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WELCOME Welcome to the 18th Issue of Christian Times Magazine, Christian Times Magazine Issue 18 designed especially for people who really like News and Political articles and consider picking up a News & Political magazine. This is for readers who want to up-to-date with political, Religious and Entertainment News. While as a nation We aim to cut through the confusion and give you clear, sensible and reliable information and News from writers and experts that you can trust. We want it to be entertaining and informative, at times contrary, but above all useful. Inside you’ll find a mixture of news, features and Monthly regular columns/articles on a wide range of News and Political related topics. I hope you enjoy this Issue 18 and do let us know if there are any article you’d like to see covered in the future.
Anyway, we hope you enjoy this one. Copyright © 2018 by Christian Times Magazine (CTM) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, For permission requests, ctmagazineofficial@gmail.com Published in United States of America Publisher Christian Times Magazine
EDITORIAL ANIL ANWAR Editor-In-Chief
DAVID CLARKE Operations Editor
RAVEN YOUNGBLOOD US Office Operations Director
CONTRIBUTORS CHRISTOPHER GRAHN HOWARD MATTHEW SNAPE CHARLES LINGERFELT PASTOR DAVID COLBERT CHERYL ROZEMA DAN BRIEN PATRICK SAROOJ
ISSUE 18
CONTENTS 09
BARBARA BUSH HOW WILL HISTORY REMEMBER HER By Matthew Snape
15
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH JEFF WALTON By CTM
20
AFFORDABLE FREEDOM FOR THE KURDS By Charles Lingerfelt
22
CHAOS OR CRUCIBLE? THE LEADERSHIP OF PRESIDENT TRUMP By Christopher Grahn Howard
ISSUE 18
CONTENTS 25
INTERVIEW WITH APOSTLE DANIELLE MITCHELL By CTM
27
RAPE IN MARRIAGE BY CHERYL ROZEMA
30
AMERICAN POLITICS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE By Pastor David Colbert
32
WHY DID GOD CREATE SEX? By Joshua D. Jones
ISSUE 18
CONTENTS 35
WILLIAM, HARRY, MEGHAN AND KATE MUST HELP PRESERVE THE MONARCHY’S DEVOTION TO CHRISTIANITY By Matthew Snape
38
WE ARE ALSO PAKISTANI By Patrick Sarooj
41
WHAT REALLY HAPPENED AT 70 AD By Ed Stevens
43
44
JESUS SAYS, “MY DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN”
INTERVIEW WITH BOCHAROV TUZ VLADIMIR
By Dan Brien
By CTM
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
PAGE 9
ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
BARBARA BUSH HOW WILL HISTORY REMEMBER HER
BY MATTHEW SNAPE
Barbara Bush How Will History Remember Her
PAGE 10
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
BARBARA BUSH HOW WILL HISTORY REMEMBER HER
PHOTO SOURCE: CBN NEWS
At the age of 92, Barbara Bush, one of two former first ladies to be a wife and a mother to two preceding presidents, passed away on April 17th, 2018. Her death was announced from the office of her former husband, George H.W. Bush. The only other former first lady to have been both a wife and mother to two presidents was Abigail Adams. Her service to the United States, her family, her volunteerism and her passion for literacy will be the core tenets of her legacy. Yet she also deserves to be remembered as a first lady who was respected internationally. Born Barbara Pierce on June 8th, 1925, she grew up in Rye, New York. She was the daughter of a magazine magnate, granddaughter of an Ohio Supreme Court Justice, and a distant cousin of 14th President Franklin Pierce.
U.S. PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH WAVES ALONGSIDE HIS PARENTS, FORMER PRESIDENT GEORGE HW BUSH AND FORMER FIRST LADY BARBARA BUSH, UPON THEIR ARRIVAL AT FORT HOOD, TEXAS, IN 2007
She first met her future husband, George Bush Senior, when she was a 16-year-old boarding student and he was a 17-year-old prep school boy preparing for a career in the US Navy. Before George left home for his
She gave birth to six children in total: George W.
service in World War Two, they both married when
Bush, Jeb Bush, Neil Bush, Marvin Bush and Dorothy
Barbara was 19 and he was 20. She left Smith College
Bush Koch. She was preceded in death by her
after two years to dedicate herself full-time to her
daughter, Robin Bush, who died of leukaemia in
husband and their family. Daughter Doro told author
childhood. She also has numerous grandchildren
Ann Grimes that she was the one who brought them up.
and great-grandchildren.
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
BARBARA BUSH HOW WILL HISTORY REMEMBER HER
PHOTO CBN NEWS BUSHSOURCE: FAMILY PHOT0
Her charitable work brought her into the public eye. As
popular than her husband and by 2014, a survey
she started to volunteer in hospitals, her work grew to
concluded she was the most popular first lady
encompass board terms for organisations like Ronald
America has had thus far. She became
McDonald House and the Morehouse College School of
recognisable in the 1980s and 1990s as a
Medicine. As George’s ambitions turned towards
grandmother figure that cloaked an iron will to help
politics, Barbara was by his side throughout. His first
her family succeed politically, which they did on
successful campaign was when he became Republican
plenty of occasions. She was a strong-minded and
Party county chairman in Harris County, Texas. During
determined character. No matter what the
Bush Senior’s term as vice president under Ronald
comedians said about her, she could take it. During
Reagan in 1981-1989, Mrs Bush earned international
the summer of 1957, she took her three sons, Jeb,
fame. Jim Geraghty of the National Review remarked
Marvin and Neil, and her two black caretakers on a
that when she was in the public eye during her time as
journey from Texas to Connecticut. One caretaker,
first lady in 1989-1993, many Americans failed to
Otha Taylor, said she was persistent in ensuring the
appreciate Mrs Bush. She was the target of comedic
hotel they booked a reservation at would accept all
jokes. In 1988, Phil Hartman mocked her plump physique
of them, despite their insistence African-Americans
on Saturday Night Live and whether she was proud of
were not welcome there. The hotel manager
her oldest son, who went on to become president in
eventually surrendered to her demands.
2001-09. As Geraghty said, Hartman still did an amazing job of capturing her tone and gracious manner, even if
Once she became first lady, Barbara chose literacy
the humour was tactless and rude at the time.
as her policy focus. Reflecting on her work in 1994,
“I felt strongly and still feel strongly about illiteracy. Ninety million Americans cannot read, write and comprehend well enough to have a job. That’s my priority. And I think you have to have priorities.” she was recorded saying:
On The Naked Gun 2
½, Barbara Bush was the target of
the show’s jokes, which involved the first lady being the victim of many accidents. Nonetheless, none of this dented her reputation. In 1989-93, she was more
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
BARBARA BUSH HOW WILL HISTORY REMEMBER HER
In 1989, she launched a literacy foundation in her name during George H.W. Bush’s first year as president. The purpose behind the Barbara Bush Foundation for Literacy is to ensure that no child is denied access to educational opportunities to learn how to read and write, regardless of their socio-economic background. Her foundation’s website contains a famous quote from
“If we don’t give everyone the ability to simply read and write, we aren’t giving everyone a chance to succeed.” her:
PHOTO SOURCE: CBN NEWS
Her work in literacy was credited by numerous figures. When the National Literacy Act of 1991 was introduced, which intended to strengthen adult literacy programmes and provide universal literacy, she championed this legislation. George H.W. Bush said he first understood the truth of her statement ‘literacy is where education
helped her son triumph over the arduous task of
begins’ by watching his wife’s work. Myra Gutin, a
reading and to this day, Neil now chairs his mother’s
professor of communication at Rider University and the
foundation. Barbara was an inspiration to mothers
author of Barbara Bush: First Lady of Literacy, told
everywhere, particularly for those who have
Fortune she had been interested in literacy before she
children struggling with special needs. Throughout
became first lady and that it will be the cornerstone of
her life and with her children, she practised her
her legacy.
belief that mastering literacy was the cornerstone to a child’s success. Gutin and James Engel,
Alongside her two memoirs, Mrs Bush also wrote two
presidential historians at Southern Methodist
books while she was first lady, both of which were
University, said her choice to promote literacy was
written from the perspective of her dogs. One story was
indicative of her character. Gutin told Fortune her
called
“C. Fred’s Story.” The proceeds of this novel
decision to encourage literacy throughout America
were donated to literacy charities. Since leaving public
was a pragmatic one due to her husband being in
office in 1993, she maintained her commitment to
the political spotlight. She wanted to prevent
improving the United States’ literacy through initiatives
George H.W. Bush’s success from being
like an alliance with NFL player J.J. Watt to encourage
overshadowed by her. Bush deserves to be
parents to read to their children. She continued to do
remembered as the United States’ greatest first
this for the rest of her life. Many associate Barbara’s
lady for her bravery. In 1989, two months following
passion for literacy with her son Neil’s battles with
her husband’s inauguration, she publicly kissed and
dyslexia. Washington DC Prep School suggested
hugged an adult diagnosed with HIV at a
he would not graduate from high school. Yet Mrs Bush
residential home called ‘Grandma’s House,’ which was built for babies infected with
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
BARBARA BUSH HOW WILL HISTORY REMEMBER HER
the disease. This shattered all conventional wisdom
for ‘gay bashing’, which was consistent with her
about how a first lady should interact with members of
thoughts on this subject during the 1992 presidential
the public. It also tested the belief that AIDS could be
election. One aspect of her legacy that has not
spread by casual contact. One administrator of an AIDS
been discussed in enough detail is how she
clinic in DC told the Washington Post that her comfort
represented America abroad. Queen Elizabeth II
towards an adult with HIV was worth more than a
was very friendly with Barbara and the pair were
thousand public service announcements. It was one of
pictured famously sharing a joke after George Bush
her most significant moments that led to a greater
was awarded an honorary Knight Grand Cross of
understanding and acceptance of the disease. She
the Order of Bath.
continued to work towards this goal throughout her time at the White House. Despite this, she still suffered some mishaps. During the 1984 presidential campaign, when Geraldine Ferraro was her husband’s competition for vice-president, Barbara famously described her as that “$4 million- I can’t say, but it rhymes with rich.” Having thought her remark was off the record, she later called Ferraro to apologise. This was the only occasion she made a political comment as she preferred to remain behind the scenes. Barbara became first lady following the popularity of her predecessor, Nancy Reagan. Glamorous and outspoken, Nancy redecorated the White House and was famous for her designer clothing.
PHOTO SOURCE: CBN NEWS
Her anti-drug campaign ‘Just Say No’ was highly visible among the public. Mrs Bush was more down-to-earth, but she embraced her differences to Mrs Reagan. She wanted to establish herself as the lady who could get things done.
