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These practices set a high standard for young people

* Japanese children clean their schools every day for a quarter of an hour with teachers. This led to the emergence of a Japanese generation who is modest and keen on cleanliness.

* Any Japanese citizen who has a dog must carry special bags to pick up dog droppings. Hygiene and their eagerness to address cleanliness is part of Japanese ethics.

* A hygiene worker in Japan is called "health engineer" and can command salary of USD 5000 to 8000 per month, and a cleaner is subjected to written and oral tests!

* Japan does not have any natural resources, and they are exposed to hundreds of earthquakes a year, but this has not prevented its becoming the second largest economy in the world.

* In just ten years Hiroshima returned to what it was economically vibrant before the fall of the atomic bomb.

* Japan prevents the use of mobile phones in trains, restaurants and indoors.

* For first to sixth primary year Japanese students must learn ethics in dealing with people.

* Even though one of the richest people in the world, the Japanese do not have servants. The parents are responsible for the house and children.

* There is no examination from the first to the third primary level, because the goal of education is to instill concepts and character building.

* If you go to a buffet restaurant in Japan you will notice people only eat as much as they need without any waste because food must not be wasted.

* The rate of delayed trains in Japan is about 7 seconds per year!! The Japanese appreciate the value of time and are very punctual to minutes and seconds.

* Children in schools brush their teeth (sterile) and clean their teeth after a meal at school, teaching them to maintain their health from an early age.

* Japanese students take half an hour to finish their meals to ensure proper digestion, because these students are the future of Japan.

The Japanese focus on maintaining their own culture.

The Japanese might have lost the war, but they are in charge of their own country.

There are no bombs going off in crowded business centres,

"Honour Killings", nor killing of innocent children or anyone else.

Something to think about.

Preparing For Wormwood - NASA Launches Planetary Protection Exercise

 What was previously the stuff of Hollywood movies is seemingly moving from the safety of science fiction to the realm of harsh, possible reality. NASA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other government agencies engaged last month in a planetary protection exercise to consider the potentially devastating consequences of a 330-foot asteroid hitting the Earth.

The exercise projected a worst-case blast wave by an asteroid strike in 2020 that could level structures within a radius of 30 miles, require a mass evacuation of the Los Angeles area and cause tens of thousands of casualties. Paul Chodas, manager of NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, says the center relies on several telescopes, such as the Catalina Sky Survey at the University of Arizona, to track potentially hazardous asteroids and comets. The center lists 659 asteroids that have some probability of striking the planet, "but none pose a significant threat over the next century, either because the probabilities are extraordinarily small, or the asteroids themselves are extremely small... nevertheless, we must continue searching for asteroids in case there is one that is heading our way," Mr. Chodas said.  There's also another reason why the haunting 'asteroid attack' prospect is something not to be shrugged off as too remote to be of concern: It's already happened several times.

Asteroid Day is observed each year on June 30, the anniversary of what is believed to be the largest space-related explosion in human history: an asteroid strike in Tunguska, Siberia, in 1908. An asteroid, believed to be less than 100 feet in diameter, exploded at the altitude of an airliner and flattened tens of millions of trees across 800 square miles. Researchers estimated the explosion was as powerful as a medium-size hydrogen bomb and several hundred times more powerful than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Although there were no official reports of human casualties, hundreds of reindeer were reduced to charred carcases in the explosion, the British Broadcasting Corporation reported.

In more recent times, an asteroid exploded over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk in 2013, shattering windows for miles and injuring more than 1,000 people. Scientists have suggested that the Earth is vulnerable to many more Chelyabinsk-size space rocks. In research published in 2013 by the journal Nature, they estimated that such strikes could occur as often as every decade or two instead of an average of once every 100 to 200 years as previously thought. And the frequency possibilities are even scarier if the latest simulation is any indication. As Sarah Lewin recently wrote for the Fox News, the probability of a 2020 impact was initially only 2 percent. However, as the group continued to simulate tracking it over time and the fictional months went by, the impact probability rose to 65 percent -- and then 100 percent, in May 2017.

By November of that year, in the scenario, they found that it would hit across Southern California or nearby in the Pacific Ocean. Is it also possible that an eventual asteroid strike on Planet Earth is also predicted in the Bible? Some observers of the scriptures believe that Revelation Chapter 8:10 - 11 gives an indication of this. 10 And the third angel sounded, and there fell a great star from heaven, burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; 11 And the name of the star is called Wormwood: and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.

Could it be that the "great star" named Wormwood is an asteroid that would poison the natural waters - rivers and fountains of the earth? Gotquestions.com goes into some detail regarding the meaning of Wormwood in the Book of Revelation. The seven trumpets are the judgments of the seventh seal (Revelation 8:1-5). The first trumpet causes hail and fire that destroy much of the plant life in the world (Revelation 8:7). The second trumpet brings about what seems to be a meteor, comet, or other heavenly body hitting the oceans and causing the death of one-third of the world's sea life (Revelation 8:8-9). The third trumpet is similar to the second, except it affects the world's lakes and rivers instead of the oceans (Revelation 8:10-11). It will cause a third part of all fresh water on earth to turn bitter and many people will die from drinking it. The word "wormwood" is mentioned only here in the New Testament, but it appears eight times in the Old Testament, each time associated with bitterness, poison and death.

• BY PNW STAFF

45 Killed in Yet Another Attack on Christian Communities in Nigeria

Christians Everywhere Urged to Light a Candle for Aleppo

Nigeria: U.S. Bishop and U.K. MP Narrowly Escape Being Killed by Islamic Extremists

Christians 'Under Caesar's Sword': Responding to Worldwide Persecution

'They Beat My Husband As We Pleaded For Them To Stop'

Over 75 Percent of North Koreans Don’t Survive Persecution

Iraqi Christians Returning Home Face Bleak Prospects

Uganda: Muslim Boys Come to Christ Then Must Flee for Their Lives

Indonesia: Christians Hopeful One Year after Churches Destroyed by Extremists

200 New Christian Converts are Baptized in Iran

ISIS Militants Are the 'Grandson of Satan': Christian Survivors Find Iraq Church Turned Into Military Base

 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, EXPOSE them” Ephesians 5:11

 Section 1 - The Old Testament -  The Jezebel Spirit

Four Kingdoms (Daniel’s Dream)

“In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, he said to them,

"I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.” – Daniel 2:1-3

This dream of Nebuchadnezzar’s came before his conversion and as was the norm for a pagan king, he was surrounded by the usual array of astrologers and sorcerers connected with the Mysteries. Those who would seek to draw their supernatural powers of interpretation from Satan. They couldn’t decipher the dream. Daniel however, could. As you were lying there, O king, your mind turned to things to come, and the revealer of mysteries showed you what is going to happen. As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have greater wisdom than other living men, but so that you, O king, may know the interpretation and that you may understand what went through your mind. Notice first of all that Daniel establishes that God is the real source of wisdom  and ‘revealer of mysteries’ and hidden things. Satan claims to have this secret knowledge that he disseminates through his mystery religion, but actually, God is the omniscient one. Notice how Daniel also emphasises that he does not know the interpretation because he has more knowledge than others. He makes it clear he is simply relying on God. We should start noticing how much of the Old Testament tells of a constant battle between two kingdoms.

  "You looked, O king, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous,

dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.

 "This was the dream, and now we will interpret it to the king. You, O king, are the king of kings. The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and might and glory; in your hands he has placed mankind and the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. Wherever they live, he has made you ruler over them all. You are that head of gold.  "After you, another kingdom will rise, inferior to yours. Next, a third kingdom,  one of bronze, will rule over the whole earth. Finally, there will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron breaks and smashes everything—and as iron breaks things to pieces, so it will crush and break all the others. Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of baked clay and partly of iron, so this will be a divided kingdom; yet it will have some of the strength of iron in it, even as you saw iron mixed with clay. As the toes were partly iron and partly clay, so this kingdom will be partly strong and partly brittle. And just as you saw the iron mixed with baked clay, so the people will be a mixture and will not remain united, any more than iron mixes with clay.

