Here is Jesus, in Matthew 24:6-7, teaching his disciples about the end times. But also encouraging them to ‘see that ye be not troubled’.
“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.” (KJV)
Some of the latest war news
Ceasefire Proposal in Ukraine
After a call between Trump and Putin, Russia agreed to a limited ceasefire targeting energy and infrastructure. This step is seen as a precursor to potential full-scale peace talks, with further negotiations planned.
From USA Today – A call between President Donald Trump and Russian leader Vladimir Putin ended with a limited agreement for Russia and Ukraine to cease attacks on energy infrastructure, but stopped short of a U.S. proposal for a temporary truce.
Violence in Syria
Hundreds of people have been killed in clashes between Syrian forces and Assad loyalists. The violence has escalated significantly, with accusations of civilian executions.
From NBC News – More than 1,300 people have been killed in an eruption of violence in Latakia and Tartus in the last 72 hours, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Electricity Cuts in Gaza and End of Ceasefire
Israel has cut electricity to the last facility in Gaza receiving Israeli power, affecting a desalination plant. This move has been criticized as part of a “starvation policy” by Hamas.
From CNN – Gaza’s fragile ceasefire was shattered early Tuesday as Israel carried out what it described as “extensive strikes” on Hamas targets. After the ceasefire ended, far-right Israeli politician Itamar Ben Gvir said he would rejoin the government. Separately, several Arab nations accused Israel of violating the ceasefire.
Editors note: the guest article appearing here does not necessarily reflect the views of Bible Rebel editors or other guest authors and contributors. Bible Rebel seeks to present a wide range of ideas and viewpoints in order to fulfill our mission to provide resources for “Curious Fearless Faith”.This is the first installment in and ongoing series on prayer by Steve Sann.
When we search out the many references to speaking in tongues in the Bible, we quickly discover that, of the early church, no one wrote and exemplified more on this subject than Paul the Apostle.
Although the Apostle Paul lived over two thousand years ago, his life’s example continues to set the high water mark for all Christian believers today.
More than any other man, the Apostle Paul is most responsible for the outreach of the Word of God beyond Judea. That ranks Paul as the founding father of Christianity for the Western world. And from the nations of the West, Paul’s influence spread globally.
Frankly, the fact that you are a believer today has more to do with Paul’s diligence in those early years, than that of any one person of our time. It makes sense, then, that God would select Paul to record His instructions to us, today’s church. The outcome is his seven Church Epistles, Romans through Thessalonians, which contain the whole of God’s design and purpose for his church.
In these seven Church Epistles are recorded “all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27 KJV) which Paul taught in the churches. These Epistles are, then, the fulfillment of Jesus Christ’s promise to guide his Church “into all truth” (John 16:13). We have no other place to look for God’s specific guidance and commandments for the Church today than the seven Church Epistles. It is in these Epistles we find our power and position as Sons of God with Christ in us.
Still, even to this day, there remain essential elements of Paul’s original revelation yet to gain—or, actually to regain—acceptance among the Church. Much was lost in the earliest centuries following the demise of the early church and in its resultant slide into the Dark Ages. The outcome? Only since the Reformation—the last 400 years of civilization—has the Church begun to restore the rich revelation of the Pauline Epistles.
Among these devastating setbacks was the loss of a thorough understanding of the gift of the holy spirit— especially of “speaking in tongues.” Tongues ceased to be, as was in the Book of Acts, the great centerpiece of the Church. Rather than a celebration of the outpouring of the holy spirit, the experience became queered and marginalized.
Consequently, many still today sit and debate the legitimacy of tongues. Too many Christians struggle to recall even one of its benefits. However, we may rest assured, the first-century church had little doubt as to its validity, its purposes, or how to operate it with power. This writing serves to highlight numerous fundamentals of Paul’s expansive insight into speaking in tongues. Although not exhaustive, may it be a beacon of urgency and motivation for those desiring to rise up and release God’s power into this troubled world.
“Supposing there was no intelligence behind the universe, no creative mind. In that case, nobody designed my brain for the purpose of thinking. It is merely that when the atoms inside my skull happen, for physical or chemical reasons, to arrange themselves in a certain way, this gives me, as a by-product, the sensation I call thought. But, if so, how can I trust my own thinking to be true?