Prior to her husband’s inauguration, she joked that her mail told her that fat, white-haired wrinkled ladies ‘are tickled pink’, before concluding that if they can be a success, so can she. During her time, she wore Arnold Scaasi, who designed her inaugural gown, and Bill Blass. Mrs Bush was active with the White House Historical Association. She raised $25 million for the White House Endowment Trust, which continues to help restore the President’s home to this day. At times, she struggled to adapt to the elevated levels of security necessary for the presidential office. The Secret Service preferred for her to embrace this lifestyle, but Mrs Bush always insisted she should ride in a small car and catch
Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev praised
commercial flights. She was not always happy. She told
her role in helping to end Cold War tensions as she
the Today show her family half-jokingly called her ‘the
formed a relationship with his wife Raisa. He
enforcer’ because she intends to point out when others
described the former first lady as warm and astute
do terrible things. Like her husband, Barbara was a
and said that she built a lot of trust and friendship
staunch Republican. In her 2010 book Barbara Bush: A
between the two couples. Following her husband’s
Memoir, she said that she hates abortions, but did not
defeat to Bill Clinton in 1993, Barbara was honoured
believe it was the state’s right to rob women of that
with the dedication of the Barbara Bush Children’s
choice. In the same novel, she expressed her distaste
Hospital at Maine Medical Center in Portland,
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
BARBARA BUSH HOW WILL HISTORY REMEMBER HER
Her family’s political ambitions later reached great heights in the 2000s. Her eldest son, George W. Bush, was elected president in 2000 and re-elected in 2004. Her third child, Jeb, is a former governor of Florida who was key in ensuring that his state’s recount during the 2000 election did not deny his brother victory.
He was among the candidates for the Republican nomination in 2016. In 2013, Barbara told the Today show that she thought Jeb was well-qualified to be president but believed the nation did not want another Bush in the White House. Regardless, she supported his ambitions after he launched his candidacy. She campaigned for her son in New Hampshire before he pulled out of the race early in the primary season.
Since her passing, her legacy has been praised by recent presidents. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania released a statement calling Mrs Bush ‘an advocate of the American family.’ Barack and Michelle Obama issued a joint statement saying: “Barbara Bush was the rock of a family dedicated to public service.” Bill Clinton tweeted: “Barbara Bush was a remarkable woman. She had grit & grace, brains & beauty.”
Barbara is a model to all women who accept the role of first lady. Her legacy spreads beyond her years in that position. She is a credit to all Americans who were fortunate enough to remember her time in the White House and beyond. She helped shape her husband and her sons into political titans. Her literature campaign remains relevant to this day and beyond. She was a remarkable character who will never be forgotten.
PHOTO SOURCE: CBN NEWS
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH JEFF WALTON
Special Interview With Jeff Walton AN AUTHOR OF " FINAL DEPARTURE "
FINAL DEPARTURE
PAID ADVERTISMENT
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
FINAL DEPARTURE: Death is never on time, is a book for people seeking answers. What will really happen when you die? Does God really exist? Is there really a heaven and a hell? Does secular science have all the answers? Find the answers you’ve been looking for in this multiple award-winning novel today!
ORDER YOUR COPY www.jeffwaltonbooks.com
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
PAGE 17
ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH JEFF WALTON
Special Interview With Jeff Walton What literary pilgrimages have you gone on ? JEFF WALTON: I haven’t taken any major literary pilgrimages, but I do make a monthly trek to the Ancient City Chapter of the Florida Writers Association in St. Augustine, Florida, to absorb the wisdom of seasoned authors, editors and small press publishers. A journey that comes closest to being described as a literary pilgrimage would have been my travels to the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, last July to partake in a superb multiday Christian teaching and learning event. What is the first book that made you cry ? JEFF WALTON: Run Silent Run Deep was one of the first books that I can recall reading as a teenager that really touched me emotionally. Reading about the extreme sacrifices our submariners made during WWII to protect our country impacted me in a very deep and powerful way. Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly ? JEFF WALTON: I think a writer must have powerful inner convictions to draw on to propel them through the arduous task of writing a book. Without strong convictions and the emotions they generate, a writer will have difficulty producing a story with power and impact. For a Christian writer, I believe strong convictions come from the Holy Spirit.
consequences of failing to humble oneself, pray for forgiveness and develop a relationship with Father God through Jesus Christ, I could not go on with life without attempting to put on paper an examination of the realities of eternity and the Kingdom of God in a nonthreatening, entertaining format. The initial trigger for my writing was Bill Wiese’s 23 Minutes in Hell, and after familiarizing myself with the PHOTO SOURCE: CBN NEWS research into near-death and out-of-body experiences, I set out to reconcile what some segments of science were learning with what is described in the Bible. Along the way, I dug into traditional Christian apologetic's to evaluate the evidence using my background as someone who spent a career in criminal investigations and national security work. Do you view writing as a kind of spiritual practice? JEFF WALTON: In a sense, yes. I believe God gives us all specific skills and abilities that he wants us to pursue and develop in service to Him. I wrote Final Departure after much prayer; I sensed that God wanted me to write a book and use my life experiences to honor Him. I believe others have God given talents such as evangelism, musical gifts, and administrative capabilities that wouldn’t make them great writers but nevertheless would make them great servants who can make an impact. When I write, I feel an inner peace that suggests I’m doing what God has planned for me. I suspect other Christian writers feel the same.
What inspired you to write Final Departure ? JEFF WALTON: I felt compelled to write Final Departure when I developed the unshakable conviction that the Bible was literally true and the blissful promises and dire warnings contained within its pages were all to be taken seriously. When I began to fathom the indescribable
What did you edit out of this book ? JEFF WALTON: I edited out more than 200 pages. The bulk of the material was heavy dialogue about the details of hellish near-death-experiences and vignettes of past investigations and operations I conducted during my NCIS career. I also made some edits at the
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
request of NCIS headquarters after they reviewed the portions of my book that dealt with national security. I also cut out a whole chapter that discussed the creation of a quasi-government agency that would have dealt with investigating supernatural events.My content editor cut down and rearranged the rest of the manuscript to improve pacing and flow. Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with the bad or good ones? JEFF WALTON: I’ve been very blessed to have almost all very good reviews. The couple of negative onesI received on one particular website were simply two stars with no written explanation or written comments. I suspect they were readers who were uncomfortable with my Christian message. I’ve tried to forewarn readers about the content of the book without scaring away those seeking answers, but some may have bought the book thinking they were getting general secular fiction. I read every review – often several times – to learn what the readers think and want. While it may sound strange, reviews help a writer learn about what their book is about – in the eyes of others. Reviews also have helped me understand the “why” better – why did I really write Final Departure. Sometimes, when reviewers describe their reaction to your book, you have an epiphany – you realize your book has an impact in ways you never expected.
Do you hide any secrets in the book that only a few people will find ? JEFF WALTON: I wouldn’t call them secrets, but I did put some content in the dialogue about the national security community that only those who come from the community will fully identify with and understand. I also put in a very veiled indirect criticism about a specific religion that only a few will pick up on. I wrote Final Departure as a book that supports the Christian community as a whole without taking sides. I do have my own opinions about specific branches within the Christian community, but I kept my opinions to myself in Final Departure because I wanted the reader to focus on the positive. How long, on average, did it take to write Final Departure? JEFF WALTON: Your readers might be surprised to learn that it took me about five years in total. As a relatively new student of the Bible, I wrote while I was reading the research of others. When I came to an area where I had
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH JEFF WALTON
little or no knowledge, I had to stop and read until I found what I considered to be the accurate answer to the question I had. Specifically, I briefly address history, micro-biology, geology, and other scientific disciplines in Final Departure. Since I have no credentials in any of those fields, I had to review the research of others to find what I considered to be factually accurate. The second major hurdle that I had to clear was that I was writing a novel, and I had no clue as to how to write fiction. I had never taken any formal classes on fiction writing, so I had slowly plod along until I developed a manuscript that I thought would be of interest. I came from a profession where writing fiction would get you fired, so I had to channel my natural instincts to write only factual material into being creative while sticking to a story line that would be believable. Why is the topic – Final Departure – the name of your book – important to the average person? JEFF WALTON: The literal meaning of the title – Final PHOTO SOURCE: CBN NEWS Departure – is important on two levels. First, symbolically, it stands for one’s final departure from this earth at the time of death. The Bible tells us we’re a body, soul and spirit, and at clinical death, the soul and spirit detach from the biological body and transition to either heaven or hell. One reason I spent so much time researching the book was that I had to know for myself what really happens when we die, and I’m convinced that our consciousness does leave this earth – this time/space continuum – and travels to a new and final home where we will have a physical form. I want to remind the average person that we all make one final departure from this world, and preparing for it is the most important task of our lives – and the centerpiece of that preparation is developing a relationship with Father God and Jesus Christ through prayer and the study of the scriptures. On a more literal level, I use the words Final Departure because the story takes place in the Charlotte Douglas International Airport in Charlotte, North Carolina. Both the protagonist and antagonist are waiting to depart on the same flight when their trips are disrupted by a storm of historic proportions. How will reading Final Departure change the minds or hearts or lives of readers? JEFF WALTON : I believe Final Departure has the potential to cause
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
some hardened skeptics who scoff at organized religion – and Christianity in particular – to take pause and reconsider their beliefs. The book is about reality –not religion. I take the reader on a journey that doesn’t require them to accept the Bible on faith alone.The reader becomes an observer of a debate where they can safely stay anonymous and in their comfort zone – at least until the categories of evidence I introduce start to work on their psyche. However, I give the reader some mental breaks, too, with action and mental diversions. Since I intersperse the presentation of Christian apologetic's material into a story line that most mature adults can identify with, the reader is pulled into the story by their own emotions and curiosity. I introduce the reader to facts in key areas that they can pursue on their own. For example, I give them glimpses of the unique structure of the Bible through Biblical numeric's – not numerology, which is a completely different field. I then move on to creationism vs evolution – but I do so from the perspective of a national security specialist who has the mindset of an investigator – not a preacher or an academic. From there, I start to build a circumstantial case for accepting the Bible as literally true through evidence that my protagonist, Dan Lucas, NCIS Special Agent (retired), lays out. I draw on evidence in the natural world that points us to the supernatural world– where the Kingdom of God exists. My aim is to put the proverbial “stone-in-theshoe”agitation into unbelievers and intensify their sense of doubt about their own beliefs. My goal is to have them dig deeper into the lines of evidence I present through the protagonist and discover the facts that support our faith. Ultimately, my prayer is that God will use Final Departure to convict their hearts and start them on the path of seeking Him. For believers who have no real idea why they have faith, I believe the book will open their minds and touch their hearts with evidence that reassures them that their faith is based on solid ground. How difficult was it to bring these ideas into the book? JEFF WALTON : Very difficult and time consuming! Identifying, evaluating and ultimately choosing what information to put into the book required literally years of my time. Once I started to introduce the ideas into the story, my work became even more difficult. My first hurdle was that I had to learn how to develop a novel that would lend itself to the presentation of nonfiction material – such as in a historical novel where typically the author must do extensive research to make the story line authentic. My second hurdle was presenting Christian apologetic's material through my protagonist without becoming
SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH JEFF WALTON
preachy. While some may disagree, I believe the book lays out a comprehensive overview of why the Bible is true while entertaining, educating and inspiring the reader. Now that people have read your book, what do you hope they will do next? I hope they’ll turn off their televisions, put down their smart phones and tablets and focus on reading and studying the word of God. I also hope they start some kind of Bible study and search for the work of dedicated and objective Christian scholars and clergy. I believe we live in perilous times in which the actions of each Christian can have an impact on future events. I believe God wants to work with us to make the best of our current situation and turn back the forces of evil wherever and whenever we can. We can, collectively, help determine the quality of life on earth by being followers of Jesus Christ and ambassadors for Him throughout the world. For those still not sure, I invite them to visit my website at www.jeffwaltonbooks.com and read some of my blog posts and tweets for a weekly reminder that we must keep our eye in eternity. Readers can also find me on twitter at Jeff Walton Author @JtwaltonWalton.
