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Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Five Anniversaries in 2017, Part 01

Did you know that the year 2017 has at least 6 major anniversaries? Two are Christian and the other four involve the Jews and Israel. What are they and what do they mean? Here we go …
500 Years Ago – The Protestant Reformation 31 October 1517
Yes, the Reformation will be half a millennium old as of 31 October 2017. The Reformation was when a group of reformers broke from the Pope, the Vatican, and Roman Catholicism. It cut across centuries of tradition and papal control in order to return the church to a more Biblical foundation.
The date October 31st was chosen as ‘Reformation Day’ because it was when Martin Luther (1483-1546) nailed his 95 Theses on the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. It was a big gamble – his life was at stake – but Luther survived and succeeded.
Luther was not the only reformer. John Calvin, Ulrich Zwingli, and John Knox also played a major role in the break from Rome. The reformers objected to the following Catholic doctrines:
1.      Sale of indulgences: A payment of money made to the church in order to liberate a loved one stuck in purgatory, an unbiblical halfway house between heaven and hell.
2.      Veneration of Mary and the saints: These all became objects of prayer, rather than in the Personhood and Name of Jesus;
3.      Vicar of Christ: The pope became Christ’s literal representative on earth, something that was not sanctioned in Scripture;
4.      Salvation: This could only be found in the church of Rome, not the gospel, and no where else;
5.      Transubstantiation: The doctrine that the ‘bread’ and ‘cup’ in holy communion are literally the body and blood of Christ.
The Gutenberg printing press helped to distribute God’s Word and other Christian literature in the language of the people, waking them up to Rome’s failings and excesses. As a result of their efforts, Northern Europe became Protestant, the southern part remained Catholic, and the centre of the continent was the buffer zone and battle ground between the two groups. The Thirty Year’s War of 1618-1648 was the devastating result of this church schism.
Some of the key highlights of the Protestant Reformation was sola scriptura and sola fide, meaning that Scripture was recognised as the highest authority for Christian faith and practice. ‘Only faith’ is how we obtain salvation in Christ, not by religious works or the intervention of saintly people. ‘Preaching the Word’ became the centrepiece of the Protestant service. The Reformation led the way to later movements like the rise of evangelicalism and Pentecostalism.
120 Years Ago – The First Zionist Congress 29-31 August 1897
It’d is hard to exaggerate the importance of this convocation in the birth of modern Israel. It was convened by a man named Theodor Herzl, once a thoroughly assimilated European Jew. Herzl was shocked out of his complacency when he experienced first-hand bald-faced virulent anti-Semitism in republican France during the 1895 trial of Alfred Dreyfus. He realised that the Jewish people have a serious problem: they are always a minority wherever they live and subject to arbitrary and regular persecution by the Gentile majority. To Herzl, they only solution to the ‘Jewish Question’ was a Jewish state in Palestine., where they can be a majority, rule their own affairs, and defend themselves like any other nation. Herzl wrote a book in 1896 called The Jewish State, which summarised his philosophy, which became known to the world as Zionism.
There was much Jewish opposition to Zionism, so the congress had to move from Munich to the Municipal Casino in Basel, Switzerland. In a mere 3 days, the congress formed what eventually would be known as the World Zionist Organisation, adopted a national anthem called Hatikvah (‘The Hope,’ which today is Israel’s National Anthem), and wrote the Basel Declaration. The latter stated that the goal of Zionism was to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine and facilitate it through the support of farmers and tradesman.
Stunningly, Herzl wrote in his diary that at Basel, he founded the Jewish state. Within 5 to 50 years, the whole world would see it.
Next time, we will learn about the other 4 anniversaries. To be continued ….