 "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces."The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and the interpretation is trustworthy."

Mark Fairley

• Uganda: Muslim Boys Come to Christ Then Must Flee for Their Lives
• Indonesia: Christians Hopeful One Year after Churches Destroyed by Extremists
• 200 New Christian Converts are Baptized in Iran
• India: Christianity Growing Despite Persecution
• Alqosh, the Last Christian Town in Iraq, is Here to Stay
• International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church is Nov. 6
• Christian Convert in French Refugee Camp Told: ‘We Will Kill You’
• Iraqi Christians Erect Cross for First Time Since ISIS Takeover
• Opposition in India Forces Shift in Evangelism
• Danger Follows Christian Refugees to Germany

Christianity May Still be Eradicated from Iraq, Even after ISIS is Defeated

Religious leaders have been vocalizing the threat ISIS poses to the survival of Christianity in the Middle East since ISIS rose to power, but even now that many places are being liberated from ISIS control, religious leaders say Christianity may still be eradicated. According to ChristianToday.com, thousands of Christians were driven from their homes when ISIS took over and became refugees in Erbil, under the protection of the Catholic Church. Most cities in Iraq have now been freed from ISIS control, except for Mosul, ISIS’ last stronghold where a battle is still ongoing. People are looking forward to returning home, but religious leaders caution that steps still need to be taken to protect the religious freedom of these Christians. "As these areas are retaken, we must not forget these Christians, whose lands and homes were stolen, and who have been living as refugees ever since. The military action will not end the nightmare they have been living for two years. They need continued support, and a commitment to rebuild,” said Archbishop Bashar Warda of the Chaldean Catholic Archdiocese of Erbil. “While welcoming the ongoing liberation of the Nineveh plain and Mosul, we must not forget that the genocide begun by ISIS will continue through attrition and neglect unless the United States and international community prioritizes those groups that were targeted for extermination and risk disappearing altogether,” added Carl Anderson of the Catholic organization the Knights of Columbus. Just last week, the Iraqi parliament banned the consumption and sale of alcohol--something which is forbidden for Muslims, and thus seemed to be targeting Christians who are its primary consumers and retailers. Such an action revealed to many Christians in the region that the government still may not be willing to protect them, despite what they have suffered.

Pakistani Christians Refused Entry into UK: ‘They Were Not Wealthy Enough’

Two Pakistani Christians have been refused visas to visit the UK because they were deemed “not wealthy enough” by the UK government. According to ChristianToday.com, the two Pakistani men were getting ready to make a trip to visit a church in Glasgow, Scotland. Two men from the Glasgow church had visited their congregation in Hyderabad, so the two Pakistanis were going to return the visit. The Scottish church was going to pay for all their expenses. However, the two men received notification from the UK government that "Immigration officials refused the applicants visas on the basis they could not prove they were wealthy enough to be allowed into the UK,” according to the Glasgow church. "We remain committed to our twinning link with the diocese of Hyderabad, with whom we enjoyed tremendous hospitality when members of our presbytery visited Pakistan last year,” stated Rev. Graham Blount, upon hearing the news that the men were refused entry into the UK. "We are deeply concerned at the refusal of the UK Government to grant visas to two of our invited partners, despite the Church of Scotland guaranteeing their travel arrangements as well as their accommodation and subsistence while they are here, the refusal seems grounded in their personal financial circumstances,” he continued.

Blount added that the church is writing to the UK government to voice their concerns. Wilson Choudhry of the British Pakistani Christian Association also voiced his condemnation of the UK’s decision: "This latest refusal is a poor indictment of the UK Home Office process which clearly is not free of bias. I will be praying for the family and will register concerns with the Home Office and Foreign Affairs Select Committee over the obvious maladministration and request a review of the decision. I hope something can be done to revoke the decision which flies in the face of common sense."

 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, EXPOSE them” Ephesians 5:11

 Section 1 - The Old Testament -  The Jezebel Spirit

18.  From Babylon to Rome

We’ve followed the Mystery Religion from Babylon through Egypt and seen the struggle between good and evil as it threatened to contaminate God’s chosen people in Israel. We’ve seen how God kept showing the Israelites that he was their God and to stay with him and how he even went as far as to defeat Baal in a direct confrontation to prove his point in front of the whole nation. The Jews however just couldn’t seem to stay on course for very long and they kept sliding away into paganism. Satan had had enough of Plan A tactics by this point and he instead switched to Plan B. Babylon invaded the nation of Israel, laid siege to Jerusalem, sacked the city and destroyed the temple. God let this happen as a means of disciplining his people and had even forewarned the Jews that it would happen through the prophet Jeremiah. Even when Satan appears to be winning, God is always in control.

This period of Babylonian history is known as the Neo-Babylonian Period and it was the one that largely belonged to King Nebuchadnezzar II. Around 610BC, Nebuchadnezzar was a ranking staff officer within the Babylonian army who oversaw the restoration of the temple of Marduk, king of the gods, in the Babylonian pantheon. He then rose to power around 604BC and set about expanding the empire by conquest. He embarked on a number of campaigns to subdue and conquer surrounding nations and it was in 590BC that he attacked Jerusalem. From this victory, he took around 10,000 captives back with him to Babylon but these were only those that were considered useful. He took the young men, the princes, best soldiers, the craftsmen and smiths. The rest were left behind.

Perhaps the most famous of these young men taken to Babylon were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. They were to go through 3 years of training in an education program that would indoctrinate them with Babylonian ideas to make them useful to the empire. To help assimilate them into their new culture and to help swerve their allegiance away from God to the Babylonian gods, they were all given new names. The name Daniel (which means God Is My Judge) became Belteshazzar (which means (Bel/Baal Protect His Life), Hananiah (which means The Lord Shows Grace) became Shadrach (which means Under The Command Of Aku), Mishael (which means Who Is Like God?) became Meschach (which means Who Is Like Aku?) and Azariah (which means The Lord Helps) became Abednego (which means Servant of Nago, who was god of learning).

It was also upon Nebuchadnezzar’s return to Babylon at the end of these campaigns that he built this monument, called the Ishtar Gate. It was at the entrance to his great city and is the name by which Astarte or Asherah had come to be known in Babylon at that time.

On it were 337 images of dragons. 337 in pagan numerology represents hell so this gate to Babylon is literally meant to be in a sense, the gate to hell. Remember this monument because it still exists in a museum Berlin, Germany and we’ll be discussing it when we get around to the 20 Century.

Mark Fairley

For more than two years it lasted, just minutes away from Islamic State-held territory. The Iraqi town of Alqosh (50km north of Mosul) is the only Christian stronghold in the country that survived IS. Looking for signs of hope for the future of Christianity in Iraq? This town, with its four churches, two monasteries and 500 Christian families, is where it can be found.

For those who grew up reading the Bible, Alqosh might ring a distant bell. It was the town where Old Testament prophet Nahum, "the Elkoshite", lived. His grave, which also houses ancient Hebrew texts, can be visited in the old centre of Alqosh. The message of the New Testament also found its way to this community long ago; since the early Middle Ages this town has been Christian. And it’s determined to stay that way.

"All over Iraq, Alqoshians are known to be strong, tough," Father Araam, one of the town’s Chaldean-Catholic priests, says. Like many Christians here, he is determined to stay, whatever happens. "I am one of God’s witnesses here. God is still here, why should I leave? As long as I am able to give a glass of water to someone who is thirsty, I am able to serve Jesus in Alqosh."

Visiting Alqosh is not easy. Before entering the town, all visitors are stopped at a heavily guarded checkpoint. Only if one of the community leaders will vouch for them are they allowed in.