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
AFFORDABLE FREEDOM FOR THE KURDS’
PHOTO SOURCE: CBN NEWS
Affordable Freedom for the Kurds By Charles Lingerfelt
I first started coming to Kurdistan in 2006 when Don English and I came here to start Kurdish American School in the city of Dohuk. Dohuk is located in the Northern part of Iraq near the border of Syria and Turkey. It is a large city in the mountainous region of Kurdistan, and its population today is considered to be approaching 2 million people. This number includes the large number of people who have settled here and are living in the encampments in the area. They are the displaced ones who have migrated here from Syria due to the elongated timeframe of the Civil War and strife in Syria. That war in Syria has produced hardships on almost every country in the Middle East. It has greatly affected the peace and order for the Kurds and the Kurdistan Regional autonomy. Yet, the people of Kurdistan have successfully dealt with this problem as smoothly as they possibly can,
and with the help of the United Nations they are “making a go of it!”
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
The Kurdish people are a people of love and compassion for others; it is proven by their nature and their actions. The Kurds are one of the most Indomitable groups on the face of the earth. Through oppression from other countries and nations in the area, gassing, killings and murdering of their very own people from dictatorships and oppressors at every turn, the Kurds still remain a sound group of loving, compassionate people who are always willing to ‘love and serve’ their neighbors. And they do so with kindness and generosity. When we place an emphasis on the people of Kurdistan, it is worth mentioning here that there are a lot of non-Kurds who have made this place their home and have contributed to each local community as well. There are people from many nations in the world who now call Kurdistan their home. And they all live here in this region at peace with each other and with love and friendliness to all. As I write this article, I am sitting in the lobby of a hotel here in the city of Erbil. This particular trip I am on is my 20th trip since 2006. I am quite accustomed to the culture, the community, the people and their living habits. I am as well, appreciative of their fine cuisine and meals which are now known around the globe. Two dynamic meals, which everyone knows about and loves very much, are Dolma and Beryani. I have been in many Kurdish homes here in the region and have eaten these meals with them and they are some of the best food one could ever enjoy. Our American troops came here in 2003, along with troops from other nations, for the purpose of liberating Iraq from the terrible dictator, Saddam Hussein. Saddam’s reign of terror came to a screeching halt with his arrest and prosecution of his terrible crimes against humanity. Through his trial which was supervised by three Kurdish judges, he was found guilty and hanged for his sinful deeds. It now appears to me that the only groups of people who were liberated in those years were the people of Kurdistan: the Assyrians, the Kurds and the Yazidi. The Sunni and the Shi’a have both rejected the help of Western nations to solidify the country of Iraq and this region of the Middle East. Since then, there have been good times of prosperity and financial successes for many people in the Kurdistan region. However, since the highly successful Vote of Referendum on 25 September 2017, and when the Iraqi Prime Minister, al-ABADI, along with his Iranian counterparts decided to prevent the Kurds from obtaining independence, times have been extremely tough here in the region. The economy has “bottomed out” and it is very difficult for Kurdish families to be successful and have a good living for themselves. They struggle on a daily basis to make a living and provide for their families. It appears to me that the future for Kurdistan is all ‘in the hands of Baghdad’ and those Iranian Shiites who have
AFFORDABLE FREEDOM FOR THE KURDS’
moved into the country to “advise” Al-Abadi and Baghdad. The Iranians are seeking to control, manipulate and dominate every single country in the Middle East. The ONLY one country who stands in the way of them doing so is Israel - and the Iranians have threatened to wipe Israel from the face of the earth! If somehow, it becomes possible for Kurdistan to gain its independence and become a New country in the Middle East, that would be some serious help for Israel in hopefully maintaining some balance and order in this region of the world. But most folks would say I am just “dreaming.” But I would rather dream BIG and hope for the future of Kurdistan with the help of many Western nations than to live in doubt and see such a beautiful people, The Kurds, simply existing with No hope or brightness for their dreams and aspirations. Such is a miserable and terrible position for anyone. Since 2003, I have witnessed varying degrees of freedom in this ‘land of the Kurds.’ I have seen some freedom, much freedom, and I have seen as well, the fruits of this freedom throughout this beautiful land. When people live in freedom and liberty, it is easy to PHOTO SOURCE: CBN NEWS plan, work, live and learn from successes and failures. It becomes easy for people to dream and hope and enjoy the fruit of their hands and labor when they enjoy the personal efforts and values of freedom. If the United Nations would “step in” and redraw the borders for Kurdistan here in the Middle East, and order all other countries to leave the Kurdish Region, declaring Kurdistan an independent nation like all the other nations, It would be an awesome opportunity for a degree of “fresh air“ for the people of Kurdistan, and for the region here as well. This is the right thing to do, and it is a very good thing to do for the preservation of a beautiful and lovely people who have carved out a certain niche for themselves and their posterity throughout the ages of time. It is the affordable thing to do as well, for the moment, because the longer we wait the more human bloodshed is wasted upon the sands of this terrain in Northern Iraq. I have made it the full intent of my desire and soul to pray, and to work toward this end of bringing forth the fruition of independence to my wonderful friends in this beautiful ‘land of the Kurds.’ I pray that God will allow me to live long enough to see ‘The Affordable Freedom’ come to pass and the Independence of The Kurds in their wonderful ‘Land of The Kurds:’ Kurdistan.
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
CHAOS OR CRUCIBLE? THE LEADERSHIP OF PRESIDENT TRUMP
PHOTO SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES PHOTO SOURCE: CBN NEWS
Chaos or Crucible? The Leadership of President Trump By Christopher Grahn Howard
Much has been said about the appearance of chaos in the Trump presidency; so called Tweetstorms, the cabinet changes…weekly, the provoking comments and most of all the highly unorthodox methodology of this president. While there are many substantive differences between business and government, there is one major similarity. Both loath uncertainty. President Trump has proven to be unpredictable. The big question is why? If having been a successful businessman has taught him anything it is that business likes predictability.
same coin if you will. President Obama played by the rules of that deep state as did most of the presidents before him. Clearly, this president does not play the game that way. It is a game he does not like and those rules are stacked against him. This is also why he was elected; to change the rules, methods and the way in which government is executed in this country. A herculean task no matter who you are. How does one combat the deep state while playing by the rules long established by the deep state? You don’t!
The so-called swamp, the deep state or the political class establishment also thrives on predictability. The American people clearly wanted change, real change and not the Obama kind. In fairness to President Obama, I believe he wanted to make a bigger change he felt was in the best interests of the American people as a whole. I believe that once president he found the deep state as much a limit to his agenda as does President Trump. Differing sides of the
A couple things to consider: President Trump may have known the Bushes and the Clintons, which does not mean he knows the other players at the top of the American political class. Upon arrival in Washington, he had to learn the players and the game. Certainly, he learned the game was stacked against him. To Trump’s credit, he quickly figured out that not everyone in the “swamp” was a snake, alligator or
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spider. Figuring that out takes time. He has had to assess his opposition in a different way than his predecessors. The president used a method that served him well in business and in his campaign; challenge, misdirect and confuse his opponents.
