Top-level turmoil is a biblical sign.

Day after day the news media is filled with reports of confusion in Whitehall, disagreements within the Cabinet and discontent among backbenchers.

Nobody is quite sure what’s going on and the general uncertainty at the top of the political spectrum is rapidly communicated, not only to the nation but also to leaders of the 27 other nations in the European Union with whom we are trying to negotiate an exit treaty.

The Bible tells us that ‘confusion’ is a direct consequence of turning away from God – rejecting his truth. Deuteronomy 28 lays out the great benefits and blessings that flow from being in a right relationship with God and keeping his commands to walk in his ways. It also sets out the consequences of rejecting the word of God.

Of course, these things were specifically written for the guidance of Israel, a nation in a covenant relationship with God. Nevertheless, the spiritual principle here is one that applies to nations such as Britain and the USA. They have publicly declared themselves to be nations that accept the Bible as the revealed word of God, which sets the standard for truth in the public square as well as in personal and corporate morality and ethics.

Having publicly recognised God’s truth, we have to bear the consequences of our rejection which are spelt out in Deuteronomy 28:20: “The Lord will send on you curses, confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to, until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in forsaking him.”

Departing from the Truth

The Prime Minister’s latest flying visit to Brussels will do nothing to rescue the Brexit negotiations with the EU unless there is public recognition of the way we have departed from the truth and despised the word of God.

However much we may have had sympathy for Theresa May in her ill-fated speech to the Conservative conference, it is hardly surprising that she choked on her words when in the same speech she declared that the greatest recent achievement of the Conservative Government was in changing the definition of marriage, defying the word of God and his created order.

Having publicly recognised God’s truth, we have to bear the consequences of rejecting it.

There is nothing more certain to bring judgment upon the nation than such an action. But God has not acted hastily. Successive governments in Britain have been conspiring to turn truth upside-down for many years. Despite Tony Blair’s personal acknowledgement of the importance of moral and spiritual values in society, the influence of secular humanist ideologies within the New Labour movement were strong.

Blairites and the Battle for the Family

Jack Straw, see Photo Credits.Notably, the rising influence of LGBT interests were seen in the Blair Government, where powerful Cabinet posts were given to homosexual individuals such as Chris Smith,¹ who took control of Culture, Media and Sport. This was exactly the area where LGBT values could be injected subtly into public life and was a notable triumph for the LGBT movement. Women in the Blair Government with strong feminist and secular humanist orientations, such as Clare Short and Harriet Harman, also opened the way for the promotion of ideologies harmful to the family.

Disputes within the Cabinet reflected this ideological battle for the preservation or destruction of the family. Jack Straw’s endeavour to promote measures that would strengthen family life were thwarted within the Cabinet and resulted in his failure to produce the White Paper he promised in his speech on 15 July 1998, when he welcomed the publication of the report ‘Family Matters’.²

All this underlines the reason why Britain is in such dire straits today. Many Conservatives were amazed when David Cameron gave his support to ‘same-sex marriage’ (SSM) in 2013. But this was not his brainchild: he had been present at a meeting of European leaders in 2010 when it was agreed that all EU member states should aim to legalise SSM by 2013.

Cameron knew the pressure would be on and, as an ambitious politician, he simply wanted to be ahead of the game. But in so doing he brought judgment upon himself that ended his political career. When will Western leaders learn that you cannot defy the word of God without incurring inevitable consequences?

Successive governments in Britain have been conspiring to turn truth upside-down for many years.

Understanding Europe’s History

All the confusion surrounding Brexit is a measure of the extent to which we have put ourselves outside the protection and blessing of God and at the mercy of the destructive secular humanist spirits driving the European Union.

There is so much history wrapped up in these Brexit negotiations. Europe has been torn apart by two devastating wars in the past 100 years. Emotions run deep in the national psyche of each of the European nations. Germany has, twice, recovered remarkably from the devastation and destruction of military defeat. Their dream of a united Europe under German domination through the European Union had almost been achieved. But once again Britain is the one nation standing in the way.

Britain has always been the stumbling block – the odd one out – even driving on the other side of the road, not conforming to European standards - a nation of nonconformists! Today, the nations that suffered defeat or the humiliation of five years of enemy occupation (and of having Britain to thank for their liberation) suddenly find themselves in a position of power over Britain. Our Prime Minister has asked for their help in devising a deal that she can sell to her unruly Cabinet and a divided nation.

But mixed into all this are massive spiritual issues, as the whole of Europe has been assailed by a secular humanist onslaught in the past half-century. Britain has been more successful than any other European nation in holding on to its Christian heritage, largely through the influence of our ageing Queen, whose Coronation Oath to uphold the Protestant faith spread a cover of protection over the land.

