Time to be Honest
It has just dawned on me how having a blog can free me to express myself through writing articles such as this one. I started this blog to provide useful information to fellow brothers and sisters in Christ but now see that just a load of information doesn’t get attention and wont help, in fact its not really what I even wanted to achieve with this blog in the first place.
As Christians we need to be open and speak the truth and I know it is lacking in the body of Christ, perhaps we just want to be super spiritual? Relationships are not built deep enough with each other. If we dont come into the light, be ourselves, open up and be honest things wont get dealt with if need be. The enemy of our souls loves the darkness, so we must be alert as to now we are around others and how we express ourselves. Why do we automatically pretend so much of the time around each other, it doesn’t help. Lets trust the Lord to bring the right people our way to build relationships with whilst totally being ourselves. A long but appropriate word is compartmentalisation. Which by definition is to isolate or split off parts of the personality or mind with lack of communication and consistency between the parts. In other words be consistently the same when reflecting who you are. Continue reading »
Noahs Ark Found?
It is always interesting to find things like this that people have found. Can we be be 100% certain that this is Noah’s Ark, not quite sure about that but it is fascinating none the less. The below information has been taken from the utube video detailing where the explorers are from etc.
A group of explorers from Hong Kong and Turkey believe they’ve made a discovery of Biblical proportions. The group say they have found the remnants of Noah’s Ark, resting at 13,000 feet atop Mount Ararat. Previous ARK expeditions in decades past have also found evidence that suggested Noah’s Ark may have come to rest on Ararat. However, until now, video evidence has been scant. Radio carbon dating, the researchers say, indicates this find is 4,800 years old. If true, THIS is the most significant historical discovery in human history. It will be very telling to see how this story plays out in the main stream media.
Come into the Light
I have recently listened to this message which is really powerful. It is a simple message but one we can easily ignore. It emphasizes the need for prayer and for us to be open and not affraid of Gods light. For me it has further confirmed the need to stay in prayer for as long as necessary sometimes so God can work in us by the spirit to make us more Christ like. At this time I am feeling such a need to get my heart right with God and this points out one principle that can do this. In these times we must stay close to Jesus and have hearts that submit and yearn for Him alone.
Anyway listen to this sermon and enjoy and come into the light. I always find great sermons for Times Square Church which really hit the core of my being, conviction is always healthy for the Christian.
Dont be afraid of the light – William Carol
Don’t Get Offended
Offense is something that every person can experience from another, whether your a christian or not, it can be such a major part of our lives, it’s probably daily that we go through situations where we might have the opportunity to become offended. This can be from expecting things from others, including certain behaviours we might have relationships with. Personally understanding offense and seeing how the enemy uses this to hold us in bondage has been liberating, I have been able to identify so many things where my reactions and responses have been wrong and where I might have harboured bitterness and anger towards others. The Lord has recently been speaking to me about this again which has been very humbling, I cant assume that everything has been dealt with and the enemy wont attack again in this area.
Ultimately life is really about reactions and being a child of God we must trust God that He has everything in control no matter what happens, we have to see that everything does work out for good as long as we trust Him. There is a reason for everything that may come our way. God wants glory, and if we can react correctly to the adverse circumstances in our lives we will shine and He shall have the Glory.
For me its hard to except sometimes the things that happen, but as long as I am not intentionally sinning, I have to remember that He loves me and He has my best interests at heart. In writing this now I am kind of talking to myself about this whole subject but I know it’s liberating to uncover and deal with this very important aspect of life and our christian walk.
One book which has really spoken to me about this subject is ‘The Bait of Satan’ by John Bevere. This has got to be one of the most important books that I have ever read. I have written a lot of notes from this book and have regularly gone over them to remind myself of what it says. It changed everything for me the first time I read it and now is speaking to me quite powerfully again. I highly recommend ‘The Bait of Satan’ for your book shelf if you dont have it already. Hear is a few things that it says, which is what I myself am contemplating at the moment.
“We set ourselves up for offense when we require certain behaviours from those with whom we have relationships. The more we expect, the greater the potential to take offense”.
“When we filter everything throughpast hurts, rejections and experiences we find it impossible to believe Gods word”
“So an offended Christians is one who takes in life but because of fear cannot release life. These strongholds create set patterns of reasoning through which all incoming information is processed”.
Great words I feel. Very needed for the Body of Christ, make sure you buy ‘The Bait of Satan’ its available from Amazon.
Signs of Coming of Christ
1. Great International Wars (Wars and rumours of wars) – Matt 24:7
2. Increase of Travel and Knowledge – Dan 12:4
3. Rise of Zionism – Rebirth of State of Israel – Psalm 102:16 (May 1948, 6-12th June 1967)
4. Jerusalem liberated from Gentile Dominion – Luke 21:24
5. Many scoffers denying the Word of God and promise of Christ’s return 2 Peter 3:2-7.
6. People absorbed in material pleasures/pursuits and forgetting impending Judgements of God – Luke 17:26-30
7. Great decline of moral/ethical standards combined with outward forms of religion (perilous -fierce) 2 Tim 3:1-5
8. Abounding Iniquity – “Lawlessness” Matt 24:12
9. Famines and Pestilences – Matt 24:7
10. Increase in severity and frequency of earthquakes – Matt 24:7
11. Distress and Perplexity of Nations – Luke 21:9-10 + 25; Isaiah 13:4-5
12. Many Anti-Christ – The Anti-Christ – 1 John 2:18, Rev 13
13. Great Peace Conferences – 1 Thess 5:3
14. Collapse of great fortunes – James 5:1-8
A Brief History of the Land of Israel
AD 70 & 135
Jews expelled from Israel by the Romans and land renamed ‘Palestine’. Land administered by various powers for c.2000 years.
1517 – 1917
Palestine part of Turkey’s Ottoman Empire
Victorian era
Britain was pro-Zionist
1867
Mark Twain visits: ‘A desolate country whose soil is rich enough, but is given over to weeds…a silent mournful expanse…a desolation…we never saw a human being on the whole route…hardly a tree or shrub anywhere. Even the olive tree and the cactus, those fast friends of a worthless soil, had almost deserted the country.
1880’s
Mass migration of Jews to Palestine began (50,000 by 1890 and 100,000 by 1907 when 25,000 were living in Jerusalem out of a total population of 40,000) – Land improvement attracted Arab immigrants.
1897
The Jewish Zionist national movement was born in response to anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe. Zionists contributed to Britain’s victory in WW1.
1914 -1918
Turkey supported Germany and was defeated with them.
1916
Southern Ottoman Empire mandated to France and Britain. France took control of Syria & Lebanon. Britain took control of Palestine.
1917
Balfour Declaration – Britain’s promise to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine.
1919
The Paris Peace Conference empowered Britain to enact the above.
1920’s
Further Jewish immigration resisted by Arabs. Britain placed quotas on immigration (75,000 a year).
1923
Britain (Churchill was home secretary) divided Palestine: Jews permitted west of Jordan only (25%). Arabs given Trans-Jordan.
1920’s & 30’s
Arabs in west portion began terrorist attacks on Jews. Britain turned a blind eye due to oil reserves discovered in Arab territories. Jewish resistance to Brits.
1930’s & 40’s
Continued quotas on immigration hindered Jews trying to escape Europe. Increasing Jewish resistance towards Britain.
1947
Britain handed Palestine over to the UN. The UN proposed to divide the west territory into Israel & a second Palestinian state. The Jews accepted, the Arabs did not.
14/5/1948 – State of Israel founded.
15th May
7 neighbouring Arab armies invaded (Egypt, Trans Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Yemen). Arabs in Israel were encouraged to leave to facilitate the slaughter of Jews. They were promised Jewish property after the victory. After 19 months of war Israel won. The Arabs that remained became Israeli Arab citizens, those that fled (c625,000) became the first ‘refugees’ aettled in the West Bank/Gaza. (nb c. 860,000 Jews fled the Arab states in 47/48).
Post war
A slightly larger Jewish state. Egypt occupied the Gaza Strip and Trans Jordan (now Jordan) occupied the West Bank (including Jerusalem) The Arabs now had 85% of the original territory.
1964
The PLO was formed (in the West Bank) to destroy Israel.
1967
The Syrian, Jordanian & Egyptian forces mobilized along Israel’s borders. Israel executed a pre-emptive strike against Egypt’s air force. Unaware & with the battle cry ‘slaughter the Jews’ and ‘Throw the Jews into the sea’ the Syrians and Jordanians invaded. After 6 days war Israel miraculously won and took control of Sinai Desert, West Bank and Golan Heights. The 850,000 Arabs in the West Bank and Gaza strip became the second wave of Arab refugees. The defeated Arabs had packed ready to leave – expecting no mercy but Moshe Dayan persuaded them to stay!
1973
Arab-Israeli war in south Sinai & Golan – increased Arab confidence.
1982
Israel returned the Sinai Desert to Egypt
To date – Increasing Arab-Israeli conflict.
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Check out: Israel: The Land of Gods Promise
Second Coming of Christ: Basic Info
These details basically outline some of the different views taken when studying eschatology, I strongly disagree with ‘Post’ and ‘A’ Millennialism (see Rules of Prophecy for further details) simply because when looked into in greater detail, which I guess I will do at another point they do not add up and it is not how we should be reading the bible. We must take things literally at first when reading the bible just as we would any other book.
Second Coming of Christ – Eschatology – Study of ‘Last’ things, this comes for the two Greek words meaning last and study. It is the study of the destiny of man according to the bible.
Key Books of the bible which you can get to grips with Eschatology would be: Continue reading »
