Learn from the amazing life of George Muller. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”Philippians 4:6-7
“You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” James 4:2-4
God’s word reminds believers that “for those who love God all things work together for good” (Romans 8:28, ESV). Meaning, ultimately, COVID-19 will be good for the church of Jesus Christ. Of all the things believers are promised in scripture, bodily safety is not one of them. In fact, it says the opposite!
We are told by the Apostle Paul that “all who desire to live godly lives shall suffer” (2 Timothy 3:12).
Aside from whatever physical and emotional scars the coronavirus might leave upon the body of Christ, we can be sure that, in time, this event will produce wonderful fruit. As backwards as it may sound, Let’s welcome this reality. It is as Charles Spurgeon once said, “I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages”.
Remember most viruses play a useful role in the design of God’s universe
The ugly idol of personal safety has plunged its jagged thorns deep inside the hearts of not only American Christians bot those in most affluent nations. Decades of excessive comforts and conveniences have created lazy, self-serving, inward-looking Christians. Many have forgotten how to trust God for provision. Instead, we have looked to ourselves, our stocked supermarkets, our full refrigerators, and our 401ks (pension plan) to provide the assurance that our future’s are secure. Throughout history, God has often allowed outside forces and tragedies to remind His people to look only to Him for comfort and assurance. We should remember this as we wander into the unknown of the Coronavirus pandemic. Lest we forget, the Israelites wandered the desert 40 years as they learned to trust God for daily provisions.
Whatever trials the days ahead may bring, it seems certain our faith will be tested. How will you choose to respond?
Extracted from a great article Christians, COVID-19, and the Dangerous Idol of Personal Safety by Jack Wells, www. patheos .com
“For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority.” 2 Peter 2:4-9
“The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment.”
This scripture separates people into two categories: 1. The godly. 2. The unrighteous. Or to put it another way: 1. The good. 2. The bad.
When we act in godly ways, we draw closer to God. The more we are in alignment with God’s wishes, the more pleasing we will be to God, and the more receptive He will be to our prayers. Consider the following scripture:
“For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer.” – 1 Peter 3:12a.
God is love. When His eyes are upon us, we are loved, protected, and shielded from temptation. Peter writes how, “His ears attend to their prayer.” If we want God to receive and respond to our prayers , we need to live godly lives.
We can only live godly lives by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. When we do, our Heavenly Father sends the Holy Spirit to indwell our Spirit to enable us to live godly lives. We cannot be holy without the Holy Spirit. He is the one that produces the fruit of the Spirit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, kindness and self control.
Conversely, when we are unrighteous, we get further and further away from God. God hates sin. The Bible tells us that He hates sin so much that He will turn away from those who sin.
“The face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” – 1 Peter 3:12b.
We cannot commit the same sins repeatedly and wonder why we feel distant from God. We see from these scriptures, that there are consequences to our actions and our choices. It comes down to priorities. When God comes first in our lives, everything else falls into place.
“But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” – Mathew 6:33.
When God is put on the back burner, our lives fall apart. “For the wages of sin is death.” – Romans 6:23.
Will we live godly lives, or unrighteous lives? Will we be godly people, or unrighteous people? The choice is ours to make. Choose wisely, there are eternal consequences.
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
Where is your focus fixed? On the things that are transient or things that are eternal. Up to the age of 47 my focus was totally on things of this world. I was managing director of The Ramsay Group, at the time, the largest surgical, dental, scientific and medical educational company in Australia. I had a waterfront home and all the trappings of success. You can read my story in the book Build a Kingdom Business – Empowered by the Holy Spirit. What is my current focus? It is on living eternal now.
available on Amazon as an ebook and paperback from me ron@bakb.com.au
As Jesus return to this earth is not too far distant we need to start preparing to rule and reign with Jesus during the Millennium. Jesus has unfinished business with Israel. Every O.T. prophet was given a vision of their Messiah ruling and reigning the nations from a new Jerusalem. This will happen, but not prior to Christians being tested through a time of tribulation unlike anything experienced previously. Jesus told us to watch and be prepared (1 Peter 4:12-14).
God has also revealed that the resurrected saints will rule and reign with Jesus. The thousand years is a transition period from this current world which is largely ruled by Satan. He will be defeated at the end of this period, chained and cast into the Abyss for 1000 years. Even though Satan is not around to tempt people during the Millennium we are told that Jesus and the saints still need to rule with a rod of iron. At the end of the thousand years Satan and His minions are released and He is still able to raise an enormous army to come against Jesus and the Saints. Jesus of course destroys the army and Satan is cast into the Lake of Fire. God then destroys this earth with fire. The White Throne Judgement takes place after all the dead have been raised to life. Then what? John was shown the following vision.
“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”Revelation 21:1-4
“And he (Angel) carried me (John) away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia (2000 km/1250 m). Its length and width and height are equal. He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel’s measurement. The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Revelation 21: 10-27
Actor Kevin Sorbo said this week he plans to “look into” how his Facebook page got deleted from the platform, calling the website’s founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, “a big ole wuss.” In mid-February, the Christian entertainer’s Facebook account was scrubbed from the social media site, according to CBN News.
