Insight for the Times
Koinonia Institute presents it's 2009 Southeast Regional Strategic Perspectives Conference, intel and insight to understand the times.
NEW BRIEFING PACK by Chuck Missler
Inheritance and Rewards
Inheritance and Rewards is the next briefing pack in Chuck's The Kingdom, Power and Glory series.
Inheritance came to the firstborn son by virtue of his birth. Whether he actually secured it depended upon his obedience and the father's choice. Inheritance was subject to condition and obedience. The Abrahamic Inheritance was based on Divine Oath, conditioned on obedience. Inheritances could be forfeited. The Exodus Generation was promised an inheritance, but failed to obtain it at Kadesh-Barnea. Israel was God's "firstborn son", yet only 2 of over 2 million took possession of their inheritance. Even Moses was excluded due to his disobedience. Esau, sold his inheritance for a bowl of pottage.
We have been promised an inheritance in the Kingdom to come. But is there more that is required of us than just our acceptance? Does behavior in this life really influence our future?
Available in these formats:
This offer will expire in 7 days.
GEORGE TILLER SLAIN IN WICHITA - (Print)
"But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf."
- 1 Peter 4:15-16
Late-term abortionist George Tiller was shot to death on
Sunday, May 31st at the Lutheran church he attended in Wichita, Kansas.
While abortion rights groups are celebrating Tiller as a martyr, pro-life
groups have stepped up consistently to denounce the man's murder.
In the first abortionist slaying in over a decade, George "The
Killer" Tiller was shot in the lobby of Reformation Lutheran Church where,
ironically, he was serving as an usher. A man identified as 51-year-old Scott P.
Roeder of Merriam and Kansas City, Kansas was arrested about 3 hours after the
shooting along I-35; his car matched the description of one that drove away
from the church at the time of the murder. Roeder's ex-wife has described
him as having a serious "eye-for-an eye" religious view,
and there is evidence he believed in justifiable
homicide.
Pro-life groups have consistently criticized and protested against Tiller's
performing abortions on fetuses old enough to live outside the womb. For
decades, groups of pro-life activists have picketed Tiller's clinic
and have followed the various legal cases against the abortionist.
Yet, pro-life groups across the country have also come out in strong
condemnation of Tiller's murder. On a sign placed outside Tiller's clinic, a
local group wrote:
"The Kansas Coalition for Life respects every human life, including the
life of Abortionist Tiller. We prayed for his conversion to the prolife
viewpoint, not for his murder." The sign was signed Mark S.
Gietzen, who leads the coalition.
The Kansas Coalition for Life is not alone. The same sentiment has flooded from
the pro-life community across the United States. LifeNews.com has collected a
list of statements from pro-life organizations denouncing Tiller's murder:
For instance, Melinda Delahoyde, president of Care Net, an organization that
includes pregnancy care centers across America, told LifeNews.com, "It is
never consistent with the pro-life ethic to take the life of another human
being made in the image of God. Those responsible for the murder should be
prosecuted to the full extent of the law."
Brian Gibson of Pro-Life Action Ministries said, "But as horrific as
abortion is and heinous the acts of the abortionists are, we must always remain
peaceful and act with the mind of Christ. There is no room in our work for
thoughts or acts of hatred, anger, bitterness, or violence. To the contrary we
must boldly speak the truth in love, with peace and faith in the mercy of
God."
These positions have been echoed by a multitude of pro-life groups, which,
while condemning the thousands of abortions committed by George Tiller, have
also affirmed Tiller's rights to life and legal recourse.
This was not the first time Tiller was attacked. He survived being shot in the
arms in 1993 and had to build up security around his clinic. He even wore
bullet proof vests and hired a bodyguard. His clinic was bombed over two
decades ago, and he has received many threats over the years. Yet, he persisted
as one of a handful of abortion providers in America who performed late-term
abortions. His was the first slaying of an abortionist since 1998, when Barnett
A. Slepian was shot outside of Buffalo, NY.
Both Tiller and his alleged killer Scott Roeder have friends and family members
who love them and who have spoken well of them publicly. George Tiller's friends
and colleagues have described him as a calm, good-humored individual who
decorated his walls with the photos of family members. Abortion rights groups
lauded him as a caring individual who helped women.
