Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

The Christian Message: Prophetic, Not Diplomatic
Sep 8th, 2013
Thought For The WeekA.W.Tozer
Categories: Commentary;Exhortation

We who witness and proclaim the gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish goodwill between Christ and the world.

We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, modern education, or the world of sports.

We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum!

God offers life out of death. It stands always on the far side of the cross. Whoever would possess it must pass under the rod. He must repudiate himself and concur in God's just sentence against him.

What does this mean to the individual, the condemned man who would find life in Christ Jesus? How can this theology be trenslated into life?

Simply, he must repent and believe. He must forsake his sins and then go on to forsake himself.

Let him cover nothing, defend nothing, excuse nothing.

Let him not seek to make terms with God, but let him bow his head before the stroke of God's stern displeasure and acknowledge himself worthy to die.

Having done this, let him gaze with simple trust upon the risen Saviour, and from Him will come life and rebirth and cleansing and power. The cross that ended the earthly life of Jesus now puts an end to the sinner; and the power that raised Christ from the dead now raises him to a new life along with Christ.

"For Christ sent me . . .to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 1 Corinthians 1:17 A.W Tozer

Sources: the Pentagon is Planning a Wider Attack
Sep 8th, 2013
Daily NewsJersalem on Line
Categories: Today's Headlines;War

“The Los Angeles Times” quotes official sources in Washington that say that the White House asked to increase the number of targets in Syria and that the operation will be three days long.

Photography: Reuters

“The Los Angeles Times” reports that according to high ranking sources in American government, the Pentagon has widened the scope of attack, which includes bombing for three days – longer than the time set in the original plan.

Furthermore the sources were quoted saying that the wider and longer plan of attack shows the growing belief that the US will need to exercise stronger force in order to cause damage to Syrian President Bashar Assad’s army.    

Two American officers were quoted in the report, saying that the White House has asked to increase the number of targets – over 50 more than first planned. At the same time, the officers said that the Pentagon is considering using bombers – in addition to the 5 destroyers that have already arrived in the Mediterranean.

Kerry:” Obama does not need a majority in congress”

While the White House has been busy recruiting support for an attack for several days now, it seems that American Secretary of State is preparing for the possibility of failure in the vote in congress. In an interview to the “Huffington Post” this weekend Kerry explained that the President has the right to instruct an attack even if congress does not agree.

“Constitutionally, any president whether he is a republican or a democrat, fills the post of commander in chief of the American forces, and as such he has the right to make decisions on the security of the United States” Kerry said.

Kerry hinted in the interview that according to American law, the president is not obligated to give up his plan if it is not approved by congress.

Report: Hezbollah, Iran Would Lead Syrian Counter - Attack
Sep 8th, 2013
Daily NewsINN - Maayana Miskin
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

An intelligence report prepared by a European country has found that Syrian President Bashar Assad has handed control of missile installations over to foreign fighters, Lebanon’s A-Nahar reports.

Assad has reportedly put control into the hands of Hezbollah and Iranian units.

Those two groups would be in charge of leading a counter-attack if the United States or other Western nations attack in Syria in response to recent chemical weapons use within the country.

The revelations come a week after reports from Lebanon which indicated that Hezbollah has mobilized many of its veteran fighters, presumably in anticipation of an upcoming US-led strike on Syria.

The bloody fighting in Syria has increasingly become an international sectarian affair, with the Shia Hezbollah group sending troops to boost Assad, while thousands of foreign Sunni Muslims – including several Israeli Arabs – have joined the Syrian rebels.

According to A-Nahar, parts of the intelligence report have been shared with diplomats from countries supplying troops to the UNIFIL force in southern Lebanon.

U.S. President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron have both argued in favor of international intervention in Syria in wake of the chemical attacks, and France has expressed a willingness to act as well. However, both Obama and Cameron have decided to wait for more domestic support before staging an attack.

Obama recently began a round of media interviews aimed at boosting support in advance of a vote in Congress on the issue.

Nominal Christianity
Sep 8th, 2013
CommentaryIan C. Kurylyk
Categories: Exhortation

“Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (II Timothy 3:5). God designed, planned and instituted Christianity. He sent His own Son to die so Christianity would be possible. He sent out the apostles to get it started and gave us the Bible for its continuation. God also foretold its deterioration in practice as time passes.