Brexit is a sign of God’s mercy towards Britain, giving us the opportunity of re-asserting our sovereign independence under the blessing of God. But that can only be achieved through the recognition of how God has blessed us in the past, especially in the lifetime of our parents and grandparents. But we have deeply offended him in our own generation and, sadly, most people in Britain do not understand the nature of the battle and its spiritual dimension.

Bible-believing Christians who do understand the times have a vital role to play in the future of Britain if we are to be successful in getting out of Europe.

We Have Work to Do!

This is where Bible-believing Christians who do understand the times have a vital role to play in the future of Britain if we are to be successful in getting out of Europe. A few months ago, I was told in my times of intercession to stop praying general prayers of blessing and welfare upon the nation, but to engage instead in prayer with a particular focus.

Jeremiah was warned against praying “Peace! Peace!” when God was saying there was no peace (Jer 6:14). We have to learn to pray in line with God’s will. Then our prayers will be a powerful force to bring the nation in line with the purposes of God. That could still happen with the Brexit battle, in which our prayers should be specifically directed by the Holy Spirit. For that to happen, each of us has to learn to listen to the Lord.

References

1 Chris Smith was the first openly homosexual Politician to be appointed to a major Government office in British history.

2 Family Matters, a Report to the Home Secretary, The Rt Hon Jack Straw MP, from The Lords and Commons Family and Child Protection Group. Chairman: Lord Ashbourne, 15 July 1998.

Will Christians no longer be able to stand for Parliament?

I am still recovering from the shock of realising that it seems no longer possible as a Christian to stand as a candidate for a major political party in Britain.

This appalling state of affairs became evident when Andrew Turner agreed to stand down as Isle of Wight MP at the upcoming election, because of his biblical views on homosexuality.

In a conversation with A-level students, he is reported to have said that “homosexuality is wrong” and “dangerous to society”.¹

It had already become clear that committed Christian Tim Farron was in an untenable position as Liberal Democrat leader for it is generally understood that ‘committed’ Christians are, by definition, disciples of Jesus’ teaching, which is based on the Tanach (the Jewish Bible, or what Christians call the Old Testament).

Jesus made this quite clear, saying: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven…” (Matt 5:17-19).

It seems no longer possible as a Christian to stand as a candidate for a major political party in Britain.

Andrew Turner, MP for the Isle of Wight. See Photo Credits.So it is hardly surprising that Mr Farron should be pressured by our politically correct media to state whether he viewed gay sex as sinful.² He sadly capitulated to the new morally acceptable line, in doing so denying Christ himself in the same way that the Apostle Peter denied knowing Jesus following his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Barred from Public Office?

Vicar’s daughter Theresa May, who claims to be guided by her faith, has also recently denied that gay sex is a sin.³ Yet the teaching that marriage is reserved only for sexual union between a man and a woman is fundamental to the Bible, and repeatedly emphasised in the New Testament. And St Paul makes clear, in relation to various sins including homosexuality, that approval is worse than practice (Rom 1:32) – which is also what Jesus indicates in the Scripture quoted above.

This means, according to Tim Dieppe of campaigning group Christian Concern, that Mr Farron and Mrs May are greater sinners in their approval of such practice than those they are defending.⁴

As for Labour, I doubt whether an orthodox/evangelical⁵ Christian stands any chance in the current climate of being accepted as a candidate, bearing in mind their sharp swing to the left.
I know that there are many Christians in Parliament right now, but it seems the door is being shut to further candidates – unless they remain secret believers!

All of which rather takes us back to the ‘dark ages’ when some Reformed Christians, such as the Quakers, were not only denied the right to practise certain professions, but also prevented from standing for Parliament.⁶

This takes us back to the ‘dark ages’ when Reformed Christians were denied the right to practise certain professions.

Fortunately, in the case of the Quakers, God turned what was meant for evil to good effect, not only through the introduction of chocolate to the world (Cadbury’s, Fry’s, Terry’s and Rowntree’s were all Quaker businesses), but also in providing useful employment, housing, a general boost to the economy and an influence in godly living that has echoed down the centuries.

God’s Design for Marriage

Marriage was part of God’s perfect plan from the very beginning (Gen 2:24) and is emphasised by St Paul in his letter to the Ephesians (Eph 5:22-33) when he compared it to the relationship between Christ and the Church.

As husband and wife, we reflect the greater purpose of God – the incurable romantic – who is seeking a bride for his Son; a perfectly adorned, beautiful reflection of ultimate goodness, joy and delight. Marriage is not an end in itself; it points to a greater reality that will find its consummation at a glorious future event referred to as the Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev 19:6-10).

Wives are called to submit to their husbands as they would to Christ, and husbands are asked to love their wives as Christ loved the Church, allowing himself to be mocked, scourged and crucified for her.