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

GOD’S PEACE PROCESS – PART 04 Offended No More

GOD’S PEACE PROCESS – PART 04
Offended No More

Peace is so wonderful because it is so rare. Even in the relatively prosperous western world, many people live troubled, disturbed lives. Often, the problem is not conflict on the outside, but turmoil within.
The only solution is God’s peace process.
So far, we have learned the following steps to God’s peace process:
1.        Pre-requisite to peace: Make a decision not allow your heart to be troubled or afraid, because Jesus is sending His peace to you (John 14:27).
2.        Peace established: When you say ‘Yes’ to the gospel, you have reconciliation and peace with God (Romans 5:1);
3.        Protective, prevailing peace: God’s peace is like the body guard that keeps your heart and mind safe in Christ (Philippians 4:6-7).
The good news is that there is even more to this peace process. Yet in order to appreciate the good news, we need to understand the bad news first.
Bad news:Often, people complain about being ‘hurt.’ The wounds go down very deep and can last a lifetime. The reality is that ‘hurt’ people are often offended people. And often offended people possess a spirit of un-forgiveness, which causes them to be hurt in the first place.
Proverbs 18:19 (KJV): A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.
While some cultures, particularly in Asia, take offence with a flourish, it is a dangerous thing to do. It is even unhealthy physically, as well as emotionally and spiritually. When a person takes offence, it is as like building a ‘Berlin Wall’ around themselves. It becomes a self-imposed prison. As long as the offence is kept, the bondage remains, the hurt grows, and the spiritual life put on hold. You become bitter rather than better. God’s peace process is derailed as long as the person remains in a state of offence and un-forgiveness.
Another way to describe offence is ‘stumbling’ (Proverbs 4:19). To be offended is like walking on a pathway, only to stumble, fall down, bruise the knee or even break a leg. One has to choose whether to stay down, remain offended, and be a victim, or get up and be a victor.
Remember, this is a fallen world: bad things happen to good people and good things (temporarily) happen to bad people. Jesus says in Luke 17:1-2 (KJV):
Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! 2It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
Being difficult, demanding, and offensive may give a person a temporary rush of energy, get people to fulfil their demands quickly, or even make them feel ‘powerful.’ Yet, that millstone is coming their way and the bottom of the sea gets closer and closer.
The best philosophy: Do not be offensive and do not take offence.
Here is another way to look at it is this: An offensive person is one with plenty of issues – that’s why they are offensive. And they want to spread the misery around. If you take offence, then their problem becomes yours, too. If you remain on God’s peace process, you will have a built in ‘teflon-factor’ that keeps the spirit of the offence from infecting your spirit.
Offences will happen – people can be rude, nasty, and vicious (e.g. the culture war). Yet there is a way to leverage off offensive behaviour so that it becomes the catalyst for promotion, rather than the trip-wire for demotion. So, to progress with God’s peace process, you have to deal with the spirit of offence.
GOOD NEWS: Two-Pronged Remedy Against Offence
1. Forgiveness: So how to we go from a state of hurt and un-forgiveness to a place of victory? First, we need to practice unilateral forgiveness. Even if the offender does not apologise or even recognise their error, it is important to ‘let go’ and ‘forgive.’ Forgiveness is Christianity 101! Ask for God’s grace to do this. Here is an incentive – Jesus says in Mark 11:25-26:
And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Some may say: You don’t understand; I have been greatly wronged. No body who has lived long enough misses out on the insults, indignities, rejection, misunderstanding, and injustice of this fallen world. Many become bitter but a few become better. The reason is forgiveness or the lack thereof. If you make a decision to forgive – and you should – let the grace of God see you through. Remember, Jesus forgave His enemies while being nailed to the cross!
What forgiveness does is it releases you from the spirit of offence, demolishes the ‘Berlin Wall’ around your life, cuts the octopus tentacles that the offence wrapped around you, releases you from bondage and you are set free! You are now able to get on with your life.
2. The Word of God: The role of God’s Word in overcoming offence and proceeding with the peace process is indispensable. A wonderful promise is found in the longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119, which is primarily about the word of God.
Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them — Psalm 119:165 (KJV)
Note that when you ‘love’ God’s law, meaning, the whole counsel of God, something amazing happens. It detoxes you from offence, causes you to grow spiritually, and bestows ‘great peace.’ How does this happen? Just as any child will properly grow when eating good food and drinking pure drink, so the child of God also grows when they have a regular intake of God’s Word. As they grow and mature, the things that once upset them.
If you want great peace, then ‘love God’s law:’
1.       Read it;
2.       Study it;
3.       Meditate on it;
4.       Do it!
Through forgiveness and God’s Word, you will no longer stranded in the wilderness. Instead, you will mount of with eagles wings and head towards the promised land.

Next time, we will learn about the fifth and final part of God’s peace process.
Articles, Bible, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Power of Biblical Meekness Part 03

