forming modern English. One commented that ‘Not to know the King James Bible is to be, in some small way, barbarian.’
Though there are at least two dozen other English translations in the modern vernacular, two-thirds of all Americans who own a Bible (89%) have a King James. In addition, of those who actually read their Bibles, a whooping 82% read KJV. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/2011-04-21-king-james-bible.htm#
In the developing world, especially those which were part of the British Empire, KJV is the beloved version of choice. It’s role in literature and church life has been incalculable.
Protestant Christianity and Mission
Being initially a reluctant leader of the reformation, Britain gave the world Anglicanism, Methodism, and Scottish Presbyterianism. It hosted the world-impacting Welsh Revival in 1904. Men and women of God from Britain include Charles Spurgeon, Rees Howell, George Mueller, Thomas Beckett, John Wycliffe, William Tyndale, John Wesley, Charles Wesley, William Wilberforce, Florence Nightingale, Elizabeth Fry, JRR Tolkein, CS Lewis, Eric Liddell, John Stott, famous British missionaries Hudson Taylor, William Carey, Dr. David Livingstone, Jackie Pullinger, and Gladys Aylward. All these, and more, have left a God-size legacy to the nation and the world.

TO BE CONTINUED:
Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Britain’s Contribution to the World Part 02

In our first part, we looked at the unique and powerful contribution Great Britain has made on civilisation. Areas of parliamentary democracy, constitutional monarchy, and even technology, were cited.
One article is not enough, thus we continue to explore this important topic.
Cause of Freedom: Britain has made 2 major contributions to the cause of freedom. First was the abolition of the slave trade by committed Christian William Wilberforce. Through immense perseverance, Wilberforce was able to turn the tide on this lucrative but iniquitous practice. Yet there is more – twice in the 20th century Britain played a key role in the defeat of euro-fascism, during the first and second world wars. History would have been greatly altered had they lost!
The Commonwealth of Nations: This 52 nation association, mostly from former British colonies, cooperates in trade, defence and fraternity. The Queen is the symbolic head and the Secretary-General has executive power. The commonwealth is a unique concept in post-colonial history.
Economic contributions: These include free-trade, free-market, mercantilism, capitalism London was and still is a great global financial hub. The British Empire in the 19th Century started the process we now know as globalisation, or more accurately, ‘Anglo-globalisation,’ which sought the free movement of goods, services, capital, people, and ideas worldwide. Britain’s contribution to the luxury car market include Aston Martin, Bentley, Rolls Royce, Jaguar, developed by British engineers.
Sport: Yes, the British gave the world cricket, bridge, and snooker. Yet it can also be argued that many of the sports involving kicking a ball around the field also came out of Britain. It helped to standardised the structure and rules of many famous sports, like with football, rugby, and tennis, giving it an oversized role in modern sport. It is fascinating how former British colonies, now independent nation-states, are addicted to British-derived sports like cricket.
Newton’s laws: Sir Isaac Newton was a famous British mathematician and physicist. In the field of physics, he documented and outlined 3 important laws of motion: Law One: A ‘resting’ inanimate object remains so unless provoked or prompted by an external force; likewise, an object in motion will remain so unless interfered by an external object. Law Two: An applied force on a given object equals the rate of change at its momentum. Law Three: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. He also documented the phenomena of universal gravitation. Newton is arguably one of the greatest scientists in history, along with Albert Einstein.
The English language: This is one of the greatest of exports of Britain. Though it is the mother tongue of 450 million, it is spoken fluently by over 2 billion worldwide. English is the true modern-day lingua franca, the international language, as Greek was in the ancient world.
English literature: Along with English language is world-shaping English literature. The most famous, of course, is William Shakespeare, but don’t forget Britons Charles Dickens, Rudyard Kipling, John Milton.Charlotte Bronte, Emily Bronte, Agatha Christie, Geoffrey Chaucer, John Donne, Samuel Johnson, Joseph Conrad, Christopher Marlowe, Jonathan Swift, and John Keats. This is only a partial list.
In this department, it needs to be said that the single-greatest contribution to English language and literature is not the Oxford English Dictionary, valuable as it is. It is the King James Bible, which, more than any other literary piece, has helped to shape the English language as we know it. KJV is replete with idioms that we used on a regular basis. Here is a partial list

