God's love and forgiveness

You can experience God’s love and forgiveness!

How can you do this? First, be sure you have asked Jesus Christ to be your Savior and Lord. He died on the cross for your sins and paid the penalty so that you could be forgiven.

Even once you are a Christian, you may do something wrong and commit a sin. If you do, tell God you are sorry and ask Him to forgive your sin and then ask Him to help you by the power of the Holy Spirit not to sin again.

The Bible says “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

You can rest assured that God loves you and He wants to forgive your sins, when you sincerely confess them to Him. He also wants to help you live a life victorious over sin by filling you with His Holy Spirit. How great is the love of God!

So this week, let us pray that

• God will help you live a life victorious over sin
• God will help you know His great love and forgiveness
• God will protect and fill our staff team here at Global Media Outreach with His Holy Spirit

THANK YOU so much for your prayers. If you would like someone to pray for you, just hit “reply” on this email and send us your prayer request. We would love to hear from you.

May God bless you,

The First Commandment: What Is Our Greatest Priority?

Establishing, developing and maintaining that personal relationship with the true and living God is the most important commitment we can ever make. That is the primary focus of the first of the Ten Commandments.

"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:2-3).When asked which of all the laws of Scripture is the greatest, Christ responded with the command emphasizing the supreme importance of our personal relationship with God: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind" (Matthew 22:35-38; see also Deuteronomy 6:5).

Establishing, developing and maintaining that personal relationship with the true and living God is the most important commitment we can ever make. That is the primary focus of the first of the Ten Commandments: "You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3).

The supreme guiding power over our lives, that which controls our ideals, is our focus of worship. Many things can take the place of the worship of the true God in our hearts and minds. The adoration of these things will eliminate any possibility of our establishing or maintaining a real relationship with God.

The basis of our relationship with God

The Bible is clear concerning the basis of our relationship with God: He is our Creator!

The prophet Isaiah chided the ancient Israelites for failing to grasp the significance of trusting and honoring their Creator. "Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things, who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, by the greatness of His might and the strength of His power; not one is missing" (Isaiah 40:26).

"Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel: ‘My way is hidden from the LORD, and my just claim is passed over by my God'? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable" (verses 27-28).

All that we are, and everything we have, ultimately comes from one source—God. Paul cautions us "not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy" (1 Timothy 6:17). The only reliable assurance that our future is secure lies in our relationship with our Creator.

The Bible affirms that our Maker is both living and real—the one and only true God. "But the Lord is the true God; He is the living God and the everlasting King . . ." (Jeremiah 10:10).

He created for us a wonderful dwelling—our beautiful planet. He fashioned it to provide us with everything we need for our material well-being and survival. It is His desire that we enjoy and appreciate His gifts to us.

At the same time, He wants us to understand that we must never direct our worship toward anything that He has created or regard it as the source of our life and blessings. Only the Creator—never the creation—is to receive that honor.

The veneration of nature

Man's worship of nature, or some aspect of nature, has been the basis of one idolatrous religion after another. Eerdmans Handbook to the Bible succinctly explains the underpinnings of religions that were contemporary with and geographically close to ancient Israel. "The great idolatrous cultures of Egypt and Mesopotamia closely reflected their physical environment. Their religion, like that of their neighbours the Hittites and Canaanites, focused on nature. They had no real concept of a single, all-powerful Creator-God. And so they accounted for the vagaries of climate, agricultural events and the geography of the world around them by means of a whole array of gods" (1973, p. 10, emphasis added).

The Egyptians and Mesopotamians thought of the forces of nature as powerful spirits ruling over their environment. This superstitious worship of the sun, moon and stars as well as "mother" earth and most of its natural forces, such as lightning, thunder, rain and fire, persists to this day in some parts of the world.

Ironically, this underlying concept has also been adopted by modern-day religions that teach that God is more or less the sum total of the natural powers of the universe. But all have one thing in common: They fail to distinguish the Creator from His creation.

Many people place their confidence in astrology. Whether they realize it or not, in doing so they attribute divine powers to the creation—the stars—rather than to their Creator.

God warns us against this practice. "And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage" (Deuteronomy 4:19). Astrology is a way of looking to the creation instead of to the Creator for supernatural guidance.

Exalting the creation is the cornerstone of today's materialistic, secular view of the universe. The theory that life evolved from inert matter is an attempt to explain the creation—our amazing universe—without the intelligence of a Creator.

Responsible scientists refute the belief in the spontaneous generation of life. Some have demonstrated the scientific impossibility of life evolving from the nonliving. Research demonstrates that cells, the building blocks of life, are made up of so many complex and interactive and irreducibly complex systems that the possibility of life originating spontaneously defies even the most extreme view of the laws of probability.

Michael Behe, associate professor of biochemistry at Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, writes: "The result of these cumulative efforts to investigate the cell—to investigate life at the molecular level—is a loud, clear, piercing cry of ‘design!' The result is so unambiguous and so significant that it must be ranked as one of the greatest achievements in the history of science" (Darwin's Black Box, 1996, pp. 232-233, original emphasis).

Dr. Behe refutes even the possibility that life could have evolved. In other words, solid scientific evidence now makes it clear that the existence of the creation necessitates a Creator. (Request your free copies of Life's Ultimate Question: Does God Exist? and Creation or Evolution: Does It Really Matter What You Believe?)

Why people turn to superstition and idolatry

Some 2,000 years ago the apostle Paul explained that the all-too-human tendency to attribute intelligence and life-giving powers to the physical creation has been a major source of superstition and religious blindness. "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised" (Romans 1:21-25, NIV).

The First Commandment warns us not to accept a religion or philosophy that teaches that our life and well-being originate with or depend on anything other than the one true God. There is no pantheon of deities. There is no other source of life or blessings but God. There is no other power that rules over the heavens and the earth. "Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it" (Deuteronomy 10:14). He alone created and sustains the universe in which we exist.

This is the First Commandment's powerful message. We are to worship and serve our Creator—the miracle-working God who led ancient Israel out of Egyptian bondage—and to credit our existence and blessings to no other source. We are to love, respect and honor Him—to have a genuine, personal relationship with Him.

How can the true God be more real to us?

It is through God's remarkable works that we can best comprehend God's character. David describes his enthusiastic admiration for God's care and concern for His creation. "I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works. Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, and I will declare Your greatness. They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness, and shall sing of Your righteousness. The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. The LORD is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works." (Psalm 145:5-9).

Another Psalm exclaims: "Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, and fills the hungry soul with goodness" (Psalm 107:8-9).

Moses adds that our Creator "administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing" (Deuteronomy 10:18). Jesus explains that God is so loving and merciful toward all that "He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:45). God is concerned about the well-being of all people—even those who live in ignorance of His existence. Why is it so important that we understand the fundamentals of God's character? It is vital that we understand God because He wants to create in us that same character—His divine nature. Peter tells us that God has "given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature . . ." (2 Peter 1:4).

This comprehension involves a major shift of mind-set. As Paul tells us, "do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind . . ." (Romans 12:2).

What kind of renewal should occur in our thinking? Paul explains, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5). God wants us to become like Him by emulating the thinking, attitudes and outlook toward life exemplified by our perfect example, Jesus Christ.

How can this change in our thinking take place?

Getting acquainted with the true God

We get to know God by practicing His ways and emulating the love for others that motivate His thinking. "Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments" (1 John 2:3). And, "He who does not love does not know God, for God is love" (1 John 4:8).

The Bible is a handbook that tells us what we need to know about God. Jesus Christ tells us, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God" (Matthew 4:4; see also Deuteronomy 8:3). Paul explained that "all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

To know God, we must study those inspired Scriptures. "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15, NRSV).

The family relationship

The relationship that God wants with us is that of children with their Father. "I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty" (2 Corinthians 6:18).

Herein lies the awesome purpose of our existence: the continuing development of righteous character and our ultimate destiny as members of God's family (same verse; Matthew 5:48).

The apostle John stresses the importance of this special relationship: "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!

Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure" (1 John 3:1-3).

It was for this purpose that Jesus Christ was born to be the Savior of mankind. "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one [Father], for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren" (Hebrews 2:9-11).

This is the awesome purpose for which you were born: to become a member of the very family of God!

