The truth of False News

Before and after the U.S.A Presidential elections the now President spoke out about “Fake News!” This caused a lot of furore and criticism, especially from the Press and certain T.V. stations. He has been proven correct. Anyone who has dealt with the media knows there are reporters more interested in sensationalising something than presenting the facts without embellishment, bias or vindictive intent.

This shouldn’t surprise any of us. False news actually began in a garden setting. It has been truthfully recorded by the person affected and later included in the book of Genesis. The creature who spoke the false news was in camouflage gear as the Serpent. He is later identified as the Devil in Revelation 12:9. The one he mislead was Eve who in turn relayed it to Adam. The false news was to malign the character of their Creator and undermine the seriousness of His command not to eat the fruit of a certain tree. The result of believing the false report was a curse upon all creation expressed in death. This is always the power of false news in various areas of life, relationships and society.

The Bible defines false news as a lie. Jesus described the creature who spoke it first as the original liar and what he brought about was murder and lies (John 8:44). False news and its intent and outworking is summed up in Scripture as Sin! There isn’t any arena of life which is free from being infected and affected by false news. Politics is in the spotlight at the moment but it isn’t alone. If you believe the Biblical account of creation, especially as a scientist, you are vilified and often debarred by untrue assertions and out of context quotes. To believe in the historic and Biblical accounts about marriage is to be held up to ridicule and lawsuits as well as being falsely accused of hate crimes. All through recorded history there have been religious charlatans with personal agendas or in league with godless forces and anti-Messianic forces who hate the holiness, morality and prophesied purposes of the Creator. They    are recorded as false prophets and false teachers. The New Testament issues

a similar warning about their insidious messages. The vilification of the Jewish people across the centuries was enflamed by false news. What has been documented about the Nazi regime’s propaganda in this matter reveals the end result, a holocaust. This anti-Israel attitude is being promoted even in the United Nations today. Can you perceive where it could, will lead too? (read the Biblical book of Joel or Psalm 2 or Ezekiel 38 Etc).

Jesus warned His people about the prevalence of false news in regard to a specific event involving Him. In His talk about the climax of history and His promised return Jesus spoke about scurrilous reporters creating havoc. As certain signs foretold were to take place people would get emotional or exasperated by reports coming in as to where Jesus could be found, seen or expected (Matthew 24).  When you read that passage it is evident that the reported sighting are being sent and heard quickly. In our W.W.W. generation this should come as no surprise. With Facebook, smartphones, twitter, Instagram and emails (to name a few) fake, false and flawed stories get unleashed and in an instant travel throughout the world. Even when they are corrected by the facts of the matter the poison has been spread, the damage done. Jesus gave the answer to misguided or mischievous reporting of His returning. He simply said, when it happens, “every eye will see” Him.

Unless there is an unchangeable standard by which to measure what is true or false, what is righteous and what is sin, we will be blown around as a piece of paper in a tornado. That standard is the Judeo-Christian book called the Bible. It reveals an unchangeable God with an unchangeable message verified by the unchangeable Messiah who triumphed over Sin and its false news. This is the reality of Christ and the cross. This Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and in His presence through His word we know the truth and are alerted to what will lead us astray from it. This world is under the malicious influence of the ‘serpent’ (1 John 5:19) that is why there is so much false news circulated and believed. However, as believers in and disciples of Christ we look forward to a new era, when righteousness, truth, justice and grace reigns. Maranatha!

©Ray Hawkins Feb 26^th 2017.

Christmas - No Compromise

There’s a madness spreading across the world breeding antipathy and hostility to the Christian faith. This plague is infecting countries and community with a long history of Christianity. Civic and Church leaders are losing moral strength as they are confronted by an influx of people with this antichrist fever. Not wanting to offend such people, those in Government make excuses for expressing sympathy by undermining their Christian Heritage. As the Christmas season draws near this well-meaning empathy is actually desecrating the name of Christ.  Some areas of Germany are calling the Christmas season ‘Festival of Lights.’ In Australia Christmas Nativity scenes in some communities are banned. It is politically incorrect to wish someone “Merry Christmas”.  A Muslim cleric said to be part of the Christmas celebration and wishing another “Merry Christmas” was worse than murder.

