January 2019 – Page 3

January 9, 2019

3 Timeless New Years Resolutions for 2019

People spend lots of time talking about a new year and all the things they plan to do.

I’m not immune from this foolishness. I, like you, have made some resolutions I know I’m not going to keep. As we go about the year, we’re going to forget a lot of what we said January 1. It happens in this business we call life. And it’s only natural because many of these promises we made to ourselves and not to God! If we were truly honest with ourselves, how many times did we make a rule or promise that didn’t have God in mind? How many times did we get angry when December comes around and we realize how little progress we’ve made?

Jesus already gave a list of things you need to do, so let’s start there for 2019:

1. Share the Gospel with the world, teaching them everything about Jesus (Matt. 28: 18-20). Jesus wants everyone to know him and to be known in the world. Beyond everything you hear in the news about Christians being persecuted for their faith in him, it’s still our job to share “The Good News”.

2. Be useful. Jesus says for us to present what he has done in our lives and be a light to this world (Matt 5: 14 -16). We have many Believers who choose to remain silent, oversaturated with social media missteps and fallacies, and who believe that if they over love the person in sin while never addressing their sin, they’re doing a good deed. The flavor we provide to this world as salt is to purify and make things better received when ingested (Matthew 5:13). Now before Mark 12:31 is taken out of context in response to that comment, let’s consider what is being done: Like a parent to a child, do you not love your children enough to present to them their wrongdoing and a pathway to correction? God did that with you! We are sinners saved by grace. Simply share that truth, and God will do the rest.

3. Be discerning. Sans the popular culture abuse of Matthew 7:1 in regards to judging, we are to be discerning. Did you know that it’s written that we should avoid being deceived because of the effects of “Bad Company” ? (1 Cor. 15:33). I think that involves making some judgement calls on people and places right? In addition, John says that we should “…try the Spirits…” (1 John 4: 1-6).

The Bible presents all the New Years Resolutions we’ll ever need, and they’ve lasted longer than ours.

January 9, 2019March 20, 2019

Teenage Pregnancy

Well pregnancy is not a sin. Teenage pregnancy is also not a sin. In fact, Mary, the most revered woman in the church, was pregnant as a teen.

The Church cares a lot more about why a teen is pregnant. Regardless of why though, the Church recognizes the life of the child in the womb and advocates against abortion. The life of the infant can also be seen in the case of Mary when she visits her cousin Elizabeth and John leaps in Elizabeth’s womb at the presense of zygote Jesus.

Here are some reasons that the Church finds to be acceptable for being pregnant as a teen:

You didn’t have sex, but instead God told you that you’ll have a child, and that child is the Son of God. Unsurprisingly, this one is a little rare.
You are already married (young marriages can be a thing, they’re just not common in our culture)
You got raped. Rape is one of the most horrifying crimes that a person can commit against another. But if a woman is pregnant because she was raped, then she is not at any fault. Of course, society has the unfortunate masogynistic tendency to disagree, even within the Church.

There is only one unacceptable reason, but this is the most common today:

You had consensual sex outside of marriage. If this is the case the Church strongly desires that both the father and the mother go to Confession and work to amend their lives to be lives of virtue. Two requirements of that new life of virtue include a renewed committment to chastity and a committment to care for the child to the best of their ability.

Regardless of the circumstances of the child’s conception, the Church urges all involved to acknowledge the child that is coming into the world as a gift from God and not as a problem. True, there may be some difficulties associated with his or her entrance into the world, but ultimately it is good. Pregnancy is a beautiful thing, and it’s one thing that is uniquely exclusive to women. Pregnancy doesn’t always happen in the best of circumstances, and can be a product of sin, but is in and of itself a beautiful thing which should be met with joy and not condemnation.

January 9, 2019

Who is Jesus?

Isaiah 9:1-7

“But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy;they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil.For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian.For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire.For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be calledWonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end,on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold itwith justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore.The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”

This birth announcement arrives over 700 years in advance, announcing the good news of Jesus Christ. It tells us who He is…

Wonderful Counselor

These words describe the character of Jesus. The word “wonderful” means “incomprehensible.” In other words, He will cause us to be “in constant wonder and awe.” We see this throughout His life…born of the virgin Mary (Matthew 1:18), supernatural ability to heal, impactful teachings, a sinless life (Rom. 8:3-4), and the power to be raised from the dead (Mark 16). He counseled us to live counter-intuitively to the wisdom of this world…rejoice in suffering and persecution (Rom. 5:3-5), receive a blessing for being poor in spirit (Matt. 5:3), serve rather than be served (Matt. 20:28), and much, much more.

