Kameel Majdali's Road Ahead

This is a vegetarian main meal delight. Popular in Egypt and the Middle East, m’judarra is a simple lentil and rice with spice dish. Topped with golden-fried onions and plain yoghurt, it is a taste sensation. 1 ½ cups brown lentils, washed and drained. 1 ½ t. salt 5 cups water 2 medium-sized onions, cut in half and finely sliced (or make more if you like golden brown onions) 150 ml light olive oil 1 cup or less (1/2 cup) long-grain rice, washed and drained. Spices: Choose one. Cinnamon or curry powder or cumin to taste. Place lentils in a saucepan with salt and 3 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil. Add a further cup of water and boil for approximately 15 minutes. While lentils are cooking, fry onion in oil until dark brown or golden (be sure not to burn). Set aside a generous part of the onion s and add the reminder, together with its oil, to the boiling water . Add rice and stir. Add remaining water, add one of the three spices listed above to ta...

The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour. 17 And in every province, and in every city, whithersoever the king’s commandment and his decree came, the Jews had joy and gladness, a feast and a good day. And many of the people of the land became Jews; for the fear of the Jews fell upon them — Esther 8:16-17 It has all the ingredients of a block-buster movie, but this is no Hollywood creation. The Book of Esther tells the very real story in the 5th Century BC of an insidious plot to destroy the Jewish people. Ironically, this scheme was not hatched by the overbearing Egyptians, war-like Assyrians, or despotic Babylonians - it happened under the enlightened, cultured, tolerant Persian empire. Of all Israel’s occupiers, the Persians should have been the least likely empire to hatch such a plot - but, as the book tells us, not only was this plot of Jewish destruction conceived, but it almost succeeded. The reason it ultimately failed is because of the ‘God-factor.’ The Lor...

Bible prophecy is a wonderful, God-given blessing to the church and the world. Its benefits are incalculable, including bringing edification, comfort, enlargement to the church. Of course, it is a ‘heads up’ regarding the future. Yet prophecy is in danger of falling into disrepute through foe and friend alike. Foes seek to ignore, marginalise, or discredit the prophetic word. Prophecy’s ‘friends’ are capable of doing some very unwise things, too. For example, they set the date for Christ’s return. I remember as a 21 year old sitting in church and hearing that a certain high-profile man ‘staked his reputation’ that Jesus would return the very next month! Another man wrote a book called about why Jesus would return that very year. Though the book was from America, it travelled very quickly to Australia (and, no doubt, other parts of the world). Normal ‘Aussie skepticism’ was thrown to the wind as people were stirred up that Jesus might, just might, return that year. One man see...

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus — Philippians 3:12 (KJV) He is one of the most impactful individuals who ever walked this planet. Two millennia after he lived, his legacy continues to grow exponentially. It would be hard to over-estimate the impact he has had on humanity. The man in focus is none other than the Apostle Paul. Tireless church planter, apostolic father figure, and (human) author of half the New Testament, he leaves an example worthy of emulation. The secret of his world-changing success is found in the third chapter of Philippians. So far, we have learned: Principle One: Grace brings world-change; Principle Two: Righteousness brings world-change - when you change into the righteous image of Christ, you are then empowered to be an agent of change to the world. Principle Three: Knowing Christ. Christ is such a powerful,...

Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. 3 And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it — Zechariah 12:2-3 In the first two parts, we covered the history of Jerusalem from its earliest days 4,000 years ago until the year 2000 AD. David 3000 years ago captured Jerusalem and made it his royal city and God’s holy city. The ark of the covenant and eventually Solomon’s temple resided here. A 1,000 years later Jesus of Nazareth, son of David, was enthusiastically received by the city on His triumphal entry. Yet within a week He had been betrayed, rejected, and crucified. Victoriously, Jerusalem was the site of the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. It was here that the Christian Church was born and from its walls t...

No sooner had the votes been counted and the winner announced than all hell broke loose. The date was November 8, 2016, and Donald Trump won an upset victory for the Presidency of the United States over front-runner Hillary Clinton. Violent protests broke out in Portland, Oregon and elsewhere; Trump supporters were viciously attacked; calls for ‘impeachment’ and ‘resistance’ were heard across the country, and ‘sanctuary cities’ pledged defiance against the new administration’s immigration policies. Stephen Scalise, House Republican Whip, was shot and nearly killed by a disgruntled Bernie Sander’s supporter. What’s going on? The best explanation is that we are experiencing an intensification of what is called the great cultural civil war, the most strident and divisive social conflict since the American civil war of the 1860s. Donald Trump’s election did not cause the conflict - it was more like poking a stick into an already agitated hornet’s nest - but it accentuated a tre...