Is Egypt the end-time "King of the South?"

Mohamed Mursi, a leader in the Muslim Brotherhood, has won the presidency in Egypt. And for the first time in history, an Islamist now leads the largest Arab country in the world. Too few people know the truth about this group, or if they do, don’t take it seriously.

The first thing to know is that The Muslim Brotherhood wants ‘sharia’ law (from the book of Koran) to be the law of the land. This will put Christians and other non-Muslims at great risk (just look at the persecution in Iran and Afghanistan). And apparently, there will be little resistance to this.  A recent poll of Egyptians showed that 84% favor the death penalty for Muslims who convert to Christianity.

Second, the Muslim Brotherhood believes their destiny is to destroy Israel and make Jerusalem the capital of an Islamic kingdom (called a caliphate), a ‘United States of Arab' nations. And according to Daniel 11, the King of the South (most probably Egypt) will lead this coalition of Arabs in an invasion against Israel during the tribulation. Indeed, the rule of a radical Islamist in Egypt is yet one more event that sets the stage for end-time Bible prophecy to be fulfilled.

The Day She Ran Out of Wine

There are two sides to every story, right? Think about the story of the wedding at Cana from the hostess’ point of view—possibly one of the worst, most humiliating days of her life—the day she ran out of wine (John 2). This first installment of Jesus’ ministry is followed by many such others—of people running out of something and His offer of fulfillment.

It's pretty elementary. Nothing lasts.  Only Jesus. The gospel stories illustratae this fact.  For example, the woman at the well was daily running out of water; Jesus offered Himself as living water (Jn. 4:10). When the crippled man sitting by the pool of Bethesda had run out of hope (John 5), Jesus restored his health and his hope. And when the multitudes ran out of food, Jesus offered Himself as the bread of life (John 6-7). The message is that His supply of grace, love, hope, joy, peace, and power will never run short: “out of His fullness we have all received” (John 1:16).

But Jesus patiently waits until our natural talents and abilities run their course. That’s when we discover that in the fullness of Jesus we are complete (Col. 2:9-10). I think the best day of the Cana Wedding hostess’ life was that day she ran out of wine.

Mistakes are almost guaranteed if...

From the time we can crawl, our parents give us instructions for living. When we are young, instructions relate to our physical environment, how to find your mouth with a spoon, how to tie your shoes. When we’re older, they are more social, how to communicate, how to resolve conflicts.

Living in this age of changing technology, we have come to depend on good instructions. But sometimes we think we don't need  them.  Have you ever started doing something as simple as putting a new cartridge in your printer, without reading the instructions, to find yourself stumped half-way through?

Throughout the Bible God tells His people to pay attention to His Word, our instruction manual. Israel’s history is one of failing to read the instructions. One unforgettable example of this is when King David decided to bring the “Ark of the Covenant” back to Jerusalem. In good conscience, he put it on a new donkey cart. But when the rough road became threatenening, Uzzah reached out and touched the Ark, to steady it, and died instantly. Calling a halt to the moving project, David returned home and re-read God’s instructions for transporting the Ark (2 Samuel 6). What pain David could have avoided. Likewise, we will avoid a lot of pain in life if we just stop and read the instructions first. "Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path...to keep me from stumbling" (Ps. 119:105; Jude 24).

Everyone Needs a "Playbook"

In sports, a ‘playbook’ contains descriptions and diagrams of a team's plays. Outside the sports connotation, a ‘playbook’ is a set of strategies for conducting a business or political campaign. For example,“Romney borrowed a page from Reagan's playbook.” Regarding the fickle state of our current financial fiasco, economists worry there is no playbook for responding to unprecedented events (USA Today, 6/21/12).

Professional sports teams, businesses, and election campaigns alike know they need a playbook to compete and succeed. Christians needs one too! Our playbook is the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16). And we can’t succeed without knowing it, reading it, learning it, memorizing it, and most importantly, following it—to the letter (Josh. 1:8).

Satan has a playbook too. And we are greatly disadvantaged if we don’t know his schemes and strategies (2 Cor. 2:11). But we can counter him if we stick to the plan. With uncertainty surrounding us, our success can only be assured if we keep it close at hand, and pay close attention to it (Heb 2:1). Reminds me of the expression, “when all else fails, read the instructions.”

