Podcasts about british christian

In May 2025, a video went out showing young Britishschoolchildren being prompted to prostrate themselves and pray Islamic prayers. This “instruction” is unfolding across the United Kingdom—and often. These lessons occur every week during assigned terms. Most parents – and most Christians – have no clue any of this is taking place.And when people do discover all of this, they recognize itfor what it is: indoctrination. How is it that in a historical Christian country, children are being conditioned in Islam? Mark Heath joins the Christian Emergency Podcast to alerteveryone to what is going on. As a British Christian and parent, Mark was shocked to learn that these “lessons” were being taught in the local school. He spoke up, and others must speak up as well. Even Christians in other westernnations need to be aware of this practice, and intentionally engage their school systems to find out what is going on. If you find this episode helpful, please give us a positive rating and review wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. Also share this episode with a friend so they too can be blessed by these insights. To learn more about resources mentioned in this episode, see the following:Christian Emergency Alliance (Website): https://www.christianemergency.com/ Christian Emergency Alliance (Twitter / X): https://x.com/ChristianEmerg1 Christian Emergency Alliance (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/christianemergency Christian Emergency Alliance (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/christianemergencyalliance/ The Christian Emergency Podcast is a production of the Christian Emergency Alliance.Soli Deo Gloria

It's Tuesday, April 8th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 125 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Kevin Swanson Horrific Muslim persecution of Christians in Sub-Saharan Africa The Gatestone Institute's International Policy Center has released its report on the persecution of Christians in Africa.   The report claims that the West is ignoring the carnage playing out in Sub-Sahara Africa, and that Muslim “Jihadists are murdering, raping, torturing, kidnapping, enslaving, and, in some instances, burning people alive — across Africa, and now in Syria.” The newly-installed Syrian government and the al-Qaeda-affiliated HTS terrorists, are still conducting door-to-door purges, massacring religious minorities in cruel, sadistic ways. Reliable reports indicate they have massacred 7,000 Christians and Alawites, a sect of Islam. And the death toll is still rising. Jihad is spreading in at least twelve African nations. Muslim jihadists beheaded 70 Christians in the Congo in February. Church leaders are targeted, abducted, tortured, and murdered. Christian villages have been burned down. Plus, pastors, priests and lay Christians have been abducted by the Islamist Allied Democratic Forces. More than 16.2 million Christians in Sub-Saharan Africa have been driven from their homes by jihadist violence and conflict. Women and girls are abducted, forced into "marriage," forced to convert to Islam, raped, and subjected to forced labor. Some are forced to act as suicide bombers or human shields at the hands of jihadis. Boko Haram and the Islamic State West African Province regularly attack, abduct, and murder Christians in Cameroon located in Central Africa. Churches have been set on fire and church leaders and seminary students kidnapped. Plus, the report claims that no Christian is safe in Burkina Faso, a country in West Africa.  Hundreds of churches there have been closed. The Muslim-run nation of Libya, in North Africa on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, countenances widespread slavery, forced labor, and human trafficking. Sharia law is strictly upheld. For a Muslim to convert to Christianity is a crime punishable by death. Any Libyan woman suspected of associating with Christians faces house arrest, sexual assault, forced marriage, or even death. Nigeria remains the worst example of Jihadist murder and mayhem. Tens of thousands of Christians have been murdered and thousands of women and girls have been abducted and subjected to sexual violence. But, do keep in mind what Jesus said in Matthew 16:18. He declared, “On this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” British Christian nurse in trouble for referring to confused man as man More outrageousness from the United Kingdom. A nurse has lost her job with the National Health Service because she was caught referring to a pedophile transgender person as a “Mister.” Nurse Jennifer Melle, age 40, was fired from her job in Carshalton, Surrey, after having to endure the patient hurling racial slurs at her. She added, “I am devastated to have been suspended. … Despite being the one placed at risk, I am the one being punished. The message I have received is clear: I am expected to tolerate racism, deny biological reality, and suppress my deeply-held Christian beliefs." Appearing on Free Speech Nation, she shared her Biblical convictions. MELLE: “I thank Jesus for giving me the courageous spirit, standing on the Word of God. According to the Word of God, Genesis 1:27 said, ‘God created a male and female.' I just stood by it. I said, ‘Well, I'm a Christian woman, and I love the Lord, and I know beyond male and female is an abomination to the Lord. And I can't do that.'” Represented by the Christian Legal Centre, Andrea Williams, its chief executive, criticized the National Health Service for allegedly focusing on trans ideology instead of protecting its staff from racial and physical abuse. U.S.-China tariff war heats up The tit-for-tat tariff war with China is heating up.   On Friday, China announced a 34% tariff on U.S. imports as an answer to President Trump's 34% reciprocal tariff. Yesterday, the U.S. president announced an additional tariff of 50% effective tomorrow, unless China backs down, reports CBS News. Aboard Air Force One on Sunday night, President Trump did not pull any punches. TRUMP: “When you look at the trade deficit that we have with certain countries, way over a billion [dollars] per country. With China, it's a trillion dollars. And we have to solve our trade deficit with China. We have a trillion dollar trade deficit with China. Hundreds of billions of dollars a year we lose with China. And unless we solve that problem, I'm not going to make a deal. “Now, I'm willing to deal with China, but they have to solve their surplus. We have a tremendous deficit problem with China. They have a surplus of at least a trillion dollars a year. And I want that solved. No other President has taken it on.” New Yorkers need “good moral character” before carrying handgun The U.S. Supreme Court let stand a New York law that requires residents to demonstrate “good moral character” before they are permitted to carry a handgun. The law requires applicants to have “the essential character, temperament and judgement necessary to be entrusted with a weapon and to use it only in a manner that does not endanger oneself or others.” Stocks, Dow Jones, and Nasdaq down U.S. stocks are down over the last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 4,000 points, 11% down for the year.   And the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite was down by about 2,000 points, settling around 15,570 points on Monday evening. The Nasdaq is down 19% on the year, about where it was in November 2021.  Court awards 7,000 sexual abuse victims $4 billion in Los Angeles While the state-controlled foster care system is supposed to protect children, the unaccountable system, made up of sinful men and women, has become the predator. Last week, the courts awarded a record $4 billion against the Los Angeles County's juvenile detention and foster care system. The settlement was the largest of this kind, distributed to 7,000 plaintiffs — victims of unspeakable sexual abuse. L.A. officials have issued concerns that the fine might bankrupt the county.  The rise of America's “assassination culture” The Network of Contagion Research Institute and Rutgers University's Social Perception Lab have issued a report concerned with a rising “assassination culture” in the United States.  Especially troubling is the view that 31% of respondents stated it would be at least somewhat justifiable to murder Elon Musk.  And 38% said it would be at least somewhat justifiable to murder President Donald Trump. Among those who identify left of center, 48% to 55% would justify these assassinations. 22 million watched House of David finale And finally, the producers of the Amazon-released program, House of David, announced over the weekend, that the season finale had achieved #1 on Prime. WatchWonderProject took to Instagram with a message: “All glory to God!” Thus far, the program has brought in 22 million viewers. Of Amazon's new releases in 2025, House of David has taken the top position, holding its own in the top 10 for 38 days. Producer and writer for House of David, Jon Erwin, previously produced Christian films like October Baby, I Can Only Imagine, and American Underdog. The studio has announced a forthcoming Season 2. Let us not forget David's greater Son who reigns today, over all. Luke 1:32 declares, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of his father David.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Tuesday, April 8th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Subscribe by Amazon Music or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ. Print stories British Prime Minister: Time to focus on Britain British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke yesterday, indicating an end to globalization, and a return to nation's focusing in on their own national interests, reports The Independent. He called the present times “a completely new world.”  Former Brazilian president thanked God for Trump's re-election Brazil's previous president Jair Bolsonaro addressed a peaceful protest of 40,000 in Sao Paulo over the weekend, thanking God publicly that Donald Trump was re-elected in the United States, reports Breitbart. Bolsonaro told the crowd, “I have nothing but gratitude for the two years we spent together in our respective presidencies.”

It's Wednesday, March 5th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 125 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Chinese Communists refer to Christianity as a cult China celebrated its continued persecution of Christianity, calling it a cult organization. State-owned media platforms said, “China's public security authorities intensified efforts to dismantle cult organizations in 2024. They have worked to curb the growth and spread of cult organizations, mitigating potential threats to national political security and maintaining social stability.”  The Chinese Communist Party treats religious freedom as a threat to the government. International Christian Concern notes home churches are “often raided and their members arrested on charges of working against the interests of the state.” British Christian teacher fired for opposing transgenderism Yesterday, a tribunal in the United Kingdom began hearing the case of a Christian teacher who was fired for opposing transgenderism. The teacher, identified as Hannah, is suing the Nottinghamshire County Council which runs the school she worked at. She accuses the school of dismissing her for exposing its “trans affirming” policy.  Ahead of the hearing, Hannah said, “I was informed by my conscience as a Christian to live right before my God and also by the body of evidence I had researched which informed me clearly that social transitioning young children is harmful.” Trump pauses military aid to Ukraine In the United States, the Trump administration is planning to pause military aid to Ukraine. This follows a heated meeting between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last Friday.  The U.S. has sent over $180 billion in aid to Ukraine since Russia invaded it in 2022. A White House official told Fox News, “President Trump has been clear that he is focused on peace. We need our partners to be committed to that goal as well. We are pausing and reviewing our aid to ensure that it is contributing to a solution.” English becomes official language of U.S.A. President Trump signed an executive order on Saturday to make English the official language of the United States. The order revokes a mandate from former President Bill Clinton. That mandate required the government to provide language assistance for its documents and services for non-English speakers.  It's the first time the federal government has recognized an official language. Trump's order noted it is “long past time that English is declared as the official language of the United States.  A nationally designated language is at the core of a unified and cohesive society, and the United States is strengthened by a citizenry that can freely exchange ideas in one shared language.”  Homeschooling could be restricted in several states The Home School Legal Defense Association warns that states may be considering bills to restrict homeschool freedom this year. The Coalition for Responsible Home Education introduced a model piece of legislation called the “Make Homeschool Safe Act.” However, the deceptively titled act would only bring more state control over homeschooling. The Home School Legal Defense Association noted, “It is an all-out attack on homeschool liberty from beginning to end.” The group encouraged homeschool advocates to pray and get to know their state legislators. In 1 Timothy 2:2, the Apostle Paul tells us to pray for those in authority “that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” “House of David” is visually stunning and spiritually rich And finally, with strong cinematography, solid performances and a focus on biblical accuracy, Prime Video's “House of David” is an ambitious mix of drama and historical storytelling, capturing the fall of King Saul and the simultaneous rise of David with the scope of “The Lord of the Rings” and the character depth of “The Chosen,” reports The Christian Post. From Jon Gunn and Jon Erwin (who previously teamed up for “Jesus Revolution,” "I Can Only Imagine" and “The Case for Christ”), the first season, which premiered on Prime this week, follows David's early years: His journey from shepherd to warrior and court musician, culminating in his battle against the giant Goliath.  In 1 Samuel 17:26, young David asked a question about Goliath: “Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” Rather than simply retelling well-known events, “House of David” focuses on the personal struggles of its characters, making them relatable and human (even Goliath!), a technique that helped propel “The Chosen,” also recently acquired by Amazon, to a worldwide phenomenon.  Close And that's The Worldview on this Wednesday, March 5th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Subscribe by Amazon Music or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Having the Spirit is essential to having new life in Christ. So what does it mean practically to walk in the Spirit, pray in the Spirit, and keep in step with the Spirit in our day to day? How do we avoid grieving or quenching the Spirit? We also know that God is sovereign over the events in each person's life and in the world, but man is also responsible—yet God ordains the means as well as the end. So how can prayer change the mind of God if He already knows what will happen? Kevin Swanson and Joshua Schwisow address these questions and more on this edition of Generations. This program includes: 1. The World View in 5 Minutes with Adam McManus (Tulsi Gabbard confirmed, Trump: No more drag shows at Kennedy Center, British Christian teacher vindicated for objecting to transgender agenda) 2. Generations with Kevin Swanson

