​

May I have your attention for a moment? I write as a lay person with a deep concern for Christianity in the modern world.
I am inviting comment and reflection, maybe some will share my passion, some may disagree. However, let us review how we practically live out our Christianity in this age.
Where do I begin? Back in the mid 70’s I made a very conscious decision to refer to the Christian scripture as the last word on matters of faith and reality. I had experienced a prodigal’s return and building on my Christian roots was crucial to the journey back to normality.
It became clear to me early on, that pride in its various forms was a very basic trap, so I resolved to keep matters simple. It was clear to me that our God does not judge on the basis of intelligence therefore the truth had to be simple and understandable.
If the bible was indeed God’s roadmap for life then its understanding was not confined to the scholars, but rather the keys for understanding were available to all.

From my learning about Church history I found that repeatedly, when God impacted a whole society and there was wholesale repentance, everywhere bibles were being dusted off, as everyone intuitively knew that when things got serious with God, the bible was the place to look for understanding.
And so it is today, we are in need of a fresh visitation; our society is progressively and rapidly rejecting Christian values and truths.

But it is us I would like to talk about. Brothers and Sisters in Christ, how does our mode of living compare to the simple teachings of the scripture?
There is general agreement that wherever Jesus reigns the Kingdom of God is present.
God in Jesus was quite specific about how we should recognise this. He sent word to John, in order that these would be no doubt, “the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.”

Now the reality is that these signs of the Kingdom are almost totally absent in New Zealand Christianity today yet these signs confirm the presence of Jesus.
What then has happened? This evidence of Jesus was clearly present in the early church but is noticeably absent in modern day Christianity for the most part.
I have to say that there are some simple reasons for this.
Those committed to our church work have become sophisticated and professional. They are generally well trained, talented individuals, able to lead, good managers, but are usually unfamiliar with the power of Jesus at work.

Why has this happened?
Looking back on the last thirty years, the times when Kingdom miracle signs have been evident in New Zealand certain conditions have been met.
Firstly there has been a God given unity among the believers involved.
Management and motivation were not predominant but simple Faith and Love was.
There was generally a lay ministry flowing, the believers would come together to share what God had done, there was a credible manifestation of Jesus in everyday life.
Being part of such an exciting experience meant that things of earth did grow strangely dim… we held onto our possessions more lightly, and there was supply for those who stepped out in God’s purpose without visible support.
The body of believers owned the vision which was planted in their hearts by Jesus rather than being sold by the leaders.
It seems that in the absence of God’s power we have built better programmes to compensate, become better organised so much so that it would be business as usual whether Jesus turns up or not.
Of course we have modified our theology to justify what isn’t happening, but this only masks the problem.
How then do we return to a vibrant biblical Christianity with conversion growth, and transformed lives? We need to return to the early church model clearly represented in the first Jerusalem Church (Acts 2:42-47), and the writings of Paul.
Start small with your close friends, read the scripture together and give God a blank page and room to move. Say less and pray more. Believe and act on the words of promise in the scripture. Confess your sin to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed…

How is everyone doing out there?

With NATO getting more involved, we can possibly look at much more warfare in the world, even possibly end times, or at least much suffering.

There could be food chain supply problems and such in the US or in Europe or elsewhere, greatly increasing the sufferings of People in general.

What do you have to say about this as far as missionary work?

My thoughts are that we must simply encourage unsaved peoples to repent and be baptized!

Please help with your experiences and also any Bible verses.

Shalom

Can you please pray for me that the Lord will teach me to pray?

Thank you for your prayers!

May the Lord bless you abundantly (Luke 6:38, Job 42:10) and may he bless Israel in Jesus' name. Amen!

Soli Deo Gloria

PS And I pray that the Lord will send out harvesters into his harvest (Matthew 9:38).

Please pray I have stomach and back pain, please pray the cause of it will go away miracle in Jesus Name

"Israel has launched a missile attack against Qatar's capital Doha, aimed it says at Hamas leaders. The Qatari government has responded with outrage and shock, accusing the Netanyahu government of “state terrorism”.

President Trump maintains that he was only made aware of the strike by the US military, and tried to warn the Qatari leadership. '

Just...what? Netanyahu has lost his mind.

I am experiencing pain throughout my whole body, and even strong painkillers cannot completely take it away. Yet my true desire is not to give up, but to encounter God in my lifetime and to witness Him restore what concerns me, just as it is written in Psalm 138:8. While I wait for His Word, I pray that He will block the works of the enemy, open every good opportunity before me, heal my pain, and grant me wisdom to walk in fellowship with Him. Please pray for me sincerely, bless me, and ask that peace may be upon me. And if the time has not yet come for me to receive this peace, may that blessing return to you.