 Some well-meaning and ‘nice’ Christians are going along with this nonsense. Such ‘jellyfish’ believers are in actual fact betraying the Faith.  We may debate the date but not the fact of the birth of Jesus. Our authority for this event and who it reveals are *Prophetic Scriptures *Eye witness accounts in the Gospels.  *The Church, which, without the other two and the historical facts of Christ’s birth, life and resurrection, wouldn’t exist. We also have to remember the apostles and many first century believers in Christ paid for their faith with their blood. Our response, as Christians should be similar to those over the centuries who called Jesus Lord, ‘No Compromise.’

Why is Christmas so offensive? Depending upon the belief of the person the celebration of the birth of Christ upsets their tolerance. Atheists are rankled by anything which points to the creator, redeemer God. Muslims deny the claims of Jesus, especially about Him being the Son of God. Jews reject Jesus as their promised Messiah. In the final analysis all this angst is directed to the Church and the Bible. The books of the Bible have one major theme – Jesus! In the 39 books of the Old Testament He is the promised someone who is coming. In the four Gospels, Jesus is the promised someone who has come. In the twenty-three other books of the New Testament Jesus is the promised someone who is coming again.

Every Christmas and every Easter and Passover the non-Christian belief system is given a pounding. This happens at Christmas through church services, greeting cards, nativity scenes, music and the church providing Christmas cheer to the hungry and destitute. Handel’s marvellous music of the ‘Messiah’ must disturb those who reject the coming of Jesus to be the Saviour of the World. This would be especially true of militant Islam which disallows music in their culture. Who can blame them! They have nothing to sing about, either to their god, his interest in them, or about their hope of being accepted by him!

It is time for Christians to stand their ground. It is time to be gracious in the face of being charged as bigots. It is time to challenge political correctness when it tries to silence our voice from speaking the truth of God’s Word. It is time to pay the price for teaching the message of grace, mercy, judgement and forgiveness found in Jesus Christ. It is time to pray for those who are intent upon nullifying, undermining and destroying Christ and His Church. It is time to cancel out compromise.

May the Lord bless you this Christmas! As you celebrate the birth of the Son of God may He fill your heart with wonder! In wishing others, friend, family or foe, “Merry Christmas” let it be our expression of faith in the Christmas event.

©Ray Hawkins November16th 2015.

If anyone is interested in finding out more of what the bible says on Christmas get ‘Bethlehem’s Warrior Baby’ by Ray Hawkins. Available in Christian bookshops and also as an Ebook from Amazon and Goodreads. RRP $10:00.

Son of God -The Name all will bow before

There’s an accounting that’s been set. On that day every person who has ever lived will have to acknowledge the One whose Name is above every name. Before this person kings and tyrants, peasants and slaves, Mohammed, Buddha, Popes, tribes and clans will bow. Whether this submission will be freely given or enforced will have been decided within each person’s lifetime.

Who is this person whose Name is superior to any other? What has He done to warrant such acclaim? How is it possible for Him to sit in judgement on the faith and deeds of others? Where do we find the record of this King of king, Lord of lords, and God of gods?

To take the last question first: The Judeo-Christian Bible is the source. Despite attempts to obliterate it across centuries the Bible’s Author has preserved it. Though forces have tried to eliminate the historical accuracy of its accounts, they have been foiled by archaeology. Opponents endeavoured to turn it into myth but the fulfilment of prophetic statements, especially about the promised Messiah, simply revealed their falsehoods.

How can He sit in Judgement on the living and the dead? To do that in righteousness and truth requires the ability to know all about the person. He must know the motives and the reasons for their actions or inaction. Can He weight their love or hate, their opportunities to obey the Truth and to exercise justice? Will He be able to discern true forgiveness and mercy, repentance and reformation? If He is so high and holy how can He understand the weak, frail, hurting and lost?

The One who will sit upon the throne of Judgement has two claims to it. One is by the right of His person. He is the Creator and ruler of the Universe. The details of this are acknowledge not only in the Bible but also in the heavens. They declare His existence. The other factor is that this Creator took upon Himself the failure of Adam and Eve to fulfil His instructions. To do that He, in the fullness of time, came to earth to offer forgiveness, grace, hope and a new beginning. It also required experiencing their judgement, and ours, upon our rebellion and indifference to Him. That was death. His name at that event was Jesus. It is the Name declared at the  Christmas event in fulfilment of Isaiah 7:14. Luke 1:26-35.

