“PRAYER POWER – CHANGING THE WORLD AND YOU”

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Following the release of his latest book, “Prayer Power—Changing the World and You,” which is drawing lots of positive comments from around the world, Rev. Dr. Stuart Robinson, an award-winning and bestselling author, was asked to share his thoughts on what he sees as the greatest need for God’s people in this hour.

PRAYER MATTERS

In May 2018, 500 former Muslims gathered at night in Nigeria to pray and learn something from God’s Word. Hearing about the meeting, Boko Haram Islamists attacked. They captured 72 men, women, and children and demanded they all return to Islam. Should they refuse, the next morning, their children would be killed while they watched. Throughout the night the captives agonised over what response to make. Then some of the children reported that there was no need to fear. They claimed that Jesus had visited them to reassure them they would be protected. The next morning the Islamists returned, lined up the children, and asked for the adults’ response. It was that they would not revert to Islam. They would not forsake their faith in Jesus. The firing squad was lined up and ordered to aim their rifles ready to fire. Before any trigger was depressed, suddenly the would-be killers were screaming, “Snakes are attacking us.” Some of them dropped dead where they stood. Others dropped their guns and fled.

Seizing the opportunity a Christian darted out, retrieved one of the guns, and was about to shoot at the fleeing killers when a child raced forward calling out, “Don’t shoot. Don’t shoot. Can’t you see the men in white are fighting for us?” The angels had arrived. Sometime later upon hearing what had transpired several foreign missionaries came to check it out. In that everyone interviewed recounted exactly the same story, they accepted that it was true. One of them then raised a disturbing question. “Why is it that we never see this sort of event back in our countries?” In another country in which I carry some ministry responsibilities a similarly motivated group were hunting for a local man who was a member of our staff. If they could catch him, they intended to kill him because it was their belief he had committed treason. He had left Islam to follow Jesus of the Bible. The penalty is death. Knowing this many of us were praying for his protection.

Having learned that on his day off each Friday, he cycled alone out to his distant farm plot to tend his vegetable garden, they lay in wait ready to ambush him. Three times they waited to kill him. Three times they failed to attack. Why? What happened? Later they reported, “We couldn’t implement our plan because every time this apostate came, he was surrounded by several men dressed in white.” Those angels—again! These sorts of events, the appearance of angels, bolts of lightning flashing from the sky exactly as it was in 1 Kings 18 with Elijah on Mt Carmel locked in a deathly contest with the 400 prophets of Baal, the dead returning to life and much more, are relatively common in non-Western places in which I am privileged to minister. Why doesn’t it happen in the West?

Reinhardt Bonnke was an evangelist who was invited to come to Australia twice late in the twentieth century. Across Africa, millions of people attended his vast open-air meetings. It is well documented that in those meetings thousands of people were miraculously healed of all sorts of major infirmities. But in his two visits to Australia, in his weeks of ministry, there was not a single instance of anyone being healed or freed from demonic bondage. Why is that? Why is it that in the West, compared with any other era in Christian history, our clergy are the best trained to the highest accredited academic standards, they have the best technology to share their message, from the best facilities money can buy. Yet in every country in the West, the church is in a state of rapid decline, lurching seemingly blindly toward a chasm of extinction. One published report claimed that by the 2090s there may be no current mainline denomination left in the UK.

Here in Australia, we are closing churches at such a rate and selling the buildings to become housing units, theatres, restaurants, or for use by other non-Christian religions. By the 2090s our Christian landscape may look even bleaker than that in the UK. Conversely, there are other countries in which I get to minister, where followers of Jesus are booming on all fronts, growing exponentially despite poverty and persecution. Recently I was working on the manuscript of a book that will be published in 2025. The subject is about just one movement in which there are 452,319 members in 20,651 churches. They have no church buildings, no finance-sapping Bible Colleges, no hierarchical structures, and no trained clergy in our understanding of that office. Their founding leader is still alive and in the prime of life. And there are many other movements like them. Why don’t we see this in Australia?

In that part of the world, a seminar was held for these sorts of church leaders. A pre-condition for being allowed to attend was that each person had to have planted a minimum of 25 churches. None from any Western country could have qualified. Conference organisers were eager to discover what the secret was for such amazing growth often in the most inhospitable circumstances. They paid a team of experts to interview each attendee and report back on their data collation, analysis, and conclusions. The results indicated that there was no regular pattern or methodology that could be codified and on-sold to rescue the spiritually emaciated church of the West. The only element common to each interviewee was the extraordinary importance they attached to prayer. These leaders prayed alone from 4.00am to 7.00am and then met to pray with their leaders before going off to work when offices opened at 10.00am. The churches they led were also noted for their exceptional prayer practices.

