I Against My Brother - a Somali Story

"I am a Somali Christian, a contradiction." One muslim woman's journey of faith that challenges her ideas about what it means to be a Christian, and drives her to a decision that could cost her everything.

Go to http://somalistory.com for resources for churches and Somalis.

The Week in Review - Dec. 23 - 30, 2011

Iran threatens the world’s oil supply, Syria faces civil war, democracy gets stifled in Greece, Nigeria sees another religious massacre, and the euro stumbles into a new year.

 

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Ropes of Sand

At a time when many people are making New Year's resolutions, it's time to find out what God's resolutions are, and how His promises to us can change our lives.

It Is Written

Here Comes The Judge

This judge had a dark side that very few knew about. He would ultimately stand before the Judge who knew it all.

Misogyny

Gulnaz is a young Afghan woman who was sentenced to twelve years in prison for reporting that she had been raped by her cousin’s husband.  Assaulted two years ago, she hid the crime for fear of reprisal, until signs of pregnancy forced her to report the attack.  Thankfully, after two years of imprisonment and mounting international pressure on the Afghan government, she was released from incarceration.  Now, tragically, she faces pressure to marry the man who previously attacked her! What can she do? What can be done to help her?

Article by: Wyatt Ciesielka
From Tomorrow's World

Gulnaz’ story is not uncommon. Violence against women is a worldwide plague affecting every culture.  For example, a 2010 UN report titled The World’s Women 2010: Trends and Statistics found the “proportion of women experiencing physical violence (irrespective of the perpetrator) at least once in their lifetime” in Germany, Denmark, Mexico, Columbia and Finland at nearly 40 percent, while in nations such as Peru, Australia, Mozambique, Czech Republic and Zambia it is 50 percent or greater (p. 131)!  A more recent WHO study found that in Ethiopia 70 percent of women experienced physical and/or sexual violence by a close family member or acquaintance, and in South Africa, 42 percent of females between the ages of 13-23 years reported being a victim of physical dating violence (www.who.int/en fact sheet 239, accessed December 27, 2011).  And, according to a recent CDC study, in the U.S. alone, “more than one in three women” have been in some form victimized by “an intimate partner during their lifetime” (CNN.com, December 15, 2011).

Almost daily, these heartbreaking stories make the news.  Just a few days ago, in the U.S. State of Virginia, a wife and mother was stabbed to death by her husband, before he took his own life.  Tragically, the crime was to be found and reported by the couple’s unsuspecting teenage son.  Violence against women is a terrible worldwide problem.  Violence against women is misogyny, and is sin.  Scripture is clear that hatred or violence against anyone regardless of their gender, nationality, ethnicity, or for any reason is sin.  The Bible condemns violence (Leviticus 19:17-18), and says that those who even have a hatful or violent attitude are guilty of murder (1 John 3:15).

The Creator of the universe wants His people to be peacemakers, not misogynists.  Matthew 5:9 states “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (KJV).  True Christians are peacemakers who understand that God lovingly calls His people—whether male or female – His “sons and daughters” (2 Corinthians 6:17-18).  He says that the value of a virtuous wife is “far above rubies” (Proverbs 31:10), and He commands men to treat older women respectfully as mothers, and to treat younger women kindly as sisters, with all purity (1 Timothy 5:2).  True Christians do not mistreat women and do not practice violence.  Instead, true Christians treat everyone with kindness, and remember that God loves women, who were also created in His image (Genesis 1:27). 

Violence against women is one of the many reasons we fervently pray for Christ’s return.  When the Kingdom of God is established on this earth, then hatred, wars, murder and all forms of misogyny will be eradicated!  Then, people will live in peace (Isaiah 9:7) and there will be no more violence or harm (Isaiah 11:9).  Then, all people—men and women, young and old—will dwell safely, and no one shall make them afraid (Ezekiel 34:28).  Never again will a young woman be attacked and then imprisoned for her “crime” of being a victim!  Never again will young or old women fear assault, either by strangers or by those they know!

As Dr. Roderick C. Meredith wrote in his powerful article, “Violence Against Women,” all “decent men should be ashamed of the horrifying brutality and abuse to which increasing millions of women are now being subjected.”  Escalating violence against women is yet another reason why all men and women should earnestly pray “Thy Kingdom come!” (Matthew 6:10).

One Year Until Doomsday?

Well, a milestone of sorts has been reached. From now on, the so-called “Mayan Doomsday” date of December 21, 2012 (or December 23, 2012, depending on whom you ask) is less than a year away. Does mankind have anything to fear from that much-discussed date? How should Christians react?

Article by: Wallace G. Smith
From Tomorrow's World

The idea of a “doomsday” approaching in December 2012 is terribly problematic in a seemingly endless number of ways.

For one, all available evidence—and there is a lot—indicates that the ancient Maya predicted no such thing as any sort of “doomsday” to occur in December 2012! Of all the multiple thousands of inscriptions, carvings, and writings we have found from that ancient Mesoamerican culture, only one—Tortuguero Monument 6—definitely mentions the date, and there is one other disputed reference found on the back of a small building tile from Comalcalco. Neither of these inscriptions describe anything that the Mayan culture would have recognized as a “doomsday” or “apocalypse.”

Only two references out of approximately 15,000 Mayan carved artifacts? If the Maya thought that December 2012 was a “doomsday” date, they sure were quiet about it! As professor of anthropology and specialist in Mayan writings Dr. Stephen Houston of Brown University said while speaking about Monument 6, “It has nothing to do with prophecy or the supposed, dread events that await us in AD 2012. About that the Maya are notably silent… or, truth be told, a bit boring.” Dr. Susan Milbrath of the Florida Museum of Natural History is similarly blunt: “We have no record or knowledge that the Maya would think the world would come to an end in 2012.”