Picture this: They laughed their heads off!

I love idioms: using words to create pictures. However, most are not to be taken literally. Think about the dreadful pictures conjured up by these: “You're killing me” or “I almost died laughing” or “you’re beating a dead horse” or “he lost his head” or "I'm bending over backwards."

We’re all familiar with the phrase: "Say what you mean, and mean what you say." Well, idioms are an exception. And if people don’t know that, they can be very confused. Now "hold your horses," I do have a point.

I think Christians must seem idiomatic to nonbelievers. We say we are about love, but our claims to exclusivity in matters of salvation can create a picture of intolerance. We say we are accepting, but our resistance to anything unbiblical can cause people to see us as mean-spirited. And though we can't control how people picture us, we can make every effort to be people who "say what they mean and mean what they say." And even more, to say what they mean without being mean when they say it.  Picture that!

Everyone is talking Apocalypse

At the end of the year, the Bush tax cuts will expire and increase the payroll taxes of all Americans. One economist coined the phrase “Taxmageddon.” Another called it an “apocalyptic deadline.” Everyone seems to have an affinity for end-of-the-world language. Hollywood is fascinated with apocalyptic themes, producing movies about zombies, aliens, atomic wars, plagues, and natural disasters.

Adding to the end-time frenzy are: the explosion of information technology; geopolitical revolutions; and ecological changes (whether global warming or not) causing unprecedented storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and tsunamis—all of which produce a sense of urgency, of earth shattering events, and global devastation. Indeed, apocalyptic anxiety is everywhere. People may not know where the world is going, but they sense it's going there fast.

Apocalyptic terminology is here to stay. That’s a good thing. Hopefully it will unnerve and awaken comfortable Americans to the reality that the permanency of this world is not guaranteed. We must be ready to share the message of salvation that Jesus is the Beginning and the END of all things.

For Mature Audiences Only

After I wrote my post yesterday about a silly worship service, I discovered a book, “The Juvenilization of American Christianity.” Author and historian Thomas Bergler claims American churches are full of spiritually immature adults whose faith is self-centered, emotionally driven, theologically ignorant. Bergler says this trend emerged when the ‘fundamentalist’ Christian message of repentance and obedience was morphed into a message of self fulfillment, you might say, a PG-rated version that avoids the ‘mature themes’ of commitment, perseverance, suffering, and sacrifice.

Three decades ago, Oswald Sanders wrote “If I were called on to put my finger on the most pressing need of our age, I would unhesitatingly say—maturity,” his words no less relevant today. In our relaxed, come-as-you-are, do-what-you-want, whatever-works world, we must be careful not to accommodate the culture of ambivalence by giving the impression we don't expect people to grow up.

“You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you... You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food” (Heb. 5:12).  I wonder what might happen to our Sunday morning attendance if we put out a sign in the foyer that said, “For mature audiences only.”

'Doing' Church Adam Sandler-Style

Because I read a lot about the American Church, I know I'm not the only one concerned about the direction our "seeker-friendly" worship services are going.  It seems we are trying so hard not to seem "peculiar" that we have forgotten we are indeed called to be a "peculiar people" (1 Pet 2:9).

In our local assembly last Sunday, two associate pastors decided to commemorate Father’s Day by having a contest of all men (not just fathers) to see who was the manliest. They had all the men stand up, and then asked a series of very silly questions. If you couldn’t answer the question affirmatively, you would have to sit down. The last man standing was the manliest. What were these silly questions? “Have you ever killed your own dinner?” “Have you ever removed your body hair with duct tape?” and “Can you burp the alphabet?” were just a few.  The latter seemed to me to be more appropriate for an Adam Sandler movie than a worship service. Just when I thought the silliness would never end, they did another round to find the most sensitive man, and those questions just as silly. ‘What a shame,’ I thought. Instead of honoring godly fathers, they joked away the time with crude stereotypes of masculinity. Anyone who likes Adam Sandler films, known for their juvenile humor, would have loved it.