•   A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush;
•   A drop in the bucket;
•   A fly in the ointment
•   A house divided against itself cannot stand
•   A leopard cannot change its spots
•   A man after his own heart;
•   A multitude of sins;
•   A sign of the times
•   A two-edged sword;
•   A voice crying in the wilderness;
•   A wolf in sheep’s clothing;
•   All things must pass;
•   All things to all men
•   Am I my brother’s keeper?
•   An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth;
•   As old as Methuselah;
•   As old as the hills;
•   As white as snow;
•   As you sow so shall you reap;
•   Ashes to ashes, dust to dust
•   At his wits end;
•   Baptism of fire;
•   Beat swords into ploughshares;
•   Bite the dust;
•   Blessed are the peacemakers;
•   Born again;
•   Breath of Life;
•   By the skin of your teeth;
•   Can a leopard change his spots;
•   Cast the first stone;

Even famous atheists sing high praises of the King James Bible and its role in forming modern English. One commented that ‘Not to know the King James Bible is to be, in some small way, barbarian.’
Though there are at least two dozen other English translations in the modern vernacular, two-thirds of all Americans who own a Bible (89%) have a King James. In addition, of those who actually read their Bibles, a whooping 82% read KJV. http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/religion/2011-04-21-king-james-bible.htm#
In the developing world, especially those which were part of the British Empire, KJV is the beloved version of choice. It’s role in literature and church life has been incalculable.
Protestant Christianity and Mission
Being initially a reluctant leader of the reformation, Britain gave the world Anglicanism, Methodism, and Scottish Presbyterianism. It hosted the world-impacting Welsh Revival in 1904. Men and women of God from Britain include Charles Spurgeon, Rees Howell, George Mueller, Thomas Beckett, John Wycliffe, William Tyndale, John Wesley, Charles Wesley, William Wilberforce, Florence Nightingale, Elizabeth Fry, JRR Tolkein, CS Lewis, Eric Liddell, John Stott, famous British missionaries Hudson Taylor, William Carey, Dr. David Livingstone, Jackie Pullinger, and Gladys Aylward. All these, and more, have left a God-size legacy to the nation and the world.

TO BE CONTINUED:
Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Fire & Fury: What Are We To Make of the Latest Book on Donald Trump?