It is my assertion that the president has been playing the role of provocateur. Systematically testing the tactics and the will of those with whom he has engaged. Trump is waging asymmetrical war on the establishments of government and the republican and democrat parties. Above that, he is testing out the will of the American people. Just how far are they willing to go to get their country back from those in the political class? Many of his actions are to provoke, to elicit a response that informs him of what should come next. I believe that Trump plays an intense game of misdirection. Look over here at this outrageous thing I Tweeted while I am fixing something else. If one looks at the timeline of accomplishments and folly there is a pattern. Trump had many convinced he was going to cause WWIII with China and the Korean Peninsula. Of course, it started with seizing the opportunity presented by the leader of Korea itself, Kim Jong Un. Kim proving to be a school yard bully - one who attempted to push one of the biggest kids in the yard and hoping that his older and bigger brother (China) would have his back if there was a fight. So, down the road of insults and threats we go. Each one more outrageous than the last. Tempting China to intercede,to no avail. During this time, what else was happening? Tax reform, backing down the Democrats on the budget showdown and even more regulations cut. The biggest item on the list at the same time as the “rocket
CHAOS OR CRUCIBLE? THE LEADERSHIP OF PRESIDENT TRUMP
man” comments? Trump acted on decade’s long US policy and recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. This was no small thing. This was biblical in scope and relevance. At the time the deep state fretted over the idea of going to war with North Korea and at the same time angering the rest of the world with this declaration. Several countries followed and even a greater number condemned. Here is the ironic part - it did not matter. Trump met a campaign promise - he dared the international community to do something substantive about it and he won on both counts. What was the final straw? Tariffs. President threatened to upset the trade imbalance that China was enjoying with the US economy. Something that Bush was unable to do because of the state of the economy and something Obama was unwilling to do. Make no mistake, North Korea is a scary and sad place, one that operates on its own…right up to the point that it matters to China. Then all bets are off and Trump knew this to be true. As does anyone who understands the geopolitics of the region. China had had enough and I am certain made that clear to North PHOTO SOURCE: CBN NEWS Korea. The President sent a clear message he was willing to engage in a trade war to correct the trade imbalance and the industrial espionage that has been with China. The trade talk has thinned quite a bit from headlines and a softening is in progress. I have no doubt that a subtle and real change of China’s policies are in progress. Yet, Kim Jong Un is running and not being dragged into détente, denuclearization and just recently started peace talks with South Korea. The President’s critics may think he is crazy, but I assure you that the president of North Korea is very unstable. No matter, he has a strong survival instinct. China is the stick that makes that dog behave. Think about the timing, classic misdirection taken from the pages of Ronald Reagan. Think back to the evil empire statement and the proposed development of the socalled Star Wars system. Gorbachev negotiated away weapons systems he had on the mere promise that Reagan would not develop weapons no one was sure could be built. Why? Gorbachev believed two things. First, Reagan was crazy enough to try and that the United States simply could spend the money to do so. Remember, everyone on both sides of the aisle fretted over the evil empire statement, criticized Reagan for it and yet history has set Reagan as the winner of that negotiation. President Trump is winning here and few want to admit let alone acknowledge that fact. Another point I wish to make is the appearance of confusion, division, and conflict in the decision
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CHAOS OR CRUCIBLE? THE LEADERSHIP OF PRESIDENT TRUMP
making process. To be clear, there is some of that going on in the White House. While I have no inside information on this, I believe a different kind of process is at work here. There are so many stakeholders in any set given decisions made by a president and so many potential outcomes, intentional or unintentional that for Trump the normal process not give him answers he trusts. Simply put, President Trump is using a controlled conflict management style. I think he believes that decisions presented to him that have been through the crucible of conflict will be a better set of ideas and outcomes. Think of it this way: run a problem through a group of people all handpicked to get along and who already have the same world view. You will get a quick and somewhat predictable answer. Now take that same problem and run that through a handpicked group but now they are not friends, they are not in agreement on process or outcome. Throw in some added wrinkles or as some would say a black swan or two and then let’s see what kind of solution you get. My bet, and I believe Trump’s bet, is that through the crucible of that managed conflict process a more thorough and thoughtful solution is presented. One that reflects multiple viewpoints and interests. From this crucible vantage point allows the President to make a more sound decision or at least know what the opposition position looks like. Point being, the next time you see a reporter criticize the strong rhetoric coming out of the White House ask yourself what is going on behind the scenes. The next time Trump says something outlandish, ask, “Who is he trying to provoke and why”? When you hear of discord amongst White House staffers or Department heads, ask, “What are they working through”? My bet is they are connected and the discord is managed conflict and the provocateur is setting some misdirection for a future act. PHOTO SOURCE: CBN NEWS
PHOTO SOURCE THE FISCAL TIMES
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
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ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
INTERVIEW WITH APOSTLE DANIELLE MITCHELL
Interview with Apostle Danielle Mitchell Author of The Billionaire Mind-Set
We are very lucky to be interviewing Apostle Danielle author of The Billionaire Mind-Set. Thank you for agreeing to this interview.
Billionaire Mindset book, it will cause them to be transformed, renewed, and redirected in truth. It is the truth that sets us free.
What are your ambitions for your writing career?
What literary pilgrimages have you gone on?
DANIELLE: My ambitions for writing is for people to love what they have read, and to feel like they can do anything that they put their mind to.
DANIELLE: I have gone on a long journey just listening to the sound of God's voice. I listen to His creative Ideas that He places in me, and I know that if it wasn't for Him I could not do anything.
Which writers inspire you? What is the first book that made you cry? DANIELLE: I have a few writers who inspire mr, but one who comes to mind is, Dr. Mike Murdock. He has so much wisdom when he writes and speaks. His books have literally helped me to become the person I am today. Do you write full-time or part-time? DANIELLE: A lot of my writing is done in the evening time. I seem to think and be more creative at that time. 4.There are times that I write part time, but full time when necessary to reach a dead line. What inspired you to write " The Billionaire Mind-Set " ? DANIELLE: God had put it in my heart to write the Billionaire Mindset. God wants His people to come out of a poverty mindset, and the only way to help the poor, widows, and orphans, is to be prosperous. Why is this topic in “The Billionaire Mind-Set " important to the average person? DANIELLE: I believe if people would let go of their old religious mindset and allow the wisdom in the Billionaire Mindset to change them, they will grow financially, and as an entrepreneur. How will reading “The Billionaire Mind-Set " change the minds or hearts or lives of readers? DANIELLE: When anyone with an open heart reads the
DANIELLE: I think the first book that made me cry was the Bible. I remember many years God woke me up and told me to read Proverbs 31. I read it and I heard Him say this is who I was, and it brought tears to my eyes. What was the best money you ever spent as a writer? DANIELLE: I think the the best investment that I have spent as a writer was, the Billionaire Mindset book, because it has helped people to start saving, investing, and start their own business. What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning “The Billionaire Mind-Set " ? DANIELLE: Before I write any book I research my topics. Sometimes it comes from the Bible, the internet or my own knowledge. It usually spend about an hour researching, but there are times when I'm writing I hear God say research some more on this topic. Do you view writing as a kind of spiritual practice? DANIELLE: Writing is spiritual practice for me and I enjoy it. There is so much that God has put in me, and it keeps me uplifted and inspired to do more. What did you edit out of this book “The Billionaire Mind-Set "?
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
INTERVIEW WITH APOSTLE DANIELLE MITCHELL
Interview with Apostle Danielle Mitchell Author of The Billionaire Mind-Set
DANIELLE: When I wrote the Billionaire Mindset book I changed my own mindset. I started thinking differently for the better. Do you hide any secrets in your book “ The Billionaire Mind-set” that only a few people will find? DANIELLE: The secret to success is to listen to wise people who have more knowledge on a topic than you. What was your hardest scene to write in this book? DANIELLE: I think the hardest part of writing this book was, trying to get Christians to believe that they don't have to be poor to serve God! Poverty is not of God, but the enemy. Anytime that you write or say anything about prosperity, the body of Christ will sometimes reject it.
DANIELLE: The key to this book is, change your mindset, and start thinking better. People have to openly start declaring positive affirmations daily and take action. Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones? DANIELLE: I read all my book reviews and learn from them all. Constructive criticism is good for everyone. It is how we all grow and change. Now that people have read your book, what do you hope they will do next? DANIELLE: Anyone who reads the Billionaire Mindset book will be inspired to change. If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can do anything.
Why is this topic or genre or category so important to you, personally? DANIELLE: The topic of this book is important to me, because God said that I will be a billionaire some day. How difficult was it to bring these kinds of ideas into this book? DANIELLE: Writing this book was pretty easy to me, because I believed in what I was writing and because it truly was inspired by God. Is The Billionaire Mind-set book a result of your experiences, research, expertise, or what ? DANIELLE: The Billionaire Mindset book is a result of whom I will be, and my way of thinking. What are the key takeaways you hope readers find in “The Billionaire Mind-Set "?
Apostle Danielle Mitchell
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
RAPE IN MARRIAGE
ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
Rape In Marriage Does it exist? BY CHERYL ROZEMA
Right from the start, I will tell you that I did not want to write this article, and it is a struggle to do so. The very connotations that arise from such a word are so disturbing —rape. So despite our preconceived concept of the word, it is important to define it. Rape: (noun), the crime, typically committed by a man, of forcing another person to have sexual intercourse with the offender against their will. 2. the wanton destruction or spoiling of a place or area . Notice the definition does not make any exceptions if the victim happens to married to the perpetrator. The only element that is required to rise to the definition of rape, is that the contact is forced, and against the will of the one intercourse is being imposed upon.
So what does scripture tell us about rape? Not much, but the Bible has plenty to say about marriage, and the spirit of a marriage with God at its center. In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Chapter 5, verse 25 starts by saying: Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it with washing of water by the Word, that He might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be Holy and without blemish Rape, by its very nature, is an act of violence and anger. If husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the Church, there is simply no place for such a violation. Christ did not force His will on the Church—
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RAPE IN MARRIAGE
ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
instead, He offered His OWN body as a sacrifice to sanctify and cleanse it, becoming His bride. Rather, He is a respecter of free will, offering sanctification as a gift and never imposing it on His bride. There is simply no room for an action that violates another, if husbands take the Word for what it says, and are prepared to give of themselves to their wives . Source: New Oxford American Dictionary. 2018. Holy Bible. Authorized King James Version as Christ gave Himself to the Church. It is interesting and heartbreaking that victims later report feeling “damaged” or “unclean” as a result of being raped. How can such an action align with Christ presenting the Church as “Holy and without blemish?” Simply put—it cannot. Moving on, in Ephesians 5:28-29 states: So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord the Church. And Ephesians 5:31 then 33 states: For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself, and the wife see that she reverence her husband. So if a man ought to love his wife as his own body, and if a husband and wife become one flesh, how is it possible that any man could justify forced sexual intercourse? By doing so, he is acting against himself, and husbands are told to love their wives as themselves. No sane man would ever purposely inflict harm on himself, so neither does a Godly husband inflict it on his wife. This is what makes the second definition for rape interesting when considered from a sexual perspective. If a man loves his wife as instructed, would he wantonly destroy or spoil that which is part of himself, or that is to be presented as blemish free? Of course not. Now some of you may be thinking of what some women see as the dreaded “S” word… submission. This is a word that has often been used to bludgeon women into believing that after marriage, they no longer have a choice, or right to refuse the demands of their husband. But what does it really mean in the context of a loving marriage? If husbands are truly loving their wives as Christ loves the Church, and loving them as they love themselves, will he be inclined to make demands or take his wife by force? Does that seem like a partnership, or an example of one person dominating another? The truth, is
that based on the prior verse, v. 2, those within the Church are to submit, “… yourselves, one to another, in the fear of God.” Does fear, in this context mean to be afraid of? Not at all! Rather, it refers to reverence of God. If we are to revere each other in a similar fashion, again, rape becomes an impossibility within a Godly marriage relationship. One of the most widely misused pieces of scripture is found in 1 Corinthians 7: 3-6, concerning our bodies upon entering the marriage contract. It says: Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence; and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife has not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband has not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud you not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your inconsistency. But I speak this by permission, and not of Commandment. So what is this passage saying? At first glance, it would appear that upon entering marriage, one no longer has ownership and, therefore, the ability to have any control over one’s own body—that one’s body now is “owned” by the spouse. As such, there are those who have used this passage to not only bully, but to claim that rape cannot exist in marriage if the spouse now “owns” the other’s body, and that one no longer has the right to say, “no” to sexual demands when presented. That’s the convenient interpretation for abusers and rapists only. Notice the first verse talks about them “rendering due benevolence” to each other. This means that married couples should make every effort they can to meet the intimate needs of their spouse, but of course, it stands to reason when taken in context, that Paul is speaking of legitimate needs. It means that when we enter the marriage covenant, we belong to each other as we become one with our spouse, and that God intended the marriage bed as a way to meet the needs of the other, out of love for that person. I do not see any references or commandments to use anger, violence, intimidation, or coercion into getting sexual needs met. All of these characteristics are elements of rape, and it becomes a situation where the stronger person physically, can merely take what he wishes, whenever he wishes. No longer does it become a situation where a wife gives freely of her body, out of love for her husband, and removes entirely the idea of “benevolence” toward one another. If this were not so, why would it be
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RAPE IN MARRIAGE
ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018 IMAGE. CREDIT: ANXIETY.ORG
important to come to a mutual agreement when there is any abstention? If we do not have to consider the wishes of our spouse, then there would be absolutely no need for Paul to have included this passage. The bottom line, when looking to scripture for the answer to such an issue as rape within marriage, we may not find a specific passage outlining this question. Rather, it is very important to look at context, and the spirit of the Word, taken as a whole. We know that marriage is the sacred model that God uses to mirror His own relationship with mankind overall. We see it throughout scripture from beginning to end. Right from Genesis, we see scripture demonstrating His love for us, by showing what the marriage relationship is to look like. At no time does God impose His perfect will upon us. If this is so, that He always allows for free will over His perfect will, how is it then, that anyone in their right mind could believe that God would be in favor of a man imposing his imperfect will on another human being— particularly a spouse, the woman who is mother to his children-- the human being that he has promised to love, honor, and cherish, while forsaking all others, till until death intervenes? There is NOTHING in rape that reflects the nature of God, which is the very nature we are to be striving to emulate. As such, the idea that God would then condone such an ugly act, rooted in hatred rather than love, can be seen for the virtual impossibility that it is. Shame on any person, be they clergy or a lay person who would teach anything else, essentially making them complicit in any subsequent abuse, in this writers humble opinion. And if God is love, surely we can recognize that we will NEVER find Him in anything that is devoid of it.
