END TIMES FALSE TEACHERS

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Andy Stanley compromises Genesis and certainly teaches that those of us who insist all the Bible (including OT) is true are putting a stumbling block in people’s way to hearing the gospel. But it’s Stanley who is undermining God’s Word — yes, a false teacher.”

“Many have lost faith because of something about the Bible or in the Bible – the Old Testament in particular,” Stanley says in a recent sermon. “Once they can no longer accept all the historicity of the Old Testament, once they couldn’t go along with all the miracles, once somebody poked a hole in the Genesis creation, you know, myth – once all that went away suddenly their house-of-cards faith came tumbling down because they were taught it’s all true, it’s all God’s Word and if you find one part that’s not true [then] uh-oh the whole thing comes tumbling down.

Stanley says, “The Bible did not create Christianity. The resurrection of Jesus created Christianity and launched Christianity. Your whole house of Old Testament cards can come tumbling down [but] the question is: Did Jesus rise from the dead? And the eyewitnesses said He did. I know that’s a little disturbing for some of us. I know for many of you, this is liberating. As one close friend of mine said who was in her 60s, said, ‘I finally understand.’”

What does Stanley do with Jesus’ statement: “He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.'” Luke 16:31

At least 33,000 people attend one of Andy’s seven churches each Sunday. Fans watch him on television or flock to his leadership seminars; pastors study his DVDs for preaching tips; his ministries’ website gets at least a million downloads per month.

We are told false prophets will be a feature of the last days prior to Jesus’ return and sadly we are seeing that all too often. Andy Stanley is only one of many. In Australia, Brian Houston of Hillsong, a mammoth money-making organisation comes to mind.

“For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand... Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Matthew 24:24-25, 29-31

GOD IS SOVEREIGN

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We know as Christians that God places rulers in power to accomplish His purposes, as difficult as that might seem for us.

“He changes times and seasons; He deposes kings and raises up others. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. Daniel 2:21

“Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.” Romans 13:1

These verses and others like them are great reminders of God’s sovereignty in history. These are the kind of bedrock verses to meditate on when a new government arises headed by an Islamic leader, who seemingly will be big trouble for Christ-followers.

Our faith cannot be shaken by whoever is in the driver’s seat of any given government. God is in control and often we get the leader we deserve. In Australia, the Victorian people voted in the ungodly Daniel Andrews and they are now getting the anti-God legisation they deserve.

It is useful to reflect on how God uses kings for His purposes. For example, Divine judgment came against the Lord’s people by means of King Nebuchadnezzar and the nation of Babylon. God refers to Nebuchadnezzar as His servant, meaning that the king was doing the work of God in punishing the people of Judah.

The fact that Nebuchadnezzar was referred to as the Lord’s servant should not be interpreted to mean that he was a righteous king. It is also not an indication that Babylon was replacing Judah as God’s special people. This is made clear as God’s judgment would later be pronounced against Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon.

“‘Then it will be when seventy years are completed I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,’ declares the Lord, ‘for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans; and I will make it an everlasting desolation. I will bring upon that land My words which I have pronounced against it, all that is written in this book which Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations.’” Jeremiah 25:12-13

We must drill down into the Rock. Jesus and cling to Him as world events continue to mold a godless future at a faster rate than ever seen before. We must also use the many prophecies of these future events for what I call apocalyptic evangelism. They prove the inerrancy of the Bible and the fact God is in control of History. The Bible clearly indicates the world gets darker as the world comes under greater control of Satan and his demonic powers. God even allows Satan to install his Antichrist and prophet to rule for three and a half years prior to Jesus’ return to earth with the glorified Saints to rule and reign for 1000 years.

“They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:5-6

HOW TO USE THE RAY COMFORT CORONATION TRACTS

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The Coronation tract developed by Ray Comfort’s organization Living Waters is based on the 50-pound English Bank Note so it will be considered a memorial of King Charles’s coronation. Have you ordered your free tracts for use in your area of influence?

If not go to http://www.livingwaters.org to do so.

The following short video talks about the development of the tracts but also how to use them wisely to promote the Kingdom of God.

If you live in the Sutherland Shire, NSW Australia, and want to use the Coronation tracts contact me: ron@bakb.com.au

HOSTILITY AGAINST CHURCHES

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In December 2022, Family Research Council (FRC) released an extensive publication documenting a sharp rise in acts of hostility against churches in the United States. Analyzing publicly available data from the past five years, FRC found a total of 420 documented acts of hostility that occurred between January 2018 and September 2022.

