Christians, secularism, morals and values

Our western society has been under much pressure lately. Many could see that humans are hard- and soft-wired towards co-operation as much as competition. One may wonder if there is such a thing as the common good of society, shared morals and values, and that individuals need common rules for living together and contributing to the overall health of their society. {A relentlessly upbeat take on citizenship: My Review of Belonging: The Paradox of Citizenship}

After a long time that people had it very easy, they now come tested again. They once again have to become aware that

Nothing is easy, all goes slowly, we carry time as a very heavy burden, but little by little we see clearly and advance… Living spiritual life — as opposed to religious life — is very difficult because spiritual life happens within whereas religion comes from outside oneself. {Advancing in spiritual life}

Though today many seem to forget that the religious life, coming from outside, when forced to some some one has no value and is just an empty box. Religion has to be chosen by the person himself or herself. For adults it is the own choice to belong to a certain religion. For an adult it is also the own choice how they live that religion. The best can this be seen in West Europe were lots of people say they are Catholic but where the majority does not live up to Catholic rules, and where even more than 90% even does not belief all the Catholic dogma‘s and do not affirm to the Catholic sacraments. they have come to an age where they made themselves a religion for their own. But they also should come to see that there are others who sincerely belief in God and want to serve that God (Allah, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah) to their best efforts.

Several people have lots of questions of life and death and want to have something to hold an and look for some spirituality. This spirituality is different than the religiosity.

Spiritual life, although it has a unique goal throughout the world which is the Union of All that is the Creator and all creatures, takes place in a wide variation of form and thought, because there is a constant rapport between spiritual life which is unique with the variable environment of the moment. {Advancing in spiritual life}

People have looked for different ways to come to see, meet and have a relationship with each other and with that Creator of the universe. Thousands of forms have been found to bring themselves to higher spheres and to try to make contact with the inner self and with creation and Creator. Lots of techniques found day light for humans to find ways to bring their body and soul in unison.  Many techniques are daily used by people all over the world to keep their body and soul healthy and to become a human which is in balance.

That balance is brought in danger by many factors and mostly by the impacts from outside world.

Man and woman in swimsuits, ca. 1910; she is exiting a bathing machine

At the beginning of the 21st century man in the West clearly has a troubled mind about tohorah or ritual purity, modesty, personality, self-expression, freedom or liberty, morals and values. Living in a place where the population in previous years was brought up under Judeo Christian values, those values seem long forgotten, and some, like the French some have chosen to oblige totally different moral values.

France’s Burkini Ban

Under the pressure of Islamic terrorists, people in the West have gotten such a fear which seems to trouble their mind so much they can not think straight any more. So, many suddenly start looking to see danger everywhere, even in women wearing certain clothes.

Normally you would think we are living in a multicultural society where it should be possible that

We do not need to like or love our fellow citizens. But we have to respect them and engage with them. {A relentlessly upbeat take on citizenship: My Review of Belonging: The Paradox of Citizenship}

At the moment the world shows that respect is totally gone. There does seem to be no respect at all for people who have chosen an other way of thinking and living than theirs. It looks like today everybody has to agree with the same and has to be cut from the same cloth or has to be the same buffoon.

Lots of people are not willing any more to think about certain matters or to do some more research about certain things, to come to know more about it. Everything seems to be of the same cut and everybody is tarred with the same brush.

Take for example Islamic people living here in the West. Lots of people consider them a danger for our society because they hear a lot about those Islamic terrorists and have recently seen that those fundamentalist Muslims created havoc in our own regions killing many citizens.  Lots of people do forget they also killed many Muslims, Jews, atheists, Christians and other believers and that they really have nothing to do with the real Islam. They also do not seem to know that in the East even Sunni‘s came to fight against those so called Sunni Muslims of Daesh.

Women wearing hijab

In Europe we may find today a very big issue about Muslim faith, they way those people cloth, namely the hijab (headscarf) or turban, burka (full body cloak) or burqa and burkini or burqini becoming the symbol of Islam and all that there is about Islam. It has come so far that we see that a garment now defines Islam. But only a name could make them afraid to and have them saying a bukhara (Bukhoro or Bokhara) should be forbidden though then we shall not be able to eat any Bukhara Chutney (Plum Sauce) any more.

A cloth, has become Islam. The issue is that modesty and virtue have been reduced to the abundance or lack of abundance of a garment. And that indeed is a shame. {Tell me I’m wrong about the hijab  + Maniza Naqvi is wrong on so many levels about the hijab}

For us still the idea exist that the Ummah or Muslim community is still much too silent and does not show enough the world that those terrorists are misusing the name of Allah and are not real Islam.

It does not help when we in the West hear about maltreated women in the East. A Saudi 17-year old teenager making the decision to leave her family during a vacation in Turkey this summer; a 20-year old Muslim woman ran away from her family in Saudi in 2014; Hind Al-Otaibi escaping her abusive father who raped and injured her; Sahar Al-Sharif, attempting to escape domestic violence and her abusive brothers by getting married; all Saudi women who are not criminals, but people who have simply made a conscious decision to live! Who can blame them and who can say they have caused any harm? But why should they, when coming to the West put their faith aside and come to cloth themselves like Western people, who in their eyes do have low morals and not good ethics?

Strangely enough it are on those aspects they and western Muslim women become judged, as so called being without good morals and without good values. Today those values in France seem of a totally different sort as the ones in the previous century when they made a fuss when a short or skirt was not long enough or when too much bare skin was visible. Today several French people want to see as much as naked skin as possible though they forbid full nudity because than the excitement is taken away. For them clothing has to be spicy and seducing, otherwise it is not acceptable. That seems to be the moral and ethic attitude of the majority of French people today.

That modesty and virtue have been reduced to the abundance or lack of abundance of a garment for many does not seem to be a problem, but they want to see in the way women prefer to cloth, their inability to make their own proper choice. When women are not clothed like some of the youngsters prefer today they are considered not old fashioned, but are considered to being oppressed.

People also have becoming very narrow-minded thinkers (or would we not better say non-thinkers) limiting their own thoughts not wanting to go against the mainstream.

One of the biggest mistakes people make when talking about Muslim women, rather than talking to Muslim women, is to assume that Muslim women are all the same, think the same, to ignore the diversity of thought, experience, opinion. {Tell me I’m Wrong About the Hijab by Maniza Naqvi}

All Muslims are lumped. For the majority of Europeans they are all the same, from the same wet jar. Many of French or other Europeans, even do not come to see the difference between hijab, burka and burkini. They condemn and reject it without logic thinking and without good fundamental thought.

In case those people, who call themselves Christian, but adhere a trinity, do not want to come up for those women who love God more than man, real Christians, who love only One True God, should speak for those other lovers of God (Allah) and who have chosen to cover their body for God.

Real Christians should show that world which thinks it has good morals, that her morals have become polluted and reprehensible. They should show the world that it are not such good morals when man wants to exploit women as a sex object.

We as Christians should show the world that lovers of God should follow the rules of God and should respect each others and their own body. In the same way we should know that we have to be careful not to tempt others or to bring others to wrong thoughts about our body. We also should consider our body to be holy, i.e. set apart for God and for the one who intensely love and want to share our life with. This means that we should have the right to keep our own body to that person or persons who we want to share our body with or would not mind being seen in our natural skin.

We also should respect those women who want to go so far to cover a lot of their body. We also should show the world that we ought to respect those women for their choice of reserving their bodies just for their beloved.

For some it may look like those women are oppressed by their husband, but did they ever thought it might be the strong women their own choice to believe in certain values which may be much higher than the present values of the world?

Jews, Christians and Muslims should be lovers of God and as such prefer to keep to the Law of God much more than to the preferences of the majority of the world, who have abandoned God. Real lovers of God should know that the world its secularism, does not have to mean they have to follow in all the world their liberties.

Real lovers of God should always have in mind that the Law of God should be on the first place. That Divine Law is part or should be part of the Judeo Christian values our Western world should be keeping to, but many have gotten wrong ideas about those values, because they do not know their Scriptures any more.

It is up to lovers of God to come up for other lovers of God and to show those who have gone astray or do not know God to show the Way to God.

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Preceding article: Secularism in France becoming dangerous for freedom of religion

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Find also to read about the burqini or burkini:

1. Women’s Groups Say Gender Equality is a Must for Sustainable Development
2. Gender connections
3. Gender equality and women’s rights in the post-2015 agenda
4. What is Racism??
5. Is Europe going to become a dictatorial bastion
6. On French beach French police forces woman to undress in public
7. Women in France running with naked bosom all right but with covered bosom penalised
8. France and the Burkini
9. French showing to the whole world their fear and weaknesses
10. Pew Research: How People in Muslim Countries Believe Women Should Dress
11. Allowing dress code according liberty of religion
12. The Dress Code for Women in the Quran
13. Meditating Muslimah on “hijab to be a religious obligation”
14. Coverings Worn by Muslim Women
15. Does Banning Face Veils Help Us Fight Terrorism?
16. Islamism Rises from Europe’s Secularism
17. You are what you wear
18. Where’s the Outrage Over Nun Beachwear? – The Daily Beast
19. Not limiting others but sharing peace with all
20. What we don’t say about the refugee crisis?
21. A charter for a truly free world and why we need it
22. When will it stop
23. ‘I try to keep my hate in check. If you can’t hate, you can’t love.’
24. Meditating Muslimah on “hijab to be a religious obligation”
25. Silence, devotion, Salafists, quietists, weaponry, bombings, books, writers and terrorists
26. Are people willing to take the responsibility for others
27. Colour-blindness and road code
28. Man’s own fault and the choice to flee from fear
29. Lovers of God, seekers and lovers of truth

