When discussing the Islamization of the West, France is usually cited as being the worst-off of the Western democracies. It has an estimated Muslim population of 10%, perhaps as high as 15%, and the demographics of the situation — a very low birthrate among the native French, and a baby boom among the Muslim immigrants — do not bode well for the future of France.
If we expand the definition of “the West” a bit, it becomes necessary to add India and Russia to the list of Most Islamized Western Nations. India has the largest, oldest, and most intractable “Islam problem” of any Western democracy. The Muslim minority in India is over 150 million (13+% of the population) and is growing relative to the Hindu population. India lives under the constant threat of terror attack. Its citizens experience deadly bombings and other forms of violent jihad with mind-numbing regularity.
Russia is a special case. Its Muslim population is estimated at 10% to 12%, and its demographic situation is worse than that of France, so that Russian Islam is expected to grow rapidly. If present trends continue, Muslims will comprise a majority of the Russian military within a couple of decades (source: www.bigpeace.com)
Why is this significant? Because during the middle of the Tribulation Period, Russia and her allies will invade Israel from the North and come up against Israel to plunder and take over her (Ezek. 38). This coalition will not succeed, but it will become a major turning point for the Antichrist. He seemingly comes to Israel’s rescue with his armies. It appears he saves her from what looks to be a certain invasion. This is when he turns to Israel and the world and announces himself to be God and sits himself in the newly rebuild temple (2 Thess. 2:4).
As you know, Russia has changed over the years, especially when Reagan was in office. They went from extreme communism to a more moderate one. However, Russia has no desire to invade Israel all by itself. It will have to be a great push and pressure from others to do so. This is why in Ezekiel 38:4 God states, “I will turn you about, and put hooks in your jaws, and I will bring you out, and all your army. . .” And then in verses 5-6, her alliances are named.
Not only is Russia growing a huge population of Muslims, but her alliances with other surrounding nations will also be Muslim. That my friend is the hook and the impetus to go and invade Israel.
Since Russia is growing a Muslim population and since one of the great mosques in the world is right there in Jerusalem, Muslims would love to take over Israel completely and with Russia’s help and backing, they have their motive for a surprise invasion.
But remember, all this occurs during the middle of the Tribulation Period. Israel is said to be at the time of the invasion a “land of unwalled villages” (Ezek. 38:11), which means she has no defense. The AntiChrist had made a seven year peace treaty with her 42 months earlier. So she is resting securely, believing that her political alliance with the AntiChrist will be enough to ensure protection. BUT, “why they are saying, ‘peace and safety!’ then destruction comes upon them suddenly like birth pangs” (1 Thess. 5:3).
A recent column by Jeffrey Kuhner in The Washington Times reported the following:
“The Vatican estimates that from Egypt to Iran there are just 17 million Christians left.” Why? Persecution by Muslims.
“Nearly two-thirds of the 500,000 Christians in Baghdad have fled or been killed.” Why? Persecution by Muslims.
Other reports in recent weeks report increased Islamic terror activity in Sweden. Thousands of Hindus have fled Pakistan’s Sind province due to increased persecution by Muslims.
While the church bombing in Egypt received some worldwide press, none of these developments I refer to above have received much worldwide attention.
Meanwhile, after Pakistani’s Punjab governor Salman Taseer was assassinated because he opposed Pakistan’s anti-blasphemy laws, over 500 Muslim clerics defended the actions of the murderer. What’s more, when Pope Benedict XVI urged Pakistan to repeal these laws, the leader of the nation’s most powerful Islamic party declared “The Pope’s statement is an insult to Muslims across the world.”
Crime perpetrated by Muslims against non-Muslims throughout Europe is accelerating. Terrorist threats are on the rise. Counterterrorism forces in Great Britain are tracking some 30,000 potential Islamic terrorist suspects in that country alone. Jews are fleeing Europe in response to increased persecution.
All of this is occurring against the backdrop of decades of appeasement and accommodation extended by European governments to militant Muslims.
Lebanon’s government was recently toppled by Hezbollah. Now, for all practical purposes, Hezbollah is in control of Lebanon.