What a remarkable love the living God, the Creator of the universe, has in store for us. He wants us to be a part of His family, to live forever in His Kingdom. He tells us that our highest priority in this life is to "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33). Our heavenly Father gave us this lifetime to establish a permanent relationship with Him so we can receive eternal life as His children.

We should love, honor and respect Him so much that He alone is the supreme authority and model in our lives. He alone is God. We should allow nothing to prevent us from serving and obeying Him.

Christians Killing Christians Over Soccer?

If we're looking for true Christianity, surely we should look first to one basic law: to love our neighbor as ourselves. Where we find that practiced, we should find the true followers of Jesus Christ.

Soccer is serious business to many. But last Sunday, May 24, in Coleraine, Northern Ireland, it became deadly serious, as supporters of one soccer team went on a drunken rampage, and killed an innocent man on the street.

Scotland's Glasgow Rangers are known as "the Protestant team," while Glasgow Celtic are "the Catholic team." Celtic had dominated the Scottish Premier League for the last three years, till Sunday's Rangers 3-0 victory over Dundee United sealed the championship.

But then the troubles began, as Protestant supporters of Glasgow Rangers in Coleraine drank heavily, and then rampaged through the town, looking for Catholics to attack. The unfortunate victim was 49-year-old Kevin McDaid, a father of four who did volunteer youth work, and had encouraged local Catholics to cooperate with the mostly Protestant Northern Ireland police. Mr. McDaid lost his life at the hands of the drunken mob.

Soccer games are often the point of religious tensions in Northern Ireland, where many pubs ban admission to customers wearing soccer jerseys or scarves, for fear of violence.

But how can all this be? "Christians" fighting "Christians" over soccer? What sort of "Christians" are these, anyway? Don't both Protestants and Catholics believe in the instructions of Jesus Christ about love for our neighbor? And how can that possibly square with violence, and even killings, across sectarian divides based on soccer allegiances?

Down through history, many have pointed to all the killings and suffering humanity has brought on itself in the name of religion, and questioned the value of religion. Northern Ireland itself went through a terrible phase of sectarian strife, bordering on civil war, known as "The Troubles," from the late 1960's till the Belfast Agreement of 1998. The province is still recovering from that brutal phase of its history.

But shouldn't religion serve to lower the level of brutality, not to raise it? And if religion serves as a stimulus for man killing man, shouldn't we re-examine our definition of religion?

Let's take a look at the ancient writings. It was Moses who first told us to "love your neighbor as yourself," (Leviticus 19:18), an injunction quoted by Jesus, who told His followers that this is the second greatest commandment of all (Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31; Luke 10:27). It's even recorded three times in the New Testament gospels, for emphasis.

So, if we're looking for true Christianity, surely we should look first to one basic law: to love our neighbor as ourselves. Where we find that practiced, we should find the true followers of Jesus Christ.

The Missing Missing Link

Ask yourself which takes more faith: believing that chaotic forces that we don't understand caused random evolution from extremely simple to extremely complex organisms over millions of years without leaving the evidence in the fossil record, or that there is a Creator of supreme intelligence who designed all the functional, stable, complexity that we see around us?

Ida is making headlines around the world.

You heard it: this fossil is being hailed as the "missing link" in human evolution. What should we think about that?

One thing we should certainly consider is the overwhelming problem with the whole idea of a missing link.

Darwin's theory of "descent with modification" indicates that we should find a rich, wide-spread fossil record, documenting the gradual evolving of primitive life forms into what we see today. There shouldn't be a missing link at all; there should be millions of links and we should find them all over. But such a fossil record simply doesn't exist. What the fossil record does show is stasis, that is, stability, not evolution.

Darwin himself asked in the Origin of the Species: "Why, if species have descended from other species by insensibly fine gradations, do we not everywhere see innumerable transitional forms? Why is not all nature in confusion instead of the species being, as we see them, well defined?" Excellent question! Darwin's answer: we'll find the evidence later.

Evolutionary paleontologists have been looking hard every since. And they just haven't found it.

In unguarded moments, event modern proponents of Darwinian evolution admit the evidence simply isn't there.

World famous evolutionist Stephen Jay Gould went on record stating: "The absence of fossil evidence for intermediary stages between major transitions in organic design, indeed our inability, even in our imagination, to construct functional intermediates in many cases, has been a persistent and nagging problem for gradualistic accounts of evolution." A persistent, nagging problem.

He also wrote: "The extreme rarity of transitional forms in the fossil record persists as the trade secret of paleontology." Trade secret, hmm.

And, the extremely rare evidence that is presented is open to widely varied interpretations. There are, for example, many highly respected scientists who challenge the exceptional value of Ida.

Ask yourself which takes more faith: believing that chaotic forces that we don't understand caused random evolution from extremely simple to extremely complex organisms over millions of years without leaving the evidence in the fossil record, or that there is a Creator of supreme intelligence who designed all the functional, stable, complexity that we see around us?

The Bible suggests that those who claim they believe God doesn't exist aren't being entirely truthful deep down inside.

It says: "They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God" (Romans 1:19-20 NLT).

It's time to get back to this simple truth. It's time we acknowledge the fatal flaws in Darwin's theory. It's time we evolve—in our thinking.

For GN Magazine, I'm Joel Meeker.

Ready for Armageddon

The word, "Armageddon," is found only one time in the entire Bible - in Revelation 16:16 - and contrary to popular opinion, there is absolutely no hint in its context that this final "battle of the great day of God Almighty" (verse 14) has anything to do with guns, missiles, bombs, or is centered in the Middle East. Verses 17-21 make it clear that when "Armageddon" hits, a mighty "earthquake" (verse 18) causes every city around the world to crumble (verse 18), "every island" to flee, and "the mountains" to vanish (verse 20). Clearly, its effect will be global.

Not only is there only one verse in the Bible where "Armageddon" is mentioned, but there is only verse that specifically states how to prepare for the battle. In that solitary verse, Jesus Christ declares:

Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame (Revelation 16:15).

Those "garments" refer to the pure robe of the righteousness of Jesus Christ (see also Revelation 3:5, 18; 6:11; 7:14) which God's loyal people will both "put on" and continue wearing throughout the temptations of these last days.

Let's put on that garment now.

Let's prepare for the end.

The Closing of Heaven's Door

I am happy to report that there is great interest in these "Time of Trouble" studies, even in their possible publication. Should time permit, we may do just that. But for now, they are only being sent out as White Horse E-news. Soon they will all be placed on our website for easy access in case you missed any previous ones.

Many have responded with questions about the idea (which is new to them) of "the closing of heaven's door" immediately preceding the "time of trouble" and the visible return of our Savior. Because of this, I am going to devote Parts 3 & 4 entirely to this very important, yet largely unknown biblical doctrine.

Jesus Christ warned, "As the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be" (Matthew 24:37-39). Thus Jesus plainly said that the time of "the coming of the Son of Man" [His Second Coming] would be just like "the days of Noah," especially "the day that Noah entered the ark." This is vital. Prior to this, God said, "My Spirit shall not strivewith man forever…yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years" (Gen. 6:3). Notice this carefully. For 120 years Noah warned the world of its approaching doom. During that time, God's Spirit was striving with sinners and urging them to repent. Yet eventually - after everyone had made his or her choice - the Holy Spirit ceased striving and withdrew from the entire lost world.

After his last tearful sermon, "Noah entered the ark," the door closed, "and the Lord shut him in" (Gen. 7:16). At this point, everyone on earth was either in our out, saved or lost. For those outside the ark, the day of salvation was over. It was forever too late for them. Yet the flood didn't come immediately. There was yet "seven more days" (Gen. 7:4) until the rain fell. Notice this sequence:

1. The world was evil, corrupt, and violent (Gen. 6:5,11-13).
2. God gave man 120 additional years to choose or reject Him.
3. During those years, His Spirit strove with man (Gen. 6:4).
4. When that time ended, everyone had made a final choice.
5. Then Noah entered the ark, its door shut, and God's Spirit ceased striving with the lost.
6. Seven more days passed by (Gen. 7:4).
7. Then the flood hit and "all flesh died" (Gen. 7:21) that was not preserved inside the ark.

