Obama has been in Indonesia this week, poking his fingers into the eye of the one true God.
http://www.smh.com.au/world/we-have-much-more-work-to-do-20101110-17np0.html
Earlier Mr Obama had visited Indonesia's Grand Mosque, south-east Asia's largest, with his wife, Michelle, and cited it as a source of inspiration. ''This house of worship for many thousands of Muslims was designed by a Christian architect,'' he said to applause. ''Such is Indonesia's spirit. Such is the message of Indonesia's inclusive philosophy: pancasila.
''People choose to worship God as they please. Islam flourishes, but so do other faiths. Here we can find the ability to bridge divides of race and region and religion. That ability to see yourself in other people.''
The very first Commandment, that God never replaced is in Exodus 20
I am the LORD your God...“You shall have no other gods before me."
Obama could have said 'people choose to worship their god as they please'. If he said that, it would have been acceptable. But they all can't be worshipping God because they don't recognise Jesus Christ as the Son of God. The Bible makes it clear. If you are worshipping any other God, you are worshipping a worthless idol.
The only inspiration that an Islamic mosque can provide is the architecture. People can't worship God as they please and certainly not within the religion of Islam. Jesus is the seed of Abraham and is the Son of God. All authority has been given to him and Obama, who professes to be a Christian, must see that other faiths flourishing should be a source of distress. Being reconciled across religions in recognition that we all live in one global society and must all live peacefully is fine. But uniting Christianity with an anti-Christ religion is not possible.
Your stripes are beginning to look a little dubious Mr Obama. Stand up for your God and recognise him before men!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
MidEast Peace talks
So here we go again, another round of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. Another effort on top of the past failures:
UN Security Council Resolution 242, 1967
Camp David Accords, 1978
The Madrid Conference, 1991
Oslo Agreement, 1993
Camp David, 2000
Taba, 2001
Saudi peace plan, 2002
Roadmap, 2003
Geneva Accord, 2003
Annapolis, 2007
Jerusalem is quite the burden.
Who's attending the Peace talks this time around?
Benjamin Netanyahu (Judaism - haven't yet recognised their Messiah)
Mahmoud Abbas (Islam)
Mohamed Hosni Mubarak (Islam)
Barack Obama (Christian)
What does God think about the land of Israel and its region (not the people, but the land?) Reading through the Old Testament, it is obvious that God is not only zealous for the house of Israel but is equally zealous for the land they were to inherit.
Leviticus 25:23 'The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants.'
Deuteronomy 11:12 'It is a land the LORD your God cares for; the eyes of the LORD your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.'
The House of Judah was left desolate and the Jews were kicked out the the Holy Land (a Jesus prophecy from Matthew 23)
God certainly doesn't recognise any other rivals occupying it (Romans, Ottomans, Islamic Palestinians in East Jerusalem), but recognised they would have their 15 minutes of fame:
(Luke 21-24: 'Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.')
For some reason God is attached to the Promised Land, and especially to Jerusalem. I wish these guys luck in finding peace but until they recognise who actually owns the piece of turf, any peace will probably be temporal. It is not Eastern Europe they are negotiating for here, it is a patch of land God has made plain in the Bible he is quite fond of. He will not forever tolerate other gods being served there.
Matthew 23:37-38: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Jerusalem will not see peace again until it recognises Jesus. Judaistic and Islamic buildings in Jerusalem do not recognise Jesus Christ as the Messiah and will therefore not experience a meaningful or lasting peace.
In the meantime, it's probably good to pursue peace anyway, because its better than handing out firearms.
UN Security Council Resolution 242, 1967
Camp David Accords, 1978
The Madrid Conference, 1991
Oslo Agreement, 1993
Camp David, 2000
Taba, 2001
Saudi peace plan, 2002
Roadmap, 2003
Geneva Accord, 2003
Annapolis, 2007
Jerusalem is quite the burden.
Who's attending the Peace talks this time around?
Benjamin Netanyahu (Judaism - haven't yet recognised their Messiah)
Mahmoud Abbas (Islam)
Mohamed Hosni Mubarak (Islam)
Barack Obama (Christian)
What does God think about the land of Israel and its region (not the people, but the land?) Reading through the Old Testament, it is obvious that God is not only zealous for the house of Israel but is equally zealous for the land they were to inherit.
