AFP is one of the world’s three major news agencies and the only European one. Its mission is to provide rapid, comprehensive, impartial, and verified coverage of the news and issues that shape our daily lives.
AFP announced last week that libertarian outsider Javier Milei had won Argentina’s presidential election, the headline was absolutely hilarious. AFP claimed that the election of Milei– a self-described anarcho-capitalist, was “plunging the country into uncertainty in the midst of a crippling economic crisis.
Argentina’s new president Javier Milei (pictured, right) was seen joining his ‘lioness’ girlfriend Fatima Florez (pictured, left) at a gala event. Uncertainty? We’re talking about a country that’s basically in hyperinflation and has been plundered by decades of cronyism, corruption, and criminality. Perhaps foreign media would have been happier if Milei’s opponent, Economy Minister Sergio Massa, had won… never mind the fact that Massa was one of the key figures who engineered Argentina’s near hyperinflation.
But that’s sort of the point; the media is one of the key pillars that holds up the establishment. They’re an integral part of it. And it seems they will always support establishment candidates, no matter how incompetent or criminal they may be.
It wasn’t just AFP either. Time, for example, wrote, “Argentina Just Elected an Eccentric Populist Who Seeks Counsel From His Cloned Dogs,” running with Milei’s recurring campaign joke that his dogs are his advisers. The joke is obviously not true, but they felt compelled to paint the guy as a lunatic… as opposed to the button-down establishment candidate who helped wreck the economy.
Politicodeclared: “Right-wing populist Milei set to take Argentina down an uncharted path”. I’m not sure what their point is– would it be better for Argentina to remain on the well-trodden path to hyperinflation?
The Financial Timesran a story entitled, “Radical libertarian Javier Milei seizes victory in Argentina”.
This one is absolutely absurd. If you don’t buy into establishment politics, you’re a “radical”. And apparently, it’s impossible for an anti-establishment candidate to, you know, win the election. So, he SEIZED victory.
Argentina shows that in a country dominated by incompetence for so long, people do eventually wake up and choose something entirely different.
Milei wants to take a chainsaw (a frequent campaign prop) to Argentina’s federal budget and eliminate entire departments of government– including the education and health departments. He wants to dollarize the economy and shut down Argentina’s central bank.
Biblical prophecy reveals that we relentlessly moving toward a one-world government. Nothing Milei does will stop that from happening. The end times events like birth pangs are increasing.
The Philistines are first mentioned in the Table of Nations in Genesis 10. They descended from Noah’s son Ham, through his son Mizraim. The Hamitic people spread widely, settling across the Mediterranean region, Arabia, Mesopotamia, Anatolia (modern-day Turkey), Egypt, Libya, and Sudan. Yet, many of these people groups are enigmatic. For example, these are the people groups (note the plural -im ending in this list of names) who came from Mizraim (translated Egypt in the ESV):
Egypt (Mizraim) fathered Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, Pathrusim, Casluhim (from whom the Philistines came), and Caphtorim. (Genesis 10:13–14)
The next mention of the Philistines is in the time of Abraham. He was living in southern Canaan, in the environs of Beersheba. Water was (and is) scarce in that region, so control over the water sources was important. Unsurprisingly, there were struggles between Abraham’s house (which probably numbered about 1,000 people at the time; and the Philistines who lived to the west: So they made a covenant at Beersheba. Then Abimelech and Phicol the commander of his army rose up and returned to the land of the Philistines. (Genesis 21:32) And Abraham sojourned many days in the land of the Philistines. (Genesis 21:34)
Abimelech is a name, but it is also a title. The Hebrew word ab (אב) means father and melech (מלך) means ‘king’, so the name Abimelech translates to ‘my father is king’. We are not yet told where this leader of the Philistines lives, but Abraham lived in Beersheba and at least visited a town to the west called Gerar. Abraham’s son Isaac also had dealings with the Philistines. In this case, however, we are given additional geographical details:
“Now there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar to Abimelech king of the Philistines.” (Genesis 26:1)
Since the name Abimelech can also be used as a title, this is not necessarily the same person that Abraham knew. But note that Abimelech is living in Gerar. This was a city situated northwest of Beersheba, on a different tributary within the same river system.