Understanding how salvation relates to divine sovereignty and human responsibility has been a source of tension and struggles for many centuries. Calvinism is one of the most influential theological systems in church history, shaping how many Christians understand the gospel, grace, and God’s purposes. But what is Calvinism, what do Calvinists believe, and how does the Bible speak to these issues?

Historical roots​

Calvinism is a branch of Protestant theology that emphasizes the sovereignty of God in salvation. It is named after the 16th-century Reformer John Calvin (1509–1564), whose writings helped shape the Protestant Reformation alongside Martin Luther and others. While Calvin himself didn’t invent all of its ideas, his teaching systematized doctrines of grace that became central to Reformed theology.

Calvinism teaches that salvation is entirely a work of God—planned by the Father, accomplished by Christ, and applied by the Holy Spirit. Calvinists believe that left to themselves, people would never choose God, but through His sovereign grace, God calls and saves His people.

Strictly speaking, Calvinism is synonymous with the broader Reformed tradition, with specific teachings on the sacraments and other doctrines, but on the popular level, Calvinism has been summarized into the Five Points of Calvinism, or TULIP.

The Five Points of Calvinism (TULIP)​

Continued below.

What is Calvinism and its beliefs?

But what is Calvinism, what do Calvinists believe, and how does the Bible speak to these issues

www.christianpost.com

'Bizarre incident' caught on video

Bestselling author and evangelist Ray Comfort says he was falsely accused of chasing down a woman in Southern California in what he called a “bizarre incident.”

Comfort, 75, told The Christian Post on Tuesday that the strange encounter was all caught on video and began with the New Zealand-born author and evangelist asking about the woman’s beliefs about Heaven and eternity.

“If I remember correctly, the interview began with me asking if she believed in an afterlife and whether she thought she was good enough to go to Heaven when she died,” said Comfort. “I then walked her through some of the Ten Commandments to show that none of us are good enough to earn Heaven.”

Continued below.

What the Bible says about the Second Coming of Christ

Christians have always asked the question: When will Jesus return? Every generation seems to hope or expect it will happen in their lifetime. Some have even gone so far as to set dates, but every prediction has failed. What we do know for certain is this: the Bible promises that Jesus will return, but it also tells us that no one knows the exact time. That promised event is called the Second Coming.

What is the Second Coming?​

The Second Coming refers to the future, visible, and glorious return of Jesus to earth. This is the moment when He will fulfill God’s promises, bring justice, and complete the salvation of His people. His first coming was marked by humility—He came as a servant and suffered for our sins. His second coming will be marked by majesty—He will come as King and Judge. Hebrews puts it this way: Christ came once to bear sin, and He will appear again “not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:28).

Key passages about the Second Coming​

Continued below.

When is Jesus coming back?

That promised event is called the Second Coming

www.christianpost.com

I continue to ask for your deep and fervent prayers, please.

Unfortunately, my brother got back together with his ex-"boyfriend." Even though he habitually cheated on him, among other issues.

Please pray for a final break up, and they will permanently part ways.

Please pray for my brother to return to Christ and the sacraments, lest he lose his salvation.

Thank you

God bless

​

There is an issue that has contributed to a weak church today.

Our Father wants to express Himself to the world today through the family of God - in His fullness.

Social pressure has led to us presenting a palatable Gospel without the aspects of God’s nature that might offend.

We have failed to allow expression of many of His attributes and in doing so have made our God ‘PC’

To get a balanced picture of His character it is necessary to consider the whole of scripture and not just the New Testament.
Many believers have struggled to reconcile the Christ from the New with the God of Israel from the Old.

The aspects of God that have been conveniently ignored are in fact crucial to a strong Church. These could be called the ‘negative’ attributes of God, are not ‘nice’ and include the following…

Our God judges, is jealous, hates sin, is terrible, destroys, gets angry, consumes like a fire, takes vengeance and is intolerant.
Presenting a soft view of God has lead to having a generation of believers that have little comprehension or experience of the “fear” of God.

There is a corresponding lack of wisdom among us, compounded by the modern trend towards young leadership in some Churches. By fear, I mean to honour and respect for a God who is awesome and holy. This is not to be confused with an unholy fear associated with sects and cults to control adherents.

This failure to represent of the fear of God to the Church has also meant that the Church’s voice in the world is muted.

How do we correct this lack of knowledge of such an important part of God’s character?

Three things come to mind.

Firstly, these aspects of God’s character are more often than not expressed through God’s prophets. You may ask - where are they? In many cases the structure and dynamic of our churches fails to make room for such a ministry. The one who is brave enough to say that we need to repent is often seen immediately as imbalanced ‘flakey’ or plainly deceived. In the early church there was a fellowship of prophets serving the family of God to bring His word. This is virtually unheard of today and would likely be viewed as a dangerous clique. This grouping of prophets in a district should be welcomed and serve to bring God’s Word to the Shepard’s in the area.

Secondly there has been a trend away from preaching and towards teaching. It is not surprising that preaching the Gospel has less appeal in the modern church as we are exhorted to go out and preach whereas most preachers stay in and preach. In staying in, they are all too often addressing a convinced audience. As in the early church, preaching should be done in public where the unsaved are. This is where the word of judgment has a significant place. Preaching with signs following in the market place results in radical conversions, which in turn challenge the church and stimulate renewal.

Thirdly our current generation seems to lack the personal close encounters with the Almighty that many of us remember, permanently changing our lives. I still recall a prayer time with students at Otago University in the 70’s when ‘God passed by…’ I was speechless for several hours. An encounter of that nature leaves one with a permanent deep respect and healthy fear of our Lord for a lifetime.
We sing about His awe, but if there was revelation knowledge of His holiness our gatherings would be more likely to command His respect and fear.

At least 2 senior Hamas officials said to have been present

The Israeli Air Force struck a building in the Qatari capital of Doha on Tuesday, in an attempt to eliminate the senior leadership of the terror organization Hamas.

Footage from Doha showed smoke rising above the capital. The Qatari outlet Al-Arabi reported that the building served as the bureau of Hamas official, Khalil al-Hayya.

A senior Israeli official told Israeli news outlets: “We struck the Hamas leadership in Qatar, including Khalil al-Hayya and [Zaher] al-Jabarin. We are awaiting the results of the strike. There is a consensus among the political and security leadership.”

Continued below.

Hi there,

What is your take on the matter of restricting prophesy to needing to have a positive message based on 1 Cor 14:3

How does this sit with the rest of scripture which records many times Prophesy brings a message of warning, and rebuke.

Encounter with a genuine prophet is more likely to result in one being uncomfortable it seems.

Discussion please.

Rosie O’Donnell revealed on a recent episode of the “No Filter” podcast (via Entertainment Weekly) that she was forced to miss her daughter’s college graduation due to security concerns regarding her potential return to the United States amid an ongoing feud with Donald Trump. The television icon moved to Ireland after Trump was re-elected president last November.

“My daughter graduated college and I didn’t go back because the security people said to me they didn’t think it was wise,” O’Donnell said. “Because I think Trump will use me to rile his base.”

(continued below)

Near the end of the 7 years, in Daniel 11:40-44, the beast-king headquartered in Jerusalem will be attacked from the south, then north, then east.

Why ? We can only speculate. imo, it will be because the beast-king (king of the West, i.e the EU with likely allies of Canada and the United States) will be directing all the middle east oil to the western alliance. Oil being the life blood of the nations, will give them no choice but to attack the beast-king to free up the oil.

It should be noted that the attack from the east will be by the armies of China (Revelation 16:12). In Revelation 9:13-19, there will be a third of mankind killed by a 200,000,000 size army. So I think that will be by the armies of China as they march westward through Pakistan, India. Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, and other "stan" countries.

So there will be a big battle near the end of the 7 years, Daniel 11:40-44.

As the battle is taking place, like a thief in the night, the sixth seal event will happen and the world will see Jesus in heaven, sickle in hand.

In the face of the threat to their existence, the nations will stop battling with the beast king and his armies, and will unite under the beast-king's leadership (Revelation 16:12-16). And with their armies already in the middle east will gather at Armageddon to prepare for making war on Jesus and His army of heaven.

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs is expected to rescind a Biden-era policy allowing abortions to be performed under certain circumstances at affiliated hospitals.

Last month, the department announced a proposed rule to remove the Biden-era policy at its hospitals, with the official window for public comment being closed last week.

In a statement provided to The Christian Post, a VA spokesperson described the Biden administration policy as a “politically motivated change” to the longstanding standard of not providing abortions.

“Prior to the Biden Administration’s politically motivated change in 2022, federal law and longstanding precedent across Democrat and Republican administrations prevented VA from providing abortions and abortion counseling,” stated the spokesperson. “VA’s proposed rule will reinstate the pre-Biden bipartisan policy, bringing the department back in line with historical norm.”

Continued below.

A recent court ruling has decided the ownership of church properties in a dispute between the United Methodist Church and the theologically conservative Global Methodist Church.

Judge George W. Smith of the 6th Judicial Circuit, Civil Law Court in Liberia, ruled last month that the UMC rightfully controls several church properties, and not the GMC.

“The GMC and Rev. Jerry P. Kulah hold no legal or equitable right, title or interest in UMC Liberia Annual Conference properties, including worship centers, schools, hospitals and other facilities,” Smith ruled.

Continued below.

In the article associated with the following link, it says that in today's modern secular music, female singers and male singers are harshly insulting each other:

Why female pop stars are lambasting mediocre men

Judging by her lyrics, Sabrina Carpenter (pictured) has mixed feelings towards men. She finds her paramours attractive, exciting—and disappointing. In “Manchild”, the lead single on her new album, she complains her lover is “stupid”, “slow” and “useless”. She asks, mocking a caveman, “Why so sexy if so dumb? / And how survive the Earth so long?”

“Manchild” is not the only track on the record to lambast mediocre men: time and again Ms Carpenter takes aim at blokes who can barely “do the dishes” or “assemble a chair from IKEA”. The American pop star suggests her beaux are dumb, as when, in “Sugar Talking”, she says: “You’re having these epiphanies, big word for a real small mind.” Some do not understand basic grammar. In “Slim Pickins”, a hit from last year, she complains about a man who “doesn’t even know the difference between there, their and they are”.

.......more text....more text.....................

Men are pushing back, at least musically. In August the top album on the Billboard 200 chart was “I’m the Problem” by Morgan Wallen, an American country singer. “If I’m so awful,” he sings, “then why’d you stick around this long?”

Click to expand...

It's Not merely fun-loving teasing. When people ( especially young adults, teenagers & kids ) listen to the aforementioned songs, opposite sexes subconsciously learn to mistreat each, and disrespect each other. This is what leads to marriages breaking up.

( Important Side Note: Nowadays, we have to be concerned about people listening to modern music that has lyrics with inappropriate sexually-related lustful words and phrases, but we also have to be concerned about the aforementioned. It's becoming a complex, scary & frightening world ).

There is Nothing wrong with fun-loving teasing between men & women, & even a civil healthy debate about the role of men vs women in society. However, it's bad if it turns into extreme disrespect and/or abuse. Pray The Holy Spirit encourages more respect & sensitivity between the male and female sexes/genders:

Next year the US is hosting the World Cup. That is a HUUUUUUUGE worldwide event.

Do you think that the immigration "crackdown" we see happenning now is going to affect attendance? There has been a NOT AT ALL subtle drop in tourism to the US in the last year.

Do you think World Cup organizers and FIFA are a bit anxious as they watch this unfold?

Personally, I would be. I will bet numbers will be lower for this WC in the United Sates and it will directly be attributable to curent policy.

On the plus side, hopefully Canada will get a BIG boost in tourism! I'd even heard talk of shifting some games from the US up to Canada (but that is all rumour at this point).

John Macarthur, a noted independent evangelical leader who was also a Calvinist died in 2025. He's left a literary legacy. What do you think his legacy on evangelicalism has been?

Please pray The Holy Spirit Stops the political violence in Nepal so that peaceful civil healthy political debate can take place:

The word “Antichrist” gets thrown around often. Politicians are called it, dictators accused of it, and movies dramatize it. For some, it’s nothing more than a myth. Atheist writer Christopher Hitchens dismissed the Antichrist as “apocalyptic fantasy,” while Hollywood portrays him as a shadowy villain plotting world domination. But what does the Bible actually teach about the Antichrist, and how should Christians understand him today?

What the Bible says about the Antichrist

The New Testament letters of John first used the word. John warns that “you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come” (1 John 2:18). Right away, the Bible shows two realities: there is a final Antichrist still to appear, but there are also many “antichrists” already active in the world.

The word itself means both “against Christ” and “in place of Christ.” The Antichrist does not only oppose Jesus but also seeks to replace Him with a counterfeit version of truth. John explains that “every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God,” calling this “the spirit of the antichrist” (1 John 4:3).

Paul adds more detail in 2 Thessalonians, describing “the man of lawlessness” who will exalt himself and even sit “in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God” (2 Thess. 2:3–4). Revelation 13paints an even starker picture of a beast rising from the sea, wielding global power, performing miraculous signs, and demanding worship. Together, these passages describe the Antichrist as deceptive, arrogant, and dangerous—a figure who leads people into false worship and rebellion against God.