As the number of voices facing big-tech censorship continues to grow, please sign up for Faithwire’s daily newsletter and download the CBN News app, developed by their parent company, to stay up-to-date with the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.
They will tell you cancel culture is the only way to exert some control over a world that is increasingly becoming more dangerous and less tolerant. They say, it helps to call out and remove problematic people from mainstream culture.
Cancellation, unlike criticism, seeks to silence the opponent. It specifically seeks to take away the forum for articulating the disputed opinion. Cancelers often define the mere act of disagreeing with them as a threat to their safety or even an act of violence.
Cancellers create a climate of fear by promoting guilt by association, threatening the same punitive action against the target’s employer, professional organizations, and anyone who comes to his or her defense.
Cancellers are willing to assert inaccuracies, distortions, and falsehoods. And they will stick with them even after they are demonstrated to be untrue.
Cancellers seeks to punish. If cancellation is successful, you lose your job. The person who is cancelled must be made to suffer. In Australia, one of our best rugby players, Israel Folau is a good example where he cannot now play any form of rugby because he quoted a Scripture verse on Facebook which states God will send homosexuals to hell, i.e. along with all others guilty of sexual immorality as defined by God. Mind you, Israel also told people of how they can avoid God’s judgement by accepting Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. The reality is, cancel culture is just another ploy Satan is using to destroy belief in God and His Word.
The following Scripture is just one of many that reveals intense persecution of Christians is prophesied for the days prior to Jesus second coming to earth.
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty (persecution). For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5
“Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” 2 Timothy 3:12-13
You need to connect with this excellent teaching on the Book of Revelation by Jeff Scwarzwntraub of Brave Church Colorado. There are 10 sermons in this Alpha/Omega – Revelation series. You will learn and be challenged by this teaching regardless of what you believe about end times eschatology. Jeff sticks to a historical-grammatical exegesis which strives to reveal the original authors intent.
For over 150 years the evangelical church has mainly been taught a pre-tribulational rapture of the saints, which theorizes the church will be raptured and then the 70th week of Daniel will begin. Some have been taught that Jesus returns at the midpoint of the seven years and still others believe He will return at the end. However, what is important is what do the Scriptures say will happen. God desires for us to know what to expect in the last days and therefore He has given us His Word to study. May the truth of these messages stir your hearts to love God more and prepare you for His second coming.
Five days ago I posted Getting in Step with God which was also based on David’s Psalm 25. I was extremely disappointed as I did not get one like or one comment and yet I thought it was a powerful message that needed to be reinforced. Hence this post, although this time, I am giving you almost the entire psalm. God’s word is more powerful that my words.
Teach Me Your Paths – Psalm of David (Psalm 25)
“To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul. O my God, in you I trust; let me not be put to shame; let not my enemies exult over me. Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous. Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O LORD! Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. For your name’s sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great. Who is the man whofears the LORD?Him will He instruct in the way that he should choose. His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land. The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and He makes known to them his covenant. My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for he will pluck my feet out of the net. Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.
Consider how many are my foes, and with what violent hatred they hate me. Oh, guard my soul, and deliver me! Let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.”Psalm 25:1-21
We know David was a sinner (Bathsheba and Uriah) but he understood repentance and God’s forgiveness. He was a man who feared the Lord. God even said He was a man after God’s own heart. What does this mean? I think it means David knew and trusted God and was doing His best to live that out.
What we need is humility in relation to ourselves and confidence in relation to God.
David understood the truth of God’s Word. “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.” Psalm 66:18-19, What about us? Do we know God has heard our prayers as David did?
If you want to improve your prayer life then I would recommend you get the book by Alvin Vandergriend Love to Pray. It will take you on a 40-day journey that will change your prayer life forever. Love to Pray is all about loving the one to whom you pray and learning to express that love in a continuing dialogue with God. This book will help you discover how to become “devoted” to prayer as a way of life rather than as a duty. This 40-day devotional will transform your prayer life. This book may be done individually, as a small group, or an entire congregation.
Dr. Alvin VanderGriend is the Prayer Evangelism Associate for Harvest Prayer Ministries in Terre Haute, IN. He holds degrees from Calvin College, Calvin Seminary, and Fuller Theological Seminary. He pastored Christian Reformed churches from 1963 to 1982 when he moved to serve that denomination as Minister of Evangelism Resources. In 1996 Alvin became director of HOPE Ministries (Houses of Prayer Everywhere) where he developed the Lighthouse strategy and provided prayer-evangelism training. More recently he served as the National Facilitator of Lighthouse Ministries for the Mission America Coalition.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and the elite Qods Force funds, trains and fights alongside a group of terror proxies that menace the Middle East, including the Houthis in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza and Badr Organisation in Iraq.