The safety measures are not an unnecessary exercise; for a long time IS was just a 10-minute drive away. In 2014, IS tried to conquer Alqosh. The women and children all left the town, but most of the men stayed to defend their community, backed by Kurdish Peshmerga fighters. They succeeded; the Christians and Kurds fought off IS, and most families returned.

But there is another reason the close-knit Christian community of Alqosh is wary of outside visitors, Father Araam says. "Our country is almost 90 years old now [Iraq became independent in 1932]. Christians have really never been respected. There has been nothing but war, persecution and pressure." ‘When needed, I will protect myself’

However, the Alqoshian Christian community chose not to be pushed aside by the successive powers oppressing them. The self-implemented rule – that only Christian Alqoshians are allowed to own land or houses in the town – has kept the community safe from other religions and tribes. Over-cautious? Father Araam doesn’t think so.

"I’m sorry we have to work this way, but we have had some really bad experiences very close by," he says. "There used to be more Christian villages here on the Nineveh plain; we lost them all." But until today, the informal tribal law system has granted the Alqoshians the opportunity to keep out strangers, ensuring it remains a 100 per cent Christian-owned community. This freedom comes with a price. The men in the town are expected to play their role in protecting it. Father Araam visits the frontline often in his role as priest, recognisable by his white collar. He opens his phone and shows pictures of himself with Peshmerga fighters.

Often soldiers ask me: ‘Priest, why are you here?’ My answer is: ‘As Christians we pray for you, we pray you will stay safe, that you will be able to return to your home,’" he says. "IS is a killing machine – they don’t see soldiers as people.

"As a church we have a different story, a story of love. I’ll gladly share that everywhere, even on the battle line. I am here to help as a Christian, but, when needed, I will protect myself and my town." In Alqosh the churches and the monastery play their own role. On a hill overlooking the town, the compound of Our Lady Monastery is a popular place for Alqoshians to spend the evening.

The prior, Father Gabriel, sees an important role for the town’s clergy. "For me as a priest, I see it gives people hope as long as I am here with them," he says. "Even when IS came in 2014, we didn’t perform miracles. Just the fact that we stayed here as long as we could was a testimony, a living hope for the believers."

‘Their community is vanishing’ The prior says he feels called to do everything he can to keep the Christians from leaving the country.

"Christianity in Iraq is like a big tree," says Father Gabriel. "It has been here for 2,000 years, but today our enemies are many and they want to cut down the tree. They want to get rid of us." When Iraqi Christians move to Europe or North America, trying to "re-plant" themselves there, their faith is in danger, he says.

"There already are a lot of Iraqi Christian communities in America and Europe, but they are all melting, becoming part of those cultures," he says. "The next generation will not be recognisable. Their faith will disappear because the community they belong to is vanishing."

Fr. Gabriel is doing his best to make the place feel safe and hospitable. A small shop sells refreshments for visitors. A young couple just got married and are celebrating outside the monastery gates. A children’s birthday party is celebrated near a farm maintained by the monastery. Here it’s possible to forget about IS, the threats and the problems for a while.

"My whole family, except one sister, all of them left the country," Father Gabriel says. "These people are my family now, my brothers and sisters in Christ. I have committed my life to this church, to these people. Once you give a gift like that, you don’t take it back. "When Jesus went to Jerusalem, the people were planning to kill and crucify him. Peter tried to stop them, using violence. But Jesus said to Peter: ‘Put your sword back in its place, for all who draw the sword will die by the sword!’"

"Christianity in Alqosh is like gold," says Fr. Araam. "It is tested in the fire. It hurts, but the result is that the gold will be purer. I see people changing, not just in faith but also in their behaviour. They have felt for themselves that, when everything could be taken from them, God is all that remains. When the government soldiers leave you, when IS comes, when you run out of bullets, who do you cry out to?"

‘We need international support’

Both Fr. Araam and Fr. Gabriel call upon the international community to support the Christians in Iraq. They say that without political and even military protection of the Christian minority, life will be very difficult for Christians, even if IS is defeated completely. Fr. Gabriel compares the position of Christians to the state of Israel. "All the Arab countries are Islamic countries; they are all against Israel," he says. "And yet, Israel is strong, stronger than the Arab world. Why? If the international community can guarantee safety for Israel, why not do the same for the Christians in Iraq?" He calls for a UN-protected safe zone for Christians. "We need international support. Our enemies are many, we are just a small group," he says. Father Araam agrees with him and says he is grateful for the many humanitarian organisations already supporting Christians in Alqosh. "Many groups support our work here. There is still love left in the world. That helps us in keeping the hope that we will have a life and a future," he says.

 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, EXPOSE them” Ephesians 5:11

 Section 1 - The Old Testament -  The Jezebel Spirit

The Characteristics of the Jezebel Spirit

You will often find the Jezebel spirit trying to get close to those who already have control. Proverbs says:

Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths; For she has cast down many wounded, And all who were slain by her were strong men. Her house is the way to hell, Descending to the chambers of death.

Scripture emphasises that the intended target of this spirit is ‘strong men’. It primarily targets men with leadership skills or powerful positions such as Nimrod and Ahab. But in reality she has a deep hatred of true spiritual authority and will always seek to replace it with illegitimate authority. She will do this through emotional pressure, witchcraft and obsessive sensuality. But make no mistake; lust and sex are merely tools to weaken others in order for her to accomplish her goal. The subtle persuasions of femininity are used only to gain influence and get close to those in control. She then uses this position to gradually dominate.   In the Hebrew, the name Jezebel means literally "without cohabitation". She will not live with those she cannot dominate and control. She will have no equals. We saw evidence of this when Semiramis ordered the death of Nimrod and plotted to do the same to Tammuz. There are no ends she will not go to in order to gain and keep control. It is what Jezebel wants more than anything.

Domination is always satanic and stands in contrast to the example given by Jesus, the servant king, “who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.” (Philippians 2:6) Even when Jezebel appears to be submissive, it is usually out of a carefully wrought plan to gain influence. In 1 Kings 21:8 we read "Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal, and sent them to the elders and nobles of the city." This tells us that she prefers to remain concealed in the background, while she manipulates situations and leaders. A hidden hand behind the public figure. Just like Satan is the King of Tyre pulling the strings behind the Prince of Tyre.

Demonic Depression and Loss of Vision

The power of the spirit of Jezebel should not be underestimated. For seven years God had carefully and miraculously protected Elijah from Ahab’s armies. God had even commanded ravens to feed him in the wilderness. He had super naturally met all his needs.

In the Mount Carmel showdown, Elijah called down fire from heaven and resoundingly defeated and killed the priests of Baal. All Israel fell at his feet in repentance worshipping the true God. Elijah was one of the mightiest prophets of God that the world had ever seen. He was vindicated and victorious. And yet it took a single threat from Jezebel to send Elijah spinning into anxiety and even depression. He fled to the desert and begged God to kill him. Think about this because naturally speaking it makes no sense. Elijah enjoyed supernatural protection for seven years, watched fire fall from heaven, saw his enemies defeated and still Jezebel could bring him to this condition with a single threat.

This is an example of Jezebel’s power to intimidate and strike fear into the hearts of men, causing them to withdraw. Jezebel will try to steal your vision. Jezebel will even make you depressed and anxious when there is nothing significantly different in your circumstances. If there are difficult circumstances, this spirit will tell you they are insurmountable, impossible, and overwhelming. Jezebel will make you feel like dying when in reality, you are God’s man of the hour.

Spiritual life may seem irrelevant and pointless. You may lose the desire to pray and the faith to try. Demonic voices will tell you it’s all hopeless. You may suddenly find yourself in unreasonable anxiety, fearing tragedy or death. Pessimistic and cynical. Much of what is called "depression" is Jezebel. Jezebel wants to paralyse with fear, condemnation, depression, apathy or whatever it takes until we withdraw. The only answer for those under Jezebel’s attack is perseverance in battle and remember, the God who resoundingly defeated Baal on Carmel can do the same today.

