Islam, not a religion of much peace?

7/10/23. Thirteen plus hundred people Murdered!

Even before this terrible event in Israel one could not describe Islam as a religion of peace as it likes to be seen by the its self, many nations in conflict are up against Islamic fundamentalism and when it is not that it is the sectarianism between Shia and Sunni Islam?

No matter where in the world Muslims live, there is a anti-Jewish and Christian mentality, a hostility that they must have their way over every other belief system and if let be more and more is taken until they dominate with violent threats to convert to their way of thinking!

Islam came to the fore in the sixth Century and contains about two-thirds of the Holy Bible in the Qumran, but the interpretation is way off and the New Testament/Injil is seen as corrupt, while some books are false or have key sections on salvation removed.

Jesus/Isa is seen as a human man, a great Prophet, and all that is spiritual about Him and other areas are discounted proving that they have a limited insight, even less than the Jewish faith! Yet they claim much, including the right to Palestine a Roman concept and Jerusalem, which is really the home of the Jewish Temple, where both the Anti-Christ and Jesus will be revealed.

Matthew 10:28, Mark 9:31, Luke 12:4, John 8:37-40, 2 Thessalonians 2:8, Revelation 6:8.

Lack of Preaching!

Fear?

Is it fear of the laws of the lands, or is it being lazy and hoping our gracious God will do it for us, as we lounge about hoping for that great revival to come?

Has prayer replaced preaching or is it seen as old fashioned and like many things in modern society old and not of any value?

God does not change, only we do and this has been foretold in the New Testament that people will grow cold, that truth is no excuse to stop, since many still want to hear and many will claim on the day of Judgement that they never heard.

John 3:3, 14-18, Romans 10:17, 1 Timothy 4:1-2, Hebrews 9:26, 10:10, Revelation 3:20.

Have house groups?

Killed the western Christian Churches!

Many believers have come to the conclusion that the onset of cell groups have ruined many congregations in the western Ekklesia, because they are an excuse for cliques’ and family related groups to control lost freedoms?

Many of these groups seem helpful in their outlook, but what they do is they kill the midweek prayer meeting and getting together for that oasis of fellowship.

In many other lands distances are an issue to travel and small groups probably work better, but we really should be able to combine the two and find that even the abandonment of the evening service is also something to be brought back to help the many who are struggling at work, home and other?

Matthew 25:1, Acts 1:14, 1 Corinthians 11:20, Ephesians 5:19.

The Ukraine?

No Peace!

As believers how do we deal with a world leader who refuses peace and is also provoking conflicts with other nation who are seeing through him and his mantra of lies to get a shopping list of weapons, that even his armed forces are failing to deploy in a proper manner, but rather waste on the battlefield?

Zelensky has rebuked many people who have suggested peace, this is nothing new David was rebuked by the peoples he lived with in hiding and it was a struggle for him!

Jesus tells us He did not come into our world to make peace, but with a Sword to cause division and to see who really loves Him more than our own loved ones?

Psalm 35:20, 120:7, Matthew 10:34-39.

We are abused, but we press On!

Mission and Leadership.

One cannot say, ‘Today that many in the western Ekklesia go through this set of circumstances in the palatial panelled homes and insurance policies, holding anti-Semitic views and much other worldly rubbish?

We wonder why we no longer have revivals and if we do, they are not what they once were! Even one hundred years ago many famous preachers pointed out the lounging of missionaries on the field on the continent of Africa and many other far flung places?

Here we are challenged by these Apostles going out to share Jesus in hostile societies and unbelieving Jews, with very little of comfort, except they had faith and the strength to trust God and in the process we have the book of acts, telling to us the growth from the Way, ‘Hedos to Ekklesia and two thousand years of continued growth.

1 Corinthians 4:11-13, 2 Corinthians 11:23, (Matthew 8:20), Lamentations 3:45.

Bear Fruit!

For God.

We all who believe have been set free and thus we are told in the book of the Romans, that our purpose is to bear fruit for our Father.

But in this context Paul is not writing in relation directly to winning souls, but to that of improving our character, that we are more Holy towards God and able to cope with the hostility that is around us.

We are precious to God and He wants the best for us, since we would be enabled to not get angry or slack in our service to Him, we would be stronger to counter the silly arguments at times the world try to throw at us?

Romans 7:11, (6:22), 2 Corinthians 10:5, Galatians 5:22, Ephesians 5:9.

Blessing God!

Many believers only see it the other way?

But in the New Testament we find two passages in the Gospels in relation to two men blessing God, one in relation to John the Baptizer and the other in the Temple at Jesus’ circumcision. Luke 1:64 and 2:28 respectively.

Zechariah could speak and Simeon had lived long enough to see this day of both the last and greatest prophet John and the Messiah.

Many people today are living a long time again and some believers will live long enough to see our Lord returning on the clouds of glory, but even more so since we live the this time of Spirit and truth John 4:23-24, we should bless the Lord everyday both in prayer and in worship!

Hearing and Doing!

Righteousness and Justification?

For hundreds of years the Jews were caught in a legalistic trap and they have maintained that now for the last two thousand years, since they are blinded by God so that the Gentiles might come into faith.

We who are saved under grace must be aware of legalism creeping into our walk with Jesus, but I think this verse, gives to us the answer and if we do, what we hear from the word of God we are doing well.

Discipline in the Christian life/walk is invaluable, but let us keep the application of doing right in relation to the commandments?

Exodus 20:1-17, Romans 2:13, Galatians 2:16-17.

Pentecost!

A gap between the Jews and the Gentiles?

Most believers just accept that the Holy Spirit was poured out on all in Jerusalem, ten days after Jesus ascended into Heaven!

But when we read the book of Acts we will discover that this is not true and there is a substantial gap, letting us know that it was the believing Jews who first received and then much later the Gentiles through the work of the Apostle Peter.

This theme runs right through the New Testament in Revelation the tribulation will come to the Jews first, then to the rest of the world.

Acts 2:1-6, 10:44-46. 11:1.

The message we tend to Forget?

After the big rush of Easter.

These three verses are more associated with Christmas and the birth of the Jewish Messiah Jesus, they are hardly mentioned even in passing to the whole picture of the story, mostly because of the fulfilment of Jewish law of both prophetic revelation and Jesus circumcision on the eight day?

But this week we want to keep in focus the light to the Gentiles and the Light of Jesus that is constantly shining out into our dead world, that will bring hope to all in despair from conflicts, wars and social-economic woes, since God will meet with us where and what ever circumstances we may find ourselves in!

Luke 2:29-32, Psalm 98:2, John 8:12, Acts13:47,26:23.