“And I (Daniel) saw in the vision; and when I saw,I was in Susa the citadel, which is in the province of Elam. And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai canal. I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram (Iran) standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great..”Daniel 8:2-4
The prophecy in Daniel 8 is unfolding in our day as Iran’s proxies are “charging westward and northward and southward.
Between 1995 and 2020, four administrations – Clinton, Bush, Obama and Trump –sanctioned 10 Iranian proxy groups in five countries. They also sanctioned 86 leaders* from 13 groups supported by Tehran.
Between 2017 and 2020, the Trump administration designated six of these terrorist groups all tied to Iran. One of President Trump’s top foreign policy goals was to limit Tehran’s regional influence and support for militant groups across the Middle East. “From Lebanon to Iraq to Yemen, Iran funds, arms, and trains terrorists, militias, and other extremist groups that spread destruction and chaos across the region,” he said in May 2017. “For decades, Iran has fueled the fires of sectarian conflict and terror.”
HarakatHezbollah al Nujaba, an Iraqi militia trained, armed and advised by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards
Bible prophecy reveals that what comes next is Turkey, Sunni (Goat of Daniel 8) intent on reviving its past Ottoman Empire crushes Iran, Shia and for a period dominates the middle east.
“Then the goat (Turkey) became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.” Daniel 8:8
As also revealed in this verse, Daniel next sees the revived Ottoman Empire is broken up into four by whom we can only speculate, perhaps the leader dies or the United Nations or even Russia are possible candidates.
“Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land… It grew great, even to the host of heaven.” Daniel 8:10-11
The above verse reveals that it is out of one of these four nations that the Antichrist will arise.
Daniel is given an interpretation of this vison of the goat and ram in Daniel 8:18-27 and is told to seal it up as it refers to last days events.
“Now while he was talking with me, I sank into a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me and made me stand upright. He said, “Behold, I am going to let you know what will occur at the final period of the indignation, for it pertains to the appointed time of the end.” Daniel 8:18-19
“The ram which you saw with the two horns represents the kings of Media and Persia. The shaggy goat represents the kingdom of Yavan, and the large horn that is between his eyes is the first king.” Daniel 8:20-21
Implications of the Consistent Futurist Interpretation
Step 1: Iranian Invasion of Middle East Step 2: Turkish Response and Defeat of Iran Step 3: Leader of Turkey Dies (one possible explanation for the break up) Step 4: This New Turkey Breaks up into Four Step 5: Out of One of these Emerges the Antichrist
In this special interview edition of Unbelievable?, Justin talks to Ugandan pastor Richmond Wandera, director of the Pastors Discipleship Network in East Africa. They talk about the history of Christian revival in East Africa, elections and Covid in Uganda, spiritual warfare, secularism, and the challenges of prosperity gospel preaching in some churches. It is a fascinating discussion that not only examines the regional challenges but also addresses the influence of Western Christianity both past and present. It has been a blessing for me to hear from Richmond, a humble, totally committed servant of Jesus but also well educated on what God is doing in East Africa. As God has connected me with His church in Kenya, the Kenya House Church (KHC) group, Richmond’s testimony has confirmed my commitment to support the growth of the end times church in East Africa. I hope you will join with me to help the KHC movement. You can do so by making a donation on this website. Click on the Donations icon on the Home Page.
CNN’s Don Lemon reacts to the Vatican declaring that God cannot bless same-sex unions with “God is not about hindering people or even judging people.”
Where does Lemon get his ideas about God? It certainly is not God’s Word. God is indeed a judge. And as for the “hindering” comment, I’d just have Mr. Lemon refer to the book of Genesis when God floods the entire earth because everyone acted wickedly 24/7. If a devastating flood that kills every living thing on earth except those on Noah’s ark isn’t “hindering” in the affairs of man, I don’t know what is.
The following Scriptures are just a smattering of the plentiful verses throughout both the Old and New Testament testifying to the fact that God is indeed a judge
“Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?” – Genesis 18:25
“The Lord will judge the ends of the earth” – 1 Samuel 2:10
“Can anyone teach God knowledge, In that He judges those on high?” – Job 21:22
“The Lord judges the peoples” – Psalm 7:8
“God is a righteous Judge” – Psalm 7:11
“God is the Judge” – Psalm 75:7
“For the Lord will judge His people” – Psalm 135:14
“For the Lord is our Judge” – Isaiah 33:22
“He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” – John 3:18
“He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” – Acts 17:31
“Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead” – 2 Timothy 4:1
We will seen more of this type of man-centered, modern theology purporting to be Christian confidently presenting itself with increased frequency. For example, an openly gay “pastor” recently went viral for claiming Jesus was a racist. This person with the title ‘pastor’ took the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who lived a perfect and sinless life and sacrificed himself on the cross for his people, and reduced him to just another sinner in need of saving.
In the “woke” world we are now living in, even basic truths of the Bible will be abandoned by many because the truth of God’s word simply doesn’t align with the “woke” mantra we are seeing play out today.
“I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished.But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.” 2 Peter 3:2-7