BY CHERYL ROZEMA
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
AMERICAN POLITICS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
American Politics Under The Microscope BY PASTOR DAVID A. COLBERT
MARK WILSON / GETTY IMAGES
I have witnessed for many years that President after President has promised to establish better control over our borders here in the U.S. Now, the one President, President Trump decides to make good on his promises to the American people everyone starts to complain. I have lived in the U.S. all of my life and President Trump is one of the first Presidents who has truly
Democrats and some liberal Republicans who have come along. He has also endured some well known gold diggers. They have tried every trick in the book including some that were just plain unwarranted attacks on our President. President Trump has still with all who have come against his style of leadership is determined to keep his promise to the American people to make our nation great again. I for one am proud of our President Trump. I believe he has shown great strength of character not displayed by any politician in recent years; up to and including our last two Presidents who shall remain nameless for my purposes. President Trump has made some off-the-wall statements, but that is Donald Trump’s personality, but it does not define the man. He makes his apologies when needed the same as anyone in public service. I have yet to see or hear of anyone that makes everybody happy. I see it this way, and I quote the Holy Bible “God sets up Kings and He takes down Kings”. I trust God not man, but I respect and admire President Trump. I will make no apologies for that. Amen. I am glad to support President Trump, this country needs someone who will stand up for what they believe to be best for the American people, whether perceive to be right or wrong. President Trump does not vacillate on his stance on key concerns in this country. There are some lawmakers on Capitol Hill that say his plans are quote unquote “stupid”. I believe it is better to get the ball rolling than to bounce it in one spot. Congress spends far too much time vacationing on tax payers dollars.
attempted to keep his conservative campaign promises other than President Ronald Reagan who was a tough Commander and Chief as well. President Trump has endured over a year of constant ridicule from every far left
They spend half the year on vacation and having parties. I’m sorry, I admit my information on the amount of time may not be completely accurate, but it seems that way sometimes. I want to say that Rep. Gallegos a (D-AZ) said that he would, and I quote him “gladly work with the President when his ideas aren’t stupid and detrimental to the United States,” According to (CNN REPORTS)
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Who is this guy? Mr. Rep. Gallegos sounds like an opportunist and just a little stupid himself to me. He speaks about the cost of President Trump’s Plan. Where was he during the Obama Administration? There were a lot of stupid plans then. I believe cost is irrelevant when it comes to the safety of our borders and the American people. It amazes me how these politicians no one has ever heard of, come out of the woodwork to challenge Our Commander and Chief President Trump. I think they are after the lime light, and their 60 seconds of fame.
It is so amusing to watch day in and day out the parade of unsubstantiated charges coming against our President. I believe he is a great President and I believe that history will testify to that fact. I for one am glad this country is finally being run by a true Capitalist and a successful businessman.
AMERICAN POLITICS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
The U.S. is a Capitalist nation and President Trump has proven time after time he knows what makes this country tick. We live in a world today that does not tolerate weak leadership as some of the career politicians we have in Washington D.C. I hope you enjoyed my take on the border issue and President Trump. I encourage you to continue to read my articles as time passes. Leave comments. This is Pastor David Colbert saying take the first step into your future. God Bless You and God Bless America, and the World.
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
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WHY DID GOD CREATE SEX?
ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
IMAGE SOURCE: GOOGLE
WHY DID GOD CREATE SEX? BY JOSHUA D. JONES
THANKS TO STATE SPONSORED sexual education and the internet, our generation knows a lot about various sexual practices. Probably far more than we’ll ever engage in ourselves. But though we may be well versed in the mechanics of sex, we are tragically ignorant about the purpose of sex.
WHY CREATE SEX? Most Christians are rightfully taught that sex should be reserved for marriage. But many of them find it difficult to explain why this is so. Did God randomly decide to do it this way? Did He outlaw fornication on a whim? Many of us struggle with what the Bible says about sexual sin because we lack a concept of sex’s purpose. In traditional societies, the purposes of sex and marriage were understood to be for reproduction and social stability.This response ultimately fails to communicate God's purposes
in sex, but few people reading this article come from such a society. Among us 21st Century Westerners, it is different. We err in another way. We assume that sex has whatever purpose our feelings choose to give it. We might say that sex has something to do with being in love, but we would be coy to say it has a universal purpose that applies to all humanity. One of the difficulties with this modern, post-Freudian view is that, if sex’s purpose is simply found in our feelings, we cannot say there is any right or wrong way to engage in sexual activity. After all, what feels right to you may feel wrong to me. Also, our feelings change. I may say that adultery is wrong early in my life, but if I find myself in a loveless marriage when I get older, perhaps my feelings will tell me that a passionate
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WHY DID GOD CREATE SEX?
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affair is ok. What I once proclaimed to be a moral turd I may begin to try and polish into a romantic box of chocolates. This is why sex needs an ultimate purpose that doesn’t depend on our feelings―which are usually predicated on current cultural ideals and our own circumstances. Without real purpose, it’s as if you were riding in a car with a navigator who constantly told you to turn left or right―but never actually told you where you were going. But God has given us light. We do not have to sit in the shadows with our sexuality being guided by crooked promptings and twisted tales - be they traditional or modern.
THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. -Ephesians 5 First of all, marriage is a sacrament. Those of us who are Protestant often cringe at the word ‘sacrament’―especially IMAGE SOURCE: GOOGLE if it’s applied to anything other than communion or baptism. But the term is fitting for human sexuality―if we use it in its proper sense. By ‘sacrament’ we mean something material that points to something transcendent. The waters of baptism point to the washing work of spiritual regeneration. The bread and the wine at communion point to the body and blood of Jesus. In a similar way, we speak of marriage as a sacrament. It points to something far more meaningful than itself. When God presents Himself as the husband to His people, He is not spontaneously choosing a metaphor. He did not think, ‘Hmmm, let me see… how can I explain my plans to these humans? I know! Marriage! They really seem to be into that.’ No. Rather, God has a purpose for sex that stretches from Eden's first sunrise to the world's last night. He knew that He was going to redeem a people for Himself. For that reason, He created marriage as a symbol (sacrament) of where He was going to take history. He gave us weddings so that we could look forward to the real, eternal wedding when our faults and sorrows are forgotten, and we forever smile.
GENDER DIVIDE Second, In His wisdom, God created us male and female. The first chapter of the Bible records: So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. -Genesis 1 The next chapter expounds this division in more detail: The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He
had taken from the man and brought her to him. The man said, “This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.” -Genesis 2 Genesis affirms radical similarity between man and woman: ‘She is bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh.’ It also affirms radical difference between the two: ‘She shall be called woman because she was taken out of man.’
OUR BODIES ARE DESIGNED FOR A PURPOSE Our bodies are created by God and we will give account to God for how we use them. As Christians, our bodies are ‘doubly’ God’s. He has brought us back to himself through the blood of Christ. Our bodies are to be ‘offered up as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God’ (Rom12.1). Our bodies, including our genitalia, have a purpose.
MARRIAGE AND SEX Both traditional and modern values such as children, intimacy, social stability, and happiness are all gifts connected with marital sex. But they are not the ultimate purpose. Rather, these gifts flow from sex’s ultimate purpose: to display God’s eternal plans of redemption. God initiates an enduring covenant with His people just as a man takes a wife in a lifetime commitment.In marriage, the man and the woman cross the mysterious gender divide to become one, just as God and humanity mysteriously become one through Christ. As the husband enters into the woman to
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WHY DID GOD CREATE SEX?
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For you have been born again not of seed (Gk: spora) which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. -1 Peter 1.23 This why CS Lewis argued that, before God, we are all female. (God is never referred to as the ‘wife’ of His people―or even the ‘spouse’. He is always the ‘husband’. There’s a creational, gender-based reason for that.)
INADEQUATE ANSWERS This is why descriptions by popular commentators, like Martin Saunders in Christian Today, where he says that God created sex to ‘bring intimacy between two people exclusively in love with each other’, fall woefully short of the mark. Sex is not simply to help two generic humans who feel ‘in love’ feel closer. If we base our sex on feelings, we are simply marching to the gallows of our own foolishness.