It was an instant best-seller. The January 5, 2018 release of Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff became an instant best-seller. US President Donald Trump tried vigorously to stop the release of the book, which no doubt make it even more attractive, especially for the ‘anti-Trump’ and ‘never-Trump’ crowd.
What are we to make of this book which is highly unflattering to the President? There are issues that are bigger than any one book, even if it is a runaway bestseller.
Let’s remember a important issues.
Freedom of Speech
We should be solidly behind the notion of free speech, even though it means people can be offensive and obnoxious. Without this freedom, all other freedoms will be at risk, including freedom of religion, conscience, and association.
Remember, however, in a free society there are justifiable limits to absolute free speech, like laws against liable, defamation, and perjury under oath. However, we face serious erosion of free speech through the twin threats of political correctness and hate speech laws.
So regarding Fire and Fury, Mr. Wolff has every right to publish a book and say what he wants … within reason. This also means that if he’s ‘got it wrong,’ he can take the flack that goes with inaccuracy and untruth.
Factual and accurate
Whether you are a journalist or scholar, professional and personal integrity demands that you ‘get it right.’ We need to use reliable, primary sources. Second hand sources are to be used sparingly if necessary and unreliable sources should not be used at all. Part of reason we have so much inaccurate and deceptive information in the public square is that people are more dedicated to ‘the narrative’ than they are to the truth. Where else can you explain the proliferation of ‘fake news,’ which is spreading deception, denial, and distortion. This should not be, especially for Spirit-led, Bible-believing Christians as well as all people of integrity.
Regarding Fire and Fury, there are legitimate serious questions about truth and accuracy. For example, in an interview, Mr. Wolff was asked to produce the evidence of his book. His reply: ‘My evidence is the book, read the book. …if it strikes a cord, if it rings true, it is true.’ By his own admission, Wolff said that some of his sources lied while other contradicted each other – yet he used ‘journalistic judgement’ that helped him arrive at a version he ‘believed to be true.’ Add to this mix the fact that at least 8 high profile people who were quoted in the book denied making such statements. Truth has a measuring rod and it is verified by credible external witnesses; it is not determined by perception, prejudice, or feelings.
Donald Trump has denounced the book in a tweet, saying it was ‘full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that don’t exist.’ White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the book was ‘complete fantasy and just full of tabloid gossip.’ In the end, the reader will need to decide it is is true or not, or even whether the book is worth reading.
Five star? Be very careful
Within 8 days on Amazon, the book amassed a whopping 2,459 readers’ reviews who gave it 4.5 stars out of 5. This is a highly favourable. Does it mean the book is accurate? Does it mean it is worthwhile?
Nancy DeMoss, in her excellent teaching series ‘Deception and Discernment,’ spoke about an unnamed best-selling ‘Christian book’ that was getting rave reviews, some even saying it was the next best book to the Bible itself. Yet, even lay Christian noted that there were serious Biblical and theological errors in the book. Amazingly, despite the clear omissions and distortions, people were prepared to overlook these deadly deficiencies because the book touched a chord in their hearts.
The moral of the story: just because a book is ‘Christian,’ popular, a best-seller, gets excited reviews, and, for that matter, published by a Christian publisher and sold in the Christian bookstore, does not mean it is right, correct, or true. A lack of discernment can be deadly.
If true, so what?
Let’s say that the book Fire and Fury is completely 100% true: that Donald Trump did not want to win the Presidency, that Melania Trump cried on election night, that key people said the President is an ‘idiot’ behind his back, that Ivanka wants to be the first female President … the question should be asked: So what? On the scale of White House and Washington gossip, it is mild.
Motivation should always be considered. Was the book written to bring better governance, fire-up the economy, put people to work, or bring peace on earth? Is it an honest attempt to bring light and accountability to the White House, or point out a scandal that threatens the national interest? Or is it a muck-racking, liable-filled, money-spinner?
This writer remembers an author who wrote best-selling, unauthorised biographies of very famous people. This person would conduct 1,000 interviews and, like a master jigsaw puzzler player, they pieced together a portrait that was detailed and, by all accounts, accurate. While there was indignation from the spokespersons of those famous individuals, the credibility of the book was not questioned. Having read two of this author’s books, I have to say they were very well-sourced and believable, though they were also thoroughly unflattering biographies.
Yet I ask the question: even if it is true, why tell it? What good will it do for society? No public figure is paid enough to put up with the bad publicity, criticism, scrutiny, and books written, intrusion of privacy, needless spotlight on family? If the book is well-researched and seeks to point out a serious scandal or injustice, then that’s a good thing. If it is merely to demean and embarrass a public servant, that’s another story.
Honour Leadership
Political leaders definitely need to be accountable and their actions and policies can be scrutinised and criticised. This is fair enough, especially in a democracy. However, Biblically-speaking, we are to be careful how we speak.
I Peter 2:17says ‘Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.’
Exodus 22:28 commands that we don’t curse the ruler of thy people.’
Paul, referring to this verse, says in Acts 23:5f … for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.’
We are to honour political leadership, even if we don’t particularly like them or did not vote for them. People, especially Christians, need to be scrupulous in this area. Donald Trump is not the only polarising US President in modern history … Bill Clinton and George W. Bush … received hysterical opposition. Yet no one has experience the level of flack, from so many areas, even before taking the oath of office, as Donald Trump.

