Fulfilled prophecy #2 – diversity and Islam in the UK

Posted on Friday, 5 December, 2014 by Richard Barker

News of 22 years-old dream & prophetic words of last 2 months being fulfilled

With this year’s huge increase in persecution and atrocities committed by Muslims against Christians, I’d often wondered if my dramatic dream about the fall of Islam that stunned me in early 1992 would actually materialise. But I thought the violence would defeat its purpose because ordinary, moderate Muslims should be disgusted and appalled by what’s being done in the name of their religion. Also, because it all portrays the reality of its founder’s purpose.

Thus, its adherents would become so disillusioned they would seek radical change, as happened for Communism (which was my understanding of the dream). So I concluded it may happen sometime soon. I now learn that’s indeed happening, as recounted in the following Comments Paper from Dr Clifford Hill.

Dr Hill also authenticates some of the content of the prophetic words brought in the last few weeks by Cindy Jacobs and Heidi Baker, namely:

“United Kingdom, red, yellow, brown, black and white, dancing upon injustice, releasing the Glory of God to the streets. God has brought the Nigerians and the people from West Indies, …some people say the complexion of the nation has changed”, but the Lord says, “I have caused it to be the colour I have always wanted it to be in my people coming together as one, for love has no colour says the Lord”. (Cindy Jacobs)

“…the other faiths, the other religions, they’re going to take notice when the Christians come together in radical love – a cross-stream, they won’t care what they’re called, they won’t care…” (Heidi Baker)

CHRISTMAS HARVEST

On Advent Sunday this year M and I had the great joy of going back to the East End of London. We were speaking at the morning service of a Church just a few hundred yards from the street where we lived and raised our three children back in the 1970s. But how different it is today from the time we lived there! There are very few local white people in the area around our old house and more than half of those who live there now are Asian Muslims.

Looking Back
We were glad to see that the congregation approaching some 200 in the church reflects the local population among whom there were no more than about 10 or 12 local white people. They represented every region of the world with the worship leaders being a mixture of African, Caribbean and Asian. When we lived there we saw the first handful of Asians arrive and now they are in the majority and their culture dominates the High Street. We remembered appointing the first member of our team to take responsibility for work among the Asians and we used to say that the ‘Overseas Mission Field’ had become the ‘Home Mission Field’.

Embracing Change
We had a vision in those days of Christians not only welcoming the newcomers but sharing their faith and leading them to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Of course, we had no idea that the number of incomers would be so large and so rapid that in 40 years it would be hard to find a local white family living in our neighbourhood. But the church where we were speaking has not only survived the changing population, but embraced it by becoming a fully multi-ethnic congregation. They have committed Christians in each of the ethnic groups who are evangelising among their own people.

Who Are True Muslims?
Throughout the past year we have been speaking at meetings all over the country with a basic message about the great shaking of the nations that is now taking place. The message we took to Newham was that God is now shaking Islam. The shaking began with the Arab Spring in Egypt and other countries of North Africa and the Middle East. But the rise of the Islamic State in Syria and Northern Iraq has produced a level of atrocities that has shocked the civilised world and rocked the confidence of Islamic leaders and millions of ordinary Muslims. It is the claim of the ISIS fighters to be the true followers of Muhammad in pursuing their policy of violent conquest and coercion that has shaken ordinary Muslims who think that Islam is a religion of peace.

Visions of Jesus
Advent is the season of light and life and liberation. The message that God is turning the light upon Islam was received with great joy. We related reports of hundreds of Muslims in Egypt and many other countries having revelations of Jesus at the same time as they hear terrible reports of atrocities from the Islamic State which are causing them to question the spirit behind Islam.

Muslim Harvest
Many of the church were able to confirm that their friends and neighbours in East London are beginning to question their faith and are open to Christians telling them about Jesus. A number in the congregation used to be Muslims before giving their lives to Christ. Together we rejoiced that the ‘Muslim Harvest’ has begun and the church was making preparations for using the Christmas season to reach out to the Muslim population to tell them the true story of Jesus coming into the world to reconcile sinful human beings to God our Loving Father. For the Christians in East London Christmas has become the season of Harvest – Harvest for the Kingdom!

Catholic and Orthodox churches choose fealty to 7th Century Muslim edict

Posted on Tuesday, 18 November, 2014 by Richard Barker

Jesus asked, “When the Son of Man returns will He find faith on the earth?” Today’s answer could well be, ‘Not where You’d expect to find it – in parts of Your Church!”

The Temple Mount with al-Aqsa and Dome of the Rock mosques

The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem reported last week that some Christians in Jerusalem pledged solidarity with Muslim authorities of the Temple Mount – and this in accordance with a 1,400 years-old decree of subjugation! The ICEJ report opens as follows (inserted numbers refer to my comments),

“Leaders of Jerusalem’s Catholic and Orthodox churches met with Moslem officials this week, declaring their solidarity against what they described as Israeli “oppression” and “violations” of the Temple Mount complex in Jerusalem’s Old City [1]. Examples they cited of such “violations” included rumors about plans to change the status quo on the Temple Mount which have been dismissed as “fabrications” by Israeli officials but which have persisted nonetheless [2].

“The statement also reaffirmed the leaders’ commitment to the so-called “Pact of Omar” which was established following the Moslem conquest of Jerusalem in 637 AD which codified understanding that Moslems have a superior legal, political and social status to all others in the Levant, while also protecting the rights of non-Moslems to practice their religion [3, 4].” (Read full report here.)

In response I submit the basic facts, along with a few thoughts:

1. A timeline of recent related events is given in Joel Rosenberg’s blog and indicates the violence was instigated by Muslim extremists and deliberate incitement from the Palestinian leader to start a third intifada. But Joel doesn’t go back far enough!

Six months ago, after disturbances in April, an imam from al-Aqsa mosque called for the destruction of Israel and urged Middle Eastern countries that signed peace agreements with Israel (Egypt and Jordan) to take up arms against it. [Israel Today citing al-Jezeera as herein.]

The latest outbreak was started not by Jews, but by Moslems throwing rocks, Molotov cocktails and fireworks at police at the entrance to the Temple Mount – NOT because Jews tried getting onto it or into the mosque, BUT BEFORE the Israeli police tried stopping this disturbance.

See Honest Reporting’s detailed analysis of Wall Street Journal and New York Times’ reports, the details of which give a better account than Daily Telegraph’s incomplete video which, in the fuller context, actually gives credence to the Israeli version of events.

BBC Watch also provides a proper picture by correcting badly biased broadcasters, as well as exposing the quisling BBC’s platform to Palestinian Authority’s falsehoods and incitement of violence on Judaism’s holiest site. [Today: Anachronism and inaccuracy in BBC News Jerusalem reporting.]

The massive rock platform which the first and second Jewish temples were built upon is supposedly sacred to Moslems too, but their fanatics don’t treat it with reverence or with respect. And it’s no wonder because the city of Jerusalem and its sacred centre do not feature in their holy book. There are no historical references in it, only an inference that Jerusalem was the destination of their founder’s ‘night journey’ on an imaginary horse!

2. PM Netanyahu Israeli addressed the recent wave of violence in Israel last Tuesday by telling journalists that PA’s Abbas is “fanning the flames” of incitement by lying about Israel’s non-existent plans to change the status quo on the Temple Mount.

Deception and dissimulation are sanctioned in the Qur’an and known as the doctrine of taqiyya. According to a former Islamic studies professor at the American University of Beirut, Sami Mukaram, “Taqiyya is very prevalent in Islamic politics, especially in the modern era”. (Raymond Ibrahim’s eye-opening analysis, How Taqiyya Alters Islams’ Rules of War)

I’d add, ‘and throughout Western media too’! The global scale of misinformation and lies makes Herr Goebel’s Nazi propaganda machine look archaic by comparison. No wonder the need for the highly commendable services of various media watchers, for as Raymond explains in summing up the implications of taqiyya:

…zealous belief in Islam’s tenets, which legitimize deception in order to make God’s word supreme, will certainly go a long way in creating “incredible self-confidence” when lying.

Yet most Westerners continue to think that Muslim mores, laws, and ethical constraints are near identical to those of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Naively or arrogantly, today’s multiculturalist leaders project their own worldview onto Islamists, thinking a handshake and smiles across a cup of coffee, as well as numerous concessions, are enough to dismantle the power of God’s word and centuries of unchanging tradition. The fact remains: Right and wrong in Islam have little to do with universal standards but only with what Islam itself teaches—much of which is antithetical to Western norms.

[Churchill was well aware of the dangers, as quoted in my blog All Hail the Lamb!. AND whilst writing, an excellent example of media proclivity to blame Israel arrived from CNN of today’s outrage on a synagogue as ‘Deadly attack on Jerusalem mosque’!! So much auto-brainwashing its overwhelmed what few ‘grey cells’ they possess…]

Had it not been for that faith’s founder using dishonesty to defeat his first opponents in reneging upon the treaty of Hudaybiya (628AD) – thereby showing the perpetual nature of jihad – his totalitarian religion would not have swept by the sword across Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

Compare this with the Ten Commandments the Almighty gave Moses for how Israelites are to live; eg., to be truthful and trustworthy, as required by not bearing false witness against one’s neighbour! (Exod 20:16)

Compare also with Jesus’ description of the devil as “a murderer from the beginning” and “a liar and the father of lies”! (John 8:44) Noteworthy for this discussion is the fact Jesus was chastising the Pharisees and scribes, which can be applied to mullahs and imams too because His rebuke concerned their non-acceptance of His identity and His relationship to God. (Read about it in this link to BibleGateway.)

But the Qur’an describes Allah as the best makar, ie the best deceiver or schemer!!(Suras 3:54, 8:30,10:21 per Ibrahim; also see in-depth discussion in Answering Islam)

Thus, anyone claiming the Holy God of the Jews and Christians is one and the same as Islam’s Meccan moon-god has been deceived and is utterly deluded!

3. As liberals whine about Israel ‘occupying’ Palestinian territory and the PA still does not recognise the right of Israel to exist but is to be removed, then the same ‘logic’ must be applied to Muslim claims. Second caliph Umar, companion to their founder, and his army invaded and occupied Jerusalem in 637AD. Therefore, Muslims don’t have any legitimate right to be there or to have built mosques on the platform. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander!

Dr Mike Evans writes only last week, “Palestinian leaders have issued a new demand to their allies in the liberal media—stop calling the Temple Mount the Temple Mount. The Palestinians are annoyed because of the unmistakable link to Israel’s heritage in the Holy City that remains in the name of the places…so they want to wish it away.”

This capacity for lying to themselves has also produced the stupid claims that Jesus was a Palestinian and thus not a Jew! Anyone with any intellect knows Palestine didn’t exist until the Romans trashed Jerusalem and dispersed nearly the entire population of Judea. The region was then named ‘Philistia’ after Israel’s old enemy, the Philistines.

Update (22/11) Read Ruthie Blum on ‘Temple Denial’, a term coined in 2007 by Dore Gold author of The Fight for Jerusalem: Radical Islam, the West, the Future of the Holy City.

4. In the non-sectarian book that opened biblical prophecy to me in the mid-1980s,The Invisible Hand (see blog’s Welcome), Victor Dunstan makes the following remark:

“It is interesting to note that when Caliph Omar entered the city, Gibbon in his ‘Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire’ records:

“After signing the capitulation, he entered the city without fear or precaution; and courteously discoursed with the patriarch concerning its religious antiquities. Sophronius bowed before his new master and secretly muttered, in the words of Daniel, “The abomination of desolation is in the holy place”.

Recall Jesus’ warning about this,

“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains…” (Matthew 24:15 NKJV)

Read for yourself the requirements of this Dark Ages despotic document in Analysis of the Pact of Umah, courtesy of Wiki-Islam.

Conclusion

In preferring to kowtow to Muslim demands instead of those of their Lord and Saviour, and opportunities afforded by the liberation of Jerusalem, those church leaders have given affront to the men, women and babes martyred by maniacs in recent months.

Sowing and reaping comes to mind. The traditional super-cessionist stance of the Church replacing Israel in God’s favour together with centuries of anti-Semitism has brought about these leaders’ own subservience and spiritual captivity to a falsehood that claims superiority. How abject!

We also have to ask, where’s these Catholic/Orthodox leaders’ real faith? Apostle Paul’s prime point about Jesus Christ’s identity, the clear denial of which by these clerics in bowing the knee to 1,400 years of antichrist rule, implies they may have little faith,

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11 NKJV)

An unclear theology and lack of understanding the Word of God has probably led them to their unsound slavery. But in my humble opinion they’re in danger of committing, if not having committed, apostasy because what they speak from their authority could hinder others’ growth into fullness of faith. As the Lord warns disciples (Luke 17:1),

“It is impossible that no stumbling blocks should come, but woe to him through whom they come!”

Enough said?

Update to Koranic scholar’s warning re. ‘British values’

Posted on Tuesday, 21 October, 2014 by Richard Barker

On Monday 13th October I referred to the scholar known under the pen-name ‘Ibn Warraq’ and related his warning to Western intellectuals “to cherish and defend their Western values and freedom” to that day’s House of Commons motion in support of Palestinian aspirations of statehood.

There was also another directly connected item. It was mentioned in closing, as copied below, but is now in need of updating in view of a suspiciously related development.:

“By the way, let’s not overlook Islamist infiltration in British schools, as revealed by former police counter-terror chief Peter Clarke in Trojan Horse ‘just tip of the iceberg’!”

UPDATE: “Christian group warns ‘British values’ rules imposed after ‘Trojan Horse’ scandal leading to schools with a religious ethos being marked down by inspectors for failing to promote ‘tolerance’.”

That strap-line opens John Bingham’s (Telegraph’s Religious Affairs Editor) article, Christian school downgraded for failing to invite an imam to school assembly.

I hope the only connection may be my over-active imagination – but it’s certainly ‘fishy’! Does it smell to you?

MPs ignore Koranic scholar’s warning to the West

Posted on Monday, 13 October, 2014 by Richard Barker

An outspoken and renowned American feminist and an Emerita Professor of Psychology and Women’s Studies at City University of New York, Phyllis Chesler, chaired the opening panel at the first Secular Islam Summit in March 2007. In an article for The Times, How my eyes were opened to the barbarity of Islam, she writes,

“…my views have found favour with the bravest and most enlightened people alive. Leading secular Muslim and ex-Muslim dissidents — from Egypt, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Pakistan, Syria and exiles from Europe and North America — assembled for the landmark Islamic Summit Conference in Florida and invited me to chair the opening panel…”

The meetings were chaired by the Indian Muslim scholar and intellectual Ibn Warraq. The previous year he and ten other Muslim and ex-Muslim intellectuals, journalists and authors (including Salman Rushdie) had co-signed a ‘Manifesto: Together Facing the New Totalitarianism’, which strongly opposed blasphemy laws and customs.

In an exclusive interview published a fortnight ago Phyllis describes her friend,

Ibn Warraq is known for having dared to summarize the history of Islam as one of imperialism, colonialism, gender and religious apartheid, anti-black racism, and slavery – and for having dared to point out that, far from being odious, imperial, “Orientalists”, European scholars, not Muslim invaders, saved, recorded, painted, preserved, and restored the narratives, scholarship, sculpture, artifacts, languages, customs, and architecture of the Islamic, pre-Islamic, and Christian Middle East, and of Asia, and India.

Therefore, at the Secular Islam Summit he declared,

“What we need now is an age of enlightenment in the Islamic world. Without critical examination of Islam, it will remain dogmatic, fanatical and intolerant and will continue to stifle thought, human rights, individuality, originality and truth.”

The conference issued a declaration calling for such an “Enlightenment” which views “Islamophobia” as a false allegation, sees a “noble future for Islam as a personal faith, not a political doctrine” and “demands the release of Islam from its captivity to the ambitions of power-hungry men”. (All emphases added)

In the interview Phyllis notes the summit published,

“a declaration urging world governments to reject Sharia law, fatwa courts, state-sanctioned religion, to oppose the penalties for apostasy and blasphemy as a violation of Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

and that her friend has urged Western intellectuals to cherish and defend their Western values and freedom.

With statements such as those above we can grasp the importance and significance of his sound recommendations to international concerns over the Israel-Palestine situation and any possibility of a peace settlement.

Phyllis Chesler’s recent interview of her friend continues,

“Although Ibn Warraq believes that “moderate Muslims” do exist, he does not believe that “Islam is moderate” and he is not optimistic about how quickly moderate Muslim theologians will be able to bring about a religious reformation that will be acceptable. Nevertheless, for years now, my scholarly friend would disappear to Europe, mainly to Germany to “do Koranic research.” I had no idea why he kept returning to work with these German scholars. Now, I begin to understand the importance of this research with the publication of his new book, Christmas in the Koran: Luxenberg, Syriac, and the Near Eastern and Judeo-Christian Background of Islam (2014).”

Amazon describes this textbook as, ‘an anthology of scholarly yet accessible studies of the Koran (and which) makes a convincing case that Islam’s holy book borrowed heavily from Christian texts in Syriac and other Near Eastern sources’.

Today in Parliament

The Guardian’s political correspondent Rowena Mason noted on Friday that the House of Commons is likely to recognise Palestine as a state. MPs are debating a motion on its right to independence even though the government’s position is supportive of Israeli-Palestinian talks for two independent states.

But The Commentator’s editorial has a grasp of the deep issues and problems:

“(Today’s) vote…aiming at recognising a Palestinian state is certainly historic, and in several senses. It’s a historic mistake; a historic instance of ignorance and bigotry at the heart of the British political system; and a historic gift to Islamist terrorism…

“The more you think about it, the worse it gets. Britain is sending people into battle to stop one Islamist terror state emerging in Syria/Iraq, and now wants to give its imprimatur to the creation of another one in Israel/ Palestine.

After reminding readers of the evil that is Hamas and that Britain’s Parliament would reward them still further with a vote that can only help them, the editor concludes:

“The vote itself is motivated by ignorance and bigotry. A vote in favour is a vote to turn the Mother of Parliaments into the Mother of all Stupidity; and a friend of terrorism to boot. This might be a time for British MPs to drop the prejudice, and start thinking about what they are doing.”

Adrian Hilton, aka blogger ‘His Grace Archbishop Cranmer’, is scathing on The hypocrisy of Labour’s three-line whip tactics:

As the British Parliament votes on a motion of support for the establishment of the State of Palestine, it is noteworthy that Conservative backbenchers have been granted a free vote, while Labour MPs are subject to a three-line whip. If you happen to be a pro-Israel Labour MP, you have been asked to stay away from the Chamber.

In all honesty, I suppose it’s too much to expect our Parliamentary Clowns to begin to appreciate Ibn Warraq’s warnings??

By the way, let’s not overlook Islamist infiltration in British schools, as revealed by former police counter-terror chief Peter Clarke in Trojan Horse ‘just tip of the iceberg’!

UPDATE >> Christian group warns ‘British values’ rules imposed after ‘Trojan Horse’ scandal leading to schools with a religious ethos being marked down by inspectors for failing to promote ‘tolerance’ (See Christian school downgraded for failing to invite an imam to school assembly – John Bingham, Telegraph 19 October)

PS. read about the vote’s possible prophetical relevance in the next post >>

[Houses of Parliament photo courtesy Freeedigitalphotos.net]

Obama admits U.S. “underestimated” rising threat of ISIS in Iraq & Syria. Here’s exactly what he said.

Posted on Tuesday, 30 September, 2014 by Richard Barker

ESPECIALLY FOR AMERICAN READERS! As Robert Spencer notes, ”Of course US intelligence underestimated the Islamic State. US intelligence is bound as a matter of policy to pretend there is no Islamic jihad terrorism, and that when Muslims commit acts of jihad terror, they are misunderstanding their own religion and misapplying its tenets. That means that US intelligence is forbidden to understand the enemy properly; is it any wonder that it underestimated the Islamic State?” Also see my previous links to reports on the CIA and FBI, and Raymond Ibrahim on ‘The Lone Wolf Jihad’. AND last week in the UN your POTUS praised a Muslim cleric who condoned murder of your troops! (See John McTernan’s opinion and my PS to post on Netanyahu’s speech to the UNGA.)

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

Obama tells “60 Minutes” that US intelligence underestimated the ISIS threat. (source: CBS News)

For the last several years, President Obama and his top advisors told us over and over again that “al Qaeda is on the run,” and “we decimated al Qaeda.”

In January, the President dismissed ISIS — formerly known as “al Qaeda in Iraq” — as a “jayvee” team and not a serious threat in Iraq or a serious threat to U.S. national security. He said this even though ISIS forces had just seized control of the city of Fallujah days before the January interview with a reporter from the New Yorker.

But as numerous Mideast analysts, myself included, have repeatedly warned, the forces of Radical Islam have grown more powerful and more dangerous in recent years, not less so — and ISIS, in particular, is no “jayvee” squad. They are a vicious, battle-tested, barbaric terrorist organization…

View original post 589 more words

How should we pray for ISIS?

Posted on Wednesday, 24 September, 2014 by Richard Barker

Definitely ‘Amen’ to the canon’s closing prayer. His conclusion isn’t so much theologically sound as wise because, imo, it’s directly relevant to this brand of Sunni Islam’s end-time doctrine in hastening the end of the world by global conflagration.

On Scottish First Minister’s possible Islamist stance

Posted on Thursday, 18 September, 2014 by Richard Barker

In re-blogging Gillan’s Scott’s thoughts on the Scottish referendum (here) I referred to the Almighty’s personal promise to Abram, “I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you”.

This plumb-line standard of Genesis 12:3 means Scotland’s future could well be bleak because, and I emphasised, the Scottish National Party’s (SNP) leader, ‘Alex Salmond is not only in favour of boycotting Israel but his party also funded a Scottish affiliate to Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood‘, and linked to its source, Labour Party blogger Rob Marchant’s SNP and Gaza: why Salmond is Not a Statesman.

I’d discovered this by ‘googling’ salmond israel and also found that Salmond supports sanctions against Israel, as reported by the BDS (Boycott, Divestment &.Sanctions) movement. Salmond’s support for bellicose Turkey over the Mavi Marmara incident is as plain as a pikestaff.

Then there’s detailed journals on Alex Salmond and the SNP’s Support for Terrorists by anti-BBC researcher, ‘Highland Rebel’, and on noticeable Anti-Israel sentiment and fears of a ‘Yes’ vote by Daphne Anson, as well as her blog SNP-led Scottish council bans Israeli books!

Furthermore, last month Salmond wanted an arms embargo on Israel because of the Gaza war, as reported by The Independent and Huffington Post.

And I missed the denials over whether or not he equated Israel to ISIS on a TV show over the weekend, see Commentary Magazine.

On top of that lot are reports of threats, intimidation and abuse, as well as a possible NHS budgetary deception.

With such notoriety, Alex Salmond appears too undesirable to be in charge of our sister nation beyond the ruins of Hadrian’s Wall. [Was this a prophetic decree?]

UPDATE 19/9: As a result of his failed ‘Yes’ for independence campaign, Alex Salmond has resigned as First Minister of Scotland and as leader of the SNP (BBC news).

Personal background

The above remarks may generate questions over my knowledge of Islam. An outline to this may be gained from my comments appended to God has used Britain to do great things…, which are as follows:

“United we stand – divided we fall”!

Our UK issue reminds a South African pastor of SA’s difficulties changing government. Chinese and Russian triads took advantage of the situation and infiltrated her nation.

Nick wants to know about spiritual elements at work in this. I agree. We need to be alert to the spiritual dimensions and opposition that’s demonstrated its evil prowess globally. And we need to understand the principles involved (eg territorial footholds), none of which is hardly ever taught in ‘Churchianity’.

Whilst our focus has been on ISIS overseas we have a blind spot to home defences and an Islamic flag has been flown officially over Glasgow council offices. Surely that’s an open invitation and ‘welcome’ to undesirable elements? None of us are ignorant of the advances made in the UK since the demand for a muslim parliament in Britain was announced on 6th Jan 1992. [NB: am not anti-muslim, but am also not blind.] This link refers.

So, maybe Scotland should be separate after all?

> Fellow contributor ‘Sarky’, with whom I’ve developed a dialogue through several posts on God and Politics UK, responded as follows.:

Richard, you may not be anti muslim, but there is definately a bit of muslim paranoia creeping in on your post. Hinting that scotland should seperate because of a perceived muslim influence?? Really??
listen,the percentage of muslims in the uk is roughly equivalent to the percentage of practicing christians, at around 4%. I think any real influence by christisns/muslims is greatly exaggerated and is really just a product of the media. It makes me laugh that you fear the goals of muslims, yet they are your goals, a country/population living under the rules/influence of your god.

Thankfully the majority of votes tomorrow will be cast with god/religion left firmly on the back seat.

> In replying I referred to my decades-long background on the subject.:

Sarky, I was being sarcastic about it being a reason for national separation. But thanks for proving my point about general ignorance of spiritual principles.

Your ardent atheism doesn’t equip you with a grid for that dimension. Not surprising you’re uninformed too. So too are many clueless politicians who fool themselves that ISIS/L isn’t Islamic. It simply copies the founder’s life-style and strategies after he was thrown out of Mecca – so it IS the real deal. [Added for blog: ISIS-ISIL difference and ISIS not Islamic?, see also this Investigative Report on Terrorism. Also see the Home Secretary’s incompetent claim about the Quran]

No, I don’t fear Muslims at all but love them. My quoted date hints how long I’ve been watching/studying this phenomenon. First as a ‘new ager’ 40 years ago, then in ‘84 a perspicacious writer on the Middle-East pointed out,

“We’re about to witness a mighty and almost unbelievable upsurge in Islam. Although we see the first signs of that revival (it) has a long way to go, but it’s going to go that ‘long way‘ very quickly”! [‘The Invisible Hand’ page198, Victor Dunstan, 1984]

So the outrages of 9/11 and 7/7 were not really surprising. [Link on latter here. Also, I could add the barbaric murders of Drummer Lee Rigby in Woolwich on 22 May 2013 and humanitarian worker David Haines last weekend – plus other internationals]

Also, you and I are far too young to recall Churchill’s prophetic warning of 1899 in his honestly critical ‘The River War’ (vol 2 pp 248-50, per Wikipedia).

Therefore, we do need to be well-informed on what’s going on.

> The discussion continued…

ISIS is islamic in name only, like the uk is a christian country in name only. you cannot judge people on the actions of a few idoits!! Or are we to judge christians on those who gun down doctors at abortion clinics?? Or those far right christians who want to bring about the end of the world so jesus returns?? You have to be so careful with labels, or you run the risk of alienating moderate voices within communities, and you dont have to have supernatural ‘superpowers’ to see that.

> Therefore, I provided more information:

Well I’m glad we can agree about labels! And I accept your point Sarky, and assure you I know only too well about judging. But you’re wrong about the IS as they do have solid grounds for using the term ‘Islamic’. A ‘few idiots’? Maybe you’re unaware of what’s gone on outside Syria/Iraq/Nigeria etc etc – that is, in Australia? [Almost 24,000 globally since 9/11, thousands so far in 2014, and click here and here re Australia.]

At long, long last many leading Muslims are voicing their objections about ultra-extremists. But the fact remains that Islam started off peaceful but became savage during the lifetime of its founder because of his example and purported private instructions from his ‘god’. So they savagely plundered their neighbours, killed those who refused to convert, and after he died they divided, argued and started fighting one another! (Compare with early Christianity – not churchianity, please.) [Oct 5th, a brave Catholic professor writes, ‘Islamic State is not heresy; “model is Muhammad himself”.]

Also, I do know different kinds of Islam are practised, and some like the Ahmadiya and Grand Mufti of Syria preach and practise peace, who was targeted for assassination but his son got killed instead. Read this ex-Muslim [Dr Patrick Sookhdeo] on it and his remarks on ISIS at [link provided: Barnabas Fund editorial ‘The Two Faces of Islam’].

Also, this non-judgemental expert who warned about 9/11 answers ‘ISIS not Islamic?’ [link provided: Daniel Pipes ‘ISIS Is Not Islamic?’]

I study eschatology but only crackpots would do what you suppose. (If meaning GW Bush, his ‘theology’ was unsound.) What you describe is actually part of ‘Twelver’ Shiite doctrine. They’re keen to usher in the end of the world by military means so that ‘Hidden 12th Imam’ can appear and bring Jesus with him! Those are more dangerous than the barbarians.

PS. Missed Dr Sookhdeo’s apocalyptic bit about Sunni ISIS’ ultimate goal. Perhaps this is where Sunni and Shiite may agree with one another, as they do over capturing Jerusalem.

Canon Andrew White: Here our people have nothing, yet the presence of Jesus is so real

Posted on Wednesday, 3 September, 2014 by Richard Barker

Hearing Canon Andrew speak in Plymouth about Iraq was heart-rending yet heartening when he told how the people’s deep love for Yeshua brings His Glory and intimacy, and how it enables them to live through exceptionally intense suffering. Political blogger Gillan brings his own spiritual insights in trying to grapple with genocide. He expresses surprise over things hotting up during the ‘silly season’ of August – but that’s exactly what many have been prophesying for years, especially in recent months (eg. June http://wp.me/p1Y1yB-5e8) This acceleration in biblically related events was noticed in 2011 and watching its increase was the reason for starting this blog.

Son of founder of Hamas again denounces terror group

Posted on Wednesday, 30 July, 2014 by Richard Barker

For anyone wanting to make up their own mind about events in Gaza, I offer reliable insights from one of its past key operatives, courtesy of Joel Rosenberg.

Mosab Hassan Yousef is the eldest son of one of the founders and spiritual leaders of Hamas. Arrested by the Israelis for involvement in terrorism, he came to realize the true evil of Hamas whilst in prison.

So he renounced Islam and became a Christian, as well as a double agent for the Israeli secret services (Shin Bet) working to thwart Hamas terror attacks. Upon later emigrating to the United States he wrote a best-selling book, Son of Hamas, warning about the dangers of Hamas and telling his own journey out of radical Islam.

Now, with Hamas engaged in a brutal, deadly war with Israel, Mosab is speaking out again against the radical Islamic terror group of which he was a rising future leader.

Mosab told CNN,

“Hamas does not care about the lives of the Palestinians, does not care about the lives of Israelis, or Americans, They don’t care about their own lives. They consider dying for the sake of their ideology a way of worship.”

He said the goal of Hamas isn’t co-existence or simply to destroy Israel, but to build an Islamic caliphate on the rubble of every other civilization.

On radio he described Hamas as “a ‘cancer’ in the Middle East”.

Click to read Joel’s full post about his friendship with this exceptionally brave man, with prayer request for protection for him and his family, plus links to the interviews.

UPDATE 16:30 July 30th

Debka @ 12:12 today reports as follows under header: In face of truce bids, Hamas’ Deif gives Gaza war fresh impetus, makes it a religious jihad

“Despite the rush of diplomats and analysts declaring that a ceasefire in the Gaza fighting is imminent, the war refuses to end. Wednesday, July 30, the commander of Hamas’ military wing, Mohammed Deif gave the conflict fresh impetus by injecting a religious dimension that cannot be ignored….As fierce as the fighting is on the battlefield, and as arduous the diplomatic wrangling, the emerging and largely overlooked jihadist element is the most troubling…”

“Israel’s counter-terror offensive, Netanyahu explained, is part and parcel of the war on fundamentalist Islam. As self-appointed commander-in-chief, ensconced in his subterranean lair, Mohammed Deif couldn’t agree more. And so the not-so-secret contacts between Washington, Cairo, Riyadh, Doha, Jerusalem and Ramallah are doomed to go nowhere, because they take place on one level, whereas a fanatical religious war is taking place on a completely separate one.” (Read in full)

A call for clarity on Israel and Gaza

Posted on Tuesday, 29 July, 2014 by Richard Barker

[Publ 29 June 2014] Let’s take a trip in my time machine. Hop in and hold tight, it’s just a short hop to go back 47 years.

All done! We open the door and step into a college library. Being a sunny evening in early June, its tables are packed as everyone’s preparing for end-of-year exams or finals. Continue reading →

Middle-East events and fulfilment of Bible prophecy – 1

Posted on Friday, 11 July, 2014 by Richard Barker

Last August, in Events indicate the Bible’s relevance for today, I referred to what was happening in several Middle Eastern countries.

Although my subsequent coverage has been occasional, changes in the geo-political reality have continued to accelerate. It demonstrates how amazingly scripture has foretold what is unfolding before the world’s eyes.

It’s important for everyone, Christian or not, to appreciate the significance of these times and events.

There is an increasing likelihood of an internecine Sunni v Shite war. However, ulterior, religious goals may make them overcome their differences. This happened in the 1980s Iran-Iraq war when elite units from enemy camps rehearsed the storming of Jerusalem, thereby kick-starting my interest in the prophetic when I wasn’t a Christian! (Details in Welcome.)

The following overview of a couple of experts’ reports will help you understand these developments, especially if you follow the links for more details. Also, a newer slant on interpreting scripture will be briefly considered.

Declaration of an Islamic Caliphate

The Jerusalem Centre for Public Affairs has published an informative document, What does an ‘Islamic Caliphate’ in Iraq Mean? and notes a coincidence that’s of no surprise to Bible students:

On the first day of the month of Ramadan (29 June 2014), the day on which World Pride Day was celebrated as a marker of social and cultural progress, the reestablishment of the Islamic caliphate (state) was declared in Iraq and a caliph was appointed to lead it.

The Centre’s analysis looks at the historical and current state-of-play:

The Islamic State is trying to reinforce its battlefield achievements in Syria and Iraq by creating a new Sunni Muslim religious entity that threatens to overturn the prevailing regional political order rooted in the Sykes-Picot Agreement (1916) which set the borders and carved up the Middle East into European spheres of influence. The rule of the caliphate is applied to the territory under its control….

The declaration of the caliphate poses a challenge to the rival Islamic organizations and particularly to the Muslim Brotherhood, which has tried to promote the concept of a “political Islam” that combines Islam and democracy (according to the Islamic interpretation) and is aimed at achieving the ultimate goal of global Islamic rule in stages.

The stated objectives of the declaration are not surprising to those who understand Islamic doctrine in depth, unlike Western politicians. The objectives are headed; Establishment of an Islamic caliphate…Implementation of Islamic law (sharia)… Fortification of the rule of the Islamic caliphate…The supremacy of the Muslims over the peoples of the world and the goal of an Islamic takeover of the world…Representation of the Muslims all over the world…The rejection of democracy, secularism, and nationalism…On-going jihad everywhere…

Note the goal of totalitarian, global supremacy, violence and inhuman suppression of freedom is no different to 1,500 years ago. That is, a caliphate is a backward step into the barbarism of the Dark Ages.

Providing a thorough overview and warning “The danger of regional instability is greater than ever”, the JCPA document is therefore worth careful study:

Commentaries

John McTernan:

Opinion: ‘The establishment of an Islamic caliphate has the potential to be the most important fulfillment of Bible prophecy since Israel became a state in 1948 and Jerusalem’s unification in 1967. A caliphate would unite all the Arabs and perhaps even all of Islam against Israel. This is exactly what the Bible states is going to happen just prior to Armageddon. What this caliphate needs to succeed and expand is a mass public uprising in its support. A war between Israel and the Palestinians could be this catalyst. It is easy to see Jordan fall to ISIS during a war with Israel and then Egypt. I have said all along that Syria is doomed and when ISIS consolidates power, they will turn on Syria. Syria is going to fall, there is no doubt about this. It appears from here on out that incredible prophetic events will unfold before our eyes.’

John’s Commentary for 8th July then summarises several news sources on that topic.

Following on from the re-blog on Saudi Arabia and ISIS, here’s an analysis from someone with good knowledge of and well-informed contacts in the region…

Walid Shobat:

This ex-radical PLO militant, now a Christian (see bio), brings an interesting viewpoint on the identity of ‘The Whore of Babylon’ as being connected with Saudi Arabia.

Writing about Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi’s entrance to announce his intentions in the grand mosque in Mosul on 29th June, Walid notes that, ‘Everything, statements, attire, setting and message comes from the Inaugural address to the first Muslim Caliph Abu Bakr and is why Al-Baghdadi chose the name Abu Bakr and even used the same statements of the historic Abu Bakr:

In analysing the recent event, he goes on to state that Saudi Arabia knows it is this man’s main target and Walid offers this scriptural opinion:

‘The Harlot of Babylon, Saudi Arabia is realizing finally that funding the Syrian revolution created a curse, that the same Jihdist fighters in Syria are now about to terrorize Arabia – the nation that allowed the Islamist boogeyman (sic) out of the box is now trying to shove it back in. After all it was Arabia—which Islam emanates from and its harlot religion is spread throughout the entire region. It was Arabia which produced Muhammad, Arabia’s prophet.

‘From a prophetic perspective, we see the impending destruction of Saudi Arabia. The kings stagger in their vomit as a drunkard not knowing what to do. Shoebat.com takes the position that Revelation 17 referenced Arabia as a prostitute “Whore of Babylon”.’

His full analysis in New Muslim Caliph’s eyes are on destruction of Saudi Arabia, relates how the highest authority in Islam, The Haditha, discusses the Ka’ba in Mecca as Babel “The Gate to God”, which is its Arabic term. He claims it’s also depicted as a woman!

This is explained further in ISIS vowed to destroy Mecca along with photographs from which we can see better how that centre of Mohammedanism may be regarded as a Babylon.

Another important aspect for understanding what’s happening and likely to come next is Islamic disagreement over recognition of this caliphate through strong opposition from the Muslim Brotherhood. And all of this centers around Turkey.

In Top Muslim scholar says Caliphate in Iraq is VOID because it doesn’t fit the Ottoman model, Walid reveals this scholar is none other than the MB’s spiritual leader, Sheikh Yususf al-Qaradawi. After quoting his words, Walid reminds his readers:

‘The Turkish based Ottoman Empire is something the Western media and leaders simply refuse to call attention to. Perhaps more noteworthy than al-Baghdadi’s declaration or even al-Qaradawi’s rebuke of that declaration is the admission by al-Qaradawi that the Muslim Brotherhood desires its resurrection. (Emphasis added)

‘This is something we have been maintaining for decades now. Once one understands how prominent al-Qaradawi is within the Muslim Brotherhood, it’s much easier to see what the group’s plans are…’

In Only Turkey can establish the Caliphate, he outlines the reasons for this:

‘As we stated previously, The Caliph must (be) Sufi Muslim, someone who will succeed in reviving the Ottoman glory days, unite Sunni and Shiite and only Turkey has such a model and a major regional presence with significant global standing and respect. The Iraqi model of the Caliphate has set the stage for a Caliphate competition. This is why Al-Qaradawi finally had to declare what he declared.

‘In Istanbul, Turkey a Caliphate nostalgia for the Ottoman Empire has been on the rise as of late. The Ottoman Sultan’s seal can be found on T-shirts, advertisements, and jewelry everywhere in its old imperial capital of Istanbul. More alarmingly, the jihadists of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) are now proclaiming a new Islamic caliphate in former Ottoman provinces.

‘As we have always stated, Turkey and Iran will unite, soon.’

Walid then considers how this may affect Egypt and relates it all to Biblical prophecy. That is, major developments in the Gog-Magog alliance prophesied by Ezekiel.

It is noteworthy this ex-PLO activist’s insights tally with Mark Davidson’s analysis based upon in-depth news reports in Parallels to 1914 Europe. Readers especially interested in the prophetic will find Mark offers fresh food for thought at The Four Signposts.

Daniel Pipes:

Let’s consider the opinion of a secular expert on Turkey, who warned in advance of the 9/11 attacks. In Turkish Support for ISIS Daniel Pipes states,

‘The battle in Iraq consists of “Turkish-backed Sunni jihadis rebelling against an Iranian-backed Shi’ite-oriented central government,” (as) I wrote in a recent article.

‘Some readers question that the Republic of Turkey has supported the “Islamic State in Iraq and Syria,” the main Sunni group fighting in Iraq. They point to ISIS attacks on Turkish interests, within Turkey, along its border with Syria, and in Mosul and a successful recent meeting of the Turkish and Iranian presidents. Good points, but they can be explained….’

He presents several substantiations and concludes,

‘Turkish leaders are finding Syria a double quagmire, what with Assad still in power and the Kurdish entity growing stronger. In reaction, they have cooperated with even the most extreme, retrograde and vicious elements, such as ISIS. But this support opened a second front in Iraq which, in turn, brings the clash of the Middle East’s two titans, Turkey and Iran, closer to realization.’ (Emphasis added)

The version of that article published in Washington Times used the title: “Turkey’s support for ISIS Islamist terrorists. Aiding jihadists could put Ankara at odds with Iran”. Daniel offers nine more proofs that AKP government of Prime Minister Erdoğan stands behind the rise of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria in an updated article.

(Note: Faced with threats, Mr Pipes issued an apology under duress in the Washington Times.)

Not withstanding the present bombardment and defensive action against Hamas by Israel, Daniel also reflects upon Benjamin Netanyahu’s important speech to a security institute. He too refers to the Sykes-Picot secret agreement and notes four great challenges posed by Islamic fanaticism; border protection, stability west of the Jordan River, building regional cooperation and especially to prevent Iran becoming a nuclear threshold state. (See Netanyahu’s Steady Hand).

Daniel admiringly concludes:

‘Going back to 1999, I have often criticized Netanyahu but the excellent analysis in this speech suggests a steady hand at the helm. (Secondly) All the more important to have an American ally that understands security concerns when the Obama administration is clueless.’

‘[Update: A number of readers have protested my describing the Obama administration as “clueless,” insisting that it is malign more than ignorant or incompetent. But this misunderstands what I meant by clueless: I meant mistaken, wrong-headed, foolish, ineffectual; I did not mean to ascribe reasons, whether malign or incapable.]‘

Conclusion

In my opinion, we may be about to witness major upheavals that will affect not only the ancient world’s centres of civilisation but also the modern world’s global petro-economy.

Furthermore, Walid Shoebat’s conclusion is most telling:

As Shoebat.com first reported, al-Qaradawi espouses the Sunni version of taqiyya [religiously directed deception.RB], otherwise known as Muruna. He has written extensively on the subject and until westerners understand this technique, they will fail to understand their enemies.

So, we should expect Turkey and Iran to be at loggerheads, even at war, but behind the scenes they will become allied against Israel and all non-Moslems, thereby manifesting the Ezekiel 37 ‘alliance’ of Gog and Magog.

Keep looking up for, “our redemption draws nigh”.

Events corroborate accuracy of recent prophetic words

Posted on Wednesday, 9 July, 2014 by Richard Barker

Major news items surfaced last week that relate directly to recently received prophetic words (updated 10th July as below):

1. Security (Cindy Jacobs, 26 June; as in this post)

Cindy emailed:

This is what I am hearing: “There is an another attack on the scale of 9/11 being planned!” As I prayed to pinpoint how to intercede, I immediately heard these words: “Close the gates! All borders must be closed to terrorists and those who would aid them.” This includes all airport customs checkpoints, as well as border crossings.

July 4th Daily Telegraph’s banner headline Body searches at British Airports was based upon the previous day’s announcement that smartphones will be confiscated if they’re uncharged when presented at pre-boarding security checks.

That broadsheet edition is more extensive in the online version. Of particular interest to this blog is security editor Tom Whitehead’s coverage of US comments:

‘Beefed-up security at airports with direct flights to the US was requested by America’s secretary of Homeland Security. The move underlined growing White House unease at the apparent failure of the UK and other European countries to stop young Muslims heading to Syria and Iraq to join Islamist Groups. The US government said there was a “real-time” and “credible” threat.’

NOW that’s exceptionally hypocritical because POTUS Obama ordered the removal of references to Islamist terrorism in all US security forces’ training manuals. Thus, their full recognition of their nation’s principal threat and its modus operandi was seriously hampered. Eg: the shenanigans surrounding the murderous, military-style assault at Fort Hood.

UPDATE: see Investigative Project on Terrorism reports on the FBI and CIA.

The Telegraph editor then cites one of many leading critics against their president’s potty security policy and whose excellent articles I’ve regularly read, Frank Gaffney…

‘…a former assistant secretary of defence under President Reagan and founder of the Centre for Security Policy think-tank, said Europe was, “reaping the whirlwind” of its policies on domestic Islamists. Neither Britain nor Europe nor the US have come to grips with the nature of the enemy we’re up against…the Western jihadists in Iraq and Syria have guns and they learned how to practise violent jihad and they’ll be returning with that knowledge”.’

All our lack-lustre, less than mediocre politicians in their ignorance and contempt for religious beliefs have fallen for the deliberate deception encouraged in Islamic doctrine known as taqqiya. This has blinded them to reality and failure to protect the nations.

So, thank you Nick for asking if my posting Cindy’s email on 28th June may be related to the crackdown – AND most interesting that it happened during Urgent ‘777’ Prayers and the day before US Independence Day!!

2. Child Abuse (Part 2 of Prophetic Word June 2014)

In that Glasgow Prophetic Centre document, under ‘Justice & Children’, we read:

God is moving with righteousness and justice towards children. Scandals will be exposed, even within social services, education, the judiciary and the police. There will be nowhere to hide, even amongst the most wealthy and influential… (emphases added)

When everyone thought the furore over two once-famous celebrities being predatory sex-abusers was confined to the entertainment industry, yet another scandal broke concerning politicians over the loss of an incriminating dossier left with a previous government.

Again, news broke just before 4th July. Telegraph report of that date, Child abuse files were dismissed as fantasies of a deluded man, opens as follows,

‘To MPs and Westminster journalists in the early 1980s, the disclosure that a dossier alleging an Establishment paedophile ring was presented to Leon Brittan, then home secretary, comes as no surprise.’

Today’s news reads,

‘Downing Street has stood by the appointment of Baroness Butler-Sloss as the head of an inquiry into allegations of an establishment cover-up of child abuse, as it emerged her brother was accused of a “white-wash” over a paedophile diplomat.’

UPDATE: at foot of broadsheet’s front-page, Abuse inquiry head ‘too establishment’.

This exposure is part of the ‘shaking’ that the Lord has started and, unwholesome as it is, this news vindicates the declaration of prophetic words and strongly encourages all believers who appreciate the prophetic gifting.

I have to smile at a reader’s unbelieving response to Tony Puccio’s re-blog of this part of the prophetic words because an author was of the opinion that a certain theology had to be engaged before one could fully consider a word.

It’s a great shame believing Christians circumscribe what our Lord can and should do, thereby limiting Him and how they may be more fully blessed. They simply give an ear to, and even act on behalf of, the Accuser of the brethren.

Which, my reader, do you think should take precedence? Man’s ideas of God and how He works, ie. theology; or a word direct from God to His people, ie. prophecy? (Note, this is not to deny the necessity of checking prophecy against scripture.)

Genocidal religious tyranny gives Iraqi Christians two choices

Posted on Monday, 7 July, 2014 by Richard Barker

TAKE NOTE BARACK OBAMA, DAVID CAMERON.:

The Vicar of Baghdad, Canon Andrew White, this morning emailed this Crisis Report about the latest situation in Iraq – NB: the barbaric Islamist hatred:

“WE ARE IN THE MOST DESPERATE SITUATION WE HAVE BEEN IN SINCE THE WAR IN 2003. The total infrastructure of the country has fallen to pieces even basic communication facilities like Facebook have all been closed down.

“We have no government very little food and for the first time huge opposition against Christianity. Churches have been attacked, Christian homes destroyed and thousands of Christians have fled there homes to seek safety and refuge.

“ISIS have told the Christians they have a choice:

They convert to Islam and pay the jazzier tax or have their heads chopped off. Today in Church the people said that they will never leave their Yesua (Aramaic for Jesus), they said when you have lost everything Jesus is all you have left and he is every thing. So this is the situation we are in we have no idea what will happen tomorrow but we know that our Lord will be with us.”

Andrew is highly regarded internationally for his humanitarian work which is supported by the Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation in the Middle East.

Millions of former Muslims will celebrate Easter this year. Meet one, Hormoz Shariat, the “Billy Graham of Iran.”

Posted on Sunday, 20 April, 2014 by Richard Barker

Thank you Troy and Joel for this important news about Iranian Muslims learning who Jesus truly is.

Joel C. Rosenberg's Blog

Hormoz Shariat, the “Billy Graham of Iran,” and I discuss the Gospel — the good news of how Muslims, Jews, and all people can be forgiven and go to heaven — on live satellite TV broadcast into Iran.

(Washington, D.C.) — In 1979, there were fewer than 500 Muslim converts to Christianity in all of Iran. Today, there are over one million Iranian who love Jesus Christ, have become His followers, and are celebrating Easter.

In fact, this Easter millions of former Muslims throughout the Middle East, North Africa and central Asia are celebrating the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Whereas they once saw Jesus as merely a prophet, now they are convinced that He is God, and they have renounced Islam and chosen to follow Him no matter what it costs them.

In my 2009 non-fiction book, Inside The Revolution, I wrote several chapters about this extraordinary trend of…

View original post 1,165 more words

Good News: Christian revival in North Africa

Posted on Friday, 11 April, 2014 by Richard Barker

“Sometimes I feel jealous”, says researcher Tino Qahoush, “How come Jesus is visiting the Muslim world at this time and age and we don’t hear that happening in the traditional Christian community?”

A report by George Thomas of CBN News, is exciting and encouraging. It reminds me of an unusual dream that blessed me in early 1992. Floating about halfway up from where the above photo was taken, I was astounded at what then took place for I was privileged to hear about a major spiritual change to befall the Muslim world. (Details may be read in Ask for the nations.)

The famous dictum, “The blood of martyrs is the seed of the Church” was penned by Tertullian to explain why the number of believers in the early Church grew rapidly in times of intense persecution. So, could the unprecedented increase of horrific murders of Christians at the hands of Muslim extremists today be bearing unexpected fruit in their lands?

In view of the following accounts, it’s particularly noteworthy that Tertullian was raised in Carthage, on the northern coast of modern Tunisia. As a theologian, he produced an extensive body of Latin Christian literature during the late 2nd and early 3rd Centuries.

Here’s George’s report and video about what’s happening where Christianity flourished 1,500 years ago, as published on Monday in Charisma News.:

REVIVAL BREAKS OUT IN LAND ONCE HOSTILE TO CHRISTIANITY

A Christian revival is touching the northernmost reaches of Africa. In a region once hostile to the gospel, now tens of thousands of Muslims are following Jesus.

As the sun sets over the Mediterranean Sea, Muslims across Northern Africa are converting to faith in Jesus Christ in record numbers.

“What God is doing in North Africa, all the way from actually Mauritanian to Libya is unprecedented in the history of missions”, said Tino Qahoush, a graduate of Regent University and filmmaker. He has spent years traveling the region to document the transformation.

“I have the privilege of recording testimonies and listening to first-hand stories of men and women, of all ages where they can be sitting in a room and see the appearance and the presence of God appear to them in reality, like a vision, some of them gave me stories of how they carry on a conversation, it’s not just a light that appears” adds Qahoush. He also says sometimes he feels jealous, “How come Jesus is visiting the Muslim world at this time and age and we don’t hear that happening in the traditional Christian community?”

His interviews confirm what experts say is a profound move of God in the predominantly Muslim nations of Mauritania, Western Sahara, Morocco, Algeria, Libya and Tunisia.

From the shores of Casablanca in Morocco to Tripoli, Libya, experts say the growth of Christianity, especially in the last 20 years, has been unprecedented. And now that growth is also evident in the North African nation of Algeria.

Pastor Salah leads one of the largest churches in Algeria. Some 1,200 believers attend the church, and 99 percent of the population is Muslim.

“In fact we never thought the Algerian church would grow so big” says Salah. He says every new Christian in his church came from a Muslim background. Since the church opened, they have baptized on average 150-160 believers per year.

Zino, a former Muslim, was invited to attend Pastor Salah’s church by a friend. What he saw transformed him, “I saw Algerians worshipping God with all their hearts and it touched me.”

Others, like Farhat who is also a former Muslim, speak of miraculous encounters. He says he was illiterate and couldn’t read the Bible when he accepted the Lord, then God made a change, “Since then I’ve read the Bible and understood the Word of God. This is just an example of what God has done in my life and this is the case of many people here in Algeria.”

“It is the first Muslim Arab government who recognizes officially churches from Islam”, says Youssef Qurahmane, a leading Algerian Pastor. He says the government will harass and intimidate Christians from time to time, but the level of persecution is nothing like it was 20 years ago.

In fact, Qurahmane is seeing God open unprecedented doors, “God has given to us many opportunities to witness at the police stations, at the courts, and in fact one time I went to the police station and they gave me 45 minutes to speak about Jesus! Just imagine yourself, they are all Muslims sitting and telling me, ‘Tell us about Jesus!’ “

But Algeria and the countries of North Africa weren’t always open to the gospel.

A veteran missionary in the region says things were very different some years ago. We’ll call him “Peter” for security reasons. Peter uses the Bible to describe the landscape, “You know there’s that parable, the sower went out to sow and the seeds feel on stony ground, this is North Africa, in those days was quite resistant and stony. The religion and the culture were unsympathetic to anything that was foreign and Christianity was considered to be the religion of the Europeans.”

Peter believes the arrival of satellite TV and the internet have dramatically changed people’s perception of Christianity (emphasis RB).

“Today in North Africa on TV you can hear native Arab Christians talking about their faith, who are mature Christians, answering questions, involved in debates, you can hear different points of view, the Christian point of view in your own living room or in the privacy of your own bedroom.”

Emboldened by God’s power, Algerian Christians are now on a mission to take the gospel to the four corners of the globe.

“God has put in our heart to be able to send 1,000 missionaries by the year 2025. I really believe that maybe one day America will end up with some Muslim convert missionaries coming to reach out to the Muslims there and in other parts as well”, says Pastor Qurahmane.

For more of this account click on this link to watch short video.:

http://cbn.com/tv/3431929627001

A weird mix-up resurrects this blog’s ‘Welcome’

Posted on Monday, 25 November, 2013 by Richard Barker

After publishing the 2nd Anniversary item on Wednesday I discovered I’d done it a day early!

Weirdly, I was convinced Wednesday was 21st Nov and had worked with that firmly in mind. In fact, hectic events had skewed my week. After that weekend I was aiming to follow-up on Muslim reaction to Christian persecution. However, a major issue arose that took up an hour on Monday and over an hour the next day to resolve. So my writing schedule for the week went ‘up the spout’. (I can only applaud the Halifax Bank for the most professional and courteous manner in which they handled my complaint, including an immediate compensation, including cost of calls!)

With 21st fast approaching and on Wednesday I’d be busy offline, my priorities changed with the ‘birthday blog’ getting drafted in short time-slots. (Evenings are always offline.) My fixation on the wrong date was soon explained: Our wall calendars start weeks on Sundays but I’d mentally mapped out last week by using a daily verse calendar in the bathroom. I didn’t realise its tiny page has weeks starting Mondays. So, glancing at these row of dates I could see 21st as being exactly mid-week, ie. Wednesday; so I presumed!

There may have been an ulterior and unseen reason behind this time-skew, however, as became clear at the close of the next day’s full blogging, when I realised it was the real 21st Nov. But I was left stunned by an extraordinary coincidence, which has yet to be recounted.

In trying to solve this puzzle I checked the date this blog went public, but found the very first post had disappeared from the sequential listing. I recalled trashing it after having copied it into the About hub for reference purposes. But then I found the original stored safely in the Posts’ Trash folder and its publication date retained, as here (click to see) >

The original ‘Welcome’ has now been resurrected and republished. In there I refer to a book read in the mid-1980s which plunged me into the deep-end of Biblical prophecy. (I wasn’t a Christian but the book had no direct influence in that regard.) That part of the resurrected post is reproduced below, but to which I’ve added an emphasis for you to note, as well as the Update from About/Welcome…:

Welcome….

…I was also well-informed on new-age spirituality and prophecies, as well as material behind the supposed Da Vinci code. As editor/publisher I was, therefore, well placed for a friend in mail-order books to give me a new publication on geopolitics, The Invisible Hand (Victor Dunstan, Megiddo Press, 1984).

This gift claimed the Bible held coded and plaintext details of prophecies concerning the British Mandate in Palestine, as well as giving historical details on the Mandate. Whilst watching a documentary on TV about the then current Iraq-Iran war, I flicked through the book and noticed there were lots of references to the significance of Jerusalem. I then heard the narrator refer to elite units from opposing forces rehearsing together an attack upon Jerusalem – despite their being at war with one another! Upon looking up, my jaw dropped! Wouldn’t yours? So, this was a book to take seriously; it grabbed my full attention.

Consequently, I became aware of Middle Eastern matters, and related events globally, which suggest things may not be as they seem at first glance. However, I was amazed to learn they’re of major Biblical significance. Bemused, therefore, I began to watch…

UPDATE: Dunstan estimated all the prophecies would come to a climax in 1992 with Russia being the lead villain against Israel. However, he didn’t foresee the collapse of communism in 1989! Yet that year proved pertinent because the ‘Middle East Peace Process’ had just got under way in October 1991 and led to the Oslo Accords of 1993. At the turn of the millennium, I discovered that John McTernan and William Koenig had been following prophetical developments since 1986 and the mid-1990’s respectively. In 1996 William published his work as Koenig’s International News (now Watch.org) and became an accredited White House correspondent in 2001, the year they co-authored Israel: The Blessing or the Curse. They’ve written other works and continue to monitor matters separately, as occasionally covered in this blog – see tags Koenig, McTernan.

> > Continue reading at > The Invisible Hand reappears!

UK Minister and other Muslims alarmed over persecution of Christians

Posted on Tuesday, 19 November, 2013 by Richard Barker

Could the wide tide of atrocities committed by Islamists wanting to return the world to the Dark Ages be on the turn? Maybe many moderates are so appalled by what’s being done in the name of their god that they will be encouraged to make changes, perhaps even a long overdue ‘reformation’ of Islam? [See footnotes 1 and 2.]

Last weekend, I was given hope that change may be on its way by three instances of Muslims being outraged at their co-religionists’ hatred of Christians. One came from the UK’s first Minister for Faith and senior minister in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Baroness Warsi [3]. I will consider this further and with a possible prophetic connection in another post.

Another came through contacts of Dr Patrick Sookhdeo, International Director of the Barnabas Fund, which supports Christians suffering discrimination and persecution in Muslim nations. Born of a Muslim family, his expertise in racial issues and pioneering approach within British churches and extensive knowledge on terrorism led him into advising the police and army on security issues (see biography). He’s also worked in Iraq with Canon Andrew White, renowned across the Middle East for his reconciliation work with Muslim and Jewish leaders in Israel, Egypt and Iraq (website and books).

The third was found within an article by Dr Sadek Raouf Ebeid, an Egyptian Air Force Officer, about the Muslim Brotherhood’s activities in Egypt. In a roundabout way let’s consider this first:

Egypt

It’s important to recall that Muslim protesters in Cairo were shielded during their prayers by Christians, mainly Copts. Apparently, the favour was returned on another occasion. (I became aware of the first claim through a local contact but some evidence for the second may be conflicting, as in this account.)

In view of the intense suffering of the Coptic Church at the hands of Islamists, and my reference to a leading source of its extremism at Al Azhar University (here), Dr Ebeid is very instructive about later changes [full details at 4].

He filed a complaint with Egypt’s Attorney General against Malik Obama (older half-brother of Barack Obama), accusing him of supporting terrorism in Egypt and for his involvement in managing a Sudanese terrorist connection to the Muslim Brotherhood. The official response to his application was very prompt which, he writes,

“Did not surprise me (because it) indicated that this case resonated well with the feelings of the majority of moderate Muslims in the Arab world. One has to admit that there are two distinct understandings of Islam.

“A moderate, peaceful understanding of Islam that is lead (sic) by the Egyptian Grand Sheikh of Al Azhar, Dr. Ahmed el-Tayeb, an Egyptian Sheikh, who has studied philosophy in Paris and is currently the head of Al Azhar Mosque. I am proud to be the first to nominate el-Tayeb for the Nobel peace prize, for his role in spreading the moderate understanding of Islam, referred to in Arabic as “Al Islam Al Wasati”.

“The majority of the thirty-three million Egyptians who flooded the streets of Egypt in June 2013 were predominantly moderate Muslims.”

He continues,

“…any objective historian will admit (the event) was a human earthquake…that shook the ground of the Middle East, taking the Arab world out of the dark ages and into the Arab renaissance.

“More than ever, Egyptians adhered to the moderate version of Islam, (Al Islam Al Wasati)…symbolized by the Sheik Ahmed el-Tayeb. He was the man whom the military Generals in Egypt consulted with and whose blessings were obtained, while etching into stone, the post-revolution road map.

“In contrast to the earlier teachings of Egypt’s deposed president Morsi, who was recorded in 2010, saying that Arabs need to nurse their children on hatred of the Jews, Egypt’s pending constitution has a third amendment guaranteeing the right of Jews to practice their faith in Egypt.”

That implies the same should be accorded to the Copts and which may be expected as official policy, as in Mubarak’s days.

Kenya, Pakistan & Iraq

Dr Sookhdeo opens his latest blog [5] as follows:

As shocking acts of Islamic terrorism continue to fill our news bulletins, it is extremely heart-warming for me to see that Muslim leaders throughout the world are now speaking out against those who are using violence in the name of Islam. (Emphasis added)

In citing atrocities in Kenya, Pakistan, Iraq and London he recounts the brave work of many moderates in unequivocally condemning maniacs who use Islam as an excuse for anti-human barbarity (my words). He writes,

On Kenya,

“Adan Wachu, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims, said that the wanton and indiscriminate killing of innocent men, women and children goes against all Islamic teachings and tenets. He said that the county’s religious leaders were working together to counter violent extremism…”

On Somalia,

“In an unprecedented step, Somali Islamic scholars issued in September a fatwa denouncing (al-Shabaab). At a conference in Mogadishu convened by the Somali government, which is itself strongly Islamic, around 160 Somali religious scholars condemned al-Shabaab’s use of violence and concluded that it was not a legitimate Islamic organisation…”

On Pakistan,

“Allama Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, leader of (Pakistan’s) Ulema Council, a body of leading Muslim scholars, said that killing innocent people violates the tenets of Islam…Ordinary Pakistani Muslims have also demonstrated solidarity with their Christian compatriots by joining human chains around churches in a movement organised by Pakistan for All, a group that campaigns against attacks on minorities…”

On Iraq, ,

“Marking the third anniversary of the deadliest attack on Iraqi Christians since the 2003 US-led invasion, both Sunni and Shia Muslims gathered on 31 October outside the church in Baghdad that was besieged by an al-Qaeda front group in 2010. They lit candles and held up banners appealing for Christians to stay in the country…”

On the UK,

“It is no small matter for moderate Muslims to take a stand over Islamist violence. They are putting their own safety at risk, as being Muslim does not protect them from becoming targets. In fact, the threat to a number of prominent British Muslims who condemned the killing of Drummer Lee Rigby is so great that they are now under police protection…”

He names and admires four individuals in writing, “Despite the threats against them, the Muslim targets have remained resolute in speaking out against violent extremism.

In concluding, Dr Sookhdeo makes a Call for change.:

“…actions speak louder than words and it is time for moderate Muslims everywhere to heed the call of Aijaz Zaka Syed, a Muslim commentator on Middle East and South Asia affairs….whom he cites,

We may go on righteously protesting that this has nothing to do with faith. But like it or not, such reasoning does not cut it. The world judges us by who we are, not by what we claim to be. If we stand for peace and salvation, our lives must attest to it and our actions must show it. It is as simple as that. [6]

I cannot but concur with that commentator’s full article and Dr Sookhdeo’s exhortation,

One thing that Christians can do is support these brave Muslim leaders who are taking a stance against the violence that is claiming the lives of so many Muslims and non-Muslims. We can support them with our prayers and our friendship and by lending our voices to their courageous campaign.

Perhaps the vast majority of Muslims are now finding their co-religionists’ actions utterly repugnant. Perhaps they may realise the root issue is a spiritual one and be blessed by personal revelations of Jesus Christ? I pray they find, as many thousands have already done, He is eager to show Himself and that He’s far more than a prophet…

To be continued…

Pray for persecuted Christians

Posted on Thursday, 29 August, 2013 by Richard Barker

This Sunday, Barnabas Fund is calling Christians around the world to pray, act and donate in a special show of support for our suffering brothers and sisters. The threat to the vulnerable Christian minorities in Syria and in Egypt is now at cataclysmic proportions.

For details read Marked for Destruction: Christian targets daubed with a black X, which provides suggested course of action to contact national leaders.

Why the black X? The linked announcement explains that Barnabas Fund,

is using a black X for this campaign as a symbol of solidarity with Christians who are being targeted because of their faith. Islamists have daubed this sign on the walls of Christian homes and businesses in Egypt to identify them for attack, while Muslim properties have been painted with a red X for protection.

The Fund’s latest email on global persecution by Islamic nations may be read here.

Please also note.:

The ‘Vicar of Baghdad’, Canon Andrew White, features in Edward Malnick’s article of last Sunday about The ‘almost unremarked’ persecution of Christians in the Middle East.

Joel Rosenberg reports in The Muslim Brotherhood’s War On Egypt’s Christians that over 200 churches and Christian-owned buildings have been attacked.

NIGERIA

Christians in Nigeria have endured murderous persecution for years at the hands of the Boko Haram, an Islamic terrorist group which the Obama Administration is on record as failing to censure or condemn but, instead, as urging the Nigerian government to respect its human rights!!

Raymond Ibrahim reports upon this nonsense here and includes it in his latest update on Muslim Persecution of Christians. This news confirms many suspicions that the US Administration is a lackey of the Muslim Brotherhood, does it not?

The US rebuke contrasts sharply with Open Doors’ report (here) that Boko Haram is under investigation by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity. The Court’s preliminary investigation blames the Islamic sect for 1,200 deaths. Need I say more? [Latest attack is reported in Christian World, hat-tip Robert Spencer.]

So, persecution isn’t confined to only Syria and Egypt but is endemic across Islamic nations. Let us pray, therefore…

The difference between good and bad secularism – a challenge to secularists

Posted on Wednesday, 24 July, 2013 by Richard Barker

Very well said sir. Your closing remarks support the question raised in yesterday’s post on Britain taking a totalitarian tack! Thank you Gillan for the link to the full article, which I too highly recommend, and enjoy your summer beak my friend.

Footnote to interview with Asiya Nasir MP

Posted on Tuesday, 2 July, 2013 by Richard Barker

“The Christian Church is very fast growing in Pakistan. Pentecostals are growing more. Churches are full. There are not enough places to put people. People are trying to set up new churches. People are bringing their friends, giving room for prayer in houses.” Asiya Nasir

The above closing remarks in Asiya’s interview in the previous post are of personal interest because of what I learned several years ago about the fruit of the ‘Toronto Blessing’ in bringing Muslims to Christ in Africa and Asia. In an email a couple years ago I mentioned the work of Iris Ministries and ‘LH’ in this regard. The Baker’s well-known ministry was radically changed for Mozambique, but Randy Clark also cited a Norwegian’s secret missions to Pakistan as ‘fruit’.

Aside: Randy is one of the most humble men of God we’ve been blessed to meet and hear several times. The Lord had promised to open Randy’s eyes when he preached in Toronto Airport Church in January 1994 – the Lord showed up too! This Baptist pastor from St Louis stayed to preach for the first 42 days of renewal and refreshing that lasted about twelve years. Dubbed as ‘The Toronto Blessing’ it was a powerful, joyous visitation that revealed the Father’s heart of love. However, it perplexed those Christians who think Holy Spirit’s power and gifts ceased after the First Century! (Randy’s personal account is in: There Is More: Reclaiming the Power of Impartation)

In May 1994, young Norwegian Baptist pastor Leif Hetland met pastors who’d returned from Canada at Holy Trinity Brompton in London (home of renowned Alpha Course). On page 164 of There Is More, Randy writes,

“Leif was very skeptical (sic). What he was hearing about Toronto seemed weird. (Upon return) to Norway they were shocked to find that the anointing had been imparted to them. Renewal immediately broke out in their church and many people experienced dramatic healings…etc”.

Regrettably, a leading elder quenched the Holy Spirit’s move. However, a year later the paths of Leif and Randy crossed by ‘divine appointment’ and the latter delivered a powerful prophetic word, of which the gist was, “You are a bulldozer…going into areas that have been untouched”. (See Global Mission Awareness site for fuller words.)

However, this got overlooked until a year or so later during a long recovery from a car accident. In the book, Leif describes what soon happened:

I began to sense a tremendous, supernatural burden for the unreached in the world. There are over 70 million people in Arab nations who have never heard the name of Jesus! I knew I was supposed to be going where no one else was going…

At the end of ’96 a friend of mine invited me to go to Pakistan with him. I realized this was confirmation of Randy’s word. That was the start of many trips to Pakistan where we’ve seen thousands upon thousands healed and saved. By the grace of God, I’ve now been to over 72 countries, many of them Muslim and some of them Communist…

I’ve seen every kind of miracle you can imagine – tumours dropping off, creative miracles where missing parts are restored, blind eyes seeing, everything. God is revealing His glory! Through the revelation of His glory, His goodness and compassion, hundreds of thousands are coming to Christ in areas that are officially closed to the gospel.

Praise the Lord – and Leif isn’t the only anointed evangelist who’s been to those closed countries.

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Richard's Watch

Looking for the signs of Jesus' return

Category Archives: Islam

Fulfilled prophecy #2 – diversity and Islam in the UK

Further Reading:

Catholic and Orthodox churches choose fealty to 7th Century Muslim edict

Update to Koranic scholar’s warning re. ‘British values’

MPs ignore Koranic scholar’s warning to the West

Obama admits U.S. “underestimated” rising threat of ISIS in Iraq & Syria. Here’s exactly what he said.

How should we pray for ISIS?

On Scottish First Minister’s possible Islamist stance

Canon Andrew White: Here our people have nothing, yet the presence of Jesus is so real

Son of founder of Hamas again denounces terror group

A call for clarity on Israel and Gaza

Middle-East events and fulfilment of Bible prophecy – 1

Events corroborate accuracy of recent prophetic words

Genocidal religious tyranny gives Iraqi Christians two choices

Millions of former Muslims will celebrate Easter this year. Meet one, Hormoz Shariat, the “Billy Graham of Iran.”

Good News: Christian revival in North Africa

A weird mix-up resurrects this blog’s ‘Welcome’

UK Minister and other Muslims alarmed over persecution of Christians

Pray for persecuted Christians

The difference between good and bad secularism – a challenge to secularists

Footnote to interview with Asiya Nasir MP

Further Reading:

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