It's Thursday, February 13th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 125 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark and Adam McManus Iran arrested two Christians Article 18 reports that authorities in Iran arrested two Christians last Thursday.  Nasser Navard Gol-Tapeh and Joseph Shabazian are both in their 60s. They had previously spent a combined six years in prison for leading house churches. They originally received 10-year sentences, but were released part way through.  It's not clear why officials arrested Nasser and Joseph again. But the Middle Eastern country is known for arresting anyone who is not aligned with the Islamic regime on “security” charges. Iran is ranked ninth on the Open Doors' World Watch List of nations where it is most difficult to be a Christian.  In Matthew 5:10, Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” British Christian teacher vindicated for objecting to transgender agenda Yesterday, an appeals court in the United Kingdom ruled in favor of a Christian teacher who lost her job over her Facebook posts. A Church of England primary school in Gloucestershire fired Kristie Higgs in 2019. This came after she posted a petition on Facebook that opposed mandatory sex education in schools. She also posted an article that challenged transgender ideology.  Higgs has spent the last six years fighting the school's decision to fire her.  HIGGS: “Nobody should lose their job for raising concerns. The biggest thing for me was that it was a Church of England School. They should be going by what God says, but now they're changing it, and that's just alarming. Just to see a boy in girl's clothing. Another one, My Princess Boy. To some people, it may appear to be okay, but when you know the Lord, you know His ways, and you know a boy cannot be a princess. A boy shouldn't dress up in Princess' clothing. “I knew what these books were. I knew that it was wrong. I could see through it, and I praise God for that. I encourage others to stand up against the ideology and the agendas that are being pushed. You know, we don't have to, don't have to agree to everything. We don't have to go with the flow. The Lord is with us and will help us through it all.” After her victory yesterday, Higgs said, “I pray that today will prove to be a landmark day for Christian freedoms and free speech.  … The Court of Appeal has now set a clear standard to protect people like me, and the countless other Christians in this nation, to express their beliefs without fear of losing their jobs.” Trump chatted with Russian President Vladimir Putin U.S. President Donald Trump spoke over the phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday.  It's the first known conversation between the two leaders since the start of Trump's second term. Trump described the conversation as “lengthy and highly productive.” He announced the two countries would begin immediate negotiations for ending the war between Russia and Ukraine. Trump said he also had a good conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday.  The conversations come as the United States and Russia complete a prisoner exchange this week.  Tulsi Gabbard confirmed as National Intelligence Director Former Democratic Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, who became a Republican and endorsed Donald Trump for President last October, has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate to the position of director of national intelligence, reports The Epoch Times. Gabbard was confirmed in a 52–48 vote on Wednesday. Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky was the only Republican to vote against Gabbard. SENATOR: “Yays are 52. Nays are 48. Nomination is confirmed.” Yesterday's confirmation follows a contentious few weeks of debate over Gabbard's qualifications and judgment, in which lawmakers from both sides of the aisle asked probing questions about her views on Russia, ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad, and Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor who leaked classified information. Listen to this exchange between Republican Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas and Gabbard on the topic of Russia as she appeared before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. MORAN: “I want to make certain that in no way does Russia get a pass in either your mind or your heart or in any policy recommendation you would make or not make.” GABBARD: “Senator, I'm offended by the question because my sole focus, commitment, and responsibility is about our own nation, our own security, and the interests of the American people. In carrying out the responsibilities of the Director of National Intelligence, if confirmed, no country, group or individual will get a pass in my fulfilling that responsibility of providing that full intelligence picture so that you all can make the best informed policy decisions for the safety, security, and freedom of the American people. “You have my commitment to be completely objective, unbiased, and apolitical. And I hope you understand my commitment to our country's interest.” MORAN: “I absolutely do. You have answered my question in the manner in which I wanted to hear, that you will do this in an objective manner, provide the information necessary, and that Russia, if it's a threat, you will tell us so and tell us the details of that threat.” GABBARD: “Yes. Senator.” After President Trump introduced her at the Oval Office, Gabbard was sworn in by Attorney General Pam Bondi. GABBARD: “I, Tulsi Gabbard, do solemnly swear, that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same. I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I'm about to enter. So help me, God.” CDC website purged references to LGBTQ lifestyle and affirmed adoption The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is changing its website under the Trump administration. The CDC is editing or removing references on its website to “transgender” individuals, “LGBTQ+ health,” and diversity, equity and inclusion.  Its website also suggests adoption when people search for abortion. Trump: No more drag shows at Kennedy Center And finally, President Trump announced last Friday that he is removing liberal agendas from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The national cultural center of the United States is located in Washington, D.C. Congress authorized the center in 1958, requiring it to be sustained through private funds. Trump said he fired multiple people on the center's board of trustees, becoming the chairman himself. He wrote on Truth Social, “Just last year, the Kennedy Center featured Drag Shows specifically targeting our youth — THIS WILL STOP.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, February 13th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Subscribe by Amazon Music or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Having the Spirit is essential to having new life in Christ. So what does it mean practically to walk in the Spirit, pray in the Spirit, and keep in step with the Spirit in our day to day? How do we avoid grieving or quenching the Spirit? We also know that God is sovereign over the events in each person's life and in the world, but man is also responsible—yet God ordains the means as well as the end. So how can prayer change the mind of God if He already knows what will happen? Kevin Swanson and Joshua Schwisow address these questions and more on this edition of Generations.This program includes:1. The World View in 5 Minutes with Adam McManus (Tulsi Gabbard confirmed, Trump: No more drag shows at Kennedy Center, British Christian teacher vindicated for objecting to transgender agenda)2. Generations with Kevin Swanson

It's Thursday, October 17th, A.D. 2024. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 125 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Chinese Communists released church elder from prison Chinese authorities released a house church elder on bail last Tuesday. Elder Zhu Longfei of Shunde Shengjia Church had suffered in prison for 14 months. Police arrested him last year for printing Bible study materials, characterizing it as “printing and distributing illegal publications that seriously endanger social order and disrupt market order, with particularly serious circumstances.”  Through Longfei's imprisonment, China Aid noted “the Lord's name was spread and greatly glorified because of this.” Like many other congregations, his church operates illegally outside of China's officially recognized church. Such house churches face harassment, raids, and arrests.   In Acts 5:29, the apostles said, “We must obey God rather than men.” The United Kingdom's growing hostility to Christians The Commission of Inquiry into Discrimination Against Christians released a report on the United Kingdom. The report includes 1,500 responses from Christians in the country who have faced discrimination for their faith.  Just expressing biblical views on marriage, sexuality, and abortion can trigger the persecution. Christians can then face loss of employment, criminal investigations, bank account closures, and even physical attacks.  British Christian found guilty of praying silently outside abortion mill In a recent example, a British court found a Christian guilty this week of violating a pro-abortion “buffer zone.” Adam Smith-Connor is an army veteran and father of two children. Back in 2022, he prayed silently outside an abortion mill. Now, he is on probation for two years and must pay the equivalent of nearly $12,000. Smith-Connor commented on the case after the verdict. SMITH-CONNOR: “I am extremely saddened that the judge has found me guilty. This marks a dark and dangerous day for our nation, setting a legal precedence that thought crimes can occur in England.” Biden threatens Israel to let humanitarian aid into Gaza The Biden administration sent a letter to Israel this week. It warned Israel must allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza or risk the loss of U.S. weapons funding. Israel's latest operations in the Gaza Strip halted the delivery of aid trucks to the area. The letter noted, “The amount of assistance entering Gaza in September was the lowest of any month during the past year. ... To reverse the downward humanitarian trajectory as consistent with its assurances to us, Israel must, starting now and within 30 days, act on the following concrete measures.” The measures included allowing at least 350 aid trucks per day into Gaza.  Supreme Court might protect kids from trans surgeries The U.S. Supreme Court will take up a case later this year involving a Tennessee law that protects children from transgender procedures. Alliance Defending Freedom filed a friend-of-the-court brief with the high court on Tuesday. John Bursch, Senior Counsel for the Christian legal group, said, “Tennessee is right to regulate medicine consistent with biological reality and protect children from harmful, experimental, and often irreversible medical procedures. Relying on bad science, activists and the Biden-Harris administration have pushed these harmful medical procedures across the country and even taken steps to prevent state legislatures from regulating these procedures.” Trump leads Harris among Catholics in swing states A new poll from the National Catholic Reporter found former President Donald Trump leads Vice President Kamala Harris among Catholic voters in swing states. The battleground states include Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Fifty percent of Catholics in the swing states supported Trump, while 45% supported Harris. The National Catholic Reporter noted, “In the battleground states, Catholic populations are sizable and are seen as so important to the Trump and Harris campaigns that both have launched efforts to woo the so-called Catholic vote. In Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, for example, approximately one-quarter of adults identify as Catholic.” What is sin? And finally, Infinity Concepts and Grey Matter Research released a new report entitled “What is Sin? Evangelical Beliefs and Behaviors.” The study found that most Evangelicals believed in the concept of sin and also agreed that certain behaviors are sinful like adultery, homosexuality, and abortion -- to name a few. However, only a third of Evangelicals said it is a sin to not tithe or not regularly attend church.  Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Thursday, October 17th, in the year of our Lord 2024. Subscribe by Amazon Music or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Egyptian authorities do not want Christians around the world to learn about the disturbing case of Abdulbaqi Saeed Abdo. Abdulbaqi is a fellow Christian who is languishing in an Egyptian cell. His crime? Being a Christian who converted from Islam. Abdulbaqi, a Yemeni, fled his home country after facing severe persecution once he converted to Christianity. In Egypt, Abdulbaqi lived out his faith and sought to help others come to know and follow Christ. It was these activities that ultimately landed Abdulbaqi in jail. Abdulbaqi has not been convicted of any crime. In fact, he has not even had his case tried in court. Yet for two and a half years, this husband and father of five has been kept behind bars. It is illegal under Egyptian law to hold someone indefinitely in jail like this. But authorities are doing so anyways. They hope no one notices or cares. Fortunately, some do care. One such person is Lizzie Francis, a British Christian who serves as an attorney with the Alliance Defending Freedom International. She and others on the ADF International team are advocating for Abdulbaqi and seeking to have him returned safely to his family. Listen in to this episode of the Christian Emergency Podcast and learn not only about Abdulbaqi's case, but also how similar pressures are pressing forward in other countries. This is not an isolated phenomenon and Christians everywhere need to prepare for similar challenges in the days ahead. Also, learn how you and your church can champion Abdulbaqi and his family. If you find this episode helpful, please give us a positive rating and review wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. Also share this episode with a friend so they too can be blessed by these insights. To learn more about resources mentioned in this episode, see the following. ADF International (Website) Christian Emergency Alliance (Website) Christian Emergency Alliance (Twitter / X): @ChristianEmerg1 Christian Emergency Alliance (Facebook): @ChristianEmergency Christian Emergency Alliance (Instagram) The Christian Emergency Podcast is a production of the Christian Emergency Alliance. Soli Deo Gloria

Please let me know should I as a British Christian not said these things, and made a different message instead?

Matthew Krishanu (b.1980, Bradford, UK) paints atmospheric, pared-back compositions including scenes from the artist's life, particularly his childhood years in Bangladesh growing up with his brother, and their parents—a British Christian missionary and an Indian theologian. In the paintings, seemingly familiar narratives are alluded to but destabilised. The viewer's own projections are called upon to fulfil the interpretive loop, raising questions about childhood, religion, race, power, and the legacies of empire.The Bough Breaks is showing at Camden Art Centre until June 23. Krishanu's forthcoming solo exhibition will show at Tanya Leighton L.A., in the autumn.Read Shade Art Review Shade Art Review Series 11 | 20% discount codeShade Podcast InstagramShade Podcast WebsiteShade Podcast is Executive produced and hosted by Lou MensahMusic King Henry IV for Shade Podcast by Brian JacksonEdit & Mix by Mae-Li EvansEditorial support from Anne Kimunguyi Help support the work that goes into creating Shade Podcast. https://plus.acast.com/s/shadepodcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wilf Lovatt, a British Christian, is widely known for his research on the Holy Quran. He has amassed a significant online following and is dedicated to deepening his understanding of Islam. In this episode, we discuss his journey exploring the Quran, his experiences with fasting during Ramadan, and his interactions with the broader Muslim community. During his visit to London, Wilf Lovatt visited several Shia mosques, met esteemed Shia Muslim sheikhs, and appeared on the After Maghrib podcast. This conversation highlights how his interest in Islam began, provides an overview of his studies of the Quran, and delves into the Muslim faith from the perspective of the Ahlulbayt (as) school of thought.