On the other hand, Scott Roeder's brother David told the Topeka
Capital-Journal in a statement, "We know Scott as a kind and loving
son, brother and father who suffered from mental illness at various times in
his life. However, none of us ever saw Scott as a person capable of or willing
to take another person's life."
The irony is that both men believed they were doing the right thing.
George Tiller claimed he performed late-term abortions to help women. His
killer justified murder in the name of bringing an abortionist to justice.
George Tiller ended the lives of unborn babies, and Roeder allegedly ended the
life of George Tiller...
During the Age of Reason, people argued that human beings were capable of using their excellent brain power and reasoning skills to come up with morality. Yet, during the past 100 years all manner of evil and horrific acts have been "justified" by human reason. In the end, we human beings have a tendency to use our brain power to argue in favor of doing whatever we want to do. And what we want to do is often completely contrary to the Word of God.
"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." -Proverbs 14:12
Tiller and his murderer both followed ways which seemed right unto themselves, but which led to death. Lest we get too puffed up, we ourselves can easily fall into similar traps in the different areas of our lives. We can all choose destruction rather than life, pride rather than humility, hatred rather than righteous love. The safest way to determine right and wrong is to prayerfully and honestly study the whole counsel of the Word of God (not just favorite sections), with the leading of the Holy Spirit who wrote it. Thousands of years after it was penned, the Bible is still "profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." Through a strong understanding of God's heart through His Word, we can be "throughly furnished unto all good works."
Which...most certainly do not include dispatching abortionists.
• Pro-Life Orgs Continue Denouncing Murder of Abortion Practitioner George Tiller - Life News
• Investigation into George Tiller's Shooting Death Intensifies - The Wichita Eagle
• Profile: George Tiller - BBC
• Abortion Provider Shot Dead In Church - The Washington Post
• Studying The Bible - Koinonia House
SRI LANKA AFTER THE WAR - (Print)
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."
-Luke 4:18-19
The civil war in Sri Lanka mercifully ended in the second half
of May when the government defeated the Tamil Tigers after 26 years. But while
the war is officially over, the suffering remains. Hundreds of thousands of
people have been displaced from their homes, have lost loved ones, or deal
daily with injuries and mutilation from the war. In the meanwhile, Gospel for
Asia and other missionary groups are stepping into the fallout to give
assistance and the mercy of Christ to these people as they struggle to get
their lives back.
In 1976, Velupillai Prabhakaran founded the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE or Tamil Tigers) with the goal of seceding and forming a Tamil homeland
in the northern part of the island of Sri Lanka. The violence between the LTTE
and the Sri Lankan government escalated into a full out civil war in 1983, and
some 80,000 people were killed during the next 26 years.
The LTTE became famous for its terrorism. The Tamil fighters targeted civilians
and used them as human shields. They kidnapped and recruited child soldiers and
perfected the use of suicide bombers long before Al Qaida came on the scene.
Prabhakaran was as shrewd as he was ruthless, and his Tigers succeeded in
slaughtering their enemies in battle and even in carrying out high profile
assassinations, like the murder of former Indian premier Rajiv Gandhi in 1991.
Prabhakaran was not particularly motivated by religion, but by a very motivated
Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism.
The war ended as the Tamil Tigers finally admitted defeat on May 17th, 2009.
Prabhakaran was shot to death while fleeing Sri Lankan troops on the 18th, and
thereafter almost 10,000 Tamil rebels – many of them women and children
– began to surrender.
