The discovery of an ancient door

If you were being chased by a vicious dog and you saw an open door, what would you do? I am sure that you would, like me, take the route to safety through the open door.

If you were lost in a long dark tunnel and finally you saw the light of an open door, what would you do? The answer is obvious. Entering through the door into the sunlight would be a huge relief. On an ordinary day, when life is routine, we take doors for granted. 

In the past couple of years a remarkable door was discovered, despite the fact that no one was looking for it. In Switzerland work was underway to construct a large car parking near the Zurich Opera House. Excavations dug-up and uncovered an incredible find – an ancient door. They say it was incredibly well preserved. Archaeologists believe it to be one of the oldest doors ever to be found in Europe. The ancient door is about 1.5 metres high, the planks are made of poplar wood and held together by a ‘remarkable system’.  The door is ‘solid and elegant’ – a clever design which even looks good. Even the wooden handles are preserved. Based on counting tree rings to determine its age, the door was constructed in 3,063BC. 

Snow Forecast

In some areas of the world this time of year brings with it the possibility of snowfall.  Recently there has been exceptionally heavy snow in the Alps with over 10 feet of snowfall in just 15 days in some resorts in Austria. Snow on the roofs of buildings has brought danger to the structure of many dwellings.  Avalanches have taken the lives of skiers and people in isolated places.  At least 27 people have been killed across the Alps.  The Telegraph newspaper reported that “Many died after defying official warnings and venturing off piste despite the risk of avalanches, and nine current and former skiing stars on Tuesday issued an appeal to people to heed the warnings”.

A battle for the sovereignty of the UK

Where are the Brexit negotiations heading?

As a bystander, who has a limited understanding of politics, these negotiations have gone well beyond determining the method and means by which the United Kingdom will exit Europe. It looks to me like a war. The aim of the hierarchy of the European Union is to ensure that the UK will either remain or leave in name only. The British Goverment has a clear mandate to bring the UK  out. 

What was intended to be a ‘bolt to freedom’ is fast becoming a ‘battle for the sovereignty of a nation’! The national mood was to throw off the shackles and bureaucracy of the European Union resulting in a return to self rule. 

All of this current debacle reflects the struggles of the human heart and will as described in the Bible.

European Tour Final Stop - Rome - Acts 28

Scripture Passage

Acts chapter 28

Scripture Verse

Acts 28:28 ‘Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles’

This the final episode of Paul’s journey to Rome. How will he get there?

At the end of the last blog post on the Book of Acts all the men on the ship escaped to the shore safely. The soon found out that they were on the island of Malta. The local people were really kind. They made a fire to warm them up. It was rainy and they were cold.

Brexit, Politics or Prophecy?

Another week with an amazing amount of goings on in the United Kingdom.  We voted to leave Europe, politically. The immediate result was that the £ plummeted, the FTSE 100 lost significant ground resulting in all round predictions of gloom. 

Then 

The Prime Minister resigned!

But later in the day the £ rallied past February levels, and the FTSE closed on a weekly high: 2.4% up on last Friday, its best performance in 4 months. President Obama decided we wouldn't be at the 'back of the queue' after all and that our 'special relationship' was still strong. The French President confirmed the Le Touquet agreement would stay in place. The President of the European Commission stated Brexit negations would be 'orderly' and stressed the UK would continue to be a 'close partner' of the EU. A big bank denied reports it would shift 2,000 staff overseas. The CBI, vehemently anti-Brexit during the referendum campaign, stated British business was resilient and would adapt. Several countries outside the EU stated they wished to begin bi-lateral trade talks with the UK immediately.

All in all you would be forgiven for wondering what will happen next. Who can sort it? Politically, I think most would agree that there do not seem to be easy answers or statesmen around who have impressive ability to steer us back to better days.

If you read the bible carefully you would not be surprised. The bible predicts wide-ranging changes in the world some of which we could be witnessing at the present time. Many of the things that we are seeing are among the catalogue of changes that are defined in the bible: global changes, increased seismic activity, political upheaval and changes in the social and economic fabric of society.

What is the answer? The answer is found in a person – Jesus Christ. 

The word of God teaches that just as he came to Bethlehem 2016 years ago in fulfillment of ancient predictions so he will come again towards the end of this world’s history. Next time he comes the bible teaches he will come to Jerusalem (check the reference’s in Zechariah 14 and Matthew 24). His first purpose will be to deliver the nation of Israel who by that stage will be surrounded by the armies of the world. As has been the case for many years Israel’s very existence will be threatened. But Jesus the Messiah will come to deliver them and establish his worldwide empire, which will be administrated from Jerusalem. I think that we would all agree that the state of Israel has always been very vulnerable. If the west and in particular America turns against them and the nations of the Middle East have their way they would find it very hard to survive. Ultimately they will survive, as they are key to world history and the nation through which God intended to and still intends to bless the world – though His Son, Jesus Christ.

Before all this happens something else needs to take place. Jesus Christ promised before he died for sin on the cross that he would rise from the dead, go back to heaven and, one day, return to take the Christian church to heaven. If the bible is true and the words of Jesus can be trusted this must take place. You can read about this in the New Testament in John 14.

Think it through. The Bible and the claims of Christianity will ultimately be either proved true or demonstrated to be false. If they are right (and I suggest all the evidence points to this fact) then time is short and the issues we face as individuals are massive. 

We need to seek the Lord while he may be found. Tomorrow could be too late. Call it scaremongering if you like but I believe that the issues are real and the solution is fail proof if we come God’s way. 

Jesus said 'I am the way, the truth and the life no man comes to the Father but by me,' John 14:6

Christianity states 'neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved,' Acts 4:12. 

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