Whether you are ‘pro-Trump,’ ‘anti-Trump,’ or ‘never-Trump,’ God’s word is clear: You are commanded to pray for kings and all who are in authority (I Timothy 2:1-4). That includes the President of the United States. Let’s remember: that to be critical and disrespectful is part of the problem; that to pray, honour and be honourable is to be part of the solution.
Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Fire & Fury: What Are We To Make of the Latest Book on Donald Trump?

It was an instant best-seller. The January 5, 2018 release of Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House by Michael Wolff became an instant best-seller. US President Donald Trump tried vigorously to stop the release of the book, which no doubt make it even more attractive, especially for the ‘anti-Trump’ and ‘never-Trump’ crowd.
What are we to make of this book which is highly unflattering to the President? There are issues that are bigger than any one book, even if it is a runaway bestseller.
Let’s remember a important issues.
Freedom of Speech
We should be solidly behind the notion of free speech, even though it means people can be offensive and obnoxious. Without this freedom, all other freedoms will be at risk, including freedom of religion, conscience, and association.
Remember, however, in a free society there are justifiable limits to absolute free speech, like laws against liable, defamation, and perjury under oath. However, we face serious erosion of free speech through the twin threats of political correctness and hate speech laws.
So regarding Fire and Fury, Mr. Wolff has every right to publish a book and say what he wants … within reason. This also means that if he’s ‘got it wrong,’ he can take the flack that goes with inaccuracy and untruth.
Factual and accurate
Whether you are a journalist or scholar, professional and personal integrity demands that you ‘get it right.’ We need to use reliable, primary sources. Second hand sources are to be used sparingly if necessary and unreliable sources should not be used at all. Part of reason we have so much inaccurate and deceptive information in the public square is that people are more dedicated to ‘the narrative’ than they are to the truth. Where else can you explain the proliferation of ‘fake news,’ which is spreading deception, denial, and distortion. This should not be, especially for Spirit-led, Bible-believing Christians as well as all people of integrity.
Regarding Fire and Fury, there are legitimate serious questions about truth and accuracy. For example, in an interview, Mr. Wolff was asked to produce the evidence of his book. His reply: ‘My evidence is the book, read the book. …if it strikes a cord, if it rings true, it is true.’ By his own admission, Wolff said that some of his sources lied while other contradicted each other – yet he used ‘journalistic judgement’ that helped him arrive at a version he ‘believed to be true.’ Add to this mix the fact that at least 8 high profile people who were quoted in the book denied making such statements. Truth has a measuring rod and it is verified by credible external witnesses; it is not determined by perception, prejudice, or feelings.
Donald Trump has denounced the book in a tweet, saying it was ‘full of lies, misrepresentations and sources that don’t exist.’ White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the book was ‘complete fantasy and just full of tabloid gossip.’ In the end, the reader will need to decide it is is true or not, or even whether the book is worth reading.
Five star? Be very careful