Leviticus 25:23 'The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants.'
Deuteronomy 11:12 'It is a land the LORD your God cares for; the eyes of the LORD your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end.'
The House of Judah was left desolate and the Jews were kicked out the the Holy Land (a Jesus prophecy from Matthew 23)
God certainly doesn't recognise any other rivals occupying it (Romans, Ottomans, Islamic Palestinians in East Jerusalem), but recognised they would have their 15 minutes of fame:
(Luke 21-24: 'Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.')
For some reason God is attached to the Promised Land, and especially to Jerusalem. I wish these guys luck in finding peace but until they recognise who actually owns the piece of turf, any peace will probably be temporal. It is not Eastern Europe they are negotiating for here, it is a patch of land God has made plain in the Bible he is quite fond of. He will not forever tolerate other gods being served there.
Matthew 23:37-38: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Jerusalem will not see peace again until it recognises Jesus. Judaistic and Islamic buildings in Jerusalem do not recognise Jesus Christ as the Messiah and will therefore not experience a meaningful or lasting peace.
In the meantime, it's probably good to pursue peace anyway, because its better than handing out firearms.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Do children go to heaven?
This is always a difficult question to answer. I've always answered this question in the past by saying 'God is a just God so whatever decision he makes will be just.'
But, it is always nice to get a glimpse of God's justness with a practical example within the Bible.
In Numbers 14, the Israelites are on the brink of entering the Promised Land that God promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They sent spies into the land to scope the place out. The spies came back saying that the land was good but the Nephilim were there and they were big looking. The Israelites complained that God brought them out of Egypt only for them to fall by the sword. God replied to Moses:
'How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?'.
God's judgement was:
'not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it...As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected.
Once the Israelites were on the verge of the Promised Land again after a generation of wandering in the desert, God gave them a history lesson via Moses and reiterated:
'the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad—they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it.'
This is just a thought. I haven't looked into it that deeply. There is probably a deeper scriptural lesson that I've overlooked. But if the Promised Land is a 'type' of what is to come i.e Heaven, I'd say this is a little insight into the attitude God has, when it comes to children arriving at the judgement seat.
But, it is always nice to get a glimpse of God's justness with a practical example within the Bible.
In Numbers 14, the Israelites are on the brink of entering the Promised Land that God promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They sent spies into the land to scope the place out. The spies came back saying that the land was good but the Nephilim were there and they were big looking. The Israelites complained that God brought them out of Egypt only for them to fall by the sword. God replied to Moses:
'How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?'.
God's judgement was:
'not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it...As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected.
Once the Israelites were on the verge of the Promised Land again after a generation of wandering in the desert, God gave them a history lesson via Moses and reiterated:
'the little ones that you said would be taken captive, your children who do not yet know good from bad—they will enter the land. I will give it to them and they will take possession of it.'
This is just a thought. I haven't looked into it that deeply. There is probably a deeper scriptural lesson that I've overlooked. But if the Promised Land is a 'type' of what is to come i.e Heaven, I'd say this is a little insight into the attitude God has, when it comes to children arriving at the judgement seat.
Monday, August 9, 2010
God is not your besty! He is the Lord your God
As God was giving the 10 Commandments to Moses at Mount Sinai, God's presence was there for the people of Israel to see:
Ezekiel 20: 18-20 - When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die."
Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."
It is interesting that the Israelites had to have the 'fear' of God to keep them from sinning. In the modern day vernacular, God literally pulled out a bit of 'shock and awe' for the benefit of Israel. The 'fear of God' evidently does not mean to be 'afraid' of God because Moses started his response with 'Do not be afraid'. There is a difference between being 'fearful' and being 'afraid'. Israel was God's chosen people to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, yet they were still called to 'fear' the Lord their God.
Now that we Gentiles have been grafted into the branch of Israel, we are also his chosen people, and we too are called to 'fear' God.
Christians still have to appear before the judgement seat of God to receive our inheritance and the knowledge of this leads us to 'fear the Lord':
2 Corinthians 5: 10-11 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men.
'Fear' without being 'afraid' is the domain of the Christian.