This explains much of the struggles the people were having about the control of water and why a treaty was needed. Abraham’s large contingent of people was in direct competition with the Philistines in the neighboring Gerar Valley.
In Genesis 26, we have the famous account of Rebecca being stolen by Abimelech (just like Sarah had been [Genesis 20]), the account of the Philistines stopping up Isaac’s wells due to jealousy of his large household and large flocks, and the account of how Isaac re-dug the wells.
We do not hear of the Philistines again until the Exodus, where the Israelites are told to not take the short route out of Egypt “by way of the Philistines” (Exodus 13:17). Later, the “sea of the Philistines” (i.e., the Mediterranean) was used as a boundary for the Promised Land (Exodus 23:31). Strangely, in Exodus 23, 24, and 33, when listing the nations that are to be displaced, no mention of Philistines is made.
A confusing array of tribes and nations
The term ‘Canaanites’ is used inclusively to describe the many tribes and groups that were living in the land of Canaan. The term ‘Philistines’ also describes a panoply of people groups living in Canaan. It is not always easy to separate the two terms and it is not always clear to which of the main groups one of the subgroups (e.g., the Pelethites discussed below) belong.
First, there were many non-Canaanite nations in the area, many of whom were Semitic:
To the northeast lived the Aramaeans, named for Aram, a son of Shem. Their home base was the city of Damascus.
When Abraham first moved into Israel, he was accompanied by his nephew, Lot. Lot’s sons were Moab and Ammon. The Moabites and Ammonites lived to the east of the Jordan River.
Abraham himself had several sons. His first, Ishmael, gave rise to the Ishmaelites, a collection of 12 main tribes (Genesis 17:20) that also lived on the east side of the Jordan River.
Abraham’s second son, Isaac, had two sons of his own, Jacob and Esau. Edom was another name for Esau. Like the others, the Edomites lived east of the Jordan.
Abraham had more sons later in life. One of those was Midian. When Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery, in one verse the Bible says they sold him to both Midianite and Ishmaelite traders (Genesis 37:28). Ishmael was the older brother of Midian. The two were living in the same region and their names were beginning to be comingled even at this early date.
There were additional tribes that claimed Ham as their main patriarch (e.g., Sabtah and Sabteca), but these Arabian tribes do not factor into the story much.
Next were the many Canaanite nations and tribes. Only two of Canaan’s sons are named (Sidon and Heth). The other tribes are ‘Canaanite’, but we cannot know how they connect.
Hamath was a city to the northeast of Israel on the bank of the Euphrates River. The Hamathite territory was included in the ‘land’ promised to Abraham and which was later controlled by the Israelites under David and Solomon.
To the northwest were the Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon. These are not named among the nations that were to be displaced, but Sidon was a son of Canaan.
The Hittites were another Canaanite tribe. Their center of operations was in northern Israel. Bathsheba’s husband Uriah was a Hittite. It is unclear if the ancient Hittite empire that was centered in Anatolia was named after these people.
The term ‘Amorite’ occurs frequently in ancient histories. They ranged widely. The Bible says they came from Canaan. In Scripture, we see them living on both sides of the Jordan. Og, king of Bashan, and Sihon, king of Heshbon, were Amorite leaders who lived on the east side of the Jordan and were defeated in battle (Numbers 21:21–35). The Amorites also figure heavily in the initial invasion of Canaan because the Israelite route went from Jericho up into the Amorite territory on the west side of the Jordan (e.g., Joshua 10:5).
The Jebusites lived in and around the future city of Jerusalem. They are also associated with Amorites.