Different Christian views

Continued below.

Who is the Antichrist?

The word Antichrist gets thrown around often Politicians are called it, dictators accused of it, and movies dramatize it

www.christianpost.com

Trump Appointee’s Job in Jeopardy Over X-Rated Cowboy Story He Wrote​

A POLITICO report published Sunday revealed that Tucker Stewart, the deputy assistant secretary of agriculture, has become the talk of Washington after a 28-page love story he previously penned—featuring graphic ███ ██ scenes and other explicit content—made its way through government circles.

Stewart reportedly shared the X-rated tale, that centers on a cowboy living in Washington, with fellow Hill staffers while serving as a senior adviser to GOP Sen. Roger Marshall, the role he held before he became top Capitol Hill liaison for Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

The Kansas native is now at the center of D.C. gossip as his story circulates not only through USDA offices but also among trade groups, lobbyists, and officials in other federal departments, POLITICO reported.

In context, Peter and John, two of Jesus’ disciples/apostles, were instrumental in the healing of a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb. While the man was still clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them, full of amazement, as if the apostles had healed this man by their own power. And the following was Peter’s response to the people:


Now, when I read this, I got to thinking about how this might look today, from a spiritual only perspective. For there are many people today who are professing faith in the one true God – the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit – but who are denying the Lord Jesus and his teachings, in practice, and who are replacing Jesus in their hearts and minds with a false god and a false christ created in the minds of human beings, who is the opposite of who Jesus was and still is today.

For, if all we do is we make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord of our lives, but then we are not crucified with him in death to sin, and we are not raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin, but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness, and so we go on living in sin, deliberately and habitually, and so we ignore his commands, and so we do not obey him, in practice, we, too, are disowning Jesus, and we are seeking a replacement for him and for his gospel.

Do you see the parallels?

For Jesus Christ taught that to come to him we must deny self, take up our cross daily (die daily to sin), and follow (obey) him. For if we hold on to living in sin and for self, we will lose our lives for eternity. But if we deny self, die daily to sin, by the Spirit, and we walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in his power, then we have eternal life with God. For not everyone who calls him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one DOING (obeying) the will of God (see Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23).

For by God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ, which is not of our own doing, we are crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but as slaves to righteousness in walks of obedience to God’s commands. We are no longer to permit sin to reign in our mortal bodies to make us obey its desires. For if sin is what we obey, it results in death. But if obedience to God is what we obey, it results in sanctification, and its end is eternal life with God (see Romans 6:1-23).

The grace of God, which is bringing us salvation, is training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for Jesus’ return. For Christ “gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.” “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (See Titus 2:11-14; Ephesians 2:8-10)

And we learn in 1 John 1-3 that if we claim that we have fellowship with God, but yet we walk in darkness (sin), we are liars. If we claim that we know God, but we do not obey his commandments, in practice, we are liars. For it is not the one who claims he is “in Christ” who is “in Christ,” but it is the one who has denied self, died with Christ to sin, and who is now walking in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in practice, and no longer in sin. We have the hope and the promise of eternal life with God in heaven.

Therefore, if we buy into a “gospel” message that teaches that all we have to do is to profess faith in Jesus Christ with our lips, and now all our sins are forgiven, and heaven is now our eternal destiny guaranteed, but regardless of how we live, we are accepting the “murderer” in place of Jesus Christ, and we are disowning Christ and who he is and what he did for us on that cross. For Jesus put our sins to death with him on that cross that we might die to sin and now walk in obedience to his commands in holy living, in his power.

Gospel:[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

Walking in The Light

Based off 1 John 1-2
An Original Work / November 16, 2011
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

When I lift up my voice, and
Sing praise unto God,
I will fellowship with my
Lord and Savior, King.
In Him there is no darkness.
He is in the light of truth.
If we walk in His light,
From sin He purifies.

If we repent of our sins,
He’ll forgive us now,
When we humble ourselves, and
Before Jesus bow.
The man who says, “I know Him,”
But does not obey His truth,
There is no truth in him.
In darkness still he’s found.

Do not love the world of sin,
For it is hell bound.
If you follow the world, you’ll
Not in Christ be found.
The world and its desires
Will not last; they’ll expire.
The one who does God’s will,
Receives eternal life.

See that what you have heard from
Christ remains in you.
Then, you’ll remain in Christ, and
In His Father, too.
This is what He promised us –
His eternal life with God.
So, continue in Him, and
You’ll receive a crown.

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Disowning Jesus, Accepting the Lie
An Original Work / September 8, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love