This extremely simple presentation on a napkin outlines what church is all about, what it is designed to do and then explains what the institutional church has added which has made it extremely difficult for it to accomplish what Jesus designed for it to do.
DBS WITH NICKY
Nicky shares with us the A-B-C process of Discovery Bible Study. I love this simple explanation of how to make disciples. Allow God’s Word to speak into their lives and expect the Holy Spirit to do His work. As Nicky explains in this video, in a group of four or five people the Holy Spirit will use one verse to speak a different message into the lives of each of them. It is awesome and confirms what the following two scriptures tell us.
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12-13
“so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, Isaiah 55:11
We just need to bring God’s Word and our own testimony to people who are willing to listen and allow the Holy Spirit to do the rest. People need to experience God for themselves our words will accomplish little. I am reminded of the KISS principle.
TRUE HISTORY IS WORTH PRESERVING
John Anderson talks to historian Dr. Stephen Chavura on the history of Western civilisation, Western thought and the historical roots of freedom, democracy and the rule of law. He explains how contemporary representations of Western history are often misguided and misleading. History is being rewritten to take God and in particular Jesus, the Bible and all the good that has emanated from the influence of Judaeo/Christian religion and ethics out of the history of nations particularly America and Australia.
Dr. Stephen Chavura teaches European and Australian history at Campion College, Sydney. Before he worked at Campion he was a lecturer in sociology and political philosophy at various Australian universities. He has published in numerous journals including History of European Ideas, Journal of Religious History, and Australian Journal of Political Science. His most recent (co-authored) books are The Forgotten Menzies: The Mind of Australia’s Longest-Serving Prime Minister (2021), and Reason, Religion, and the Australian Polity: A Secular State? (2019). He also writes opinion pieces on current affairs that have appeared in The Australian, Spectator Australia, and ABC Religion and Ethics.
I really enjoyed this video and realised how important true history is to understanding the world we live in. We need historians like Stephen Chavura who are intent on presenting a true view of history and can see how God and His Son Jesus changed history forever. The understanding we have of a God who made us in His image, hence we are all inherently of value, changed the world for the better. How can we go back to a world where there is no God, no meaning or purpose to life, and therefore no hope. It is absurd and in fact insane. No wonder the suicide rate of young people is on the increase.
The rate of death by suicide in people from 10-24 years old in the USA increased 57.4% over the 10 year period from 2007 to 2018, according to new data released by the Centre for Disease Control. The trend signals a nationwide mental health crisis with no end in sight.
Suicide is the leading cause of death among Australians aged 15–24 (See Deaths in Australia). The proportion of deaths by suicide is relatively high among children and young people due to the fact these age groups do not tend to die from other causes.
Suicide rates among young Australians are at their highest level in 10 years, despite a range of prevention strategies and investment from government, according to new research. The report highlighted that although suicide rates among young men were still higher than women, female suicide rates had doubled over the past 10 years.
KENYA HOUSE CHURCH MOVEMENT
I received the following email from Pastor Charles Otieno Owino. He is the leader of the Kenya House Church Movement which God is growing exponentially because it is all about making disciples who make disciples. There are no paid pastors nor church buildings. My followers would know that I have been connected with this group almost two years now. Moreover, my involvement as a Board Member of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) Australia has enabled me to connect the KHC group with the President of ICCC Kenya, Rene Kiamba who is introducing them to the ICCC training materials in particular the Transformed Working Life Series available for free on http://www.transformedworkinglife.net.
On a recent Zoom Meeting, which I organised when all of the KHC leaders were together with Charles in Migori, I had the opportunity to hear the testimonies of all the leaders. Not all had English so one of the leaders fluent in Swahili and English acted as interpreter. It was a humbling but wonderful occasion for me as I realised what a privilege it is to be able to support my brothers work in this relatively poor country.
The background to the following email was a request from Charles for a small amount of money to bring several of the KHC leaders to Migori for a meeting with a number of Catholics including a priest who are interested in starting a KHC group in their area. I asked Charles for more background information on the reason for the meeting and the priest.
Dear Ron. 22nd April 2021
The Roman Catholic priest is one of the priests under a chief priest in Nyarombo church, Oruba Paris, Migori county.
I connected with him through my aunt, who for many years had been a Roman Catholic sister at Rakwaro seminary, where she lived most of her life. As a sister in the church, she was unable to marry.
God gave me an opportunity, to share with her the word of God, something which did not take me a year, but nearly 3 years, until she came to the truth of God’s Word and came out of the convent. She is now a believer; a disciple of Jesus Christ and she is married.