Is there any objective criteria for what is appropriate for a worship service? Consider this: “There must be no filthiness or silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but… fix your thoughts on what is true, honorable, right, pure, admirable, excellent, and worthy of praise” (Eph 5:4; Philip 4:8).

Eat Your Heart Out Now: The Diet Police are Coming

There are few things more satisfying on Planet Earth than comfort foods, usually made of sugar, flour, dairy, and starches, and typically not green. Let’s be honest; most of us eat and drink to satisfy our emotional appetite—called ‘guilty (or sinful) pleasures.’

While people have always had emotional affairs with food, new anti-obesity laws could become as threatening as prohibition was to alcohol. In what could be a model for other cities or states, NY City Mayor Bloomberg wants to pass a bill limiting the size of sodas sold in NY City to 16 ounces. While no one can deny the obesity problem, does anyone really believe increased regulation will reduce waistlines? And ironically, while nutritionists are telling us to eat healthy, the sugar-and-butter seducing Food Network shows are more popular than ever.

Truth be told, food cravings are an expression of the legitimate longings of human beings. While sugar may satisfy that longing temporarily, until people know what those longings represent, and begin to meet them in personal relationship with Jesus, passing heartless laws won’t make a hint of a difference.  Unfortunately, nutritionists and politicians will find that hard to swallow.

Late Night Cramming for the Test of Faith?

Most Christians in the US have so far escaped the poverty and deprivation that is familiar to our brothers and sister in third world countries. But if the world economy continues its current downslide, it is quite possible we here will be faced with an unprecedented global depression; no one will escape. How will Christians react when capitalism falters and entitlements cease?

Truly no one knows what will happen when major institutions declare bankruptcy, and the government can no longer bail them out. What will happen if our government cannot stand behind our federally-insured savings accounts? What will happen when several large countries declare bankruptcy at once?

A great test of faith may be coming soon. Will our faith in God’s provision be greater than our trust in government? Do we yet have enough faith to sustain us or will we come up short? None of us knows the limits of our faith in God unless, and until, it is put to its ultimate test. If we are to pass that test, we should take advantage of opportunities to learn faith now.  There can be no late-night cramming for this one. “Study to show yourself approved unto God…” (2 Tim. 2:15).

Aliens

Have you seen “Men in Black 3”? For those who are not familiar, “Men in Black” is an INS-like agency providing passports and ‘green cards’ to extraterrestrials visiting earth. But don't see it unless you can handle green, blue, striped, syrupy, and worse, mucus-covered, oozing aliens.

We used to refer to people unlawfully entering the US as “illegal aliens.” About 30 years ago, it was replaced by “undocumented immigrant.” Though ‘alien’ is an appropriate label for a foreigner, the connotation of a creepy extraterrestrial just didn’t seem politically correct anymore.

But Peter used the word “alien” to describe you and me. Of course he meant those who are foreigners in this world, who do not belong here,in other words, extraterrestrials. He also used the word “pilgrims” or “sojourners,” meaning those who avoid attachments that would impede the journey to their final destination (1 Peter 2:11).

Paul, too, saw himself as an alien from outside of space and time—a foreign ‘life form’ transported through time in a body (1 Cor. 15). But unless you know the reality of your co-death and co-resurrection with Jesus (Romans 6; Galatians 6), I am afraid this idea may be alien to you. Do you think Paul had this in mind when he scolded the Corinthians for acting like “mere men” (1 Cor. 3)?

Is Noah knocking on your door?

Spain just received an unprecedented $125 billion from European banks to keep itself from insolvency. Greece, Cyprus, Italy, Portugal and Ireland will follow soon.  Can the rest of Europe be far behind? The US, Japan, China and Brazil, which rely on Europeans to buy their exports, are vulnerable. The dreaded question no one wants to ask: what will happen when the credit dries up?

Another drain on nations’ economies are the wars that divert money from things that are more profitable. Adding to that are the unbudgeted, and extreme, costs of natural disasters—earthquake, fires, floods—that sap limited tax revenues. Some governments (like ours) just print more money. But that threatens to cause super-inflation. Are we getting close to the time when “a loaf of wheat bread or three loaves of barley will cost a day's pay” (Rev. 6:6)?