Again, Jesus Christ said, "As the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." Here are the parallels:

1. Today the world is evil, corrupt, and violent.
2. Today God is giving man time to choose or reject Him.
3. Today His Spirit is still striving earnestly with man.
4. When this time ends (I will set no dates - Matt. 24:36), everyone on earth will have made a final choice.
5. Then heaven's door will shut (read carefully Rev. 22:10-12) and God's Spirit will cease striving with the lost.
6. Then the "seven last plagues" will fall (Rev. 16; 22:18), which is "the time of trouble" (Daniel 12:1).
7. At the Second Coming (Rev. 19:11-16) all "the nations" (Rev. 19:15) and "all people" (Rev. 19:17-18) not prepared for Jesus Christ's return will be destroyed (Luke 17:26-30; Rev. 16:17-21).

This is exactly what the Bible says. I realize that this teaching is unknown in most churches. But remember, only a small group (8 people) got it straight in Noah's day!

For those who wish to study #7 above more fully, I strongly recommend my little booklet, The Millennium: Shocking Facts about a Misunderstood Prophecy and Your Eternal Destiny. It only costs .95 and is now available from White Horse Media.

May Jesus forgive our sins, purify our hearts, and prepare us for His soon return.
To be continued….

Steve Wohlberg
http://www.whitehorsemedia.com/

Living a Great Miracle—Being Led by God's Spirit

How the Feast of Pentecost celebrates another great miracle.

God commands that, in the late spring of every year, a special day be observed (Leviticus 23:15-21). It is commonly called Pentecost, from the Greek pentekoste. The Jews refer to it in various ways. One is as Shavuot, meaning "Weeks," because the date of its observance is determined by counting a specific number from an earlier religious observance.

Another name given it is Hag Hakatzir, the Festival of the Harvest, for it marks the harvesting of the wheat, the last grain harvest of the spring harvest season. And, in that context, it is also called Yom HaBikkurim, the Day of the Firstfruits. There is much significance to this festival, which is vitally important for Christians.

When celebrating this festival we know as Pentecost, the descendants of the ancient Israelites are reminded of one of the greatest events in their history—the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai. In his book To Be a Jew, Rabbi Hayim Halevy Donin writes: "Shavuot commemorates the awesome event experienced by the children of Israel seven weeks after the exodus from Egypt when they camped at the foot of Mt. Sinai somewhere in the Sinai Peninsula. This event was the Revelation, when God's will was revealed to Israel. It marked the declaration of the Ten Commandments ... While the exact manner of this communication between God and man is not known and was always subject to various opinions by the great thinkers and Sages of Israel, it was an event of awesome proportions and a unique spiritual experience that indelibly stamped the Israelites with their unique character, their faith, and their destiny."

The events leading up to this time—the Exodus of the Israelites from slavery, the death of Egypt's firstborn, the crossing of the Red Sea, the giving of manna from heaven and the giving of the law—were miracles that had a tremendous impact on the history both of Israel and much of the world. As Christians, we sometimes forget that another great miracle has taken place in all our lives. It is one of the greatest miracles of all time, the coming of God's Holy Spirit.

Celebrating another great miracle

The Feast of Pentecost is a celebration of that event, a reminder to each of us that God works in us through His Spirit. For humans to be changed and led by God's Spirit is one of the greatest miracles of all.

When we study the Day of Pentecost in the Bible, we find the beginnings of this great miracle. In Acts 1:8, we read Christ's instructions to His disciples: "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth" (New American Standard Bible).

This promise from Christ was dramatically fulfilled within a few days of His statement. This occurred on the Day of Pentecost, as recorded in Acts 2. Peter concluded his sermon on that day with these words: "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself" (verses 38, 39, NASB).

After the physical manifestations that are described in the first verses of Acts 2, we find the Holy Spirit descending on a large group of people. Their lives were changed dramatically. They were led by God's Holy Spirit from that time forward.

The book of Acts is replete with the stories of these people's lives and the impact they had on the society of that day. The change was so evident that they were accused of having "turned the world upside down" (Acts 17:6). Such was the dramatic, dynamic power of the Holy Spirit.

Being led by the Holy Spirit

When we make reference to someone who is led by the Holy Spirit, as these people were, we must make sure we understand what is being said. This is discussed in detail by the apostle Paul in Romans 8:1-28, where he shows how the Holy Spirit works in the life of a Christian. In verse 14, Paul states: "For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God." Here we see that a Christian is defined as one who is led by the Spirit of God.

We find this same thought in verse 9. Here Paul dogmatically states that if you don't have the Spirit dwelling in you then you do "not belong" to God (NASB).

The implication is that it is through God's Spirit and "Christ in us" (Colossians 1:27) that we actually accomplish what we do as Christians, rather than through our own efforts. The glory and credit must go to God.

However, it isn't enough to simply be led by God's Spirit. We must allow God, through His Spirit, to rule over our lives. The Holy Spirit must be allowed to become the energizing force in our lives to produce the qualities of true Christianity. We must ask ourselves if we are truly being led by God's Spirit and if we are allowing it to serve as the guiding force in our lives.

Understanding the Holy Spirit

To grasp how God's Spirit works in our lives, we must understand what God's Spirit is. The Holy Spirit is not an individual person, along with God the Father and Jesus Christ, forming a "Holy Trinity." There simply is not biblical evidence for the Holy Spirit to be thought of as a separate person, apart from the Father and the Son. (See the article "Just What Is the Holy Spirit?") In Scripture, the Holy Spirit is described as the power of God at work in our lives. This divine power of God emanates from the Father, allowing us to be "led by the Spirit of God" (Romans 8:14).

What does God's Holy Spirit do for us as Christians? This question affects the very core of our religious beliefs, because without the power of God's Spirit in our lives we would have no relationship with the Father. It is because this Spirit is dwelling within us that we are the children of God (Romans 8:14-17).

It is important that we understand what it means to be "led by the Spirit." God's Spirit doesn't drive, drag or push us around; it leads us. It will not prevent us from sinning, nor will it force us to do what is right. It leads us, and we must be willing to follow.

God's Spirit at work

Exactly how does God's Spirit lead us? Let's consider a few ways.

The Holy Spirit keeps us in contact with God's mind. God's Spirit works with our mind. The apostle John describes it this way: "Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit [which] He has given us" (1 John 3:24). Through the Holy Spirit, which is given to us, we can be influenced by God for the good. This is in contrast to the situation in the world around us and our own human nature.

The Holy Spirit provides a deeper understanding of God's Word and His will for humanity. As 1 Corinthians 2:9-11 tells us: "But as it is written, 'Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.' But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God" (emphasis added throughout).

Without that Spirit, a person cannot understand God's divinely expressed Word and will, "for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned" (verse 14).

God's help in overcoming

The Holy Spirit makes overcoming possible. There is nothing too difficult for us with the power of God working in our lives. Romans 8:26 tells us that God's Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. Paul, the writer of the letter to the Romans, speaking for all of us said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).

Jesus Christ promises Christians, "With God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26; Mark 10:27). The Christian life is to be one of overcoming. We must not believe that God wants us to remain just as we are whenever we are called. Instead, we must "not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2). Christianity is a lifetime of overcoming and growing.

The Holy Spirit convicts our conscience and helps us see sin as it really is. Speaking of the Holy Spirit, which would be given to His followers after His death, Jesus Christ said it would "convict the world of sin . . ." (John 16:8). God's Spirit within us, working with our conscience, helps us to recognize and avoid sin. The guilt that we feel is real, prompted by recognition of sins.

Hebrews 9:14 tells us that Jesus Christ's sacrifice "cleanse[s] your conscience from dead works to serve the living God," meaning that we have forgiveness from God, and, through repentance, we no longer need feel guilt for our sins. Christ's sacrifice washes away the sin in our lives, but we must still come to understand sin and how it affects us. Repentance must precede the forgiveness that God promises to each one of us, and repentance means change and effort to avoid sin.

Fruit of God's Spirit

The Holy Spirit produces godly fruit in our lives. Just as an apple tree produces apples, God's Spirit produces a particular type of fruit in the life of a Christian. Galatians 5:22, 23 lists the fruit that should be evident in the lives of those who are led by God's Spirit-love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Each aspect of this fruit is worthy of a detailed study in itself, coupled with a self-analysis to see to what degree it is are manifest in your life.

The Holy Spirit comforts and encourages us. Jesus Christ promised to send His followers "another comforter" (John 14:16, KJV). True comfort and reassurance come from the Spirit of God dwelling in us. We need not be unduly worried about the future or what may happen to us. God's Spirit gives us the assurance that whatever happens will be for the good "to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).