I understand she knew this priest for many years back in her days as a Catholic sister. I am sure it is no coincidence that they are now neighbours that she is married. The opportunity came up for her to share with the priest her newfound faith. The Holy Spirit has given her favour with him and she has met with the priest regularly to share God’s Word.
She then knew it was time to tell him about me and organised for me to meet him in her home. I have been meeting with him and sharing the word of God over several months now.
As I have shared with you, my time with him has borne fruit and he has invited KHC leaders to meet him and other people, in his home this week.
Requesting your prayers for a positive outcome from our meeting with him and this Catholic group.
Shalom, Shalom.
Charles
If you feel led, please pray for Charles and the KHC leaders. I will let you know the outcome in another KHC post. Also, if you would like to join with me in supporting the KHC group then go to the DONATIONS link on the Home Page.
GOVERNMENT LEADERS WOULD DO WELL TO HEED BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
Benjamin Franklin was not known as an ardent evangelical Christian, but his friend George Whitefield would often urge the claims of the gospel upon him and it obviously had an impact as during a deadlock at the American Constitutional Convention he called for prayer:
“I have lived, sir, a long time, and the longer I live the more convincing proofs I see of this truth – that God governs in the affairs of men; and if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings, that ‘except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it.’ I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel.”
We all know what happened at and to Babel or do we? God confused the language and created the nations at Babel, prior to Babel the world had one language.
“Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” Genesis 11:1-4
“Come, let us (Triune God) go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.” Genesis 11:7-9
As in all things concerning God’s world, the true paradigm is that we are creatures answerable to our Creator; the diagnosis is that we are all fallen and rebellious sinners. There is only one solution: we need to repent and trust in Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Lord. Just as our Heavenly Father sent His Son, Jesus to pay the price for our sins, once we repent of them and accept Jesus as our Saviour and Lord, the Father sends the Holy Spirit to indwell every believer to be our counsellor, teacher and comforter. He makes it possible for us to live the Christian life. He will enlighten us to the truths in God’s word and help us to apply them to daily living. He will produce the fruit of the spirit in our lives and provide the gifts of the Spirit for ministry. God the Father does it all, how simple and yet how hard!
The wrong paradigm was embraced by the multitude long ago. There is no way that the chattering classes will admit that the basic problem is that they have rejected their Creator God and His commandments are being trampled upon. With sexual morality as an example, for decades, the received wisdom has been that sexual morality does not count as morality at all. Provided all is consensual, basically anything is allowed. Given this paradigm, the media could maintain their moral outrage at the recent antics of parliamentary staffers in Australia’s Federal parliament while continuing to excuse sleazy advertisements and shows like Married at First Sight and Game of Thrones.
But if your paradigm is wrong, your diagnosis will be wrong, and your proposed solution will be wrong. The world has created its own problems – it has taken morality out of sexual relationships; it sees uniformity as the answer to all ills; and it calls on the law to achieve these goals. The result is more of the same, and a blindness as to what is really going wrong. People get their hopes up that progress is being made when actually the boat is just being rowed around in circles. It is God who declares what is wrong: it is the human heart, for it is corrupt.
“For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander. These are what defile a person.” Matthew 15:19
Only a true believer, one who has accepted Jesus as His Lord and Saviour and received the Holy Spirit as His Counsellor, Teacher and Comforter can truly understand.
“Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” John 15:5-7
MORE ON THE ABC Q & A PROGRAM WITH MARTYN ISLES OF ACL
One of the most fascinating aspects of this Q & A programme was the tweets that the ABC flashed up on the screen. In that unique definition of impartiality that the ABC has, all of them were hostile or mocking to Martyn and Christianity.
The tweets themselves betray an ignorance of Christianity which is quite shocking. I will list them first so that you gauge the extent and nature of the ignorance.
- “ACL needs to follow more of Jesus’ style”
- “Who decides which souls need to be saved, Martyn?”
- “I don’t want my soul to be saved Martyn. Please keep your beliefs to yourself and stop forcing them on to all of us?”
- “We need a law giving us freedom from religion in this country. “
- “Actually the Bible says we should ‘love one another as I have loved you’ so let’s not judge”.
- “God loves everyone, made in his image. Straight, gay, bi, trans”
I believe this Q & A clearly shows we are in the days Jesus spoke of as representing the godless society that will precede His return first to take believers to heaven prior to His pouring our His wrath on an unbelieving, unrepentant world.