Mark Fairley

• Iraqi Christians Look Homeward toward Mosul, Uncertainly

• Displaced Iraqi Christians Await Return to Mosul with Bated Breath

• North Korea Teaches That Christians Kill People and Suck Their Blood

• 'Mama Rwanda': How Women Entrepreneurs are Restoring Their Country

• Chinese Christians Face Trial for Spying as Christian Persecution Increases

• More than 48 Christians Killed in Kaduna, Nigeria Massacres

• As Retake of Mosul Looms, Muslim Extremism Has Already Emptied Iraq of Christians

• UPDATE: Family Seek Presidential Pardon for Algerian Christian

• Germany: 743 Christians Attacked by Muslims in Refugee Camps

• Christians and Hong Kong's Umbrella Movement: Defying Tyranny

• 'I'm Not Ashamed' producer suing Google for anti-Christian bias

• South Carolina man stabbed by person sitting behind him in church

• Study: Divorce Major Reason Millennials are Leaving the Church

• Survey: Christian refugees facing more persecution in Germany

• Iran Pastor Behnam Irani Released from Prison

• 45,000 Christians Who Fled Iraq Now Face Persecution in Turkey; U.S. Churches Urged 'To Wake Up' to the Crisis Kirk Cameron's Call to American Christians: 'This Could Be Our Red Sea Moment'

Christians rally to denounce Church attack in Tumakuru, Karnataka

Tumakuru: Thousands of Christians including religious leaders of the Christian community staged a dharna along with hunger strike on 18th July, as they took to the streets in the city to condemn the recent attack on Tomlinson church at Siragate.

They later submitted a memorandum to Additional Deputy Commissioner C Anitha.

Defining the act as an attack on the communal harmony and peace, the Head of Church of South India of Central Zone, Samuel B. Pujari said, "The attack is not just an attack on the church. But it is a conspiracy to disturb communal harmony in the district. Christians have been living in the district for the last 200 years. They have served people at times the region was hit by plague."

As part of the protest, the educational institutions affiliated to the Church of South India (CSI) in the district remain closed.

Priest attacked in Assam Seriously Injured Had to go for Operation

Guwahati: In an unprovoked incident a Church priest was attacked by unidentified assailants in Udalguri District in northern Assam. The incident happened on the evening of 19th June.

Father Sushil John Soren was returning to his residence after conducting a prayer service at student's hostel nearby when a machete wielding perpetrator attacked him fatally injuring his both hands. The assailant fled after Father Soren shouted for help.

Condemning the attack, Bishop Michael Akasius Toppo of Tezpur said "We are in a state of shock. This is the first ever incident like this in our region. We are clueless about the motive of the attack." He also lamented the fact that so far police have not made any arrests in the case.

The district administration as well as the Assam State Commission for Minorities had already taken the matter seriously and police have been asked to speed up the inquiry and arrest the culprits.

UN Decision To Deny Jewish History Also A Decision To Deny Christian History

A number of prominent leaders in the US Christian community expressed dismay on Friday over UNESCO's approval yesterday of a resolution that distorts Jerusalem's religious history.

Telling The Algemeiner that Christians were "gravely concerned" by the resolution, David Brog -- the director of Christians United for Israel (CUFI) -- said, "The places under discussion, namely the Temple Mount, play central role not only to the Jewish faith but also to the Christian faith. This resolution largely ignores and fails to honor this deep and holy connection."

Robert Nicholson -- the head of the Philos Project, a nonprofit group that "seeks to promote positive Christian engagement in the Middle East" -- told The Algemeiner, "UNESCO's decision to deny Jewish history is also a decision to deny Christian history. If the Jews don't have a legacy on the Temple Mount, neither do Christians. And yet we know that our Messiah Jesus came to the Temple throughout his life to worship and pray to the God of Israel, as a Jew, six centuries before Muhammad was even born."

Nicholson went on to call it "mind-boggling" that "Christian-majority countries like Brazil and Mexico" would back the resolution.

"It demonstrates just how far some Christians around the world have strayed from their origins," he said. "Christianity is not a European or American religion -- it is a Hebraic religion with roots in the land of Israel. Our faith only makes sense when it is moored in its original Jewish context."

In response to a query from The Algemeiner, Darrell Bock -- a senior research professor of New Testament studies at the Dallas Theological Seminary -- said, "This resolution is misguided and ignores the history of the city. Jerusalem is a city with a shared history having a tender place in the hearts to those of many faiths. It does not belong to one faith and its importance owes much to both Jews and Christians. The United Nations should appreciate this shared element versus denying it."

Dexter Van Zile -- the Christian media analyst for the CAMERA watchdog group -- wrote to The Algemeiner, "As a Christian, I find the UNESCO resolution an assault against Jewish history deplorable and I see it as an assault against Christianity, as well. It is moral and intellectual stupidity of the highest order and shows how far UNESCO has been captured by the enemies of Israel and of Christianity."

In a statement released to the press, Special United Nations Envoy for the World Council of Independent Christian Churches and President of Proclaiming Justice to the Nations Laurie Cardoza-Moore said, "This resolution is worse than Holocaust denial, as it questions the very existence of the Jewish people. UNESCO has been overtaken by history revisionists and anti-Semites whose obvious hatred for Jews is so strong that they refuse to acknowledge the facts and the truth right in front of them. By refusing to recognize the Jewish people's historic and biblical connection to the Temple Mount, UNESCO has denied the very foundation of our Judeo-Christian faith. This is an insult to millions of Jews and Christians alike and must be blocked."

Origianlly published at Algemeiner.com - reposted with permission.

• - BY PNW STAFF 

 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, EXPOSE them” Ephesians 5:11

 Section 1 - The Old Testament - God vs Baal

He took twelve stones, one to represent each of the tribes of Israel,and he used the stones to rebuild the altar in the name of the Lord. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold about three gallons. He piled wood on the altar, cut the bull into pieces, and laid the pieces on the wood.

Then he said,

“Fill four large jars with water, and pour the water over the offering and the wood.”

  After they had done this, he said,

“Do the same thing again!”

 And when they were finished, he said,

“Now do it a third time!”

So they did as he said, and the water ran around the altar and even filled the trench.At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed,

 “O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.”

 Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out,

“The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”

 Then Elijah commanded,

“Seize all the prophets of Baal. Don’t let a single one escape!” So the people seized them all, and Elijah took them down to the Kishon Valley and killed them there.” 1 Kings 18:21-40

Notice that self mutilation was part of the normal custom for Baal worship and remember that Satan loves to humiliate and mutilate man because he is made in God’s image. One of the evidences of the increasing influence of paganism on society today as we hurtle towards the new world order, the antichrist and the  end times, is the rise in self harm, tattooing and unusual piercings. Particularly tattoos have become socially acceptable and Christians have fallen prey to this pollution. Ronald Scutt, in his book Art, Sex and Symbol remarks how tattooing was historically associated with Baal worship, sun worship and serpent worship.

Mark Fairley

Do Christians Know Their Doctrine?

How well does the average American understand basic Christian doctrine?

LifeWay Research and Ligonier Ministries decided to find out and have just published the results of a second large-scale survey conducted of 3,000 American adults who were presented with 47 questions on basic Christian doctrine. 

In the previous study, respondents were left free to self-identify as evangelicals but in the most recent survey, the answers to several key questions were used to identify Christians as evangelical by their beliefs. Of the 3,000 total adults surveyed, 586 individuals provided statements that identified them as evangelicals. Allowing a comparison to the previous survey in which individuals self-identified, the result was surprisingly similar in most regards.