But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace — Psalm 37:11 (KJV)
Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it — Psalm 37:34 (KJV)
It has been the lofty goal of millennia: rule over the whole earth. Whether it is dictators of the past or globalists today, there is the idea that to have universal peace and prosperity, there has to be economic, political and spiritual union. These utopian notions are as old as time but they overlook the most important thing: unless the LORD builds the house, they labour in vain who build it (Psalm 127:1). Every attempt to conquer and rule the world has failed spectacularly because they overlook God Himself. Every attempt to build this ‘perfect world without God’ has resulted in tyranny, dictatorship, warfare, and worse.
So logically, if we are going to have a world of peace and prosperity, we need to partner with God. He is coming to this earth to establish a kingdom that will never be removed. Psalm 96:13 says that God is coming to judge the earth with righteousness and truth.
Every time the ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ is recited, we are asking for God’s kingdom to come and His will be done ‘on earth’ as it is in heaven. Yes, the kingdom is coming to earth because the King is coming!
Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord — Psalm 27:14
MEEKNESS DESCRIBED
We have already learned in Parts 01 and 02 that they people who inherit the God’s earth are the ‘meek.’ These are people who focus on God, His grace, and His purposes, while forgoing personal rights, vindications, entitlement, and agendas. The meek have strong, quiet, graceful determination to plough through life in order to fulfil God’s will for their lives. They dive over distractions and overlook opposition. In this regard, they are greatly empowered by God. They are too preoccupied with the Kingdom of God to be drawn down by the undertow of this world. Such ‘meekness’ is actually spiritual empowerment, because as the meek individual decreases, Christ in them, the Hope of Glory, increases. Christ in them inherits the earth with them.
Do not say, ‘I will recompense evil;’ Wait on the LORD, and He will save you — Proverbs 20:22 (NKJV)
Psalm 37 reiterates the promise of the meek inheriting the earth, just as Jesus does in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:5). Yet this psalm gives us an important angle in both demonstrating meekness and gaining the inheritance. It is found in verse 9ff:
…but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
In that simple phrase, ‘wait upon the LORD,’ there is a powerful and practical key to meekness. In our ever-busy, materialistic, and often dysfunctional world, the last thing we have time to do is ‘wait on God.’ Our collective sense of immaturity, and the impatience that exemplifies it, makes ‘waiting’ all the more difficult. Yet, for the spiritual discerning and empowered, they know that ‘waiting on God’ is the key for breakthrough, miracles, and promotion. Indeed, those who ‘wait on God’ will not fail to get to the next level.
So what does it mean to ‘wait on God’ and how do we do it?
My soul, wait though only upon God; for my expectation is from him — Psalm 62:5 (KJV)
Perhaps the best way to describe it is an active seeking of God’s face in an attitude of humility and faith. The individual acknowledges that God is the One who knows and has everything they need. There is also a confident expectation that God will respond positively to the diligent seeking of the believer. Instead of looking to one’s own resources or to other people, the meek person who ‘waits’ looks to God … and God alone … for the answers.
HOW TO WAIT ON GOD
The ‘how to’s’ of waiting on God? There is ‘passive waiting,’ meaning that you have done everything you can and now it is up to God. So you patiently, gratefully, and expectantly look to and wait for the Almighty to do His work, at the time and place of His choosing. You diligently avoid impulsiveness, especially the notion: if nothing is happening, I’m going to make it happen! ‘Waiting on God’ helps you discern and implement the ‘God-Idea,’ rather than defaulting to the home-cooked, man-made ‘good idea.’ Only the God-ideas work.
Then there is ‘active waiting.’ This is both part of your regular devotional ‘quiet time’ (you do have regular ‘quiet time’ with God, don’t you? If not, blast a hole in your schedule and make some time. You will never be future-ready, let alone inherit the earth, without devotional ‘quiet time’).
Whether part of your regular devotions or a special time of seeking God, the key ingredients include:
1.       Bible: Refer to it, quote from it, meditate on the promises of God that come your way, and meditate on it;
2.       Prayer: Have a time of prayer, either as a block or interspersed with your Bible reading;
3.       Praise and worship: This is the language of faith, so do so regularly and liberally;
4.       Thanksgiving: Philippians 4:6 and I Thessalonians 5:18 makes it clear; this is God’s will for you;
5.       Silence: On occasion, wait silently before God and allow Him to speak to you;
6.       Fasting: If you are healthy, abstain from meals in order to have the time and consecutiveness to reach God. There is a simple reason people fast: they need to wait on God. Second reason: it works!
Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me —Micah 7:7
Keep waiting until you hear from God and get your marching orders.
Following these simple steps, consistently and fervently, is guaranteed to change your life.
So do you need direction? Provision? Breakthrough? Healing? Big answers to big prayers? Answers, full stop? Then look no further – the throne-room of grace is open to you (Hebrews 4:16?) to come and wait on the LORD. For as you do so, both as a regular practice and special emphasis, you will not fail to get to the next level. Now is the time!

I will praise the for ever, because thou has done it: and I will wait on thy name; for it is good before thy saints — Psalm 52:9 (KJV)
Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

KINGS OF ISRAEL: Why Study the Book of I Kings.

A young man, no more than 20 years old, finds himself thrust into a position of supreme leadership as king of Israel. Where does he even begin with such an awesome responsibility? Then God comes in a dream and invites him to ask for whatever he wants. He does not ask for riches, honour and/or acclaim for himself. Instead, the young monarch asks for one key thing for the sake of his nation: a wise and understanding heart so that he could capably rule the people. God was well pleased with the answer and said it was granted. In addition, there were bonuses of riches and reputation.