Our opening text regarding a form of godliness is very revealing. When movie makers want to film a Western they do their best to make it look real. They build a set which looks to the eye of the camera like the real thing. They do not, however, go behind all the facades on main street to ensure the unseen parts are genuine. They do not really build a town exactly like Dodge City or Abilene or Tombstone was over a hundred years ago. In fact it is empty. It is only a “form”. It is not a real town at all. Even when people are there they are only acting a part. This illustrates well what this verse is talking about. Church going and religion may flourish while Bible Christianity is absent altogether.

God has shown us beforehand that with time Christianity would deteriorate from the life-changing reality revealed in the New Testament. We are warned of a lifeless form with no “power” against the great problem of humanity’s sin. In fact, the earlier verses in the chapter recite a long list of sins that we are told will prevail in lives as Christianity becomes simply a nominal religion. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” (II Timothy 3:1-4).

These are the same people that are described in the next verse as “having a form of godliness” (verse 5). The attitude is very up to date. Many people now have the idea that they can make Christianity to be what they want it to be and nobody dare wonder at the inconsistencies. The point of this passage is to refute such confusion and that Christianity must be what God says it is. Bible Christianity cannot be made to coexist with what the Bible condemns as evil. Three things stand out in the list of sins which will emerge and be embraced in the last days. Men will love self, money (“covetous”), and pleasures (rather than God). This self-centered, self-indulgent, self-worshipping lifestyle has many other things that go along with it. Many of the sins mentioned speak for themselves, and a little comment helps us understand some of the others.

“Unholy” people drag the holy things of God down to the level of common things. “Without natural affection” describes those without even normal human feelings towards others who should be dear to them.. This leads to abuses of all kinds: elder abuse, wife abuse, child abuse, infant abuse, and even hardness of heart to the unborn by abortion. “Trucebreakers” refers to a heart condition that will not allow itself to be reconciled to others but clings to hatred and grudges. “Incontinent” means an absence of self control morally, “fierce” means savage, and “heady” describes a person who is driven to a reckless state, disregarding the consequences of his actions.

These things are revealed so that those who live in these last days of the church age would be able to see if they have missed the life-transforming salvation offered in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Bible distinguishes in many passages between nominal Christianity and the Christianity of the New Testament preached by the apostles. Bible Christianity cannot be made to fit into a lifestyle of sin. It is God’s answer to sin. It opposes sin. It imparts forgiveness from sin. It is a new life that is lived in harmony with God. Bible Christianity is a gift for those who are willing to receive the Saviour from sin, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Let the Headlines Speak
Sep 8th, 2013
Daily NewsFrom the Internet
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Tunisia crisis: Protesters call for Ennahda resignation
Tens of thousands of demonstrators have marched in the Tunisian capital, Tunis, calling for the resignation of the Islamist-led government. The rally marked a 40-day mourning period since the killing of opposition MP Mohammed Brahmi in July. His murder, along with the shooting of another prominent leftist politician in February, have sparked mass protests.  

Somalia's Al-Shabab says it bombed Mogadishu eatery
The Somali Islamist militant group al-Shabab has said it bombed a popular restaurant in the capital Mogadishu, killing 15 people. The group said it had attacked the Village restaurant because it is frequented by Somali MPs. Explosions ripped through the restaurant in the lunchtime attack, which apparently involved a car bomb and a suicide bomber.  

Vatican: 100,000 attend Syria peace vigil
Tens of thousands of people filled St. Peter's Square for a four-hour Syria peace vigil late Saturday, answering Pope Francis' call for a grassroots cry for peace that was echoed by Christians and non-Christians alike in Syria and in vigils around the world.  

Egypt army launches offensive against Sinai militants
At least nine Islamist militants have been killed in a major offensive by the Egyptian army in Sinai, security officials have said. Eyewitnesses told the BBC that tanks and troops, backed by Apache helicopters, had struck the militants in towns along the Gaza Strip border. The operation is said to be the biggest of its kind in recent years in Sinai.  

Wildfire near Yosemite burns into fourth week
As a gigantic wildfire in and around Yosemite National Park entered its fourth week Saturday, environmental scientists moved in to begin assessing the damage and protecting habitat and waterways before the fall rainy season.  

AP Analysis: NKorean charm offensive about money
Spring's threats of nuclear war have given way to a summer of mini-breakthroughs on the Korean Peninsula. But scratch the surface and Pyongyang's charm offensive seems more about money than any great leap forward in diplomacy.  

US runs into resistance over strike on Syria
The U.S. tried to rally support on Saturday for a military strike against Syria, running into resistance from the American public and skeptics in Congress and from European allies bent on awaiting a U.N. report about a chemical attack they acknowledge strongly points to the Assad government.