Category Archives: Good versus evil

Christian lives matter in northern Nigeria

Posted on 06/08/2020 | Leave a comment

Out of the mountain of despair:

Published by Barnabas Fund 5 August 2020

Nigerian Christian leaders around the globe have called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague to act now against the “pernicious genocide” in northern Nigeria.

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The Southern Kaduna People’s Union (SOKAPU) letter to the chief prosecutor, Fatou Bensouda, opened by commending ICC’s role in the capture and potential extradition of the genocidal despot Al Bashir, Sudan’s popularly-deposed president.

But the church leaders go on to boldly flag that the ICC is failing Nigeria by not acting against the blatant genocidal persecution now unfolding in the north, as ongoing atrocities perpetrated by Fulani militants, Boko Haram and other murderous extremists mount day on day.

Enough of the bloodshed

A gathering of hundreds of Christians, dressed in black, protested on Sunday, 2 August against the slaughter and called on Buhari’s government to “rise to their responsibility” in Nigeria’s Kaduna State also seemed to go unnoticed by the world.

The day was marked by “fierce prayers for peace” asking God to intervene in the troubled region, reported Ibrahim Wuyo of Vanguard News, Nigeria, as the peaceful protesters waved heartrending banners. One simply said, “Enough of the bloodshed, widows and orphans are increasing.”

“The arc of the universe tends towards justice”

The arc of God’s universe, long though it is, “tends towards justice”, as a courageous man of God once said. Dr Martin Luther King Jr gave his historic address in front of Abraham Lincoln’s statue 57 years ago this month to claim the bounced “promissory note of freedom”. The “long night of captivity” had ended with Lincoln’s abolition of slavery, but racial justice and socio-economic freedom were yet owed to African Americans 100 years later.

A group of upstanding Muslim men are clearly visible in the assembly, standing close behind Dr King in support, as he spoke of conducting the struggle for freedom on the “high plain of dignity and discipline” and never allowing their righteous protest to degenerate into hate and violence.

What would such men of morality and decency make of the horrific slaughter of Christians unfolding in West Africa today at the cruel hands of Islamist extremists?

“Soul force” overcomes the force of hate

The covid-lockdown frenzy of anti-Christian violence that has spiked this year in West Africa, particularly in northern Nigeria, has barely been opposed by police or military intervention. Militants are mercilessly killing young and old with impunity – destroying lives and families, homes and hope.

The “new militancy” Dr King spoke of in 1963 answered physical force with “soul force” – love alone can conquer hate. It is just such magnificent spiritual courage we hear of from our partners in Nigeria, and other Sahel countries, where a flood of extremist violence is engulfing Christian communities.

Christians caught in this spiritual battle are forgiving their persecutors, rebuilding shattered lives amid post-covid hardships and pointing men of violence to the Prince of Peace.

In April, Rose, the 27-year-old widow of Nigerian pastor, Matthew Tagwi, prayed that her husband’s Fulani militant killers “will get to know this Jesus I know” as she forgave them and asked the Lord to save their souls.

“Creative suffering” is redemptive

What Dr King described as “creative suffering” is a profound and redemptive force in a fallen world. Just as he called for hope at that pivotal moment, we are moved to echo his words and ask Christians in these uncertain and difficult times of accelerating global persecution not to “wallow in the valley of despair”. We place our complete trust in the Lord, knowing that, to His glory, He will exalt every valley, make the rough things of this present world smooth and every crooked place straight (Isaiah 40:4).

“With our faith we hew out of the mountain of despair the mountain of hope.”

– Dr Martin Luther King Jr

Indigenous academic: Black Lives Matter protests “ridiculous”

Posted on 11/06/2020 | 15 comments

Indigenous academic, Anthony Dillon, says the Black Lives Matter protests were “ridiculous” and the “rent-a-crowds” did not care about the real issues.

Read this great article : https://www.news.com.au/national/black-lives-matter-protesters-in-australia-are-just-rentacrowds/news-story/9c06a20372ff0b828b18b1222324b659

THE LIVING GOD WHO MADE US SAYS:

ALL LIVES MATTER

UNBORN LIVES MATTER

YOUNG LIVES MATTER

ELDERLY LIVES MATTER

CHINESE LIVES MATTER

INDIGENOUS LIVES MATTER

15 Comments

Posted in Good versus evil, Identity

GLOBAL WARMING—THE END?

Posted on 04/02/2020 | 4 comments

Does anyone really know if mankind is changing the climate? Jordan Peterson among many others, criticises the abounding arrogance of those who declare with religious dogma and fervour that the question is “settled”.