They shared this characteristic ministry outcome and way of life with the earliest church in the New Testament. They in turn followed the example and command of Jesus when it came to prayer. In the Old Testament, excluding the Psalms, there are 77 explicit references to prayer. But in just the four gospels there are 94 references to Jesus and prayer. This is one lesson Jesus’ band of disciples never forgot. So, Peter urged believers to remain “clear-minded and self-controlled” so that they could pray (1 Peter 4:7). James declared that prayer is “powerful and effective” (James 5:17-18). John assured us that “God hears and answers” our prayers (1 John 5:15). Paul commands, “Pray continually. For this is God’s will for you” (1Thessalonians 5:17-18). Elsewhere he urged believers in Colossae to “devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2). From where did he get that idea? And what did he expect to happen if they did? That pattern of ministry and way of life was embedded in the earliest church from the very beginning.

The Bible says that “they devoted themselves to prayer” (Acts 2:42). What happened when they did that? Again, the Bible records that “every day the Lord added to their number” (Acts 2:47). At first that number was 2000. Then in response to Peter and John’s preaching an additional 5000 men responded (Acts 4:4). When Paul preached in Ephesus (Acts 19:26) a “considerable number of people” responded. That threatened the city’s major commercial enterprise, the manufacture and sale of idols. A riot broke out to stop Paul’s preaching. Whenever people become serious about prayer supernatural things happen. A missionary in China was despondent because there was no response to his labours. He wrote to his mission secretary in England asking if could he recruit people to pray for each of the ten places where he preached. Relatively quickly in seven of the ten locations, the response from locals came and churches were formed. Later when he returned to England and visited mission headquarters, he reported what had happened but could not explain why only seven of the ten responded.

The secretary of the mission replied that when he got the request to recruit intercessors, he succeeded in finding sufficient for seven of the locations. He failed to recruit anyone to pray for the remaining three. “Church on the Rock” in Rockwall, Texas grew from 13 people to 11,000 in just nine years. When its founding pastor was asked to explain the phenomenon, he replied, “I didn’t start a church. I started a prayer meeting.” An associate pastor explained further: The evangelistic programme of our church is the daily prayer meeting… Each morning Monday through Friday we meet from 5.00 to 6.00am for prayer… If we see the harvest (of conversions) fall off for more than a week, we see that as a spiritual red alert and seek the Lord…[5] In Australia and throughout the Western world we have forgotten that nothing of consequence happens except in answer to prayer. But it’s not just any prayer. Jesus said, “Whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark11:22-24).

He said that in the context of moving mountains. The challenge is could any of us pray and without any doubt, believe that a mountain could be moved by prayer? That was exactly the challenge Muslim Caliph Al-Mu’iz of Egypt presented to Christians in 979 CE. On the eastern edge of Cairo squatted Mount Mokattam. It was in the way of the Caliph’s development plans. So, he challenged Christians to live out their faith and pray as Jesus said in Mark 11, that the mountain would be moved. He gave three options: a) Pray to move the mountain. b) Leave Egypt. c) Should they fail—be killed by the sword. Church leaders summoned the church to pray and fast. If they failed the Caliph’s challenge—genocide would be the result. They accepted the challenge to pray and approached a pious shoemaker to pray on everyone’s behalf. He accepted on condition that no one was to know he was the one appointed to pray on behalf of the whole community. He also gave specific instructions on how to pray to be followed by everyone.

On the agreed date, a crowd of Christians gathered as did the Caliph and his troops ready to draw their swords to commence the slaughter. But the moment Simon beseeched the Lord of Heaven and Earth to intervene, a great earthquake hit the mountain lifting it off the ground so that repeatedly daylight could be seen between it and its earth base. Terrorised the Caliph begged the Christians to stop the prayer meeting.[6] Today on the side of that mountain a 10,000-seat auditorium has been excavated by hand. On an appointed night each week, Christians pack that auditorium to pray for the sick. Along one side is a vast shed filled with wheelchairs and crutches, discarded by those who no longer need them. In Exodus 17:10-13 as long as Moses kept his hands aloft in prayer, Joshua and his troops were beating the Amalekites. When he tired and lowered them the Israelites were losing. Aaron and Hur stepped up and held his arms up till complete victory was achieved.