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Further of interest

1. Religious Dress in Catholicism
2. ISIS is Islamic, but most of Islam is not ISIS
3. What if this existence is not real?
4. The Dark Side is Strong with this One
5. The More Things Change . . .
6. What not to wear
7. How Much Cover is Too Much, or Too Little? The French bathing suit controversy as represented in original source material
8. What Not To Wear: A Short History Of Regulating Female Dress From Ancient Sparta To The Burkini
9. Tell me what you wear
10. Burkini Ban: Nice
11. France’s Burkini Ban
12. The reason you aren’t succeeding as a woman? Thats because you bleed apparently.
13. Reviewing Channel 4’s Investigation into ISIS Sympathisers
14. Should France launch air strikes against ISIS after Friday’s attack?
15. The Islamic State responds to Pope Francis: “We are making a religious war, and we hate you
16. ISIS tells the Socialist Pope that the Islamic State is in a war against the infidels approved by Allah.
17. ISIS Responds to Pope Francis: This IS a Religious War and WE HATE YOU
18. I Stand with Humanity ! I Stand against Terrorism #PrayforParis
19. The Written Stuff vs.The Not Written Stuff: Sex Education From An Islamic Perspective Part I
20. Is the Woman in Hijab oppressed? Who is a free woman ?
21. What Hijab Means to me, Hashtag #Hijabtome
22. Why I never wore a Hijab so far?
23. At what point does a ban become a chance to publicly humiliate?
24. And the Debate about Burkini Ban continues #burkiniban
25. The Swimsuit Issue
26. Stripped Down Make-up and Full Cover Suits.
27. Nawaz: Both Sides Are Wrong in the Burkini Wars – The Daily Beast
28. Burkini ban overturned
29. What a lot of Berk(a)s
30. I got 99 problems and the burkini is one of them…really?
31. Bombs in a burkini?
32. Bretons bathe fully clothed as Muslim asked to leave beach
33. My Burkini and I
34. This is why.
35. The Story In A Rug
36. You’ve Got to BurKining Me!
37. Ramadan Kareem!
38. Requiem
39. What Can You Learn Through Someone Or Something Shivered? — Michael J. Fite
40. Finding yourself
41. Beauty Eclipsed: Day 8 – Focus inward
42. Beauty Eclipsed #9: Surface vs Core
43. A Journey From Being Alone To Alone
44. Own, Apologize, Repair: Coming Back to Integrity
45. Counter-Activism…or… Subverting Democracy
46. The world in trouble
47. i know why the caged bird shrieks…
48. Darkness
49. What do we do?
50. The New Testament Church Part 2
51. Peace
52. De-Stress Your Mind & Body
53. Let a young woman accept as a life companion only one who posseses pure,manly traits of character,one who is diligent,aspiring,one who loves and fear God.
54. Why I wear the iron maiden: One woman on dressing modestly in everyday life
55. Turn away from companions who will lead you in wrong paths.
56. How legitimate is Christian Head-covering?
57. Misnomer
58. Why We Are Not Meant To Live Our Lives Naked
59. There Is No Biblical Reason Why Women Can’t Go Topless?
60. Power Of Happiness
61. Being Grateful and Being Sorry—Are You Humble Enough To Do Both?
62. …make this gift count.

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Related articles

• Iran’s Supreme Leader: Saudi Arabia-Israel Relations ‘Stab in the Back’
• Iran’s Supreme Leader: Saudi Arabia-Israel Relations ‘Stab in The Back’
• Rochdale Muslim leader ‘was bludgeoned in Isis-inspired murder’
• Muslim leaders call for all Islamic teachers to be registered
• Mosques in spotlight
• Nigerian Sunni, Shia Muslims Attend Annual National Seminar On Islamic Thought In Bauchi (Photos)
• Iraq asks Saudi Arabia to remove Ambassador
• French Muslims Fear State Aims to Control Their Faith
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Jehovah’s Witnesses Circuit Assembly and a Pillar to freedom

A Mother and daughter

An other strange story which caught our attention. Again somebody who went to meet other Jehovah’s Witnesses, to attend the Jehovah’s Witnesses Circuit Assembly. This time that person could be a Jehovah’s Witness herself but did not like it so much, so why did she go in the first place.

She wrote

Between my being confined to the Jehovah’s Witness “way of life” and my parents being… the way they are, it makes it a challenge to maneuver things in order to spend those days with him as much as possible. {My Mother, the Bully}

She seems to be a daughter of a homemaker, a dedicated worker, a good JW, sensible, practical, giving, and responsible. She is a creator, artistic, free-minded, quite rebellious, self-focused according to her own saying {My Mother, the Bully}. Whilst her mother is repressed, self-disciplined, and morally bound she finds herself to be fluid, experimental, and abstract.

Could these things be at the root of a kind of jealousy? {My Mother, the Bully}

she wonders and let her thoughts linger

Does my reaching for more freedom trigger insecurities in her about her complete lack of it? {My Mother, the Bully}

Instability and felt mislead

Last April she felt like she exploded in anger and frustration towards “The Org”,

“telling M that I felt as if I had a “tiny elder in my head, screaming scriptures at me.” {Two Pillars of Freedom}

In this world everybody needs , and most of all youngsters are seeking some kind of stability when it comes to their spiritual beliefs or non beliefs and want to build up a spiritual life full of spiritual well-being. For many it may take years to find a place in the world of atheists and believers. Lots of people have to go on a calvary route to find their way to a belief, believing in God or not believing in a god or the God.

Personal bible study essential part for coming to the truth (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

For us serious bible students it surprises us that this girl, though when grown up in a JW family came to believe she is been completely misled about the Bible, and that she feels she is never really been taught about God. Not being JW, not knowing their exact ways of teaching in the church community, we only can see what they let the outside world to be known. From their public publications we can only get the impression they do everything to get others to know God. All their teaching seems very God centred when you leave out the misleading teachings of their organisation and the position of the 144 000.

A bait to trap many

We are aware of the danger where the writer finds her possible anger and disappointment. It is true that

The Organization could’ve used any bait to trap the masses. Organizations do it every day. Cults appeal to people’s desires for all kinds of things – this one appealed to the desire to understand the Bible & know “the truth” about God.

and then she gets to the core of the big problem (we think)

The Bible is only the bait for them, a secondary issue – The Organization is the primary concern: gaining and keeping peoples’ complete unquestioning obedience. If they can use the Bible in order to accomplish that, so be it. {Two Pillars of Freedom}

That last bit is naturally a serious accusation. But we fear that what we said already to so many people that those questions in their magazine and the way how they treat verses can be sometimes dubious and often smell to brainwashing (mind control)or indoctrination, the organisation having thought control over all its members.

Reminding who is the Way

Too many JW, like lots of so called Christians do forget that Jesus told he is the Way to God. The Bible also tells us that this sent one from God has become the high priest and the one mediator between God and man. This last saying excludes all human organisations as a necessity to link to God. Jesus (rabbi Jeshua) is our link to the Only One True God of Israel.
We do not need ordained priests, ministers or organisations to dictate what the Words of God say and to dictate what we do have to do or may not do, and control us. Guidance belongs to the Word of God itself. God did not provide such a difficult word to understand for mankind, which would exclude all uneducated people (Bété people or ‘bast shoes‘). No, all people, those who have been to school but also who have not been to school, should be able to understand God’s Word.

The bible does not speak about One and only one organisation that He would take, but He gives an indication by His only begotten son that there may be many different groups and organisations, all part of the Body of Christ and necessary for that Body of Christ. Many people think religion is wrong and endangers man, because than man would control them, but than they have chosen the wrong religion, because in the religious ways of the True God there is no man who should be in control of others, all man should give themselves into the hands of God, the Divine Creator, Who is not a man but a Spirit.

As people we can give ourselves to Christ, willing to be under his guidance. That is our choice and makes us to become Christians or ‘being Christian‘, it is following Christ Jesus.

Jehovah for millennia not using an organisation

Since the early Christians continually there were people who stayed truthful to Christ Jesus his teaching, no matter of the false teachers and churches coming into being. even when the pressure from the Roman empire became so great that lots of Christians chose to agree with Greco-Roman teaching of a three-headed god and chose to accept the Trinity. Though the Roman Catholic Church came into existence and later got many schisms, several God faithfully abiding continued their life of worship of the One and Only One True God. There was no world wide organisation at all to lead God’s People, like there was also no such organisation before the birth of Jesus. The shepherding of God’s People was done by individual men and women, who were chosen by God Himself (the nevim or prophets) or went for God, allowed by God to live and preach. The words given to mankind for enabling to find eternal life was not provided by man or a human organisation, but by God Himself. No prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

The JW Organisation claims erroneous that Charles Taze Russell is their founder. But he never claimed to be a prophet nor wanted a human directive organisation. He, like many  Biblestudents, very well knew that the gathering of people is done by God Himself and that The Word is a quality or aspect of God Himself.

As Facts About Jehovah’s Witnesses writes

Watchtower makes the claim that “Jehovah has always guided his servants in an organized way.” (You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth p.192) If that is the case, how were they guided and organised during the dark ages? What group represented God’s organization immediately prior to the formation of the Watchtower Society in the 1884 by Charles Russell, and why didn’t Russell just follow them? {Does Jehovah require an Organization?}

Does Jehovah require an Organization?

Watch Tower headquarters in Columbia Heights, Brooklyn.

When the Jehovah’s Witnesses Watchtower Bible and tract Society in Brooklyn with their different corporations [Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Religious Order of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Kingdom Support Services, International Bible Students Association (IBSA), Associação Torre de Vigia de Bíblias e Tratados (Brazil), Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses of East Africa, Los Testigos de Jehová en México, Wachtturm-Gesellschaft, Selters/Taunus (Germany), Watchtower Bible & Tract Society Of Australia, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Canada, European Association of Jehovah’s Christian Witnesses (EAJCW)] would be the sole organisation under the direction of God and when it is changing so many times of its teachings, would this mean that God is not giving the full truth to His own chosen ones or that God is not sure what He can give them for information?

How can it be than when the organisation is God’s only instrument that members of it dispose one of their very important main writers like Raymond Franz, former member of the Governing Body? Does that mean that God first tells others a person is one of the 144 000 but then takes somebody else in his place and get rid of him after he has been used to produce an enormous amount of good literature? He was one of the researchers who created Aid to Bible Understanding, the first doctrinal and biblical encyclopedia of Jehovah’s Witnesses, published in full in 1971.

When the leaders of the Watchtower Society, the Governing Body, say themselves that they are appointed by Christ and the only means by which he directs his true followers today, how can they than demand certain people from the board to resign?

They themselves write

“Consider, too, the fact that Jehovah’s organization alone, in all the earth, is directed by God’s holy spirit or active force. (Zech. 4:6) Only this organization functions for Jehovah’s purpose and to his praise. To it alone God’s Sacred Word, the Bible, is not a sealed book.” Watchtower 1973 Jul 1 p.402

Saying this they also give the impression the bible is not yet complete or is not able to give full biblical Wisdom to mankind, without that body of God, their organisation.