For purposes of the survey, an evangelical Christian is someone who believes that the Bible is the highest authority, the spreading the Gospel is important, that Christ's sacrifice on the cross is the only way to atone for our sins and that belief in Jesus Christ is the only means of salvation. The research extracted from the full forty-seven questions shows a wide range of differences within Christian orthodoxy, either in the form of differing belief or admitted confusion over specific points of doctrine.

As a common point of agreement from nearly all evangelical Christians, the respondents expressed their belief that God is triune (97%), perfect (97%), and responds to our prayers (94%). Those polled showed a surprising tendency for relativistic thinking, especially in contrast with their affirmations that Jesus is the only path to salvation.

"I'm surprised that people seem to know and affirm the formula for the doctrine of the Trinity, but aren't able to connect that to the Gospel truth that Jesus and the Spirit are truly and fully divine".

Speculating on the causes and effects of numerous points of confusion on basic issues of orthodox doctrine, the study authors write that "The survey underscores our desperate need for sound doctrinal teaching in the local church. "I fear we're spending too much time in cults of personality around charismatic superstar pastors who often focus more on their personal theological idiosyncrasies and pet ideas than on basic Christian orthodoxy."

An American spirit of individualism and independence pervades the list of responses to the 47 questions. The danger is, of course, a continued process of fracturing of the church and drifting away from established, orthodox belief. As individual interpretation and charisma in the pulpit grow in disproportionate value, so does knowledge of the word of God shrink. While the survey showed great common ground in some points, it also revealed surprising levels of liberalism and relativism even within the generally traditional and conservative evangelical community. Timothy Larsen, professor of Christian thought at Wheaton College, explained the confusion on basic points of theology as a product of later-in-life conversions to Christianity. Even internal contradiction between responses on the same survey are possible from believers who are not firm, consistent and certain in their beliefs.

Thus, if nothing else, the survey indicates the need for consistent and disciplined teaching of Christian doctrine in a population that has grown more diverse, accepting and open to other, even aberrant, views.

• BY PNW STAFF

Foul play suspected in death of Thoothukudi priest

The Church workers and social activists have raised suspicion over the death of a priest who was found dead under mysterious circumstances in Thoothukudi on Wednesday.

Madurai: According to sources, Kanagaraj (73), Head Priest at Pentecostal Church at Millerpuram in Thoothukudi, was found dead on Wednesday inside the church premises. Thoothukudi SIPCOT Police carried out inspection at the spot and booked the case as suspicious death.

Kathmandu: Hindus and Buddhists against ‘black festivals

Kathmandu: Hindus and Buddhists against ‘black festivals", i.e. the animal slaughter at Dashain

Christopher Sharma.Hundreds of people protest in front of the temples where Hindus sacrifice oxen, sheep, goats, and birds to the gods. The Dashain festival commemorates the gods’ great victory over wicked demons. For vegetarians, only “Pope Francis [. . .] is very serious in making appeals on behalf of the environment and animals”.

 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, EXPOSE them” Ephesians 5:11

 Section 1 - The Old Testament - God vs Baal

Elijah was becoming exasperated with the disobedience of the Jews and their constant wandering away from God. The nation that God had reserved for Himself by covenant kept prostituting itself with the evil Babylonian system. And so he challenged the priests of Baal to go to Mount Carmel for a contest in front of all Israel. Notice again how he chooses a mountain for this confrontation. They are competing to find out who is the commander of the high places and the real ‘most high’ God. The confrontation is designed to show God’s people once and for all that they should turn their back on Baal, who is Satan, and commit themselves to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Then Elijah stood in front of them and said, “How much longer will you waver, hobbling between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him! But if Baal is God, then follow him!” But the people were completely silent.  Then Elijah said to them, “I am the only prophet of the Lord who is left, but Baal as 450 prophets. Now bring two bulls. The prophets of Baal may choose whichever one they wish and cut it into pieces and lay it on the wood of their altar, but without setting fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood on the altar, but not set fire to it. Then call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the Lord. The god who answers by setting fire to the wood is the true God!” And all the people agreed.

Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, “You go first, for there are many of you. Choose one of the bulls, and prepare it and call on the name of your god. But do not set fire to the wood.”

So they prepared one of the bulls and placed it on the altar. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning until noontime, shouting, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no reply of any kind. Then they danced, hobbling around the altar they had made.

About noontime Elijah began mocking them. “You’ll have to shout louder,” he scoffed, “for surely he is a god! Perhaps he is daydreaming, or is relieving himself. Or maybe he is away on a trip, or is asleep and needs to be wakened!”  So they shouted louder, and following their normal custom, they cut themselves with knives and swords until the blood gushed out. They raved all afternoon until the time of the evening sacrifice, but still there was no sound, no reply, no response.  Then Elijah called to the people, “Come over here!” They all crowded around him as he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down. He took twelve stones, one to represent each of the tribes of Israel,and he used the stones to rebuild the altar in the name of the Lord. Then he dug a trench around the altar large enough to hold about three gallons

Mark Fairley

Praise Jesus

After BFF in Mumbai I and my wife reached home along with others. The Lord granted us a wonderful time to enjoy his presence seeing the mighty works God did for each one of them in Jesus name through his disciples (Goa and Mumbai team)

After reaching home, the next day I saw my neighbor Miss Ana Rose coming out of her flat going down to market and as usual wished her and inquired her when she arrived at Goa from Mumbai. She said yesterday at  6:30 pm. She reached by flight as it got delayed due to heavy rain.

So I said to her we also arrived from Mumbai yesterday night by train. She inquired the reason for us to be in Mumbai. I told her about the BFF we had in Panvel, Mumbai. She got enthusiast and asked me where do you pray or gather here. I said to her a new Troop church on the 2nd floor of our building on Saturdays  We gather at 7:00 p.m. she said “I want to attend” and I told her “sure”.

She attended and for the first time our sister prepared that day the Lord's supper as this was  the  4 th meeting and I had to explain her you cannot partake as one must be  water baptized ( immersion ). She immediately responded I am longing / desiring for a long time to be water baptized and I told her we will give you tomorrow and requested Bro. Aravind about it and we arranged the next day to baptize her and said even if it rains heavily you should not cancel as it was raining.

As we gathered the next day for preparing for the next BFF in Goa from  14th  Oct to 19 th Oct. That day at every 2 hrs interval  it was raining heavily, as we had to give water baptism to Sister Ana Rose and we prayed for rain to stop and for sunshine. Yes God answered our prayers and there was sunshine and did not rain , from that afternoon the rain stopped.

Praise Jesus , she was baptized  that day and she testified that she feels very light, like something lifted up from her. Praise Jesus One soul was brought to Goa from Mumbai by The Holy Spirit and added to His church and today Tuesday she left for Mumbai as she was desiring now to stay little longer.

Friends as I shared in the previous 2 BFF in the last,  while proposing the  a vote of thanks, I said  that we must go and make disciples, desire to bear fruit, that is winning souls for Christ. Surely God has done it and is doing it as we desire to step out to Go and make DISCIPLES.

Yes Jesus said I will make you Fishers of men. My prayer tonight is Lord Jesus give us India for CHRIST. Desire and Desire and Desire all you who have completed BFF and the Troop Church members.

Surely God will increase your fruit. The tree shall be known by its fruit.

Blessings.

- Br.Francis Alvares

Part 3 (concluding part) – The Epilogue : Why Jesus had to come down to earth?