In 2 Chronicles 20:20-30 the vastly outnumbered Jehoshaphat and his troops were about to be vanquished by the Ammonites and Moabites. He called his people to pray and fast. The enemy self-destructed in confusion killing one another. Every Jew in the ancient empire of Persia and Media was about to be killed through a conspiracy hatched by Haman, a leading noble in the court of King Ahasuerus. Then Esther, the Jewish queen, summoned her people to pray and fast. The treachery of Haman was exposed, and he went to the gallows. Genocide was averted. Prayer linked with fasting is even more powerful because it removes two barriers which inhibit the Holy Spirit from working through us. These are a) Self-will and b) Self-gratifying appetites of the body (Galatians 5:19). With prayer linked to fasting according to 2 Corinthians 10:4, the weapons of our spiritual warfare are unleashed to demolish strongholds. In that case there is no limit to what may be achieved.

Wayman Rogers wanted to leave his church because it had plateaued for some time at 200 people. Then the Lord told him that if he stayed and called the people to serious prayer things would change. He did and church grew from 200 to 2000 within a couple of years. But things really broke loose when intercessors added fasting to prayer. There occurred multiple healings and deliverances from demons. The church grew to 10,000. The only problem they encountered was the traffic jams around the church and arguments over who would get to sit in the front rows. In East Germany in 1982, 10-12 people gathered on Monday nights to pray and fast for their nation to be freed from the Communist yoke and to be reunited with West Germany. By 1989 their number had grown to 50,000. Then in 1990, 300,000 of them moved out into the streets praying and worshiping. And in Berlin, the wall separating East from West Germany came tumbling down.

Throughout the West, in every country, the church is dying, and we are descending into deeper chaos. The solution to all of our societal problems will not be found in parliamentary legislation, increased numbers of police on the streets, or costly programs sponsored by our already heavily in debt governments. The greatest need of our day is for God’s people to start to seriously pray, fast, and believe. With the Webb Telescope, we can see billions of miles into space. But we cannot see God in our own lives. We can communicate with robots on Mars but seem to have forgotten how to communicate with the Lord of the Earth. If that is so, our only hope is to humble ourselves as did the first disciples, to kneel and beg, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).

Source: Rev. Dr. Stuart Robinson Founding Pastor of Australia’s largest Baptist church; pioneer frontline missionary, international conference speaker, Bible college teacher, and award-winning, bestselling author. https://drstuartrobinson.com

PETER GIVES US THIS AMAZING END TIMES SCRIPTURE: CREATION/FLOOD/JESUS SECOND COMING/THE END

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“You should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing 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. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed.” 2 Peter 3:3-10

This is a section of scripture where the Apostle Peter is clearly instructing us on Jesus’ Second Coming. First, he shows us how in the last days there will be mockers who doubt that the return of Jesus is imminent. These mockers are non-believers and some are believers. Much of the church acts as if Jesus’ coming is not close at hand. This includes believers who are living as if they have their whole, normal lifetimes in front of them. Most pastors are not preparing their flock for the trials that lie ahead. Peter then helps us understand why the mockers mock: they don’t understand God’s way of telling time! The modern Church has focused on the verse that says that God wishes all to come to repentance. This is a wonderful picture of God’s grace, and we should focus on it. But before that verse is the phrase that explains it all. “One day is like a thousand years.” This is the key to this entire passage, but it has been misunderstood. This is not some general statement like: “God is eternal so long periods of years are like a day to Him.” No, this is a specific instruction. It means when we see the word “day” in the account of creation, it refers to a thousand years prophetically! Notice that before this instruction about the thousand-year equivalent, Peter carefully mentions creation, “by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water.” Why does Peter mention the creation? What does it have to do with the return of Jesus? The Creation account is mentioned so the reader will understand that the day-equals-a-thousand-years formula is to be inserted into it. If Peter did not mean for us to insert the formula into the creation account, why did he mention the creation? This is an awesome key to understanding. It helps show us in the scriptures how God tells time.

Peter validates that the reason scoffers don’t understand when Jesus will return is that they don’t understand that the creation narrative gives us the approximate timing of the Lord’s return. They don’t understand that the principle of a day = a thousand years is to apply prophetically to the creation account.

This Earth has had 6000 years under Satan’s rule, next is Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom. Jesus will rule the nations from the nation God established for His purposes: Israel, with a new Jerusalem as the capital city of the world.

 In the Millennium, 13 tribes will inherit a parcel of land.  The portion given to the tribe of Levi is called a holy section.  It will be a parcel 50 miles by 50 miles and will be situated between the land inheritance given to Judah and Benjamin.  Both the city of Jerusalem and the Temple will be in this section of land, called the “sacred district” As described in Ezekiel 45, the land around the Temple is divided into three large parcels of land – The Sanctuary, open space around it and homes for the Levite priests.