It’s like upsetting a milk jug and hoping that the way it splashes itself will give you a map of London. But if I can’t trust my own thinking, of course I can’t trust the arguments leading to Atheism, and therefore have no reason to be an Atheist, or anything else.
Unless I believe in God, I cannot believe in thought: so I can never use thought to disbelieve in God.”
In my previous letter I talked about the ‘Soul-Making’ theological explanation for why God allows natural evil to happen to innocent folks. Meh, I’m not really convinced by that argument but I think we can learn from it.
In this letter I want to discuss the Eschatological (end-times) Hope explanation. I like this one. It makes a lot of sense and is fairly easy to understand. It goes something like this: all suffering and evil will be redeemed by God in the future, so trust in the ultimate purpose and plan of God to make things right.
But what about the people who suffer and die in earthquakes and from diseases and such through no fault of their own?
Good question, in fact that is THE question.
The Eschatological (end-times) Hope argument is based on the total trust and confidence in a just and righteous Creator, who even in the midst of the evil and darkness of this present age intends to bring about the redemption of the entire creation and put an everlasting rightness to things.
As Paul said in his letter to the Romans, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” – Romans 8:18
Or another way to put it, as I once heard someone say, is this – everything will be alright in the end, and if it’s not alright it’s not the end.
Okay, in the next letter let’s get into the ‘Mystery of Divine Providence’ explanation for why evils exists.
In Part 1 of this series we asked whether Jesus and Paul taught the prosperity gospel and we listed some examples of current ‘health and wealth’ preachers.
Let’s start by taking a closer look at some of those prosperity gospel teachers’ own prosperity.
Joel Osteen
Joel Osteen, the senior pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, has an estimated net worth that varies across sources. Some reports suggest his net worth is around $100 million (Celebrity Net Worth), while others estimate it to be approximately $40 million to $60 million (Wikipedia).
Additionally, some sources claim his net worth is as high as $180 million (CA Club India).
Osteen resides in a 17,000-square-foot mansion valued at $10.5 million in the River Oaks neighborhood of Houston. He has stated that he does not receive a salary from Lakewood Church, which has an annual budget of $70 million, relying instead on income from his best-selling books and related products (Wikipedia).
Kenneth Copeland
Kenneth Copeland, a prominent American televangelist and founder of Kenneth Copeland Ministries, has amassed significant wealth throughout his career. Estimates of his net worth vary widely:
$300 million:
As of 2024, his net worth was estimated at $300 million ( scmp.com).
Celebrity Net Worth also reports his net worth to be $300 million (Celebrity Net Worth).
$750 million:
In 2021, the Houston Chronicle referred to him as the wealthiest pastor in America, allegedly having a net worth of $750 million (Wikipedia).
$760 million:
The New York Post reported his net worth to be $760 million (nypost.com).
These discrepancies highlight the challenges in accurately assessing the net worth of high-profile individuals, especially those with diverse income streams and private financial dealings. Copeland’s wealth primarily stems from his extensive ministry operations, including television broadcasts
It’s important to note that net worth estimates for both Osteen and Copeland can vary based on different sources and may not always reflect the most current information. You’ll find similar net worth data for some of the other prosperity gurus online.
What did Jesus teach?
Well, it seems pretty clear to me, or anyone else with a lick of common sense, that when Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you…” he didn’t have $10 million mansions, private luxury jets, and massive piles of cash in mind.
But what did he have in mind? Read the context:
Matthew 6:25-34 (NKJV) “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?
28 So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31 Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
You don’t need an advanced degree in theology or philosophy to understand the plain words spoken by our Lord here. All you need is basic reading comprehension.
What things “shall be added to you”? Mansions? A fleet of luxury fishing boats? A hoard of gold coins? No, the “things” are the necessities of life like food and clothing.
Does he teach that you can’t or shouldn’t have more than the necessities? No, but our Lord’s message is clear that the desire for God’s righteousness is muddied and distorted when we focus on the riches of this age instead of His kingdom.
It’s impossible to have total reliance on God when one has lots of cash and cars and jets and Swiss bank accounts to fall back on, right?
We’ll look at the Apostle Paul’s teaching to the Church regarding this topic in Part 3.
Bible Rebel continues to update readers from the world of biblical archaeology. Here’s the latest.