There were other people in the area for whom we have little information. Some were of great stature, specifically the Rephaim (Deuteronomy 3:11) and the Anakim. The Rephaim were driven out of the area on the east side of the Jordan by the Ammonites before the Israelites entered Canaan (Deuteronomy 2:20–21). The Valley of Rephaim that led down from Jerusalem to the coastal plain (Joshua 18:16) may have been named for them. The Avvim and the Geshurites were additional enigmatic tribes, but they lived between Mt Hermon and the Sea of Galilee. The mother of two of David’s children (Absalom and Tamar) was Maacah, the daughter of Talmai the king of Geshur. (2 Samuel 3:3, 13:1)
Finally, we have the Philistines. In the book of Joshua, we learn that the Israelites were unable to conquer Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron, the five-city “pentapolis” of the Philistines (Joshua 13:2–3). That region was controlled by the Philistines throughout the time of the Judges (e.g., the first period of Israelite rule after the Exodus; see Judges 3:3). For example, Shamgar famously killed 300 Philistines with an ox goad (Judges 3:31), and Samson had many dealings with them (Judges 14–16). There are many mentions of them throughout the books of 1 and 2 Samuel (e.g., Goliath was called a Gittite, that is, he was a Philistine from the city of Gath). They are also mentioned frequently in the prophets (e.g., Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Obadiah, and Zephaniah). For example:
“Are you not like the Cushites to me, O people of Israel?” declares the Lord. “Did I not bring up Israel from the land of Egypt, and the Philistines from Caphtor and the Syrians from Kir?”.Amos 9:7
Note here that Amos, who lived in the 8th century BC says the Philistines came from Capthor (Crete). Jeremiah, who was writing about 100 years after Amos, confirms where they came from:
“… because of the day that is coming to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper that remains. For the Lord is destroying the Philistines, the remnant of the coastland of Caphtor.”. Jeremiah 47:4
Answering the riddle of the Philistines
The solution to these many puzzles is that there seems to be two different people groups called ‘Philistines’ in the Bible. The latter Philistines were indeed from Crete, but these may not have been the same Philistines that Abraham knew. In fact, the Bible records a population displacement in this very area:
As for the Avvim, who lived in villages as far as Gaza, the Caphtorim, who came from Caphtor, destroyed them and settled in their place. (Deuteronomy 2:23)
The book of Deuteronomy was written right before the Israelites invaded Canaan (~1406 BC). Thus, these new people (1) came to the area from Crete sometime between the time of Isaac and the time of Moses, a span of about 300 years. But the Bible refers to a group called the Avvim who lived in the area where the Philistines are also said to have lived.
Yet, the earlier record from Genesis does not claim they were from Capthor (although their relatives, the Capthorim, were). About 1,500 years later, the Bible claims they were. Thus, we have some confusion as to who these earlier Philistines were. If they came from Capthor, when? And, if they had come prior to the time of Abraham, why would that still be important more than a millennium and a half later?
It is strange that the Philistines are not mentioned in the ‘land’ promised to Abraham. Neither are they mentioned by the spies who searched out the land 40 years prior to the invasion of Canaan: But who were these later Philistines of David’s time? In the historical record, the enigmatic Sea Peoples attempted to invade Egypt during the reign of Ramses 111 ( 19th Dynasty, approximately 1186-1155 BC). This would have been during the period of the Judges, almost 300 years after the Exodus, and Israel had long been established as a nation. Their failed invasion was famously depicted on the walls of Ramses 111’s mortuary temple (Medinet Habu), but the diagram includes animals and women in the scene. Thus, the Sea People were not attacking; they were migrating. About the same time, we witness the end of the HIttite, Mycenaean, and Mitanni empires in the Mediterranean region. The reasons for all the upheaval are unknown, and we cannot seperate cause and effect (e.g., were the Sea People marauders, or were they seeking to escape some other group of attackers?). The Egyptian records claim that Rameses forcibly settled the survivors in southwest Cannaan, right where the ‘Philistine‘ cities were in Abraham’s day.