The aftermath of the war is not pleasant. Almost 300,000 people now live in
relief camps where they need food and water, shelter, basic healthcare and
sanitation. Most bear emotional wounds and anger and grief that will not be
healed by a simple bowl of rice. The government is busy shuttling those Tamil
militants who have surrendered into rehabilitation camps, looking to return the
island to some form of normal life. After 26 years, that will be no easy task.
In the meanwhile, missionary workers have stepped in to help the refugees
and keep more from dying.
"Our country is in huge suffering," said Lal Vanderwall, Gospel For
Asia's Sri Lanka country leader. "We are praying for God to intervene so
that many more will not die in the aftermath of this surrender."
Suicide is a big concern. "People are committing suicide out of
despair," reported GFA President K.P. Yohannan. "When they lose hope,
many will just kill themselves. So there is a very real fear of increased
suicides."
Disease is also a threat as thousands flood into refugee camps, where they live
in cramped living quarters with poor sanitation and rampant malnutrition.
Missionaries and church pastors, both Tamil and Sinhalese, are working together
to gather food and supplies for the survivors of the war. People will need their
houses rebuilt and their loved ones buried. They will need all manner of
assistance over the next months as they try to reassemble their lives. Groups
like Christian Aid and World Vision are also stepping in to help.
Please pray for the missionaries and churches that are reaching out to the
people of Sri Lanka. Pray that the Holy Spirit will work in the
hearts of these torn people. The refugees need their physical
needs met, but they also need their emotional and spiritual needs attended to
so that they can begin to heal from the traumas of the past many years. This is
a difficult time, but it is also an opportunity for people to hear the Gospel
and know the One who gives them living water and who offers "beauty for
ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of
heaviness;" (Isaiah 61:3).
• Aid Agencies Step In As Sri Lankans Look To Rebuilding Lives - Christian Today
• Sun God's Life Of War - Straits Times
• Sri Lanka Civil War Ends; GFA Workers Reach Out to Survivors - Christian Newswire
• Disease Outbreak 'Imminent' in Sri Lankan Relief Camps - The Christian Post
• Children, Females Among Surrendered Rebels: Sri Lankan Military - China View
TO SEE OR NOT TO SEE? THE MOVIE QUESTION - (Print)
Land of the Lost, Night At The Museum: Battle Of The
Smithsonian, and Terminator Salvation are some of the newest
flicks awaiting avid moviegoers streaming to the box office for their two hours
worth of entertainment. Most people enjoy a good movie. However, too often
movies that promise to be good are littered with extreme violence, foul
language, gratuitous sex scenes or inappropriate humor that can ruin an
otherwise interesting story. Happily, there are ways to find out which films
are fun and wholesome, which films contain questionable scenes, and which films
are just plain lame before spending money on a dose of Hollywood.
It is difficult from previews or from most movie reviews to know which movies
are going to throw in "that one scene" that tarnishes the whole
thing. At the same time, it’s difficult to know which are going to
inspire the viewer to greater faith and courage. To deal with this problem, a
number of Christian-oriented sites offer reviews of movies. These sites not
only note the film-making quality and the excellence of movie plot lines, but
also give potential viewers fair warning of undesirable scenes or language.
These sites often allow web surfers to give their personal reviews as well, so
that one can find a variety of Christian-oriented opinions of movies before
buying a ticket. Some sites also offer reviews of less well-known, notably good
films that deserve a viewing despite their smaller budgets.
Maybe you would have preferred your kids not to see Captain Kirk in bed with a
green skinned Orion chick before you went to see JJ Abram's Star
Trek – or would have liked to have been warned about the foul
language or the bar reference to country boys and their affinity for farm
animals. How does the newest Night At The Museum movie treat Egyptian
pagan mythology, and on the other hand, how does it treat references to Jesus
Christ? Does Up compare well to Pixar’s long list of excellent
family films? And how many ways did the Wayan brothers manage to be completely
offensive in Dance Flick? There are a plethora of Christian movie
review sites – all with unique styles – which can give viewers
specific information before they head to the theater.