When you read the accounts of the birth of Jesus you will notice the Name given which goes beyond the Greek Jesus or Hebrew Joshua. Jesus is called ‘The Son of God.’ Here is the distinctive claim about Jesus. During the time of His earthly ministry the Jewish people wanted to stone Him for this, as it made Him, rightly so, equal with God. Peter, one of His disciples came to the conviction that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Son of God (Matthew 16:16) which further adds to the meaning of ‘Emmanuel’ God with us. Now all of this is beautiful and poetic but can it be true? Remember this Jesus was crucified for blasphemy. There can be only one of two answers. He is a fraud and rots in the tomb or He is who the Bible portrays Him to be. How?  Because He conquered Death and reversed the judgements of The High Priest and Pilate. They were wrong. The prophetic scriptures were and remain right! (Psalm 2. Romans 1:1-4 Revelation ch.4 & 5 Philippians 2:6-11).

Therefore the name He bears is unique (John 3:16) and the message of the gospel about Him is this: ’These are written that so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.’ (John 20:31)

Some try and tell us that Allah and Yahweh are one and the same terms for God. How can that be when Islam declares God has no Son. The Bible and the Koran are from two entirely different sources. What they say about Jesus are totally opposed one to the other. The Koran portrays Jesus as a prophet who lies and is a coward, certainly not worth a second thought. The Bible written across two thousand years and numerous authors, endorsed by historical records and prophetic statements declares the Jesus – His historical name, is the Messiah –the promised redeemer – and at the same time – The Son of the Living God. To believe in Him on that basis is to know forgiveness, a new beginning in time and a new destiny in eternity. It means also that on that accounting day you will gladly bow before Him and praise His Name as your Lord and Saviour, giving thanks to God the Father for Him.

In the Shadows of Purim.

Around the world the Jewish people have celebrated the Festival of Purim. It is a joyous time with much story telling, gift giving and feasting. As most understand this is a celebration of deliverance of the nation from genocide. The account is recorded in the Biblical book of Esther.

There are some remarkable issues in this beautiful book. A Jewish girl wins a beauty contest and is appointed the Persian’s king’s queen. Her uncle, Mordecai reveals a plot to assassinate the king and is later rewarded with a parade. Then there is the twisted ego and racial hatred of Haman. This high official felt slighted by Mordecai and sought revenge. As is seen constantly through history such twisted emotion spreads. Haman developed a plan to destroy Mordecai and the Jewish people.

How this was thwarted makes compelling reading. Esther has to reveal her Jewish identity at great risk. This she does and is the means of saving her people from Haman’s spite. The words of Mordecai to her have echoed down the centuries and been applied specially to individuals with great responsibilities. ‘Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?’

In the Bible this is a very interesting book for a number of reasons. One fascinating aspect is the absence of the name of God. And yet you cannot read this account without sensing His presence in the shadows of events. This appeals to me for a number of reasons. To Israel the Lord made a promise to bring the Messiah into the world through them. Haman’s scheme would have prevented this. The Lord keeps His word and so working within historical circumstances delivered His nation and ensured the coming of the Messiah. I believe the Lord was making a statement which we need to understand and rely upon. It has significance for today!

Haman has his irrational, vindictive and Israel hating descendants today. They are intent on wiping this nation off the planet. Should they succeed then they would make the Bible a piece of lying parchments, they would prevent the return of the Messiah to reign from Jerusalem, they would reduce the Church and its gospel of Jesus Christ to mythology and also they would escape the revealed judgments upon such God hating nations. Do you think the Lord God will sit idly by in Heaven and let that happen?

What the celebration of Purim reminds us all about is to look beyond the surface of events. When we view the Middle East and its ongoing tragedies and hatreds we can wonder ‘where is God?’ He is in the shadows. He is protecting His word and promises. There will be the horror of hatred sowing and reaping its destructive powers in lives and nations which is an indictment upon the human condition. However, the Lord has recorded in many, many places that such things will happen.

What then does He seek to do in all of this? Our Lord wants you to trust Him and His Word. Even when you are in the turmoil of tragedy and sadness remember He has promised to be with you. Life will throw up lots of ‘dust and debris’ which seeks to smother the Lord’s presence and ‘bury’ His word. Don’t despair, He is with you, or wants to be if you will let Him. The account of Esther and the Purim celebration is to remind us that Islam’s evil intent will fail. It declares that Gentile boycotts and unbelieving Christendom will be made to regret their rejection of God’s unconditional guarantee to Israel’s existence. God is faithful to His promises. He has painted the broad canvas of future events within Scripture so that we will have hope. Read it in Ezekiel chapters 34 – 39.