No Panic in Heaven - Part II - Dec 30

This is a continuation of my previous post. As it was getting late and the post was getting a wee bit too long, I cut it short and published. This post will be the last one for 2007 so I'd like to wish you all a Happy New Year in '08. Watch this space in January for more Biblical insight into today's news.

Being a Watchman Ain't Easy, but Somebody's Gotta Do It - Part II

Bloody 'ell, they're at it again. Shoddy, sounds-nice-feels-good theology divorced from Biblical truth is a constant thorn in the side for those who love Him. In Palestine, churches are resuscitating 'liberation theology', thereby reducing Christianity to some cheap political creed. The Biblical command to not forsake Israel should be in the heart of every Christian. By demonizing Israel as some kind of neo-Roman Empire is to stand on shaky ground. You'd also have to ignore half of the OT and much of the NT to come up with this wacky doctrine.

So are the Jews really that powerful? Yes they are. But not through deviousness or malice as the anti-semites love to tell it (or sell it if you prefer). All Jews with very few exceptions are literate and educated. Hard work and faith in a living God completes the three-legged stool of success.

You'd think this would somehow rub off on the Palestinians living beside the most dynamic people in the world. And of course you'd also be wrong in that assessment. The Palestinian economy is in shambles and human rights violations persist with the bloody infighting between Fatah and Hamas. This despite the fact that 'Palestine' is one of the biggest international welfare cases in the world.

Bono Vox, the Irish Idiot

I love Bono's voice and the music of U2. And there's nothing sexier than a woman's voice with an Irish accent. I'd be putty in her hands. So why am I harsh on Mr. Paul Hewens (his real name)? Two words: Foreign Aid. Understand I'm not against foreign aid per se, but it can also be a detriment. Without security, accountability and transparency, foreign aid is wasted and grossly distorts the local economy. Having good people in the right places is crucial as well. The problem is of course, the places where foreign aid goes to has little in the way of security, accountability, transparency and moral leaders in high places. Foreign aid minus the proper oversight entrenches the corrupt and decreases the chance for a lasting peace. The worst thing we can do for Israel is to give the Palestinians hope that victory is imminent. By denying them aid and defeating the intifadah, Palestinians will get down to the mundane business of building a peaceful state for themselves. So Bono, please think about the unintended consequences of your socialist policies. Sometimes the best aid is no aid at all.

The Last Odds and Ends for 2007

Here are two top ten lists, one from K-House and one from Rapture Ready on the prophetic trends that we saw this year. With the Bhutto assassination this week, 2008 looks like a year for accelerated progress for Bible prophecy.

From economics to politics, and from politics to military collaboration, China and India are putting aside past grievances in a dual security exercise. While the number of the troops is small, that's generally where large-scale military co-operation starts. With oil pipelines being laid east-west across Eurasia, the path of the Kings of the East is made clearer every day.

Lastly from the GFA, a photo show on the advances being made for the Kingdom of God and the everyday challenges that a growing church in India faces during the holiday season.

Johnny Cash