This provides an outlook on life that is quite rare in our world today. It is certainly possible for a Christian to become discouraged, but it is through the Holy Spirit that we can begin to look upon life differently. As noted above, peace is one aspect of the fruit of God's Spirit in the life of a Christian.

Annual reminder of miracles

The gift of God's Holy Spirit should make us exceedingly thankful. Just as we must recognize the great power of God to perform miracles in the days of the ancient Israelites, so we must not forget the power of God to work miracles in our lives.

The Feast of Pentecost is an annual reminder that God is still a miracle-working God. Whenever an individual is granted God's Holy Spirit, he becomes a walking miracle. One of the greatest miracles of all time is going on in our very midst. That miracle is for a human being to be led by God's Holy Spirit! GN

The Satanic FUD Factor

Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt, are chief weapons in the arsenal of Satan the Devil. Now before you think I'm crazy look at the evidence around you.

Have you heard of the FUD factor? FUD is an acronym for Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt. Supposedly it was first used in the business world. Sales reps would raise FUD in the minds of their potential customers who were thinking of buying from a competitor.

What a marketing strategy! Suspicion and insecurity! Imagine selling your product, not on its own merit, but by duping and persuading customers to believe the other guy's merchandise is no good.

Today FUD refers to any kind of disinformation used as a competitive weapon. Isn't it remarkable to see FUD used in politics, science, education, and even religion? You know it to be true—we're surrounded by FUD.

Why? The truth is: fear, uncertainty and doubt, are chief weapons in the arsenal of Satan the Devil. Now before you think I'm crazy look at the evidence around you.

Your Bible describes him as "the deceiver of the whole world" (Revelation 12:9) He wants you to be anxious and worry. He promotes insecurity and confusion. Am I exaggerating? No, it comes down to the fact that He wants the FUD factor to confuse you on spiritual matters to doubt God's great plan.

Now what can you do to minimize the FUD factor? Here's where you can start: "Don't fall into the trap of being a coward—trust the LORD, and you will be safe." (Proverbs 29:25 CEV) In other words—develop a relationship with God and make it first and foremost in your life.

As you strengthen the bond with your heavenly Father, He promises to counter the FUD factor of fear, uncertainty, and doubt. He can give you the spirit "of power and of love and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7 NKJ).

For GN Magazine, I'm Steve Myers.

Before You Divorce

If a marriage is on the rocks, is it worth saving? What is the real key to renovating a troubled marriage? Don't miss this!

Headache

Are you living a life based on principles?

What does the Bible mean by the "third heaven"?

How many heavens are there? What does the apostle Paul mean when he writes about "the third heaven"?

The Bible speaks of three different heavens. Genesis 1:1 says that God created "the heavens"—plural. The first heaven is the atmosphere around the earth. In describing the rain that brought on the Flood of Noah’s time, Genesis 7:11 says "the windows of heaven were opened." Commenting on the extent of the water, verse 19 says "all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered."

The second heaven is commonly referred to as "outer space." Exodus 32:13 is one of many references to "the stars of heaven." Stars are not in the skies from which the rain falls, but in the space beyond our atmosphere. Nehemiah 9:6 also refers to space as heaven: "You alone are the Lord; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host [the planets and stars]."

A "third heaven" is mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12:1-4. Paul also called it "Paradise" in verse 4. That word is from the Greek word for park or garden—not just any park or garden, but a magnificent one. It’s the same word used in the standard Greek translation of the Old Testament, the Septuagint, to mean the Garden of Eden.

Revelation 4:2 reveals that God’s throne is in heaven, but which one? Obviously, God’s throne is not in the sky where the clouds are and the birds fly—the first heaven. Nor is it in the visible confines of outer space—the second heaven. Putting this reference together with what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians, we discern that the third heaven, then, must refer to the location of the throne of God.

Why did Jesus Christ use parables?

Did Jesus deliberately speak in parables in order to conceal the truth from certain people?

The disciples asked that question directly of Jesus (Matthew 13:10). He answered that God gave the disciples spiritual understanding and that no one is able to comprehend the truth without this gift. "Therefore I speak to them in parables," He said, adding, "because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand" (verse 13).

That is, the parables did not make the meaning any clearer for people without this gift of spiritual insight. But the parables did not obscure their comprehension. Rather, God did not give them the ability to know the truth at that time. Because Christ chose easily recognizable illustrations and objects from everyday living for His parables, they actually helped to illustrate the truth to those God called to conversion.

Is Marriage a Gamble?

The popular idea of romance claims that the key to happiness is FINDING the right person, but BEING the right person is far more important.

This is a special time of the year as the cards arrive in our mailboxes inviting us to join in celebrating graduations and weddings—two of the happiest times in the lives of young adults. When they walk down the aisle in either ceremony, we wish them success and happiness as they move from one stage of life to another.

As an educator and minister, I have had the opportunity to share in both of these transitions for some outstanding young adults. This past weekend my wife and I attended a graduation service, and the next day we watched as two of those graduates became husband and wife. At times like that it's impossible to simply be an emotionally detached observer. We care about what happens to them, and we understand the kinds of challenges they will face.

What are the chances this young couple will succeed—that their marriage won't end up in the ever-growing scrapheap of broken relationships? If recent statistics are any indication, about the best they can hope for is a fifty-fifty chance that they'll still be married to one another ten years from now. Thankfully, because of a series of choices this couple made, their chances for a successful, enduring marriage are actually much better than that. Instead of becoming helpless casualties in the war on marriage, they made choices that will protect and strengthen their marriage. The popular idea of romance claims that the key to happiness is FINDING the right person, but BEING the right person is far more important.

These two young people made their most important choice before they even knew each other. They decided to live a moral way of life with God's instructions as their standard of personal conduct. With that common foundation, they had a basis to begin building a relationship that can weather the storms of life.

Jesus Christ said, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock" ( Matthew 7:24-25 NIV).

The foundation alone is not enough, but without it all of our other efforts are futile. What foundation are you building upon? If you're not married yet, now is the time to carefully choose your foundation. And if you are already married, it's time to examine your foundation to make sure you're building on the right one.

For GN Magazine, I'm David Johnson.

Our Lives are Hidden in Christ

Colossians 3:3 ………. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God

At Calvary’s cross, when we give our lives to Jesus, a divine exchange takes place.

We give all that we have and all that we are to Jesus and Jesus gives Himself to us. Effectively, we die to our old life, to our former way of life, and we give ourselves completely to Jesus asking Him to be our Lord and Saviour.

If we foolishly hold on to anything, that thing, that attribute, characteristic, skill or talent, will, in time, become our weak point; our Achilles’ heal. It will become the access point through which the enemy can enter into our lives to destroy us.

However, if we absolutely give our all to Jesus, His life becomes our life and our lives are hidden with Christ in God. When God the Father looks at us He will see Jesus. When anyone and everyone looks at us, our life and lifestyle, they will see Jesus. When our lives are truly hidden in Christ, we will no longer be seen but Christ will be seen in us.

The secret is to remain hidden. We must make every effort not to want to be noticed, not to want some of God’s glory for ourselves. Our aim has to be to remain dead and hidden in Christ.

Lord Jesus, please let it be you that others see when they look at me. Amen

You Tube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieG-kE9Ni3o&feature=channel_page

Should Christians Focus on Earthly Jerusalem?

When it comes to Christians and Bible prophecy, the hot spot is Jerusalem. Prophecy teachers around the world are talking about Arafat, the PLO, the Jews, the Arabs, the peace process, a rebuilt Jewish Temple, and a final Middle East war of Armageddon.

Pastor John Hagee’s recently published book, The Battle for Jerusalem (2001), reveals this current focus. An advertisement declares, "Pastor John Hagee explains the heart of Israel’s struggle for Jerusalem and the Holy Temple Mount - and why the battle for Jerusalem should be of major concern to Christians around the world." John Hagee Ministries (magazine), March / April 2001.

Should it really? While Christians should love Jewish people (and everyone else), and should definitely support Israel in her struggle against terrorism, we wish to ask - Does the New Testament really say we should focus on the earthly city of Jerusalem? And do New Testament prophecies, as is so commonly taught, really swirl around this location? The answer may surprise you. First of all, there is not one single direct reference in the book of Revelation to the earthly city of Jerusalem! Look for yourself. Jesus referred to "the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down from heaven from my God" (Revelation 3:12). "And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from my God" (Revelation 21:2). "And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God" (Revelation 21:10). Here the New Jerusalem is plainly called "the holy city," and this is where the saints of God are to live eternally.