King David shall own the land on both sides of the holy district and the property of the city.

JERUSALEM – A NEW CITY, A NEW NAME – THE LORD IS THERE

Jerusalem will be the Capital of the World on the Highest Summit

JIM CAVIEZEL ON DARKNESS, THE DEVIL. HOLLYWOOD, AND SACRIFICE

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Listen to how Jim Caviezel lives out his faith in a hostile environment. How he deals with Hollywood. Taking the role of Jesus in Mel Gibson’s movie, The Passion of the Christ was costly for him in terms of the roles he was then offered by producers. In fact, they dried up. Mel Gibson told him in advance of Jim taking the role that this would be the result. It is costly to be an obedient servant of Christ but Jim would have it no other way. This is an inspirational video and is a challenge to all believers.

WHY DOES GOD ALLOW END TIMES PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS?

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The Bible says persecution can strengthen the Church

The Bible clearly shows that persecution can advance the Gospel and unify the Church. In Philippians 1:12–13, Paul (writing from a Roman prison) shares how his imprisonment has emboldened others to proclaim Christ without fear. “I want you to know, brothers,” Paul writes, “that what has happened to me has really served to advance the Gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.”

Four Iranian Christians were sentenced to 80 lashes for drinking communion wine.

Throughout history, persecution has purified and strengthened the church, fueling its growth even in the most difficult and dangerous places. Consider the underground church in Iran, the fastest-growing Christian community in the world despite — or perhaps because of — 45 years of oppression by a government doing everything it can to hinder its work.

The church in Eritrea is another remarkable example. Pastors there have found ways to witness to others while in prison. The church thrives when its focus is sharpened, and denominational divisions fall away under the weight of shared suffering and purpose.

The Bible tells Christians how to respond to persecution

The Bible provides clear guidance on how to face persecution. Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:44 are simple and unambiguous: “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” This radical response reflects God’s love and is a powerful testimony to a watching world.

The Bible also tells us that Christians who aren’t currently facing persecution still have a role to play and shows how to hold our Christian brothers and sisters in our hearts and minds: “Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies” (Hebrews 13:3).

The stories and testimonies of persecuted Christians demonstrate the transformative power of following Christ’s command and example. An imprisoned pastor in Central Asia saw his treatment improve drastically after he began receiving letters of encouragement from believers worldwide. His guards became kinder and his warden more attentive, all because of the unity and love evident among the global body of Christ.

We Christians in free nations must recognize our role in supporting and praying for our persecuted brothers and sisters.

The Bible shows that persecution can be a platform for God’s power

Even amid our trials and weaknesses, God works mightily through his people.

After a house church pastor was arrested in Iran, his wife was terrified that she might be next. She worried that she wouldn’t be able to resist torture and would give up other believers’ names. She prayed that God would hide her from the religious police. But when they arrested and interrogated her, she became empowered by the Holy Spirit, witnessing boldly to her interrogator. “You are an interrogator,” she told him, “but one day you are going to stand before the ultimate interrogator, Jesus Christ, and he is going to examine you. Without him, there is no hope for you.”

After three straight days of her bold, spirit-empowered witness, the interrogator visited her filthy jail cell late one night. She feared that he was there to kill her, but instead he placed his faith in Christ and told her how she could witness for Christ more safely. Then, the interrogator released her and her husband.

This story highlights a profound truth: God often uses human frailty to show us his strength. As Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 12:9, God’s power is “made perfect in weakness.”

What the Bible does NOT say about persecution

The Bible never tells believers to be afraid.

This is striking, considering the suffering brought by persecution. Yet Scripture repeatedly emphasizes courage and trust in God’s sovereignty. As Richard Wurmbrand, Romanian pastor and founder of The Voice of the Martyrs, observed, the Bible contains 366 admonitions to “fear not” — one for every day of the year, including an extra for leap years. That number was significant to Wurmbrand because he was arrested on Feb. 29, which occurs only in leap years.

Fear is a natural human response, but it does not have to define us. A Filipino pastor once told me, “Until God is finished with you, you are invincible.” His confidence was not rooted in his human strength but in God’s purpose and power.

Persecution may not be part of your reality today, but the call to be involved remains. Whether through prayer, advocacy, or encouragement to believers who are currently facing persecution, every follower of Christ has a role to play.