The king? Solomon, son of David, who became the wisest man who ever lived. It was he who wrote the timeless, priceless, and practical Book of Proverbs, plus Ecclesiastes. His story, and that of his successors, is told in the Bible book of I Kings. Like the other historical books of the Bible, we can learn from the successes and failures of the people of God and their leaders.
HEBREW NAME
I Kings begins with the words ‘Now king David …’ (1:1). The Hebrew is vehamelech David, from where we get the word melechim, or ‘kings.’
AUTHOR
Anonymous. Talmudic sources suggest that Jeremiah may have been the author.
PORTRAIT OF CHRIST
The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here — (Mt 12:42)
Christ is the greater than Solomon.
THEME OF I KINGS
Double-minded monarch leads to a divided kingdom.
KEY VERSES
And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments: 5Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel for ever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, There shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel.  — I Kings 9:4-5 (KJV)
Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. 12Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father’s sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son. 13Howbeit I will not rend away all the kingdom; but will give one tribe to thy son for David my servant’s sake, and for Jerusalem’s sake which I have chosen — I Kings 11:11-13 (KJV)
And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin – I Kings 15:34 (KJV)
SUMMARY
I Kings starts off very well with the rise of Solomon, son of David, King of Israel. It was an apex of Israel’s history. His youthful request for wisdom paid phenomenal benefits for all.
Yet Solomon’s prosperity and success were his undoing. He loved many strange (foreign) women and his heart was not perfect before the Lord like his father David. So God chose to take 10 out of 12 tribes away from David’s dynasty and give it to Jeroboam, son of Nebat. Thus the united monarchy was now divided between the Southern Kingdom of Judah, under the House of David, and the Northern Kingdom of Israel, under Jeroboam. This latter kingdom was very unstable, with around 19 kings, 5 dynasties and three capital cities.
The spiritual decline became a free fall with Jeroboam, the very first king of the North. He established rival man-made religion by building shrines in Bethel and Dan and putting a golden calf to be worshipped in each. This is called ‘the sin of Jeroboam, son of Nebat,’ who caused Israel to sin. None of his regal successors had the moral and spiritual courage to break free from this sin, which estranged them from the Lord God and spawned the prophetic ministries of Elijah and Elisha.
Jeroboam’s sin became the undoing of the Northern Kingdom. It was destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 BC and its population taken into exile. Judah lasted an additional 136 years, in part because of its relative stability. It had 1 dynasty, David’s, and 1 capital, Jerusalem, and housed the true temple of God. Yet Judah succumbed to the Babylonians in 586 BC, then miraculously returned from exile under the Persians.
DISTINCTIVES
Here are some of the lessons we learn:
•    Leadership is not evaluated by economic, political, or military success. The only criteria is whether the king did what was ‘right’ or ‘evil’ in the sight of the Lord God. Failure to follow God renders that leader’s legacy as ‘evil.’
•    When the king stays in ‘covenant-faithfulness,’ then God’s blessing and protection is on the king and kingdom.
•    If the king is unfaithful to God, he and the nation will be punished.
•    Had Israel and Judah stayed faithful, there would have been no conquest and no exile by hostile empires. The cause of both was not the strength of the Assyrians or Babylonians, but the strength of their sin.
•    A divided heart is what led to a divided kingdom. Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, is mentioned 22 times in both I & II Kings.
OUTLINE OF I KINGS
I.         UNITED MONARCHY (1:1-11:43)
A.     Solomon Ascends (1:1-2:46) Adonijah’s plot fails, death of David, execution of Adonijah, Joab, Shimei, while Abiathar the priest exiled.
B.      Rule of Solomon (King 3:1-8:66): Asks for wisdom, judges the harlots, administers with 12 governors and 11 princes, builds and dedicates the temple.
C.      Solomon Descends (9:1-11:43): Goes into overdraft & sells Israel’s cities, Queen of Sheba’s visit, intermarriage, chases idols, rebuked of God, and death.
II.      DIVIDED MONARCHY (12:1-22:53)
D.     Kingdom Divided (12:1-14:31): Rehoboam’s foolish response divides the kingdom; Jeroboam starts Northern Kingdom; his false shrines; prophetic warning, judgment on the king.
E.      Reigns of Abijam & Asa in Judah(15:1-24)
F.       Reigns of Nadab, Baasha, Elah, Zimri, and Omri in Israel (15:25-16:28)
G.     Reign of Ahab in Israel (16:29-22:40): Ahab’s sin, Elijah the prophet introduced, sojourns in Zarephthah, contest with prophets of Baal at Mount Carmel, flight from Jezebel, war with Syria, death of Naboth and Ahab.
H.     Reign of Jehoshaphat in Judah(22:41-50)

I.         Reign of Ahaziah in Israel (22:51-53)
Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

TRUMP CHRONICLES PART 03:

Trump the Christian: Opposition & Prophecy

I believe in God. I am Christian. I think The Bible is certainly, it is THE book. First Presbyterian Church in Jamaica Queens is where I went to church. I’m a Protestant, I’m a Presbyterian. And you know I’ve had a good relationship with the church over the years. I think religion is a wonderful thing. I think my religion is a wonderful religion
These words were uttered by the man who became the 45th President of the United States. Donald J. Trump has affirmed that he is a Christian.
Of course, there are Christians and there are Christians. In the United States, where for decades Christianity has been the ‘civil religion,’ everyone was a Christian. For example, every American President (and there have been 45) has called themselves ‘Christians.’ And, for the last 40 years, every President from Jimmy Carter onwards claimed to be ‘born again,’ too.
It would seem that Donald Trump could be in the first category. Many would think so. ‘Christian’ in name, but clearly no saint: multiple marriages, hints of past infidelity, an owner of casinos, and crude language on a 2005 tape. Those who suspect his Christian ties see him as an ‘abrasive New Yorker,’ a ‘street-fighter in a suit,’ this ‘reality TV personality.’ His prompt response to his critics are not exactly tempered by the fruit of the Spirit.
PROPHECIES OF THE PRESIDENCY
Despite all this, there is more to Donald Trump than meets the eye. While seemingly worldly in some areas, he is wholesome in others: no tobacco, alcohol, and a strong commitment to family life, as demonstrated by his ultra-loyal and loving children and grandchildren.
Amazingly, some prophecies have been offered regarding the ‘rise of Trump.’ One came from Kim Clements, Redding California, in April 2007. In his prophecy Clements said things like ‘Trump will be a trumpet.’ Though not known to be a ‘praying man’ before becoming President, he will become one in office. There will be ‘a wall of protection’ and Clements spoke about ‘two terms,’ meaning 8 years in office. The implication is, of course, that Trump will be re-elected in the 2020 US Presidential election (who wants to think about the next election after the combative and bruising nature of the last one?).
Another prophecy came from retired fire-fighter Mark Taylor in 2011. While watching Trump on television, he heard the voice of God tell him that he was listening to the ‘President.’ From here the prophecy spoke about God’s Spirit declaring that ‘the enemy’ (presumably Satan and demon powers) will quake, shake, and fear from this ‘man who God anointed.’
Donald Trump ‘anointed?’ Before jumping to conclusions, remember that the prophet Isaiah declared the same thing over Cyrus the Great of Medo-Persia (Isaiah 45:1). Cyrus was not a known believer but he was clearly used of God to fulfil his prophetic purposes.
Regarding the enemy fearing quaking, shaking in fear, consider this: The unprecedented media attacks, the opposition and hysteria after Trump’s election, the violent ‘protests,’ which were riots, recounts, death threats to members of the electoral college, regular death threats to Trump himself, ’the Russians,’ the inaugural protests and women’s march and … Donald Trump has poked the stick in the hornets nest and they are hopping mad.
According to Charisma News, political analyst Pat Caddell says, comments on the mainstream media vis a vis Trump: ’This is the crisis of democracy – the mainstream media, which is in the tank in the most violent way against Donald Trump and for Hillary Clinton, that I have ever seen in the 45 years that I have been at the top of presidential politics … And it is terrifying … Not just that they’re for Hillary, and telling us that Trump is evil, and my God, no human being could possible vote for him; it is what they are omitting, the facts that they will not tell the American people.’[1]
One man commented that Trump was a ‘wrecking ball’ to political correctness (PC). Anyone familiar with PC knows it is public enemy number one to ‘freedom of speech’ and, in its extreme, can be dangerous to the future of the nation. Political correctness also causes good people, even Christian people, to wince when the plain truth is uttered. This is because PC is an enemy of the truth. When politicians were afraid to even mention the word ‘borders’ for fear of being labelled ‘intolerant’ and ‘bigots’ and ‘xenophobes’ and ‘islamophobes,’ that’s the crippling effects of political correctness at work.
Then here comes Donald Trump … we are going to have a wall with Mexico and practice extreme vetting of would-be migrants. He will not be bullied by PC and keeps rolling on like an invincible tank.
When you consider the unprecedented, furious and ferocious opposition Trump, it is not unreasonable to consider that this opposition is ultimately spiritual.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For 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.
In our next article, we will learn about Trump’s relationship with evangelical Christians and whether their support made a difference to his winning the election.

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

RECIPE: Meat & Vegetable Stir-Fry

If time is short and you want a tasty, nourishing meal, look no further. Here is a real winner. Also, if you have a glut of vegetables at home, here is a great way to use them up.
One part meat: Beef, chicken, or pork. Cube or cut into bite-sized pieces.
Two parts vegetable: cut into bite-sized pieces (see ‘Vegetables’ below)
1 Tablespoon ginger, garlic, shallots (optional)
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh herbs like coriander or basil.
Vegetables
Chose vegetables in both categories below.
Category 01: Onions, Baby Corn, Snow Peas, Snap Peas, Mushrooms, Celery, Zucchini, Bok Choy. These cook very quickly so watch out.
Category 02: Carrots, Cauliflower Capsicum (bell peppers), Broccoli, Green Beans. These take more time to cook due to their denseness. They have a great ‘crunch.’
Sauce for Stir-fry
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 Tablespoon vinegar, preferably rice wine
1 cup broth
Put all ingredients in a bowl and then whisk together until fully blended. For thicker sauce, add 1 teaspoon of corn starch, whisk until blended, and let sit for 10 minutes before mixing with the stir fry.
Cooking Instructions
1.      Have all your ingredients chopped and ready to go before you start cooking, because once you begin the stir-fry, it will go quickly. Make sure your rice or noodles are also cooked before frying. Everything should be cut and prepared to a similar size to ensure uniform cooking.
2.      Take your wok or frying pan and set it over medium to high heat. Once hot, then add 1 Tablespoon of oil (peanut or coconut) for a non-stick pan or 2 Tablespoons for a regular pan. Do not begin to cook until the pan is hot and the oil sizzling.
3.      Once heated, add your meat of choice and cook thoroughly on all sides. Remove the cooked meat and place to the side. Do not stir the entire time; give opportunity for ‘frying’ and then ‘stirring,’ so the meat and vegetables are sufficiently cooked.
4.      Add your Category 02 vegetables next. These take longer to cook. Only fry for 1 minute. If you have too many, then fry them in batches. Don’t overcook or the vegetables will lose their wonderful texture, crunch, and colour.
5.      Add your Category 01 vegetables, which cook more quickly than Category 02, and fry 1 more minute.
6.      Add ginger, garlic, and/or shallots, if you are using at all. Cook no more than half a minute and continuously stir to avoid burning.
7.      It is now time to return the meat to the pan. Add the above stir-fry sauce. Coat the vegetables and meat in sauce and make sure there is not excessive liquid at the bottom that can make the vegetables soggy. Cook until it bubbles, around 60-90 seconds.
8.      Remove from the heat and add fresh herbs.
9.      May be served with cooked noodles or rice (Jasmine or Basmati are great choices).
10.  Enjoy!