After Canaan had been successfully invaded by the Israelites, the Bible describes many of the people who had yet to be conquered. These include Philistines, Geshurites, the Avvim, and others:
“Now Joshua was old and advanced in years, and the Lord said to him, “You are old and advanced in years, and there remains yet very much land to possess. This is the land that yet remains: all the regions of the Philistines, and all those of the Geshurites (from the Shihor, which is east of Egypt, northward to the boundary of Ekron, it is counted as Canaanite; there are five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron), and those of the Avvim, in the south, all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians, to Aphek, to the boundary of the Amorites, and the land of the Gebalites, and all Lebanon, toward the sunrise, from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo-hamath, all the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim, even all the Sidonians. I myself will drive them out from before the people of Israel.” (Joshua 13:1–6)
By the time of David, there were multiple foreign people groups in the land, and it is a bit confusing who was there first and who may have come later. Some of these groups are closely associated with the Philistines, e.g., the Geshurites:
This is the land that yet remains: all the regions of the Philistines, and all those of the Geshurites. (Joshua 13:3)
The Bible claims the Philistines were in Canaan from the time of Abraham to the time of the final Old Testament prophets. This places them in the land before the significant influx of pottery and DNA that is associated with the island of Crete. This does not mean the Bible is wrong about the early Philistines, however. There are several possible solutions, each of which is faithful to biblical history:
The earlier people were called Philistines by their contemporaries; the later people could have been given that name because they lived in Philistine territory.
The earlier people could have been given the name ‘Philistines’ retroactively because they lived in the area later dominated by the real Philistines.
The earlier and later Philistines were cousins or otherwise related by language or blood, so the new arrivals simply moved into a similar culture. In other words, they were both original ‘Philistines’, but can be distinguished by episodes of migration.
An organization describing itself as The Satanic Temple of Iowa erected an altar depicting a silver ram’s head on a mannequin adorned with a red cape and surrounded by candles and flowers in the State Capital, according to local KKCI Des Moines. The statue also holds a red wreath with an inverted pentagram.
How did it happen? • The Capitol structure falls under the control of the Iowa Legislature. The Department of Administrative Services (DAS) is charged with the management. • Currently, access for displays at the Capitol are open to anyone through an application process. Though there are some guidelines, they do not discriminate based on religion or ideology. • Displays are permitted to be displayed for two weeks. • All displays are required to communicate they are an independent display and not to be associated with the State of Iowa. • The Satanic Temple petitioned for their display in August and were approved with some modification. They wanted to use an actual goat head (I’m assuming a skull) and we’re prohibited from doing so. • The Iowa Legislature can set the rules and standards for any display. The current operating principle has been to either allow all displays or none. The Legislature has the power to change it if they deem it necessary.
Iowa state Rep. Jon Dunwell, a Republican and Christian pastor gave this helpful response:
My response as a follower of Christ… The display is an inanimate object that has no real power in and of itself. We have nothing to fear. Oppose the message of the display. It is not just another way to worship the same god. The DIFFERENCES need to be pointed out. The display glorifies the evil influence we oppose. The primary response required is prayer. The display itself shows us the work we have yet to do. Iowa needs Jesus. The display provides a teaching example for our families of the difference between the person and work of Christ and that of Satan. (Love, light, and sacrifice compared to a dark, foreboding creature). My faith is never imposed upon others, nor should it ever become a direct part of government. It is always a response to the person and work of Jesus Christ. I don’t want to mix the kingdoms! The government is a poor arbitrator of religion. Take full advantage of the opportunities to express our faith in appropriate displays and programs at the Capitol.
This Satanic image is a reminder that Satan and his demons will be cast down to the Earth and demonic activity will increase.
“Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.” Revelation 12:7-9
The US House of Representatives launched an inquiry into three of America’s top universities over “rampant anti-Semitism” after their presidents failed to condemn calls by pro-Palestine protesters for genocide against Jews.
The three top education bureaucrats, Claudine Gay (picture taken at the Congressional hearing), President of Harvard University, Liz Magill, President of the University of Pennsylvania, and Sally Kornbluth, President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology all said, that calls for genocide did not necessarily contravene university policy.
This prompted public outcry as it revealed America’s Ivy League universities are run by leaders who are models of the left-wing ideology that deems the rights of certain people less worthy of protection than others. You can call for the murder of all Jews, but say sex is biological and you will be punished.
Thank goodness for Republican congresswoman Elise Stefanik who said overnight on Thursday.
“It is unacceptable that presidents of esteemed institutions like Harvard, MIT, and Penn, have not firmly condemned this hatred. Their failure to do so warrants their immediate dismissal from their positions”.
In attempts to retain their jobs both Liz Magill and Claudine Gay, went into damage control:
“I was not focused on, but I should have been, the irrefutable fact that a call for genocide of Jewish people is a call for some of the most terrible violence human beings can perpetrate,” Liz Magill said in her subsequent video.
President of Harvard University, Ms. Gay contradicted the words she had spoken at the Congressional hearing. First of all, she said: “I am sorry, Words matter.” she then explained what had gone wrong. “I got caught up in what had become at that point, an extended, combative exchange about policies and procedures,” she said. “Substantively, I failed to convey what is my truth.”
Few phrases are as reliable as “my truth” for identifying seasoned purveyors of cant and doubletalk. Truth isn’t something that can be identified or modified by a possessive pronoun. If my truth is different from your truth and your truth is different from her truth, these aren’t truths. “My truth” is the device deployed to elevate the particular viewpoint of a member of a particular group or identity, by claiming the validation of the “truth” for a narrow ideological cause.
And this is what we saw last week at that hearing — the narrow, exclusive intolerance of the ideology that has our universities in its grip.
The university president’s response to Rep. Elise Stefanik’s question was a lie cloaked in “a truth”. They claimed to operate their approach to free speech on what we might call the Voltaire principle: I disagree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.
But that isn’t how these places work. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression puts Harvard dead last in its ranking of colleges by the climate of free speech. Penn is second to last. The principle that actually operates on these campuses is Lenin’s: I disagree with what you say, and I will do all I can to prevent you from saying it.
Adapted from an article in The Australian, Wednesday 13th Dec. 2023 by Gerard Baker “Higher Education’s slide from Veritas to My Truth”.
MILES-LONG LOCUST SWARMS FLOODED OVER MERIDA CAPITAL OF MEXICAN STATE YUCATAN
End of times? ‘Apocalyptic’ locust swarms fill the skies of Mexico leaving people fearing Armageddon is near. The skies above southeastern Mexico darkened last Tuesday afternoon as miles-long swarms of locusts flooded over Mérida, the capital of the Mexican state of Yucatán.
One Latin American newspaper covering the incident quoted the Book of Revelation 9:3, ‘And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth, and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.’
But local officials were less dire, telling reporters that the locusts were expected to finish passing through the city in about two days without endangering local crops. While the American southwest has suffered ‘Biblical’ waves of millions of Mormon crickets, killer bees, and other insects this past year, there’s no indication that Mérida’s locust swarm will reach the US, yet.
MECCA FLOODED AND RELEASED SWARMS OF COCKROACHES
Saudi Arabia’s Mecca, home to Islam’s holiest sites, has seen extreme storms and rain that affected pilgrims, shuttered schools, and caused chaotic scenes.
Videos online on Tuesday showed pilgrims who were doing the tawaf – circling the Kaaba – getting soaked and slipping on the floor as heavy rains thrashed and carried objects around.
The flash flood fell on the tomb of Muhammad and on the millions of people who came to celebrate Ramadan. A minute after the rain stopped, millions of cockroaches came out from under the ground, so the prayer was stopped and everyone ran away. As the rare scenes were unfolding at the giant black cube towards which all Muslims pray, another video showed a bolt of lightning striking the iconic Fairmont Makkah Clock Royal Tower hotel, illuminating the night sky on Tuesday.
Australian Muslim preacher Wissam “Abu Ousayd” Haddad is a central figure in Australia’s Muslim (Salafi) and Islamic terrorist community. The English-speaking Muslim scholar has also amassed many devoted jihadis on his dangerous social media channels. Despite his violent rhetoric and ties to Islamic terrorists, Haddad continues to operate in Australia with impunity.
Following Hamas’s attack on Israel under the false name Abu Ousayd, Wissam Haddad preached a sermon inciting Muslims to kill Jews. Jihad is required by Allah for all Muslims. Under his real name, he was already known by Australian Government authorities to be a Jihadi terrorist.
Merry Christmas is ‘Hated by Allah’
Over the years, many of his sermons have drawn outrage. For example, on December 16, 2022, Australian Islamic scholar Haddad lectured his followers that saying “Merry Christmas” is “more severe and hated by Allah” than congratulating someone for drinking alcohol, committing murder, committing adultery, or gambling. He added that this is an act of disbelief that sparks Allah’s anger.
In an interview with The Christian Post, Michael Youssef, the 75-year-old pastor of the Church of the Apostles in Atlanta, Georgia, revealed that an evangelistic meeting in Egypt saw an unexpected attendance of 17,715 people, it far exceeded the initial expectation of 6,000 at Of those, more than 7,850 put their faith in Christ.
In his message, Youssef focused on Matthew 24, which outlines signs of the End Times. Though stressing he is not an End Times preacher, Youssef said he believes current events indicate that the world is fast approaching the End Times as described in the Bible.
“I came to the conclusion that our Lord is saying that when it gets close to the end, there are labor pains, and this is for the believers,” he said. “For the nonbelievers, it is going to be like a thief in the night. They’re going to be shocked.”
He noted that while such signs have always occurred, like wars and earthquakes, their recent escalation in intensity and frequency suggests the nearing of the End Times. Current events, such as the alignment of Russia, China, and Iran and increasing global tensions, also point to this reality.
“I looked at what our Lord is saying, and He basically gave six labor pains … and all six things that our Lord says will happen have been happening all these years. Earthquakes, wars, and rumors of wars, pestilences, all of these things, are now happening in shorter and shorter intervals, greater frequency, and more intensity.”
“When you see Russia and China and Iran are working together, that’s just something that has not happened before,” he said. “Look at the streets of London and Paris, New York — masses of people protesting against Israel … masses of people in front of the Sydney Opera House saying, ‘Gas the Jews.’ That is horrifying in many ways … I personally believe that we’re getting close.”
The pastor added that the current state of the world, including increasing knowledge, population growth, and violence, mirrors the days of Noah, another sign the End Times might be approaching.
“Jesus said, as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days before the coming of the Son of God, the Son of Man. So I looked at Genesis 6, there was an increase in knowledge … an increase in violence and bloodshed … those days are here.” What more evidence do we need?
I am surprised that Michael did not mention the KEY miracle sign of Jesus’ second coming that Jesus mentions in Matthew 24:32-35: The Lesson of the Fig Tree – The rebirth of Israel in 1948. All the prophesied end times events center on Israel and it did not exist before 1948.
The time is coming when this world will be radically changed for the better. It will last for a thousand years, bookended by resurrections. The following passage in Revelation is the summation of the event. However, many O.T. Scriptures give much detail on Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom with Jesus ruling the nations from a much elevated and improved Jerusalem compared to the Jerusalem that exists today. In fact, all of the O.T. prophets were shown the triumphant end of Israel’s story with their Messiah ruling the nations. God has unfinished business with the nation He established for His purposes. The Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1-3,Gen. 15:7-12, 17 ), Davidic Covenant (2 Sam. 7:12-16), and the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34) have yet to be fulfilled
“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be released for a little while. Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also, I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:1-6
The world has no knowledge of this truth. The Evil One/Satan is the great deceiver. He disguises himself as an angel of light.
“And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” 2 Corinthians 11:14
Christians are born again and now belong to the Kingdom of God. It is why we pray to our Heavenly Father: “Your Kingdom come, your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.”
“We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him. We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” 1 John 5:18-20
Just as Paul was sent by Jesus to bring people to a knowledge of the truth about Satan we are also sent by Jesus who has made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the Holy Spirit to indwell our spirit and empower us to do the work God has assigned us to do.
“I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’” Acts 26:18
Just remember Philippians 4:19
“And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.“
Jesus made it possible for our Heavenly Father to send the third person of the Trinity to indwell our spirit and be our Counsellor, Teacher, and Comforter. He produces the fruit of the Spirit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness, gentleness, goodness, kindness, and self-control. He also provides the gifts of the Spirit for ministry. Below is a list of the spiritual gifts referenced in the Bible with their essential meanings.
The Gift of Wisdom – the gift to make choices and give leadership that is according to God’s will.
The Gift of Knowledge – the gift to comprehensively understand a spiritual issue or circumstance.
The Gift of Faith – the gift to trust God and inspire others to trust God, no matter the conditions.
The Gift of Healing – the wondrous gift of using God’s healing power to cure a person who is ill, wounded, or suffering.
The Gift of Miracles – the gift to display signs and miracles that give credibility to God’s Word and the Gospel message.
The Gift of Prophecy – the gift to declare a message from God.
The Gift of Discerning Spirits – the gift to recognize whether or not something is truly from God or by righteousness.
The Gift of Tongues – the gift to communicate in a foreign language you do not have experience with, to converse with those who speak that language, and a heavenly language that enables you to let the Holy Spirit speak for you.
The Gift of Interpreting Tongues – the gift of interpreting the speech and writings of a different language and translating it back to others in your own.
The Gift of Administration – the gift to keep things ordered and in agreement with God’s principles.
The Gift of Helps – the gift of a desire and capacity to always help others and do whatever it takes to achieve a task.
REVIEW of Rosaria Butterfield’s ‘Five Lies of Our Anti-Christian Age’
Butterfield’s offering comes in the form of fresh, unadulterated truth — the kind that’s not afraid to step on the toes of those caught in deception. Hurt toes are a small price to pay for walking in the truth, even if you do end up with a limp. Limping or not, staying on the path beats falling into the abyss any day.
Lies that lead us astray have only multiplied since the serpent in the garden suggested, “Did God reallysay?” There are plenty to go around, but Butterfield narrows her focus to five. The lies she sees as particularly plaguing today are:
Homosexuality is normal.
Being a spiritual person is kinder than being a biblical Christian.
Feminism is good for the world and the church.
Transgenderism is normal.
Modesty is an outdated burden that serves male dominance and holds women back.
Butterfield’s five lies may not be top-of-mind for everyone, but nearly every North American Christian is affected by them. Take the lie that homosexuality is normal, for example. The ubiquity of homosexuality portrayed in media and advertising lends credence to the notion that it’s just another part of everyday life — even to the point of infiltrating the church. Sure, progressive churches have long accepted and celebrated homosexuality, but its normalization has affected more conservative churches as well. Butterfield speaks specifically against the ideas of homosexual identity and the so-called gay Christian movement. She doesn’t mince words: it is sin, and those involved with it are in need of repentance.
Butterfield’s biography plays heavily into her narrative. She once identified as “a women-centered, pacifist, lesbian vegetarian” who “hated everything to do with the Bible.” After meeting Christians who patiently, thoroughly, and lovingly explained the gospel to her, she was converted. She walked away from that identity at great personal cost. But her biography is most certainly not her rationale — it’s merely supporting evidence.
Butterfield’s solutions aren’t novel — in fact, they’re demonstrably old. The solution to these lies, of course, is truth. But it’s not truth found only in experience, rather it’s the revealed truth given to us in Scripture. For Butterfield, these lies aren’t prickly cultural nuances. They are sin. The solution to being shaped by lies is to be transformed by Christ, to repent from sin, and believe the truth.
Particularly helpful is the characterization of our current age as “anti-Christian” versus the oft-used “post-Christian.” After all, we Christians are still here, and Christ’s church still stands. But our age is increasingly negative toward Christianity. Where faith may have once held prominence, it’s now an object of derision. Derision leaves no room for complex nuance, hence Butterfield’s simple, repent-and-believe-the-truth approach to dealing with lies.
Butterfield’s motivation is found in the latter part of the book as she sums up a quote by church reformer John Calvin. She writes, “To a Christian, the rage of the whole world is nothing — nothing, that is, compared to the grace and power of God.”
And maybe that’s the simplicity in Rosaria Butterfield’s approach to our anti-Christian age. The world can rage all it wants against Christ and his truth, but all its rage is no match for his grace. Make no mistake: this book is ultimately not about lies. Sure, the reader will walk away with a sharp assessment of these lies (perhaps with some sore toes). But it’s the truth of God’s grace that Butterfield gives that will keep the reader free from the enemy’s web of lies.
Review by Jared Bridges. He is editor-in-chief of The Washington Stand.
The good news is that Jesus told us beforehand that prior to His second coming the world will reject God and His Word, the Bible, and hence hate Christians who uphold Jesus and the Bible.
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.” Matthew 24:9-13
LIVING ETERNAL NOW 