Throughout history Islamic jihad has ebbed and flowed – but it has never completely ended. Today we are witnessing an emboldened and empowered worldwide jihad the likes of which has not been seen since before the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.
In the face of this reality Rep. Bennie Thompson criticizes Rep. Peter King’s plan for hearings on Muslim radicalization, foolishly arguing that Muslim radicalization shouldn’t be singled out when we have mass shootings like the one recently in Tucson.
Organizations like CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, insist that terror and violence around the world, perpetrated by Muslims, has nothing to do with any doctrines of Islam. This in spite of the fact that since 9/11 over 17,000 incidents of Islamic terror have been documented worldwide. CAIR’s contentions would be laughable if this weren’t so tragic.
Over the past two years we saw more homegrown terrorists arrested than in the previous eight years since 9/11. Yet the Obama administration can’t even bring itself to use terms like “jihad” and “radical Islam” in its assessment of this worldwide threat.
We are seeing this coalition of nations forming now and we are also witnessing the change in Russia’s population to a more predominant Muslim growth. This means increase persecution and anger against Christians, Jews and non-Muslims. The stage is being set. Soon, like a thief in the night, Jesus comes for His Church. Will you be ready?
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Question: Does it matter if our body is buried or burned?
Question:
Hi Pastor Rich,
Is there a right and wrong way to prepare our bodies after death on earth?
I have heard that we should keep the body intact, as, in burial, and then I've heard that spreading ashes is fine because we were created from ashes.
Does it matter?
Answer:
Good question. Your question does not stand by itself because many have had similar thoughts and inquiries.
The bottom line answer: No it does not matter. Let me give to you some thoughts to hold on to –
First, in the resurrection, God will put back our bodies or recreate us with new ones. How much of the putting back the Lord does and how much will our bodies be completely new, I am not sure. But one thing is certain – we will have a completely glorified body.
Here is what I mean. When a Christian loses a limb – arm, leg, etc., at the resurrection no one is resurrected with only one arm or one leg. Everyone has a full functioning body that is completely intact.
Revelation 6:9 states, that when the 5th seal was broken, John saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the Word of God. On earth, these believers lost their heads! In heaven they got new ones. How do I know? Verse 10 states, “They cried with a loud voice!” This would be difficult without a head.
In 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, twice Paul states that at the resurrection, “we shall be changed.” How so? The perishable (our bodies) will put on imperishable (vv. 53-54). Not every Christian dies the same. Some die naturally and are buried in the ground where their body becomes perishable. Some die horrible deaths such as, explosions, fires, buried in the sea and eaten by sea creatures. With God it does not matter. The body is perishable. But at the resurrection, the perishable puts on imperishable.
Furthermore, Paul goes on to say that there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies (1 Cor. 15:40). The glory of the earthly is one kind and the glory of the heavenly is another kind. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body (v. 42).
Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. 44 They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.
45 The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.” But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit. 46What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. 47 Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. 48 Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. 49 Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man.
50 What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever – 1 Cor. 15:43-50 NLT
When reading these verses, one thing is certain: We are given an entirely new glorified resurrected body that will be suited for heaven and eternity. Therefore, it does not matter if a Christian’s body is buried or burned.
Hi Pastor Rich,
Is there a right and wrong way to prepare our bodies after death on earth?
I have heard that we should keep the body intact, as, in burial, and then I've heard that spreading ashes is fine because we were created from ashes.
Does it matter?
Answer:
Good question. Your question does not stand by itself because many have had similar thoughts and inquiries.
The bottom line answer: No it does not matter. Let me give to you some thoughts to hold on to –
First, in the resurrection, God will put back our bodies or recreate us with new ones. How much of the putting back the Lord does and how much will our bodies be completely new, I am not sure. But one thing is certain – we will have a completely glorified body.
Here is what I mean. When a Christian loses a limb – arm, leg, etc., at the resurrection no one is resurrected with only one arm or one leg. Everyone has a full functioning body that is completely intact.