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

7 Pillars To Understanding the Future: Pillar 02

Ephesians 6:11
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12For 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 — Ephesians 6:11-12 (KJV)
Why Do the Nations Rage?
On November 8th, 2016, Donald J. Trump was elected 45th President of the United States. Since then, there has been a flurry of protests – some ugly, others dangerously violent. There was the post-election ‘protests,’ which turned into a riot in Portland, Oregon. Voting recounts, ‘Russian hacking,’ intimidating electors of the electoral college, all have been thrown to try and invalidate the election. Then on inauguration day, the protestors promised to stop the inauguration. They failed – but that did not stop them from vandalising parts of the capital city. Then there were the ‘protests’ after President Trump signed an executive order halting refugees from seven Muslim-majority countries deemed terrorist haunts by the outgoing Obama Administration. Or the ultra-violent riots at the University of California – Berkeley, trying to stop Milo Yiannopoulos, a conservative, gay, British journalist, from speaking.
While protests are nothing new in the United States and are indeed a protected right (provided they are peaceful), why the frequency, stridency, and savagery? Most will agree that we have not seen anything like this. Dennis Prager calls this current turmoil the second American civil war.
This is not just limited to the United States. There is a low-level world war across North Africa and the western half of Asia, jihadists against other Muslims, minorities, and the West. Anti-Semitism is rearing its ugly head in Europe and the West. Anti-Christian persecution is at the highest levels we have seen in several generations.
While experts seek to offer explanations for the increasingly turbulent times in which we live, here is one you rarely hear, yet it explains everything.
The second pillar of understanding the future: we live in a spiritual world and the solutions are equally spiritual.
The Real Enemy
It is easy to blame sinful people and ideologies for all our challenges. Indeed, people need to take responsibility for their actions and will be held accountable by God for them (Romans 14:12). Yet, the Bible speaks clearly of a hidden spiritual hand that controls events and nations. Satan is described by Jesus Christ Himself as the ‘prince’ of this world (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11) while Paul calls him the ‘god’ of this world (II Corinthians 4:4).
The New Testament Greek word for ‘world’ is kosmos, which in order, arrangement, and/or adornment; however, it also means the current state of human affairs which is at enmity and opposition to God. And who inspired this? The master rebel himself, Satan, and his host of demons. That’s why I John 5:19 (NKJV) says succinctly, ‘We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.’ Satan and demon powers, who had such dominance in human history, are in a panic because their time is short (Revelation 12:12), and want to cause as much trouble and turmoil as possible on their way down.
When we understand the spiritual nature of our world, we will quit getting mad at people, despite their furious opposition, and focus our spiritual attention on the real culprits. The invisible spiritual forces are slated for destruction, Satan included, while the earthly opponents are loved of God and are targets for the gospel of grace.
An elderly Daniel discovered, to his amazement, that his prayers were being hindered by the the ‘Prince of Persia.’ The great Messianic psalm, Psalm 2, speaks about the raging of the nations and people becoming active yet senseless. The reason? Because the King is coming back. Satan and demon powers know they are fighting a losing battle but still want to do their utmost to thwart the return of the Prince of Peace.
The Wise Response
How should we respond? Understand that the Biblical Christian life, the one that God approves, is not a ‘religious life,’ riddled with ‘do’s and don’ts, rules and regulations, with a dour face and judgmental heart. No, the life God endorses is a spiritual Christian life. It starts with being:
1)           Born of the Spirit or born again: the new birth is when our spirit, the inner-person, is reborn. The Holy Spirit is the agent of change in this process;
2)           Baptised in the Spirit – something mentioned in all four gospels and fulfilled in the Book of Acts (1:6, 8). This is a permanent immersion where the presence of God’s Spirit is with us and in us;
3)           Filled with the Spirit (Acts 2:4; Ephesians 5:18): The presence of the Holy Spirit is so overwhelming that there is an overflow of anointing, empowerment, gifts (I Corinthians 12) and fruit (Galatians 5:22-23), and
4)           Walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16): This is a lifestyle of living a Spirit-filled, Spirit-anointed life. ‘Natural living’ is like living in the barnyard with the chickens: crowded, contentious, dirty, and no flight. ‘Spirit-filled living’ is like the eagle (Isaiah 40:31), it takes flight and hovers over the fray that holds others back.
The Solution is Equally Spiritual
With this Holy Spirit empowerment that comes from the born again, Spirit-filled lifestyle, we are in a great position to implement Ephesians 6, which exhorts us to put on the whole armour of God. Spiritual world means spiritual fight and God has provided us the weaponry we need to overcome and gain victory. Failure to understand the battle or implement the solution leaves us vulnerable to the wiles and desires of the devil.
The armoury God provides is impressive:
1.       The belt of truth around our waist: keeps everything in place;
2.       Breastplate of righteousness: protects the heart;
3.       Gospel of peace on the feet: puts us on the road;
4.       Shield of faith: quench all the fiery darts of the wicked;
5.       Helmet of salvation: protects the mind;
6.       Sword of the Spirit: The Word of God
The spiritual solution is to be ‘strong in the Lord’ (Ephesians 6:10), continue to stand (v. 11, 13, 14), withstand in the evil day (v. 13), pray all kinds of prayers in the Spirit (v. 18); watching with all perseverance and supplication for all saints.