So, where does the idea come from that the Maya thought the world would end in 2012? Frankly, it is a collage of New Age ideas and astrological fantasies mixed with an overlay of Western ideas of apocalypse that would have been foreign to the Maya. You can read more about this in the Tomorrow’s World magazine article, “The Truth About 2012: Hollywood vs. Humanity” and in the Tomorrow’s World telecast, “2012, Bible Prophecy and You!” As explained by Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History, “Western messianic thought has twisted the cosmovision of ancient civilizations like the Maya.” In truth, the 2012 phenomenon has more to do with “profits” than “prophets.”

But even if the Maya had said something about 2012, God’s word makes it plain that “doomsday” will not happen in 2012! The final events of this world’s age are clearly laid out in Scripture, including a two-and-a-half-year Great Tribulation that will test the world—in particular the United States and the nations of the former British Commonwealth—in a level of suffering that has never before been experienced, and after that a year-long period the biblical authors call the “Day of the Lord” during which God, Himself, will intervene miraculously and dramatically in this world’s affairs! None of these things have begun, and 2012 is not the end of the world.

And yet, world events make it clear that we are moving forward to these prophesied times at an accelerating pace! The year 2011 was unique in many ways! In 2011, the United States continued its plunge into an economic morass and experienced a virtually unprecedented onslaught of weather disasters. The European Union—key to the rise of the prophesied Beast of Revelation—entered into unprecedented turmoil that will spur dramatic changes. And the realignment of nations in the Middle East, necessary for the creation of the prophesied King of the South, is happening before our very eyes!

The “end of the world” will not occur in 2012, but world events in 2012 will affect us in profound ways, setting the stage for further fulfillment of end-time prophecy! Request our free booklet, Fourteen Signs Announcing Christ’s Return, and take care not to become distracted by New Age silliness. Know the biblically prophesied facts about what lies ahead!

Denying Jesus

Holy Scripture: Matthew 26:34-35, 1 Peter 5:8-9, Matthew 26:57-75, Matthew 26:47, Matthew 26:56, 1 Corinthians 10:12

In Durrenmatt's radio play, The Double, Diego tells Pedro (his double) that he [Pedro] will be executed for murder. Pedro protests: He never killed anyone and never would.

Diego confesses that he committed the murder but informs Pedro that, had he been in Diego's circumstances, he would have done the same. Pedro vigorously denies he would ever commit such a crime. But before the play is over, Pedro commits murder--not once but twice.

Receive

The apostle Peter was positive that he would never deny Jesus; yet, Peter's denial of his Lord is one of the most poignant narratives in the Bible. Jesus told Peter about his soon-to-occur failure during the Last Supper:

"Jesus said to him, 'Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.' Peter said to him, 'Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!' And all the disciples said the same" (Matthew 26:34-35, ESV).

• What in this exchange between Jesus and Peter stands out to you?
• Why was Peter so sure of himself?
• Which of the disciples made the same claim?

After Jesus and His disciples finished eating, they went to the Garden of Gethsemane so Jesus could pray. It was there Judas betrayed Him. Read about it in Matthew 26 verses 47 and 56. Then answer the questions below.

• Approximately how much time elapsed between Jesus' encounter with Peter and the time that Judas and the crowd arrived to take Jesus?
• What was the crowd carrying?
• How did Jesus' disciples respond?

Now, read Matthew 26:57-72.

• Where did the crowd take Jesus immediately after they left the Garden?
• Where was Peter while Jesus was being taken from the Garden to the residence?
• Where did Peter remain while Jesus was taken inside?

"A little later some of the other bystanders came over to Peter and said, 'You must be one of them; we can tell by your Galilean accent.'

"Peter swore, 'A curse on me if I'm lying--I don't know the man!' And immediately the rooster crowed.

"Suddenly, Jesus' words flashed through Peter's mind: 'Before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me.' And he went away, weeping bitterly" (Matthew 26:73-75, NLT).

• What was happening to Jesus while the bystanders were speaking to Peter?
• What did those in the courtyard accuse Peter of?
• What was his response?
• How did Peter feel when he heard the rooster crow?

Reflect

Do you think you will ever deny Jesus?

What warning does the following verse give?

"If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall" (1 Corinthians 10:12, NLT).

Note the words or phrases in the following verse that will help you stand for the Lord.

"Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are" (1 Peter 5:8-9, NLT).

Respond

Take time to pray now and ask God to help you live for Jesus--when you're alone, at school, with family, at work, with your friends and even when there could be ridicule or danger.

Corageous

Four men, one calling: To serve and protect. As law enforcement officers, they face danger every day. Yet when tragedy strikes close to home, these fathers are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, and their faith. From this struggle will come a decision that changes all of their lives. With action, drama, and humor, the fourth film from Sherwood Pictures embraces God's promise to "turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the hearts of children to their fathers." Souls will be stirred, and hearts will be challenged to be ... courageous!

The Week in Review - Dec. 16 - 23, 2011

U.S. troops leave Iraq behind, sectarian violence breaks out in Iraq, Pakistanis rally against America, another Catholic child abuse scandal breaks out, Chinese hackers break in to U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Latin America lashes out at the cause of the drug trade.

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Christmas: The Missing Message

Was Jesus’ birth meant to usher in a season of consumer spending and holiday stress? Is there something missing from Christmas traditions that, if understood, would reveal the true meaning of Christ’s coming to the earth? You need to know the truth!

Tomorrow's World

Not the reason for the season

Many people realize that Jesus Christ was not born anywhere near December 25 and that Christmas is rooted in ancient paganism, but will still proclaim that Jesus is “the reason for the season.” Is this true? Who is really being celebrated on December 25? Why the evergreen tree? And most importantly, is Jesus Christ really pleased?

Acticle by: Wyatt Ciesielka
From Tomorrow's World

Luke 2:1-8 tells us that Jesus was born during the time of the Roman census when the shepherds were still abiding in the fields at night. But, the shepherds were not out at night in the fields anywhere close to December 25th! In ancient Palestine, because of heavy winter rainstorms, the shepherds always brought their flocks in from the countryside by no later than mid October. As Ezra 10:9-13 makes clear, by December ancient Palestine was bitter cold and rainy! So, why is Jesus’ birth celebrated on December 25?