In this much anticipated episode of the Blood Brothers Podcast, Dilly Hussain speaks with the prominent British Christian nationalist activist, Jayda Fransen.   Topics of discussion include: Jayda's family background and teenage years growing up in south London. White identity, white guilt, and Christianity in Britain. The Woolwich attack and Jayda's journey to right-wing/nationalist activism. The EDL, Britain First, mosque invasions, and Jayda's relationship with Paul Golding. From Catholicism to Born Again Christian. Why did Jayda make this transition? Has it made her a better Christian? Western non-Muslim women, Muslim women, and Jayda's views on marriage and motherhood. Gaza genocide, anti-Zionism and antisemitism. FOLLOW 5PILLARS ON:    Website: https://5pillarsuk.com YouTube: https://youtube.com/@5Pillars Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/5pillarsuk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/5pillarsnews  Twitter: https://twitter.com/5Pillarsuk  Telegram: https://t.me/s/news5Pillars  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@5pillarsnews

It's Wednesday, January 17th, A.D. 2024. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Surge in persecution in India The United Christian Forum reports a surge in persecution against Christians in India during the last week of 2023. Believers faced about three incidents of persecution per day during the period. Leading up to Christmas, they were already experiencing two incidents per day.  Overall, the United Christian Forum received reports of 720 incidents last year in the country.  India is ranked 11th on the Open Doors' World Watch List of nations where it is most difficult to be a Christian. Pastors often face assaults from the community, as well as arrest, under anti-conversion laws across the country. British Christian teacher vindicated for street preaching on own time A Christian teacher in England  won a settlement against a high school in a religious liberty case. In 2022, the Temple Moor High School fired Andy Nix for street preaching in his spare time. He challenged the school's decision with the help of Christian Legal Centre, winning a settlement worth nearly $9,000. Nix said, “How the police have treated street preachers [here] in recent years has been appalling. The two-tiered policing against Christian and conservative beliefs I believe has encouraged young people to believe street preachers are fair game who they can attack and discriminate against at will. The experience has, however, helped me grow in resilience and reminded of the cost involved in following Jesus Christ.” Jesus said in Luke 14:27-28, “Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be My disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?” Gender dysphoria diagnoses skyrocketing In the United States, gender dysphoria diagnoses are up over recent years, according to a report by Definitive Healthcare. The pro-transgender group reports the identification of gender confusion increased significantly across 49 states between 2018 and 2022. Virginia led with a 274% increase. A third of U.S. states saw increases of over 100%. South Dakota was the only state that had a decrease, seeing a 23% drop in gender confusion diagnoses. Transgender mutilating surgeries were also up since 2018. Nearly 20 states have now enacted bans on the surgeries as well as transgender drugs. Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” Tax breaks for parents and business owners Bipartisan lawmakers in Congress announced a deal Tuesday to expand the child tax credit and give businesses some tax breaks as well. The deal would increase the maximum credit per child from $1,600 to $2,000 until 2025.  It would also bring back several tax write-offs that businesses enjoyed under the Trump administration. 30% of Americans behind on debt payments A new study from LendingTree found that nearly 30% of Americans across the country's 100 largest cities were behind on debt payments last year. Consumers across the south, as well as younger generations, were the most likely to be behind on debt payments.  In total, American households increased their debt to over $17 trillion last year. The leading debt categories included mortgages, credit cards, and student loans. U.S. centenarians quadrupled The U.S. Census Bureau projects the number of Americans aged 100 and older will quadruple over the next 30 years. There are now about 100,000 people in the U.S. over 100 years old, known as centenarians. That's up from 37,000 in 1990. By 2054, that number could reach 420,000.  Currently, 78% of centenarians are women, and 77% are white.  The U.S. centenarian population is the second highest in the world behind Japan with 146,000 people over 100. Correction on number of Evangelical NFL quarterbacks Yesterday, The Worldview reported that three-quarters of the National Football League quarterbacks are Evangelical Christians. While that was the case back in 2015, today 53% of NFL quarterbacks are Evangelicals. A September 6, 2023 ChristianLeader.com article identifies 17 Evangelical quarterbacks on the 32 National Football League teams. More two-parent families And finally, the Institute for Family Studies reports that there is a resurgence of two-parent families.  Based on U.S. Census Bureau data, the percentage of U.S. children living with two parents was 71% last year. That's up from 67% in 2005. Before 2005, the proportion of children with two parents fell drastically from 87% in the 1960s. Along with the resurgence of two-parent families, the percentage of children with a single parent was 25% last year, down from 28% in 2005.  The Institute for Family Studies noted, “There seem to be growing numbers of young adults, in all racial and ethnic groups, who realize the economic, educational, and emotional benefits of marriage for themselves and their future children.” Close And that's The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Wednesday, January 17th in the year of our Lord 2024. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

It's Thursday, November 2nd, A.D. 2023. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Persecuted Christians in Myanmar claim war crimes Persecuted Christians in Myanmar  filed a war crimes case against the government's military regime last week. Five victims brought the case before a court in the Philippines, a nearby Southeast Asian nation. The victims are from Chin State, Myanmar which is predominantly Christian. Salai Ling is one of the complainants and is part of the Chin Human Rights Organization. He said, “We are a Christian people whose pastors are being murdered and whose churches and faith-based schools are being destroyed in a systematic campaign by junta forces. With this persecution of Myanmar's Christians continuing, we pray that our brothers and sisters in the Philippines will hear our cry and grant us justice.” Myanmar's military took over the country in a coup in 2021, ruthlessly cracking down on protesters and targeting Christians. Please pray for our brothers and sisters in Myanmar, ranked 14th on the Open Doors World Watch List of nations where it is most difficult to be a Christian.  Malawi students stood up to Planned Parenthood Last week, Human Life International shared a story about how students in the African nation of Malawi stood up to Planned Parenthood representatives. The incident occurred on September 29 at the Natola Secondary School in the Dowa District of Central Malawi. A representative of the pro-life organization said, “To the surprise of everybody, the students at Natola refused the abortion promoters sent to teach them and chased them away. The teacher was sure that it was due to what he called the ‘good pro-life message' that Human Life International has been sharing with the students.” Students even burned a box of contraceptives left by Planned Parenthood.  Ephesians 5:11 says, “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.” Christian politician reinstated after being fired for saying pride “not a virtue” Last Thursday, a British Christian politician received his position back after being removed for sharing his Biblical beliefs online. Back in June, King Lawal tweeted, “Pride is a sin, not a virtue.” In response, the local Conservative Group at North Northamptonshire Unitary Council suspended him from his positions on the council. After the council reinstated him recently, Lawal said, “What has happened to me has been appalling, but I am encouraged and grateful to the local group for reinstating me. Any Christian, especially those holding public positions, should be concerned by what has happened and anyone who cares about free speech in the UK.” Lawal tweeted, “I just want to say thank you to the majority of people in the UK, and the rest of the world (Spain, North Ireland, USA). I'm inundated with phone calls, emails, letters, and messages of support and encouragement. It appears the multitude not only agree with what I said, but my right to say it.” President Biden received $40,000 of laundered Chinese money In America, the U.S. Oversight Committee released more information on President Joe Biden's family business dealings. Republican Rep. James Comer of Kentucky chairs the committee. Yesterday, he shared findings that Biden received $40,000 in laundered China money through his son Hunter. Comer said, “In taking funds sourced to a [Chinese Communist Party]-linked company that wanted to advance China's interests, Joe Biden exposed himself to future blackmail and put America's interests behind his own desire for money.” Plus, in an interview with Sean Hannity on the Fox News Channel, Comer talked about how President Biden's brother, Jim Biden, received $600,000 fraudulently by promising that Joe could help the company in the Middle East. Jim Biden then turned around and gave $200,000 directly to his brother Joe Biden in a personal check. Listen. COMER: “We also want to know from Joe Biden: Was he aware, when he took that $200,000, that it came from a company his brother, [Jim Biden], defrauded in the name of Joe Biden, that Joe Biden could come in, and save the day through his contacts in the Middle East, Sean. “That's where this influence-peddling scheme came. We talked about China, Romania, Russia, Ukraine. Now we're talking about the Middle East. We've talked about Hunter Biden. Now we're on to Jim Biden. We've been following the money. We're going to continue to follow the money. But more and more suspicious activity is popping up everywhere, to the tune of millions and millions of dollars [to] the Biden family. And now we have evidence that Joe Biden benefited directly from this.” Deuteronomy 16:19 says, “You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous.” FDA: Beware of 24 eye drop products The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers to not use over two dozen over-the-counter eye drop products. The FDA warned last Friday that the products can cause eye infections that could result in partial vision loss or blindness. Walmart, Target, CVS Health, and Rite Aid are among the stores that carried the products.  And speaking of healthcare, hundreds of pharmacy workers are staging a three-day walkout from chains like CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens. They are calling it “Pharmageddon,” a protest against poor working conditions and understaffed stores. U.S. homeschooling is fastest growing form of education And finally, a new report by The Washington Post found that homeschooling is the fastest-growing form of education in the U.S. The Post estimates there are between 1.9 and 2.7 million homeschooled children in America. That's a 51% increase over the last six school years. Over the same period, private schooling grew 7%, and public schooling dropped by 4%. Areas with some of the biggest increases in homeschooling include the District of Columbia, New York, California, and Hawaii.  The Post noted, “The growth demonstrates home schooling's arrival as a mainstay of the American education system, with its impact—on society, on public schools ... only beginning to be felt.” Close And that's The Worldview in 5 Minutes on this Thursday, November 2nd in the year of our Lord 2023. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldView.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Top 5 News Headlines and Commentary for Friday, February 17, 2023. 1. Jim Jordan and Committee on Weaponization of Government to Investigate State Department 2. Don Lemon Claims Nikki Haley “isn't in her prime”.3. FBI Conducts Searches at University of Delaware in Document Investigation. 4. British Christian Acquitted of Charges for Silently Praying Outside Abortion Clinics. 5.Asbury University Continuous Worship Services Inspire Hope for Christians.

Meet Vivien Jones, a proud British Christian supporter of Israel, who introduced herself to me in the middle of the bustling Jerusalem outdoor Machane Yehuda market. It's not that often that I meet proud British Christian supporters of Israel, so I asked to interview her in my Jerusalem studio! This interview took place a few years ago before covid hit the world, but it is such an important one for people to see. I would not miss it if I was you.