Despite these signs of danger on the horizon, the tendency is to dismiss it as “Chicken Little” nonsense. Nobody wants to consider there might be a day of reckoning. The 'signs' are no more regarded than a car alarm in a crowded parking lot. Jesus said the last days would be like those  of Noah. Have we become like Noah's neighbors who, when he came knocking on their door to warn of impending peril, pretended not to be home?

Worth Less or Worthless?

USA Today’s headline: “Families’ wealth dives 39% in 3 years.” Unfortunately, this message, “you are worth less,” will be interpreted by many as, “you are worthless.” Think about the unemployed fathers whose worth is tied to their ability to provide for their families. A few months ago a 36-year-old father killed his children and committed suicide because he was out of work and didn’t want to burden his wife. A few years ago in L.A. a man shot his wife, 5 children and himself, leaving a note that he and his wife had been fired from their jobs.

Now I do know these are extreme cases. But the fact remains. For people who define their ‘worth’ by worldly standards, ‘worth less’ equals ‘worthless.’ Perhaps it is a good time to reevaluate how we are defining worth.

In his book, “The Life of God in the Soul of Man,” 1677, Henry Scougal wrote: “The worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love.” It’s true now as it was then: the price paid for an object establishes its value. You and I were worth the life of God’s Son. Now we are exhorted to “walk worthy” of this great love. People invested in this world are sure to have ‘buyers’ remorse.’ But that will never happen to us if we are investing ourselves in God’s eternal kingdom.

Would you barcode your baby?

Microchip implants have become more common for our pets, but have encountered more resistance when it comes to people. Were you aware that there has been an ongoing debate about bar-coding infants at birth, as an easy way for every individual to have a unique permanent ID?

Did you know that in 2002 an implantable ID chip was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration? But it was discontinued in 2010 due to concerns about privacy and safety. Rightfully, opponents argue it would create a “Big Brother” society where all citizens can be tracked. Furthermore, opponents are concerned about security breaches by hackers. Imagine if someone could get access to your personal ID chip? (The thought of being internally hacked gives me the creeps!)

One security expert said the time will come when these issues are resolved. “We can have security; we can have convenience; and we can have privacy,” he said. If he is right, then public acceptance will follow. And we will have a computer data base that covers the entire globe, keeping track of every man, woman and child, where they are, and when and what they buy and sell. Sounds exactly like the one predicted in Revelation 13:17.

Start Unpacking Your Stuff

You know the expression “you can’t take it with you,” or in Bible-speak, “For we have brought nothing into the world, and so we cannot take anything out of it” (1 Tim 6:7). Several years ago, when my parents turned 80, I was grateful when they started getting rid of ‘stuff’ because later it made it easier to move them out of the house they had lived in for 20 years.

Isn’t it amazing how much stuff we accumulate over a lifetime? We may say “this world is not my home” but our garages and attics (and rented storage lockers) tell a different story. I think how much stuff we have is related to how much we value our stuff.

I remember when I travelled around the world years ago. I stored all my stuff with friends, taking only a backpack. One day I got tired of walking all over India with a heavy backpack, so I downsized and bought a knapsack. Sometime after that, my knapsack was stolen. Then I had no stuff. I purchased another knapsack and bought more stuff.  A month later, I forgot it on a train platform. Once again, no stuff. I came to realize how little value there was in my stuff. When I got home two years later, I couldn't even remember what stuff I had stored with my friends. But alas, since then I've acquired more stuff.  Maybe it's time to start unpacking. “Don't store up treasures here on earth... Store your treasures in heaven...wherever your stuff is, you'll find your heart” (Matt. 6:19-21).  

Wars and Rumors of Wars

Has there ever been a time when there were so many civil wars? US military involvement in Iraq, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and Afghanistan has only increased sectarian violence. And one-time stable (albeit autocratic) governments have destablized into anarchy—and all of this, the backdrop to the devastating conflict in Syria.