The fact is that winter solstice celebrations preceded Jesus’ birth by more than 2,000 years; all the way back to ancient Babylon and the Babylonish “mystery religion” devoted to worshiping Baal. To honor Nimrod, reborn as the infant Tammuz, Semiramis (Nimrod’s widow) claimed that a beautiful evergreen tree sprang overnight from a dead tree stump! The ancient Babylonians then began to utilize the evergreen tree during the winter-solstice to celebrate Nimrod reborn as the sun-god! This tradition lived through the centuries, manifesting in ancient Egyptian winter solstice festivals, Roman Saturnalia celebrations and Persian Mithras worship! And ancient Israel adopted this pagan custom thousands of years ago (Isaiah 57:5)!

Notice, 2 Kings 17:10, “They set up for themselves sacred pillars and wooden images on every high hill and under every green tree.” And, describing how wicked king Ahaz adopted this Babylonish worship, 2 Chronicles 28:2-4 recounts, he “burned his children in the fire, according to the abominations of the nations … and he sacrificed and burned incense on the high places, on the hills and under every green tree.”

Just years before ancient Judah fell into captivity, the prophet Jeremiah famously rebuked them for their Baal worship. Notice, Jeremiah 3:6, “The Lord said also to me in the days of Josiah the king, ‘Have you seen what backsliding Israel has done? She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and there played the harlot.’” Jeremiah’s warning to ancient Judah applies today! “‘Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the Lord your God, and have scattered your charms to alien deities under every green tree and you have not obeyed My voice,’ says the Lord” (v. 13).

Ancient Israel and Judah loved their pagan, pre-Christmas winter solstice celebrations! They refused to repent of Baal worship. So, their nations collapsed and they went into captivity. Today, “modern Israel” is repeating the pagan rebelliousness of ancient Israel, and without real repentance soon, modern Israel will suffer the same correction (Jeremiah 30:7).

The vast majority of those who celebrate Christmas are friendly, sincere, but deceived people. But, it is no secret that Christmas is of pagan origin and was not celebrated by the early post-Apostolic church. The Catholic Encyclopedia admits these very facts! “Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church … the first evidence of the feast is from Egypt.”

Does it really matter? Yes it does! Jesus is not “the reason for the season” – Baal is. True Christians are forbidden from adopting pagan customs to honor God (Deuteronomy 12:29-32, Jeremiah 10:2, 2 Thessalonians 2:15) and are commanded to “come out of” this Babylonish system (Revelation 18:4)! God the Father and Jesus Christ are of the same mind (John 10:30), and in Their eyes these pagan celebrations are “abominations” (Jeremiah 10:3-4; Ezekiel 8:13-14)!

To learn about the Holy Days that Jesus Christ wants you to celebrate, please request The Holy Days—God’s Master Plan. And to better understand why celebrating Christmas does not please Jesus, please read the Tomorrow’s World article, “Christmas: Harmful to Children?”

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For More: Intro for Christmas Exposed

Green Trees and Jesus

Article by: Gary F. Ehman
From Tomorrows World

Looking back over the years, it has become evident to me that the gap between what the Bible says to do, and what its alleged followers actually do, has reached near absurd proportions.
As an example, God carefully instructed ancient Israel to not seek after the ways of the pagan people they were replacing in the Promised Land, especially in the matter of worshiping their gods. He was painfully explicit about not adapting their perverse ways in terms of worshipping Him.

Notice His commands: “These are the statutes and judgments which you shall be careful to observe in the land which the Lord God of your fathers is giving you to possess, all the days that you live on the earth. You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations which you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. And you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and burn their wooden images with fire; you shall cut down the carved images of their gods and destroy their names from that place. You shall not worship the Lord your God with such things” (Deuteronomy 12:2–4).

They were instructed to get rid of pagan places of worship: mountains, hills and “under every green tree.” Interestingly the Bible uses this term in ten places. Each instance it is in reference to pagan rites, rituals and perverted acts of pagan worship in which the Israelites were practicing! (cf., 1 Kings 14:23; 2 Kings 16:4; 17:10; 2 Chronicles 28:4; Isaiah 57:5; Jeremiah 2:20; 3:6; 3:13; Ezekiel 6:13.)

What’s the big deal about this, in today’s modern, enlightened world? Does God really mind that the professing Christian church has sanitized pagan worship? After all, they are doing it to honor Jesus, aren’t they? We report, you decide.

The historical record is revealing. Here is just one of hundreds of documented pagan practices:

The man-god Attis, after an unsuccessful courtship of the goddess Cybele, mutilated himself, “under a pine-tree, and bled to death on the spot. ... After his death Attis is said to have been changed into a pine-tree … [in worship practices] a pine-tree was cut in the woods and brought into the sanctuary of Cybele, where it was treated as a great divinity … Stirred by the wild barbaric music of clashing cymbals, rumbling drums, droning horns, and screaming flutes, the inferior clergy whirled about in the dance with waggling heads and streaming hair, until, rapt into a frenzy of excitement and insensible to pain, they gashed their bodies with potsherds or slashed them with knives in order to bespatter the altar and the sacred tree with their flowing blood.” (The Golden Bough, Sir James George Frazer, “The Myth and Ritual of Attis” Chapter 34).

Attis’ bloody act under an evergreen tree, along with—as the historical record points out—subsequent duplications by Attis worshippers, has provided paganism with its seasonal red and green motifs.

It is obvious that “green trees” and what takes place “religiously” under them, is of great concern to God. Any association between the Christmas tree, with its wretchedly rich pagan roots (pun intended), and Jesus Christ, is not found in the Bible. In fact, every aspect of Christmas with its traditions of mistletoe, holly, wreaths, pine boughs (all green with blood-red accents), gift exchanging, wassailing, December 25 (time of the winter solstice) is not found anywhere in God’s Word, except, maybe, the reference to serving their gods“under every green tree.”

What God did put in His Word, is explicit: “When the Lord your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess … do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it” (Deut 12:30–32).

God carefully outlined how He wants to be worshipped, but man under the sway of the god of this world perverted that worship, borrowing the name of Jesus Christ and creating a counterfeit religion. Please send for our free booklet Satan’s Counterfeit Christianity. It will open your eyes to what really is hidden in pagan holiday traditions.