Revelation 11:2 also refers to "the holy city." Again, in Revelation 22:19, we read about "the holy city." And Revelation 20:9 describes a final battle at the end of the 1000 years against "the camp of the saints ... the beloved city" (20:9). Christians sometimes apply these verses to the present, earthly city of Jerusalem, but Revelation itself does not do this. As we have already seen, Revelation defines "the holy city" as the "new Jerusalem" (21:2). Thus there is no proof that the book of Revelation has even one reference to earthly Jerusalem!

Concerning the saints of God, the New Testament says, "But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city" (Hebrews 11:16). This city is clearly the New Jerusalem. Paul told his readers, "But you are come to mount sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem" (Hebrews 12:22).

The most powerful New Testament section on this subject is Galatians 4:22-31. An honest and careful study of Paul’s words reveals that earthly "Jerusalem which now is" (verse 25) is compared to Hagar, Ishmael, (verse 22), and the flesh (verse 23). Amazingly, it is "cast out" (verse 31) and is no longer an "heir" to the promises of God. But the "Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all" (verse 26).

Christians should love Jewish people, and should seek to thoughtfully share with them the message of Jesus their Messiah. Yet according to the New Testament, our focus should be on the New Jerusalem, rather than the present, war torn city in the Middle East.

The 70th Week of Daniel Delusion

by Steve Wohlberg

A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes. — Mark Twain (1835-1910)

Christians often debate about whether Jesus Christ will return for His Church before the seven years of tribulation (the “pre-trib” view), in the middle of the seven years (the “mid-trib” view), or at the end of the seven years (the “post-trib” view). Yet by far the most important question worth asking is: Does the Bible really predict a future “seven-year period of tribulation” in the first place?

Shockingly, there is no specific Bible text predicting any seven-year tribulation. The entire theory is based on an interpretation of one primary verse, Daniel 9:27, which says:

He shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease… (Daniel 9:27 KJV).

Modern interpreters often conclude:

1. “He” is the Antichrist
2. Antichrist will make a treaty with the Jews for “one week” (the last “week” of the 70-week/490-year prophecy)–meaning seven years of Tribulation.
3. In the middle of the Tribulation, Antichrist will cause the sacrifices of a rebuilt Jewish temple “to cease.”

Thus Daniel 9:27 is applied to Antichrist, a seven-year Tribulation, and a rebuilt Jewish temple–yet the verse itself says none of this. The fact is that countless credible Bible scholars of the past applied Daniel 9:27 to Jesus Christ, not antichrist.

Matthew Henry’s commentary on Daniel 9:27 states, “By offering himself a sacrifice once and for all, he [Jesus], shall put an end to all the Levitical sacrifices.” (1). British Methodist Adam Clarke’s commentary says that during Daniel 9:27’s “term of seven years,” Jesus Himself would “confirm or ratify the new covenant with mankind.”(2). The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown commentary also says: “He shall confirm the covenant—Christ. The confirmation of the covenant is assigned to Him.” (3).

The following ten points provide solid evidence that Daniel’s 70th week doesn’t refer to any future Tribulation at all. Rather, it was fulfilled nearly two thousand years ago.

1. The prophecy of “seventy weeks” means seventy straight sequential weeks. There is no example in Scripture (or anywhere else!) of a time period starting, stopping, and then starting again. All biblical references to time are consecutive: 40 days and 40 nights (Genesis 7:4), 400 years in Egypt (Genesis 15:13), etc.
2. The 70th week follows immediately after the 69th week. If it doesn’t, then it cannot properly be called the 70th week!
3. It is illogical to insert a 2,000-year gap between the 69th and 70th week. There is no gap between the first seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. Why insert one between the 69th and 70th week?
4. Daniel 9:27 says nothing about any “tribulation,” “rebuilt” Jewish temple, or “antichrist.” Zero.
5. Daniel 9:24-27’s focus is the Messiah. After the Messiah is “cut off” (referring to Christ’s death), “the people of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.” This refers to the destruction of Jerusalem by Roman armies led by Prince Titus in A.D. 70. (4)
6. “He shall confirm the covenant.” Paul said “the covenant” was “confirmed before by God in Christ” (Galatians 3:17). Jesus Christ came “to confirm the promises made to the fathers” (Romans 15:8). The word “covenant” is Messianic, and always applies to the Messiah, not antichrist.
7. “He shall confirm the covenant with many.” Jesus said, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many…” (Matthew 26:28). Jesus was quoting Daniel 9:27 specifically.
8. “In the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice…to cease.” After 3 ½ years of ministry, Jesus Christ’s death put an end to all sacrifices in God’s sight. He is the final Sacrifice!
9. “For the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate” (Daniel 9:27, KJV). It was abominable for the Jewish leaders to put God’s Son to death. This ended their temple. Jesus predicted, “Your house is left to you desolate” (Matthew 23:38).
10. The 70 weeks applied to the Jewish people (Daniel 9:24). Christ’s public ministry lasted 3 ½ years during which His focus was “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6). After His resurrection and then for another 3 ½ years, His disciples preached mostly to Jews (see Acts 1-6). When the Jewish Sanhedrin stoned Stephen in 34 AD (see Acts 7), the gospel shifted to the Gentiles (see Acts 13:46)–exactly as prophecy predicted.

One major reason why the Jewish nation as a whole failed to receive its Messiah was because its scholars misinterpreted Daniel 9:27.

The evidence is overwhelming! These eight words found in Daniel 9:27: “confirm… covenant… many… midst… sacrifice… cease… abominations… desolate” all find perfect fulfillment in Jesus Christ and early Christian history. One major reason why the Jewish nation as a whole failed to receive its Messiah was because its scholars misinterpreted Daniel 9:27. They failed to see Jesus Christ as the predicted One who would die in the midst of the 70th week! The same thing is happening today as Christian scholars misapply the same prophecy.

The “seven-year tribulation theory” is like a gigantic bubble. Once Daniel 9:27 is correctly understood and the pin of truth inserted, “Pop goes the seven years!” It’s a fact: There is no Bible text that teaches any “seven-year tribulation.” If you hunt for it, you’ll end up like Ponce de Leon searching for the Fountain of Youth. He never found it.

Jesus Christ confirmed the covenant and caused the sacrifices “to cease.”

May error cease in our minds as we follow God’s truth.

How can you be sure you are a Christian?

How can you be sure you are a Christian? If you have truly accepted Jesus Christ as your savior and asked forgiveness for your sins, you are a Christian.

A Christian is not perfect, since in this life unfortunately we will not be perfect. You are not a Christian just because you go to church, although it is very good to go to church if you can. You are a Christian because you have accepted Christ as your savior

All of us have sinned (we have done or said or thought things that are wrong.) The good news is that God sent His Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for our sins, to pay the penalty that we deserve. So our choice is simple. Do we ask forgiveness for our sins and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord? If so, that is what makes you a Christian. God wants to give you new life-- to be "born again."

You can be sure you are a Christian on the authority of the Bible, which is inspired by God. The Bible says "As many as received Him (Christ), to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name." The Bible also says "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Jesus is your Savior; He also must be your Lord. Lord means the one who is in charge, the king. So we should ask God to help us do what Jesus says and follow Him.

So this week, let us pray that

• As many people as possible — millions of people — all around the world will come to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord
• God will protect and bless our staff at Global Media Outreach
• God will help your family and loved ones all come to know Jesus Christ

THANK YOU so much for your prayers. We so appreciate you. If you want to email one of our volunteers with any questions or to help make sure you are a Christian, you can just hit "reply" to this prayer letter and one of our volunteers will answer you.

May God bless you,

Security for America

Instead of debating whether the prison at Guantanamo contributes to our safety or not, we should be asking ourselves, "Who do I trust for my safety – is it God or is it man?"

Are you safer today because of the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay?

This question came out of an unusual squabble this past week. The media referred to it as a surreal moment, a sideshow, and an ole fashion shootout. Within moments of each other and in the same city, two men spoke to a national audience on the subject of security and reached opposite conclusions. One was our president, Barack Obama. The other was the former vice president, Dick Cheney.