Day 209 Today's Reading: Hebrews 5 In talking about the power of mentoring, UCLA's great basketball coach, John Wooden wrote: “[President Abraham] Lincoln fiercely believed in self-sufficiency, and in the maturity and character that struggles and hardships can bring. This lesson is so important for teachers and parents. It is only natural for us to want to shield our students and our children from anything that might possibly cause them hurt or to suffer or even to be uncomfortable. But some degree of pain is necessary for a person to become suited for the responsibilities that lay ahead.” Pain is necessary. Those are true but tough words to swallow. In today's chapter we encounter a topic that is not often discussed in our culture. The writer of Hebrews speaks of a classroom that is often overlooked but more so avoided—the classroom of suffering. And we see that Father God was doing exactly what Lincoln and Wooden spoke about with His Son Jesus: “Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). Suffering and learning. These are words we don't normally associate together. Suffering and learning are partners, and they are integral in the life of Jesus. Malcolm Muggeridge, one of the great British Christian writers, did not come to faith until later in life. His words on suffering and learning are powerful: “Contrary to what might be expected, I look back on experiences that at the time seemed especially desolating and painful with particular satisfaction. Indeed, I can say with complete truthfulness that everything I have learned in my 75 years in this world, everything that has truly enhanced and enlightened my experience, has been through affliction and not through happiness. Amy Carmichael can attest to that. Carmichael was a missionary to India in the early 1900s. She was the originator of the safe house, rescuing young girls at a time when the world did not know about the horrific exploitation of them. She did this at the risk of her own life. In 1932, Carmichael was badly injured in a fall, which broke her leg and twisted her spine, and which left her mostly bedridden and in constant pain for the next twenty years until her death. Rarely did she sleep through a night without waking up in pain. However, while bedridden, Carmichael wrote sixteen books that are filled with awe-inspiring revelation. All coming from a fall, sleepless nights, and back pain. We could learn from her suffering. Helen Keller said, “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” Those are the learners. We try to avoid pain instead of learning from pain, which leads us to where we waste our pain. A. W. Tozer was spot on when he said: “It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.” Our Daily Bread tells the story of A. Parnell Bailey who toured an orange grove where an irrigation pump had broken down. The season was in a drought, and the trees were beginning to die. Next Bailey visited another orchard where irrigation was used sparingly. “These trees could go without rain for another two weeks,” the man giving Bailey the tour told him. “When they were young, I frequently kept water from them. This hardship and pain caused them to send their roots deeper into the soil in search of moisture. Now mine are the deepest-rooted trees in the area. While others are being scorched by the sun, these are finding moisture at a greater depth.” That's what happens in pain, we learn to go deeper in God. Pain takes us deeper so we are not hurt by the pain but have learned to draw our resources from a place of depth. As Mildred Witte Struven explained: “A clay pot sitting in the sun will always be a clay pot. It has to go through the white heat of the furnace to become porcelain.” I want to be porcelain. I want to come out of the struggle with depth and value that wasn't there before the struggle and pain. Robert B. Hamilton's poem called “Sufferings” captures it well: “I walked a mile with Pleasure; She chatted all the way; But left me none the wiser For all she had to say. I walked a mile with Sorrow, And ne'er a word said she; But, oh! The things I learned from her, When sorrow walked with me.”

Have you heard of a little theological term, theosis? This is an important term, beloved and taught most explicitly in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, but is at the heart of Christian hope. And, many Christians believe, at the heart of Christian experience. It's a term that grabbed my attention many years ago because to my little ol' Pentecostal heart, it captured the dynamism of life in Christ I'd been told I should pursue growing up and homed it within the life of the Church and most ancient root systems of the Christian faith. If you've not heard this word, I'll leave you with that teaser for now. Many of us have had these moments of finding the vocabulary of the heart, or of some experience or desire we couldn't quite name, suddenly appear before us in the writings of the saints. Then when I started reading C.S. Lewis, I found a translator and a teacher of many of these concepts, and an imagination that helped me put them on a theological map -- maps that often looked like Narnia or the planet Venus. Though Lewis doesn't use the word "theosis" in his writings, I found my understanding of this core Christian hope expand under his teaching. And I wondered how much interest in or exposure to Eastern Christianity Lewis had in his life. Who were his teachers? What do we learn through what he was learning about love's redeeming work? So, on to theosis in the life, works, and relationships of CS Lewis. What do we find there? I had a couple of conversation partners and guides who were up to the task, and we unearthed a few delightful surprises together. Drs. Crystal and David Downing are co-directors of the Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College, Illinois, which promotes the work of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkein, Dorothy Sayers, Charles Williams, and other key British Christian authors, and helps develop new writers and scholars of faith and imagination. Crystal formerly served as Distinguished Professor of English and Film Studies at Messiah College, and is the author of several books on Dorothy Sayers, postmodernism, and film. Her most recent book, Subversive: Christ, Culture, and the Shocking Dorothy L Sayers, won a starred review by Publisher's Weekly and was Publisher's Weekly's pick of the week. David Downing has written several scholarly books on C.S. Lewis and provided a critical introduction and explanatory notes to the new edition of C.S. Lewis's The Pilgrim's Regress. He also serves as a consulting reader of Lewis and editorial consultant for a number of academic publishers. Now enter the wardrobe, hop on the bus, and snuggle into your space capsule. Or hold tight to your copy of St. John Climacus. And enjoy the conversation. Give to TLC Learn more about the Love's Redeeming Work conference Check out the Marion E. Wade Center --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/living-church/support

On the podcast this week, the Revd Jarel Robinson-Brown talks about his book, "Black, Gay, British, Christian, Queer: The Church and the famine of grace." It's published by SCM Press and is available from the Church Times Bookshop for the special price of £15.99. He is in conversation with the Revd Winnie Varghese, who is the Rector of St Luke's Episcopal Church, Atlanta. It was recorded at an online book launch this week, which was introduced by David Shervington, the senior commissioning editor at SCM Press. In a review of the book for the Church Times (Books, 3 September), the Revd Brunel James writes: “This book is a must-read and deserves to be a bestseller. There is a battle going on for the soul of the Church, and Jarel Robinson-Brown's new book makes a courageous contribution to the discussion. It really should be compulsory reading for any church leader who has never thought through how we privilege the White and the heterosexual in our church life, and what this means for those among us who are Black and LGBTQ+.” The Revd Jarel Robinson-Brown is Assistant Curate of St Botolph without Aldgate, in London. Try 10 issues of the Church Times for £10 or get two months access to our website and apps, also for £10. Go to churchtimes.co.uk/new-reader.

Jarel Robinson-Brown, Autor of  Black, Gay, British, Christian, Queer, and he joined Sean on the show... Listen and subscribe to Moncrieff on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify.    Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.     You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

This week, we host our first in-person podcast since the start of the coronavirus pandemic where we have an hour long conversation with Fr. Jarel Robinson-Brown- ordained minister and author of Black, Gay, British, Christian, Queer: Church and The Famine of Grace. We discuss the book at length including the writing process, the true meaning of grace, some of the more controversial passages and much more. Pre-order Black, Gay, British, Christian, Queer: Church and The Famine of Grace on https://www.amazon.co.uk/Books-Jarel-Robinson-Brown/s?rh=n%3A266239%2Cp_27%3AJarel+Robinson-Brown Follow Jarel on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frjarelrb/ Follow Jarel on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FrJarelRB Follow Black Boy Joy Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackboyjoypodcast/ Follow Black Boy Joy Podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/blkboyjoypod Please send any queries to blackboyjoypodcast@gmail.com

Garth Hewitt was the first British Christian musician signed to Myrrh records in the UK back in the early 1970s. And for the last fifty years, he has recorded more than 50 records and has toured the world using his music to share about the love of Jesus. Garth was dramatically inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, who used his platform to address social issues and spiritual needs and Garth's music reflects that. Garth Hewitt: Website, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. And of course on our page: Christian Music Archive. Christian Music Archive Links: Website, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. The podcast and our website are made possible through the generous support of listeners like you. Visit Patreon to learn how you can support the work we do.

Garth Hewitt was the first British Christian musician signed to Myrrh records in the UK back in the early 1970s. And for the last fifty years, he has recorded more than 50 records and has toured the world using his music to share about the love of Jesus. Garth was dramatically inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, who used his platform to address social issues and spiritual needs and Garth's music reflects that.

The challenges only increase and the tests intensify for young Christian men who are looking at military service.--There are potential snares everywhere. What sort of Christian is called to serve in the military---How do you know your son is prepared for it---Kendrick Jefferson has been in military service for over 25 years as a faithful Christian, discipled of men, and pastor-shepherd. Here is invaluable advice for those looking at military service or seeking to grow in Christ in the service.--This program includes---1. The World View in 5 Minutes with Adam McManus -Idaho defunds abortion industry, British Christian chaplain fired for sermon on sexual sin, SC Governor- Biden's proposal puts us on road to socialism---2. Generations with Kevin Swanson