Although we are all made in the image of God, that image is tainted, distorted, perverted and fallen. We all need to be restored, renewed, reborn and there is only one way that can happen: repentance and acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. We must die to the old self and be been born again of the Holy Spirit as water baptism so clearly expresses. Only then will we realise that following the Maker’s instructions on all aspects of life not only sex and sexuality is essential for our own good and for the well-being of society. Also, that it is love that compels us to speak as we do.
OVER 7 MILLION IN EAST AFRICA ON BRINK OF STARVATION
Over 7 million people across six East African countries are at the cusp of starvation as communities have faced existential threats from violence, flooding, the pandemic and locust infestation, the evangelical humanitarian organization World Vision has warned. Jesus also warned us that ecological disasters will be one of the signs the Father gives us prior to Jesus second coming to earth.
“Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered them … There will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences.” Matthew 24:3-7
According to the charity, which operates in nearly 100 countries, thousands of children could face death or long-term health consequences if the international community does not respond quickly to East Africa’s worsening crisis.
Debebe Dawit, program manager for World Vision’s humanitarian emergency affairs team, recently visited Ethiopia and saw firsthand the effects of poverty in the East African country. He said the situation is “severe.”
“The situation is very severe in East Africa, and particularly Ethiopia. Over 2 million people are in need of food assistance,” Dawit told The Christian Post in a Thursday interview. “Among conflict, COVID-19, flooding, locust infestation, all these are adding [an] additional burden to the community.”
Before the pandemic began, several countries in East Africa faced a widespread desert locust infestation that impacted hundreds of thousands of hectares and damaged croplands and pastures.
Later in 2020, large-scale floods destroyed crops that were ready to harvest, which impacted the food supply for 4 million people in the region, World Vision reports.
Matters have also been complicated by military conflicts — most recently the Tigray conflict — and the rise of Islamic extremism.
In the face of unprecedented global demands for humanitarian funding, crises in East Africa are receiving limited international attention, despite urgent and life-threatening needs,” Joseph Kamara, World Vision’s regional humanitarian and emergency affairs director for East Africa, said in a statement. “We appeal to national governments, regional institutions, humanitarian actors and donors to urgently address the hunger crisis in East Africa and more forcefully communicate its breadth and severity.
TRUTH ABOUT BLM
The head of a leading black organization that supports Israel said Tuesday that the Black Lives Matter movement in America has been co-opted by people who are making millions of dollars from donations and using their platform to push an anti-Israel message instead of concentrating on black rights.
“We at the Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel (IBSI) have been asking this question for years now, and still have not received an answer,” IBSI director Joshua Washington wrote in Times of Israel.
“If Black Lives Matter is supposed to be about police killings of unarmed black people, why is part of its focus on Israel thousands of miles away – as opposed to, for example, the African slave trade in Libya, Saudi Arabia, Mauritania or Qatar?” asked Washington. “BLM leaders are using the Black community as a cudgel against Israel, garnering much personal wealth in the process.”
Washington noted that since its inception in 2013, the Black Lives Matter organization has amassed tens of millions of dollars in corporate and individual donations, with $90 million raised last year, particularly after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis.
However, since 2013, the lack of financial transparency in the BLM organization has been the topic of multiple investigative articles, with BLM co-founder Patrisse Cullors being questioned as to why she recently bought her fourth house worth over $1 million.
Instead of using the funds to help solve the problems of police disproportionately targeting black people, BLM has been diverting funds for alternate agendas like its anti-Israel activism.
“This is not a movement that was hijacked. On the contrary … BLM is the hijack,” said Washington.
Following the 2014 killing of Mike Brown Jr. by a white cop in Ferguson, Montana, “the world saw the Israeli-Palestinian conflict forcibly injected into the bloodstream of what was supposed to be a movement about police brutality and criminal justice,” noted Washington.
“‘From Ferguson to Palestine’ was the rallying cry created in order to demonize Israel, falsely correlating the plight of the Palestinians with black Americans, and even blaming the Jewish State for American police violence,” Washington said.
He noted that in a 2016 interview, BLM leader Patrisse Cullors said: “It was important for the Black Lives Matter movement to show up to Palestine … we believe that Palestine is the new South Africa.”
Washington slammed those comments, saying it is “reprehensible and manipulative” for falsely trying to link Israeli counterrorism efforts with any sort of racism or injustice by American police.