Let us live boldly, trusting that God’s grace and power are sufficient for every trial we face.

Source: Todd Nettleton is Vice President for Message at The Voice of the Martyrs and host of The Voice of the Martyrs Radio. He is the author of When Faith Is Forbidden: 40 Days on the Frontlines with Persecuted Christians.

BONHOEFFRER MOVIE IS BOUND TO ‘INSPIRE AND ENCOURAGE’

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Many of us want to believe that, in the face of severe adversity and risk, we would try to prove worthy of a memorable legacy. Indeed, should circumstances ever turn sour, we hope to fancy ourselves as brave, courageous, and willing to stand firm no matter the cost. And yet, for the vast majority of those who have not been severely challenged in such ways, how could we know for sure the way we would react? This is why examples of people who did stand firm amid trial are not just important, but necessary.

Deitrich Bonhoeffer is one of those examples. Maybe you’ve heard the name — maybe you haven’t. Nonetheless, it’s a name worth knowing. Bonhoeffer was a German theologian, pastor, and author. But what makes him stand out in ways not many can is that Bonhoeffer was also a spy and an assassin who sacrificed his life to take apart Adolf Hitler and the Nazi regime’s Third Reich as they sought to exterminate the Jews. Bonhoeffer’s story is powerful, and at its very heart is the call to boldly oppose what is wicked — a call applicable to all.

For these reasons (and more), a team has been working tirelessly for over a decade to create the film, “Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.” According to one of the producers, Camille Kampouris, the hope behind this movie is “to raise up men and women, old and young, to be like Bonhoeffer, to speak out when there’s evil.” According to The Christian Post, “Releasing in theaters this Thanksgiving weekend, the movie explores the theologian’s decision to shift from preaching peace to allegedly plotting murder, a crime that could alter the course of history.”

The film is unavailable for streaming as it has not yet been released. Check back in December 2024 for online viewing options.

Angel Studios has brought Bonhoeffer back to life by taking viewers on a cinematic journey of danger and determination. As Kampouris added, this movie also highlights both the failures of the church as well as “what a real Christian should be like.” Filmmaker Todd Komarnicki explained how “Bonhoeffer is unlike who we are today.” He added that this movie is not targeted specifically at a Christian audience, as Bonhoeffer’s story could impact anyone. He stated, “His singular courage, his willingness to lose everything, and he had a lot to lose, really stands out in a time where I don’t see a lot of political courage now. The way he grappled with his faith, in the way he was honest about his doubts … [and] followed his calling from God, all the way to the foot of the cross. This man’s life is so extraordinary.”

On Friday’s episode of “Washington Watch” with Family Research Council’s guest host Jody Hice, another producer of the film, John Scanlon, unpacked this striking narrative. According to Scanlon, “The movie is a beautiful production by top Hollywood talent about an amazing story.” More than that, Bonhoeffer is “an inspiring character and someone that will make you come out of the movie wishing that you could be a better version of yourself.”

Hice asked, “What was the experience like in filming a movie like this that you know is true?” For Scanlon, “[T]he experience every day of being on set was deeply spiritual.” He continued, “Bonhoeffer’s life is so rich and … he wrote so many wonderful works. … He was a very prolific author. And, of course, his experience in Harlem in the United States [and] his experience in Germany traveling around the world, all changed him and influenced his thinking.”

Ultimately, Scanlon emphasized, “the Bonhoeffer that we bring to the screen is complex. He’s a man of action as well as a man of thought and words. … I think that he can be an inspiration.” He concluded that for anyone of any worldview “who’s facing evil … I guarantee … they’ll find something in this film to inspire and encourage them. And that’s what we’re hoping for everyone in the audience.”

Sarah Holliday is a reporter at The Washington Stand.

BIBLE SALES IN AMERICA ARE UP 22%

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Sarah Holliday, reporter at The Washington Stand looks at possible reasons why in a country that has been increasingly turning away from God and His values.

The Wall Street Journal wrote that “Bible sales are up 22% in the U.S. through the end of October, compared with the same period last year.” According to the outlet, there are several potential factors for why this is the case. Jeff Crosby, president of the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association, believes “people are experiencing anxiety … related to artificial intelligence [and] election cycles.” All of which “feeds a desire for assurance that we’re going to be okay.” Maybe Crosby is right. People want to know they’re going to be okay, and so they’re turning to the Bible.

Others have speculated that the rise in Bible sales can be attributed to influencers on social media. Cely Vazquez, whom WSJ described as an artist and influencer, has used her platform to share that she “recently bought her first Bible.” Likewise, the outlet highlighted Amber Cimiotti, another social media figure who thinks podcasters and TikTokers play a major role in the growing number of people buying Bibles.