Bible Study With Jairus – Numbers 22 Finding Truth Amongst False Prophets and News Numbers 22:1 (ESV) records, "The people of Israel set out and camped in the plains of Moab beyond the Jordan at Jericho." This verse paints a perfect picture of the Israelites (who represent our spiritual life) being disturbed and attacked by the Moabites (who represent our flesh) before they captured Jericho (which represents strongholds of the evil spirits). God loves the Moabites, so He ordered Moses not to attack the Moabites (Deuteronomy 2:9). But due to fear, the Moabites were stirred up by the enemy to disturb and curse the Israelites and resist God's move through the Israelites. Let me first talk about the Israelites. Of course, they are God's chosen people. He dwells with them and walks among them. In John 1:14 (ESV), it says, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." The dwelling is Jesus Christ, and He is Immanuel which means that God is with us.   The Relations Between the Moabites and Israelites Paul also said in 1 Corinthians 10:4, "They all drank the same spiritual water; what they drank was the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ." We can see that the rock that followed the Israelites was Christ. So, Christ, the spiritual rock, went wherever the Israelites went. God's dwelling went wherever the Israelites went. Thus, the Israelites' process of leaving Egypt, passing through the wilderness, and entering the Promised Land was to defeat the Canaanites who occupied God's Promised Land. The Canaanites represent the evil spirits and the strongholds they set up in us. Paul said in 2 Corinthians 10:4 (ESV), "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds." Although the Israelites camped in the plains of Moab and were so close to Moab, the Israelite's battle was not against the Moabites but the stronghold of Jericho. Deuteronomy 2:9 (ESV) records what God said to Moses. Moses said, "The Lord said to me, 'Do not harass Moab or contend with them in battle, for I will not give you any of their land for a possession, because I have given Ar to the people of Lot for a possession.'" This verse clearly shows that God does not want the Israelites to fight against the Moabites. Why? As this verse indicates, the Moabites are descendants of Lot and relatives of Abraham, so God does not want a war between the Israelites and Moabites. The second is the spiritual reason I mentioned above. God knows that Israel's enemy is Jericho, the Canaanites and the evil spirits, and the power of the ruler of the air represented by the Canaanites. As Paul said, our enemies are the spiritual forces of evil. "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." (ESV, Ephesians 6:12). But why is it that the Moabites were afraid and even hired Balaam to curse the Israelites? Deuteronomy 2 did not specifically mention the reason why when God told Moses not to attack the Moabites. But it noted that they would feel fear when God ordered Moses not to attack Edom. Deuteronomy 2:4-5 (ESV) records that, "Command the people, "You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers, the people of Esau, who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. So be very careful. Do not contend with them, for I will not give you any of their land, no, not so much as for the sole of the foot to tread on because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession." This verse clearly shows that Edom and Moab could not help but be afraid because there were so many Israelites. For example, it was recorded in Numbers 22:3 (ESV) that "Moab was in great dread of the people because they were many. Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel." Fear often propels us to make wrong decisions. It also makes us lose our peace and faith and even lose our ability to understand and accept God's words.   Fear Can Be Stronger Than Faith at Times If the Moabites lived in faith and not fear, they should know that God loved them. If they knew what God was telling Moses, they shouldn't be fearful. Instead, they would feel grateful for God's love and mercy. But fear will make us do things that are out of the ordinary. The Christians of today are much like the ancient Moabites when it comes to fear affecting decision-making. How many times have Christians made wrong choices or missed God's Word because of unnecessary fear? In other words, Moab doesn't need to be afraid. I've said many times before that God's intention is to kill all of the evil spirits represented by the Canaanites.  Part of this is to take a detour and slowly deal with the Moabites and the Edomites, who represent the mortal flesh. The former is the work of the deliverance ministry, and the latter is the work of the cross. You can cast out the evil spirits, but you can't cast out the flesh.  The flesh needs to slowly be changed by the work of the cross.   God's Love for the Moabites If you read the latter judgments against the Moabites in the Old Testament, for example, Amos 2:1 (ESV) says, "Thus says the Lord: "For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment." We see that God wants to judge or deal with Moab instead of killing them all. Jeremiah 48:11-12 (ESV) says, "Moab has been at ease from his youth and has settled on his dregs; he has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, nor has he gone into exile; so, his taste remains in him, and his scent is not changed." Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I shall send to him pourers who will pour him, and empty his vessels and break his jars in pieces." This verse means that just like winemaking, the dregs can only be settled by pouring into wine bottles continuously. But Moab had been at ease for a long time, so the dregs were not removed. So, God wants to deal with Moab, just like pouring wine into wine bottles to settle the dregs. From these two verses, we can see that God loved Moab and hoped to deal with it. God loved Lot, and He also loved Moab, Lot's descendant, even though God said, "No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord. Even to the tenth generation, none of them may enter the assembly of the Lord forever." (ESV, Deuteronomy 23:3). Since the Moabites cursed the Israelites and they sinned by fornication, we know that Ruth, the descendant of the Moabites, became the ancestor of Christ.  We understand that God loved Moab but hoped to deal with it. This led to why God allowed the Gentile prophet Balaam to prophesy in Moab.   Balaam Is Allowed To Travel to Moab A lady asked, "In Numbers 22:12, God ordered Balaam not to go to Moab to curse the Israelites, but why is it that in verse 20, it says that Balaam was allowed to go with them, but he could only do what God told him? Later in verses 22-34,  why did God try to kill Balaam on the way? God said He would kill Balaam, but why didn't He kill him in the end? Why  did he allow Balaam to go with them in verse 35?" Logically, this sounds a bit confusing, and this lady was looking for answers. I said, "I will explain this from two perspectives. The first is:  God definitely told Balaam not to go, warning him the first time. But Balaam's heart already wanted to go, so the Lord allowed him to go the second time. It may be likened to Christians today. Sometimes we have already made up our mind in the flesh, and then we pray and ask the Lord whether we can go. One attitude is to humbly wait before God and seek His leading. The other attitude is: I have already decided. I'm just informing the Lord when I'm praying. In this case, the Lord may not hinder you. But God still stopped Balaam on the way, which was tantamount to warning him again that he could only say what God wanted him to say. The other perspective is deeper - God loved Moab. Thus, He was willing to speak to Moab through Balaam. I cited a personal example. When I was learning about the gift of prophecy in the Prophetic Movement, the teachers who taught the gift of prophecy often cited some movies to illustrate how God speaks through movies. Media Can Speak to Christians and Non-Believers Alike Movies such as "The Lord of the Rings" or the film and television series adapted from "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" by the well-known British Christian writer C.S. Lewis were the ones cited by them. God often speaks through worldly media or movies. For example, many Chinese people have seen "The Shawshank Redemption" or "Forrest Gump." These two movies have inspired many Chinese people, including believers and nonbelievers, to have hope, but the movies may not mention God in them. There is even cursing in these movies, but many people have received great encouragement from them. I feel that God speaks to many people through these two movies. There are two scenes in "Forrest Gump" that left a deep impression on me. The first was when Forrest Gump was a child and had leg braces, but he broke free of his braces while running away from neighborhood bullies.  The second was him as an adult running with the football for a touchdown.  I feel like God was telling me that one day I will be free from all kinds of shackles holding me back, and I will run and fly in freedom!   These scenes deeply inspired me. God can speak to unclean people through unclean media or channels.  Before I was saved, the media I came into contact with and the friends around me were all opportunities for God to speak to me. A friend said that his wife often watched a variety of films and television series and found that the Lord often spoke to her through them.   He said that many religious people might be critical of Christians who watch so many movies and TV, but his wife gets spiritual inspiration from God through it.  I know his wife and can attest to his words.  She often takes what the Lord shows her and shares the gospel with her Christian friends. The Tragedies of Balaam Why would God use Balaam, a Gentile prophet who was flawed and even greedy for wealth later, to speak to Moab? Because this was a way for Moab to trust. God wanted to speak to Moab, but there was no Israelite prophet that had spoken to Moab, and there was no prophet in Moab, so God had to speak to Moab through Balaam, a Gentile prophet. Just as God told Moses directly, He would not give the Moabites land to the Israelites; God also told the Moabites through the Gentile prophet Balaam that Israel was a treasure in His eyes. The Moabites were told not to curse the Israelites, but they didn't listen to what God told them through the prophet Balaam.  Instead, they tried their best to curse them.  In the end, through deception, Balaam enticed the Israelites and Moabite women to commit adultery (Numbers 25:1). God judged Moab by allowing Moses to kill Many Midianites (Numbers 25:17).  Through this attack, Balaam was also killed alongside the five kings of Midian. All of these are a tragedy. Balaam might not have been killed, and the Midianites could have been protected against attacks. Moab could also have avoided the curse of the Lord for ten generations. But all this happened. Why? They didn't hear what God said through the Gentile Prophet Balaam.  President Trump often refers to Left media such as CNN as "Fake News," but if "fake news" is the only media you listen to, God can use it to speak to you. But you will hear many lies from the enemy as well. The key is how you hear the Holy Spirit's voice and distinguish the voice of God from the voice of the enemy.   Prophets in the Modern Church For example, there are many prophets in Charismatic churches. In the past, some prophets prophesied that there would be an earthquake, rapture, or great spiritual revival at a specific time, but it did not happen afterward. Many churches, including the Local Church Movement where I was saved, closed the door on such prophets and prophecies. They think they are unreliable, so they are not taught and promoted in the church. This is a wrong attitude. After I left the Local Church Movement to study in the Pentecostal Movement in 2015, I found that some people in the Pentecostal church did have the gift of prophecy, but some may be false prophets. Some people who have the gift of prophecy also might make some wrong prophecies. But we should not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Instead, we need to listen and distinguish God's voice in their prophecies. Balaam here is a Gentile prophet. The Bible calls him a false prophet or a person who betrays for profit, but God still used him to make Israel's most beautiful prophecy. Numbers 24:17 (ESV) even prophesies that "a star shall come out of Jacob." This refers to the prophecy of Christ's coming. You can see God's genuine prophecy through a false prophet. If God can speak through Balaam, He can also speak to us through film and television series and through secular media. God can speak to us through unclean people and things in the unclean environment where we live because He is over all and through all and in all (ESV, Ephesians 4:6). Although the things God uses are unclean, God can speak to us through them. God can also use imperfect people, including Balaam or Trump, to speak to us.   God Speaking Through Trump We cannot disregard God's words from people because the people God uses -like Balaam or Trump-are imperfect. We must draw lessons from the Moabites in this chapter. Although Trump is imperfect and has many flaws, he is someone who God uses somewhat to suppress the political tendency of the left. Trump was also used to bring the United States back to the foundation of a Christian nation so that churches have room to breathe. They can use the opportunity to preach the gospel and spiritually grow, and truly revive American society. This is the message that God wants to send to us through Trump. However, if we are hung up on  Trump's flaws or hindered by our preconceptions (for example, the Moabites hope that Balaam will curse the Israelites), it will prevent us from seeing or hearing God's prophetic voice through Trump. Unfortunately, many Christians committed the same mistakes as the Moabites. They did not see God's will. What is the reason for this? The reason is that they live in the flesh like the Moabites. Their motives and intentions (cursing the Israelites) became their veil, but they did not see God's blessings to the Israelites and how God would bless all nations through the Israelites. Of course, all nations include the Moabites. Paul said, "So that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith." (ESV, Galatians 3:14). This is what God said to Moab through the Gentile prophet Balaam. In everyday English, what God said was, "Moabites, don't curse the Israelites because the Israelites are blessed. One day a star shall come out of Jacob - Christ. He will become salvation for all nations. The blessing of Abraham in Jesus Christ will come to all Gentiles, including you Moabites. One day, you can receive the promised Holy Spirit in Jesus Christ. Moabites, don't be so stupid; I am blessing you. But I must bless the Jews first. Please listen to what I said to you through Balaam, a Gentile prophet!" But the Moabites' strong desire and motive to curse the Israelites became their hindrance, preventing them from hearing what God said to them through Balaam. Many Christians' dislike towards Trump or have different political views than Trump has become their hindrance, preventing them from seeing God's move on Trump.   Imperfect People, True Prophecies God can speak valid prophetic words through false prophets. God can use unclean people to speak holy words. God can use the imperfect people around us to complete His perfect plan. Let's open our eyes and listen to God's words in everything. On the contrary, because there are too many unclean people, things, and social media channels around us, we must urgently strengthen our fellowship with God. We need to live in close fellowship with God, constantly get rid of false prophets and "fake news" brought by the enemy, and listen to God's voice. I said in the meeting that the American church's situation is like the Moabites – it's mixed with a lot of things in the flesh. Whether it is the church as a whole or individual Christians, many people live in the flesh. On the one hand, we are affected by a lot of "fake news" and are deceived many times by evil spirits. On the other hand, because of our flesh - the pain we suffered in history and our bitterness and unforgiveness the evil spirits are given a stronghold, causing many Christians to fall into this situation. Some consider Trump as God's chosen instrument, but others cannot accept him. Trump's imperfections, coupled with their preconceptions, such as being portrayed as a racist by left-leaning media, have made some believers unable to accept God's choice.   Spirits, Not the Flesh, Is the True Enemy At the end of our meeting, I briefly mentioned that our enemies are not people in the flesh.   They are the evil spirits that often influence our flesh to oppose our spirit and God Himself, who lives in our spirit. Therefore, we must enhance our experience of the cross's work to deal with our flesh and strengthen our spiritual warfare to defeat the Jericho-strongholds. Usually, the place where the enemy distorts us the most or where our flesh is the most attacked becomes the place for us to rejoice after victory. An example is Rahab, a prostitute in Jericho. She became a prostitute on the wall of Jericho. She was tortured and humiliated, but then she became the one who saved Israel's spies and a breakthrough in destroying the city of Jericho. She became the ancestor of Christ and married one of the spies, later giving birth to Boaz. Boaz was the father of Obed, Obed was Jesse's father, and Jesse was the father of David. Jesus Christ was the descendant of David. I also shared that just as God loved the Moabites, they were also relatives of Israel. Similarly, although God chose Trump, Biden and others are also created by God in His own image. Even if the enemy used many leftists, they are not our enemy. Our enemies are spiritual -evil spirits and dark forces. Those who are used and deceived by the evil spirits urgently need our prayers. We should pray that God will be able to have mercy on them and that they can repent and eventually enter the Kingdom of God. We must not curse them. Even if some people are sent to prison for committing crimes, we must not kick them when they are down. Instead, we must pray for them. God's great love has blessed not only the Israelites but also the Moabites. God's great love not only blesses those who He uses but also saves those who once opposed Him. Conclusion This is the inspiration I received from reading this chapter of the Bible. We must draw lessons from the Moabites and be able to hear what God says to us through the unclean or imperfect channels He uses. We must remove our prejudice so that we can hear God's words through people we may not like.

A Seventh-day Adventist goes to court and gets -50,000 from Frito Lay because he won't work a Saturday. To force a private company to hire or fire somebody violates the 8th commandment. Now, homosexuals want similar treatment, and then this turns into real religious persecution of Seventh-day Adventist business owners, Christian churches, and colleges. Then, Kevin Swanson leaves the program with the bottom line. Nobody can exempt themselves from the grace of God to set the captives free from sin and sinful lifestyles.----This program includes-----1. The World View in 5 Minutes with Adam McManus -North Dakota bans local face mask mandates, 20th Texas city to outlaw murder of unborn babies, British Christian fined -10,000 for holding service in car park-----2. Generations with Kevin Swanson

Anthony A. J. Williams is a political scientist who has taught at the University of Liverpool and at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. Anthony is the author of an outstanding new account of Christian Socialism as Political Ideology: The Formation of the British Christian Left, 1877-1945 (I. B. Tauris, 2020) While other scholars have reconstructed the history of the Christian socialist tradition, few have investigated the ideas, and the sources of the ideas, that shaped it. Anthony shows how members of several quite different denominations came together to develop a distinct political platform, which was sometimes in tension with the values of their religious backgrounds. In a period when a great deal of media attention is being given to the religious right, Anthony's new book will remind readers that there has long been an alternative - and very influential - Christian left.  Crawford Gribben is a professor of history at Queen’s University Belfast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm

Anthony A. J. Williams is a political scientist who has taught at the University of Liverpool and at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. Anthony is the author of an outstanding new account of Christian Socialism as Political Ideology: The Formation of the British Christian Left, 1877-1945 (I. B. Tauris, 2020) While other scholars have reconstructed the history of the Christian socialist tradition, few have investigated the ideas, and the sources of the ideas, that shaped it. Anthony shows how members of several quite different denominations came together to develop a distinct political platform, which was sometimes in tension with the values of their religious backgrounds. In a period when a great deal of media attention is being given to the religious right, Anthony's new book will remind readers that there has long been an alternative - and very influential - Christian left.  Crawford Gribben is a professor of history at Queen’s University Belfast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anthony A. J. Williams is a political scientist who has taught at the University of Liverpool and at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. Anthony is the author of an outstanding new account of Christian Socialism as Political Ideology: The Formation of the British Christian Left, 1877-1945 (I. B. Tauris, 2020) While other scholars have reconstructed the history of the Christian socialist tradition, few have investigated the ideas, and the sources of the ideas, that shaped it. Anthony shows how members of several quite different denominations came together to develop a distinct political platform, which was sometimes in tension with the values of their religious backgrounds. In a period when a great deal of media attention is being given to the religious right, Anthony's new book will remind readers that there has long been an alternative - and very influential - Christian left.  Crawford Gribben is a professor of history at Queen’s University Belfast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anthony A. J. Williams is a political scientist who has taught at the University of Liverpool and at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. Anthony is the author of an outstanding new account of Christian Socialism as Political Ideology: The Formation of the British Christian Left, 1877-1945 (I. B. Tauris, 2020) While other scholars have reconstructed the history of the Christian socialist tradition, few have investigated the ideas, and the sources of the ideas, that shaped it. Anthony shows how members of several quite different denominations came together to develop a distinct political platform, which was sometimes in tension with the values of their religious backgrounds. In a period when a great deal of media attention is being given to the religious right, Anthony's new book will remind readers that there has long been an alternative - and very influential - Christian left.  Crawford Gribben is a professor of history at Queen’s University Belfast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Anthony A. J. Williams is a political scientist who has taught at the University of Liverpool and at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. Anthony is the author of an outstanding new account of Christian Socialism as Political Ideology: The Formation of the British Christian Left, 1877-1945 (I. B. Tauris, 2020) While other scholars have reconstructed the history of the Christian socialist tradition, few have investigated the ideas, and the sources of the ideas, that shaped it. Anthony shows how members of several quite different denominations came together to develop a distinct political platform, which was sometimes in tension with the values of their religious backgrounds. In a period when a great deal of media attention is being given to the religious right, Anthony's new book will remind readers that there has long been an alternative - and very influential - Christian left.  Crawford Gribben is a professor of history at Queen’s University Belfast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm

Anthony A. J. Williams is a political scientist who has taught at the University of Liverpool and at Manchester Metropolitan University, UK. Anthony is the author of an outstanding new account of Christian Socialism as Political Ideology: The Formation of the British Christian Left, 1877-1945 (I. B. Tauris, 2020) While other scholars have reconstructed the history of the Christian socialist tradition, few have investigated the ideas, and the sources of the ideas, that shaped it. Anthony shows how members of several quite different denominations came together to develop a distinct political platform, which was sometimes in tension with the values of their religious backgrounds. In a period when a great deal of media attention is being given to the religious right, Anthony's new book will remind readers that there has long been an alternative - and very influential - Christian left.  Crawford Gribben is a professor of history at Queen’s University Belfast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm

Leeza talks about her experience growing up in the UK as a black girl, as well as where she has encountered racism within the church. What does she wish her white brothers and sisters knew about race? What can we all learn about navigating this conversation together?

The Czech Republic is one of the most atheistic countries in Europe, if not in the world. Despite this, many Czech people enjoy the works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. In this week's episode, Drs. Crystal and David C. Downing sit down with Dr. Pavel Hošek (Charles University in Prague) to discuss the impact of these two British Christian authors on the Czech people as well as his own spiritual journey.

11/18/19 – Harry Lee Poe – Professor at Union University, on the childhood and adolescent years of famous British Christian author C.S. Lewis. The post The childhood and adolescent years of famous British Christian author C.S. Lewis appeared first on Pilgrim Radio.

This week's guest is Josh Baldwin, worship leader and songwriter with Bethel Music.   On this week's episode, Josh recounts his childhood growing up the son of a worship pastor as well as his first worship team experience as a drummer at the age of 12.  Josh shares key insights into bringing our true selves to our worship leadership, and he and our host Adam Russell discuss Josh's recent success as a songwriter with recent Dove-award nominations. There is also an in-depth conversation about Duke basketball and Josh's thoughts about the current NBA season. (Maybe we'll launch another podcast: Worship Leaders On Basketball).    Josh signed with Bethel Music in 2014 and moved to Redding, CA to join Bethel Church where he was featured on the Bethel Music collective release, Have It All (2016). He then released his first solo effort, The War Is Over, with the label in mid-2017 to critical acclaim, debuting in the top-three sector of the American and British Christian music charts.   As a worship leader, Josh enjoys creating space for people to feel seen, encouraged, and invited into intimacy with God where true peace and hope is found. Josh lives with his wife Sheila and their two children in Redding, CA, and continues to tour domestically and internationally.

I sat down with Professor Anthony G. Reddie to talk about his book Theologising Brexit: a Liberationist and Postcolonial Critique (Routledge 2019). We discuss what lay beneath the Brexit vote – unexamined colonial attitudes of exceptionalism, the legacy of Imperial Christian ecclesiology and missiology, the scourge of White supremacy, entitlement and privilege. I ask him about writing theology that is “polemical and subjective”, what drew him to Black Liberation Theology, the array of tools he employs to help people grapple with race, history, and privilege, wrestling with the Bible in churches, and the treatment of the Windrush generation and assumptions about who gets to be a ‘British Christian’. We really do cover a lot!Anthony G. Reddie is Professor Extraordinarius in the Department of Philosophy, Practical and Systemic Theology at the University of South Africa. He was recently appointed the Director of the Oxford Centre for Religion and Culture. He is leading scholar in the field of Black Theology; editor of Black Theology journal, and the author of over 70 essays and articles on Christian Education and Black Theology, and the author or editor of 18 books including Working Against The Grain: Re-imaging Black Theology in the 21st Century, Black Theology In Transatlantic Dialogue, Dramatizing Theologies: A Participative Approach To Black God Talk, and, the focus of our conversation today, Theologising Brexit: A Liberationist and Postcolonial Critique (out now with Routledge).Find out more about Anthony.Buy the Book.Follow Anthony on Twitter: @AnthonyGReddieFollow the Show: @RinseRepeatPod // Follow Me: @liammiller87Music by FyzexFind more interviews and writing.

International journalist Dan Wooding interviews Andy Hawthorne, a British Christian rock singer, musician, poet, radio and TV host, teacher, writer and pastor, who is founder of The Message, a trust, based in Manchester, UK, and has been honored for his work among young people by Queen Elizabeth. In the early days of The Message, Andy was a member of the Christian band World Wide Message Tribe who had success in the UK and American pop charts.

Cathedral guide, Stephen de Silva, tells Rob Pearman about the story of Alban, the first British Christian martyr.

Cathedral guide, Stephen de Silva, tells Rob Pearman about the story of Alban, the first British Christian martyr.

Chris Lawson Jones is launching Running Club Records - a label that will provide a home for the exciting new worship bands that are coming out of the British Christian music scene. All he needs are the bands to sign and to convince an audience that he's got an ear for something different. In this episode, we hear his business idea and meet a young band from Scotland who wear their faith on their sleeve. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A British couple whose sons were forcibly taken by social workers will now have their case reopened. Hear how God is moving miracles in their case.

1980/06/16. Studies how writers of the British Christian tradition have incorporated the realm of nature and spirit into their works. Janet L. Knedlik, Associate Professor of English. C.S. Lewis Institute.

1980/06/16. Studies how writers of the British Christian tradition have incorporated the realm of nature and spirit into their works. Janet L. Knedlik, Associate Professor of English. C.S. Lewis Institute.