“Alluding to Israel as apartheid South Africa is equally reprehensible … even if Cullors and BLM leadership truly felt this way, how does attacking Israel help the families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, or Ahmad Aubery? Answer: It doesn’t,” Washington said.
The BLM movement even uses the donated funds to sponsor solidarity trips to “Palestine.”
Washington noted that American civil rights leader Bayard Rustin warned years ago that black leaders should not side with Yasser Arafat, who built his reputation as a violent terrorist.
“We risk becoming the unwitting accomplices of an organization committed to the bloody destruction of Israel — indeed of the Jewish people,” Rustin wrote at the time.
Without directly mentioning left-wing anti-Israel agitators, Washington noted that the anti-Israel stance of BLM can also be explained by the fact that “many of those who continue to defend BLM are not members of the black community.” But bottom line BLM is just another tool like Critical Race Theory that Satan is using to attack Israel in these last days.
In September, 2020 Washington addressed an #EndJewHatred event at the University of Southern California, demanding an end to discrimination against Jews on campuses. Saying that Jewish students are being “bullied” to reject Zionism, “their liberation movement, to satisfy anti-Jewish fetishes on campus,” he encouraged those students to stand strong.
LISTEN TO HOW THIS CHURCH GOT RIGHT WITH GOD
Bob Gallaty finally realises He was the problem in His church. The reason why churches are not seeing God move is the Holy Spirit is not directing them, particularly their leaders, and true prayer is absent. Pastors in particular need to watch this video.
Robby Gallaty is senior pastor of Long Hollow Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tennessee. He spoke with Faithwire about his church having seen 1,048 people baptized from Dec. 20 to April 11. He spoke about how to lead a church, how to make space for the Holy Spirit, and how to pursue God in prayer in effective and meaningful ways.
Those who follow livingeternal.net know that I believe the end times church will be like the church described in the Book of Acts. Church is relational, home groups, and is about making disciples who in turn make disciples of Jesus. Therefore, I am not saying that Bob Gallaty has discovered the right model but he is certainly moving in the right direction.
PRINCE PHILIP’S FINEST HOUR
Prince Philip planned every aspect of his funeral service. The choice of every piece of music played, by the bands before the funeral service and the hymns during the service. He chose the Bible readings and the order of service. He even designed the Land Rover on which he would make his final journey. It was to be simple and humble.
Prince Philip wanted the service to be a testimony to His Triune God. There was no eulogy. He wanted the total focus to be on His God and on all three persons of the Trinity. He also wanted all to know, particularly his family and friends, that he had total confidence his eternity was in the hands of the God he wanted to be made known through the funeral service he had planned.
Note: In the early part of the service Prince Philip puts the focus on our Heavenly Father and His awesome, powerful, wonderful, beautiful creation that proves His existence. He then moves on to Jesus and the Father’s goodness in sending His Son to earth to die in our place, to pay our SIN debt, and provide the only hope for mankind to attain eternal Life. As with most Anglican services there is not enough focus on the role of the Holy Spirit but He is given a mention in the Jubilate and particularly in the Commendation at the end. “Go forth upon thy journey from this world, O Christian soul, In the name of God the Father Almighty who created thee; In the name of Jesus Christ who suffered for thee; In the name of the Holy Spirit who strengthened thee.”
I was so impressed that I felt I had to include the content of the service in my post but I would suggest you go and watch it yourself. You will be moved, even to tears, I was. The four singers contribute powerfully to the service as do the bands.
Prince Philip you have done a great job of providing a powerful witness of your Triune God to the world. Thank you.
The choir sings these Scriptures
I am the resurrection and the life, saith the Lord: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. John 11. 25–26
I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another. Job 19. 25–27
We brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. William Croft (1678–1727) 1 Timothy 6. 7, Job 1. 21
The Dean of Windsor gives The Bidding – the reason why they are all there today. All sit and the choir then sings
Eternal Father, strong to save, whose arm doth bind the restless wave, who bidd’st the mighty ocean deep Its own appointed limits keep; O hear us when we cry to thee for those in peril on the sea. O Saviour, whose almighty word the winds and waves submissive heard, Who walkedst on the foaming deep, and calm amid its rage didst sleep: O hear us when we cry to thee for those in peril on the sea. O sacred Spirit, who didst brood upon the chaos dark and rude, Who bad’st its angry tumult cease, and gavest light and life and peace: O hear us when we cry to thee for those in peril on the sea. O Trinity of love and power, Our brethren shield in danger’s hour; From rock and tempest, fire and foe, protect them whereso’er they go: And ever let there rise to thee Glad hymns of praise from land and sea.