IN THIS PART:

• Why the Son of Man had to take the human form?
• The redemption plan – seed of the woman to pay the price for sins!
• Jesus is the seed of the woman.
• Why virgin Mary?
• Satan disarmed and made null on the cross
• Hope for cancellation of generational curses
• Redemption plan: Jesus had to take the human form as a bond servant
  1. Prophecy about Son of Man in the bible
     1. In the book of Genesis (about 6000 years ago)
     2. Through a sorcerer named Baalam (1445-1405 BC)

• Messiah (Jesus), promised through Moses (1445-1405 BC)

1. Through prophet Isaiah (700-680 BC)

1. Gentile Babylonian emperor Nebuchadnezzar on rein of Jesus (confirming Isaiah 9:6-7) –536-530 BC
2. Medo Persian emperor Darius on the rein of Jesus, the son of man. 536-530 BC

• Prophet Daniel saw Jesus, the everlasting king of kings, in a vision – his kingdom shall not be destroyed!
• And the future (prophesied through John, the apostle at Patmos island) – 90-96 AD
• The redemption plan: Jesus defeated death
• Keys of death and hades back to Jesus, the Son of Man
• The box item: no one can kill Jesus, the Almighty God.
• Let the blind see: for those blind people who say Jesus was just a man and not the Son of God!
• Jesus has been given name above all the names:
• And Jesus is alive and active even today, doing miracles, signs and wonders:
• So, what is the verdict?

           The Son of God (Word of God)the second person of the trinity is eternal.The incarnated Word of God is called Jesus who was born on earth “When the time had fully come”(Gal 4:4)

     What Jesus has said about himself: “I am the only way to Heaven”

EPILOGUE:

WHY THE SON OF MAN HAD TO TAKE THE HUMAN FORM?

     Because of our sins, the Creator God had to come down to earth and live like a slave. The King of kings had to come down to give His life in the most horrible manner to redeem us from eternal death. If not for the price paid by Him we would not have any hope for eternal life.

     The Lord Himself tells this to Pilate.

     John 18:37 (NKJV) Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. FOR THIS CAUSE I WAS BORN, AND FOR THIS CAUSE I HAVE COME INTO THE WORLD, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” (to fulfil the prophecy in Genesis 3:15. His word alone is the truth-John 17:17).

     He came to the world to pay the price for sins committed by us.

     This plan was declared by the Lord in Eden garden when Adam and Eve fell to the deception of the serpent (devil).

THE REDEMPTION PLAN – SEED OF WOMAN TO PAY THE PRICE FOR SINS!

JESUS IS THE SEED OF WOMAN.

     Genesis 3:15 (NKJV) And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

      When Adam and Eve committed the first sin, they had to pay the price because the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and there is no redemption without shedding of blood (Hebrews 9:22).

      Instead of Adam and Eve or their descendants human beings paying the price for the sin with death, the Lord, the Creator of the universe chose to pay the price. The only route found out by Him was to come down to the earth in flesh and blood as a slave and allow satan to torture him and bleed him before killing Him (see the box item “no one can kill Jesus, the Almighty God”).

      Crucifixion route was chosen because in crucifixion alone the blood of the victim would be shed like the passover lamb.

      The Lord chose His own method of paying the price on the Cross and no one has a locus standi to question Him (Isaiah 40:13). He, being the repository of wisdom does not need anyone's counsel. Amen.

WHY VIRGIN MARY?

      The Lord chose virgin Mary because sin came into the world because of Eve, a woman. And redemption also had to come through a woman.

     Satan cunningly deceived the first woman – Eve, who was given as the greatest blessing to Adam (man). Satan succeeded in making the blessing into a curse. Now the Lord who created Eve had to do the reversal. That reversal had to happen through the same route which satan had taken. A woman had to be used to finish of satan for good and forever. Amen.

     And so, the Son of Man, Jesus was promised as the seed of woman in Genesis 3:15 and He came down at the right time as the seed of the woman to crush satan's head on the cross. Jesus accomplished it fully on the Cross.

    The Cross is a finished job (John 19:28,30). Full price for sin was paid to satan on the Cross. Amen.

    The Son of Man came to the earth at the right time.

    Galatians 4:4 (NKJV) But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

SATAN DISARMED AND MADE NULL ON THE CROSS

     Let us take a look at what had happened on the Cross – satan thought he finished Jesus, but the contrary had happened.

     Colossians 2:13 (NKJV) And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 HAVING DISARMED PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS, HE MADE A PUBLIC SPECTACLE OF THEM, TRIUMPHING OVER THEM IN IT.

 - To be Continued

Biochip Technologies: From Fringe To Mainstream

Biochip technology is becoming big business, but not everyone is embracing the changes. There are concerns about the potential dangers these technologies can offer. Right now, implants are already being designed that will provide your medical information, act as a key to your home, and store business card information.

These are not wearable devices that you can put on and take off, but actual implantable devices that are placed under the skin. The implants work through RFID technology, which can be read by smartphones and readers that allow people access to buildings through ID cards or badges.

Current estimates indicate that some 50,000 people around the world may already have these implants and be using them for access to their homes and businesses, contact details, and more. While it is becoming a popular trend in some circles, there are real worries about where the use of these kinds of devices may take society.

The tags only work when the scanner activates them, so there is no worry about dead batteries, and they take only seconds to implant under the skin. That makes it sound almost too easy to get and start using these implants for all sorts of daily things.

Will This Become Mandatory?

One concern for many people is that the "chipping" of human beings may eventually become mandatory. Similar to how pet owners in some areas have seen the optional chipping of pets now become mandatory.  In that case, these chips would be needed as identity markers, much the same way people now carry a driver's license or ID card.

The implants could also be used to open doors, pay for things, and store medical and other types of data. But the argument against this is strong, coming from both religious individuals who feel the implants are similar to the "mark of the beast" that is mentioned in the Bible, and scientific individuals who worry about the long-term health effects of the chips on the human body. 

Will New Advancements Mean Additional Implants?

As technology moves forward, more options will be available to be implanted in human beings. These implants are the size of a grain of rice, but how many of them is too many, and how much data can they hold? Will they ever fail and need to be removed or replaced?

With so many questions still circulating when it comes to how these implants will be handled, it is entirely possible that advancements in technology will mean that new and better implants will come along. Since there are a number of good choices for placement of these implants, people could theoretically have an increasingly large number of them for different information and functions.

But What About Informed Consent? Among the biggest hurdles to the use of these tags is consent. While a healthy, competent adult could certainly choose to have a tag implanted, there may be others who would not be able to say yes or no to the procedure. That can include very young children, and the elderly who may have Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia. Additionally, those who have mental impairment or mental illness may struggle with understanding what the tag is for, and may not be able to consent to its usefulness and implantation.

Viruses and Hacking of People Instead of Machines

Computers and RFID scanners can get hacked. So can humans, if they have these implants. While storing data on a chip located inside the body may seem like the ultimate way of being safe when it comes to protecting information, that information can still be stolen under the right conditions. In theory, medical data, access to a home or a secure facility, and anything else that was stored on the implant could be the target of a hacker and could be something that a person would not want accessed by others. Controlling this kind of attack is very difficult, and data breaches happen every day in the technology sphere. Avoiding that with humans when it's so common with machines may not be realistic now, and may never be realistic, putting many people's data at near-constant risk. One can only imagine what would happen to a society that relies on such chip implants to function if it were struck with a widescale virus.  In 2010, Dr. Mark Gasson from the University of Reading had a chip inserted in his hand which was then infected with a virus.

In trials, Dr Gasson showed that the chip was able to pass on the computer virus to external control systems and if other implanted chips had then connected to the system they too would have been corrupted, he said. "With the benefits of this type of technology come risks. We may improve ourselves in some way but much like the improvements with other technologies, mobile phones for example, they become vulnerable to risks, such as security problems and computer viruses.

Government belongs to RSS, says BHU VC Girish Tripathi

Banaras Hindu University on Friday joined the controversies surrounding the premiere educational institutions in India as #SaveBHUfromRSS started trending on social media. The university that houses about 40,000 students making it one of the largest residential campuses in India, is facing accusations of rampant sexism by its students. Reports suggest that with the appointment of Girish Chandra Tripathi as the Vice Chancellor, the democratic representation of students, teachers and another staff has taken a back seat. Tripathi has been accused of openly endorsing the RSS ideology.