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For More: Intro for Christmas Exposed

The Week in Review - Dec. 9 - 16, 2011

An uneasy conclusion to the war in Iraq; Iran takes a drone, threatens the world’s oil supply; Germany dominates Europe, but not without a few headaches of its own; and Putin blows off the opposition.

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The Counterfeit Faith

Today's program will take a look at the great controversy between good and evil—a war in Heaven and its resulting implications for planet Earth. The spiritual battle in which we find ourselves is very real, but we can have victory through Christ!

It Is Written

Berlin — Political Turmoil

Facing Europe’s worst crisis since World War II, Germany’s chancellor adds internal political turmoil to her present list of woes.

Article by: Ron Fraser 
From theTrumpet.com

Chancellor Angela Merkel is facing increasing divisions in her coalition government at a time when she can ill afford them.

On Monday, a senior member of Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union, Justice and Consumer Affairs Minister Michael Braun, was forced to resign from office in the wake of publicity surrounding allegations of his involvement in bad property deals.

Wednesday, the general secretary of Chancellor Merkel’s coalition partner, the Free Democrat Party, stepped down. Christian Lindner, an ally of the economy minister, Merkel’s Vice Chancellor Philipp Roesler, resigned over Free Democratic Party (fdp) ructions concerning the EU’s permanent bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism.

Divisions within the fdp run deep and forced the resignation of former party head, Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, from the fdp general secretary’s position some months ago. His replacement, Roesler, will be seeking someone who can watch his back to replace Lindner.

To top it all off, German President Christian Wulff returned from a tour of the Middle East on Tuesday facing increasing pressure to explain a questionable loan which he received previous to his presidential appointment. His accusers maintain that by compromising standards of transparency expected of a public official, Wulff disqualified himself from acting as the nation’s moral exemplar.

Each of these situations being hyped by Germany’s liberal press risks Chancellor Merkel becoming distracted at a time when she and her government need both political focus and party unity to ensure that the goal of swiftly attending to the euro crisis is not compromised.

Already the markets are reacting negatively to perceived divisions within Germany and other nations in the wake of last Friday’s fiscal compact deal.

There are no surprises in all of this.

Germany’s coalition government has been divisive since its beginning under Merkel’s leadership. Her grasp on coalition unity is clearly slipping at a most dangerous time in both German and EU politics. Whether Merkel can last the distance till the 2013 elections is a moot point. The loss of two key coalition members in a matter of days this week does not bode well for Merkel’s continuing leadership, for coalition unity in a time of great crisis, nor, least of all, for the survival of the eurozone.

In a comment not welcomed by many EU leaders, U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey recently warned: “The eurozone is at great risk. … I know that they’ve taken some measures here with the 17 members of the eurozone to try to better align … monetary and fiscal policy. But it’s unclear, to me at least, that that will be the glue that actually holds it together.”

General Dempsey then expressed a fear that sharper analysts share, warning of “the potential for civil unrest and the breakup of the Union” (ibid). The Intelligence Digest observes that “the fears he expressed are by no means misplaced” (December 14).

To put things in true perspective, the alignment of monetary and fiscal policy, rather than being the glue to hold the EU together, is but a catalyst to break it apart. Already some EU leaders are expressing skepticism as to their being able to effectively enact necessary changes in legislation to permit operation of the pact with the speed that the current escalating crisis demands.

With Chancellor Merkel having to start placing fingers in the leaky dyke of her governing coalition, this mitigates against processing the mooted fiscal pact in the fast lane. There simply is, as yet, no glue activated to bind such a pact together over such a disparate group of 27 nations.

Enter Rome.

Editor in chief Gerald Flurry wrote in the April 2006 issue of the Trumpet: “So the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation existed through subsequent history as a union of two separate authorities—one giving protection to the church, the other supplying the unifying glue of a state religion to bind together the separate nations and cultures within the empire.

“Herbert W. Armstrong believed the same pattern would occur again in our time—that European nations would unite suddenly because of a crisis, and that the Roman Catholic Church would play a huge role in solving that emergency. In times of crisis, religion has a way of pulling people together!”

As farfetched as that prospect may seem to be in reference to the European Union today, it is as sure as tomorrow’s rising sun!

Our research leads us to the conclusion that the Vatican is well advanced in formulating, together with German elites, a process that will soon divide the EU apart and cement together a Roman Catholic core of 10 nations under the spiritual influence of the pope.

We are not alone in this conclusion, as future articles will point out. But we are unique in prophesying its ultimate outcome in detail that you will find from no other source.

Chancellor Merkel is between a rock and a hard place, trying to keep her governing coalition together and satisfy the domestic demands of her German constituents with an important election year looming amid the current challenges of the fiscal compact.

The road ahead is a rocky one that may even cost Merkel her political career. In the process, the way will increasingly be opened up for a Roman Catholic leader to soon sweep into power in Germany and busy himself applying the spiritual “glue” binding 10 EU nations together into a powerful economic, political and military force. The pope’s aggressive new evangelism, slated to move into higher gear in 2012, will only serve to accelerate this process.

Beware Britain, Europe Is Gunning for You!

Few in Britain are paying much attention to the anti-British vitriol among European leaders and how it might be manifested in coming weeks and months.

Article by: Brad Macdonald
From theTrumpet.com

Britain has been sparring with Europe ever since it joined the European Community in 1973. Last Friday, the tempestuous relationship changed for good when Prime Minister David Cameron landed a haymaker on Germany and its allies.

The gloves are now off, the fight is real, the hatred genuine.

In Britain—where politicians and the media are celebrating Mr. Cameron’s show of strength, and the consensus is that the nation is wisely distancing itself from a collapsing edifice—this new reality has yet to sink in. Few, it appears, are giving much thought to the frustration and rage set off in Europeans—and how this welling anti-British sentiment might manifest itself in the coming weeks and months.