Even if this was all, it might be seen as a fulfillment of Jesus’ end-time prophecy, “And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars..." (Matt 24:7). But there’s much more.  Today, there are ongoing violent internal conflicts in Yemen, Sudan, Nigeria, Somalia, and Congo—not to mention the dozens of anarchist rebel groups (besides Al Quaeda) in countries on every continent. The last century saw the greatest escalation of war in recorded history, with the death of 100 million people (including mass genocides of Armenians, Jews, Tutsis).

While you may think it could never happen here, what do you suppose the spirit of lawlessness can stir up when people are unemployed and can’t find work, and when they are hungry and homeless? Was the “Occupy” movement a prediction of things to come? As you follow the news events, keep in mind Paul’s words: “the secret power of lawlessness is already at work” (2 Thess. 2:7).

The Battle between Austerity and Stimulus

I’ll bet you didn’t know that “austerity’ was named the word of the year by Merriam-Webster in 2010. Wisconsin’s Governor Scott Walker beat opponents of his austerity measures in a recall election yesterday. Does this bode well for austerity, or is it just another battle in the war between ‘austerity’ and ‘stimulus.’ And there is nothing exaggerated about calling it a war.
          European leaders are seriously concerned that austerity measures being imposed on Greece could set off civil war there. What’s more, experts are worried it could spread to other European members and the United States.
           It seems more evident each day that “lawlessness” is increasing throughout the world. And when people are already hungry and homeless, and are told they need to cut back more, who can blame them for taking their rage to the streets? And when you see that, how long can it be before people take up arms? And if we think it’s bad now, wait until the ‘Restrainer’ is removed and the ‘spirit of lawlessness’ is unleashed (2 Thess. 2:1-9). But don’t worry; when the Holy Spirit makes His exit, so will we!

Is Fresno a Good Compromise?

I read an article today about the lack of compromise in Washington. Democrats want to tax and spend. Republicans want to cut taxes and spend less. The writer gave an illustration of a husband who tells his wife he’d like to move from SF to LA. Even if she agrees to the move, there will be many decisions about which they need to compromise.  But if she says she does not want to move, how will they compromise? Will moving to Fresno (half-way) be a good compromise? Yet that seems to be what the world wants Christians to do. How do you compromise on abortion? In fact, how do you compromise with anyone who rejects the inerrancy and authority of the Bible?

The desire to compromise is a great threat to Christians today. And as the culture becomes increasingly secular, it rejects absolutism as uncompromising. I think the antagonism against Bible-believing Christians who will not compromise will make the current hostilities in Washington seem like toddlers fighting over toys in a sand box. The time will come when those who refuse to compromise will not just be considered ‘old-fashioned’ or ‘quirky’, but subversive and threatening to the progress of civilized society.

“At that time many will turn away from the faith, betray and hate each other, and false prophets will appear and deceive many…but he who stands firm to the end will be saved” (Mat 24:11-13).

Banning Sodas; Allowing Abortions

Yesterday I wrote of moral “ambiguity” penetrating our culture. Today I’m thinking moral “relativism” may be more precise. Two timely stories on the News last night illustrate this. Yesterday, Congress refused to pass a law that would have banned abortions based on the gender of the fetus, i.e. sex-selection abortion. The very next news item of the day was NYC Mayor Bloomberg’s proposal to ban high-calorie, super-sized sodas and other sugary drinks at stores, restaurants, and sporting events in NYC. In other words, there is a cultural shift going on right before our eyes: anti-obesity laws are in; anti-abortion laws are out.

Ironically, and significantly, while government intervention is seen as necessary to prevent obesity, government intervention in abortion is seen as intruding on individual rights. With regard to the former, USDA already regulates what children can eat at school. Last month I read that a school forbad a child from eating the ‘brown bag’ lunch his mother had sent with him to school. Deemed nutritionally deficient, they tossed it, and sent him to the school cafeteria to get a decent meal.

With regard to the sex-selective abortion, you probably know that selective gender abortion is a common practice in Communist China where the ‘one-child-per-couple’ laws result in abortions of girl babies. After years of excoriating China’s horrific abortion policy, Americans are now moving in the same direction. Can you see what’s happening? “In the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves, scoffing at God; they will consider nothing sacred” (2 Tim. 3:1-3).