Ancient Gold Processing Facility Discovered in Egypt
Archaeologists have uncovered a 3,000-year-old gold processing complex at Jabal Sukari, near the Red Sea. The site includes grinding and crushing stations, filtration and sedimentation basins, and ancient clay furnaces used for gold smelting. This discovery sheds light on the mining techniques used by ancient Egyptians. See more from Bible Archaeology Report
Ancient Tomb in the Negev Highlands
A 2,500-year-old tomb compound was discovered in the Negev Highlands, containing the remains of dozens of individuals. The burials are believed to be associated with trade caravans from Arabia, as the site is situated at a junction of ancient trade routes. Artifacts found include copper and silver jewelry, Egyptian scarabs, and alabaster beehive jars. See more from Bible Archaeology Report
Deciphered Dead Sea Scroll Reveals 364-Day Calendar
Researchers have recently deciphered one of the last two remaining Dead Sea Scrolls. Written in code, the scroll describes a 364-day calendar used by the Qumran community that lived in the Judean Desert. See more from BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY SOCIETY
Israel’s Oldest Chinese Inscription Found on Mt. Zion
Excavators with the Israel Antiquities Authority and the German Protestant Institute of Archaeology made an unexpected discovery while excavating on Jerusalem’s Mt. Zion. They found Israel’s oldest Chinese inscription, adding a new layer to the historical connections between these regions. See more from BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY SOCIETY
While many Christians in America were enjoying their Sunday at church, Christians in civil war-torn Syria were being slaughtered, along with Muslim Alawites and other minorities.
Being mocked online or marginalized because of their faith is the only ‘persecution’ many modern American Christians ever have or ever will experience. Put simply, we have it easy here compared to the very real horror, death, and destruction that other Christians around the world suffer because of their confession of Jesus Christ as Lord.
Now, with Alawites no longer in power, reports of revenge killings have emerged. Local reports have also highlighted targeted killings of Christians, who have a significant community in Latakia.
The patriarchs of Syria’s three main Christian churches, the Greek Orthodox, Syriac Orthodox and Melkite Greek Catholic Churches, issued a joint statement on Saturday condemning the violence and “massacres targeting innocent civilians.” The religious leaders called for “an immediate end to these horrific acts, which stand in stark opposition to all human and moral values.”
…Greco-Levantines World Wide, a nonprofit, wrote in an X, formerly Twitter, post on Friday: “Tony Petrus and his son Fadi Petrus, two Antiochian Greeks, were killed today in the pogrom launched by HTS against the mixed Christian and Alawite region.”
In a Saturday post, it noted: “The father of Fr. Gregorios Bishara, priest of the Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation, was martyred this morning at the hands of the pro-HTS armed factions that raided the city of Baniyas.”
The situation in Syria has been extremely dire, with recent reports indicating that hundreds of Christians and other minorities have been killed in brutal attacks. Over the past few days, clashes between Syrian security forces and militias loyal to the ousted President Bashar al-Assad have resulted in the deaths of more than 1,000 people, including many Christians. The violence has been described as some of the deadliest since the Syrian conflict began.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has documented at least 745 civilian deaths, along with 125 government security forces and 148 pro-Assad militants killed.
Bible Rebel continues to keep a watchdog’s eye on what’s happening in the world of religion and politics.
The New Era of Religion and Politics
This article discusses the shifting dynamics of religion and politics in the U.S., particularly how former President Donald Trump has altered the relationship between religion and American politics. The old paradigm of political parties being “friendly to religion” is no longer as relevant.See more at Yahoo News
Restoring Friendly Relations Between Freedom and Religion
This piece explores the criticisms faced by Christian conservatives from progressives over the years. It highlights the importance of religious liberty in American constitutional government and the role of religion in fortifying American democracy.See more at MSN News
Religion’s Role in Public Life
According to a Pew Research survey, U.S. adults are more likely to view religion as helpful rather than harmful. The survey also delves into Americans’ opinions on the separation of church and state and the positive and negative effects of organized religion.See more at Pew Research
Religion News on POLITICO
This source provides a variety of news stories and analyses related to religion and politics, including topics such as the influence of Christianity in public schools, the role of religion in the 2024 elections, and the intersection of religion and state policies.See more at POLITICO