“However, the Governing Body are appointed through the holy spirit under the direction of Jehovah God and Jesus Christ.” Watchtower 1990 Mar 15 p.18

 

When that Governing Body is appointed by God through His Holy Spirit how can it than be, when led by His Spirit, that there have been taken place so many disputes and that such dismissals occurred?

Would the organisation be the only means God can have contact with people nowadays? According to us that would place man above the Power of God, Him being not able to call people for Himself and to give them wisdom. As in the precious centuries it is still God Who calls people and gives insight to those who are willing to open their heart to Him, whatever there being The Organisation, a organisation or no organisation at all near to them.

Witnessing for Jehovah

A Jehovah’s Witness distributing literature at Marble Arch tube station in London

We are sure the Jehovah’s Witnesses may be part of that Body of Christ, members of people under Christ witnessing for Jehovah. But in many other denominations or churches you may find also people witnessing for this One and the Same God.

Strangely enough the organisation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses does not believe that individual people are able to bring men and women to God without their organisation. They consider themselves the only righteous way to God. This dismisses totally the position of Christ Jesus, who according to the Bible is the Way to God.

Key factor to being a Witness

According to us the key factor to being a Witness for Jehovah is to stand up for Him and not for one or another earthly organisation and when the Jehovah’s Witnesses Organisation would be a Godly organisation why did so many teachings changed and why did so many prophesies by them did not come through? Were people not warned for those who prophesied and whose prophesies did not come through? are we not told that such people could be false teachers?

We kindly ask our readers and all people walking around this earth to know that Jehovah’s Witnesses are not the only ones witnessing for Jehovah God.

It is belonging to the “Organization” that distinguishes one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and makes them feel solely worthy of salvation, but Jesus died for all people and God’s grace is given to all living souls.

Requirements for Salvation

The way the WBTS presents itself to mankind gives the impression that membership of their organization is essential for salvation. If this would be so, why were we not told by God Himself or by His son?

The word “organization” never appears in the Bible, yet organization appears 16,789 times on the 2006 Watchtower Library CD. This is because belonging to an organization is not a Scriptural requirement, but rather a common concept amongst high control groups as a technique of building a member’s high degree of conviction and uniformity. {Does Jehovah require an Organization?}

Though the Watchtower claims that belonging to an organization is essential for salvation.

“To receive everlasting life in the earthly Paradise we must identify that organization and serve God as part of it.” Watchtower 1983 Feb 15 p.12

When you read the whole bible, the Hebrew and Messianic books, nowhere shall you find an indication of God going to provide a worldwide organisation other than the theocratic government of rabbi Jeshua from the new world’s capital Jerusalem.

It is not stated in either the Old or New Testaments that membership of an organization is a requirement of eternal salvation. The Scriptures repeatedly state that it is faith in Jesus and the Father that results in everlasting life. Instead we are told of salvation by the blood of Christ. It is not by keeping to certain rituals or organisations that we can receive salvation. We do not need to be a soldier of a worldly organisation but should be soldiers for Christ by whom salvation comes to us.

2 You, therefore, my child,+ keep on acquiring power in the undeserved kindness that is in Christ Jesus; 2 and the things you heard from me that were supported by many witnesses,+ these things entrust to faithful men, who, in turn, will be adequately qualified to teach others. 3 As a fine soldier+ of Christ Jesus, take your part in suffering adversity.+ 4 No man serving as a soldier involves himself* in the commercial businesses* of life, in order to gain the approval of the one who enrolled him as a soldier. 5 And even in the games, anyone who competes is not crowned unless he has competed according to the rules.+ 6 The hardworking farmer must be the first to partake of the fruits. 7 Give constant thought to what I am saying; the Lord will give you understanding* in all things. …  10 For this reason I go on enduring all things for the sake of the chosen ones,+ so that they too may obtain the salvation that is through Christ Jesus, along with everlasting glory {2 Timothy 2:2-7, 10)

• • 2 Timothy 2:10 Kingdom Interlinear

  • 10 διὰ through τοῦτο this πάντα all (things) ὑπομένω I am enduring διὰ through τοὺς the ἐκλεκτούς, chosen (ones), ἵνα in order that καὶ also αὐτοὶ they σωτηρίας of salvation τύχωσιν they might obtain τῆς of the (one) ἐν in Χριστῷ Christ Ἰησοῦ Jesus μετὰ with δόξης glory αἰωνίου. everlasting.

Faith in the sent one from God

It is by faith in the sent one from God, rabbi Jeshua, the Kristos or Christ Jesus, we may have the opportunity not to become destroyed but to have everlasting life. We all should all remember that everything which is of the earth is earthly, and speaks of the earth: he that comes from heaven, the sent one from God, is above all. Him being above any organisation is the one we could and should follow, as brothers and sisters in him who has eternal life.

14 And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness,+ so the Son of man must be lifted up,+ 15 so that everyone believing in him may have everlasting life.+

16 “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son,+ so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.+ 17 For God did not send his Son into the world for him to judge the world, but for the world to be saved through him.+ 18 Whoever exercises faith in him is not to be judged.+ Whoever does not exercise faith has been judged already, because he has not exercised faith in the name of the only-begotten Son of God.+

31 The one who comes from above+ is over all others. The one who is from the earth is from the earth and speaks of things of the earth. The one who comes from heaven is over all others.+ 32 He bears witness to what he has seen and heard,+ but no man accepts his witness.+ 33 Whoever has accepted his witness has put his seal to it* that God is true.+ 34 For the one whom God sent speaks the sayings of God,+ for He does not give the spirit sparingly.* 35 The Father loves the Son+ and has given all things into his hand.+ 36 The one who exercises faith in the Son has everlasting life;+ the one who disobeys the Son will not see life,+ but the wrath of God remains upon him.+ {John 3:14-18, 31-36}

Connection with the son of God

Let us be sure to come to Jesus first, because not an organisation here on earth would be our gateway, but because Jesus is the door to the Kingdom of God.

44 How can you believe, when you are accepting glory from one another and you are not seeking the glory that is from the only God?+ {John 5:44}

7 So Jesus said again: “Most truly I say to you, I am the door for the sheep.+ 8 All those who have come in place of me are thieves and plunderers; but the sheep have not listened to them. 9 I am the door; whoever enters through me will be saved, and that one will go in and out and find pasturage.+ {John 10:7-9}

3 This means everlasting life,+ their coming to know you,* the only true God,+ and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.+ {John 17:3}

Living under Christ Jesus

Those who want to have everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of the Only True God, them having regret of what they have done wrong and asking for forgiveness, wanting to live under Christ, the one whom Jehovah sent forth and who belongs to God.

16 Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple+ and that the spirit of God dwells in you?+ 17 If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him; for the temple of God is holy, and you are that temple.+

18 Let no one deceive himself: If anyone among you thinks he is wise in this system of things,* let him become a fool, so that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God, for it is written: “He catches the wise in their own cunning.”+ 20 And again: “Jehovah* knows that the reasonings of the wise men are futile.”+ 21 So let no one boast in men; for all things belong to you, 22 whether Paul or A·polʹlos or Ceʹphas*+ or the world or life or death or things now here or things to come, all things belong to you; 23 in turn you belong to Christ;+ Christ, in turn, belongs to God. {1 Corinthians 3:16-23}

The Organisation playing the mediator of man and God, man and Christ

As the female writer of ‘Finding the truth: In recovery from Jehovah’s Witnesses & alcoholism‘ at last came to see, when she sees a

WT quote in direct opposition:

“The other sheep should never forget that their salvation depends on their active support of Christ’s anointed “brothers” still on earth.” WT March 15 2012 pg. 20 {Two Pillars of Freedom}

She concludes

Check and mate. It seems so obvious, so simple. The Org has taken it upon themselves to become the mediator of man and God, man and Christ; completely ignoring what the Bible has to say on the matter and making themselves Lords over man. {Two Pillars of Freedom}

There are more things, of course, that have been giving me evidence that The Org is not God’s ‘spirit-directed organization,’ but these two points seem to be building some kind of foundation in my mind. They seem to be the things that come closest to unraveling the whole thing; the answers to the tiny screaming elder in my head. I’ll keep building more until I can silence him completely, or maybe one day oust him permanently. {Two Pillars of Freedom}

We only can hope more people shall come to see the twists in their teachings and their focus on the organisation instead of focussing more on the works of Jesus and his heavenly Father.

+

Preceding articles

Oklahoma City Regional Convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses

An atheist writer meeting Jehovah’s witnesses far from home

Politics and power first priority #1

Charles Taze Russell and what he started

Was Russell and Rutherford “Illuminati”?

A Society pleading poverty

Following articles:

Jesus’ footstep followers, irrespective of sectarian lines

Authority from the one God to one mediator between God and men

++

Additional reading

1. Religious Practices around the world
2. Religions and Mainliners
3. Denominationalism exists because?
4. Silence, devotion, Salafists, quietists, weaponry, bombings, books, writers and terrorists
5. Why is it that Christians don’t understand Muslims and Muslims do not understand Christians?
6. Responses to Radical Muslims and Radical Christians
7. Finding and Understanding Words and Meanings
8. Some one or something to fear #3 Cases, folks and outing
9. Subcutaneous power for humanity 5 Loneliness, Virtual and real friends
10. In a world which knows no peace sharing blessed hope
11. How long to wait before bringing religiousness and spirituality in practice
12. Breaking up with a cult
13. Christianity without the Trinity
14. Writers needed to preach to non-believers
15. Catholicism, Anabaptism and Crisis of Christianity
16. Those who call the Christadelphians a cult
17. A man from the North wanting to have control in Belgium
18. Quibbling siblings united or allied children of an organisation or a church
19. On the Affirmation of Scripture
20. Not many coming out with their community name
21. To remove the whitewash of the Jehovah Witnesses as being the only true Bible Students and Bible Researchers
22. Around C.T.Russell
23. Russell himself never claimed to be a prophet.
24. Misunderstandings concerning C.T. Russell
25. Surprising figures about Jehovah Witnesses
26. Russell and his beliefs
27. Biblestudents & T.C.Russell
28. Bijbelonderzoekers en Russelism / Bible researchers and Russelism
29. Charles Taze Russell never claimed to have found a new religion, or a new church.
30. A visible organisation on earth
31. When not seeing or not finding a biblically sound church
32. When seeing a biblically sound church
33. Ecclesia to exist, grow and communities to have people communicating with each other
34. The Big conversation Why it matters
35. Soviet Witnesses
36. Date Setting
37. A British judge rules that mother can’t indoctrinate son with religion
38. Retrieving some older articles previously placed on Multiply
39. Bringing Good News into the world
40. Deaf helped in their ability to progress in this community
41. Jehovah’s Witnesses not only group that preach the good news
42. Russia’s battle against the Jehovah’s Witnesses
43. Jehovah’s Witnesses Shunning ex-members adverse effects on family relationships
44. Disappointed expectations
45. Getting out of the dark corners of this world
46. Saved through grace not through keeping rituals
47. Actions to be a reflection of openness of heart
48. Sealed in their foreheads
49. Solution for Willing hearts filled with gifts
50. The Bride New Jerusalem
51. Looking for something or for the Truth and what it might be and self-awareness
52. Lovers of God, seekers and lovers of truth
53. The one who set the standard
54. Revelation 1:8 – Who is Speaking?
55. Follower of Jesus part of a cult or a Christian
56. A small company of Jesus’ footstep follower
57. The longer you wait
58. Preaching Christ Is Not Enough

+++

Further related articles

1. Celebrating Christendom’s Demise?
2. Nineteenth Century Protestant Doctrines of the Trinity
3. “Should You Believe in the Trinity?”
4. Why I Am a Christian.
5. Christ didn’t come to help us, He came to Include us
6. Change Your Village
7. Pouring Into Others
8. Who Are Jehovah’s Witnesses?
9. “Ye Are My Witnesses, Saith Jehovah Baldwin: Arkansas Man Arrested For Firing Shots At Jehovah’s Witnesses Who Approached Him On His Lawn
10. Rosary No More!! Why I Stopped Praying The Rosary!! (Testimony of a Former Roman Catholic)
11. The Semiology of Jehovah’s Witnesses
12. Prophecy, power and weakness
13. Serena Williams and Jehovah’s Witnesses
14. A Hymn From Christendom in July 2016 JW Broadcasting?
15. Is it blind faith, or tradition?
16. The Decision
17. I Am Not A Victim
18. Jehovah’s witnesses
19. It is not a trip at all
20. Day in the life..
21. Why Do Some JWs Live A Lie?
22. Do people get a second chance?
23. Why do EX – Jehovahs Witnesses struggle to find a church?
24. Conditional Love
25. Sheep and Wolves
26. Warning: You Might Get Kicked Out of the Kingdom Hall by a Donkey
27. What to do with Jehovah’s Witnesses?
28. Exodus Chapter 8
29. Witness to Jehovahs like Frank & Joe Hardy
30. Jehovah’s (False) Witnesses
31. Trust issues…and then some
32. Charles Taze Russell – “Don’t read your Bible”
33. Watchtower Study June 5, 2016—Being Faithful Leads to God’s Approval
34. Finding the Way
35. World’s Fastest Growing Religion?
36. A fallen Prince
37. Prince found ’real happiness’ as Jehovah’s Witness, talking about Bible, longtime friend and bassist says
38. A Different Sort of Church History 1
39. Who were the Arians and what did they believe?
40. Two Pillars of Freedom
41. Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses preach?
42. Two Classes Of Christians?
43. Are Jehovah’s Witnesses Christian?
44. My first false baptism
45. You are Welcome to be Unwelcome….
46. The Sting of Slavery
47. Jehovah’s Witness Convention 2016—A Weekend of Robbery and Manipulation
48. Review of talk at “Remain loyal to Jehovah” 2016 convention of Jehovahs Witnesses
49. Jehovah’s Witness Convention 2016—Maintain Loyalty Symposium
50. On False Prophets and False Accusers
51. Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Worship of Jesus
52. Growing up a Jehovah’s Witness—Anxiety at a Young Age
53. Sgt. Robert Wilson III Ceremony for Valor Showcases Watchtower Hypocrisy
54. Late Prince honored by Jehovah’s Witnesses
55. The Picture of the Governing Body
56. Witnessing to JW’s Enhances Witnessing to Others
57. Is Watchtower Running out of Money?
58. How Jehovah’s Witnesses Think
59. Dating A Jehovah’s Witness
60. Reminder for uncertain times: “Heeding advance warning can save your life!”
61. Numbers in Scripture
62. The Mark in the Forehead
63. Who Do You Say Jesus Is?
64. Religion Roundup
65. #Islam & Muslim’s and the #Murder of a #Catholic so called #Priest in #France. More lying #Propaganda for the deceived Catholic’s. They actually think that they are being persecuted for their belief’s, but actually, it is simply the #Ignorance of #Islam. — Boot The Door And Shout Through The Crack
66. In the dust of the Rabbi- Day 67
67. Spiritual Sobriety: Stumbling Back to Faith When Good Religion Goes Bad
68. On the Russian evangelism law
69. Is doctrine important? What’s the danger in deviating from sound doctrine?
70. Religions are Cults: I Refuse to Let Another Man Control my Life
71. Suspected Cult Leader Disguised as Anti-Cult “Expert”
72. Dangerous Cult: House Of Yahweh
73. Goin’ Through The Gate
74. Why you wouldn’t want to be a Jim Jones liberal
75. Reclaiming the Church of God
76. The Master Manipulator
77. Ungracious “Grace” Leaders
78. Bunkeroos vs. Scientologists
79. Scientology Floggers
80. China, Cults, And Persecution (oh my!)
81. Beware of Shincheonji!!
82. Video on the Shincheonji Cult!
83. Is Young Life a cult?
84. The recons flee defeated on Christology

+++

Related articles

• Who Are Jehovah’s Witnesses?
• Don Reed’s East 14th
• Gen Con set to get underway in Indy
• Ancient Indigenous Temple Destroyed in Mexico
• Jehovah’s Witnesses Destroy Ancient Indigenous Temple in Mexico
• motherofpalms: “The attack on the more than 7,000 year-old…
• Christian group vandalizes ancient Mexican archeological site claiming it’s linked to ‘Devil worship’
• CESNUR 2016 Conference in Korea, with presentations by Introvigne, Kim (UTS’91), and Fefferman (UTS’86)
• Ukraine: Information on military conscription and exemption from service, including alternative military service for conscientious objectors; whether members of the Orthodox Church can perform alternative military service (2014-November 2015)
• Long Beach Teacher Arrested On Suspicion Of Sexually Assaulting Student

Honest-hearted people are losing faith in humanity and humanity losing faith in God

A man protesting the shooting death of Alton Sterling is detained by law enforcement near the headquarters of the Baton Rouge Police Department in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, July 9, 2016.

A retired general and former head of the Defense Intelligence Agency doesn’t buy the Obama administration‘s argument that the US is winning the war against ISIS. {Former intelligence chief explains why Obama is wrong when he says we’re winning the war against ISIS}

015 January 7 in remembrance of 2001 September 11 again an Islamic terrorist act on symbols of the Western society and its freedom – Attack on Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris, France

The Nato-Russia Founding Act, signed in Paris says

“Nato and Russia, based on an enduring political commitment undertaken at the highest political level, will build together a lasting and inclusive peace in the Euro-Atlantic area.”

Following the attack on Belgium’s Zaventem airport the 22nd of March, when suicide bombers blew themselves up in the check-in hall, government aviation experts from across the EU met for an emergency security review on Thursday March the 31st to examine how best to protect “publicly accessible areas”.

Every day we hear of terrorist attacks and of people just killing others because they have a grudge against something or some one. Every day on our television screen we can see crimes against humanity. Often when bad things happen to people they ask why such badness came over them and why they ‘deserved’ such thing.

Honest-hearted people are losing faith in humanity, and humanity is losing faith in God. Lots of people who have been a member of a church have seen how badness also came into their church or even affected those who claim to be men of God, priests and ministers. They forgot that all those priests, bishops, cardinals, ministers and other church people are just like any body else just human beings who have their little and big faults.

Because of the pressure in this life, lots of people do not have much time any more or do not want to spend time for church nor God. At work, on the streets, even at home there are not many moments where one is taking time to talk about faith or religion. Men can even wonder if faith can survive.

For sure we live in a very misleading world where we are bombarded with lots of news-gathering, information but also lots of disinformation. In this world full of social media we may see lots of people lost track and by the wood can’t see the trees any more.

Demonstrators protest the shooting death of Alton Sterling near the headquarters of the Baton Rouge Police Department in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, July 10, 2016.

Man’s inhumanity to man plays out in the news on an hourly basis. And images of violence and injustice are brought before the public eye as never before. From the States of America we get many newsshots where we see police officer taking on an uncontrolled aggressive attitude against coloured people. More than once we see such agitated police officers killing a fearful black person who is already immobilised by the cops. The majority of people are rightfully enraged over injustice, but most seek ways of coping by peaceful protest, such as was the intent of the rally in Dallas. Downtown Dallas was in lockdown early Friday after what appeared to be one attacker shot 12 officers, five fatally, during a protest over deadly police shootings of black men elsewhere. {Dallas sniper suspect dead, likely acted alone, officials say; Five officers killed}

Detectives found bomb making materials, ballistic vests, rifles, ammunition and a personal journal of combat tactics while searching the suspect’s home. Once more in the U.S.A. it was shown how dangerous it can be when ordinary people can buy any sorts of weapon just like they are going to a grocery shop buying their daily food.

The daily food of man today is violence more than peace.

83rd United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch

Attorney General Loretta Lynch called it an “unfathomable tragedy,” and said the Department of Justice is working closely with its local counterparts in Texas.

“After the events of this week, Americans across the county are feeling a sense of helplessness, of uncertainty and of fear,”

Lynch said, adding that the answer

“must not be violence.”

Every time such unnecessary killings happened in the states we could see a domino effect of one shooting after the other, certain people taking revenge for what happened before.

“We must continue working to build trust between communities and law enforcement.”

Lynch also said.

54th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Paul Davis Ryan

House Speaker Paul Ryan addressed the Dallas shooting during a House session Friday morning, and said there is

“no cause under which this violence is justified.”

“It’s been a long month for America. We have seen terrible, senseless things,” {Dallas sniper suspect dead, likely acted alone, officials say; Five officers killed}

Ryan said.

“Every member of this body, every Republican and every Democrat, wants to see less gun violence.”

It is a small minority who take vengeance into their own hands, making matters even worse. All of these reactions erode faith that there will ever be peace on earth. Can faith survive the constant assault of terror and senseless violence portrayed in the news every day? Will God bring the peace on earth that He promised?

Prophecies tell in the end times that every man’s hand shall be against his neighbour. (Zechariah 14:13)

“On that day men will be stricken by the LORD with great panic. Each man will seize the hand of another, and they will attack each other.” (Zechariah 14:13 NIV)

The officer-involved shooting death of Alton Sterling on Tuesday, July 5, 2016, spurred protests across Baton Rouge. Here, protesters gather on July 6 at the Triple S Food Mart where Sterling was shot. (Photo by Brett Duke, Nola.com | The Times-Picayune) (Brett Duke)

Look around you, hear the daily press and notice how violence has become part of the day. All that bad news we are confronted with every hour of the day brings an atmosphere of uncertainty and of anger, fear, jealousy and distrust throughout our village, city, country and throughout the world.

Many do have the idea that it is only to become worse. And to be honest, we can not deny that.

Though we do now that there are people who should not have to be afraid of the terrible times which are coming. For sure this world is going to face a third World War. Perhaps it is even not going to take such a long time before our children or their children shall face the most terrible time of this world.

Does the Bible offer any solution to end the madness and provide hope for a world in despair?

Although prophecies indicate that there will be a time of severe trouble, they also indicate that hope will follow this nighttime of sorrow.

“For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favour lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” (Psalms 30:5 NIV)

The world again shall face, like it has done more, a weeping that may endure for nights, but those who love God do know that joy shall come in the morning God shall present to this world. Throughout the ages God provided His Word. That world could see that everything He said became a reality, except a few things still to come. It are those sayings of God which give us assurance that God intends to put an end to the radical, destructive behaviour which stems from soul sickness. This hope for all who have died and for all who are suffering is found in Acts 3:19-21:

“19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, 20 and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. 21 He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.” (Acts 3:19-21 NIV)

Notice that it is for those who are willing to repent and to turn to God that “times of refreshing shall come”. Though many still do not hear the Voice of God, He is not silent nor shall stay silent. He spoke by His prophets and his Words are written down in the Book of books (the Bible) so that all people of whatever period in time can read His Words.

God is allowing people living in the end times to learn that mankind is incapable of solving the world’s problems. This permission of evil has the very purpose of educating and preparing mankind for the promised times of restitution. At that time, they will begin to seek for God‘s righteous kingdom under the rule of the great Messiah. They will be blessed with a full knowledge of God and a full opportunity for attaining everlasting life through their redeemer — the great restorer and life–giver.

Following are just a few of the hundreds of blessings promised by God’s kingdom to come, when His will shall be done on earth as it is being done in heaven . . .

• God promises peace after the shaking of all nations.
Zephaniah 3:8-9; Micah 4:3; Haggai 2:7

• He promises that happiness will replace all fear and sadness.
Isaiah 25:8; Isaiah 35:10

• He promises that the world will learn righteousness after having experienced sin and death for over 6,000 years.
Isaiah 26:9; Zephaniah 3:9

• He promises that all tears shall be wiped off all faces.
Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 7:17; 21:4, 5

• He promises that there will be a time when sickness will come to an end.
Isaiah 33:24; Isaiah 35:5; Revelation 21:4

• He promises that the great enemy death shall be swallowed up in victory.
Isaiah 25:8; 35:10; 1 Corinthians 15:24, 54-56; 1 Timothy 2:3-6; Revelation 21:4

• He promises that wars shall cease.
Isaiah 2:4; Micah 4:3; Psalm 46:9

• He promises that all evil shall be suppressed.
Psalm 37:10; Isaiah 35:8,9; 55:7; Revelation 20:2, 3

• He promises that truth shall triumph and lies shall be abolished forever.
Psalm 85:11; Habakuk 2:14; Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17

• He promises that Satan, the prince of darkness who now rules in the hearts of men, shall be forever destroyed.
1 Corinthians 15:25, 26; Revelation 20:10, 14

• He promises that there will be no more poverty, but that ALL will have an abundance of food, shelter and comfort.
Isaiah 65:22, 23; Micah 4:4; Psalm 67:6; Isaiah 35:1; Psalm 67:6; 85:12; Isaiah 51:3

• He promises that one day, everyone will have liberty and justice.
Isaiah 26:9; 28:17; Jeremiah 31:33, 34; Ezekiel 34:26

• He promises that, in due time, nothing shall ever hurt or destroy again.
Isaiah 11:9; Isaiah 35:8,9

• He promises life after death for everyone who has ever lived.
Romans 5:12-21; 1 Corinthians 15:21, 22; John 5:28, 29

For those who are seeking to maintain faith in an unstable world,

and who are searching for hope beyond the terror

please click the following link to read the article

Maintaining Faith in an unstable world

To read more on these prophetic promises,
please click the following link to read the book

The Divine Plan of the Ages

This Christian classic contains over 1,600 Old and New Testament Scriptures explained clearly and understandably. It provides a logical progression of the Scriptures, delineating God’s plan from paradise lost to paradise restored. It was the third best seller in the early 1900s — the Bible and the Chinese Almanac being first and second. Joseph Rotherham, who translated The Emphasized Bible, described the book as “…bold, broad, and breezy; very refreshing after the stereotyped dogmas and platitudes which pass current in the theological world…. The Chapter on ‘the Permission of Evil” is alone more than worth the price of the whole volume…” and provided us with the Rotherham Emphasized Bible and the Sacred Names bible.

All of the great Bible themes are examined, such as:

• Why God Permits Suffering and His Purpose for Allowing Evil for a Measured Time
• The Great Epochs, Characters and Events in God’s Merciful Plan for Mankind
• The Purpose and Expectation of Christ’s Second Advent
• The Day of Judgment and Its Relationship to the Benevolent Kingdom of God
• The Hope of the Good News Provided by the Promised Ransom & Restitution

+

Preceding articles

2015 the year of ISIS

Back from gone #1 Aim of ungodly people

Back from gone #2 Aim of godly people

Back from gone #3 Giving worries to God and believing in His promises

Back from gone #4 Your inner feelings and actions

++

Please find also to read

1. Forbidden Fruit in the Midst of the Garden 1
2. Inner feeling, morality and Inter-connection with creation
3. Inequality, Injustice, Sustainability and the Free World Charter
4. ‘I try to keep my hate in check. If you can’t hate, you can’t love.’
5. Refugee crisis, terrorist attacks and created fear
6. Paris attacks darkening the world
7. 2014 Religion: with a.o. Global war against Christians
8. Selfishness can become our biggest ally for the Money Free Movement
9. Christian fundamentalism as dangerous as Muslim fundamentalism
10. Responses to Radical Muslims and Radical Christians
11. The Crusader Rifle
12. High time to review the right to keep and bear arms
13. Freedom and amendments, firearms and abortions
14. American Senate ignoring many voices and tears of their own people
15. Judeo-Christian values and liberty
16. Why are we killing?
17. Religion…..why the competition?
18. A world with or without religion
19. The trigger of Aurora shooting
20. Being Charlie 11
21. Blinded crying blue murder having being made afraid by a bugaboo
22. US must do more to protect its children
23. Responsibility for children who were molested by clergy
24. Good and bad things in this world
25. Is God behind all suffering here on earth
26. I Can’t Believe That … (2) God would allow children to suffer
27. Bad things no punishment from God
28. God has not destined us for wrath
29. We are ourselves responsible
30. Dealing with worries in our lives
31. Outreach to rednecks
32. Profitable disasters
33. Devotees and spotters
34. Faith related boycotts
35. Mocking, Agitation and Religious Persecution
36. Looking to the East and the West for Truth
37. Sharing a common security and a common set of values
38. Religious Practices around the world
39. How do you define religion?
40. Autumn traditions for 2014 – 4 Blasphemy and ridiculing faith in God
41. The Anthropologist in you
42. Time to consider how to care for our common home
43. 2015 Summit of Consciences for the Climate
44. Paris World Summit of Conscience, International interfaith gathering #1
45. Are religious and secular ethicists climbing the same mountain
46. January 27, 417, Pope Innocent I condemning Pelagius about Faith and Works
47. Evolving humanity!
48. The Culture of Excesses- Losing Humanity
49. Learning that stuff is just stuff
50. Material wealth, Submission and Heaven on earth
51. Material gain to honour God
52. How to Find the Meaning of Life and Reach a State of Peace
53. Europe and much-vaunted bastions of multiculturalism becoming No God Zones
54. Are you religious, spiritual, or do you belong to a religion, having a faith or interfaith
55. Wrong ideas about religious terrorism
56. Faith because of the questions
57. How do we know the coming of Jesus is very near?
58. Necessity of a revelation of creation 14 Searching the scriptures
59. A charter for a truly free world and why we need it
60. Maker of most popular weapon asks for repentance
61. A last note concerning civil rights
62. Misleading world, stress, technique, superficiality, past, future and positivism
63. Listening for the Language of Peace
64. What we do
65. If you want to go far in life
66. Give your worries to God
67. 7 Ways To Become A Better Christian
68. A way to prepare for the Kingdom
69. God let my compassionate affection be tolerant and kind

+++

Related articles

1. When You Think You’re Having A Bad Day Then You Watch The News
2. Morality, pragmatism and killing
3. Terrorism is not an ethnic trait – it’s a malady wrought by social, religious extremism
4. A House Divided: How Hatred Aimed At Any Group, Is an Assault On Us All
5. The acts of war
6. The Summer of ’76
7. Remembering 9/11…14 Years Later: A United States President Stands Poised to Give Radical Islamists Nuclear Capability
8. Hajj 2014 – The Day of Arafat…
9. Drowned Syrian boy Aylan Kurdi remembered in powerful sand sculpture of three-year-old slumped on beach
10. Six killed in Boko Haram suicide attack in Borno
11. ‘Charlie Hebdo’: why jihad came to Paris
12. European Powers Implement Police State Measures in Wake of Charlie Hebdo Attack
13. Timeline of European terror attacks
14. What the Charlie Hebdo terrorists have won so far
15. From Paris suburb to bloody attack, portrait of IS jihadis
16. Anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant rallies grow in Europe
17. Anti-Islam Rallies Growing in Germany
18. “Extremists…have given Islam a bad name, but…have no connection with the religion” Really?
19. Extremists and Terrorists Miss the Mark
20. Hypocrisy Abounds: Free Speech as Cover for Islamophobia
21. Fundamentalism is Never Legitimate
22. Nearly 19,000 Civilians Killed in Iraq Since 2014, U.N. Reports
23. ‘It’s a criminal gang pretending to be a state’: Discontent grows in ISIS ‘caliphate’ as oil funds dry up
24. Christian mothers, wives take up the fight against ISIS, whose women serve as suicide bombers and slaves
25. Police officers shot Alton Sterling while he was seemingly pinned to the ground, unable to move
26. Alton Sterling was shot and killed by Baton Rouge police officers. Here’s what we know.
27. US Debate Over Police Killings of Black Men Lacks Official Data
28. Alton Sterling shooting: Images from Baton Rouge the week after
29. Black Lives Matter & The Police…Simple Thoughts On Big Issues. 
30. Black Women’s Lives Matter, Too
31. FBI Greenlights Crackdown On Black Lives Matter Protesters
32. Making sense of the violence in the US
33. Silence is not an Option: The Murders of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile
34. The Time Is Now
35. There Is Hope In Christ And Strength In Numbers
36. Greg Kaufman: A Wake-Up Call for White Progressives
37. We Are A Community
38. Why Do People Kill People?
39. Why do Christians Insist on Fighting?
40. Understanding. The Killing of Society
41. Senate Rules Forgery Allegation: Enugu APC, PDP in battle of wits
42. Swedish govt in “panic” after ISIS letters give 3 days to convert to Islam or be decapitated
43. The Ins and Outs of Sex and Social Media
44. Someone Kills
45. Sad Sunday.
46. Massacre
47. Thoughts On Orlando
48. Tragedy in America
49. A Clash Within Civilization
50. Attack on the Sikh Temple in Wisconsin: A Case of Mistaken Identity?
51. Converging Fears – An Analysis by Lawrence Davidson
52. Russia’s forgotten role in the creation of Israel
53. Who Speaks for America’s Muslims?
54. World › Trump backers baffled by criticism of his Muslim proposal
55. Bigot Reverend Grilled: Banning Muslim Refugees is Not Very Christian of You – David Pakman Show
56. Vernon Hills High School hijab video strikes a chord
57. Gaffney’s ‘Summit’ A Procession Of Extemism – And Candidates
58. Guy Threatens To Do THIS To Federal Agents Investigating ISIS…Worst
59. Understanding Why
60. A dying Western culture is the problem
61. 5 Ways To Bring Humanity To Your Brand
62. The Three Things People Love Most About Social Media
63. Real-Life Social Media Blunders You Have to See to Believe (And How to Avoid Them!)
64. How Analyzing a Social Media Milestone Is Helping Us Prepare for the Next One
65. Are Casket Selfies Really Necessary?
66. The Adverse Effects Of Social Media: Talkspace Brings Attention To How Overuse Can Harm Mental Health
67. The Good (and the Bad) of Social Media Engagement
68. Can social media tools help to strengthen relationships?
69. Are Christianity and Capitalism Compatible?
70. The Frozen-Chosen Church?
71. 7 Strategies to Give Your Email Campaign a Human Touch
72. Does the Pope Know Something The Rest of Us Don’t?
73. News: Orthodox Rabbis Say Christianity is God’s Plan, Vatican Says Stop Evangelizing Jews
74. Messianic Jews, Mission and the Vatican
75. Receiving Christ no matter the season
76. The Spirit Speaks – of the One Greater than the Church
77. Anti-Christian persecution isn’t all about Islam…
78. Thoughtcrime? College Professor Put on Leave for Saying Muslim & Christian God Are the Same – David Pakman Show
79. The War on Nothing
80. Meet the New Gangster Warlords of Latin America
81. Christian Genocide. Why is our govt ignoring the plight of
82. A shruggie-shaped heat wave is roasting England, France and Spain
83. Global sea levels have risen six meters or more with just slight global warming
84. India mayor: Climate change, ‘dungeon’ of slavery related
85. Global sea levels have risen 6 meters or more with just slight global warming
86. New Little Ice Age May Counteract Global Warming
87. Newsmaker: Pope Francis wades into the climate-change wars
88. Humanity…….only a small part of the story!
89. The Day of the Mayans!
90. Religion?
91. Visible Religion: Beliefs permeate life in Indonesia
92. Religion and Young People: The Lost Generation?
93. Does Religion Shape a Person?
94. Moving away from formal religion – toward a one-to-one relationship with God.
95. My kind of religion!
96. The continuing decline of American religiosity
97. Does Record Number of Religious “Nones” Mean Decline of Religiosity?
98. Science Vs. Religion: Beyond The Western Traditions
99. The False Compatibility Of Religion And Science
100. New Statistics: the religious make-up of America
101. Religion vs Spirituality, Part One
102. Buddhism & Humanism: Two Sides of the Same Coin, Part 1
103. Is Humanism a Religion?
104. No religion ‘is the new establishment’
105. UK Supreme Court: Religion Does Not Require God
106. Ask an Atheist: The Usual Questions
107. No excuse!
108. A toast to Non-Violence!
109. Reading for July 10th
110. Journey – Daily Prompt
111. Haunting the chapel: my thoughts on heavy metal and religion.
112. The Door
113. sky story #13: Peace, Around the World
114. Dangerous words
115. Re: The Charlie Hebdo cartoonists were smarter theologians than the jihadis – Giles Fraser, The Guardian, Jan 9 2015
116. I hate the term “Judeo-Christian.”
117. Apostate American Church: Waiting for the Man Of Sin
118. The Miscreants behind the Pulput…
119. A triumph of terrorism
120. The Internet knows you love the devil
121. Does Pope Francis believe Christians and Muslims worship the same God?
122. ACLU defends anti-Islam Christian Zionist group
123. 200 Churches Destroyed in 2 Months By Boko Haram; ISIS Threatens to Destroy 2700 Year Old Niniveh Walls
124. Islamic State Militancy Grows Behind al-Baghdadi’s Leadership
125. 21-Year-Old Sentenced To Prison For Three Years After Coming Out As An Atheist On Facebook
126. Israeli President Rivlin Laments Persecution Of Mideast Minorities
127. Bklyn Boro Pres Adams Leads Interfaith Rally Against Hate Attacks On Religious Communities
128. How Spiritual Can You Be Without Religion?
129. HumanistLife : A Humanism without the word ‘spirituality’
130. Is Humanism a Religion?
131. Spiritual Growth: What Holds Us Back & What Sets Us Free
132. Religion vs Spirituality
133. How do you define religion?
134. Religious mentality
135. Faithfulness to God
136. But I am Trusting You, O Lord!
137. Strength and Shield
138. Choosing Faith
139. The Problem With Faith Schools
140. Trusting God is what God wants us to do! No matter what!!!
141. Jeremiah 5-13
142. The one who set the standard
143. Endtime Prophecy Coming True
144. TheVoiceOfWarning pt.6
145. TheVoiceOfWarning pt.7
146. This Is What God Looks Like, According To Different Religions Around The World
147. The Importance of Our Faith in the Endtimes
148. Christian Endtimes
149. The Important Endtime Role of the Holy Spirit In Our Lives
150. A War is Coming that will Kill 2.3 Billion Human Beings
151. The Second Coming of Jesus Christ!
152. Continued Confirmation on Endtime Revelation the Missing Flight

2015 the year of ISIS

Forces of Evil

Behind Acts of Terror

“We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

Joseph Stalin (1878-1953) leader of the Soviet Union from the mid-1920s until his death in 1953. Holding the post of the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, he was effectively the dictator of the state. – Stalin at the Tehran Conference in 1943.

The past century was one of unprecedented evil: 20 million killed in Stalin’s purges, Hitler’s extermination of six million Jews, 1.7 million massacred in the killing fields by Pol Pot, and the millions of lives lost trying to defend or defeat these ruthless leaders. And the carnage escalated quickly into the 21st century as mankind witnessed the fiery deaths of over 4,000 from suicide missions perpetrated against the United States on 9/11 by Al-Qaeda extremists. But an even more sinister and illusive foe has been terrorizing the world with random, demonic acts of evil. The Salafi jihadist militant group that follows an Islamic fundamentalist, Wahhabi doctrine of Sunni Islam, ISIS has become more organized, more powerful and more evil than all other religious extremist groups.

2015 has been a year full of different terror attacks. We were shocked by those in Paris, San Bernardino, which has long battled high crime rates but got its mass shooting in 2015, where the perpetrators were “homegrown violent extremists” inspired by foreign terrorist groups. When we look at all the terror attacks effectuate we may wonder if the the hideous acts of terror around the world by radical Islamic militants were simply the function of an evil twist of character fueled by false religion, or are they provoked still further by a malicious, invisible force? Will the One true God bring an end to all this evil and terror?

Satan, Evil and Intelligent Beings

The Word of God leaves no doubt there is evil in the world. It tells us where it came into the world. It was by the greed of man that man was overtaken to rebel against God.

In the Bible we are told that by the years more and more people came into existence rebelling against their Most High Power. We also come to find out that even by the followers of Jeshua (Jesus Christ) there were those who were taken by fear and by lust of power and money, so that they doubted what Jesus should (Peter) do or betrayed their master teacher for some money (Judas). The apostle who resisted Jesus, Peter, was therefore called a Satan by Jeshua.

Going against the Will of God is considered being an opponent or adversary, which is being a Satan. In several languages it is translated as a personification of an evil doer or evil bringer. In English such a person or being, is also called a ‘devil‘. In the bible we are given several examples of such beings who do evil or who oppose God. As to the existence of a personal devil and his legions of demons, we can see that those possessed with ‘demons‘ are the ones who have a psychological illness. The Bible gives a comprehensive description of Satan, his emissaries and his aims. Satan is represented in Scripture as being the orchestrator and source of evil in the universe — the unrelenting enemy of God and man.

In the Book of books, the Bible, we are shown that even some men of God became a victim of that Satan. Those books show clearly how it is from within those people that filth or evil came over them. They were weak and let themselves being seduced by their own thoughts. We can see that they them selves were at fault and that nobody outside them was to blame for they  going wrong.

A god of this world

From the Scriptures we do know that several men opposed the Divine Creator and placed themselves higher than Him. Though we may not forget that nobody can be greater than God. Even Jesus knew very well that God was the greatest and that he could do nothing without God. Throughout history many people got an important position and as such became gods, i.e. higher placed people. As such we can find angels, Moses, Pharaoh, Apollo, Zeus being called gods, like Jesus was also called a god but none of them were the God of gods. Several of those higher placed beings also became worshipped as gods, whilst others rule the world as a god.