Introduction Great glorious news, Jesus Christ is coming back. Amen. He is going to return. We're going to see Him; every eye will see Him. We who have trusted in Him in this life are going to be with him forever. We're going to enjoy a glorious existence with him forever, but immediately as soon as you hear those things, a question comes to your mind, and that is "When?" It was the question in the disciples' mind that they asked Him on the Mount of Olives, "When will these things happen? What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" What's in front of us as we look at the text today is this question of the exact day and hour of Jesus's return and what will be the condition of the world when he does return. In 1942, British Christian thinker and writer and apologist, author C.S. Lewis wrote a fascinating book about temptation called The Screwtape Letters. It took an entirely new approach to holiness and struggling with sin than anyone had ever seen before. He presented the struggle with temptation from the perspective of the demons who are tempting us. It was a series of letters written by an older, more seasoned demon named Screwtape, giving advice to his nephew, a junior tempter named Wormwood, on how to entice a British man, simply called "The Patient" in the book, and how to lead him to his damnation. In his introduction to the book, Lewis writes these words, and they were in my mind this morning. Lewis writes, "There are two equal and opposite errors into which our race can fall about the devils. One is to disbelieve in their existence, and the other is to believe and to feel an excessive and unhealthy interest in them. They themselves [the devils] are equally pleased by both errors and hail a materialist, an atheist, or a magician, with equal delight." That's a fascinating quote. What does it have to do with our text? As I was thinking about our text this morning it occurred to me that a similar kind of statement could be made about an interest in the exact date and hour of Jesus's return. It would run something like this. There are two unequal, but opposite errors into which our race can fall about the exact date of the second coming of Christ. One is to doubt the very existence of such a day, and to deny that Christ will ever return and show no interest in the topic whatsoever. The other is to believe and feel an excessive and un-Biblical desire to calculate through cleverness and nuanced Bible study the exact day and hour of Jesus's return. I would not go so far as to say that Satan hails each error with equal delight. I don't think they're equal in this case. Someone who denies the second coming of Christ is not a believer and has everything to fear from the Second Coming of Christ. The wrath of God is coming, and they're not concerned about it at all. We're going to talk about those kinds of people in this text today. Falsely Declaring the Time of the Second Coming Then there are others who are fascinated with setting dates. It's been a Christian hobby, really, from the beginning of the church. This excessive interest in the exact day and hour of Jesus's return and our text address both sides. Verse 36 says, "No one knows about that day or hour. Not even the angels in heaven nor the son, but only the Father." There have been centuries of speculation directly in the face of that text as to the exact day and hour of Jesus's return. The basic approach has been, "If only everyone else could be as clever as me and see what I'm seeing, then you would know exactly when the Lord would return." I think it follows the pattern of the whole number 666, "If anyone has wisdom, let him calculate the number of the beast." They're wanting to set themselves apart from the rest of the rabble of Christians and say, "Look, I know exactly what Jesus is returning, and so just follow my mathematics and my exegesis and you'll get it too." Some have just really desired to know the date, but didn't stop short of setting a date, but maybe a parameter, you know, "Within this time, I fully expect the Lord to return." Even Martin Luther somewhat fell into this trap. In 1530, Luther, who was translating the Old Testament into German for the people, jumped out of order and went ahead to the Book of Daniel. He quickly got Daniel into the German language so that they would be ready for what he considered to be the impending end of the world. What had happened is that in 1526 Suleiman The Magnificent, the leader of a mighty Turkish Empire, had defeated a Christian King in Hungary at the Battle of Mohacs. It seemed the back door was open into Europe and that the Turks were soon going to ride right across the continent. Luther, among others, expected that imminently, and he wrote this in a letter to a friend, "The world runs and hastens so excellently toward its end that I often feel very strongly as if the last day would come sooner than we can complete translating the Holy Scriptures into German." Just for your information, he finished translating the holy scriptures into German four years later. That's how impending he thought the Second Coming of Christ was. Interestingly though, Luther did set a date for the second coming of Christ; it was 500 years after his time. He did that based on a pattern that the church fathers had taken of the six days of creation, and what with a day being like a thousand years and a thousand years like a day. There's would be 6000 years of history, and then the 7000 year would be the millennial reign of Christ on earth. that's how they took it. They set a date based on that approach. In the 19th century, some theologians in England were looking at current events and again saw the awesome power of the Muslims, the Turks, and again, the power of the Pope. There was always a focus among the Protestants on the Pope, who they considered the Antichrist. They began publishing works predicting the downfall of both the Turks and the Pope at the Second Coming of Christ. One of these men was named George Stanley Faber. In 1806 he published one work on the end of the Turkish power and the Roman Catholic Pope, who, he claimed to be the Anti-Christ. He published the same things again in 1853, using the number 1260 discerned from the Book of Revelation, Chapter 11 and also Daniel 12. Faber sought to determine the time of the end. He figured out an important date, since both the Islamic side and the Roman Catholic side was huge, he zeroed in on the year 606, AD because that's when apparently the Bishop of Rome was established as chief among all the other bishops of any other metropolitan areas the leader of the Christian church. It happens to be also, according to his calculations, when Muhammad went into the cave and received the revelations that became the Quran, and so 606. You add 1260 to that, and you end up with the year 1864. I would have thought 1866, but that's fine. Maybe they had different math in England at that point, but at any rate, 1864 is the year he zeroed in on. Well, 1864 came and went, the Ottoman Empire, the Turkish empire, was every bit as powerful in 1865 as it had been in '64, and so it went. It continues on in the 20th Century. Hal Lindsey published The Late Great Planet Earth, and as I mentioned, with the budding of the fig tree, he said that he believed this was the reestablishment of Israel in the promised land and taking then that within one generation... Verse that follows, a few verses later, said within one generation of Israel's re-establishment in the promised land, you can expect to see the end. He expected it, at any rate. He said a biblical generation was 40 years, and so he arrived at the year 1988. Well, he's not the only one that liked that year. I've mentioned before, “88 Reasons the Rapture Will Be in 1988”. This is a guy named Edgar Whisenant, who is a NASA engineer. He calculated it was gonna be on Rosh Hashanah, the new year, September 11th through the 13th, somewhere in there, 1988. He published a book, and said, "Only if the Bible is in error, and I am wrong, I would gamble my life, if I were king, that I'm not wrong, that the Rapture will occur around Rosh Hashanah 1988." Trinity Broadcast Network picked up on this, started airing programming that would prepare everyone for the rapture and for the second coming. Finally, the great day arrived, September 13, 1988, it came, and it went as other days had done. When nothing happened by the end of September 13th Whisenant revised his prediction, suggesting the Rapture would come this time at10:55 AM on September 15. I assume that was eastern daylight time. When that failed, he revised it to October 3rd. Even when that date passed, Whisenant remained undaunted. He said, "The evidence is all over the place. It's going to be in a few weeks anyway." When it didn't happen in a few weeks, he said, "You know, I noticed an error in the Gregorian calendar," so he published something saying it was going to happen in 1990. And then in '91, and then '92. He published again in '93 and '94. Finally, he stopped publishing. So much for the date setter. Then people swing to the other side and say, "Therefore, there will not be a specific date of Jesus's return." It's the “opposite errors.” "There will not be a final generation, everything will go on as it always has." And that is not true, friends. The text leads us in a different direction, it leads to say there's absolutely a date. The Apostle Paul said that God has set a date when He will judge the world with justice. The date is set. Jesus doesn't deny a date, He actually affirms a date here, he just says that only the Father knew it. Now, interest in dates and the timing of Christ's return, as I said, goes back to the beginning of the church. Acts Chapter 1, after Jesus's resurrection, there are 40 days of training. Jesus is there with the disciples and they have a question. They say, "Lord, are You at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" Jesus said in Acts 1:7, "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority." So, there are times and dates the Father has set, but it's not for you to know. Instead, "You'll be my witnesses when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses to the end of the earth, to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the earth." That's what he said, be about the business. Standing over all of these date-setting efforts are the repeated statements of Jesus in Matthew 24 and 25. This one, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the son, but only the father." Verse 42, "Therefore keep watch because you do not know on what day your Lord will come." Verse 44, "So you also must be ready, because the son of man will come in an hour when you do not expect him." And then in chapter 25 and verse 13, "Therefore keep watch because you do not know the day or the hour." The Timing of the Second Coming is Unknown So today we're going to dig into the secrecy around the exact time and date of Jesus's return, what Jesus meant by that, and then just the general prevailing attitude that there will be of most of the people on earth concerning the exact time of Jesus's return. It is an attitude of complete ambivalence, atheism, unconcern. Both of these things are addressed in this text. First, the timetable, hidden even from Jesus in those days. God hides himself; we worship a God who hides himself, who doesn't put all his cards on the table, he doesn't show us everything about himself. Isaiah 45:15 says, "Truly, you are a God who hides himself, oh God and Savior of Israel." Psalm 97 and verse 2, "Clouds and thick darkness surround him." But God doesn't just hide himself, he also reveals himself as he sees fit. When he was about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, in Genesis 18, he said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I'm about to do?" and then He revealed what he was intending to do with Sodom and Gomorrah, and as you remember Abraham began to pray and intercede and really dicker with God over Sodom and Gomorrah. Or even more poignantly, Moses up on the holy mountain, wanted to see God. He went right to the heart of the matter, "Now show me your glory", he said. And God responded, "I will cause all of my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion, but you cannot see My face and live. For no one can see me and live." And the Lord said, "There's a place near Me where you may stand on a rock. And when My glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with My hand until I pass by. And then I'll remove my hand and you will see My back, but no one can see my face." God is a God who reveals himself as he sees fit, to whom He has mercy, the ones He has compassion on, he opens himself up to them, but not fully, until the time comes when he will fully reveal Himself to us. That's our inheritance by the way, a full revelation of God to us. His servants will serve Him, and they will see His face in heaven, God opening himself fully to us. But in the meantime, he is playing out his purposes, playing out His sovereign plan as he sees fit, to the ones he chooses. In Ephesians Chapter 3:4-6, Paul writes, "In reading this then, you'll be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to men and other generations as it has now been revealed to God's holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and shares together in the promise that's in Christ Jesus." He's saying, "Now there's a mystery that previous generations didn't have, but now through God's holy apostles and prophets, God has shown it to us and now we're telling it to you." God decides what to hide and for how long, when to reveal, and to whom. That's all-God’s sovereign purpose. He can do what He wants with that. Deuteronomy 29:29, "The secret things belong to the Lord our God. But the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law." Let's be very clear about today's text, there is definitely a time and date for Jesus's second coming, it's going to happen. That time and date has not been revealed. Both of those things are true. Jesus celebrates God's sovereignty in this matter. In Matthew 11: 25-26, Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure." Jesus celebrates the concealing, and He celebrates the revealing, and all of it by God's sovereign purpose. So, we just stand like humble servants before God with our hands out and we say, "Give us today our daily bread. Give us what you want us to know." He will choose what that is, and He will choose to reveal Himself, and the exact timing of the second coming of Christ is set and it is knowable. God could tell us; he could have told us. But I think if you use a little common sense you can see why He didn't. Imagine if it had been revealed and set, and you lived in the 13th century. There is no point in finishing Matthew 24 or on into the virgins or the talents or any of that, all of that gets removed because we just don't have the same stance toward the Second Coming. We definitely know it's not coming in our generation, because God's revealed when it was. But He's not doing that. "You don't know, so be ready any time. It could happen any time, so be ready. Your death could happen any time, the Second Coming could happen any time, you be faithful. Believe when you can, go get the oil for your lamp while there's time to go get the oil, because when he comes there won't be any time for it." That's why I think He hasn't shown it to us. No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels. Isn't that fascinating? The angels are actually more inquisitive than you might think. It's really fascinating how many times, especially in the Old Testament prophets, angels are there kind of revealing some things to the prophets but then they're discussing among themselves and they don't know what's going on fully. You see this in the Book of Daniel, you see it in Zechariah and other places, where the angels are having conversations and they're interested. Daniel Chapter 12: 5-6 is one such example. "Then I, Daniel, looked and there before me stood two other angels, one on this bank of the river and one on the opposite bank. One of them said to the man clothed in linen, an angel, who was above the waters of the river, asking this angel who apparently knew more than they did, “’How long will it be before these astonishing things are fulfilled?’” What's the question? Basically, When? It’s the same thing the disciples want to know, the timing. They're inquisitive. 1 Peter 1:12 talks about this, "Even angels long to look into these things [the time and circumstances about Christ].” God has hidden this particular issue from the angels and their inquiries. Amazingly, the text says even Jesus didn't know. How in the world can I stand here and tell you that Jesus is both incarnate God, and yet didn't know something? But that's precisely what I'm going to tell you. Jesus says, "No one knows that day or hour," and so it's somewhat implied, but He goes ahead and makes it plain. Here we come to infinite mystery, the mystery of the incarnation is a far greater mystery than the time and date of Christ returned. It's a deep mystery. At Christmas time, we sing the Wesley hymn “Hark, The Herald Angels Sing,” and it says there, "Mild he lays his glory by, born that man no more may die." In some way, He lays his glory aside. He who being in very nature, God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but He made himself nothing, or literally emptied himself. Some theologians came up wrongly with what they call the theory of kenosis, that Jesus laid his deity aside. Friends, Jesus can't lay his deity aside any more than God can lie or cease to exist. Jesus is God, He always has been God, and He always will be God, and He can't lay his deity aside. The universe, your physical and spiritual existence, depends on Jesus' deity. It's not something He lays aside. But what He does is He chooses not to display its fullness when He comes to Earth. He is glorious, infinitely glorious. The Bible says that God dwells in unapproachable light, but He laid that aside. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him. Nothing in his appearance that we should desire Him. So, He laid that by. He looked like an ordinary guy, an ordinary Jewish man. He is omnipresent, and He clearly laid that aside, He can only be one place at one time. That's why He said, "It's to your benefit that I go away, so I can send the Holy Spirit." He is omnipotent, but He chose not to use his power, certainly not to save himself, not to turn the rocks into bread out in the desert. He restrained his power and didn't do everything He could do. He didn't come down off the cross, though He was the Son of God. He was omniscient and chose not to know things. Okay, now, you may have trouble with that. How can you be omniscient and not know something? This is where the atheists have us, they think. This is ridiculous. You can't be both omniscient and not know something. Well, Jesus was. The fact that He was omniscient is shown again and again in the Gospels. Matthew 12:25, "Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them," etcetera. How many times does that happen? Remember, one guy hosting him thinks, "If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman it is that's touching him." And Luke tells us in the account, Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." That's a bit eerie, if you think about it, Jesus just knowing what you're thinking. Or this one, as He's making preparations for the Passover. He sends Peter and John and says, "Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover." "Where do you want us to eat it?" That's a very practical question, when wanting an address or someone to rent from or something like that. And Jesus says, "As you enter the city, there's going to be a man there carrying a jar of water. Go up and follow him, he'll lead you to the room." I don't have that kind of stuff happen to me. I'm not able to say, as you drive into Durham, there's going to be a red pick-up truck, and I want you to follow it. It'll take you right to the store where you need to go. That kind of stuff doesn't happen, but Jesus, Jesus knew all things. They came and told him that Lazarus was sick. Two days later, He told his disciples, Lazarus is dead. What was his source of information? His omniscience. Nobody came and told him that he was dead, he just knew. Or in John 18:4, Jesus went out to be arrested, and it says Jesus knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and said, "Who is it you seek?" Then up on the cross, Jesus knowing that all was now complete, and so that the Scripture was fulfilled, said, "I thirst." John is always showing us the deity of Christ, and that includes omniscience. However, there is also biblical evidence of the limitations of his knowledge. For example, this one. When he was a little boy, in Luke 2:52, it says Jesus grew in wisdom. That means he had more wisdom at one point than he had earlier. He's learning stuff. He's learning things. Or this one, as He's making his way to raise Jairus' daughter, a woman subject to bleeding for 12 months pushes her way through a crowd, touches the hem of his garment, the Father seems to have healed her directly through the Son without the Son knowing about it. Jesus stops and says, "Okay, who touched me?" The disciples at that moment thought that was crazy, “Everyone's touching you.” They thought that it was a silly question, but it wasn't. But Jesus, I don't think, is playing at that point. He didn't know who touched him, and He wanted an encounter with the person, whoever it was. The Father healed the woman directly through Jesus, and then Jesus learned who she was. The Bible says that Jesus learned obedience from what He suffered in the Book of Hebrews — He learned obedience. Friends, that is not consistent with omniscience. Just because we can't put that together in our brains doesn't mean that He's not omniscient, and it doesn't mean that He's not God, and it doesn't mean that He didn't learn something. I'm telling you right now, Almighty God has never learned anything, and He never will. All of God's knowledge is immediately accessible to Him right now. Yesterday is as bright as today, as bright as tomorrow. He knows it all immediately. He doesn't work things through, there's not a train of thought with God. If I told you your circuit breakers are going to start tripping here, that's omniscience. God knows everything and He doesn't learn anything, and that's essential to deity. But Jesus, although He was a son, learned obedience from what He suffered [Hebrews 5:8.] This verse is the clearest of all, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." There is infinite mystery here, I can't solve it for you, I'm just laying out what the Scripture says. So be challenged, be troubled, be provoked to deeper study, realize there's milk and meat in the Bible, and go for it, friends. I think you run into trouble to deny either side, so let's not deny either side, let's just humble ourselves before the Scripture. I believe He knows all things now. He knows the exact day and hour now; He's just not telling us. I might put your prayer time into something else. How about this? "Lord, prepare me for your Second Coming. Lord, help me to be active and ready doing the things you want me to do between now." Be Ready for the Second Coming Why? Because in the days that Jesus comes, there's going to be a whole generation of people who mostly don't even think about it. Why? Because that's the way all men have always lived in every generation. Back in the days of Noah, and so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Look at Verse 37, "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” Since the day is a mystery, people must be ready. For the next 58 verses in Matthew's Gospel, there's basically just one theme. "You don't know the day or hour, so be ready and be faithful now." That's basically where we're heading. You need to be reminded in many different ways, four different parables, to get you ready and your mind around this. You don't know when the Son of Man is coming, so be faithful, be vigilant, be ready all the time, be about your master's business. That's the lesson. The Second Coming is going to be like it was in the days before the flood. The people of that generation were exceedingly wicked. Genesis 6:5, "The Lord saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. And so, in the days before the flood, he told Noah that he was bringing wrath and judgment." Genesis 6:17, "I'm going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens. Every living creature that has the breath of life in it, everything on earth will perish." God raised Noah up not only to build the ark, but I believe to warn his generation of the impending judgment of God, and I think he did warm them. 2 Peter 2:5, it says, "If God did not spare the ancient world when he brought the flood on its ungodly people but protected Noah,” who was a preacher of righteousness, and seven others, then He knows how to protect us from the coming judgment." That's the point that Peter makes. Peter calls Noah a preacher of righteousness. You can imagine that he's working on the ark, we don't know for sure how long it took the ark to be built. Some say 120 years because of a statement, and that may have been, but that's not definite, but it did take a while. In the days when the ark was being built, the spirit of Christ, I believe, was in Noah preaching to that generation that they should repent and turn, lest they be swept away. What was the fruit of his ministry? His family, and that's it. If you should ever feel like, "You know, I'm just not much of an evangelist. I mean, I share the Gospel, I talk about Christ crucified, I do what I can, but nobody ever comes to Christ." That's not your responsibility, friends. Let's be faithful to share the Gospel and let God move, but Noah was faithful in his generation to warn them of the coming wrath, and so must we be. We must be faithful to warn our generation because they're not ready. The Lord is going to come back, He's going to be riding on a white horse, his eyes are going to be like blazing fire. He's coming before the armies of Heaven and He's going to sweep away the wicked, He's going to judge them eternally. Friends, without faith, it is impossible to get ready for that day. Let me say that again. Without faith, they won't be ready. Our neighbors, our co-workers, our unsaved relatives, they're not going to be ready without faith. Hebrews 11:7, "By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family." Faith makes you fear the coming day and causes you to flee to Christ. Part of unbelief is to make no preparations for the coming wrath, and many will think that life goes on as it always has. Look at Verse 38 and 39, "For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all the way." That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Life goes on. Don't we say that? Life goes on. Part of the wisdom of God in concealing the Second Coming is to ensure that in some way life will go on as it always has, right up until that final day. That's the essence of the day of faith that we're in now, so that we can see ahead by faith in something that isn't around us. When it's not happening to us, we are able to look ahead and say, "The Word of God says judgment's coming, I need to get ready." Only faith can give you seriousness about the Word of God. There's this great delusion going on. People think that because God hasn't interfered up to this point, He never will. They think that because God hasn't interfered up to this point, He never will. There's a plain Jane kind of sameness to what Jesus talks about here, not people whoring and stealing and murdering right up until the day that Jesus returns, but people will be eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. They'll just be living their lives. You've got to eat and drink to survive, the human race has to have marriage, giving in marriage, procreation in order... These are just things that... They're good things, they're gifts of God. Jesus isn't finding fault with them. He does that in other places, but not here. He's saying just, "Life is going to go on." There will be life and somewhat within that structure, the pursuit of happiness. People will assume, and they always assume, that things will be the way they always have been. In 2 Peter 3, "You must understand," says Peter, "that in the last days scoffers will come scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, where is this coming, He promised?" Who is that coming? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation. But they deliberately forget, says Peter, that long ago, by God's Word, the Heavens existed, and the Earth was formed out of water and by water. By those same waters, the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. God has interfered before, and they forget it. By the same word, the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. They're saying, "When is this coming? I don't see any evidence. I don't see any proof that there ever be. Everything's just going on as it always has." They're going to be eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. The last wedding on earth. I did the best I could to just fantasize about what that would look like. So here it is, this is the last wedding on earth. The bride is excited about her special day. She gets up on her big day and has a professional hairdresser to look after her hair. He works on it for 90 minutes, she looks in the mirror and hates it, but what can she do? I mean, she's out of time. There are wispies flying everywhere. She gets in a little argument with him, but there it is. She argues with the hairdresser. Jesus is going to return in 4 hours and 53 minutes, but she doesn't know anything about that. She has breakfast with her mother, talks about the wedding, it's dominated her mind for weeks now, the big day has finally arrived. She eats lightly, a bowl of fruit and some low-fat yogurt. She wants to be sure the bodice isn't too tight. She fusses with her mother over the dress that the mother is planning to wear. The mother remembers what it was like when she was a bride. She doesn't argue with her daughter, just gets her through that time, remembers the emotion and nervousness of the bride's wedding day, she doesn't want to ruin it. Jesus is coming back in three hours and 10 minutes. The perspective bride returns home, begins to pack a little bag she'll use to take to the church. She's got her magnificent wedding gown, it's already there, packs the jewelry, cosmetics, shoes. The maid of honor comes, they look at each other and squeal with girlish excitement. They settle on the bed and talk excitedly for a while about the future, about their years of happiness together, all the things they're going to enjoy together, she and her groom. When they get up from the bed and begin to resume their preparations, the Second Coming of Christ is just 2 hours and 16 minutes away. She drives to the building with her mother and maid of honor, dressed in her magnificent wedding gown. She admires herself in the mirror, her mind is dominated by her own beauty and by the wedding. She's nervous, worried about a bunch of details. Will the groom show up? Will he do okay? Will the justice of the peace do a good job? Will anything strange happen? She can hardly imagine the Second Coming of Christ is now a mere 47 minutes away. The big moment has finally arrived, the music swells, she begins her processional down the aisle, all eyes are on her for a moment. Pretty soon, they're not going to be on her. And why? Because at that precise moment, the heavens are ripped apart, and Jesus returns in front of a heavenly army. He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him. He's going to interrupt that day, he's going to step into history and interrupt, and whatever plans people had made are finished at that point. He has the right to do it. He's going to send out his Elect at that moment or send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his Elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. Jesus will end life as we know it. Bankers in Germany, in Stuttgart, planning for another day of money making, profits and investment, their day is done. Wheat farmers in the Ukraine planning for a harvest, their day is finished. Biochemical researchers in England having a staff meeting to talk about the next generation of blood pressure medicine and all the profits they're going to make, they'll make no profits from that medicine. Actually, it's never even going to get made. History is over. All over the world, life on that final day will begin as it always has. Merchants will be selling, buyers will be buying, architects will be designing buildings, coal miners going down into the ground to get coal, and Jesus will step into it and end it all. He's going to send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and will gather his elect from the four winds, one end of the heavens to the other. We've already talked about this; this is the Rapture. Verses 40 and 41, "Two men will be out in the field, one will be taken and the other left. Two women grinding with a hand mill, one will be taken and the other left." Do you realize what that is? That's the beginning of an eternal separation that's talked about multiple times in the Bible. Those taken and those left behind. Those taken are the Elect who have by then come to faith in Christ, all of them. None are missing. Those left behind are the non-elect who rejected the Gospel. Matthew 25:46, "They will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life." There's your separation — the final separation. Many passages teach it. John the Baptist in 3:12 says of Jesus, "His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor. He'll gather up the wheat into his barn but burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." There's your separation. Several parables speak of it. The wheat and the weeds, both of them sown together in the same field they grow up together, can't really tell the difference. The workers want to root them up, but he says, "No, but you may root up the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest." As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, said Jesus, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels and they will weed out of His kingdom everything that causes sin and all those who do evil. They'll be gone forever, and they will trouble us no more, and they will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father." There's the separation. Again, in the same chapter, there is the parable of the dragnet. "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. And when it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore and then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets but threw the bad away. And that's how it'll be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Then in the next chapter, in Matthew 25, "When the Son of Man comes in His glory and all the angels with Him, all the nations will be gathered before him and He will separate the people one from another as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and He'll put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left." There is a precision to the separation, there'll be no mistakes made. All the Elect will be on one side, the non-elect on the other, all the believers on one side, the non-believers on the other. They're the same, Elect and the believers, it's the same thing. Not-elect, non-believers, same thing. Separation, perfect, no mistakes made. Angels aren't going to leave anybody behind that should have been gotten, and they're not going to grab anybody that shouldn't have been grabbed. They know exactly what they're doing. What is the basis of that separation? In eternity past, it's God's sovereign choice. In time and space, it's your response and mine to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's really that simple. The believers in the Gospel will be with Him forever. Application What applications can we take from that? Come to Christ now, while there's time. We haven't heard the trumpet call of God this morning, have we? Not yet. We haven't heard the voice of the archangel, the angels haven't been dispatched yet, there is still time now. You're hearing the Gospel, here it is: God sent his Son into the world, who took on a human body and lived a sinless life under the law of God, a perfect sinless life. He wove for us a garment of righteousness that He now offers you freely, if you will just simply believe in Jesus, repent of your sins and trust in Him. He died on the cross for your transgressions, your sins. He paid the death penalty so that you don't have to go to Hell. Believe in Him, trust in Him, and you'll have eternal life. God will send an angel and rescue you out at that time, at the right time. Trust in Christ. Secondly, if I can just speak to all of you, don't be deceived by the humdrum of ordinary life. This is not all there is. The real story is spiritual here. It has to do with the advance of the Gospel, the Great Commission. It has to do with brothers and sisters in Christ, growing in grace in the knowledge of Christ. It has to do with answered prayers. That's what's going on, not the business of life. We need to do the business of life, we must, but that's not the ultimate story. Thirdly, obviously, do not seek to set dates or pursue a knowledge that God will not give. He's not going to answer that prayer, so instead you should pursue a heart of wisdom to do the things that God's laid before you to do. Therefore, fourthly, labor in the Kingdom until He comes. Let's be about the Master's business. What is your ministry? What's your spiritual gift? Are you using it? You have your five talents or your two talents or your one talent. Are you using it? Are you investing it for the glory of God? Are you out and about doing the things of the Kingdom, or are you living like a non-Christian as though this world is all there is? Fifth, be ready constantly, both for the day of your death and the Second Coming. I can't say it too much, you don't know when either one is. Be ready now, today. Six, be faithful stewards of what God has entrusted to you. God has given you a ministry, He's given you a family, a spouse perhaps, He's given you money, He's given you days. “This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Be good stewards of the grace of God. Seventh, do not be deceived by the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth. God ordains trials for us to shape us and prepare us for that final day. We're not going to be wealthy and prosperous in this life with a wealth that we can take with us to the next. Therefore, don't be deceived by the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth. Finally, say with me, "Come, Lord Jesus. Come, Lord." We ought to seek Him and pray that He would come and say, "I want you to come. Come today if it's your will, Lord. But if not, make me ready and come, Lord Jesus."