Lesson for Life:If you want to understand the future, know that this is a spiritual world; the challenges and solution are equally spiritual.
Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

GOD’S PEACE PROCESS – PART 03

It is instructive, even frightening, how many people in the relatively peaceful and prosperous western world suffer from mental health issues. These include anxiety, excessive stress, and depression. Even those who claim to be believers and attend church are not exempted from these things. Of course, if the root cause of this malaise is spiritual, then the solution will be equally spiritually.
God offers a spiritual solution: it is peace – His peace – and available to any and all who will receive it. Once received, the mental health issues clear up, wholeness is gained, and joy returns. Like the ‘pearl of great price,’ God’s peace is worth everything to obtain and will not disappoint.
So far, we learned that the pre-requisite to peace is to recognise that it comes from Jesus. All the Lord asks is that before we receive peace, we make a decision to cooperate with His to refuse to let our heart be trouble or afraid (John 14:27).
The second thing we learned is to establish a beachhead of God’s peace, we have to be reconciled to God by the new birth. This comes by believing in the gospel of Christ: He died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures. In other words, you can’t have God’s peace until you are willing to receive in your heart the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, as Saviour and Lord. When this happens, we are justified by faith (not by religious works) and have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
God offers a ‘peace process.’ Unlike the worldly version, which comes in instalments and can be incomplete and temporal at best, God’s peace comes freely, fully and permanently. We can and should grow in God’s peace, as we do in God’s grace, glory, and faith.
The next step is important. God’s peace can be likened to a personal body guard. Any force that would try to harm you or cause you to fret and worry can be thwarted. This protective, prevailing peace will guard your mind – which can be a battle field of negative, anxious though. It will guard your heart, from which flow the issues of life. Prevailing peace means that no challenge will go unmet and no challenge will succeed – God’s peace will prevail against any and all attacks. When you are peaceful in heart and mind, nothing can rock your boat.
How do we obtain God’s protective, prevailing peace? We learn about it in Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV):
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
So here is the secret to growing in the prevailing, protective peace of God: it comes through prayer. Like the air we breath, prayer is indispensable for Christian life and growth. Without a lifestyle of prayer, you will become weak like any other man. Great people of God have said: A prayer less Christian is a powerless Christian.
If you have the desire to be a person of prayer, but find it difficult to get started, here are two things you can do. 1) Read about prayer: in the Bible and also Christian literature. There are plenty of books on the subject. More importantly, 2) Find an ‘on-fire’ prayer meeting, attend it regularly, and remain a part of it until you catch the fire!
Even before you pray, or at least when you pray, make sure you follow the first part of the advice: Be careful for nothing. Make a decision that you will not worry or fret about anything. This will require God’s grace, of course, but hand the burden to God, let Him do all the heavy lifting, and then proceed to pray.
Note Philippians 4 speaks of prayer (a broad term about seeking God in faith and utterance), supplication (where we make our requests to God), and thanksgiving. The latter is essential because, like people, God responds very well to an ‘attitude of gratitude’ (I Thessalonians 5:18).
In summary, hand your burdens to God, pray all kinds of prayers, give thanks to God in everything.
Years ago I wonderfully learned this lesson. Flying from my first ever visit to the Middle East, the airline gave me an obligatory stop in London – at my expense. Twenty-two years old, with little money, having been informed that ‘London is expensive’ and ‘all the hotel rooms are full,’ I contemplated sleeping on the seats at Heathrow Airport. In fact, on the plane I started to feel distressed and anxious. Then I remember Philippians 4:6-7. I wanted to shout it from the housetops, but that would not be appropriate in flight. So I found the one place that would afford me privacy – the lavatory on the plane – and confessed to the LORD: Heavenly Father, I claim the promise of Philippians 4:6-7. When I walk out of this place, I thank you that I will experience your protective, prevailing peace on my heart and mind. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Without exaggeration, once I opened the door, the peace of God descended upon me. The worry and fear were gone. Once I arrived in London, everything fell into place, I found a clean, quaint, and affordable hotel room for the night and my money stretched far enough to get me a London Indian curry!