He also expelled Sandeep Pandey, winner of the Ramon Magsaysay award and renowned social activist. The expulsion is speculated to have happened as a result of Pandey’s denial of agreeing to the Sangh ideology. When objections surfaced as to his use of the university as an RSS unit, he openly said that there was nothing wrong in establishing an RSS shakha in BHU, since the Indian government itself belonged to the RSS.

With the VC talking on RSS principles and regulating them in the university, that should ideally be free of any political enforcement, it was only a matter of time that restrictions were imposed on students; more specifically female students. Reports have surfaced that the college administration has banned the use of mobile phones by girls after 10pm at night. As ridiculous as this may sound, the VC topped it with banning girls to study after 10 pm. His reason for such a rule was that girls who study at night are immoral. This has resulted in the 24×7 library being shut down for girl students at night. the prospectus of the BHU states that bus service can be availed by all the students of the university. Although, it has come to light that the female students have been banned from using it. Female students are also being made to sign affidavits stating that they would not participate or indulge in any protest or agitation. This is a direct choking off the fundamental rights of an Indian citizen. Female students are also banned for any sort of participation in socio-cultural activities outside the campus.

This discrimination between the genders also exists in the hostels as women are not allowed to consume meat as compared to their male counterparts. VC Girish Tripathi believes that the consumption of non-vegetarian food makes women “impure” in accordance with the Malviya rules. While male students have no curfew time, women have been asked to come back to the campus as early as 8 pm. women wearing short dresses and skirts are reported to have been reprimanded by the administration.

Protests cannot legally be organised by women as they were made to sign a lawful affidavit stating otherwise by the university administration. VC Tripathi has also been seen moral policing around the campus saying that it is aginst Indian cultures for boys and girls to hang out. The university has repeatedly warned the students that nay such acts would lead to a “category-A punishment”, which can be safely assumed to be a suspension. A few months ago, the university administration had denied the students’ demand for a cyber library stating the students ‘would’ use it to tune into pornography. The university, it seems remains ignorant about simple security software enabling them to ban porn sites. Although, under current circumstances, if the software is made available, the administration might use it to ban a lot more than just porn. The university administration solely consists of upper cast members of the Hindu community.

Students, though have been reported to have joined hands to form a joint action committee to stop the slow decay of saffronisation from spreading over the university. the committee is to spread information about the wrongs happening inside the walls of BHU to the world. Tags like #SaveBHUfromRSS and #StopCampusSexism were seen trending on social media with many prominent personalities all over the country were seen criticising the university for its enforcement of draconian traditions.

The BJP led Indian government has often been criticised for its age old views based on the Hindu books of mythology. While the Narendra Modi government has actively avoided any such controversies, it is high time that they step in to understand these issues and stop such rampant violations of fundamental rights of students.

ESV Bible Translation Revisions Won't Be Permanent Says Crossway: 'The Decision Was a Mistake'

Just a little over a month after its announcement that the text of the English Standard Version Bible will remain unchanged in all future editions, Crossway is now "convinced that this decision was a mistake" and would "allow for ongoing periodic updating of the text." The goal behind the earlier decision was "to stabilize the English Standard Version, serving its readership by establishing the ESV as a translation that could be used 'for generations to come,'" the Christian publisher says in a statement. "We desired for there to be a stable and standard text that would serve the reading, memorizing, preaching and liturgical needs of Christians worldwide from one generation to another."

But "this decision was a mistake," says Lane T. Dennis, Crossway president and CEO. "We apologize for this and for any concern this has caused for readers of the ESV, and we want to explain what we now believe to be the way forward. Our desire, above all, is to do what is right before the Lord." The Crossway Board of Directors and the ESV Translation Oversight Committee had unanimously decided that the ESV Bible would remain unchanged "throughout the life of the copyright" beginning the summer of 2016, calling it "the culmination of more than 17 years of comprehensive work by the Translation Oversight Committee, as authorized and initiated by the Crossway Board in 1998." That decision was made after making 52 word changes "to make only a very limited number of final changes to the ESV text, where such changes represented a substantial improvement in the precision, accuracy, and understanding of the ESV."

Crossway now believes that "the means to that goal … is not to establish a permanent text but rather to allow for ongoing periodic updating of the text to reflect the realities of biblical scholarship such as textual discoveries or changes in English over time." The updates are likely to be "minimal and infrequent," the publisher says, and adds, "but fidelity to Scripture requires that we remain open in principle to such changes, as the Crossway Board of Directors and the ESV Translation Oversight Committee see fit in years ahead." In its statement, Crossway also quotes the Preface to the ESV Bible, which reads: "We know that no Bible translation is perfect; but we also know that God uses imperfect and inadequate things to His honor and praise. So to our triune God and to His people we offer what we have done, with our prayers that it may prove useful, with gratitude for much help given, and with ongoing wonder that our God should ever have entrusted to us so momentous a task. To God alone be the glory!" Some biblical scholars had expressed concerns over the word changes Crossway made prior to its earlier announcement.

"This new translation of Genesis 3:16 suggests the curse against the woman is an act of God (a curse) that seals estrangement, alienation and tension between females and males," Northern Seminary New Testament professor Scot McKnight earlier told The Christian Post. "By so rendering this verse, the ESV creates the impression that females and males are contrarians with one another."

McKnight added that some think they make women rebellious and men authoritarian in response. "That is a sad and potentially dangerous interpretation for it gives the wrong kind of males a ready-made excuse for domination." Carolyn Custis James, a professor at Biblical Theological Seminary in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, also noted in a post on Missio Alliance that "because of the awkwardness of the ESV translation, I've heard pastors in churches with ESV Bibles in the pews abruptly interrupt their public Bible reading to explain that the actual meaning of the text is "brothers and sisters."

Iran Arrests 25 Christians in Raid Persecuting Believers for Their Faith in Jesus Christ

At least 25 Christians have been arrested in the Islamic Republic of Iran solely because of their faith in Jesus Christ, it has been reported. According to the National Council of Resistance in Iran, Iranian human rights outlets are reporting that over two dozen Christians were recently arrested during a raid by authorities in the southern city of Kerman. Security officials raided Christians' homes where they confiscated belongings and arrested as many as 25 believers. As of now, there has been no reason given for why the Christians were arrested and their location is unknown.

As Iran is ranked by Open Doors USA as the ninth worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution, the authorities in the Shia nation are widely known for their hostility towards Christians. Hostility toward Christianity and the Bible is so great in Iran that Christians must worship secretly in house churches. When religious police suspect Christians are gathering to worship in secret, they have been known to raid homes, arrest church leaders, worshipers and confiscate and destroy Bibles and other religious material. In August, armed Iranian agents raided a house church in the central city of Isfahan and arrested 11 Christians. The agents also confiscated Christian literature found in the house.

Then on Aug. 26, authorities raided a Christian picnic that was held in a garden in Firouz-Kouh County, which is north of the capital of Tehran. At least five people of the party had been arrested, according to Morning Star News. Mohabat News reports that police in Iran have begun cracking down on Christian weddings and gatherings in which Islamic principles are disregarded. Not even on Christmas are Christians in Iran safe from persecution. On Dec. 25, 2014, regime authorities raided a house church in in Roodehen and arrested nine Christians. According to NCRI, the Iranian government also executed seven Christians on Christmas Day. Despite the Iranian regime's hostility toward Christians, Christianity is on the rise in the Islamic Republic. As there are believed to be anywhere from 450,000 to 1 million Christians living in Iran, according to a source close to the Iranian house church movement who told The Christian Post in March that a "great, great number of Muslims are turning to Christ." Iranian-American Pastor Seed Abedini, who was imprisoned in Iran for over three-and-a-half years, recently shared the video testimony of one of his fellow Christian inmates in Iran. The video was recorded before Ali Asadi was set to be executed. According to Abedini, Asadi said in the video that he is not afraid of his coming death because he knows that it is the Iranian leaders who should be afraid of God's judgment."That kind of life which Muslims leaders in Iran have is a really scary life, because of God's judgment on them and they should FEAR [God]," Abedini quoted Asadi as saying.