Within 8 days on Amazon, the book amassed a whopping 2,459 readers’ reviews who gave it 4.5 stars out of 5. This is a highly favourable. Does it mean the book is accurate? Does it mean it is worthwhile?
Nancy DeMoss, in her excellent teaching series ‘Deception and Discernment,’ spoke about an unnamed best-selling ‘Christian book’ that was getting rave reviews, some even saying it was the next best book to the Bible itself. Yet, even lay Christian noted that there were serious Biblical and theological errors in the book. Amazingly, despite the clear omissions and distortions, people were prepared to overlook these deadly deficiencies because the book touched a chord in their hearts.
The moral of the story: just because a book is ‘Christian,’ popular, a best-seller, gets excited reviews, and, for that matter, published by a Christian publisher and sold in the Christian bookstore, does not mean it is right, correct, or true. A lack of discernment can be deadly.
If true, so what?
Let’s say that the book Fire and Fury is completely 100% true: that Donald Trump did not want to win the Presidency, that Melania Trump cried on election night, that key people said the President is an ‘idiot’ behind his back, that Ivanka wants to be the first female President … the question should be asked: So what? On the scale of White House and Washington gossip, it is mild.
Motivation should always be considered. Was the book written to bring better governance, fire-up the economy, put people to work, or bring peace on earth? Is it an honest attempt to bring light and accountability to the White House, or point out a scandal that threatens the national interest? Or is it a muck-racking, liable-filled, money-spinner?
This writer remembers an author who wrote best-selling, unauthorised biographies of very famous people. This person would conduct 1,000 interviews and, like a master jigsaw puzzler player, they pieced together a portrait that was detailed and, by all accounts, accurate. While there was indignation from the spokespersons of those famous individuals, the credibility of the book was not questioned. Having read two of this author’s books, I have to say they were very well-sourced and believable, though they were also thoroughly unflattering biographies.
Yet I ask the question: even if it is true, why tell it? What good will it do for society? No public figure is paid enough to put up with the bad publicity, criticism, scrutiny, and books written, intrusion of privacy, needless spotlight on family? If the book is well-researched and seeks to point out a serious scandal or injustice, then that’s a good thing. If it is merely to demean and embarrass a public servant, that’s another story.
Honour Leadership
Political leaders definitely need to be accountable and their actions and policies can be scrutinised and criticised. This is fair enough, especially in a democracy. However, Biblically-speaking, we are to be careful how we speak.
I Peter 2:17says ‘Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.’
Exodus 22:28 commands that we don’t curse the ruler of thy people.’
Paul, referring to this verse, says in Acts 23:5f … for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people.’
We are to honour political leadership, even if we don’t particularly like them or did not vote for them. People, especially Christians, need to be scrupulous in this area. Donald Trump is not the only polarising US President in modern history … Bill Clinton and George W. Bush … received hysterical opposition. Yet no one has experience the level of flack, from so many areas, even before taking the oath of office, as Donald Trump.