Since Mr. Cameron’s announcement last Friday, Europe’s media and politicians have reacted with regular barrages of impish caricatures, harsh criticisms, and even veiled threats. Perhaps the most public outlet for the rage has been in the European Parliament. Conservative mep Daniel Hannan was in Parliament this week and reported on the scene. “I wish I could adequately convey the intensity of the anti-British feeling in the European Parliament,” he wrote. “In today’s debate on last week’s Brussels summit, speaker after speaker rose to denounce our entire nation as selfish, narrow-minded and arrogant. … You needed to be present, to hear the yowling and shrieking and desk-banging that accompanied every Anglophobic utterance” (emphasis added throughout).

These weren’t minor or fringe EU officials either. They are the voices of the European Union’s largest political parties!

European officials spoke “vaguely but menacingly of retribution,” noted Hannan. British mep Nigel Farage was also in the European Parliament Tuesday, and reported via Twitter that there was a “real hatred of the UK in the EP chamber today.”

One of the most arresting diatribes came from Guy Verhofstadt, Belgium’s former prime minister and an mep. “When you are invited to a table,” he told Britain, “it is either as a guest or you are part of the menu.”

It’s also obvious that European officials have already figured out how to make Britain pay for its actions. Rebecca Harms, leader of the European Greens, warned that Britain’s “selfish strategy” for protecting London as financial hub “cannot [be] tolerate[d] any longer.” European Economics Commissioner Olli Rehn agreed. If Mr. Cameron’s decision to veto the plan was “intended to prevent bankers and financial corporations of the City from being regulated, that’s not going to happen,” he warned.

Europe, it seems, is about to step up its assault on Britain’s financial sector.

That’s not good news for Britain’s economy. In the 2009/10 tax year, the British government collected £53.4 billion in taxes from its financial services sector. That’s more than 10 percent of its taxes for the year. Last year, Britain’s financial services economy had a £35.2 billion trade surplus, and was the only industry that generated a substantial surplus. According to Hannan, the finance industry “is as important to [Britain] as heavy industry is to Germany or agriculture to France.”

It’s been less than a week since Mr. Cameron’s declaration, and rumors are already circulating that global corporations are thinking about pulling out of London because they fear Brussels will impose legislation that will increase the cost of doing business there. If the officials that spoke in the European Parliament get their way, that’s exactly what will happen!

Britain’s financial sector isn’t the only asset Brussels is considering going after. European officials are openly talking about no longer paying Britain its annual rebate check, which last year amounted to £2.7 billion. “The British check … is now up for question,” stated European People’s Party leader Joseph Daul on Tuesday. “Tax monies should be spent on someone else rather than compensating selfish nationalism.”

Asked if he was declaring financial war, Daul haughtily responded: “There will be no tanks, no Kalashnikovs before Christmas.”

Europe has other means of making life uncomfortable for Britain too. For example, European corporations, many of which are simply extensions of national governments, own a disconcerting number of Britain’s strategic assets and resources. The baa (formerly British Airports Authority), owner of Heathrow Airport, is owned by the Spanish Ferrovial group. Arriva, which operates a large number of Britain’s bus and train services, is owned by Deutsche Bahn. edf Energy is one of Britain’s largest gas and electricity firms, and is owned by the French government via the state-owned edf sa. Npower, another electricity firm, is owned by the German energy giant rwe. Even the car division of Rolls Royce is owned by Volkswagen and bmw. Just last weekend, the Sunday Times reported that German state-owned company dfs is bidding for the British government’s stake in Britain’s air traffic control company.

As relations deteriorate and competition with Britain intensifies, don’t think Europe won’t bring its dominance of these strategic assets into play.

The EU has decisive political power over Britain too.

Using carefully crafted legislation, Brussels has for years been expanding its reach into virtually every nook and cranny of British society. In an effort to not appear too forceful or undemocratic and create a public brouhaha with Britain, the EU’s legislative assault has been slow and deft. Until now!

After Britain’s public revolt last Friday, Brussels no longer has to remain silent. Using qualified majority voting, European officials can continue to create and impose all sorts of painful new legislation on Britain. The only difference is, it no longer has to fear a British backlash and subsequent souring of relations. That has already happened!

Of course, by raising this issue we’re not arguing that Mr. Cameron ought not to have vetoed the German plan to rescue Europe. We’re simply saying that now that Britain has rejected it—making Britain’s expulsion from the EU inevitable—it had better brace itself.

Ever since Britain entered the European Community, European states have for the most part treated it, even if only in public, as an ally. Britain has sparred with Brussels over the years, but as long as it appeared to be an agreeable member of the EU it had to be considered a partner, and subsequently treated—at least in public—with tact, care and at least some measure of respect. But those days are now over. Last Friday Britain effectively took itself out of the EU.

This means that in the minds of European leaders, Britain is no longer an ally. In fact, many now consider it the enemy!

Right now Britain is enjoying the sense of freedom and liberation that comes from standing up to Germany and its allies. But in the coming weeks and months a new feeling will set in. It will be a feeling of fear and dread, and eventually horror. You see, without Britain around slowing things down, Europe’s transformation into a German-led United States of Europe will speed up!

And when that European superstate emerges, the only thing standing between it and Britain will be a tiny strip of water!

When Britain first entered the European Community, way back in 1973, Herbert W. Armstrong delivered a remarkable warning. “Britain is going to look back on Monday, Jan. 1, 1973, in all probability, as a most tragically historic date—a date fraught with ominous potentialities!” he wrote (Plain Truth, March 1973).

Today, Britain is coming face to face with those “ominous potentialities.” What will Britain do as the EU increasingly undermines Britain’s financial sector? As it imposes more rules and legislation on British society? And as Europe, under German leadership, makes decisions that it is powerless to stop?

Britain needs to stop celebrating, start praying and realize: Now that it is no longer dining with Germany and its allies at Europe’s table, it is on the menu, waiting to be devoured!

Eurozone Crisis: Lurching Towards The Brink

When British Prime Minister David Cameron exercised the United Kingdom’s national veto last Friday at the European Union Summit in Brussels—the first EU national veto ever exercised by a British Prime Minister—he surprised most observers and sent shock-waves through the Union as never before in the UK’s 39-year involvement in the grand European project.