GOODNESS Starting in the garden, the Enemy's greatest tactic in his war on humans has been to make us doubt God's goodness. There are few areas where this is more evident than his constant questioning of God's goodness in human sexuality. This is the great spiritual battle of our generation. When we are able to articulate the divine purpose and goodness of our Father's design for human sexuality, we will find new strength and grace to overcome the sexual sin in our midst and walk in greater spiritual power. But, if we disbelieve God's goodness on this point, then the laughter of hell will be our reward.
In sex, the unique gender of each partner is an essential dynamic. In Scripture, there is 'man' and 'woman'. There are IMAGE SOURCE: GOOGLE no cookie-cutter 'people'. The male-female covenant represents the diversity necessary to point to the even greater union between (the very different pair of) God and humanity at the end of time. The ability of a man and woman to create new life together is also key. In our age of birth control, it is trendy to divide sex, marriage, and children into separate, airtight containers―like they had nothing to do with each other. But they do. Many activists will stop petting their unicorns and pretend to be appalled at this idea. But the fruitfulness of the sexual union was part of God’s design. Had God wanted to separate the joy and intimacy of sex from the ability to reproduce, He could have. But He didn’t. That sex should happen exclusively in marriage is yet another essential dynamic. Outside of this covenant, we are communicating sexual heresy. We are saying with our bodies I give myself completely to you, but legally, publicly, socially, etc, this is not the case. It is a sacramental lie. It is fake sex. For the Sacrament of Marriage to communicate what God intended, it demands male-female diversity, the possibility of new life, and a total life commitment.
BY JOSHUA D. JONES
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WILLIAM, HARRY, MEGHAN AND KATE MUST HELP PRESERVE THE MONARCHY’S DEVOTION TO CHRISTIANITY
William, Harry, Meghan and Kate must help preserve the monarchy’s devotion to Christianity BY MATTHEW SNAPE With Prince Harry and American actress Meghan Markle due to get married on May 19th, 2018, this is an ideal opportunity to question what the future of the Royal Family will look like under them and Harry’s older brother, William, when he eventually becomes king. Throughout its history, the Royal Family have represented the embodiment of Christian values in this
EARLY PREACHING OF CHRISTIANITY IN BRITAIN, 6TH CENTURY IMAGE SOURCE: ALAMY.COM
country. However, one rarely hears the Queen’s successors, particularly William and Harry, refer to themselves as Christians. Queen Elizabeth II is Head of the Church of England, which was established under Henry VIII to legitimize his divorce from Catherine of Aragon in 1533. Since then, England, and eventually the United Kingdom, has always been a Protestant nation. This is something the Royal Family should be proud of. Despite this, that does not mean they do not commit themselves to their Christian faith, they just do so in diverse ways. It is rumored that since the Queen Mother died, Elizabeth II has been more open about her Christian faith. Research conducted by various organisations represents a growing obstacle for the
Royal Family’s dedication to Christianity, and one future monarchs must address if they intend to represent the embodiment of Christian values. The findings are startling for those interested in Britain’s religious future. Child sponsorship charity Compassion UK conducted one of the largest surveys of its kind, with a representative sample of more than nine thousand adults. It found that over eleven per cent of adults aged 16+ say they attend church at least once a month. That results in six million adults attending church on a regular basis. Furthermore, church attendance is lower in Wales, which currently stands at 10.9 per cent, but higher in Scotland at 13.3 per cent. Northern Ireland has an average attendance of 20.4 per cent. In England, monthly attendance is 10.9 per cent overall. Greater London stands at 16.3 per cent for regular church attendance. The Church of England remains one of the largest denominations among regular churchgoers, standing at thirty per cent. The Roman Catholic Church has a denomination of the exact size of thirty per cent. Ten per cent of monthly churchgoers attended a Pentecostal church. UK company Brierley Consultancy conducted research that was published in Church Statistics, which provides an insight into the membership of churches, the number of places of worship and bishops. The research was conducted for 2005-10 but provides forecasts for up to 2025. The British Religion in Numbers website has additional data on British Christianity. Some of the key findings in Church Statistics’ report are that UK church membership has declined from 10.6 million in 1930 to 5.5 million in 2010. As a percentage of the population, that equals from thirty per cent to over eleven per cent. By 2013, this declined further to 5.4 million, or over ten per cent. If current trends continue, membership will drop to over eight per cent by 2025. In England, membership is forecast to decline to over two million by 2025. That equals over four per cent of the population.
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Over the period 2005-10, the major Christian denominations such as Anglican, Catholic and Presbyterian all witnessed drops in membership. Orthodox, Pentecostal and other new churches (Evangelical and Charismatic) on the other hand, saw an increase in membership. This demonstrates many Christians are joining new denominations whilst traditional ones are experiencing a decline. Nonetheless, it proves Christianity should still be taken seriously in the UK. Church Statistics’ findings discovered the largest drop in membership was in Scotland, whereas the decline in church membership was smallest in England. Brierley Consultancy also conducted research into church attendance (as opposed to membership) for the period 1980-2015. Church attendance has dropped from 6,484,300 to 3,081,500. This is an equivalent decline from over eleven per cent of the population to five per cent. England has the lowest percentage of the population attending church in 2015 (4.7 per cent), just below Wales at 4.8 per cent. In Scotland, the equivalent figure is 8.9 per cent. A 2014 WIN/Gallup survey of approximately sixty-four thousand people in sixty-five countries revealed Britain to be one of the world’s most irreligious countries, with only thirty per cent of those surveyed describing themselves as religious. In contrast, thirteen per cent were convinced atheists and fifty-three per cent of those surveyed said they were not religious. Only China and Japan are behind the UK at thirteen per cent and seven per cent respectively. A 2015 Spectator article reported the following findings for British Christianity: - According to the UK Census, between 2001 and 2011 the number of Christians born in Britain fell by 5.3 million. That is the equivalent of ten thousand a week. If figures like this continue, the number of British-born Christians will equal zero by 2067. - The British Social Attitudes Survey (BSAS) indicates that Anglicanism is declining faster than any other denomination. If this current trend persists, it would be set to disappear by 2033. - In 2014, seventeen per cent of persons identified as Anglicans in the BSAS. This represents a fall of twenty-three per cent since 1983. Between 2012 and 2014, the proportion fell from twenty-one to seventeen per cent; a loss of 1.7 million people in two years. - Between 1983 and 2014, the percentage of UK Catholics fell from ten to eight per cent.
WILLIAM, HARRY, MEGHAN AND KATE MUST HELP PRESERVE THE MONARCHY’S DEVOTION TO CHRISTIANITY
- In percentage terms, the number of Christians fell by 12.4 per cent. For the four constituent nations of the UK, the Christian percentage was as follows: England 59.4 per cent; Northern Ireland 82.3 per cent; Scotland 53.8 per cent; Wales 57.6 per cent. opulation. ercentage of UK Catholics fell from ten to eight per cent. The 2011 Census saw the numbers of irreligious persons rise from 7.7 million in 2001 to 14.1 million, a rise of 10.3 per cent to 25.7 per cent. In one city in England (Norwich), the percentage of irreligious persons was as high as 42.5 per cent. These are profound challenges for the Royal Family if they are to continue to represent the embodiment of Christian values. Assuming these statistics are true, with some Christian denominations set to disappear, the religious character of the UK is changing. Equally, the Queen should be proud of her commitment to Christianity that she has displayed throughout her reign. Ian Bradley published an article in The Daily Telegraph in December 2001 which stated: ‘The Royal Family’s faith should be an inspiration to us all.’ He referred to the Queen as the most devout and faithful Christian than most of her subjects which, based on findings stated earlier, is probably true. Mr. Bradley said what inspired him to publish a book on the religious aspect of monarchy at the time was his experience of attending Crathie parish church near Balmoral with the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and other members of the Royal Family. He said their ‘evident and sincere faith, not paraded but understated and reserved, was profoundly moving and inspirational.’ He stated the religious significance and purpose of monarchy was universally ignored in debates about the future of the Crown, which made him angry. During the time, a senior courtier told a journalist that when the Prince of Wales becomes king, he needs to ease off the religious aspect of the monarchy. Mr. Bradley is right to blame the BBC for discouraging the Royal Family’s Christian heritage. Following the Queen Mother’s one-hundredth birthday in August 2000, the BBC conducted interviews and features on her love of horses, books and art yet failed to refer to her favorite hymn or her lifelong devotion to Christianity. The same attitude is displayed among other institutions. The standard line presented in Central Office of Information pamphlets and repeated in the 2001 Royal Trustees to Parliament referred to the Queen as providing a ‘focus for national identity, unity and pride.’
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Mr. Bradley was not proposing a return to the seventeenth century notion of the Divine Right of Kings, whereby monarchs were entrusted with ruling a nation by God and their rule could go unchallenged for that reason. Instead, he proposed that monarchy, and the honor we pay to it, be an instrument to retain and emphasize the homage people owe to God. It should reinvigorate our sense of a God who rules, a God who defends, a God who judges, could be nourished and strengthened by the consideration Brits give to the Crown. A survey of the Queen’s Christmas broadcasts made during her 65-year reign reveals that for the most part, she has only made passing references to the religious significance of Christmas. These include the Three Wise Men. Nonetheless, for the most part she has spoken about Commonwealth trips, family events like weddings and funerals and observations about contemporary society. In 1966, she spoke about women’s progress and in 1972, she commented on Britain’s membership of the Common Market. The survey discovered that since 2000, her messages have adopted a different tone, with the Queen explaining her own faith. She described Christianity as the ‘anchor’ in her life in 2014. Since the turn of the millennium, her broadcast in 2000 was devoted to an account of Christ’s teachings. She referred to them as ‘a framework in which I try to lead my life.’ A senior Vatican official told a Guardian journalist that she is the last ‘Christian monarch.’ Some royal watchers saw her millennium speech as an opportunity to refer to Christ’s 2000th birthday. Mr. Bradley stated that since she mentioned her Christian faith more, she has received twenty-five times more letters than usual. Also, the Duke of Edinburgh is rumored to have supported her strong religious devotion. In December 2017, the BBC admitted that it had been reflecting a secular vision of Britain and needs to do more to maintain a mirror to faith in the UK. Dr Rowan Williams, who served as Archbishop of Canterbury from 2000 to 2012, said the Queen has been attempting to fill the gap in the general cultural environment, which has experienced less overt Christian ‘messaging.’ With the Queen aging, thoughts are turning to succession. The Prince of Wales has become more public in confessing his own faith in recent years. In December 2017, at a service for persecuted Christians, he said: ‘We must do what we can to support our fellow Christians.’ For those anxious about the Royal Family’s future commitment to Christianity, it seems Charles will
WILLIAM, HARRY, MEGHAN AND KATE MUST HELP PRESERVE THE MONARCHY’S DEVOTION TO CHRISTIANITY
follow his mother and ensure his Christmas messages are just as religious. It would be excellent to witness the Royal Family continue a tradition of religious Christmas messages that was started by the Queen’s grandfather, George V, in 1932 and continued by her father, George VI. In January 2013, the Mail Online published an article stating Prince William only attends church a handful of times a year. He has confirmed his Anglican faith since 1997. The Mail Online found that most services of worship he attends relate to official engagements or on special occasions in the Christmas calendar. A senior aide admitted he was not aware whether he attends church every week. In their coronations, British monarchs promise to preserve the Church. Every five years, the Queen opens the General Synod, the supreme authority of the Church of England. Whilst there is little doubt William will uphold these values when he becomes king, these revelations by Mail Online came at a time when only ten per cent of adults aged thirty or below attended church. William’s aides defended the prince’s commitment to Christianity. Everyone is excited about Harry and Meghan’s wedding, and so they should be. The Royal Family is one of the few institutions left that make most people proud to be British. Yet William, Kate, Harry and Meghan, during a time of religious decline, must remember what monarchy is: the embodiment of Christianity. Previous monarchs and Charles have a sterling record of pledging their allegiance to their faith. If the Mail Online’s 2013 revelations about William remain true to this day, the future monarchs have an enormous task ahead of them to encourage people’s religious devotion. Otherwise, for now, let’s enjoy another royal wedding!