The types of acts identified include vandalism, arson, gun-related incidents, bomb threats, and more. There also appeared to be an increase in frequency over the course of the reporting period. FRC’s report identified 137 acts of hostility against churches between January and September 2022. By comparison, there were 96 incidents in all 12 months of 2021. FRC also identified 54 incidents against churches in 2020, 83 in 2019, and 50 in 2018. Since the launch of that report, FRC has continued to track acts of hostility against churches. The fourth quarter of 2022 saw an additional 54 incidents, for a total of 191 in 2022. That number is nearly double the previous year’s total of 96. In the first quarter of 2023, 69 incidents have already occurred. If this rate continues, 2023 will have the highest number of incidents of the six years FRC has tracked, continuing the upward trend. Most of the 2023 incidents occurred in January (43); 14 occurred in February, and 12 occurred in March 2023.

Criminal acts of vandalism and destruction of church property are symptomatic of a collapse in societal reverence and respect for houses of worship and religion—in this case, churches and Christianity. Some people appear increasingly comfortable lashing out against church buildings, pointing to a larger societal problem of marginalizing core Christian beliefs, including those that touch
on hot-button political issues related to human dignity and sexuality. The anger and division that increasingly characterize American society are endangering churches and eroding religious freedom. When congregants feel targeted by members of their communities or church buildings bear the brunt of outrage over political events, the very ability to live out one’s faith safely is
under attack. Violent or destructive incidents that interfere with an individual’s lawful free exercise of religion at their house of worship present a significant nationwide challenge.

The above report is to be expected as we fast approach the Biblical prophesied time before Jesus returns to restore righteousness to the world. Lawlessness, deception, many abandoning the faith, apostasy, Antichrist, and the Mark of the Beast are all prophesied to take place before His return. Christians need to prepare for these coming events and be faithful to proclaim the GOOD NEWS, the “gospel of the kingdom” until Jesus returns to rapture faithful believers and pour out His wrath upon an unbelieving world.

“And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:12-14

“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.” Matthew 24:21-22

“Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him … For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God … The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:1,3-4,9-12

PRESENTING THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

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Watch Ray Comfort present the GOSPEL to this young woman and a young man. Note the logic of the progression of his presentation and their reactions. Just by their openness and goodness the Holy Spirit was already working in their lives. Fortunately, the young woman had a praying grandma, which influenced the extent of the change in her from believing in reincarnation to coming back to reconsidering Jesus as her Lord and Saviour.

God has revealed to Ray Comfort the great opportunity that the Coronation of King Charles on Saturday 6th May 2023 offers Christians to evangelize unbelievers. The Coronation service is a traditional Christian service that honours God and the Bible. When Ray shared the vision he had been given with others sufficient money was donated to produce millions of brochures which Ray is offering free of charge to anyone who wants to be involved in what God is doing to bring the Gospel to the lost. Please get involved, you can by going to Ray’s website go http://www.livingwaters.com.

LOVING GOD WITH ALL YOUR MIND

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MANY PEOPLE, both inside and outside the church, think that Christianity means abandoning the mind. Nothing could be more wrong! Jesus’ “greatest commandment” is to love God with all your mind: our love for God must include our mind. Furthermore, the Apostle Peter told us, “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). So our hope has a reason, and we should be prepared. And the Apostle Paul instructed us: “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). That sounds radical: destroying arguments (but not people) against Christianity and bringing people’s thoughts (not emotions) to follow Christ.

Jesus Himself is called the Logos (John 1:1–14), from which we derive the word ‘logic’. We are supposed to be imitators of Jesus (1 Corinthians 11:1); thus, loving God with our mind should be logical. Furthermore, it was by and through Him that all things, including mankind in His image and likeness, were created. This divine image must include being programmed with language and logic.

Such programming is clear from the creation of Adam, “the first man” (1 Corinthians 15:45):

And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:16).

The language was not just about things Adam could see but included abstract concepts such as logic. For example, Adam could eat the fruit of “every tree” but one—‘every’ is a logical concept called a universal quantifier. Adam didn’t need to see each tree to understand this concept. But there was one fruit Adam must “not” eat—‘not’ is a logical negation. And if he disobeyed God (sinned), then he would die. This command presupposed that God programmed Adam to understand logical implication.

This passage also logically links death to sin. Many Genesis compromisers deny this teaching by claiming that Adam could not understand death without seeing a dead animal. However, Adam didn’t need to see things to understand them. E.g., how could Adam have seen a ‘not’? But since God programmed Adam to understand negation, He also programmed Adam to know that death is a negation of life. God also programmed Adam (and Eve) as adults, ready to multiply and take dominion (Genesis 1:26–28).