WSJ also noted how several publishing houses found the customers largely responsible for the surge in Bible sales were members of Gen Z, college students, and younger people alike. And it’s not just religious publishers seeing the Bibles fly off the shelves, but mainstream retailers too — including Amazon. Observers are puzzling over what’s causing it in light of recent surveys that have found that at least 28% of American adults claim to be religiously unaffiliated. That doesn’t exactly scream an increased demand for religious material.

Ultimately, it’s more than likely that all of these factors laid out by WSJ played a part in the increase of people buying Bibles. Rev. Blaine Crawford of Irvington Presbyterian Church told WSJ that he has seen a recent increase in Scripture study groups. He remarked that God’s word is a “grand epic story of the great questions of life. What do we do with grief or anger, what are we here for, where is the world going? The Bible provides a counterpart in a conversation about what we’re doing at this time.”

As people made in the image of God, we were never meant to be away from Him. The reigning theme in the book of Ecclesiastes is not that life has no meaning, but that apart from Christ, the source from which our purpose derives, there is no meaning. As The Post Millennial wrote, “Experts and industry insiders attribute the growth in Bible sales to societal anxieties and a search for hope.” But I don’t think the experts are the only ones who could have figured this out. Rather, Christians should understand this to be the case better than almost anyone. After all, Christians are to be the people who understand their sin and need of a Savior. We ought to be at the frontlines of an anxious culture offering them the hope of the gospel.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins put it this way: “Obtaining a Bible is the first step; the second step is to read it and then understand it. As Philip helped the Ethiopian leader understand the Word, pray that those who are turning to the truth for hope will have others who can help them understand the Good News contained within the pages of the Bible.” Guest host Jody Hice also commented on the news that the Bible is in higher demand on Monday’s episode of “Washington Watch.” Simply put, he stated, it’s “tremendous news!”

Pastor Jay Johnson, FRC’s National Prayer Director, agreed. As he emphasized, “I certainly rejoice at that news, and [I’m] just grateful that … there’s a demand” for the word of God. “There [are]people all over looking for hope, and people are guiding them to God’s word.” But according to Johnson, “it’s not just to know the Bible [and] not just to read the Bible, but to know God. And I think that’s the beauty of God’s word.” He also referenced FRC’s Bible reading plan, Stand on the Word, noting that it’s “a great resource for people to engage in reading God’s word.”

Both agreed that it’s important to read and study the Bible, but beyond Scripture, Johnson urged that “it’s also very vital to find a church that is teaching and preaching the word of God.” It’s important “to get engaged with a local church where they can study with others.” Especially because, as Hice and Johnson agreed, it can be difficult to stay focused when reading the Bible. It can be hard to get started, particularly for people who are new to picking up God’s word like the 22% or so this year. “I just want to encourage people,” Johnson said, “to start out by praying and asking for divine guidance.”

On behalf of everyone here at FRC, we believe in the life-giving, soul-saving power of God’s word. It’s the reason we start every morning as an organization in prayer and Bible study. And so, whether you’re new to reading the Bible or have been reading it nearly your whole life, now is the time to open it up and study it, know it, and ask the Holy Spirit to write it on your heart. And as we read of the 22% increase of people who are cracking open the pages of Scripture, let us pray that God opens their eyes, ears, and hearts to the glorious truth of the gospel.

It’s no wonder this fallen world is full of broken people looking for hope, answers, and truth. And this hope, these answers, and the truth we all crave is found in the Bible. The riches are there, free of charge. All you have to do is read and, by God’s grace, believe.

Topics:Biblical Worldview, Good News, The Church

AI DATA CENTRES MAKE NUCLEAR NECESSARY IN THE ENERGY MIX

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This article is adapted from an article by Michael Robinson. He has spent more than four decades as an investigative journalist uncovering the story behind massive tech trends.

A massive energy crisis is here … and it’s all because of artificial intelligence. It is one of the reasons why solar and wind (intermittent renewables) are not adequate for maintaining supply. Nuclear is considered the best option to stabilise the energy mix.

On average, just one new AI data center currently requires the same amount of electricity as 750,000 homes. That’s more than the population of cities like Seattle, Detroit, and Denver.

Nearly 3,000 more of them are on the way. No wonder Tirias Research forecasts that, by 2028, data center power consumption will be 212 times what it was in 2023.