God may or may not give you an immediate answer to your prayer. Yet, what you will receive – on the spot – is God’s peace in your heart and mind. His word guarantees it. It’s time to grow in the peace of God – through prayer.
Articles, Bible, Education, Family, Prophecy, Teaching

Inheriting the Earth: The Power of Biblical Meekness PART TWO

In Part One we were introduced to the concept of Biblical meekness, which comes with the superlative promise: The meek shall inherit the earth (Psalm 37:11; Matthew 5:5). In essence, meekness is submission to God and His grace, letting Him carry us, fight our battles, and use us as He wills. The two meekest men in the Bible were Moses and Jesus, yet both of them were mightily used of God in acts of power.
The meek do not ‘fight for their rights,’ actively seek vengeance or vindication, strive in their own strength or live off man-made, home-cooked ‘good ideas.’ They live and labour according to God’s terms, timing, and territory. The meek simply keep single-minded and focused on what God has called them to do.
ISAAC: MEEKNESS IN ACTION
A classic example of this principle, and how to inherit the earth, is found in the patriarch Isaac in Genesis 26:16-22. God commanded Isaac to remain in Canaan, a land he was destined to inherit. Amazingly, this was during a time of intense famine. When food was scarce in Canaan, the natural response was to travel to nearby Egypt, where the Nile River and its alluvial rich overflow normally guaranteed a steady food supply.
Certainly, Isaac’s father Abraham, and son Jacob, did go to Egypt when famine hit in Canaan during their day. Yet when Isaac tried to make the same move, God intervened and told him to stay put. He would bless him in the land of promise, drought, famine, and all. Meekness meant trusting God and committing all to him.
Ever energetic, Isaac was busy sowing in the land and reaping 100-fold (Genesis 26:12). That was a miracle, considering that the Negev wilderness is dry, even in normal times, let alone in a season of dryness.
The neighbouring Philistines became jealous of his success and expelled him from the city of Gerar. It was most unfair, but Isaac decided not to fight for justice but to keep on labouring in his inheritance. God’s justice towards Isaac would outstripped any compensation this world can offer.
The patriarch began to dig wells or re-dig wells in the Negev, where his father Abraham had dug. Wells not only brought water but served as a stake to claim the land. At least twice the Philistines protested that the wells belong to them, even though Isaac was the one who dug them. He did not argue or stop fulfilling his call. He kept his powder dry, relinquished the wells to his opponents, and kept digging elsewhere. Isaac knew that the promise of God to inherit the land would come in God’s timing and God’s way.
Isaac’s meekness netted him a wonderful reprieve called Rehoboth (Genesis 26:22). Here was a ‘Philistine-free zone’ were there is room, water, fruitfulness, and no strife. Every believer needs to visit Rehoboth, periodically if not regularly.
What is remarkable is that Isaac’s spirit of meekness did not make him look weak, but strong. Eventually, his enemies met with him and sued for peace.
The reason was that the blessing of God appeared prominently on his life. Wherever his plough laboured, there was a bumper crop. Wherever his spade touch, a well of springing water resulted. When opposition hit, he glided over it like a stream over a stubborn rock. To fight such a God-blessed man like Isaac would mean to fight against God Himself.
Then he came across Beersheba, well of seven, which became the patriarchs winter capital. The land of Canaan was now within Isaac’s reach and he never had to fire a shot.
MEEKNESS FOR TODAY
Isaac’s exemplary conduct contradicts our current culture, which focuses on ‘rights,’ ‘entitlement,’ and ‘self-interest.’ The problem with this attitude is that as soon as you drop your spade (shovel) and pick up your boxing gloves to fight your enemy, they have already won. The reason is that you are no longer doing what God has called you to, but instead you are distracted by a battle that is best left with God. Often, these battles can be lengthy and tiresome. So even if you win the battle, you truly lose the war. Second, by taking up the fight yourself, you are not demonstrating the power of faith and trust whereby God can fight your battle and win your prize.
Except in rare situations, the Biblical meek don’t even bother responding to their opponents. The work of God is simply too great (remember Nehemiah: he did not want to stop building the walls of Jerusalem in order to debate his enemies).
The meek reserve their focus on one thing: doing God’s will. All the other issues they leave for God to sort out. Many take the lower road, which leads to the barnyard. It can be messy, battling with the chickens and other poultry who can’t even fly. Or, you can take the ‘higher way’ of Biblical meekness, where the eagles rule the skies. Those who choose this way travel faster, farther, and truly inherit the earth.
Meekness
A spirit of empowerment, not entitlement;
overcoming, not overcome;
inheritance, not infirmity;
grace, not greed;
victory, not victimhood.
By meekness you interface with
Almighty God Himself
So that when He inherits the earth (Psalm 24:1);

                                                  You inherit it with Him

Articles, Education, Prophecy, Teaching

Recipe for the month: Fried Cauliflower

This recipe has been a family favourite for years and its so easy to make. Sometimes it never makes it to the dinner table because people are eating it off the plate at the stove!
Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower (or as much as you want)
Olive oil for frying (use whatever amount your comfortable with)
Lemon juice (to taste)
Garlic powder (to taste)
1.    Heat olive oil in the frying pan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2.    Fry half of the cauliflower florets in the hot oil until they turn golden brown, about 8 minutes.
3. Drain on a paper towel, squeeze lemon juice over the warm florets and then sprinkle with garlic powder.
Repeat until all cauliflower is cooked.

Serve & enjoy