It just seems impossible for me to think that human beings will be the cause the end of the world. I think of all the people who are becoming traumatised, especially kids being made fearful by school teachers and social media. I suspect any evil people are using this to justify abortion, childlessness, eugenics and the push to one world government and with the Pope, one world religion. Maybe.

Let us assume for a moment that the climate boffins are correct. However, what seems pretty clear is that the Chinese, Asians, Indians and many other nations’ peoples will continue to embrace current technology including coal-fired power generation to bring their millions out of living in third-world conditions. Who is going to stop them?

Certainly, nothing Australia can do extra would make the slightest difference to world-wide CO2 levels. Or to lowering bushfire threats. I understand that China emits more in 6–9 days that Australia emits p/a. And just try telling the Chinese to follow our good example or that of other nations!

So now, if the IPCC and scientists are right and we all face catastrophic, apocalyptic scenarios, then any action by the enlightened will achieve little except to give them a nice virtuous feeling–we are doing something, perhaps futile? A bit like shifting on the sinking Titanic? Some scientists think it’s just too late. Some say it would take 100 years to reverse the trend. And see recent report https://www.desmog.co.uk/2020/01/23/scientists-say-paris-agreement-climate-goals-may-now-be-unattainable.

BUT, I believe God, who made the heavens and this beautiful earth as He has revealed in the scriptures, is able to sustain it. This planet is His making, His wonderful creation, and we must take care of it–“The earth and all its fullness is the Lord’s” Ps 24:1. To despise his creation is to despise Him, to trash it is to trash Him, ignore Him.

We also read of His sustaining grace upon the earth and its inhabitants. “He upholds all things by his word of power.” We marvel at the amazing order of the universe and the mind-boggling complexity of the created order around us.

Just go read the Book of Job–God shows how we can be so arrogant—e g see Job 38:38-41.

This being His world, his universe, then He can do with it as He, in His wisdom, has determined. One day it will no doubt end. See 2 Peter 3:10ff. Then ‘new heavens and a new earth’!

We can trust God! If you cant trust God Almighty than who on earth can you trust?

‘Your will be done; your kingdom come!’

So I will keep on sharing the good news of Jesus and the Kingdom of God with whoever will listen. This is based on the amazing act of God in bringing back Jesus from the dead. They killed him but he rose from death and appeared to many (1 Corinthians 15:1-9) before he went to be enthroned on High and to ‘rule until all his enemies are under his feet’ (1 Corinthians 15:29); ‘All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being’ (John 1:3). LOVE IT!

4 Comments

Posted in Good versus evil

Psalm 64

Posted on 29/09/2018 | 10 comments

As I read this psalm today my heart grieved for that transparently good man of the greatest integrity who in Washington DC, is being accused of sexual attack on a woman decades ago and without any corroborating evidence. Mere accusation. This could happen to anyone. Of course the victim must be able to start court proceedings even though the accused may be innocent of the crime. This eminent person with his loving family has been through a terrible hell.

Also I thought of the way they treated Jesus.

We prayed. We cried to the Lord, the Lord of justice and righteousness and loving-kindness, before whom every one of us will have to give an account some time up ahead.

We prayed this psalm for him. Like David 3000 years ago he has been accused and declared guilty by his many apparent prosecutors who have undertaken to destroy him. Ps 64 says it all – how David was surrounded by enemies unjustly. And how he called on his God, his Saviour,

¹Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint;
protect my life from the threat of the enemy.

²Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked,
from the plots of evildoers.
³They sharpen their tongues like swords
and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.
⁴They shoot from ambush at the innocent;
they shoot suddenly, without fear.

⁵They encourage each other in evil plans,
they talk about hiding their snares;
they say, “Who will see it?”
⁶They plot injustice and say,
“We have devised a perfect plan!”
Surely the human mind and heart are cunning.

⁷But God will shoot them with his arrows;
they will suddenly be struck down.
⁸He will turn their own tongues against them
and bring them to ruin;
all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
⁹All people will fear;
they will proclaim the works of God
and ponder what he has done.

¹⁰The righteous will rejoice in the Lord
and take refuge in him;
all the upright in heart will glory in him!

Will you also who read this join Joan and me in crying for righteousness, for justice, for uncovering of the crimes in many who operate together in unheard of wickedness in the U.S. but not only in that nation, but in the whole world—the most awful things are happening in secret mostly. Join us in crying out for our PM who faces hourly difficult decisions and for Australia and who has many enemies.