Whether you are ‘pro-Trump,’ ‘anti-Trump,’ or ‘never-Trump,’ God’s word is clear: You are commanded to pray for kings and all who are in authority (I Timothy 2:1-4). That includes the President of the United States. Let’s remember: that to be critical and disrespectful is part of the problem; that to pray, honour and be honourable is to be part of the solution.
Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Eternity’s Hymnbook: Why Study the Book of Psalms

(David playing the harp, Mount Zion – Photo courtesy of Teach All Nations)

 Psalm 23
A Psalm of David
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
It is the most beloved prose in the English language. Recited at secular funerals, Psalm 23 is part of the largest book of the Bible.
If we could only have one book of the Bible, instead of 66, that contained the essential message of Scripture, which one would it be? The answer is The Psalms.
The longest book of the Bible, with the longest chapter (Psalm 119 – 176 verses), contains the Bible in miniature. History, prophecy, covenants, personal struggles, victorious living, every type of human experience  – it’s all there in the Psalms. The New Testament has 116 direct quotes from the Psalms. That’s why Martin Luther called Psalms ‘a little Bible.’
Written in order to be sung, the Book of Psalms has been the ‘hymnbook’ of Israel and the church for centuries. David the king authored most of them. Some of the psalms are stand-alone
Another great reformer said this of the Psalms: ‘An anatomy of all the parts of the soul; for no one will find in himself a single feeling of which the image is not reflected in this mirror’ — John CALVIN
HEBREW NAME
Called Sepher Tehillim or the ‘Book of Praises.’ In the Greek it is called psalmos or psalmoi, meaning ‘a song, words with music, or a song accompanied by a stringed instrument. ‘
AUTHORS OF THE PSALMS
Psalms clearly has several authors, since it is a compilation of praises and prayers to God. There are 150 psalms or poems set to music and meant to be sung. Here is what we know about the authorship of Psalms and how many they wrote:
•    David, the ‘sweet psalmist of Israel – II Samuel 23:1 – (73), nearly half.
•    Asaph (12);
•    Sons of Korah (10);
•    Solomon (2).
•    Moses, author of the Pentateuch, (1 – Psalm 90).
•    Ethan (1 – Psalm 89);
•    Heman (1 – Psalm 88);
•    Anonymous (50)
PORTRAIT OF CHRIST
The entire gamut of the gospel is represented in Psalm. Jesus tells His disciples after His resurrection that ‘All things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me’ (Luke 24:44ff).
The Son of God & King: In Psalm 2, Christ is the Son (v. 7), the king set on the holy hill of Zion (v. 6), who will rule with a rod of iron (v. 9) from David’s throne. Other kingly notations are found in Psalms 21, 45, and 72.
Priestly Messiah: Psalm 40:6, 8; 22; 49; 110.
Suffering of Messiah: Psalm 22 and 69.
Christ’s resurrection: Psalm 16.
THEME OF PSALMS
The Psalms cover the entire range human experience and emotion from the heights of praise to the depths of depression (Psalm 42; 88). The Psalms teach on praise, thanksgiving, repentance, trust, distress, history, and prophecy.
The bottom line: Psalms takes a person from where they are at, turns their focus off sin, self, and the world and finally puts it squarely on Almighty God Himself, who is worthy to be praised. It takes their eyes off the problem and puts in on the (divine) solution.
KEY VERSES IN PSALMS
Psalm 149
1 Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. 2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. 3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp. 4 For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation. 5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. 6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; 7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; 8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; 9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
Psalm 150
6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.
SUMMARY OF PSALMS
In the Psalms, you can find:
•    Biblical history (42; 63; 80; 84; 137);
•    Confession and Repentance, a key theme in Psalms (6; 32; 38; 51; 102; 130; 143);
•    Times of Distress (4; 13; 55; 64; 88). The psalmist experienced the same challenges and emotions that we all do;
•    Teaching psalms (1, 5, 7, 15, 17, 50, 73, 94, 101);
•    Curses (35, 52, 58, 59, 69, 83, 109, 137, 140). This is before the coming of Christ; now, we are called to ‘bless’ our enemies;
•    Trusting God (3; 27; 31; 46; 56; 62; 86);
•    Praise (8, 29, 93; 100);
•    Thanksgiving (16, 18, 30, 65; 103; 107; 116);
•    Messianic prophecy (2; 16; 22; 24; 40; 45; 68; 69; 72; 97; 110; 118);
•    Pilgrimage psalms (120-134). These were what the pilgrims sang when they made the ascent to Jerusalem to worship the Lord.
OUTLINE OF PSALMS
Psalms, like the Torah or Pentateuch, can be divided into five books:
Book One   — Psalms 1  –  41
            Psalms of humanity, mostly all from David
Book Two   — Psalms 41  –  72
            Psalms of Israel, from ruin to redemption
Book Three — Psalms 73  –  89
            Psalms of the Sanctuary
Book Four  — Psalms 90  –  106
            Psalms of the earth
Book Five  — Psalms 107 – 150
            The Word of God (especially Psalm 119)

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Eternity’s Hymnbook: Why Study the Book of Psalms

(David playing the harp, Mount Zion – Photo courtesy of Teach All Nations)