Creation Ministries International (CMI), including their flagship Creation magazine, exists to help readers worldwide love God with their minds and imitate Christ in logical thinking. In every issue, They interview good examples of that; in the latest issue, geographer Dr Sarah Buckland from Jamaica (pp. 18–21) and biologist Dr KeeFui Kon from Singapore (pp. 36–39). They also show how biblical creation is logically illustrated by super designs, such as the golden plover (pp. 24–25) and even the air we breathe (pp. 50–52).

An important teaching is the Flood of Noah’s day, which must logically be global (Genesis 6–8). With an intense process like the Flood, we don’t need millions of years to form the geological strata that exist today. But millions of years are necessary for evolution from goo to you via the zoo. The Flood explains the spectacular ammolite (pp. 12–13) and the wide Nile valley (p. 56). But God rescued a remnant of people (such as Shem, pp. 46–48) and animals on a massive Ark (pp. 32–35). After the Flood, people and animals migrated around the world, such as rafting monkeys (pp. 14–17).

Another great article, by Jonathan Sarfati, from the latest issue of Creation magazine: http://www.creation.com. “LEAVING YOUR BRAINS AT THE CHURCH DOOR?” in the Editorial section

al MAHDI BEST CANDIDATE FOR ANTICHRIST

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I met Joel Richardson at a conference in Dallas where he was one of the speakers on End Times. He was introduced to me by Nelson Walters who I have known for a number of years. Joel spoke on “The Scriptural Case for an Islamic Antichrist“.

Since then a number of other books have been written that focus on the long-awaited Muslim Messiah, al Mahdi, and how he fits the Biblical descriptions of the Antichrist. One book that I have used to extract much of the information for this post is Ralph Stice’s book “Arab Spring, Christian Winter – Islam Unleashed on the Church and the World“

Forty-two percent of Muslims in a recent survey believe the Islamic Superman will appear in their lifetime (www.mahdi-watch.org). His name is al-Mahdi, the “Rightly Guided One,” who has been discussed since the earliest days of Islam. This Islamic messiah was referred to by Muhammad’s grandson, Ali, who said that Islam would “prevail over all religions when the Messiah of this ummah (Islamic nation) makes his appearance.” (Ed Hotaling, Islam without Illusions: It’s Past, Its Present, and Its Challenges for the Future (Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2003), 102).

The following quote is from what has been called the greatest Islamic history book from the pre-modern era:

“Let it be known that it is a narrated event by ALL Muslims in EVERY era that at the end of time a man from the family of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) will, without fail, make his appearance and will strengthen Islam and spread justice; Muslims will follow him and he will gain domination over the Muslim realm. He will be called al-Mahdi.” Ibn Khaldun, The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1967), 257-58.

Mahdi (also Mehdi or Maadi; the vowels are flexible in Arabic) will appear just as mankind reaches a stage of great suffering, to show the light of Islam when men and women need it most, and to prepare the world for Allah’s judgment just in time, according to accepted Islamic teaching.

One writer predicts: “The Mahdi will establish right and justice in the world and eliminate evil and corruption. He will fight against the enemies of the Muslims who would be victorious.” Sideeque M. A. Veliankode, Doomsday: Portents and Prophecies (Scarborough, Canada: Al-Attique, 1999), 4-5.

Note what these two Ayatullahs say, “He will reappear on the appointed day, and then he will fight against the forces of evil, lead a world revolution and set up a new world order based on justice, righteousness, and virtue … ultimately the righteous will take the world administration in their hands and Islam will be victorious over all the religions.” Ayatullah Baqir al-Sadr and Ayatullah Murtadha Mutahhari, The Awaited Saviour (Karachi, Pakistan: Islamic Seminary Publications, 2013), 4-5.

He will be assisted by prophet Isa “Jesus,” who will descend from heaven to work miracles and preach Islam. “Isa will testify against those who had called him son of God, the Christians, and those who had belied him, the Jews.”

This Islamic version of Jesus’ end-times role fits the description of the Antichrist’s assistant (False Prophet) in Revelation 13 perfectly. While Mahdi straightens out the ummah by “freeing Islam from the hypocrites who have corrupted it,” this Jesus will handle the evangelization of the Jewish and Christian communities. (http://www.awaitedmahdi.com/mahdi01.html, November 15, 2013).