As our counselor, He knows us better than we know ourselves (John 2:25). His ways are always perfect (Ps. 18:30). He attains all knowledge and wisdom, including the nature and character of mankind (Psalm 139:1-2). He understands what we are going through and is available to listen at all times (Psalm 121:2-4). Jesus always has our best interests at heart (Psalm 36:7).

Mighty God

God’s power is unlimited (Job 36:2-4); He can do whatever He wants whenever He wants (Ps. 115:3). He knows no bounds (Job 11:8-18). He is the creator of all things (Neh. 9:6), the King of heaven (Ps. 95:3), the God of all mankind (1 Cor. 11:3). He is the only God (Is. 45:5-12). He is eternal (Gen. 21:33) and everlasting (Hab. 1:12), the Alpha and Omega (Rev. 21:6). He has been and always will be. He is able to do greater things than we can ask or fathom (Eph. 3:20). No one can keep track of all His miracles (Job 9:10). He answers to no one because no one is as Mighty as He (Ps. 50:9-10).

Everlasting Father

The Messiah is the father of time, and His fatherhood will never end (Rev. 1:8). The baby Jesus would be crowned King, the protector and provider of the children of God. He is not limited by age or death. As a father, his love is unconditional (Eph. 2:4-5). As children of God, our identity is secure in Him (John 10:30,38). Nothing can separate us from His love (Rom. 8:35-39). He is the perfect father.

Prince of Peace

Jesus is our Peace. We live in a crazy, chaotic, broken world with messy people every day. This is the world we know now. It is our normal until we encounter Jesus. He gives us peace in the midst of the chaos; revealing we are deeply loved (Eph. 1:16-18), redeeming us from sin (Rom. 5:8, 10), and releasing us to live freely in Him (Phil. 4:6-7).

What name of Jesus speaks most to you today and why?

January 9, 2019January 9, 2019

Go Unsatisfied

Matthew 5:12 says “Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven…”

When Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5 He essentially told his followers that the life of one who lives for God is characterized by an expectation of receiving satisfaction in the future…not in the present. It is the life of faith that pleases God, not the life that expects sight now (Hebrews 11:6). Remember what Jesus said to Thomas after He appeared to him while they were in hiding: “Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Those who believe without seeing are blessed” (John 20:29). Jesus made it clear that He wants His followers to trust in what He says and who He is based on His credibility–which is awesome! We take Jesus’ words to the bank based on a handshake alone; we do not wonder if He will follow through. Ironically, when one waits on the Lord IN FAITH they experience His peace which transcends all understanding (Philippians 4:7). We are at peace because we truly trust in Him. We we do not have peace we are missing the trust and are therefore unsatisfied for a totally different reason–it is because our spirit AND our flesh are left wanting. Conversely, if the flesh is left unsatisfied, but the spirit is fulfilled, one can die in peace knowing that their soul will meet God almighty and be eternally loved and taken care of.

If we do not wait IN FAITH, then we will not have peace. That means we will be waiting with a spirit of complaining, of grumbling, and of whining because we are not getting what we think we deserve. We know that God commands us not to live as whiners (Philippians 2:14). Therefore, living IN FAITH means that we consciously understand that we expect to be satisfied at a future date, a day determined by God, and the truth is that the day of our reward may not be until after our death. In fact, we will never be completely satisfied until we reach our final destination–the presence of God.

Understand that it is our humanity that will suffer when we wait IN FAITH. It is our temporary sense of justice, of harmony, of emotion, that suffers when we allow room for God’s work to be done. God calls us to let our earthly nature die and embrace the Spirit of Jesus which has little regard for earthly comfort when God’s truth is at stake. Remember how God the Father treated God the Son: “It was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer…” (Isaiah 53:10).

When we undertake love as a Christ follower we are guaranteed to be persecuted. Our love will often not be received because it sheds light on the failure of people to love God and one another. Those who desire to please God will be encouraged by our love, but those who are enemies of God will punish us because we stand for Him (Matthew 10:22). But remember, the reward comes later. Suffer now and go unsatisfied now–that is living IN FAITH. But when you demonstrate that type of faith, the Spirit of God will minister to you and remind you that you are in God’s will, which will make every suffering worthwhile as it happens. After the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus assured us of this fact.