This boom in AI data centers will push America’s power grid to the brink. According to the New York Times, the world is “poised to add the equivalent of Japan’s annual electricity demand to grids each year” over the next decade.

It could bring AI screeching to a halt … Let alone affect regular people as utility bills skyrocket — even as they face planned blackouts to conserve energy … and prolonged outages because of creaky infrastructure.

Fortunately, Meta announced yesterday a request for proposals from nuclear power developers who would help the company add 1 to 4 gigawatts of electricity generating capacity in the U.S. According to Axios, Meta is willing to share costs early in the cycle and will commit to buying power once the reactors are up and running.

The hitch? Applicants have to move fast. Initial proposals are due February 7, 2025, and Meta wants the power plants to begin operation in the early 2030s.

Microsoft has signed a deal with one of the most infamous nuclear power facilities in the US as it looks for more ways to ensure the demand for AI computing is met.

The legacy of the Three Mile Island (TMI) nuclear plant has long been shaped by the 1979 Unit 2 meltdown, which had a profound effect on public perceptions of nuclear energy. What a lot of people don’t know is that Unit 1 was not only unaffected, but continued to operate safely and reliably for decades.

Now, in a major new step, Constellation has signed its largest power purchase agreement with Microsoft, leading to the planned restoration and restart of TMI Unit 1 under the name Crane Clean Energy Center (CCEC). The project is expected to bring 835 megawatts of carbon-free power to the grid, create 3,400 jobs, and contribute over $3 billion in taxes.

Considering this move in the USA it will be interesting to learn how Microsoft plans to power their new data centers in Australia.

Microsoft will invest A$5 billion ($3.2 billion) in Australia to expand its cloud computing and AI infrastructure over the next two years, in what the US company described as its largest investment in the country in four decades. Announced as part of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s visit to the US this week, the investment will help Microsoft grow its data centers across Canberra, Sydney, and Melbourne by 45% – from 20 sites up to 29.

The following video shows that power constraints are the major problem facing Data Centre growth.

YOU ARE FEARFULLY AND WONDERFULLY MADE

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It is awesome to consider what we now know about the complexity of our bodies. Our bodies consist of many trillions of cells. Yes trillions. It is hard to comprehend that number. Most of those cells carry inside them a tightly packed bundle of genetic information. The information of the genome is stored on the DNA molecule. One cubic millimetre contains about 470 petabytes (3.76 x 1018 bits) of data. This is equivalent to 470,000 laptop computer 1-terabyte hard disc drives. The unofficial standard thickness of such drives is 9.5 mm, equating to a pile over 4.4 km high. Micro SD cards of 2 terabytes are now available but you would still need about 250,000 of them to match 1 mm of DNA. It is therefore extremely unlikely that man will get close to the information density of DNA. To say mankind evolved by random chance from pond scum is absurd and yet our universities and schools teach it as fact.

Each of us began with God, was uniquely designed by God, is made in His image, and is assigned to our times. His eye is on us. Believing this, trusting this, and having faith in God’s love for us may take a lifetime to embrace fully, but it is the truth. It’s an empowering truth. I am living it at 88 years of age. Get my book Living Eternal Now – Ready for Jesus Return if you want to know how. It is available as an eBook and paperback on Amazon.

A GOOD NEWS STORY FROM IRELAND AND ENGLAND

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The fire of God is spreading across the United Kingdom. From England to Ireland, Christians are witnessing a “shift” and a new hunger for God in the once spiritually dry region. “Something has shifted in the last 6 months, and it feels like it’s a rising river,” said Pastor Craig Cooney who leads Hope Church in Northern Ireland. He believes the spiritual drought brought on by the pandemic is over. “Between 2020 and 2023 I found myself often saying that I’ve never seen the church at such a low ebb that it just felt like we were going through the motions post-Covid, that churches were struggling, their numbers were down. But not only were their numbers down, there was just a lack of zeal, passion, enthusiasm, and growth.

In the latter days, the Lord Will Pour Out His Spirit
“And it shall come to pass afterward,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.
Even on the male and female servants
in those days I will pour out my Spirit.” Joel 2:28-29

Something shifted around the start of this year and it’s difficult to describe or define,” Cooney said. Cooney, who also reaches more than 100,000 people on Instagram says the most noticeable change is a tangible presence of God and an increase in the number of healings. “There’s this sense of ‘God is in the room’ that has been birthed out of and has probably birthed prayer, an increase in prayer.