But we have received a kingdom which cannot be moved. It is an everlasting kingdom which endures throughout all ages! It is the Kingdom of God, nothing less and we need nothing more. The Kingdom of God has arrived with Jesus and is present with us if we have the eyes and ears open.

This kingdom knocks all other kingdoms out flat as the prophet Daniel saw. And the kingdoms of this world become the kingdom of our God and of His Christ! And he shall reign for ever and ever. Hallelujah!

“ The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

10 Comments

Posted in Bible Study, Discipleship, Famous persons, Good versus evil, Kingdom of God, Personal

Christ loves the hijab wearer

Posted on 25/12/2017 | Leave a comment

I have reblogged my friend, Michael’s most recent great post . . . see http://www.nobrokenreed.org/christ-loves-the-hijab/

I hope he and you will forgive the addition of one word in the title

Christ loves the hijab

Of the increase of his government and of peace

there will be no end,

on the throne of David and over his kingdom,

to establish it and to uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

from this time forth and for evermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this

I had to write about this – we had a Christmas gathering this week, in our home. People we had heard of, but never met came and joined us from all over Sydney. It was such a delight, as a group of passionate believers shared intimately in the presence of Christ eating, sharing and communing into the night.

One couple work in Western Sydney with Muslims and the Yazidis, as they speak Arabic and have lived in Israel. Here is a story they told that had us that soon had us in tears:

A Muslim woman, a teacher of the Koran who fastidiously wore a black hijab from head to toe, revealing only her face and hands, was contemplating taking her own life. She found no answers in what she did. The night before she planned to kill herself with a knife, Jesus came to her in a dream. With a radiant face he came up to her and said, ‘I am Jesus and I love you.’ He then kissed her on each cheek and gazed into her eyes. She asked him, ‘can I kiss you too?’ to which Jesus affirmed her. She kissed Christ on each cheek and broke down and cried in her dream.

From that moment her life changed forever. She awoke the next morning completely and utterly transformed. She now spends her time ministering Christ to others, and teaching them of the outrageous love of God through his Son. Such was the total change, that a month later her husband marched into church and demanded to know what had happened to his wife – he wanted the same thing for himself and gave his life to Christ on the spot.

Today, they minister Isa into their Muslim community, and see lives change as others turn to Christ.

Friends, the most remarkable thing about this outrageous love of God, which we remember especially at this time, is that Christ does not discriminate in his love for us. We may think others are beyond redemption, but he has the power to change everyone, and loves all equally. There is nobody else like Him whom we worship at this time.

Let us pray that others might experience such life changing love. Tell someone of his love this Christmas.

Happy Christmas.

How to pray when threatened

Posted on 21/12/2017 | Leave a comment

We were reading that early passage in the NT book Acts where the authorities–the high priests and religious elites of Jerusalem–interrogated and threatened Peter and John not to proclaim Jesus any longer and the two leaders being let go, joined a house full of other believers and they all prayed . . . .

Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

The authorities were conspiring, but not against Peter and John or the believers in the resurrected Christ but conspiring against the Lord’s anointed one.

But there are enormous consequences for their attitude, their opposition, their actions.

We can see that Jesus and his people who obey him, are one. Jesus taught that to act against his servants is to act against the King and the Rule of God. We who truly act in his name in obedience to his word are in an indissoluble union with him.

Acting against his people is to act against him. Not very wise.

The disciples could see clearly and proclaimed that these authorities were actually doing “what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.” What confidence in the living God! They knew, prayed and lived out Psalm 2!

We realize we can live in that reality. He knows what he is doing.

“All things are working together for those who love God, who are the called according to his purpose”!

The living God cannot be defeated. He may be mocked but it is all in his stride. He will turn men’s plans to suit himself and he will have the glory.

Authorities today are making laws and threats of prosecutions against us who are led by the Holy Spirit. They seek to change the unchangeable, what IS and act as if they are gods. They are calling good evil and evil good.

They are acting against the Lord’s anointed, the Christ.

The living God is not taken by surprise! Politicians think they are in control. But they do not realize that God has decided beforehand what should take place. And at the same time they have chosen to act improperly and without the counsel of the Almighty.

If God is for us who can be against us, the apostle Paul excitedly and emphatically stated.

We looked and marveled at how these early believers prayed.

They asked for power and boldness in proclaiming the truth that saves. And at the same time, for God to stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders . . .

Both are necessary — us together boldly making the saving word known, emboldened by the Holy Spirit, and powerful signs following the words of life by the hand of God. Truly an exciting partnership!

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

And that scenario has never been withdrawn. Is there is any sensible alternative for us, for you, for me? But to pray like that and expect the Mighty Presence with us.