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Showing posts from April, 2021

Consort For Life: A Tribute to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

    The announcement Buckingham Palace of April 9, 2021 was brief and to-the-point: “ It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle, ” … “ Further announcements will be made in due course. The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss. ” Just two months shy of his 100th birthday, HRH Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merioneth, Baron Greenwich of Greenwich in the Country of London. Knights of the Garter , quietly passed away at Windsor Castle Though his death was hardly a surprise, yet it still came as a shock for the Royal Family, the nation, and the commonwealth. After all, this was the man who had been a constant in the life of the Queen and for all her realms for over seven decades. He was so strong, robust, and consistent, it was as if he would be here forever.

Harry & Meghan’s Oprah Interview: The Bigger Picture - Part 02

Call it a coincidence: A dashing British prince marries an American divorcee and, viola , exits on the royal stage. It happened in 2020 with ‘Megxit,’ and it also happened in 1936, when King Edward VIII abdicated the British throne in order to marry Wallis Simpson. While both events look superficially similar, Megxit poses a far greater threat than the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Many have written about Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, who did a ‘tell all interview’ with Oprah Winfrey, aired on March 7 - 8, 2021. Up to 50 million people watched it worldwide. Markle’s husband, Prince Harry, joined the interview later. Before we proceed, it should be said: ‘Tell all’ interviews do not bring peace, unity, reconciliation, and forgiveness’ and usually do more harm than good, including to the persons being interviewed. The purpose of this second and final article is not to examine the details of the interview but to view the bigger picture issues it spawned. These can be divide

The Seventh Commandment - Part 03: Adultery & the Strong Words of Jesus

Adultery & the Strong Words of Jesus   The Ten Commandments are the bedrock of a moral, ethical, and righteous society.  The seventh commandment, which prohibits adultery, is a clarion call to personal purity. Here are some more insights of this important commandment from the words of Jesus.  Warning: Be prepared for some strong undiluted statements from the Lord Himself.   And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell — Matthew 5:29-30   •   Right eye and right hand: Hard to believe but true, Jesus advocates removing a bodily member that causes you to sin, rather than keeping it and going to hell. Exceptionally robust words, indeed. Sin

Elijah is Coming: Why Study the Book of Malachi - Part 02

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts — Malachi 3:1 Yes, God will send His messenger and indeed, he has already come. His name is Malachi, which literally means ‘ my messenger .’ This last prophet of the Old Testament may actually be anonymous and his title has become his name.   While this book deals with issues of the day, it speaks about modern things like tithing (3:8-12). It is not an exaggeration to say that you can tell the direction of a person’s heart by where their money goes. In places where Christians are an oppressed minority, you can tell who the infiltrator or ‘fake Christian’ is during the church service because they steadfastly refuse to give money when it is offering time. As always, Jesus said it best ‘ For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also

Ravi Zacharias Scandal - Part 02:

  How to ‘Scandal-Proof’ Your Life and Ministry The ministry of Ravi Zacharias (1946-2020) was globally renown and impactful. He was rightly celebrated. Unfortunately, after his death in May 2020, reports came forth of serious sexual abuse from numerous. The veracity of these reports was verified by an independent legal investigation. Such unwelcome news has an adverse affect on the person, family, ministry, and the church at large. The televangelist scandals of the late 1980s caused churches worldwide, including in Australia, to face scrutiny, change names, and see donations and offerings drop off. No doubt, the same thing is happening today. Last time, we looked at the role of two factors that greatly aid in fostering personal scandal: 1.        Accountability: The lack of proper and enforced accountability. It is a fact that the possibility of scandal is greatly reduced when such structures are in place. Remember, accountability is an insurance policy for your integrity. 2

Victoria's New Law on Conversion Therapy Ban: Is It Really A Problem?

  It drew headlines around the world: ‘ Prison for praying under new Australian State ‘ conversion therapy ’ ban’ ‘ Australian Christians In Shock: Ten Year Jail Sentence For Preaching Repentance’ The Australian State of Victoria, capital Melbourne, passed the Change or Suppression (Conversion) Practices Prohibition Act 2020 in February 2021. Those who transgress the law could be fined AUD 10,000 or face up to 10 years in prison. This law prohibits trying to help a person changed their sexual orientation - even at their request. On page 8 of the actual bill, it mentions : carrying out a religious practice, including but not limited to, a prayer based practice, a deliverance practice or an exorcism. In addition, it threatens penalties even beyond the borders of Victoria, thereby placing all-Australia under its jurisdiction While there are other jurisdictions that have sexual orientation conversion therapy bans, the Victorian law goes further than any other,. Of interest, the ‘