Article by: John Meakin (Tomorrow’s World)

Because EU rules state that any new legislation must be ratified by all 27 nations, Cameron’s veto effectively rendered the treaty void. Feeling threatened by the direction and intentions of the German- and French-dominated EU, Cameron felt he could not recommend the newly drafted treaty to his country, especially while Britain was facing the threat of new EU-imposed taxes that would have hobbled London as a world financial center.

Many EU nations saw the veto as a selfish betrayal of the EU’s wider interests at a time when the Union’s very survival is threatened by the collapse of the euro and the increasing tensions between member nations. French President Nicolas Sarkozy pointedly accused Cameron of intransigence and of wrecking the summit.

But did Cameron’s veto really nix the treaty? After discussions stretching into the early morning hours on Friday, EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy proposed that the treaty go ahead anyway, bypassing existing EU legal structures. Ratification, he said, would instead be provided by the 17 members of the Eurozone, as well as by any other member countries that supported the aims of the summit. In the hours that followed, all of the remaining 26 EU member nations eventually signed up for the new treaty, leaving the UK isolated and alone.

Shocking as it may seem, all of these events are actually little more than a sideshow. The real issue behind the summit was the very survival of the Eurozone. Knowledgeable observers recognize that the crisis has been caused not by Britain, but rather by structural and systemic problems inherent in the very design of the euro system. Regrettably, despite bitter charges being leveled, very little was actually done at the summit to address the real cause of the EU problems; participants merely tinkered with the symptoms.

The new treaty is touted as a means to provide for fiscal union, but the measures taken do not remotely suffice. There is no lender of last resort to whom EU countries can turn, nor a EU treasury to care for the euro (the European Central Bank is currently denied that role). There is no shared budget, nor joint debt issuance to cover a nation’s indebtedness, a prospect that offends German sensibilities. There are no plans for growth that would allow countries to pay off their debts. And there remains a fixed exchange rate across the entire union, creating massive trade and capital flow imbalances between north and south, with only more and more austerity offered to southern nations as a solution. And all this is happening as the world economy slides towards a new recession.

In this harsh light of reality, the Eurozone crisis looks set to continue into the new year and beyond, with a growing odds-on potential for a massive “Euroquake” implosion—a disorderly market-driven break up of monetary union, with incalculably damaging results for Europe and the world economy. A large black hole is opening up and the Eurozone is lurching inexorably towards the brink!

Where are these events in Europe leading? What is their prophetic significance?  Biblical prophecy points towards seismic political and economic events taking place in Europe, with a fundamental realignment of European nations leaving Britain on the outside. This is exactly what now appears to be tortuously coming about, as described in our Tomorrow’s World article, “Coming: A ‘United States of Europe’!”. This Work has for many years been warning of events now coming to pass; watch our telecast “America’s Fall and Europe’s Rise” for more context on this vital subject.  And be sure to read “New Europe Rising!” in the upcoming January-February 2012 issue of Tomorrow’s World, which will make plain to you prophetic implications of these events. Events are moving very fast. Prophecy is coming alive before our eyes!

Christmas: The Missing Message

Feature Story By: Richard F. Ames
From: Tomorrow's World

What does Christmas mean to you? Does observing Christmas bring you closer to God? Or are "Christmas" traditions obscuring the wonderful truth of Jesus Christ's real message?

What does Christmas mean to you? For many people, it is the most festive time of the year. Families come together to exchange gifts under a Christmas tree, perhaps near a fireplace where a Yule log is burning. Children beg Santa Claus to bring them their most desired presents. All around are traditional decorations—holly wreaths, mistletoe, bright lights and tinsel. From time to time, one may even find a "nativity" scene and a sincere desire to mark the birth of Jesus Christ.

For most retailers in professing Christian nations, the Christmas season is the most profitable time of the year, accounting for up to 40 percent—sometimes more—of annual sales. Christmas-related promotions may begin weeks—even months—before December 25. Santa Claus and his reindeer have been used to sell products ranging from soda to electric razors!

This year, in a time of economic downturn, businesses are concerned that Christmas revenues may be weak. As one reporter noted during "back to school shopping" season last August, "Consumers who feel threatened by the economy may delay their frugality until November and December. Little Jimmy needs notebooks, pencils and clothes for school. He does not need an XBox Kinect for Christmas" (Back-to-school shoppers aren't scrimping—yet," Minneapolis Star-Tribune, August 18, 2011). It remains to be seen whether 2011 will reverse the anemic trends of some recent years.

Of course, for the wealthy, options abound. One famous upscale department store featured in its 2011 Christmas catalogue a life-sized edible gingerbread playhouse for children—at a price of $15,000!

Even for those of more modest means, "Christmas shopping" is one of the central traditions of the season. But the nature of Christmas shopping is changing in the Internet age. Earlier this year, British marketing firm eDigital Research reported that, in 2011, about one-third of consumers will be spending at least half of their Christmas-shopping budget online, while one in four will do up to three-fourths of their shopping on the Internet ("Gains for mobile shopping," eDigital Research, August 24, 2011).

So, is Jesus' message about consumerism? Is it a message of stress for those who rush about trying to stretch tight finances to purchase coveted consumer goods for friends and loved ones? Is it a message of guilt for those who do not spend enough, and a message of greed for those who are eager to receive the generous gifts of those around them?

Many of the millions who exchange gifts this year will assume they are following a tradition established by the Magi—the "wise men" from the East who came to pay their respects to Jesus. But is there more to that story than the common traditions assume?

The Magi

Scripture describes the arrival of the Magi in Jerusalem as they searched for the prophesied King of the Jews. "Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him'" (Matthew 2:1–2).

What happened when they found Him? "And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh" (v. 11).

Had the Magi come to offer "birthday presents"? No! They had come to "worship" a child they had recognized as King of the Jews! They were offering tribute to a king!

