The hashtag #witchtok has accrued more than forty-five billion views on TikTok. Eight million #witchcraft Instagram posts provide details of moon rituals, hexes, tarot cards, herbal potions, and spells. Pages on Reddit such as r/witch (101,000 members) and r/witchcraft (383,000) garner hundreds of daily comments and advice on friendship spells, drying herbs, charging crystals, and candle divination. Melanie Phillips
Scripture
From Paul chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.
Observation
This is obviously just an introductory greeting at the beginning of a letter.
Paul, an apostle of Christ is writing to “God’s holy people” or the saints of the city of Colossae. He describes them as faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.
He prays for them the double blessing of grace and peace.
Application
Paul was aware that he was chosen by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus.
In human terms, Paul was not really suitable to be an apostle of Christ. He had a history of persecuting Christians.
This is typical of God. He chooses those whose past should disqualify them for ministry and He calls them, appoints them, and overlooks their past failings.
In recent years, the ministry of apostle is being rediscovered by the church.
An apostle is not just a denominational leader, but someone who exercises loving authority over ministers of the Gospel. True apostles are trans-denominational, because they’ve been chosen by God not by men and not by an institution.
Although it is trendy in the church, at the moment, to call yourself an apostle, this office must never be self-appointed.
Because it is Christ who appoints apostles, no man, can appoint them and no man can stop them.
Apostles carry an innate ability to serve others as a spiritual father. This gift cannot be bestowed or faked, educated or trained for.
The ministry of apostleship is worked out in relationships, both with Christ and with the church.
Prayer
Thank you, Lord, for appointing, apostles in your church. Grant us all the grace to distinguish between true and false apostles.Amen.
A Pew study in 2009 found that people who described themselves as liberal were almost twice as likely to say they believe in astrology than self-described conservatives. Melanie Phillips
Scripture
“As for you, go your way until the end. You will rest and then at the end of the days, you will rise again to receive the inheritance set aside for you.”
Observation
The Archangel Michael will protect the people of Israel as they go through a time of anguish greater than any in history. But everyone whose name is in God’s book will be rescued.
Daniel sees two men across the river. One of the men asks, the angel, “How long will it be until these events are over?” He replies that it will go on for “a time, times and half a time.”
There will be 1290 days from when the daily sacrifice is stopped until the time when the object that causes desecration is set up to be worshipped.
Daniel is then told to go on his way. At the end of days, he will rise again to receive his inheritance.
Application.
There is an inheritance set aside for us for eternity. There is much that is unclear about the life after death, but we can be sure that we will rise. There will be a separation between the followers of Jesus and others. The followers of Jesus will go to eternal life with God the Father.
Of course, Heaven will be perfect. There will be no sin or suffering, no sickness or death, no broken relationships.
This is good news, indeed!
Prayer
Thank you, Lord, for the promise of eternity. Please help me to seek you and to follow you in all that I do in this life, so that I will rise and receive my inheritance.. Amen.
When man dumped God and assumed his role, this became the agenda of secular idealists who believed they could create paradise on earth. Stalinism is no more, but its legacy endures in new forms. That secular idealism is today channeled into a range of ideologies, all of which replace the biblical belief in a created world by the intention to create the world anew. Melanie Phillips
New Life Narrabri 