Revelation 6:9 states, that when the 5th seal was broken, John saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the Word of God. On earth, these believers lost their heads! In heaven they got new ones. How do I know? Verse 10 states, “They cried with a loud voice!” This would be difficult without a head.
In 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, twice Paul states that at the resurrection, “we shall be changed.” How so? The perishable (our bodies) will put on imperishable (vv. 53-54). Not every Christian dies the same. Some die naturally and are buried in the ground where their body becomes perishable. Some die horrible deaths such as, explosions, fires, buried in the sea and eaten by sea creatures. With God it does not matter. The body is perishable. But at the resurrection, the perishable puts on imperishable.
Furthermore, Paul goes on to say that there are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies (1 Cor. 15:40). The glory of the earthly is one kind and the glory of the heavenly is another kind. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body (v. 42).
Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. 44 They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies.
45 The Scriptures tell us, “The first man, Adam, became a living person.” But the last Adam—that is, Christ—is a life-giving Spirit. 46What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. 47 Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. 48 Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. 49 Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man.
50 What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever – 1 Cor. 15:43-50 NLT
When reading these verses, one thing is certain: We are given an entirely new glorified resurrected body that will be suited for heaven and eternity. Therefore, it does not matter if a Christian’s body is buried or burned.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Who Owns You?
Let me ask you a personal question: Who owns you? Now stop and think about that for a moment. Don’t be so quick to answer. Who owns you?
Well, if you’re a Christian and you want to sound spiritual you would say, “God owns me.” Okay, my next question would be, “How much does God own of you? Does He own your head? How about your heart? How about your feet? Hands? Eyes? Would those items I mentioned above bear the mark of God’s ownership? And if God does own us, then how come much of what is written in the Scriptures are about our own responsibility to live a certain way? Why does God not simply force me to live one way rather than commanding me to?
We'll come back to who owns a Christian. For now, let’s ask, “Who owns the rest of the people?” For those who are not believers, who owns them?
I want to suggest in the real world in which we live, ownership of people boils down to this: “We all own ourselves.” Now I want you to consider this purely from the standpoint of there being no God. Because although many Christians would attest to God owning them, their lives would indicate otherwise. And since God’s ownership only applies to the believer, most in the world are not Christians. So, who owns us?
I own myself. You own yourself. My own life is my own private property. My life does not belong to anyone else. My body does not belong to another. I take care of it myself. I feed it myself. I dress it myself. I wash it myself – you catch my drift? I am my own private property and so are you. You belong to you.
If this is true, then acts that violate my own self-ownership are immoral acts. For example, if someone tries to murder me that would be an immoral act because it intrudes on my rights of owning myself. Acts of rape, theft, assault, are all immoral acts that violate self ownership.
Now what if I were to take what belongs to you, that is, what you personally own, and I give it to someone else without your permission? Would you consider that to be an immoral act on my part?
Our government, as fat as it is, takes my money and without my permission gives it away to someone else that it believes needs it more than I do. And the government also does this with you, so I am not alone. What would this be called? Theft! Taking something that does not belong to it (the government) and giving it to whomever or whatever it deems necessary (handouts).
Besides being called “theft,” you know what else we can call this? “Slavery!” Slavery is when another person controls what you own. Do you control thirty percent of your income, or forty percent, depending on what income bracket you fall into? You not only do not control how much is taken from you – through payroll tax, property tax, state tax, etc., you cannot control where it goes.
Now if you believe that your money does not belong to you, and if you believe that you belong to God and God has given government the responsibility to manage your life, then all that I am saying is mute. You are therefore the property of the U.S. Government. If you believe this, you can stop reading now. The rest will bore you.
Think with me for a moment. Do others have a right to receive handouts in the sum of momentary support? Does a person have a right to congressional handouts for housing, food and medical care?
Let’s ask this: Where does our government get handout money? The only way for Congress to give one American one dollar is to first, through the tax code, take that dollar from some other American. It must forcibly use one American to serve another American. Forcibly using one person to serve another is one way to describe slavery. As such, it violates self-ownership.