The producers and writers in the film industry are no more righteous or
unrighteous than their viewers. If movies packed with garbage do poorly and
relatively "clean" films do well, film makers will take note and
focus their efforts on what sells. If families want to be able to see more
moral filmmaking, they need to only spend their money on those types of
films. Christian review sites give movie-goers the tools to make those
decisions before they buy a ticket.
The Bible tells us to think about true, honest, just, pure and lovely things -
things that have virtue and that are praiseworthy (Phil 4:8). In working to
apply that verse to our lives, it helps to cut out even entertainment that is
not true and just and praiseworthy. See the links below for several sites
useful in screening films before heading to the theater.
• Christian Spotlight On Entertainment -
• Plugged In -
• Movie Guide -
• ChristianCinema.com -
Pravda Opinion Piece Mourns Demise of US Capitalism - June 02, 2009
A commentary published in the once-official newspaper of the Soviet Union
heralded America's "descent into Marxism" citing the United States' takeover of
General Motors, poor education standards, and the election of Barack Obama as
president. The opinion piece in Pravda, one of the Soviet-era newspapers still
published in Russia, carried the headline, "American Capitalism Gone with a
Whimper," and was written by Stanislav Mishin, who runs the blog "Mat Rodina."
CNS News
Court Rules No Reading Bible To Kindergarten Class - June 02, 2009
A kindergartner's mother cannot read Scripture during show and tell, even if the
Bible is the boy's favorite book, a US appeals court said Monday in the latest
challenge over religion in public schools. Schools can more tightly control
speech presented to younger students, who may not distinguish a parent from
their teacher, the ruling said. Busch argued that the class heard stories
related to Passover, Christmas and other religious holidays, but the court
concluded there was a "significant difference" between identifying such
holidays and reading from Scripture.
AP
The Swine Flu Confirmed in 10,000 Americans - June 02, 2009
Cases of the new H1N1 flu virus have now been found in all 50 U.S. states and
tests have confirmed the virus in more than 10,000 people across the nation,
(though the actual number of cases may be 20 times that). Seventeen deaths in
the United States have been definitively linked to the swine flu virus, the CDC
said
Fox News
Dow Jumps 221 Points Despite GM Bankruptcy - June 01, 2009
Inspired by fresh signs the US economy is slowly healing, the Dow climbed more
than 200 points on Monday even as General Motors became the largest industrial
bankruptcy in American history. "Obviously people knew [the GM filing] would
happen. Now that it's out of the way, there's almost some relief. Everyone can
stop focusing on it," said Ryan Detrick, equity analyst at Schaeffer's
Investment Research. Fox Business
San Diego County Attempts to Shut Down Home Bible Study - May 25, 2009
A pastor and his wife claim they were interrogated by a San Diego County
official, who then threatened them with escalating fines if they continued to
hold Bible studies in their home. The county employee notified the couple that
the small Bible study, with an average of 15 people attending, was in violation
of County regulations. 10News
For the son dishonoureth the father, the daughter riseth up against her mother,
the daughter in law against her mother in law; a man's enemies are the men of
his own house. Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of
my salvation: my God will hear me.
Micah 7:6-7 KJV
We solicit your prayers and support of this ministry. God Bless.
This eNews is a reader supported ministry. If you would like to help support this effort, you can make your contribution here.
If you received this email from a friend, you can get a FREE subscription by signing up at the K-House web site.
Note to readers using AOL 9.0: Images and links will show up and work if you click “Add Address” and select “Save” when the dialog box pops up. Once this is done, the newsletter will be available to you each week with workable links and graphics without clicking “Enable links and images.”
You received this email by request from Koinonia House.
Web site: http://www.khouse.org/
Online Store: http://store.khouse.org/
Email: http://www.khouse.org/email/eNews_Subscription/
Manage Your Subscription: http://www.khouse.org/lists/