President Obama, during his speech from Washington, declared the failure of the security measures instituted by the Bush administration and defended his plan to close the prison at Guantanamo. A few minutes later, just across town, former vice president Cheney declared the SUCCESS of the prison and the interrogation methods that were used after 9/11.

Are you safer because of the prison in Guantanamo and the actions taken by the Bush administration since 9/11? Or will you be safer if the current administration closes the prison and institutes new procedures for interrogating suspected terrorists?

In his speech President Obama said: "The record is clear: Rather than keeping us safer, the prison at Guantanamo has weakened American national security." In his speech that followed the president, Dick Cheney belittled that statement and declared that the Bush administration's national security policy, including the prison at Guantanamo, successfully prevented numerous attacks from extremists.

If anyone doubted the importance of this discussion it was underscored the day before when four would be terrorists were arrested in New York City shortly before attempting to blow up a Jewish synagogue. These four men had gathered their explosives and were in the final stages of carrying out their plan when the FBI and NYPD rolled up, surrounded their vehicle and dragged them off to jail.

Were we safer under George Bush than we are currently under Barak Obama? In an open society such as we have we must admit that there is no way for the government to guarantee our safety from a terrorist attack—George Bush couldn't do it, nor can Barack Obama.

Three thousand years ago king Solomon wrote "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain."

Instead of debating whether the prison at Guantanamo contributes to our safety or not, we should be asking ourselves, "Who do I trust for my safety is it God or is it man?"

For GN magazine, I'm Jim Franks.

'American Idol' Worship?

What about you? Have you become distracted into idol-worship? How many hours a week do you spend entertaining yourself watching television, playing video games, and immersing yourself in the computer? On the other hand, how many hours a week do you spend studying the bible, praying, and worshiping God? The answer may very well tell you who your god is.

Nearly 100 million votes were cast and a new 'American Idol' was crowned—Kris Allen. Kris is a very talented, guitar-playing singer from Arkansas. After months of auditions, contests, and entertaining comments from judges, the competition has finally ended—at least temporarily before the next contest begins.

'American Idol' has been airing as one of the most popular and growing shows on television since June, 2002. But what is really interesting to me is there were far more votes cast for 'American Idol' than people who go to church on any given week in America. Let me repeat that—far more votes for 'American Idol' than church-goers on any given week.

What does that say about us as a nation? Do you realize more people in America can name popular singers, athletes, and entertainers than can identify the four gospel writers? Who are the true idols of our post-modern, entertainment-soaked, popular culture? Americans of all ages are totally distracted by this mind-numbing fall into the abyss of entertainment!

The Psalmist wrote: "For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before him: strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Give unto the LORD...glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name." (Psalm 96:5-8)

America's idols are not so much religious icons. They're people! From amateur musicians to over-paid athletes and movie stars we have created a new class of gods! We idolize them. We follow them like cult worshipers. We give them our time, energy and resources. Just like ancient Rome and Greece, we have made gods from ordinary people. And in the process we are neglecting the God who made us.

In the Bible we read, "They gave up the truth about God for a lie, and they worshiped God's creation instead of God, who will be praised forever. " (Romans 1:25)

What about you? Have you become distracted into idol-worship? How many hours a week do you spend entertaining yourself watching television, playing video games, and immersing yourself in the computer? On the other hand, how many hours a week do you spend studying the Bible, praying, and worshiping God? The answer may very well tell you who your god is.

For GN Magazine, I'm Dave Register.

The Second Commandment: What Is God Like?

The Second Commandment goes to the heart of our relationship with our Creator. What is the proper way to worship the only true God?

"You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments" (Exodus 20:4-6).

The Second Commandment goes to the heart of our relationship with our Creator. It deals with several crucial questions: How do we perceive God? How do we explain Him to ourselves and to others? Idols are representations of false, nonexistent gods, but may we use pictures or other images that represent the true God? Above all, what is the proper way to worship the only true God?

In the First Commandment we learned that it is wrong to allow any created thing, including a human being, to become more important to us than our Creator. The Second Commandment differs from the First in that it explains that, in our worship, we must not reduce God to a likeness of a physical object. Doing so is unquestionably unacceptable to God.

This Second Commandment explicitly forbids the use of any type of inanimate or lifeless imagery—"any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath," in the worship of the living God.

Yet God did create on earth a likeness of Himself—in humans. He specifically tells us that He "created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them" (Genesis 1:27).

Human beings—descendants of Adam and Eve—are living images of the living God. We, of all God's creatures, are fashioned in His likeness. ". . . In the day that God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female, and blessed them and called them Mankind in the day they were created" (Genesis 5:1-2).

Our Creator is a living God, not an inanimate statue, figurine or picture. To make any representation of Him distorts and limits our perception of what He is really like, and so damages our relationship with Him.

Of all things on earth or in the heavens, only living human beings realistically reflect a reasonable likeness of the living God. In the same way, as a human Jesus Christ was in the image of His Father. Not only did God make humans in His image, He created us to become even more like Him. Being like God—developing His own character in us—is what our existence is all about. That is why a clear understanding of the purpose of the Second Commandment is so important.

Only God can reveal what He is like

In one sense, in the Second Commandment God tells mankind: "Don't try to tell Me what I am like. I will tell you what I am like! It is important that you correctly understand that I will accept no representations of Me."

We need a realistic understanding of how we are like God in our present state. We also need to know how we are destined to become even more like Him.

God gives us creative and leadership abilities that parallel His own, although on a vastly smaller scale. We alone of His material creation have real mind power. Our minds can reason, analyze, plan and visualize the future. We create literature, art, music and poetry. We design and build. We can organize, manage and supervise things, creatures and people. We are—in limited ways—much like God.

But in other areas we, as humankind, are far from being like Him. Our character tends to weakness. Our relationships with each other leave much to be desired. Our spiritual understanding is limited and often flawed and distorted. Our perceptions are often inaccurate. We are biased in our opinions. We harbor prejudices and are quick to engage in conflicts. In all these spiritual areas, we fall far short of being like God. Though God has given us limited abilities and characteristics similar to his own, we need much development and fine-tuning before we become like Him in nature and character.

The perfect example

However, we are not without a perfect pattern of God's character. Jesus Christ, as a human being, so perfectly represented what God is like that He told His disciples, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father . . ." (John 14:9).

Paul describes Jesus Christ as "the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation" (Colossians 1:15). He describes Christians as those who have "put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him" (Colossians 3:9-10).

God wants to change the spiritual nature of mankind. Just as Christ is "the image of the invisible God," so does God the Father want to recreate our character in His image.

The time is coming when God will transform those who have become like Him in heart and mind from a physical to a spiritual existence.

Paul described to the church in Corinth how this will happen. "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality" (1 Corinthians 15:50-53).

That is how God will complete the marvelous transformation of humans becoming like Him. John described the same ultimate transformation when he wrote: "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (1 John 3:2).

Being like God is our destiny—providing we surrender our lives to Him in obedience to His commandments. (For more information write for our free booklets What Is Your Destiny? and The Road to Eternal Life.)

God requires accountability

This brings us to the latter part of the Second Commandment: "For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments" (Exodus 20:5-6).

God holds us accountable for our words and deeds. Bowing before an idol to pay homage to one's own image of God may appear to be an act of great devotion if one is ignorant of God's great purpose for human beings. But God expects those who worship Him in truth and understanding to demonstrate their love for Him by keeping His commandments from the heart, not by going through useless rites in front of any object.

Jesus made this clear when He said, "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24). We are not to worship God with images and meaningless rituals. Jesus explained that "the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him" (verse 23).

Knowledge and understanding of the truth of God are essential for developing the holy, righteous character He desires to create in us. That means that we have to learn and grow (2 Peter 3:18).

We read, "My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God" (Proverbs 2:1-5).

Once we gain an understanding of God's revelation, He holds us accountable for what we know. We must apply this revealed knowledge in our lives. Only those who do what they learn they should do are true worshipers of God (Romans 2:13; James 1:22-25). The apostle John was clear: "He who says, ‘I know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him" (1 John 2:4).

Obeying God is worshiping Him by emulating Him, by thinking and living as He would. It is becoming like Him internally. We allow Him to spiritually fashion us into His likeness. We honor and praise Him by the way we live.