But this type of immorality where one person is forced to serve another does not stop here. Some regulations such as forcing motorists to wear seatbelts or wear a helmet violates self-ownership. If one owns himself, he has the right to take chances with his own life.
Some will argue that if you're not wearing a seatbelt or wearing a helmet and you have an accident and become a vegetable, you'll become a burden on society. That's not a problem of liberty and self-ownership. It's a problem of socialism where through the tax code one person is forcibly used to care for another.
Some will also argue that Congress is simply forcing us to help one another by forcing us to take care of ourselves, and that such force is a good idea. But let me ask you this: When congressmen and presidents take their oaths of office, is that oath to uphold and defend good ideas or the U.S. Constitution?
When the principles of self-ownership are taken into account, two-thirds to three-quarters of what Congress does violate those principles to one degree or another as well as the Constitution to which they've sworn to uphold and defend.
If we accept the value of self-ownership, it is clear that most of what Congress does is clearly immoral. If this is a perceived problem, there are two ways around my argument. The first is to deny the implications of self-ownership. You must affirm that you belong to Uncle Sam.
Second, let’s go back to the Christian. Who owns the Christian? If you still believe that God does, you are absolutely right. We have been bought with a price and therefore we are not our own (1 Cor. 6:19-20).
Since God owns me then why does the government think that it owns me as well? Sometime in the past, I chose (because I owned myself) to give my life over to Jesus Christ. I chose for God to own me. Since having done this, I do not wish to be owned by another. But clearly I am. So what do I do?
Well, I can fight against the government who thinks it owns me by supporting Christian Family Values. I can lobby against the homosexual agenda and rally against gay marriages. I can forcibly attack the issue of abortion and euthanasia.
Let’s say that I become successful. Have I won? Has government ceased its ownership over me? No, it still does immoral acts against not only my own self-ownership but also acts against my true owner God Himself.
So how do I get out from the tyranny of government ownership over me? I don’t. I can’t. Not now and certainly not in this dispensation. The only solution is for Jesus to return to set up His government which will rule with justice and righteous. To try to stop the government from owning me is impossible. Jesus has to do that Himself. Since He is my chosen Master.
If there is one thing I am certain about it’s this: Government is filled with injustices. God has called me not to change that, but to change people’s hearts. The church must show people that they really have no say so when it comes to self-ownership. We simply do not own ourselves to the degree with think we do. Something or someone else owns us. And although as a Christian I am owned by God, still I must admit that so does the government. I must live with this reality until Jesus comes and changes it for good.
I like this, I really do. You ask, “Why do you like being controlled by the government?” Because everyday I am reminded that this world is not my own, I am just passing through. And like the saints of old, I “desire a better country, that is a heavenly one” (Heb. 11:16).
Well, if you’re a Christian and you want to sound spiritual you would say, “God owns me.” Okay, my next question would be, “How much does God own of you? Does He own your head? How about your heart? How about your feet? Hands? Eyes? Would those items I mentioned above bear the mark of God’s ownership? And if God does own us, then how come much of what is written in the Scriptures are about our own responsibility to live a certain way? Why does God not simply force me to live one way rather than commanding me to?
We'll come back to who owns a Christian. For now, let’s ask, “Who owns the rest of the people?” For those who are not believers, who owns them?
I want to suggest in the real world in which we live, ownership of people boils down to this: “We all own ourselves.” Now I want you to consider this purely from the standpoint of there being no God. Because although many Christians would attest to God owning them, their lives would indicate otherwise. And since God’s ownership only applies to the believer, most in the world are not Christians. So, who owns us?
I own myself. You own yourself. My own life is my own private property. My life does not belong to anyone else. My body does not belong to another. I take care of it myself. I feed it myself. I dress it myself. I wash it myself – you catch my drift? I am my own private property and so are you. You belong to you.
If this is true, then acts that violate my own self-ownership are immoral acts. For example, if someone tries to murder me that would be an immoral act because it intrudes on my rights of owning myself. Acts of rape, theft, assault, are all immoral acts that violate self ownership.