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WE ARE ALSO PAKISTANI
ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
Christians live in Punjab Provence of Pakistan, mainly in the cities of Punjab Lahore, Faisalabad, Kasur, Multan, Kahewal, Sahiwal, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala and Sialkot. According to the last survey, most of these Christians in Punjab live in rural areas. For the last few years many attacks on the Christian community have left them paralyzed with fear and still awaiting justice. TIMELINE OF INCIDENTS AGAINST CHRISTIANS:
Pakistani Christians, who number around 2 million in a nation of more than 200 million people, have been the target of a series of attacks in last few years. August, 2002 gunmen threw grenades into a chapel on the grounds of the Taxila Christian Hospital in northern Punjab, killing four including two nurses and a paramedic, and wounding 25 men and women. November 2005: 3000 militants attacked Christians in Sangla Hill and destroyed the Roman Catholic, Salvation Army and United Presbyterian churches. The attack was over allegations of violation of blasphemy laws by Yousaf Masih.
February, 2006: churches and Christian schools were targeted in protests over the publication of the JyllandsPosten cartoons in Denmark, leaving two elderly women injured and many homes and properties destroyed. June, 2006: A stone mason named Nasir Ashraf was working near Lahore when he drank water from a public facility using a glass chained to the facility. He was assaulted by Muslims for “polluting the glass”. A mob developed, who beat Ashraf, calling him a “Christian dog”. By standers encouraged the beating because it would be a “good” deed that would help them get into heaven. Ashraf was eventually hospitalized. August, 2006: A church and Christian homes were attacked in a village outside Lahore over a land dispute. Three Christians were seriously injured and one was missing after some 35 people burned buildings, desecrated the Bible and attacked Christians. In 2009: The Gojra riots took place which was a series of violent attacks against Christian minorities. In June that
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WE ARE ALSO PAKISTANI
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year, the International Christian Concern reported the rape and killing of a Christian man for refusing to convert to Islam. In 2010,: A Christian woman Aasiya Bibi was sentenced to death in a blasphemy case. The original incident involved a dispute over a trivial matter at a village of Sheikhupura district. March 2011 only two months after Governor Punjab Salman Taseer was killed, when in support of Aasiya Bibi he called the law a black law, Federal Minister Shahbaz Bhatti was killed by gunmen after he spoke out against Pakistan’s blasphemy laws. The same year in April, at least 20 people including police officials were wounded as 500 demonstrators attacked the Christian community in Gujranwala city. March, 2013: The blasphemy suspect was identified as 26-year-old Sawan Masih. Police took him into custody in the small hours of Saturday. Later a magistrate sent him on judicial remand. An over 3,000-strong mob set ablaze more than 175 houses of Christians in Lahore’s Joseph Colony on March 9 to “take revenge of the blasphemy” allegedly committed by a Christian two days earlier. Thousands of protesters armed with sticks, clubs and stones ransacked Joseph Colony. I am sad to culprits has been released on bail. November, 2014: A Christian couple who worked at a brick kiln in Kot Radha Kishan (Kasur), were killed brutally by being burnt to death in the kiln fire, allegedly over blasphemy, but the case still lies in court and culprits has been released on bail. March, 2015 : At least 15 people died and over 80 were wounded in deadly bomb blasts outside two churches in the Pakistani city of Lahore on Sunday during morning prayers, marking one of the country’s worstever attacks on its Christian minority. Two churches 1. Christchurch and 2. St. Mary Church located around half a kilometre apart in the city's Youhanabad neighborhood that is home to more than 100,000 Christians. March, 2016 in the eastern city of Lahore on Easter Day attack in a public park that killed 70 innocent and wounding more than 300 other, most of them women and children, it was claimed by a Taliban splinter group previously associated with Islamic State. A suicide bomber set off an explosive vest packed with ball bearings in the main gate of the park, close to the swings and rides of the children's play area.
December, 2017: four suicide bombers have attacked a church in the Pakistani city of Quetta, killing nine people and wounding more than 50 innocent Christian. April, 2018 Sajid Masih, a 24-yearold blasphemy suspect, leapt from the fourth floor of the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) Punjab headquarters in Lahore and severely injured himself. In a video statement, Sajid alleged that he jumped because the FIA officials tortured him and ordered him to "sexually assault" Patras Masih, his cousin and the main accused in an online blasphemy case. "They asked me to abuse myself, but I refused to do so. Later, they asked me to sexually assault my cousin, but I remained silent and jumped from the building," he said. April, 2018: Attack on Christians in Essa Nagri, Quetta city of Pakistan. The official said that the incident happened when people were leaving after attending the Sunday service. 2 were killed at the spot and 5 were in a very serious condition. We want to remind the world that there is genocide against Christians happening. April, 2018: A Christian woman Asma Yaqoob 25 years old resident of Sialkot, she refused a marry to Muslim his name is Rizwan Gujjar as the revenge he threw acid on Asma Yaqoob after hospitalized she died.
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WE ARE ALSO PAKISTANI
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6th May 2018: 17 years old Christian girl Kainat D/O Salamat Masih from Gujranwala she was working as a maid for Member of National Assembly Muhammad Ismael Gujjar and his son Muhammad Kashif Gujjar raped her and then hanged her with a rope.
I condemned these all deadly terrorist attack by extremist on Christians in Pakistan and I also demand to Pakistani Government protect minorities and immediately should be stop brutal attitude against innocent Christians which is increasing day by day, and also request to Chief justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar please take suo motu action on Christian’s target killing in Quetta and recently attacked Sajid Masih blasphemy suspect as well, he leapt from the fourth floor of the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) Punjab headquarters in Lahore. “Just I want to say we are also a Pakistani’ Pray for safety and protection for the Christians in Pakistan also Pray for their strength, their faith, and their perseverance, who are living under the threats and fear.
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WHAT REALLY HAPPENED AT 70 AD
ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
What Really Happened At 70 AD This is the second part of Ed Stevens Article
Ground plan of the City of Jerusalem Most of us need to refresh our memory concerning First Century history. Some very important events happened then which we have seldom (if ever) heard of, much less grasped the significance of. In the year AD 66, the Jews revolted against Rome. Many things provoked this revolt, some to the blame of the Romans, and some to the blame of the Jews.
The Romans came to put down the revolt, and by the summer of AD 70 they had captured the city of Jerusalem and put a stop to the revolt. The city was burned and the temple was completely desecrated and spoiled. Jesus had predicted all these things about 40 years before. All His predictions came true. The Jewish nation and sacrificial system was so completely dismantled that the Jewish people have never been able to re-establish the temple and sacrifices in any permanent way since. Many rabbis refer to AD 70 as “The End of Biblical Judaism.” This date was important for Christians as well Christians had been looked upon as being just another sect of Judaism. Jews of other sects (Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, etc.) had severely persecuted Christians in the attempt to stop them before they were firmly established. But AD 70 changed all that. After AD 70, Christians were no longer considered just another sect of the Jews. Jews of all the other sects had taken part in the revolt against Rome, but not the Christian Jews. Remembering Jesus’ prediction of these things and His warning not to get caught-up in them, the Jewish Christians fled across the Jordan river to Pella. By not participating in the revolt they immediately distinguished themselves from the Jews. Christians were building a spiritual empire, not a physical one, a point we would do well to remember today in view of the Zionist appeals for our support. Since the Law could not be kept after the destruction, the controversy over circumcision and law-keeping immediately subsided. The Jewish nation was so completely destroyed that it would never again be strong enough to seriously threaten the existence of Christ’s followers. The destruction of Jerusalem indeed showed that the Kingdom had been taken away from the Jewish nation and given to Christ’s followers (see Matt. 21:33-43). It provided final testimony to that generation as to who Jesus was. It showed clearly that God was not interested in a physical empire for the Jews, but the spiritual reign of Jesus over all peoples. Jesus had told his crucifiers that they would see with their own eyes something which would vindicate His claims to be the Messiah (see Matt. 26:63,64). That vindication came in AD 70 when the Jewish nation was destroyed. The Jews of that generation must have been extremely wicked for God to destroy them in this way. That destruction was an eye-opener for the rest of the
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WHAT REALLY HAPPENED AT 70 AD
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Roman world as well. It established Christ’s followers as the True Israel of God. The destruction was far more significant than most of us have ever realized. Not only did Jesus predict the destruction would come in His generation, but also His “coming” and the “end of the age” (Matt. 24:3). All these things were to happen in that first-century “generation” (Matt. 24:34). There are numerous passages which teach that Jesus was to come again in the First Century. Study the following very carefully and notice their reference to the time of Jesus’ return: James 5:8f; 1 Pet. 4:7; Matt. 10:23; 16:27f; Rom. 13:11f; Heb. 10:37; 1 Jn. 2:18; Rev. 1:1,3; 22:6,7,10,12,20. These verses as well as others make it clear that Jesus would return in that generation. What we traditionally call “The Second Coming” of Christ happened then in that generation when Jerusalem was destroyed! (Heb. 9:26-28) This text indicates that our Lord was to make another appearance “apart from” (not for the purpose of taking away) sin, but to save those who were eagerly waiting, and judge those who had rejected Him and rebelled (cf. Heb. 10:25-37). These time statements about the imminency of Christ’s return cannot be taken any other way without casting doubt upon the integrity of the NT. For more Scriptures which teach that the return would happen in the First Century, see Appendix I (p. 34). The book of Revelation describes the horrors that came upon the Jews during their war with Rome (AD 6670). The battle of Armageddon was fought at AD 70 when God used the Roman armies to stop the Jewish persecution of Christians. The book of Revelation (as well as all the other books of the New Testament) was written before the destruction of Jerusalem, and the charismata (speaking in tongues, writing by inspiration, etc.) seem to have ceased at AD 70. Everything that was essential for us to know about the Kingdom had been fully revealed by that time. The immature state of the church had given way to the complete state (1 Cor. 13:8ff).