Idolatry's insidious effects

A physical image, painting or picture of a deity has neither life nor power. Even if we knew exactly what God looks like—which we do not know—we could not design icons that would portray the many facets of His character revealed to us through His Word. At some times God acts with gentleness and mercy and at others with great wrath and power.

He does not want us to perceive Him as frozen in one trait of personality or character to the exclusion of His many other traits. He asks that we read about Him, learn what He is like and emulate Him.

After writing the Ten Commandments on tablets of stone, God explained why He wanted no images used in worship of Him. "Take careful heed to yourselves, for you saw no form when the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire, lest you act corruptly and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of any figure . . . And take heed, lest you lift your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, you feel driven to worship them and serve them, which the LORD your God has given to all the peoples under the whole heaven as a heritage. But the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt, to be His people, an inheritance, as you are this day" (Deuteronomy 4:15-20).

God wanted the Israelites to remember that they were to worship the living God, not an idol, and always to direct their worship toward their Creator and never toward objects within His creation. He commanded them, "Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you, and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has forbidden you" (Deuteronomy 4:23).

Depictions of deities, engraved and painted on walls, pottery and other articles are included among the forbidden and idolatrous objects (Numbers 33:52, KJV).

Idolatry and immorality

In the idolatrous religions of the ancient world, the worship of idols was intricately linked to the fertility of animals, land and plants. By associating human fertility with the natural forces their idols represented—such as the sun, rain and soil—they developed fertility rites that included sexual orgies and temple prostitution. Immorality became the focus of their temple worship. They initiated young females into womanhood by enlisting them to serve as honored temple prostitutes. Males were expected to frequent the temple brothels in worship of their local deities. Immorality and degeneracy were dressed in religious garb and considered virtues.

This is why idolatry and immorality are so frequently linked in the Bible. Paul wrote about the problem: "Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry" (Colossians 3:5).

Peter linked self-gratifying behavior to idolatry. "For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you" (1 Peter 4:3-4).

The power behind the scenes

Idolatry in any form is soundly condemned in the New Testament as well as the Old. Paul praised Christians who had "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God" (1 Thessalonians 1:9) and warned others, "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry" (1 Corinthians 10:14).

Far more important, the same apostle explained why using images of deities as aids in worship is so wrong. "What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons" (1 Corinthians 10:19-20).

Buried deep within icons and the other imagery of idolatry, the unseen hand of Satan is at work. "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them" (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).

Satan conditions people to visualize, in their mind's eye, even the Son of God as a lifeless, inanimate image. Satan's object is to divert attention from Jesus Christ as the vibrant and perfect living image of the living God described in the four Gospels. By blinding most of mankind (Revelation 12:9) to the importance of God's commandments, Satan has successfully deflected much of the Christian world's professed adoration for Christ toward icons and pictures—contrary to the clear instruction of the Second Commandment.

Remember why we were created

The Second Commandment is a constant reminder that we only, of all created things, are made in the image of God. Only we can be transformed into the spiritual image of Christ, who, of course, came in the flesh as the perfect spiritual image of our heavenly Father. This commandment protects our special relationship with our Creator, who made us in His likeness and is still molding us into His spiritual image.

The Second Commandment reminds us that God is far greater than anything we can see or imagine. We must never let that knowledge be pushed aside by the use of some image or likeness in our worship of God.

Why does the Middle East dominate the headlines so often?

One obvious answer is oil, the lifeblood of modern economies. Without oil to run factories, heat homes, fuel transportation and provide energy and raw materials for thousands of uses, the economies of many nations would grind to a halt. The crucial importance of oil alone ensures that the Middle East will remain in the headlines for years.

But there's more that keeps the Middle East in the news. It is the birthplace of the world's three great monotheistic religions—Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Too often it has not been just their birthplace, but their battlefield, with adherents warring against each other for control of territory they consider holy.

Nowhere are these conflicts more obvious than in Israel, and specifically in Jerusalem. It's hard to imagine how so much history, religion and culture can collide and stand in literal heaps. Nowhere is this more evident than at the Temple Mount, flash point for many a conflict over the centuries.

Today one can watch Muslims praying at the Dome of the Rock atop the Temple Mount, Jews praying at the Western Wall barely a stone's throw below and Christians praying along the Via Dolorosa and at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher a few hundred yards to the north and west. And all around one sees the rubble of the centuries of conflict over this holy place.

Who will write the next chapter in the history of this troubled city? Believe it or not, the final chapters are already written—prophesied centuries ago in the pages of the Bible. Ominously, they mesh remarkably well with today's headlines.

Fundamentalist Islam Resurges

Arabs call the Crusades al-Salibiyyah. The term is highly emotional to them, reminding them of European atrocities committed during the 200-year-long campaign to bring the Holy Land under Catholic control.

To the peoples of the Arab world, those weren't the only crusades. In their minds, two more crusades have followed.

The next crusade was the colonial period when the Arab world came under the control of the British, French and other European powers. This frustrated Arab dreams of unity and brought a sense of inferiority as they were incapable of overthrowing the Europeans for such a long time.

The current crusade is the one that, in the eyes of fundamentalists, most threatens their way of life. It is what is often called American imperialism. Unlike the British and French, Americans have made no attempt to annex an Arab territory as a colony of the United States. Americans themselves were originally under colonial rule and fought a revolutionary war to be rid of it and replace it with the modern American republic, so Americans are not inclined to colonize as did the Europeans of the 19th century.

However, inadvertently, American culture threatens the traditional way of life of all the Islamic peoples. This is a major cause of resentment if not outright hatred toward the United States.

Partly this is the result of technological advancement. Radio and television have brought Western culture into peoples' homes all over the world. American movies are universal; wherever you go in the world they seem to be available. The message they send is not a good one. They depict an immoral and very violent country, far from the reality of many American families—but foreign audiences don't know that. They also depict liberated and scantily clad women and know-it-all children who show contempt for their parents—both highly offensive to Islamic values.

The pervasiveness of Western culture has only worsened in recent years with the introduction of satellite television. Now more people can watch Western movies and television shows, resulting in increased anti-Western feeling.

Additionally, people throughout the Arab world can now see nightly news footage of Palestinian suffering, for which they blame the United States. The logic is simple—Israel kills Palestinians, America supports Israel, therefore blame America.

Because America is already perceived as a violent country, it is considered responsible for the violence. Exacerbating feelings further has been American military action against Muslims, seen as an anti-Islamic stance on the part of the United States.

The fact that the United States and its allies supported Muslims against the Serbs and Croats in the Balkan wars of the 1990s is overlooked. From the perspective of many in the Muslim world, the American liberation of Afghans from the oppressive Taliban regime in Afghanistan in 2001-2002 and the Iraq war to remove Saddam Hussein from power in 2003 were simply attacks on fellow Muslims. It should be remembered that many countries do not allow freedom of the press or the airwaves, and news there is usually controlled and heavily slanted. This is true throughout the Arab and Muslim worlds.

Roots of Islamic extremism

Such factors have contributed to the rise of Islamic fundamentalism. It's not a new phenomenon. As with other religions, fundamentalists come and go. This has been the case with Islam as it has been with nominal Christianity.

In the 18th century, Ibn Abdul Wahhab (1703-1792) was born in what is now Riyadh in Saudi Arabia. His followers, who form a Sunni sect, are known as Wahhabis. They are the most extreme of all the branches of Islam—violent, intolerant and fanatical. Their rise to prominence in Arabia was not the result of the European Crusades, but rather the decadence of the Ottoman Sultans. Ibn Abdul Wahhab established a state in the Arabian Peninsula that was modeled after the Ummah of the seventh century, an Islamic community that would live by the sharia, Islamic law.

Wahhabism is still the dominant religion of Saudi Arabia, and it has many followers in the Persian Gulf states. It is from this area that the terrorists came who staged the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center in New York. It has been said that not all Muslims are terrorists, but all terrorists are Wahhabis. Although this is an overstatement, it is true that most of the mosques in Western countries are financed by the Saudis, with the imams teaching their adherents the Wahhabi interpretation of the Koran. As early as 1801, the followers of Wahhab were killing all who opposed them—they fell upon the Shiite city of Karbala that year and killed 2,000 innocent civilians.

Fundamentalism, however, was not confined to Arabia. Later in the same century the British fought a man claiming to be the Mahdi in Sudan, another fundamentalist who wanted to unite all Arabs in a holy war against the infidels invading from the West. The British defeated him and continued to dominate the area until after World War II.