 Psalm 23
A Psalm of David
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
It is the most beloved prose in the English language. Recited at secular funerals, Psalm 23 is part of the largest book of the Bible.
If we could only have one book of the Bible, instead of 66, that contained the essential message of Scripture, which one would it be? The answer is The Psalms.
The longest book of the Bible, with the longest chapter (Psalm 119 – 176 verses), contains the Bible in miniature. History, prophecy, covenants, personal struggles, victorious living, every type of human experience  – it’s all there in the Psalms. The New Testament has 116 direct quotes from the Psalms. That’s why Martin Luther called Psalms ‘a little Bible.’
Written in order to be sung, the Book of Psalms has been the ‘hymnbook’ of Israel and the church for centuries. David the king authored most of them. Some of the psalms are stand-alone
Another great reformer said this of the Psalms: ‘An anatomy of all the parts of the soul; for no one will find in himself a single feeling of which the image is not reflected in this mirror’ — John CALVIN
HEBREW NAME
Called Sepher Tehillim or the ‘Book of Praises.’ In the Greek it is called psalmos or psalmoi, meaning ‘a song, words with music, or a song accompanied by a stringed instrument. ‘
AUTHORS OF THE PSALMS
Psalms clearly has several authors, since it is a compilation of praises and prayers to God. There are 150 psalms or poems set to music and meant to be sung. Here is what we know about the authorship of Psalms and how many they wrote:
•    David, the ‘sweet psalmist of Israel – II Samuel 23:1 – (73), nearly half.
•    Asaph (12);
•    Sons of Korah (10);
•    Solomon (2).
•    Moses, author of the Pentateuch, (1 – Psalm 90).
•    Ethan (1 – Psalm 89);
•    Heman (1 – Psalm 88);
•    Anonymous (50)
PORTRAIT OF CHRIST
The entire gamut of the gospel is represented in Psalm. Jesus tells His disciples after His resurrection that ‘All things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me’ (Luke 24:44ff).
The Son of God & King: In Psalm 2, Christ is the Son (v. 7), the king set on the holy hill of Zion (v. 6), who will rule with a rod of iron (v. 9) from David’s throne. Other kingly notations are found in Psalms 21, 45, and 72.
Priestly Messiah: Psalm 40:6, 8; 22; 49; 110.
Suffering of Messiah: Psalm 22 and 69.
Christ’s resurrection: Psalm 16.
THEME OF PSALMS
The Psalms cover the entire range human experience and emotion from the heights of praise to the depths of depression (Psalm 42; 88). The Psalms teach on praise, thanksgiving, repentance, trust, distress, history, and prophecy.
The bottom line: Psalms takes a person from where they are at, turns their focus off sin, self, and the world and finally puts it squarely on Almighty God Himself, who is worthy to be praised. It takes their eyes off the problem and puts in on the (divine) solution.
KEY VERSES IN PSALMS
Psalm 149
1 Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints. 2 Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King. 3 Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp. 4 For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation. 5 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. 6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; 7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; 8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; 9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
Psalm 150
6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.
SUMMARY OF PSALMS
In the Psalms, you can find:
•    Biblical history (42; 63; 80; 84; 137);
•    Confession and Repentance, a key theme in Psalms (6; 32; 38; 51; 102; 130; 143);
•    Times of Distress (4; 13; 55; 64; 88). The psalmist experienced the same challenges and emotions that we all do;
•    Teaching psalms (1, 5, 7, 15, 17, 50, 73, 94, 101);
•    Curses (35, 52, 58, 59, 69, 83, 109, 137, 140). This is before the coming of Christ; now, we are called to ‘bless’ our enemies;
•    Trusting God (3; 27; 31; 46; 56; 62; 86);
•    Praise (8, 29, 93; 100);
•    Thanksgiving (16, 18, 30, 65; 103; 107; 116);
•    Messianic prophecy (2; 16; 22; 24; 40; 45; 68; 69; 72; 97; 110; 118);
•    Pilgrimage psalms (120-134). These were what the pilgrims sang when they made the ascent to Jerusalem to worship the Lord.
OUTLINE OF PSALMS
Psalms, like the Torah or Pentateuch, can be divided into five books:
Book One   — Psalms 1  –  41
            Psalms of humanity, mostly all from David
Book Two   — Psalms 41  –  72
            Psalms of Israel, from ruin to redemption
Book Three — Psalms 73  –  89
            Psalms of the Sanctuary
Book Four  — Psalms 90  –  106
            Psalms of the earth
Book Five  — Psalms 107 – 150
            The Word of God (especially Psalm 119)

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

THAI RED CHICKEN CURRY

I never grew up on curries and tended to avoid them because of the ‘heat.’ However, in recent years, due to travels in Asia, I have had a change of heart and palate. The following recipe is mouth-watering, however, two recommendations.