We have seen that in our own church. About 20% of our church now come to our weekly prayer meeting at 6:00 PM on a Wednesday. It’s not a convenient time, but it’s just an hour of solid intercession. And there’s just people crying out for the lost people, crying out for their families,” he said. “And every week we are getting testimonies of healing from people who might not even have believed in divine healing six months ago. I mean, it’s not the people you might expect. It’s the people who when they say they’re healed, they’re healed because they wouldn’t be making this stuff up,” Cooney said.

In June, Rev. Franklin Graham brought his “God Loves You Tour” to Glasgow, where more than 7,000 people turned out with many giving their lives to Christ. “God loves you and He’s willing to forgive our sins but we have to come to Him, His way and that’s through the cross of Jesus Christ,” Graham told the crowd.

One young Scottish man in attendance described the experience like this: “I went up tonight because Franklin was so powerful in his word, He said ‘Get out of your seat,’ and I had to get out of my seat! I had to get there! I didn’t realize there was going to be 2-3,000 people behind me. It gives me anxiety, but I didn’t care, I’m going to give it to the cross,” he exclaimed.

Rev. Liz Doyle, founder and director of “She Leads America” just returned from England where she prayed with a group inside Windsor Castle. “And as we were in St. George’s Chapel praying, I felt the Lord speak to me and say, ‘I’m going to bring revival into this place.’ We were there for three days and three nights with 30 of our British counterparts,” Doyle said. “Genesis Chapter 28 is what the Vicar was reading from that day. And right next to us is Queen Elizabeth’s grave.

I felt that when he began to read Genesis chapter 28:13-15, it says on the ground where you’re laid, I’m going to bless the generations. And I felt the Lord saying, ‘I am going to begin to work in your children’s lives, Queen Elizabeth, and they’re going to be a blessing to the world.’”

Doyle and her husband pastored in England for 25 years and for her, this was a full-circle moment. She felt the Lord saying, “I’m going to bring you back to the land and give you the things I’ve promised.” “My husband and I had been church planting in England for 25 years, and we left about 25 years ago. So those two things came together, and I understood it to be that the Lord was going to move in St. George’s Chapel,” Doyle said.

Source: CBN

DINOSAUR FOSSILS ARE NOT MILLIONS OF YEARS OLD

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SOFT TISSUE, PROTEINS, AND DNA IN DINO BONES

When scientists first discovered dinosaur soft tissue, many evolutionists insisted that these findings had to be mistaken. There was no way, they said, that soft tissue could last millions of years. Of course, they would not consider the option that dinosaur bones are not that old. However, the sheer number of examples in the scientific literature, combined with lots of rigorous testing, exposes that these discoveries are quite common. At the time of writing, there are over 58 dinosaur soft tissue discoveries spanning thirty scientific journals. And most are from just the last decade.

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Dinosaur soft tissue is not the only dinosaur evidence that defies evolution. To date, at least three separate tests have indicated the presence of dinosaur DNA. Two of these tested positive using a DAPI test. This is a highly specific test that allowed the researchers to confirm the presence of double-stranded, double-helical DNA.Display footnote number:15 The stain DAPI cleaves to the minor groove of a stable double helix, so the test confirmed the presence of original dinosaur DNA. This finding cannot be explained away as contamination since the DNA was not found anywhere else except in certain internal regions of the cells. The researchers were even able to observe dinosaur DNA in its condensed chromosomal form, suggesting that the nuclear material was largely intact.Display footnote number:16

DNA is a highly unstable chemical molecule. Living creatures have many intricate repair systems to undo the chemical damages to DNA; otherwise, they would quickly die. After death, the repair machines stop working, and DNA breaks down very rapidly, as shown by the below table based on measured DNA in moa (large extinct flightless birds) bones from New Zealand.Display footnote number:17, 18

As per the laws of chemistry (Arrhenius rate law), chemical reaction rates are exponentially dependent on temperature.Display footnote number:20 So the DNA decays much more quickly at higher temperatures. As can be seen, even under the best-preserved freezing conditions at -5oC, DNA is believed to have an upper age limit of 6.83 million years.Display footnote number:21 This is only about 10% of the assumed evolutionary age for the extinction of dinosaurs. But at 15°C and 10,000 years, the average length of DNA would be about 13 base pairs (BP). This is important because if it were much less than 13 BP, it could not form the groove needed for DNA to test positive using DAPI. This is a huge problem for the idea of millions of years.Display footnote number:22 But the observations are in the right ballpark if the dinosaur bones were only buried a few thousand years ago during the time of the biblical Flood.Display footnote number:23

Article by Jonathan Sarfati and Joek Tay in Creation Vol 47 Issue 1, 2025