Fundamentalists strike back

Islamic fundamentalism was to affect the West again in 1979. This time the United States was the target as America's most powerful ally in the region was overthrown by fundamentalist masses. The shah of Iran had been pro-Western and, with the help of the United States, had built up his forces to become the strongest military power in the Persian Gulf, the oil-rich area of vital economic and strategic interest to all the Western world.

The shah was overthrown by followers of the extremist Shiite Ayatollah Khomeini. Militant students took over the American embassy in Tehran and held dozens of American embassy employees hostage for 444 days. The West feared that Islamic extremism would spread to other countries in the region.

That was also the year in which the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. Forces there had overthrown their king in 1973 and eventually a procommunist government took control. When this, too, was overthrown, Moscow intervened. Their intervention and a costly, protracted, demoralizing war led directly to the collapse of the Soviet Union a little over a decade later.

The United States, concerned about Soviet advances around the world, helped the Afghans rebel against Soviet domination. They began supplying arms through Muslim Pakistan to the Afghan mujahadin, the guerrilla forces who were led by Osama bin Laden. Eventually the Soviets were defeated, their country collapsed and Afghanistan came under the control of Sunni fundamentalists called the Taliban ("students," referring to those who were taught in Islamic seminaries, or madrasas). With the collapse of the Soviet Union, vast lands in Central Asia broke away from Russia and became independent Islamic republics, thereby further increasing the number of Islamic nations around the world.

Islamic fundamentalists were quickly becoming a major force throughout the Islamic world. They especially appealed to poor people frustrated and angered by leaders who often lived a lavish lifestyle while their people suffered in poverty and oppression. Similarly, in Western nations, Islamic fundamentalists proselytize among the poor and in prisons where they have gained many recruits. Throughout the Arab world people grew tired of their dictatorial regimes that had replaced the corrupt kings. The new presidents had turned out to be no different.

Fundamentalists soon learned that power cannot always be achieved through the democratic process. In Algeria they won the election in 1992, replacing the Arab nationalist government that had led Algeria to independence from France 30 years earlier—following an eight-year rebellion. After 30 years, the economic conditions of the people had only worsened with many, ironically, having to leave for France just to survive.

The fundamentalists seemed better organized and were certainly more honest. But the military stepped in to stop fundamentalist rule. Since then, Algeria has been plagued by frequent terrorist attacks by the forces of fundamentalism, and more than 100,000 Algerians have been killed. French support for the military action only increased resentment and distrust of the West—all the Western talk of democracy seemed to count for little when it mattered.

Shifting tide against the United States

The 1990s saw rising bitterness directed at the United States, now the dominant Western force and the world's only remaining superpower.

The U.S.-led Persian Gulf War against Iraq in 1991 received a great deal of support from other Arab nations. Iraq's leader, Saddam Hussein, had sent his forces into neighboring Kuwait, annexing the small oil-producing nation. His justification for this invasion went back to the days of the Ottoman Empire when what is now Kuwait was part of an administrative zone of the empire that included a large part of Iraq.

The United States and its allies defeated Iraq, but fears of Saddam Hussein remained because Iraq was known to possess weapons of mass destruction, such as chemical and biological weapons, and was aggressively pursuing development of nuclear weapons. By the time this fear came to a head with the 2003 Iraq War, the United States found that many allies of the first Gulf War were no longer supportive. In the interim, the world had changed.

The great turning point was Sept. 11, 2001. As with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in the previous century, this was to change everything. The world has not been the same since.

Immediately following the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., when terrorists flew hijacked airliners into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, the world was generally sympathetic toward America. But within a year after the United States responded with its war on terror, demonstrating its awesome military power in Afghanistan and looking ahead to possible conflicts with what President Bush called the "Axis of Evil," in the eyes of many America's role had changed from victim to villain.

Suppressed resentment against the world's dominant superpower and fear of isolation and possible terrorism over being too closely allied to the United States contributed to international rejection of America's role as the world's policeman. Increasingly others, even including some Americans, began blaming the United States for Sept. 11, claiming it was a justified response to American foreign policy.

In 2003, in the eyes of many Muslims and their leaders, America was setting a precedent by invading Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein. If one president could be removed, all the other leaders in the region felt they likewise could be removed by U.S. military force. Additionally, public anger at the suffering of the Palestinians had risen with access to satellite television—and especially al-Jazeera, the first Arabic-language satellite station broadcasting from Qatar in the Persian Gulf.

Islamic fundamentalism gains ground

Well before Sept. 11 the threat to the United States from Islamic terrorism was becoming apparent. An article in the November-December 1998 issue of Foreign Affairs quotes from a declaration against the West issued by Osama bin Laden and other militants (see "Anger Mounts Following Gulf War").

Their demands were for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Saudi Arabia—the land of Mecca and Medina, the two holiest cities of Islam. They also called for an end to the bombing of Iraq and the UN sanctions imposed against that country following the Gulf War. And, thirdly, they condemned American support for Israel against the Palestinians. (After victory in the Iraq War, the United States addressed all three grievances, announcing it would withdraw its troops from Saudi Arabia, lifting sanctions against Iraq and pursuing a new peace plan for Israel and the Palestinians.)

Following Sept. 11 America suffered further setbacks as Islamic fundamentalists made additional gains in a number of countries. Pakistan's leader, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, a supporter of Washington's war on terror, saw his country elect an Islamic government, although the general retained overall control of the country.

Surprisingly, almost 80 years after the overthrow of the sultan and the declaration of an Islamic republic, Turkey also elected an Islamic party majority in the November 2002 election. Other countries throughout the region likewise have experienced gains by fundamentalists.

Egypt's President Anwar Sadat was assassinated in 1982 by Islamic fundamentalists, who 15 years later massacred foreign tourists visiting some of Egypt's ancient monuments in an effort to undermine the national economy by destroying the tourism industry.

In Indonesia, the world's most populous Islamic country, fundamentalists have been killing Christians, and in late 2002 a bombing on the Hindu island of Bali killed almost 200 Western tourists, half of them Australians. In India and the Indian-administered section of Kashmir, Muslim fundamentalists have attacked Hindus and Christians, deliberately trying to provoke conflict between Pakistan and India, two of the world's recent nuclear powers.

In Africa, also, Islamic fundamentalism has left its mark. In Sudan, the Muslims of the north actively persecute the Christians of the south, even taking thousands of them into slavery. In Nigeria's northern Muslim states, sharia law has been introduced, and the most popular name given to newborn boys since Sept. 11, 2001, has been Osama in honor of Osama bin Laden.

One factor in this growth of Islamic fundamentalism is the high birthrate in Islamic countries. In most economically backward countries half the people are young people, as couples tend to have six to eight children. As economic policies in these nations often restrict business activity rather than encourage it, many young people cannot find jobs.

Without a means to support a family, the young men cannot marry. The promise of instantly available young virgins upon death as a martyr in a jihad, or holy war, is tempting, so they believe they have nothing to lose in sacrificing themselves to advance Islamic aims. As an additional incentive, some Islamic governments have given thousands of dollars to the surviving family, a princely sum in the slums of refugee camps.

Dilemma for the West

However, poverty is not the main cause of the problem. Almost all the Sept. 11 suicide bombers came from affluent backgrounds, and Osama bin Laden came from one of the wealthiest families in Saudi Arabia. Many other factors have contributed to the rise of Islamic fundamentalism and subsequent terrorism, including the Israeli-Palestinian problem and the domination of American culture.

Further American intervention in the region is likely to only feed the flames of fundamentalism further in the long run. Not one country in the Arab world can be said to be politically stable. All are at risk from fundamentalists. America really is caught in a no-win situation. The U.S. military may win the wars, but America is unlikely to effectively win the peace.

A further complication for the United States and other countries, particularly those of Western Europe, is the presence of Islamic fundamentalists within their own borders, largely the result of changes to immigration laws since World War II. Interestingly, while most Western nations allow immigration from Muslim countries and allow Muslims to become citizens, no Islamic nation allows people from Christian countries to permanently enter and become citizens unless they convert to Islam. The followers of Islam are aware that their religion and Western secular liberalism are incompatible.

Further conflict between the Islamic world and the West is inevitable—and foretold in Bible prophecy, as we'll see in the next chapter.