If this sounds like the Antichrist and the False Prophet, you can see why many of us who have studied Islam for years believe that Mahdi will be that man. One Muslim Background Believer who has done a lot of speaking and writing about al-Mahdi, Walid Shoebat, says that as he read scriptural prophecy for the first time, he was astonished by the description of the Antichrist.

His conclusion? This is the Mehdi that we have long talked about in Islam.

TRANSGENDERISM: A LIE FROM SATAN

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Jennifer Lahl, Founder and President of the Center for Bioethics & Culture summed up the battle — transgenderism isn’t simply a political or cultural attack but one that is satanic in its origins.

“I don’t believe in transgenderism,” she said. “I think that’s a lie from the devil.”

Jeff Myers, Ph.D., the president of Summit Ministries and co-author of a recent e-book with Showalter, titled Exposing The Gender Lie, said Christians must first acknowledge the urgency of the issue and the threat it poses.

Get your free book ‘Exposing the Gender Lie’ here

“We realized we can’t be silent on the issue of gender ideology because it is an attack on the very idea of truth itself,” said Myers.

He said he’s “very concerned” about transgenderism and pointed to some 6,500 catalogued biological differences between males and females.

“The idea that you can be a boy and become a girl is a lie; it is a lie about biology and it is a lie about personhood,” he said.

Myers pointed to the teaching of the postmodern view that words are reality — a teaching that stretches back nearly three decades, when university students were being taught that no objective reality exists, only “knowable perceptions.” 

“So instead of saying people should seek the truth, now people say you should ‘speak your truth,” he explained. “So if words have no relation to reality, then words like ‘male’ and ‘female’ don’t matter anymore.”

That application, said Myers, underpins the entire ideology of transgenderism, which “twists language” to threaten the livelihoods of those whose very job is to communicate facts and data.

“You’re a journalist, you’ll get fired if you don’t do this,” he said. “If you refer to biological men who identify as women as transgender women, you must use that terminology. 

“If you’re in the corporate world and don’t do it, you’ll be fired.” 

GOD’S LOVE FOR US

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God’s love for us should be the motivation that drives our life. Paul was able to say that the love of Christ controlled him, and other believers, and he gave us the reason why it did.

“For the love of Christ controls us because we have concluded this: that one has died for all … and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

Let me add the other major reason: Jesus made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the Holy Spirit to indwell our Spirit to be our counsellor, teacher, and comforter. The Holy Spirit produces the fruit of the Spirit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, kindness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22). He also provides all nine gifts of the Spirit for ministry.

“God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” Hebrews 2:4

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

If you do not know the truth about God’s love for you, then you are missing a single most powerful force that has driven every man and woman of God who has ever walked this planet. When you realize how much God loves you, you will never lack for motivation to serve him with all your heart.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this, the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him.” 1 John 4:7-9

Note what Paul prays that our Heavenly Father will provide for us: that the Holy Spirit will enable us to comprehend the breadth, length, height, and depth of the love of Christ so that we are filled with the fullness of God.

“He (Heavenly Father) may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have the strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.“

Paul understood this when he prayed this prayer for all the believers. Then they would be filled up to all the fullness of God so that the Spirit would work in them to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that they had ever asked or imagined. Of all the doctrines described in God’s Word, if you miss the doctrine of love, you have missed God.

You can download the ebook “With all my love, GOD” from Jim McCotters website http://www.jimsbookstore.com

DEMONIC OPPRESSION AND POSSESSION

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Mike Signorelli, pastor of V1 Church in New York City, recently told CBN’s Faithwire about his deliverance efforts in the video below. He responds to critics’ questions and explores what it means to achieve spiritual healing.

“The word ‘deliverance’ is not in the Bible; it’s a newer word,” Signorelli said. “You’re not going to find a deliverance ministry in the Bible. What you will find is Jesus casting out demons, you’re going to find His disciples casting out demons, you’re going to find Him commissioning 70 people to go do it.”

While some people’s only frame of reference for evil is Hollywood’s presentation of intense exorcism — a phenomenon many faith leaders note is rare — Signorelli said these spiritual issues might present themselves in starkly different ways.

Possession indicates ownership of sorts, though oppression is more of a spiritual pressure exerted on a person, not necessarily indicative of the types of full spiritual control seen in films like “The Exorcist.”

“In the New Testament, where someone has a demon, the Greek word [is] actually ‘demonized,’ which really means ‘to be under the influence of a demon,’” he said. “And so it helps to understand the difference between oppression and possession.”

Watch Signorelli explain these concepts. you will be glad you did: