Thursday, April 2, 2015

[size=18pt]Walking Where Paul Walked, Part II[/size]

"While people are saying, 'Peace and safety,' destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape."1

Yesterday we talked about visiting Athens, Corinth and Ephesus, and other ancient historical places, and ending in Istanbul, a city largely populated by M'slims.

Istanbul was certainly a fascinating ancient city but hearing the M'slim call to prayer was just another reminder that radical M'slims throughout the world are on the march and while many M'slims want to live in peace, the increasing number of radicals believe the only peace is when Jews, Christians and Westerners either convert to I'lam or are dead. And they have no qualms about killing us.

Frighteningly, far too many leaders in the West are wanting appeasement with these I'lamic fanatical fundamentalists when, in reality, there is no such thing.

Mathias Dapfner, CEO of the large German publisher, Axel Springer, blasted Europe for its weakness in confronting I'lamic fanaticism. He talked how appeasement with Hitler cost millions of Jews and Gentiles their lives … how appeasement contributed to the stabilizing of the Communist Soviet Union and the former East Germany, and "crippled Europe when genocide ran rampant in Kosovo…. And in the end it is also appeasement at its most grotesque when Germany reacts to the escalating violence of I'lamic fundamentalists in Holland and elsewhere by proposing a national M'slim holiday."2

And here in America, while most M'slims want to live in peace, a recent poll by the Pew Research Center reported that: "One out of four young U.S. M'slims believe homicide bombings against civilians are OK to 'defend I'lam,'"3 at least under certain circumstances.

I'lam claims to be a religion of peace but peace is highly unlikely between Jews and Palestinians or between radical M'slims and the Western world until Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, returns to earth to finally put an end to all wars and bring in lasting peace. In fact, as the Word of God reminds us, "While people are saying, 'Peace and safety,' destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape."1

The reality is that throughout the world there is an urgent need for a great spiritual awaking—an awakening to the reality of today's volatile world and our urgent need for God and the need to live in harmony with his will. Without God there is no hope for any lasting peace and any end to a world filled with hatred and violence.

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, please open the eyes of my understanding to see the reality of today's volatile world situation and our world-wide need for a great spiritual awakening. And please start Your work in me. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. The Apostle Paul (1 Thessalonians 5:3, NIV).
2. Mathias Dapfner, CEO of the large German publisher, Axel Springer. Editorial: "Europe, Thy Name is Cowardice," published in the German periodical Die Welt, November 20, 2004. http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/dapfner.asp
3. Poll: 1 in 4 U.S. Young M'slims OK With Homicide Bombings Against Civilians, Fox News. May 23, 2007. http:///ywmyoz

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Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Walking Where Paul Walked, Part I

"Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, 'Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.'"1

"I walked today where the Apostle Paul walked."

I wrote those words seven years ago when Joy and I had the opportunity to stand at the top of Mars Hill overlooking the city of Athens in Greece. On this hill, or close to it, almost 2000 years ago in the shadow of the infamous historical Parthenon, the Apostle Paul explained the gospel to Athenians.

The next day we walked on a section of a road built by the Romans in the ancient city of Corinth—a road on which Paul would have walked—at the end of which he stood while he was being accused by the city magistrates for causing a disturbance by preaching about Jesus.

The following day we sailed on the waters on which Paul sailed on his missionary journeys. A few days later we were in Ephesus and visited the amazing outdoor amphitheater where Paul would have undoubtedly been. Visiting these and other amazing ancient historical cities certainly made Paul's missionary journeys and his writings (especially to the Corinthians and Ephesians) come alive as never before.

Our last day before returning home was spent in Istanbul—the city where east meets west. Besides visiting fascinating places and magnificent ancient buildings, it was a weird sensation to hear the extremely loud Muslim call to prayer starting at 5:40 AM sunrise! The chanting sound gave me cold chills especially in light of atrocities committed by radical Muslims in recent times. Could you imagine the outcry if Christians had the same kind of extremely loud calls to prayer five times a day in America? The anti-God and politically correct crowds would howl us into silence!

To be continued ….

Suggested prayer: "Dear God, thank You for the historical evidence authenticating Your Word, the Bible, as found in the 'cradle of Christianity' where Your early disciples taught and preached the gospel message. Help me to grasp in my heart and mind the reality of Your Word and the impact on the world that the gospel has made over the past two millenniums. May it truly impact my heart and life as well. Thank You for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully in Jesus's name, amen."

1. Acts 17:22.

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NOTE: If you would like to accept God's forgiveness for all your sins and His invitation for a full pardon Click HERE http://www.actsweb.org


Paul the Apostle (Greek: Παῦλος Paulos; c. 5 – c. 67), originally known as Saul of Tarsus (Hebrew: שאול התרסי‎; Greek: Σαῦλος Ταρσεύς Saulos Tarseus), was an apostle (though not one of the Twelve Apostles) who taught the gospel of Christ to the first-century world.