The first reading is taken from Ecclesiasticus 43. 11–26 Look at the rainbow and praise its Maker; it shines with a supreme beauty, rounding the sky with its gleaming arc, a bow bent by the hands of the Most High. His command speeds the snow storm and sends the swift lightning to execute his sentence. To that end the storehouses are opened, and the clouds fly out like birds. By his mighty power the clouds are piled up and the hailstones broken small. The crash of his thunder makes the earth writhe, and, when he appears, an earthquake shakes the hills. At his will the south wind blows, the squall from the north and the hurricane. He scatters the snow-flakes like birds alighting; they settle like a swarm of locusts. The eye is dazzled by their beautiful whiteness, and as they fall the mind is entranced. He spreads frost on the earth like salt, and icicles form like pointed stakes. A cold blast from the north, and ice grows hard on the water, settling on every pool, as though the water were putting on a breastplate. He consumes the hills, scorches the wilderness, and withers the grass like fire. Cloudy weather quickly puts all to rights, and dew brings welcome relief after heat. By the power of his thought he tamed the deep and planted it with islands. Those who sail the sea tell stories of its dangers, which astonish all who hear them; in it are strange and wonderful creatures, all kinds of living things and huge sea-monsters. By his own action he achieves his end, and by his word all things are held together.
THE CHOIR SINGS THE JUBILATE
O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands: serve the Lord with gladness, and come before his presence with a song. Be ye sure that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. O go your way into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and speak good of his Name. For the Lord is gracious, his mercy is everlasting: and his truth endureth from generation to generation. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son: and to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end. Amen.
THE SECOND LESSON John 11. 21–27
Read by the Archbishop of Canterbury
Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. And even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world.”
PSALM 104
The Duke of Edinburgh requested that Psalm 104 should be set to music by William Lovelady.
Originally composed as a cantata in three movements, it was first sung in honour of His Royal Highness’s 75th Birthday.
My soul give praise unto the Lord of heaven, In majesty and honour clothed; The earth he made will not be moved, The seas he made to be its robe. Give praise. The waters rise above the highest mountain, And flow down to the vales and leas; At springs, wild asses quench their thirst, And birds make nest amid the trees. The trees the Lord has made are full of vigour, The fir tree is a home for storks; Wild goats find refuge in the hills, From foes the conies shelter in the rocks. My soul give praise unto the Lord of heaven, In majesty and honour clothed; The earth he made will not be moved, The seas he made to be its robe. Give praise. O Lord, how manifold is your creation, All things in wisdom you provide; You give your riches to the earth, And to the sea so great and wide. You take your creatures breath and life is ended, Your breath goes forth and life begins; Your hand renews the face of earth, Your praise my whole life I will sing. My soul give praise unto the Lord of heaven, In majesty and honour clothed; The earth he made will not be moved, The seas he made to be its robe. Give praise.
PRAYERS including The Lords Prayer
THE COLLECT
The Dean of Windsor shall say
O Merciful God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life; in whom whosoever believeth shall live, though he die; and whosoever liveth, and believeth in him, shall not die eternally; who also hath taught us by his Holy Apostle Saint Paul, not to be sorry, as men without hope, for them that sleep in him: We meekly beseech thee, O Father that, when we shall depart this life, we may rest in him, as our hope is this our brother doth; and that, at the general resurrection in the last day, we may be found acceptable in thy sight; and receive that blessing, which thy well-beloved Son shall then pronounce to all that love and fear thee, saying, Come ye blessed children of my Father; receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. Grant this we beseech thee, O merciful Father through Jesus Christ, our Mediator and Redeemer. Amen.
THE CHOIR SINGS THE ANTHEM
Give rest, O Christ, to thy servant with thy Saints: where sorrow and pain are no more; neither sighing, but life everlasting. Thou only art immortal, the Creator and Maker of man: And we are mortal, formed of the earth, and unto earth shall we return. For so thou didst ordain, when thou createdest me, saying, Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return. All we go down to the dust; and, weeping, o’er the grave, we make our song: Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
As the Coffin is lowered into the Royal Vault, the Dean of Windsor shall say
THE COMMENDATION
Go forth upon thy journey from this world, O Christian soul, In the name of God the Father Almighty who created thee; In the name of Jesus Christ who suffered for thee; In the name of the Holy Spirit who strengtheneth thee; May thy portion this day be in peace, and thy dwelling in the heavenly Jerusalem. Amen.