Jewish War with the Romansn 66-70 The Kingdom had been fully established under Christ’s control, and Christ’s enemies (who had rejected Him and persecuted His followers) had been destroyed. All the Old Testament prophecies about the Kingdom and Jesus’ return had been fulfilled (Luke 21:22,31). Inspiration of N.T. Under Attack! The preterist view disables one major line of argumentation used by liberals and skeptics against the inspiration of the New Testament. Albert Schweitzer, a noted liberal theologian, has gone to great lengths to document the fact that Christ predicted His return in His generation (The Quest For The Historical Jesus). He says we should follow Jesus anyway, even though He failed to return when He promised. Bertrand Russell, in his book Why I Am Not A Christian, uses the failure of Christ’s predictions to discredit Christ and repudiate Christianity. Many such critics of Christ and Christianity claim the non-fulfillment of the numerous NT statements about the imminent return of Christ proves that the NT writers were mistaken and therefore uninspired. They use passages like these: Matt. 16:27,28; Rom. 13:11,12; Jas. 5:8,9; 1 Pet. 4:7,17; 1 Jno. 2:17,18; Rev. 1:1,3; Rev. 22:6,7,10,12,20. Jesus told His disciples, “Some of those who are standing here shall not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom” (Matt. 16:27,28). Paul told the Romans that it was “Already the hour for them to awaken”, because “The Night is almost gone and the Day is at hand” (Rom. 13:11,12). Paul also reminded the Corinthians that they were living at a time when “The Ends of the Ages had come” (1 Cor. 10:11). Paul stated that Christ’s ministry on Earth was during the time when the ages were being consummated (Heb. 9:26). James wrote (in 63 AD just before he was martyred), “The coming of the Lord is at hand” and “The Judge is standing right at the door” (Jas. 5:8,9). Peter also writing at about the same time as James said, “The End of all things is at hand” and “It is time for judgment to begin” (1 Pet. 4:7,17). John (who also wrote the book of Revelation) says in his first epistle, “The world is passing away” and “It is the last hour” (1 Jn. 2:17,18). In the book of Revelation he says in two different places that all the things revealed in this book were to “shortly take place” and that the time of its fulfillment was “at hand” (Rev. 1:1,3; 22:6,10). Jesus affirmed repeatedly in the book of Revelation that His return was to be very “soon” (Rev. 22:7,12,20). The NT writers taught the return of Christ would occur in their lifetime! There was not a shadow of doubt in their minds. They do not say “maybe” or “possibly.” They affirm definitely that the coming and end were near, and that some of them would live to see it. As that generation began to close, several of the NT books were written . Not only do these particular books reaffirm the coming and end in their lifetime, but that the end was at the very door. End of Part 2. The chart on the next page shows how the radical nearness was emphasized more dramatically as they approached AD 70.
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ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
JESUS SAYS, “MY DOOR IS ALWAYS OPEN”
Jesus Says, “My door is Always Open” Stand right up when you fall BY PASTOR DAN BRIEN Revelations 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. Why Christians give up hope? Remember being excited about God when you first came to know Jesus as your savior. And for good reason. You called out to the LORD, and he heard you. You tasted and saw that the Lord is good! You believed the Lord camps around his children, and delivers them. And it’s true. But then Jesus tested your faith, and the Lord allowed temptation to come into your life. And you failed the test, and got discouraged. But you rallied your strength, and stood back up, and tried a second time to please God. But failed again. Finally, a third time you tried to please God, but failed again. Now you’re completely discouraged. You’ve given up all hope in pleasing God! You’ve decided to lay down for good this time, because you think, “What’s use is it? If I was already close to God, and failed him, how can I ever pass the test now?” Praise God! There’s Hope! But take courage! Jesus came to save the world, not to condemn the world. Our salvation came free of charge to anyone willing to believe God is really that loving. Hope comes not because you first loved God, But because the Lord first loved you, and gave himself up for you. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. One of the Devil’s biggest lies that he uses to discourage people away from approaching God’s presence, is to convince us we must be perfect to please God. I know, he still tries using it on me. But thank God it’s not true! Jesus is holding onto you, even when you barley hold onto him. Isaiah 42:3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; 4 he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. He is patient with his children, and he understands our sins and weakness, he does not treat us as our sins deserve. And his love wasn’t dependent on your faith. No! Jesus paid for your salvation, he bought you for a price, long before you trusted him The same salvation that saved you in the beginning, is the same Jesus who can transform
your life forever. Philippians 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. I’m learning to ignore the Devil, and rebuke him to his face. Jesus Christ was the only perfect person to ever walk the earth, and he won the ultimate victory by living a sinless life. That’s why we put our trust in him. Jesus kept his eyes on his Father in heaven in every situation he found himself. Wow! No person in human history has done that before. This made Jesus worthy to be a sin offering. He paid the price for our sins so we can share in his Father’s love. Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light We all fall in many ways. But when you fall, don’t let the Devil guilt trip you into staying down. You’ve been forgiven once, and for all time. The Lord is more forgiving of your faults than you are, and he’s much more patient than you think. So forget your past failings. Press on back into Jesus. The Apostle Paul knew he wasn’t yet perfect, but he pressed on into Jesus. Philippians 3:13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. In view of God’s mercy, Get right back up, shake the dust off yourself, and march right into his throne room. Walk boldly right up to his throne and make your requests face to face to your Father in heaven. That’s what he wants! Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. God Loves You! Keep Going in Christ!
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 18 | MAY 2018
INTERVIEW WITH BOCHAROV TUZ VLADIMIR
Interview With Bocharov Tuz Vladimir AN AUTHOR OF SEVEN MISTAKES OF JUDAS
Thank you for agreeing to this interview Vladimir: Thank you too for giving me the opportunity. I really appreciate your attention. Realizing the high level of the magazine What inspired you to write your book Seven Mistakes of Judas ? Vladimir: My inspiration is a mixture of three components coming from three sources. The first is the revelations the Lord gives me for preaching (I've been preaching for 15 years already). The second is the Holy Scriptures, which I read daily (I've already read the New Testament books about 300 times). The third source is my personal experience of the Christian life, the experience of serving God in different spheres and countries. How did behind-the-scenes event, i mean when you was writing this book , how did it impact you in such a way that you had to make your Book? Vladimir: This book was written when I had the most difficult period in my life. I lost my job, I had big problems in the family, and I was greatly offended in the church. I felt I was at the bottom ... I needed a victory over depression, over sin, over resentment, over poverty. I realized that for such a victory I need an acting Jesus. Nevertheless, for my part, I must have a special mood - the mindset of the winner. It is about this the mindset - the mindset of the winner my book tells. Why is your book Seven Mistakes of Judas important to the average person?
Vladimir: The meaning of my life, my main goal is "to preach the gospel of the Lord's grace." To all people! I would like to preach to the Americas, Asia, Australia, etc. However, I cannot yet. I have no money. Nevertheless, God gave me another opportunity to write a book that is reading now in America, Asia, and Europe. This book is my preaching, which sounds for all people, all over the face of the earth! Moreover, through the sale of this book, I try to earn money on a missionary trip to Indonesia. How difficult was it to bring these kinds of ideas into this book ? Vladimir: The book was written very easily. This book is a sermon given by the Lord. When the Lord gives a sermon - it's easy. You just open your mouth, and the Lord gives you words that need to be spoken. In the same way with the book, I just took a pen and wrote what the Lord put in my heart. Is your Book a result of your experiences, research, expertise, or what? Vladimir: This book does not contain philosophy, theory and hypotheses. This book is an experience. Literally, every word is taken from my personal experience of living with God and from the experience of serving God. I preached in different countries. I perform services in jails, hospitals and villages. The mistakes of Judas - are universal any Christian can do them, wherever he lives, and in whatever church he goes. Nevertheless, the grace of Jesus is universal too; it is accessible to all people, wherever they live. What are the key takeaways you hope readers find in your book ?
Vladimir: Judas was no different from the average person. Neither physically nor psychologically. Moreover, Judas, like any the average person, received an equal opportunity to become a winner, living as a disciple of Jesus. However, Judas made mistakes and lost everything. Similarly, it can happen with any the average person. This book is written so that everyone can escape the fate of Judah and become a winner.
Vladimir: I think the key message of this book sounds like this Never make the mistakes of Judas, clutch at Jesus and let Him make you a winner and you'll see that Jesus really is alive and He makes ordinary people winners!
How will reading your book change the minds or hearts or lives of readers?
Vladimir: It is hard for me to say what people will do, but I will tell you what I do when someone buys my book, downloads a book, or leaves a review. I kneel and warmly thank God for this. I ask God to bless the reader, save him, give him grace so that the reader can become a winner. I want to believe that the reader himself, after reading the book - will kneel, raise his eyes to heaven and sincerely tell Jesus - Lord, give me the forgiveness of all my mistakes and sins and make me a winner! Moreover, I believe that soon the time will come and in heaven in the presence of the Lord, where the winners will stand, we will stand too - I and all the readers of this book!
Vladimir: I am convinced that this book is like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces. The rock of unbelief, the rock of sin, doubts, and delusions, which is in the heart and mind of man. The truth set forth in this book shows how, in practice, to prepare the way for the Lord and make the paths straight for Him. This book guides the way of meeting with the Lord, a meeting that will make a person a winner. Why is this topic so important to you, personally ?
Now that people have read your book, what do you hope they will do next?