Notice that Jesus was in "the house"—not in a manger—by the time the Magi visited Him! The Magi visited when Jesus was no longer a baby or an infant, but rather when He was a "child." The NIV Study Bible comments about this visit: "Contrary to tradition, the Magi did not visit Jesus at the manger on the night of His birth as did the shepherds. They came some months later and visited Him as a 'child' in his 'house'" (pp. 1442, 1444).

Just how old was Jesus when the Magi came to visit? From Scripture we know an upper limit. An angel warned Joseph and Mary to flee to Egypt to protect Jesus (Matthew 2:13). King Herod was not looking for an infant to kill—he ordered the murder of all male children two years old and younger in the Bethlehem area (v. 16). Jesus had to have been at least several months old when the Magi came to worship Him!

Birth of a King

As you can see, the true biblical account is quite different from the traditions that inventive men have created around it. The birth of Jesus was the birth of a king. What purpose was revealed to Mary, Jesus' mother, regarding His birth? "Then the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end'" (Luke 1:30–33).

About 30 years later, Jesus began His full-time ministry. And what was His message? It was a message of a coming Kingdom—a Kingdom of which there will be no end! "Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel'" (Mark 1:14–15).

The angel Gabriel announced that Jesus was to rule a Kingdom that would never end. Jesus Himself preached the gospel, the good news, of the coming Kingdom of God! One popular Christmas-time tradition today involves Messiah, the famous oratorio written in 1741 by English composer George Frideric Handel. Many of us have heard, set to Handel's music, the stirring words from the prophet Isaiah, announcing the revelation of the Messiah: "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).

Yes, Jesus Christ—the Messiah—is now preparing to return to this earth and to establish world peace. He is the Prince of Peace. But, how will He establish world peace? Notice the next verse: "Of the increase of His government and peace there willbe no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this" (Isaiah 9:7).

Can you imagine total world peace? Can you imagine peace and prosperity among all nations? This is what will happen when Christ establishes His Kingdom on earth! The prophet Zechariah wrote of the time when all nations will send representatives to worship in Jerusalem: "And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles" (Zechariah 14:16).

Keep the Feast?

The New Testament Church of the first century knew the prophecies of Christ's coming, and they knew Christ's message—yet the New Testament Church did not observe Christmas! Rather, it observed the same Holy Days that Jesus Christ observed.

Have you ever observed the day of Pentecost? The New Testament apostles did. You can read the fascinating story in the book of Acts. You can read how thousands were converted on the day of Pentecost. Why were they observing the day of Pentecost? Because it was one of the annual Holy Days commanded in the Bible. As the NIV Study Bible states: "Pentecost is also called the Feast of Weeks (Dt 16:10), the Feast of Harvest (Ex 23:16) and the day of firstfruits (Nu 28:26)" (p. 1645).

The biblical day of Pentecost began the New Testament Christian Church! If you sincerely want to live by the Bible, you will also want to observe this biblical festival every year! Did you know that the annual Holy Days reveal God's plan of salvation for all humanity? Consider another of the annual biblical Holy Days: the Feast of Trumpets. The Feast of Trumpets signifies the return of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. If professing Christians would observe the biblical Holy Days, they would understand the missing message. The seven trumpets blown during the year-long Day of the Lord constitute the seventh seal of Revelation, the last book in your Bible. Here is the great announcement that will shake the governments of every nation on earth! "Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!'" (Revelation 11:15).

We all look forward to that time, and I urge you, if you are not already following Christ's instructions, to pray "Your Kingdom come!" The only way the world will ever experience lasting peace among nations is by Christ establishing world peace and teaching the nations how to achieve peace. The world must learn the way to peace. Christ and the saints will re-educate the nations, and teach them to love God and to love their neighbors. Notice this inspiring prophecy, "Many people shall come and say, 'Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.' For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem" (Isaiah 2:3).

Today, nations are warring against nations. World War III will envelop the whole world in a conflagration that must be stopped by the King of kings. The nations will gather at Megiddo and prepare to fight Christ at His coming. That battle is commonly referred to as Armageddon, and your Bible describes it as "the battle of that great day of God Almighty" (Revelation 16:14).

The nations will lose that war! Christ will reign triumphantly! Thank God, that Christ was born to be the King over planet Earth. The seventh trumpet will announce to the world that the nations now belong to the King of kings. God's loving plan for all humanity is revealed in the biblical festivals and holy days. Jesus and the apostles set us an example in observing biblical festivals and holy days, not pagan days and traditions with a Christian name. It is no accident that your Bible does not show Jesus or the Apostles observing Christmas—or any day set aside to commemorate Jesus' birth. Yet today, billions every year set aside December 25 as the day to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Why?

December 25?

You may be wondering whether anyone can even prove that Jesus was born on December 25. Many will be surprised to learn that we can prove He was not born on that date!

Consider what Scripture tells us. Joseph and Mary had traveled back to Bethlehem for the census mandated by Caesar Augustus. The city was crowded, so Joseph and Mary had to find alternative accommodations. Jesus was born in Bethlehem and placed in a manger or a feeding trough. Notice the setting and the time of year. "Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night" (Luke 2:8). Most Bible scholars plainly admit that shepherds were not in the field in December. The cold, rainy season began long before December 25. You can check most reputable Bible commentaries. Jesus was born in late September or early October near the time of an important biblical festival, the Feast of Trumpets.

Who, then, was born on December 25? As you can confirm in any reputable encyclopedia, December 25 was associated with the supposed birth of pre-Christian deities long before anyone tried to claim it as the day of Jesus' birth. Mithra and Sol Invictus are two of the ancient figures for whom a December 25 birthdate is found.


The Missing Message

Mankind's false traditions can distract us from the real meaning of Christ's birth and life. We saw that Jesus was born in the autumn of the year, not on December 25. He was born to be the King of a kingdom that would never end. Jesus taught us to pray, "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come" (Matthew 6:9–10).

We need the Kingdom of God! We are nearing the end of this age, the end of mankind's historic experiment with carnal societies and governments. The time is growing short, as we see many end-time prophecies coming to pass.

We can look forward to the return of Jesus Christ to this earth as King of kings. We can look forward to the coming Kingdom of God that will bring peace to all nations. Pray for the Kingdom to come! Look forward to His return as King of kings, and Lord of lords, as we read in Revelation 17:14 and Revelation 19:16. Christ and the saints will rule the world for a thousand years, as it states in Revelation 20:4–6. Look forward to a new world of peace and prosperity. All nations will have the opportunity to produce sustainable agriculture: abundant fruits, vegetables, and grains. Christ will stabilize the weather to bring rain in due season. Children will play in the streets in peace (Zechariah 8:5). The nature of animals will become peaceable (Isaiah 11:6). People from all nations will come to Jerusalem to keep the Feast of Tabernacles and to worship the King, Jesus Christ (Zechariah 14:16).

We are moving quickly toward the end of the present troubled age. And we are moving quickly toward the return of Jesus Christ to establish His peaceful millennial reign on planet Earth. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world (1 John 4:14). He is coming as King of kings, and Lord of lords. Thank God that His Kingdom is coming! That is the missing message!

So, as December 25 approaches, what will you do? Will you go along with the fables that hide the true message of Jesus Christ? Will you become caught up in consumerism, and in "Christian" festivities that were actually co-opted from false gods? Will you look to false traditions—or will you look forward to the soon-coming return of the King of kings, the Savior of the world, Jesus Christ, to establish His Kingdom right here on planet Earth?

Do not let the false "Christmas" tradition distract you from the true message of Jesus Christ!

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For more on the exposed Christmas: Intro for Christmas Exposed
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Jesus' Last Will

Holy Scripture: John 14:26-27, Philippians 4:4-7

Imagine receiving a spectacular inheritance, and then ignoring it. The Bible talks about something Jesus left for all of us in His will that many Christians ignore.

Wait. Jesus left a will? John 14:27 records for us Jesus' last will, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid" (ESV).

Many Christians don't seem to have this peace in their lives. So, how do you embrace your inheritance? Paul has the answer to finding peace in his letter written, strangely enough, while in prison.

Receive

Near the close of his letter to the Philippians, Paul writes, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:4-7, ESV).

    What does Paul tell us to do first?
    What does "let your reasonableness be known to everyone" mean?
    How does "do not be anxious," relate to "rejoice in the Lord"?
    How do we need to make our requests to God?
    What image does "guard your hearts" create in your mind?

In the times we need peace the most, rejoicing may not be the first thing on our minds. But it's not just, "rejoice"; it's, "rejoice in the Lord." And it's not just "rejoice in the Lord" when things get bad; it's, "rejoice in the Lord always." The first step to finding the peace that Jesus promised is to always keep your mind focused on the blessings He provides every day.

Paul also talks about not being anxious about anything and bringing our requests to God in prayer and supplication. Now, this doesn't mean that God will just remove us from whatever stressful situation we might be in. He might, but often what He'll do is give us a fresh perspective on our situation. He'll show us that He is in control.

Reflect

Peace--it may sound too good to be true. But look at Paul's own example. Read Philippians 1:12-14 and see how and why Paul rejoiced even while in prison.

    What was Paul's concern even more than his own comfort or advancement?
    What did Paul find to be happy about?
    What situation in your life can you apply these verses to?

Respond

Are you struggling to find a reason to rejoice in God these days? Believe me, I know--it's hard to find them some days. There have been times when all I could do is repeat Romans 8:28 over and over to myself.

Find that verse, and memorize it. And as you spend time with God in His Word each day, ask Him to speak to you the words you need to hear. And pray for His peace that surpasses all understanding.

The Week in Review - Dec. 2 - 9, 2011

A turning point in European history, Britain on the outside looking in, Islam dominates elections, Chinese admiral threatens World War III, and India builds a massive army.

Click for more 

Britain Rejects EU!

December 9, 2011, will forever be known as the day Britain effectively checked itself out of the EU.

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Not Against Us

Why is it important to know that Jesus is our High Priest—our Intercessor—in Heaven? What should we do if we feel we're not good enough to get to Heaven?

It Is Written

Promises, Promises

Holy Scripture: John 14

I'm looking for a new place to live and that means all those crazy questions I hate to deal with. Do I get an apartment or a townhome or a house? Should I rent or buy? And then there's the packing and moving. Not something I'm excited about. That's one reason I look longingly at a promise Jesus made.

Receive

In John 14, Jesus is preparing His disciples for what's ahead: His death, Resurrection and return to heaven. He promises them several important things including, "In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also" (John 14:2-3, ESV).

Take a few minutes to read through John 14.

    What promises do you find Jesus making?
    Which promises have already been fulfilled?
    Which ones are you still waiting for?
    How is God the Father involved?
    What reassurance does Jesus give you as you wait on His promises?
    How do you find peace and comfort?

If you want to do a little more, read John 15 and 16, too, asking the same questions.

Reflect

One reason Jesus returned to heaven was to prepare a place for those who believe and follow Him. I like that--there's a home waiting for me--one I don't have to worry about or pack for, and that's a very good thing.

Jesus goes one better in His promise. Not only is He getting it ready, but He will come back and take us there. Personal service from the Lord Himself!

This is a future promise; it hasn't happened yet. But we can trust that it will because it fits with all the other promises made by Jesus the Son and God the Father. For example, in John 14:15-17, Jesus promises "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you" (ESV). What will this helper do? John 14:26 tells us, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."

The Spirit has come; He takes up residence in all who believe. That's a promise kept. And it gives us confidence that God keeps other promises too.

Respond

From the very beginning God made and kept promises--to Adam and Eve, to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, etc. Through Jesus, He kept the promise of redemption and eternal life. And through Jesus, we're also promised help for living today and peace for what comes in the future. God's track record is superior in the promise department; it's based on His faithful, purposeful, unchanging character.

So, how have you seen God deliver on His promises? Which ones do you struggle to trust Him for? Which promises have you found in the Bible that mean the most to you?

Take a moment to thank God for making and keeping His promises, and ask Him to help you trust Him for those you still struggle to understand.

"All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen" (Ralph Waldo Emerson).