The Apostle Paul recognized the existence of a personal, invisible devil and gave him or them the title “god of this world.” (2 Corinthians 4:4) Paul also called Satan

“the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” (Ephesians 2:2)

These words imply not only that there are evil principles at work, but that behind them there are invisible evil powers opposing all that is good.

“We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

Rulers of the darkness of this world

We must not think evil is something of one specific being, a singular “Satan”. In all of us sits a Satan. We all can become victim of Satan, the evil within. If we are not careful and let our imagination go, and let our lust being taken over by our inner lust, we shall also become a Satan, an adversary of God like Peter at one time also was called a Satan.

Today we can see many adversaries of God at work. They are the Satan spoken of  in the Hoy Scriptures. We are also warned of those who oppose the Almighty God, that they will be the rulers of the world and that there shall come a “prince of the devils“. It shall come so fart that the world shall be put in chains by those adversaries of Allah or God. Even the angels, the celestial beings, shall come to see what happens on the world, and they too shall not be able to stop it. It shall continue until the Great or Last Day of this System of things.

Satan may have gained ‘legions of angels’, those beings who have actively supported his evil schemes, they shall be looked on by the faithful to God. Though the world shall continue to bring the unfaithful together trying to get more lovers of God away from Him. We are even told they would not mind to use all tricks to lure those people into their net. that is also what we are seeing today. Several people who have doubts about God and religion try to find a solution for their own life. They think those people from Islamic State or IS, can give them the right answer and give them an eternal happy life.

Islamic State does as if it is fighting for God, but when we look at their works, raping innocent girls, selling women as slaves, burning holy books and prayer houses (mosques and churches) we can see that those actions are against the Will of God. Their aim is to rule the world by creating their own state, the Islamic State. They do know, people are gone far away from God, and as such they are also an easy prey. In this world there is a lot of darkness and they make use of it to gain their power over all those who do not believe in the One True God.

Though they forget there are also others who as opposer of God want to rule the world. And in the bible we are told they too shall rise up against each other and claim to have the right to rule the world. as part of the signs of the last days we shall come to see that there shall start the Big Battle in the land of Euphrates and Tigris (Iraq and Iran) and that religion shall come up against religion, situations we can see today.

Together all those opposed to God shall do their best to have people to believe that either we should do away with all sorts of religion and should not believe in Allah or God, whilst others shall do their best to have people coming to their false religion.  Satan or satans, the adversary or adversaries of God shall come to cooperate as mischief workers amongst men. For them the most important is that nobody shall be a follower of Jesus Christ (a Christian) or would worship God as a united Body in Christ. The Islamic fundamentalist group “Islamic State” is the Satan which shall never let up their unrelenting desire to create a society under their control. (Matthew 9:34; Isaiah 14:12-15)

Continued malicious meddling

What we see happening today is a result of continued malicious meddling by “Satan and the demons”, the adversaries of god and those who are not sound in mind, as they prey upon the weakest of humanity. While fallen man is much to blame for these acts of violence, “wicked spirits” often enter sick or deluded minds, suggesting hideous acts of violence. The Scriptures describe in detail such incidents and the misery caused by evil spirit influence and possession. (Matthew 8:16; Mark 5:15; Luke 4:41; Luke 22:3)

Those who are inclined toward evil leave themselves open to suggestions from these wicked spirits. There are enough ‘lunatics’ or mad people who want to get their ideas into the mind of others. Some succeed cleverly to bring others in the ban of their thinking. Muslim extremists wreaking worldwide panic through acts of terror have been brain-washed by doctrines of ‘demons’, persons who have evil inside and want to bring that evil unto others, them believing that they have a God-directed mission to execute their victims. (1 Timothy 4:1) But, unlike the god of Muslim extremists, the God of real Muslims and the Judeo-Christian God, Jehovah, is a God of love, and He has told His children that there are seven things which are an abomination to Him — among these are hands that shed innocent blood, hearts that devise wicked plans, feet that run swiftly to evil and those who spread strife. (Proverbs 6:16-19) These activities describe well the acts of hateful extremists — no matter their religion.

16 There are six things that Jehovah does hate;+ yes, seven are things detestable to his soul:+ 17 lofty eyes,+ a false tongue,+ and hands that are shedding innocent blood,+ 18 a heart fabricating hurtful schemes,+ feet that are in a hurry to run to badness,+ 19 a false witness that launches forth lies,+ and anyone sending forth contentions among brothers.+ (Proverbs 6: 16-19)

While there are relatively few radicalised Muslims waging a war of terror, it is important to understand that the majority of Muslims are peace-loving. Christians must not succumb to the hysteria that creates fear of the entire Muslim community — most of whom are peaceable and reasonable. Remember Jesus’ admonition:

“Love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matthew 22:39)

Escalating into devastating worldwide violence of our day

Today’s Headlines Written Nearly 2,000 Years Ago

In His foreknowledge, God could look down to our time and see the hate and greed in the human heart that would escalate into the devastating worldwide violence of our day. In His wisdom, God has permitted this extreme level of evil under “Satan’s temporary reign” that it might teach an everlasting lesson to all mankind. god has given the world in the hands of man. It was man who accused God of not being fair and not giving him liberty. Now man has the liberty to choose how to rule and how to live. History has proven that they made a mess of it. This limited experience living in a world with evil is teaching mankind to hate iniquity and to long for a better day under a righteous ruler — Messiah.

Therefore, to provide hope to His people, God placed in His Word prophetic indicators which would point to the time when Satan’s kingdom of evil would begin to collapse. Four signs were given to the prophet Daniel which would mark the time of the end — the end of this present evil world under the dominion of Satan. (Daniel 12:1, 4; Galatians 1:4)

12 “And during that time Miʹcha·el*+ will stand up,+ the great prince*+ who is standing in behalf of the sons of your people.+ And there will certainly occur a time of distress such as has not been made to occur since there came to be a nation until that time.+ And during that time your people will escape,+ every one who is found written down in the book.+ 2 And there will be many of those asleep in the ground of dust who will wake up,+ these to indefinitely lasting life+ and those to reproaches [and] to indefinitely lasting abhorrence.+

3 “And the ones having insight will shine like the brightness* of the expanse;+ and those who are bringing the many to righteousness,+ like the stars to time indefinite, even forever.

4 “And as for you, O Daniel, make secret the words and seal up the book,+ until the time of [the] end.*+ Many will rove about, and the [true] knowledge* will become abundant.”+ (Daniel 12:1-4)

4 He gave himself for our sins+ that he might deliver us from the present wicked system of things*+ according to the will+ of our God and Father, (Galatians 1:4)

Signs for us to take heed

• “many shall run to and fro”

In the past 100 years, numerous modes of transportation have been invented, increasing the speed of travel from 20 mph to over 18,000 mph. This has been a blessing to most of humanity, but it has also brought with it a means for terrorists to spread their evil rapidly far and wide.

• “knowledge shall be increased”

Science and Invention magazine cover, November 1928

More than ninety percent of all scientists who have ever lived are alive today, and more than fifty percent of the world’s inventions have been created within the last three decades. Additionally, sophistication in communications allows man to see and hear global news instantly. This has created amazing tools to benefit mankind, but it has also provided terrorists the tools to spread their hate.

• Messiah will begin to “stand up” for Daniel’s “people”

Israel’s rebirth as a nation is a miracle of history. Never before has a nation been destroyed, its people dispersed to the ends of the earth and then — nearly 2,000 years later — regathered and reestablished as a nation. But, one of radical Islam’s most hated enemies is Israel. This horrible reality of terror has been playing out almost every day since Israel’s formation as a nation in 1948. And now, the other countries of the world are experiencing firsthand the fear of living their daily lives in expectation of yet another terrorist attack.

• “a time of trouble such as never was”

Yalta summit in February 1945 with (from left to right) Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin. Also present are USSR Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov (far left); Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew Cunningham, RN, Marshal of the RAF Sir Charles Portal, RAF, (both standing behind Churchill); Field Marshal Alan Brooke and Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy, USN, (standing behind Roosevelt). Note ornate carpets under the chairs. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Unprecedented trouble is the hallmark of our time and is confirmed by these recent tragic events. True, the world has always had trouble, but, prior to 1940, the potential for the annihilation of humanity by the single flick of a switch was unheard of. In the first three quarters of the 20th Century at least 100 million lives had been lost to war (Time Magazine, March 9, 1970). Thirty-four wars were being waged in 1988 alone. And today, “the weak say I am strong.” (Joel 3:10) A few, “the weak,” have brought the strong nations of the world into a state of extreme distress. Weakness, fuelled by jealousy, hatred, misinformation and prejudice punctuates Daniel’s vision of unprecedented trouble.

Maintaining Faith in an Unstable World

All four of these signs given to Daniel should give God’s people hope that the end of Satan’s evil regime is near. Yet, it is still hard to maintain faith in this unstable and frightening world. This makes it even more necessary that we, as Christians, take up the whole armour of God that we might be able to

“withstand in the evil day… having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God…” Ephesians 6:10-17

Yes, in this unstable world it takes an extreme, educated faith to believe that God’s plan will provide a constructive end to all the tears caused by evil — to believe that God is not indifferent to every sorrow. The Scriptures declare that He desires mankind to live in a world without fear, but He now allows Satan (God’s adversary) to rule for a limited time in order that each individual may learn valuable lessons — experiencing the results of evil and selfishness.

The world is quickly learning that it is helpless to win a war against evil. Thus we read,

“This sore travail has God given to man to be exercised therewith.” (Ecclesiastes 1:13)

It is comforting to know that when God finally says through His Son, It is enough — peace be still, we can rest assured that there will be great changes in the earth, and all will begin to see that the permission of evil was both educational and preparatory to the ushering of mankind into the ages of blessing to come, wherein

“all the families of the earth will be blessed.” (Genesis 28:14)

The promise is that once God, through His Son, puts an utter end to all evil,

“affliction shall not rise up the second time.” (Nahum 1:9; Job 34:29)

9 What will YOU men think up against Jehovah?+ He is causing an outright extermination.

Distress will not rise up a second time.+ (Nahum 1:9)

29 When he himself causes quietness, who, then, can condemn?

And when he conceals [his] face,+ who can behold him,

Whether it is toward a nation+ or toward a man,* it being the same thing? (Job 34:29)

In other words, the harsh lessons of evil will never be necessary again when all the families of the earth learn, by contrast, that love, peace, righteousness and unselfishness are far more preferable than living in this present evil world. The depth of God’s wisdom is shown in His foresight to devise a plan that provides for man’s free choice and experience with evil, but nevertheless brings redemption through Christ which will result in eternal happiness.

The Desire of All Nations Shall Come

Though God has permitted Satan’s evil influence for a relatively short time, He will soon put a stop to all evil and usher in His everlasting righteous Kingdom. Then the Scriptures assure us that all of “the inhabitants of the earth will learn righteousness” when the “knowledge of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the deep.” (Isaiah 26:9; 11:9)

7 The path of the righteous one is uprightness.+ You being upright, you will smooth out the very course of a righteous one.+ 8 Yes, for the path of your judgments, O Jehovah, we have hoped in you.+ For your name and for your memorial+ the desire of the soul has been.+ 9 With my soul I have desired you in the night;+ yes, with my spirit within me I keep looking for you;+ because, when there are judgments from you for the earth,+ righteousness+ is what the inhabitants of the productive land* will certainly learn.+ 10 Though the wicked one should be shown favor, he simply will not learn righteousness.+ In the land of straightforwardness he will act unjustly+ and will not see the eminence of Jehovah.+ (Isaiah 26:7-10)

9 They will not do any harm+ or cause any ruin in all my holy mountain;+ because the earth* will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea.*+ (Isaiah 11:9)

The time is coming when Jehovah, the Almighty God shall certainly bring home the world its own badness upon the productive land. The adversaries of God shall receive the consequences of their own error. Badness shall also come upon the wicked themselves. It is also written down that Jehovah shall actually cause the pride of the presumptuous ones to cease, and the haughtiness of the tyrants or ʽa·ri·tsimʹ  Jehovah shall abase. (Isaiah 1:11) Then there shall come the moment that the adversary or all those who are under the spell of the adversary will be destroyed — never to hurt nor deceive the world again. Babylon and the defiled ones with all people shall be paid back according to their activities. According to all that they have done.  The love of God will abundantly bestow blessings of life, peace and happiness upon all.

20 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven with the key of the abyss+ and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he seized the dragon,+ the original serpent,+ who is the Devil+ and Satan,+ and bound him for a thousand years. 3 And he hurled him into the abyss+ and shut [it] and sealed [it] over him, that he might not mislead the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After these things he must be let loose for a little while.+(Revelation 20:1-3)

Yes, the influence of God’s benevolent Kingdom will have an overwhelming transforming effect on the hearts of men. Of this mighty future work we read,

“And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.” (Ezekiel 11:19-20)

There is great cause to rejoice, for it is the severity and hopelessness of the world’s problems that mark us at the threshold of these promised Kingdom blessings. Just as the terror of today was prophesied, the resurrection of all who have ever lived is also assured in prophecy. Then, all those who perished in the terrors of this day will be reunited with their loved ones, and

“The desire of all nations shall come.” (Haggai 2:7)

Legitimate Desires

What are Some of These Legitimate Desires?

Ask the homeless family living in times of unemployment,

“What is your desire?”

Their answer will be,

“If only we had a place to call home.”

God promises:

“They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit. They shall not plant and another eat.” (Isaiah 65:21-23)

Ask the father of a child dying of cancer,

“What is your desire?”

His answer will be,

“If only there were no sickness and crippling diseases, no cancer, no blindness, no pain and suffering.”

Thank God! These desires will be fulfilled in His Kingdom:

“And no inhabitant will say I am sick.” “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, the ears of the deaf unstopped, then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy.” (Isaiah 33:24; 35:5,6)

And what will be the desire of the young man on the field of battle,

“If only there were no wars and man could learn to live in peace.”

The Kingdom promise is:

“They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Micah 4:3)

Ask the Mother of the young man killed at the hand of a terrorist,

“What is your desire?”

and she will say,

“If only I could hold him and see him happy again.”

Yes, the most blessed promise of all, lost loved ones will be united once again in the resurrection.

“I will ransom them from the power of the grave…” (Hosea 13:14; Isaiah 25:8)

“And the ransomed of the Lord shall return with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.” (Isaiah 35:10)

These are but a few of the legitimate desires, which shall be satisfied. This is the promise of God’s Kingdom to come, where His will shall be done on earth, as it is even now done in heaven. (Matthew 6:10)

Close your eyes for a moment to the scenes of misery and woe, degradation and sorrow that yet prevail on account of sin, and picture before your mental vision the glory of the perfect earth.
Not a stain of sin will mar the harmony and peace of a perfect society, not a bitter thought, not an unkind look or word.
Love welling up from every heart will meet a kindred response in every other heart, and benevolence will mark every act.
There sickness shall be no more — not an ache nor a pain, nor any evidence of decay — not even the fear of such things.
Such will earth’s society be, and weeping bereaved ones will have their tears all wiped away, when thus they realize the resurrection work complete. (Revelation 21:4)

The year of God

2015 might have been the year of ISIS, in 2016 they shall not be off the radar. We know that everything may become worse but those who believe in god have good prospects and may build on their hope which is build on those prophesies from the Holy Scriptures.

Let us use that bible to guide us through the times coming and let us look forward to the return of Christ.

For sure to all the suffering shall come an end. Looking at the signs described in the Bible we do know we are not so far off from the Last Days. Than we shall have the Day of Jesus, when he shall judge all. Let us make sure that we shall be by the ones justified to enter the small gate of the Kingdom of God, being pleased to be united as partakers of God’s promise, united in the Body of Christ in the Year of God, notifying that the years of ISIS are over.

+

Preceding article:

Belgian Bible Students review of 2015

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Additional reading

1. What is life?
2. Kitty Werthmann her account of grewing up in Austria under Nazi regime
3. 150 Years after the 13th Amendment
4. 2014 Religion
5. Social media a destabilisation tool in the Middle East and Syrian conflict
6. Islamophobic hate crimes rise in UK following terror attacks
7. Wrong choices made to get rid of Assad
8. Stronger than anything that wants to destroy
9. Being Charlie 8
10. French Muslims under attack
11. Syrian but also Belgian connection to French attacks
12. Refugee crisis, terrorist attacks and created fear
13. Massive police operation in northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis
14. Coming closer to the end of 2015 and the end for Donald Trump as presidential candidate
15. Summary for the year 2015 #1 Threat and fear
16. Summary for the year 2015 # 2 Strewn with corpses and refugees
17. 2015 Human rights
18. Stepping Toes 2015 in review
19. Is ISIS a product of American in-action or a product of direct action
20. Islamic State forcing the West to provide means for Kurdistan
21. Paris attacks darkening the world
22. Brussels-born Salah Abdeslam key suspect Paris terrorist attacks
23. Trump brand of migrant demonization #2
24. Bijbelvorsers Blogging annual report and 2015 in review
25. The Existence of Evil
26. Evil in the bible
27. Heavenly creatures do they exist
28. The “Mighty Ones”
29. Angels in Old Testament History
30. Guardian Angels?
31. The Angels in World Affairs
32. Evil in the bible
33. Satan or the devil
34. Lucifer
35. Satan the evil within
36. Christendom Astray The Devil Not A Personal Super-Natural Being
37. Where does Satan lives?
38. October month of witches and spirits
39. Autumn traditions for 2014 – 2 Summersend and mansend
40. Autumn traditions for 2014 – 3 Black Mass, Horror spectacles and pure puritans
41. Autumn traditions for 2014 – 4 Blasphemy and ridiculing faith in God
42. The Importance of the Prophetic
43. Al-Fatiha [The Opening] Süra 1: 4-7 Merciful Lord of the Creation to show us the right path
44. Arguments about believe and About Christianity versus Atheism
45. To Soar In The Spirit You Have To Be Hard Core
46. The redemption of man by Christ Jesus
47. Sayings of Jesus, what to believe and being or not of the devil
48. The Soul confronted with Death
49. Intellectual servility a curse of mankind
50. Running away from the past
51. Being Religious and Spiritual 5 Gnostic influences
52. Challenging claim
53. Remember the day
54. A voice cries out: context
55. Getting out of the dark corners of this world
56. God of gods
57. The Song of The Lamb #1 Visions, symbols and suggested meanings
58. Remain lovingly = No path for softies
59. The chosen ones to fear or not to fear
60. God my fence, my hope for the future
61. Jesus Christ is the perfect security in storms
62. Understand what the will of the Lord is
63. Kingdom of God what will it be like

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Further reading

1. A Clash Within Civilization
2. ‘US Doesn’t Understand What It’s Doing in Syria’ – CIA Veteran
3. PA security forces warn of permeation of ISIS ideology; Laud Israel-PA-US cooperation
4. Swedish govt in “panic” after ISIS letters give 3 days to convert to Islam or be decapitated
5. Christian mothers, wives take up the fight against ISIS, whose women serve as suicide bombers and slaves
6. Too Great a Sacrifice? The KDF Pull-Out Debate
7. A Job far away from completion
8. Indonesia: ISIS considers country un-Islamic
9. Nearly 19,000 Civilians Killed in Iraq Since 2014, U.N. Reports
10. From Paris suburb to bloody attack, portrait of IS jihadis
11. Isis will fail to emulate Islam’s great conquests. Here’s why
12. Stop ISIS by Welcoming Refugees
13. Isis Develops ‘Alrawi’ Encrypted Messaging App for Android: Report (1)
14. Isis Develops ‘Alrawi’ Encrypted Messaging App for Android: Report (2)
15. Alarming Evidence Suggests ISIS is Now a US-Israel Proxy Army
16. ‘It’s a criminal gang pretending to be a state’: Discontent grows in ISIS ‘caliphate’ as oil funds dry up
17. The Great ISIS Recession
18. The Long Fight Against ISIS
19. David Cameron criticises BBC for use of ‘Islamic State’
20. Meet the New Gangster Warlords of Latin America
21. In God We Trust
22. The War on Nothing
23. Today’s Victory Reminder: God Redeems Sinners
24. Verse of the day – Forsake me not, O Lord
25. Behold the Lamb of God!
26. Redemption in Christ
27. Grace, Redemption, and Bearing Fruit
28. Looking Back at Life through the Lens of Romans 8:28
29. Terorisme tidak harus dilihat dari lensa agama
30. Dunia Orde Baru Akan Menguasai Dunia Dengan Teror

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