Being 'afraid' is probably reserved for those who deny Jesus Christ and only realise what they have done when their number is up. Knowing what it means to 'fear' God motivates us to persuade the non-believer.
Christians don't have to 'fear' being rejected by God. We are supposed to live out the reality of our salvation with 'fear and trembling'.
2 Philippians 2: 12-13 - Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
So what does 'fear of the Lord' mean for the Christian? I'm no theologian and don't know what 'fear' means in the ancient Hebrew dialect. God doesn't need us to be multi-lingual or be the sharpest tool in the shed to understand what 'fear of the Lord' means. We are to fear is nature. We are to fear who he really is. God starts the 10 commandments by establishing who Israel is reckoning with. He clears this up before he lays down the commandments on how they should treat each other. The 10 commandments start with 'I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other gods before me'. He is a jealous God. To 'fear' God is not to fear eternal punishment. 'Fear' is for the believers. 'Fear' is knowing who God is and knowing he won't share his supremacy with anyone else.
The rich young ruler in Mark 10 asked Jesus, what must he do to inherit eternal life. Jesus replied that he should keep the commandments (i.e 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother). The rich young man did all these things. He adhered to the commandments on how to treat is fellow man. It is interesting that Jesus 'looked at him and loved him'. Jesus' command to sell everything he had and give to the poor was not even part of the 10 commandments. I reckon Jesus knew the way the young ruler regarded his wealth was in violation of 'You shall have no other gods before me'. Jesus looked upon him with love, but saw that the young ruler was lacking in fear. Therefore just because God loves us, it doesn't mean that we shouldn't fear him.
Ezekiel 20: 18-20 - When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die."
Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."
It is interesting that the Israelites had to have the 'fear' of God to keep them from sinning. In the modern day vernacular, God literally pulled out a bit of 'shock and awe' for the benefit of Israel. The 'fear of God' evidently does not mean to be 'afraid' of God because Moses started his response with 'Do not be afraid'. There is a difference between being 'fearful' and being 'afraid'. Israel was God's chosen people to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation, yet they were still called to 'fear' the Lord their God.
Now that we Gentiles have been grafted into the branch of Israel, we are also his chosen people, and we too are called to 'fear' God.
Christians still have to appear before the judgement seat of God to receive our inheritance and the knowledge of this leads us to 'fear the Lord':
2 Corinthians 5: 10-11 - For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men.
'Fear' without being 'afraid' is the domain of the Christian.
Being 'afraid' is probably reserved for those who deny Jesus Christ and only realise what they have done when their number is up. Knowing what it means to 'fear' God motivates us to persuade the non-believer.
Christians don't have to 'fear' being rejected by God. We are supposed to live out the reality of our salvation with 'fear and trembling'.
2 Philippians 2: 12-13 - Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
So what does 'fear of the Lord' mean for the Christian? I'm no theologian and don't know what 'fear' means in the ancient Hebrew dialect. God doesn't need us to be multi-lingual or be the sharpest tool in the shed to understand what 'fear of the Lord' means. We are to fear is nature. We are to fear who he really is. God starts the 10 commandments by establishing who Israel is reckoning with. He clears this up before he lays down the commandments on how they should treat each other. The 10 commandments start with 'I am the Lord your God, you shall have no other gods before me'. He is a jealous God. To 'fear' God is not to fear eternal punishment. 'Fear' is for the believers. 'Fear' is knowing who God is and knowing he won't share his supremacy with anyone else.
The rich young ruler in Mark 10 asked Jesus, what must he do to inherit eternal life. Jesus replied that he should keep the commandments (i.e 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother). The rich young man did all these things. He adhered to the commandments on how to treat is fellow man. It is interesting that Jesus 'looked at him and loved him'. Jesus' command to sell everything he had and give to the poor was not even part of the 10 commandments. I reckon Jesus knew the way the young ruler regarded his wealth was in violation of 'You shall have no other gods before me'. Jesus looked upon him with love, but saw that the young ruler was lacking in fear. Therefore just because God loves us, it doesn't mean that we shouldn't fear him.
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