Matthew 5:11-12 “You are blessed when they insult and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

January 9, 2019January 9, 2019

Moving Into 2019: Through the Window of Their Witness

I remember around this time last year scurrying about the library in Trinity College Dublin attempting to finish an essay. Hours of reading, drafting, editing and perfecting left me worn out. What was all my energy put into? An essay on the adaptation of Marxist-Leninist thinking in the domestic policy of Mao Zedong during the Cultural Revolution (I know it sounds riveting!). Although history and geopolitics is not everyone’s cup of tea, it is part of the grand tapestry of history in which we are apart of. Further, it is overseen by the Creator of all things.

Thinking back on that essay has made me concerned for my brothers and sisters in the country of China. In researching the 1960s and 1970s for the essay, I discovered the horrors that Christians encountered. Further, it seems if history is repeating itself again in China. Whatever the circumstances and trials our brothers and sisters in China face, to the world they are a window through which others can witness the reality of Christ.

That Was Then

Mao Zedong during the Cultural Revolution from 1966-1976 made it his aim to roll Communism into all areas of Chinese life. Michael Lynch in his book Origins and development of authoritarian and single-party states notes how Mao saw religion as utter poison, even making the comparison of Christian missionaries in China to Nazis in Europe. In his leadership, Mao wanted to dominate the political sphere and weed out Christianity along with all other religions. Fenggang Yang, a prominent scholar on religion in China, noted that Mao set out in the Cultural Revolution to eradicate religion from China through a form of militant atheism. Religion was the stumbling block to Mao achieving total dictatorial power.

During these years, outward expressions of religion were banned, religious rituals were prohibited, churches were torn down and ransacked. Followers of Christ were tortured, persecuted and killed for their faith. Mao’s indoctrinated Red Guards aimed to permanently delete Christianity from Chinese daily life. Ironically, Mao ended up creating a religion around himself — Maoism. Mao, through propaganda, presented himself to the Chinese peasantry as a god. His little Red Book replaced the Bibles that were burned. His pictures were to take the place of the symbol of the cross. All aspects of life were infiltrated by Maoism. In all his endeavours, Mao sought to transform every aspect of the individual’s life in China. Frank Dikotter, a Dutch historian, notes that Mao only really managed to exact outward compliance. Faith moved into the shadows at this time, but within those shadows it grew exponentially. The Protestant denomination from estimates grew from 0.8 million in 1956 to 3 million in 1982. Climbing to 16 million in 2009.

Although Mao sought the riddance of Christianity in China by bringing worship to himself, he was unsuccessful as the Christian witness within China persevered and experienced huge growth. This can only be seen as the gracious and merciful act of God, bringing people to a knowledge of him as the gospel went across China during those years of persecution. Consequently, we might be prone to think everything is fine and dandy in China today. Even with the Reform and Open Door Policy of premier Deng Xiaoping in the 70s and 80s persecution of Christians in China continues. Moreover, things are intensifying under the presidency of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping.

This is Now

China is the world’s second largest economy and in years to come is predicted to overtake the US. With globalisation, China’s single-party police state is attempting to find means of dealing with the outside world politically and geographically. Historically, China has not dealt well with its surrounding nations, maintaining a tendency to look inward and grapple at self-sufficiency. Maybe greater openness has helped transform China though?

Modern day China appears to have greater accountability structures than those that existed under Mao — society is a project aiming for harmonious and prosperous living under party rule. Although we have seen greater openness from China since the tyrant Mao died, officials in China continue to crackdown on whomever they will. The CCP is permitted to go beyond the law without any accountability. This has created an environment of fear, uncertainty and frustration from the political to the economic to the societal spheres. While this abuse of power is punctuated by human rights violations.

Diana Chandler addresses how 2018 has been a difficult year for Christians in China — has there been a return to Mao era persecution? Most definitely. For example, most of us have heard of the hunting down and arresting of members of the Early Rain Covenant Church in Sichuan Province. The pastors and elders of this church wrote ‘we will not bend, even it means jail, even it means death. We will continue to preserve our faith’. Police raids have escalated, crosses have been removed, people have been blocked from entering churches, worship has been shut down and Christians have been harassed. Those arrested from Early Rain reported being beaten, tortured and denied food. These Christians were dragged, stepped on, bound with chains for their faith.

President Xi Jinping will deny all these corrupt human rights violations. Unlike Mao, Xi does not want to ‘eradicate religion’ rather he desires to Sinicise it. He wants to bring the Christian religion in line with the CCP’s ideology. This is not feasible though as Christianity is diametrically opposed to a worldview system that bases itself in atheistic philosophy.

Xi knows that Christianity is a threat to CCP power, as it opposes everything the tyrannical and dictatorial CCP stands for. We, as the international community, need to stand for the religious freedom that Chinese Christians should be guaranteed. Any abuse of people made in the image of God in any shape or form is unacceptable and loathsome. However, even in the midst of their persecution they are witnesses.

Those Who Witness

Secular author Ian Johnston noted how the Cultural Revolution showed how oppression encouraged real faith; the prayer for the church in China is that God would continue to grow his kingdom amidst persecution from the Chinese Communist Party and their cult like leader Xi Jinping. May the God of all comfort use the trials and difficulties of our brothers and sisters in China to bear witness to all around the world. Ultimately that they may believe in Jesus and his redemption of a sinful humanity.

The gospel of John begins by communicating how John the Baptist “came as a witness”¦ that all might believe through him” (v.7). John the Baptist was the first among a great “cloud of witnesses” (Heb. 12:1) to testify to the truth of Jesus’s life. This cloud has swelled to millions of Christians in recent decades in China. Each witness having seen Christ through the witness of one another. Many in this cloud have lost their lives in China, but through this we hope that thousands more will join the cloud of witnesses who testify to the Son. The glorious Son who came, full of grace and truth.

January 9, 2019

Don’t Call Her A Witch

Mention magic or wizards, witches or spells, and Christians the world over will freak out.

Blogs will be written. Tweets will be sent. Names will be called, and lines will be drawn in the sand arbitrarily labelling “real Christians” from the fake ones.

Fascinating what a topic can do to brothers and sisters in Christ.

But I don’t want to talk about that right now. I want to get people to stop calling a particulate person a witch. Because the Bible never called her that.

In fact, there is a reason to give her some praise.

SCRIPTURE

“Now Samuel was dead, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in his own town of Ramah. Saul had expelled the mediums and spiritists from the land.

^”The Philistines assembled and came and set up camp at Shunem, while Saul gathered all Israel and set up camp at Gilboa.When Saul saw the Philistine army, he was afraid; terror filled his heart.He inquired of the Lord, but the Lorddid not answer him by dreams or Urimor prophets.Saul then said to his attendants, “Find me a woman who is a medium, so I may go and inquire of her.”

“There is one in Endor,” they said.

^”So Saul disguised himself, putting on other clothes, and at night he and two men went to the woman. “Consult a spirit for me,” he said, “and bring up for me the one I name.”

^”But the woman said to him, “Surely you know what Saul has done. He has cut off the mediums and spiritists from the land. Why have you set a trap for my life to bring about my death?”

^”Saul swore to her by the Lord, “As surely as the Lordlives, you will not be punished for this.”

^”Then the woman asked, “Whom shall I bring up for you?”

“Bring up Samuel,” he said.

– 1 Samuel 28:3-11

THAT’S INTERESTING

Did you notice something?

If you have read the Old Testament or the stories of King David, then you might recognize this story. It’s usually gone by this title.

”The Witch of Endor”.

But the Scripture never said ‘witch’.

Yes, that is the NIV translation, but look at the other ones. They don’t say that she was a witch. A medium, sure. A spiritist, perhaps. The King James says that ‘she hath a familiar spirit’, which I’m assuming is Old English for she is familiar with spirits. Like a medium or a spiritist.

But not a witch.

So where did this “that woman was a witch” come from?

It’s the heading that the publishers added, maybe the editors, or translators. But it wasn’t in the Bible.

WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT?

Why? I’m not sure. Maybe it has something to do with the North American hatred of witches, the occult, stuff like that. It could be a particular spiritual philosophy or doctrine that a publisher or editor may hold. It could be how believers tend to damn anyone who does what the Bible specifically condemns ‘believers’ for doing, even if they have no connection to the faith of the Bible.

But by calling this woman, a lady that was never graced with a name, as something more terrible than she is, is horrible.

Don’t misunderstand me. I’m not encouraging spiritists or mediums.

But if the Bible doesn’t call her a witch, I don’t see why we should be giving her labels that shouldn’t be there.

WHY WE SHOULD PRAISE THE MEDIUM OF ENDOR

Consider another portion of the same story. It comes after the medium calls up the spirit of the prophet Samuel. The spirit speaks with Saul, tells him of his impending death and the gross defeat of Israelite army.

“Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of Samuel’s words. His strength was gone, for he had eaten nothing all that day and all that night.

^“When the woman came to Saul and saw that he was greatly shaken, she said, “Look, your servant has obeyed you. I took my life in my hands and did what you told me to do.Now please listen to your servant and let me give you some food so you may eat and have the strength to go on your way.”