 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, EXPOSE them” Ephesians 5:11

 Section 1 - The Old Testament - Ahab, Jezebel and Elijah

Now do Ahab and Jezebel remind you of anyone? They were virtually identical to Nimrod and Semiramis. It’s almost as though satan thought to himself that since this tactic had worked so well in Babylon, it might just be the one that would finally clinch victory in the battle to subvert the Israelites. Like when a play or shot works particularly well in sports, you’re tempted to use it again in the hope it produces the same result. This is what he was doing. He was attempting to create the same kind of structure within Israel that he had created in Babylon and was hoping the same end would be achieved.

Just as Semiramis had risen to power on the coat tails of Nimrod, the evil Jezebel wed herself to Ahab and introduced idolatry into their life as an evil religious practice. This was probably not a marriage of love; rather it was a spiritual and political affiliation designed to merge two different kingdoms. Just as Semiramis had an insatiable lust for power and would go to any ends to retain it, even killing her husband and plotting to kill her son, we see the same kind of spirit in Jezebel. A lust for power, control and domination. Given her background in Baal worship where sex acts and licentious living was exalted as a way to tap into the power of the gods, she would have had no qualms ‘sleeping her way to the top’. Ahab, King of Israel, was completely subdued and dominated by Jezebel. Israel was now full of pagan shrines, filled with priestess prostitutes servicing the worshippers. The sexual lure was more than the men of Israel could resist. By Jezebel’s influence, 10 million Israelites left the worship of God for Baal and Ashtoreth. Only 7000 people in the entire nation were not swayed by her control. This is how close Satan came to claiming Israel and thus, removing the last remaining barrier between him and world domination.

God however, as always, had a man for the job – Elijah. Jezebel had killed most of God’s prophets but hadn’t managed to get her hands on Elijah yet. And it was he who God used to turn Israel back from the brink. It all took place on Mount Carmel – a direct showdown between God and Baal. 

- Mark Fairley

The Truth About Israel's Christian Minority

 In the Gatestone Institute's August report on Christian persecution, Raymond Ibrahim described the brutal, rampant and global Islamic persecution of Christians and other minorities, including violations of religious freedom, harassment, detention, torture and executions. The accounts are too abundant and tragic to list in full, as many involve gruesome persecution, murder, and rape happening in Eritrea, Iran, Syria, Iraq, Uganda, Bangladesh, Congo, Philippines, Egypt, Tanzania, Pakistan, Germany, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Nigeria. Ibrahim concluded, "Such Muslim persecution is not random but rather systematic, and takes place in all languages, ethnicities and locations."

Elkhoury fled to Israel with family after his father, a former South Lebanon Army (SLA) officer, had to leave his homeland during Israel's withdrawal in May 2000.

Now that he's found safe refuge in Israel, Elkhoury writes and talks about the situation of Israeli Christians and minorities to various audiences and advocates for the Christian Empowerment Council (CEC) in Israel.

Elkoury concludes that to improve the life of Christians everywhere, Israeli Christians should speak out about their positive experiences as minorities in the Jewish state. "The Christian society is one of the successful minorities in Israel," he said. "There are people in high positions in education, in hospitals, courts - everywhere you look you will find a Christian in a high position. They are a quiet yet successful community, and they are not speaking out enough." I think we are heading towards a better future," he said. Indeed, through telling his story and educating the Christian sector, Elkoury is one of the few people creating that better future for his fellow Israeli Christians and Christian minorities around the world.

China's Christians Facing 'Harsh Religious Winter' as Gov't Crackdown Intensifies, Activists Warn

The Communist Party of China has intensified its ongoing crackdown of Christianity and other faiths with the publication of new rules and regulations that tighten the government's grip on underground churches, persecution watchdog groups have said. China Aid, which reports on religious freedom issues in China, said late last week that the new restrictions are aimed at dispersing Christian house churches and silencing Tibetan and Xinjiang separatists.

The Revised Draft of Regulations on Religious Affairs is expected to formally come into effect early in October, and includes prohibitions on "organizing citizens to attend religious training, conferences and activities abroad," "preaching, organizing religious activities, and establishing religious institutions or religious sites at schools," and "providing religious services through the internet."

Christian Boy May Be Executed in Pakistan for Posting 'Blasphemous' Picture on Facebook

A Pakistani Christian boy who was arrested earlier this week could face the death penalty after he was accused of posting a picture on Facebook that Muslims consider to be blasphemous toward Islam.

Obama Should Have Talked About 'Unprecedented Persecution' of Christians at UN, Watchdog Groups Say

Several persecution watchdog groups have said that President Barack Obama should have spoken out more forcefully for persecuted Christians and other religious minorities at his final U.N. General Assembly speech, as world leaders continue meeting this week in New York. "While President Obama referenced the tragic conflict in Syria and the 'mindless, medieval menace of ISIL,' in his speech at the UN General Assembly, I was disappointed that he did not reference the unprecedented level of brutal persecution faced by Christians, Yazidis, and other religious minorities throughout the Middle East," Kristin Wright, director of advocacy at Open Doors USA, told The Christian Post in a statement. "I believe the American people want to see greater evidence of deep concern from the president of the United States — in word and action — for those living under the tyranny of religious persecution,"

Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, EXPOSE them” Ephesians 5:11

 Section 1 - The Old Testament -  Ahab, Jezebel and Elijah

Immediately after Israel was established in the Promised Land of Canaan it was governed by a system of Judges and God was considered their supreme ruler or king. But by the time of 1 Samuel the people started to demand a human king in order to be like the other nations around them. In spite of God’s warnings about this they persisted with the request and God obliged. The first human king was Saul who was soon replaced by David. This takes us onto the book of 1 Kings in the Bible where the subsequent successions kings are documented. These transitions of leadership led to a downward spiral and the eventual division of Israel and throughout it all, we see a constant invasion of Baal worship over the years. Satan was still going with Plan A at this point.

The pivotal figure was king Ahab. And just as Nimrod’s importance was hinted at by the extra attention given to him in Genesis, the same can be said of king Ahab in the book of 1 Kings. The writer makes sure to elaborate on his reign and to tell us his story in greater depth than the others.  The Bible says of Ahab that “he did evil in the Lord’s sight, even more than any of the kings before him.” This guy was the worst of the worst. There had been bad kings before but no one touched Ahab. Not only this, but he married a woman called Jezebel, who was the princess daughter of Ethbaal, Canaanite King of Tyre and Sidon and priest of Astarte. You couldn’t get a worse combination of titles and clearly this was not the kind of family the king of Israel should have been marrying into. For a people that God was intent on keeping undefiled and pure, this marriage would pose significant problems.

As expected, soon after their marriage, the pollution began. Ahab established  temple for Baal and an Asherah pole in Israel for his wife’s sake. An Asherah pole is basically an obscene phallic symbol (remember paganism is obsessed with sex) otherwise known as an obelisk. But Queen Jezebel was not content to simply allow the worship of Baal and Asherah concurrently with the worship of Israel’s true God; she was determined to eliminate worship of the true God altogether. She embarked on a campaign whereby most of God’s prophets were killed and in their place were installed false prophets for Baal and Asherah. She successfully controlled Ahab, implemented idol worship and had him build a temple in their honour.

As a result the biblical record shows Israel plunging from the heights of David’s glorious and Godly reign to the depths of the pagan idolatry and Satanism under Ahab and this was in many ways Israel’s darkest hour. Satan was very close to  winning God’s chosen people to himself once and for all. The apostasy of Israel was almost complete. The foundations of Godliness were fast crumbling. The judgement of God was forthcoming.

 To be continued