Collapse of Western civilisation
The State is now seen as supreme – and woe betide you if you think differently
Western civilisation is tottering dangerously.
The primary cause is the abandonment of biblical Christianity.
The Bible makes it very plain that it is righteousness before God which alone exalts a nation (Proverbs 14:34).
Modern man, however, thinks that he is far too sophisticated to acknowledge the providence of God in such matters. So he trusts scientists and experts instead to provide all the answers. But our institutions now favour cultural Marxism, which insists that the biblical teaching on marriage, gender and the family are outmoded and irrelevant.
Cultural Marxism also demands global co-ordination to deal with an alleged climate change crisis, and it vigorously promotes the idea that it is morally wrong for a nation to control its borders.
The new creed makes the State supreme, while its institutions are capable – eg by “following the science” – of solving all mankind’s problems.
We see an open assault upon individual liberty; ‘the establishment’ denigrates or forbids public expression of any opinions contrary to the politically correct norm, even on medical issues. The State now presumes it can arbitrate on an individual’s medical choices.
Note that our civilisation’s collapse is taking place against the backdrop of increasing restrictions on the freedom of Christians publicly to proclaim all that the Bible teaches. When that freedom goes, then all other civil liberties are in danger as well, and even atheists should be worried.
The excessive fear generated over Covid 19 in the past two years represents a failure to believe the Christian doctrine of the fall of man, which teaches that sickness, including viruses, will be with us until the end of time.
He does not lock himself away, but gets on with the business of living
The Christian believer, while not being reckless about reasonable health precautions, has the confidence of knowing that his health is in the hands of the Almighty. He is therefore not overwhelmed by fear. If he is healthy, he thanks the Lord each new day for this grace.
He does not lock himself away, but gets on with the business of living. If he is overcome with sickness, he seeks the Lord afresh and submits himself to him.
The only answer to the collapse of our civilisation is the preaching of the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Man is far more than just a mindless digital entity to be dealt with by technocratic planners taking us into the great reset of a brave new world.
Man primarily is a sinner who needs saving by the grace of God in Jesus Christ.
Pastor Peter Simpson
Penn Free Methodist Church
High Wycombe, Bucks
Where is the ‘new normal’ Church?
It’s time to raise our expectations
Recently I was praying for the sick in a meeting and lots of people came to the front for prayer… only there was no real expectancy to actually be healed.
These people came up to the front wanting a nice prayer for their sickness before returning to their seats.
When I pray for people, I don’t pray a prayer for their sickness; I pray for a release of the healing power of God into them!
I prayed for one man who was healed straightaway. When I interviewed him in front of the church, he demonstrated his healing in front of everyone. By this time everyone had sat back down and I told them, “Come back up a second time, because you can be healed.’
Normal church is what you see in the book of Acts
They had seen a healing! I knew there were more healings to come, but years of not seeing any supernatural had resulted in their expectations being set low.
You see, I am convinced that normal church is what you see in the book of Acts and in the life of Jesus; revival, the power of God let loose through the Holy Spirit, mass healings, raising of the dead, salvations, demons cast out, prophetic ministry, together with a lifestyle of holiness and the preaching of repentance. I believe that this is the standard that is set for normal church life!
Everything below that standard is subnormal church. And I believe that it is time to raise the standard and set heights higher for what can happen in church gatherings across the UK.
I know there are some good churches out there, but let me ask you when was the last time in church gatherings that there was an explosion of healings, deliverances, lives being changed, repentance, a flow of the prophetic, the power and presence of God radically touching people’s lives, not only in one-off meetings, but on a regular basis?
Rev Mark Gamblin
www.doxa-encounters-ministries.com
Endtime Guesswork
I see Revelation as a history of the last 2500 years
I was interested to read Eldo Barkhuizen’s interpretation of the rapture question (Oct/Nov 2021) and then, in the Dec/Jan 2021-22 paper, letters from John Stone and Bertram Lewis.
Yet the rapture (and other ‘endtime’ topics) seem to rely on much assumption and guesswork.
Peter said the prophetic Word was “as a light that shines in a dark place” (2 Peter 1:9) much needed when the clouds of sin are everywhere.
By searching the Scriptures (as Jesus urged) we can learn the truth.
I believe a key to interpreting the Book of Revelation and seeing “where we are at”, is to take note of Daniel 12, where the angel says twice: “Shut up the words and seal the book till the time of the end”.
Since 1967 when Israel took back Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, surely the “times of the gentiles” have been fulfilled (Luke 2:24; and Revelation 11:2), ushering in a new season, the ‘time of the end’.
Furthermore, if we use the ‘day-year principle’ on the “months”, “weeks” and “days” passages in Daniel (and Revelation – adjusting the Old Testament’s lunar months and New Testament’s solar calendar) to call one day = one year, then the book of Revelation can be seen as a history of the Church and Israel over the last approx. 2,500 years.
By comparing and examining biblical prophetic narratives, one gets to see an unfolding picture of the identity of the “abomination of desolation” (Dome of the Rock) and understand the looming Islamic Jihadist threat. (See Daniel 7:4,5,6 and Rev 13:2 – the three-part Beast).
I can understand people sticking loyally to a long-held interpretation (notably the Pre-millennial which provides an “opt-out” of trouble) – and I held that for 50-odd years!
However, since facing up to the discrepancies in that viewpoint (such as the positioning of the rapture when Jesus said “AFTER the tribulation of those days”, “with the sound of a great trumpet” the “angels would gather the elect…”) and recalling things I was told when first saved, it seems to me that prophetic truth – like many other biblical doctrines – has suffered in these lax and self-reliant days.
To get a fuller picture, go to ellisskolfield.net I believe it will open our eyes to view the urgency of the hour now upon us.
John Zipser
Bexhill on Sea, East Susse