1.       Don’t be generous: If you are not use to spicy hot food, reduce the amount of red curry paste (e.g. Use 2 teaspoons instead of 2 Tablespoons). Don’t be generous – better to add some heat later than have regrets because you put too much; you want to aim at having ‘no tears’ meal.
2.       Be generous: Load up on your favourite vegetables. This meal is a good way to get young and old to ‘eat their veggies.’
THAI RED CHICKEN CURRY
Ingredients (serves 4)
•         1 1/2 Tablespoons oil
•         250 g skinless sliced chicken fillet; breast or thigh according to your preference.
•         1 onion, sliced
•         1 (or more) red capsicum (bell pepper)
•         200g (or more) mushrooms, stems trimmed, halved
•         230g can sliced bamboo shoots, drained
•         2 Tablespoon Thai red curry paste; use less if you are not used to spicy hot
•         1 cup chicken stock
•         1 Tablespoon fish sauce
•         1 Tablespoon brown sugar
•         1 can (375 ml) coconut cream or coconut milk (for a lighter version, there are evaporated milks that have a coconut flavour)
•         1 cup (or more) frozen peas (try baby peas)
•         Hand-full of fresh (Thai) basil, if available (or cilantro/coriander)
•         Steamed basmati or jasmine rice, to serve
Method
1.           Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken, for 1 to 2 minutes each side or until golden. Add onion, red capsicum, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and sauté 1-2 minutes. Set to the side.
2.           Reduce frying pan heat to low. Add remaining oil to pan. Add curry paste and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes or until aromatic. Add stock and stir until curry paste has dissolved. Return chicken, onion, mushrooms, red capsicum, and bamboo shoots to the pan.
3.           Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine fish sauce, brown sugar and coconut cream/milk in a jug. Stir into curry. Cook another 5-10 minutes. Add peas near the end, lest they gets overcooked and soggy.

4.           Stir in basil or coriander. Spoon curry over rice. Serve.
Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

THAI RED CHICKEN CURRY

I never grew up on curries and tended to avoid them because of the ‘heat.’ However, in recent years, due to travels in Asia, I have had a change of heart and palate. The following recipe is mouth-watering, however, two recommendations.

1.       Don’t be generous: If you are not use to spicy hot food, reduce the amount of red curry paste (e.g. Use 2 teaspoons instead of 2 Tablespoons). Don’t be generous – better to add some heat later than have regrets because you put too much; you want to aim at having ‘no tears’ meal.
2.       Be generous: Load up on your favourite vegetables. This meal is a good way to get young and old to ‘eat their veggies.’
THAI RED CHICKEN CURRY
Ingredients (serves 4)
•         1 1/2 Tablespoons oil
•         250 g skinless sliced chicken fillet; breast or thigh according to your preference.
•         1 onion, sliced
•         1 (or more) red capsicum (bell pepper)
•         200g (or more) mushrooms, stems trimmed, halved
•         230g can sliced bamboo shoots, drained
•         2 Tablespoon Thai red curry paste; use less if you are not used to spicy hot
•         1 cup chicken stock
•         1 Tablespoon fish sauce
•         1 Tablespoon brown sugar
•         1 can (375 ml) coconut cream or coconut milk (for a lighter version, there are evaporated milks that have a coconut flavour)
•         1 cup (or more) frozen peas (try baby peas)
•         Hand-full of fresh (Thai) basil, if available (or cilantro/coriander)
•         Steamed basmati or jasmine rice, to serve
Method
1.           Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken, for 1 to 2 minutes each side or until golden. Add onion, red capsicum, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and sauté 1-2 minutes. Set to the side.
2.           Reduce frying pan heat to low. Add remaining oil to pan. Add curry paste and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes or until aromatic. Add stock and stir until curry paste has dissolved. Return chicken, onion, mushrooms, red capsicum, and bamboo shoots to the pan.
3.           Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine fish sauce, brown sugar and coconut cream/milk in a jug. Stir into curry. Cook another 5-10 minutes. Add peas near the end, lest they gets overcooked and soggy.

4.           Stir in basil or coriander. Spoon curry over rice. Serve.