^“He refused and said, “I will not eat.”

“But his men joined the woman in urging him, and he listened to them. He got up from the ground and sat on the couch.

^”The woman had a fattened calf at the house, which she butchered at once. She took some flour, kneaded it and baked bread without yeast.Then she set it before Saul and his men, and they ate. That same night they got up and left.”

– 1 Samuel 28:20-25

Saul going to see the medium of Endor was an illegal act. He had outlawed and cast all and any mediums and spiritists out of Israel. His actions had put this woman’s life in peril. She should have been killed for simply being a medium, nevermind the fact that she called up a spirit. And all that was because the King of Israel wanted it.

How did she respond to the man who brought her potential death to her door? How did the medium of Endor respond after all this was done?

She loved her neighbour.

Not that Saul was literally her neighbour, but she acted in perfect harmony with the teachings of Jesus. I’m not saying that her actions as a medium were like Jesus, no. But her sacrificial love, her killing of her own fattened calf, her giving of time and energy to make bread, her serving this king and his servants after they risked her life; that is just like Jesus.

She gave to someone who could have harmed her, caused her pain, even death. That sounds like Jesus.

“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”

– Romans 5:8-10

CONCLUSION

Was the medium a perfect example of Christ-like living? Was she someone that the Church should ‘saint’? Should we give her a name to elevate her status from secondary character to someone that matters?

Good questions. I don’t have answers for that, but I can say this.

Calling the medium of Endor a ‘witch’ and casting upon her all the evil and wicked connotations that we might have about such people is unfounded and wrong. A medium she was, but not a witch.

Even though we may not agree with her activities, she was not an example of pure evil. In fact, Scripture records that she did something worth remembering and worth seeing as honourable.

She showed love to King Saul, even though he threatened her life with his actions. What she did was a foreshadowing of Jesus and his great(er) love.

January 6, 2019October 3, 2021

Smartphones are paving way for the Antichrist, says head of Russian church

Russia Orthodox leader: The internet is the tool of the Antichrist

In a bold statement on Monday of Orthodox Christmas, Patriarch Kirill, leader of the Russian Orthodox Church, warned his congregants about putting too much trust in their smartphone. What spiritual leaders term “external forces” can track and control smartphone users where “location, interests, and fears” have been collected from their devices, a media report explained.

People’s dependence on smartphones and modern technology could bring about the coming of the Antichrist, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church has warned.
Speaking to Russian state TV, Patriarch Kirill said smartphone users should be careful when using the “worldwide web of gadgets” because it represented “an opportunity to gain global control over mankind”. “The Antichrist is the person who will be at the head of the worldwide web, controlling all of humankind,” he said.
“The Antichrist is the person who will be at the head of the worldwide web, controlling all of humankind,” he said.

Kirill said he was not against technology, only wary of the possibilities generated. “Control from one point is a sign of the coming of the Antichrist,” Kirill told government-run television network, according to the Moscow Times.

“The Antichrist is the personality who will be the world leader who controls all mankind. Thus, the structure itself presents a danger, ” he told television interviewers. He stated, “if we don’t want to approach the apocalypse, there shouldn’t be a single center (control and access).”

Worldwide Problems

The explosive growth of smart phones used on our earth is mind blowing. An estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide will use a smartphone by the end of 2019 according to research on the Statista website. And the latest statistical patterns do not show a decline. By 2020, according to emarketer.com, the smartphone user base will number 4.78 billion people, more than half the earth’s population. Whether people buy smartphones or not will depend on many factors, some of which might be budget problems. Some people who can’t afford to buy a device may be forced into using one because they follow their peers. There is also a question concerning the environment: Making a smartphone involves mining, and uses a number of precious metals that are in hard to reach places on the planet. Extracting these materials can damage large areas of land and place people – who live nearby in physical danger. Other environmental problems include spills of toxic chemicals and disruption to the planet’s ecosystem.

JERUSALEM, ISRAEL – NOVEMBER 11: (AFP-OUT) Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill looks on during his meeting with Israel’s President Shimon Peres on November 11, 2012 at the President’s residence in Jerusalem, Israel. This is Kirill’s first visit to Israel since becoming head of the church in 2009. (Photo by Sebastian Scheiner-Pool/Getty Images)

Kirill’s TV appearance on Monday came two days after the Ukrainian Orthodox Church was granted independence from the Russian Orthodox Church– a split that has been described as the largest in the Orthodox Christianity since the Orthodox church became independent from the Roman Catholic Church in 1054.