Now what if I were to take what belongs to you, that is, what you personally own, and I give it to someone else without your permission? Would you consider that to be an immoral act on my part?
Our government, as fat as it is, takes my money and without my permission gives it away to someone else that it believes needs it more than I do. And the government also does this with you, so I am not alone. What would this be called? Theft! Taking something that does not belong to it (the government) and giving it to whomever or whatever it deems necessary (handouts).
Besides being called “theft,” you know what else we can call this? “Slavery!” Slavery is when another person controls what you own. Do you control thirty percent of your income, or forty percent, depending on what income bracket you fall into? You not only do not control how much is taken from you – through payroll tax, property tax, state tax, etc., you cannot control where it goes.
Now if you believe that your money does not belong to you, and if you believe that you belong to God and God has given government the responsibility to manage your life, then all that I am saying is mute. You are therefore the property of the U.S. Government. If you believe this, you can stop reading now. The rest will bore you.
Think with me for a moment. Do others have a right to receive handouts in the sum of momentary support? Does a person have a right to congressional handouts for housing, food and medical care?
Let’s ask this: Where does our government get handout money? The only way for Congress to give one American one dollar is to first, through the tax code, take that dollar from some other American. It must forcibly use one American to serve another American. Forcibly using one person to serve another is one way to describe slavery. As such, it violates self-ownership.
But this type of immorality where one person is forced to serve another does not stop here. Some regulations such as forcing motorists to wear seatbelts or wear a helmet violates self-ownership. If one owns himself, he has the right to take chances with his own life.
Some will argue that if you're not wearing a seatbelt or wearing a helmet and you have an accident and become a vegetable, you'll become a burden on society. That's not a problem of liberty and self-ownership. It's a problem of socialism where through the tax code one person is forcibly used to care for another.
Some will also argue that Congress is simply forcing us to help one another by forcing us to take care of ourselves, and that such force is a good idea. But let me ask you this: When congressmen and presidents take their oaths of office, is that oath to uphold and defend good ideas or the U.S. Constitution?
When the principles of self-ownership are taken into account, two-thirds to three-quarters of what Congress does violate those principles to one degree or another as well as the Constitution to which they've sworn to uphold and defend.
If we accept the value of self-ownership, it is clear that most of what Congress does is clearly immoral. If this is a perceived problem, there are two ways around my argument. The first is to deny the implications of self-ownership. You must affirm that you belong to Uncle Sam.
Second, let’s go back to the Christian. Who owns the Christian? If you still believe that God does, you are absolutely right. We have been bought with a price and therefore we are not our own (1 Cor. 6:19-20).
Since God owns me then why does the government think that it owns me as well? Sometime in the past, I chose (because I owned myself) to give my life over to Jesus Christ. I chose for God to own me. Since having done this, I do not wish to be owned by another. But clearly I am. So what do I do?
Well, I can fight against the government who thinks it owns me by supporting Christian Family Values. I can lobby against the homosexual agenda and rally against gay marriages. I can forcibly attack the issue of abortion and euthanasia.
Let’s say that I become successful. Have I won? Has government ceased its ownership over me? No, it still does immoral acts against not only my own self-ownership but also acts against my true owner God Himself.
So how do I get out from the tyranny of government ownership over me? I don’t. I can’t. Not now and certainly not in this dispensation. The only solution is for Jesus to return to set up His government which will rule with justice and righteous. To try to stop the government from owning me is impossible. Jesus has to do that Himself. Since He is my chosen Master.
If there is one thing I am certain about it’s this: Government is filled with injustices. God has called me not to change that, but to change people’s hearts. The church must show people that they really have no say so when it comes to self-ownership. We simply do not own ourselves to the degree with think we do. Something or someone else owns us. And although as a Christian I am owned by God, still I must admit that so does the government. I must live with this reality until Jesus comes and changes it for good.
I like this, I really do. You ask, “Why do you like being controlled by the government?” Because everyday I am reminded that this world is not my own, I am just passing through. And like the saints of old, I “desire a better country, that is a heavenly one” (Heb. 11:16).
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