The early disciples were devoted to the apostles’ teaching (Acts 2:42). I repeat, denying Christian teaching on marriage is to deny Christ himself, who authenticated all Scripture through his answers to satan when tempted in the wilderness (Matt 4:1-11).

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:16f)

It is interesting that, only four verses earlier, we read that “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted”.

The teaching that marriage is reserved only for sexual union between a man and a woman is fundamental to the Bible, and repeatedly emphasised in the New Testament.

Fortitude Demanded

Much fortitude is demanded of those who would follow Christ. The early Christians were thrown to the lions because they refused to worship Caesar; at the same time, their teaching was totally counter-cultural, shaming a world that indulged in promiscuous living, including homosexuality (see Rom 1:24-26).

Has the time perhaps come to support a party that is focused on Christian living and principles? After all, according to the Bible, Jesus is the one “by whom and for whom all things were made” (Col 1:16f). It’s all about him; the entire universe centres on Jesus – and yet he is not on the political agenda, or on the manifestos of the major parties! Why not? Something is seriously wrong in the state of Britain. And if we desire healing for our land, we believers need to repent and pray (2 Chron 7:14) – for the sake of the Gospel and for our children’s future.

Notes

1 The Daily Mail, 29 April 2017.

2 Ibid.

3 Interview with Andrew Marr on BBC TV, 30 April 2017.

4 Dieppe, T. Theresa May dodges question on hostility towards Christians. Christian Concern, 5 May 2017.

5 I.e. those who believe the Bible is the final authority on all matters of doctrine.

6 Quakers honoured Jesus’ command against using oaths (Matt 5:33-37), which Parliamentarians and lawyers were forced to do.

The phoney war is over. The battle with the EU has begun.

Both our Prime Minister and Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, have made statements this week. It feels rather like the first nine months of World War II, when nothing much happened and then soon after Dunkirk the Battle of Britain began and the German Luftwaffe began bombing the City of London.

The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has declared that Brexit is going to be very bad for Britain. What Germany failed to do through military attack in the 1940s they now intend to do through economic power. They are intent on luring banks away from London to Germany and they are determined to force Britain to pay as much as possible. Brussels, at the same time, is stepping up the political war against Britain. It’s all beginning to get quite nasty – but these are only the opening salvos of conflict.

We all knew that it was not going to be easy. But the majority of the population voted to leave the European Union despite plenty of warnings before the Referendum that it would be tough. We knew it would be a battle but what most people probably did not know is what sort of battle it would be.

Judging the Nations

We were discussing this in the Issachar Ministries office this week and remembering the international gathering of ministry leaders at Mount Carmel in Israel back in 1986, when Lance Lambert received a prophecy that we all believed was a word from the Lord. It was based on Haggai 2:6 where God promises to “shake all nations” and at the same time he will “shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land”.

All the leaders present believed that this prophecy would shortly be fulfilled in our lifetime. The word Lance received was:

I will judge the nations and the time is near. It will not only be by war and civil war, by anarchy and terrorism, and by monetary collapses that I will judge the nations…I will also judge them by giving them over to their own ways, to lawlessness, to loveless selfishness, to delusion and to believing a lie, to false religion and an apostate church, even to a Christianity without me.

Germany and Brussels are stepping up the political war against Britain – but these are only the opening salvos of conflict.

When we were discussing this, one of my colleagues said, “If you want to know what God is doing to fulfil his purposes today you only have to look at what the enemy is up to, because the ‘father of lies’ always knows what is important to God.”

So, what’s going on in the European Union that is making Germany and Brussels so angry with Britain and can also be seen to be anti-God? Of outstanding significance is its movement towards the establishment of a ‘United States of Europe’ in which each of the members would lose their sovereign identity.

The political elite were making good progress towards achieving this objective, until Brexit shattered their dreams. But many Christians believe that our sovereign identity is given by God and should not be surrendered. Deuteronomy 32:8 says that God “gave the nations their inheritance” and “set up their boundaries”.

Long-Term Objective

Back in 1993 when the Treaty of Maastricht was signed there was a meeting of the secret Bilderberg Group in Greece. Of course, the Group never make any announcements about their deliberations or policy agreements. But it is significant that two British politicians, Kenneth Clarke and Tony Blair (one Conservative and one Labour) who were there at the meeting, subsequently wrote articles in British newspapers in support of the abolition of the pound and the Bank of England, and in favour of a European single currency and European Central Bank.¹

The political elite were making good progress towards achieving their objective of a super-state, until Brexit shattered their dreams.

Both of these politicians today are ardent supporters of the European Union and anti-Brexit campaigners – Tony Blair is currently saying that he’s going to return to active politics to fight Brexit. There are numerous other British politicians, including a number in the House of Lords, who are fighting against Britain’s decision to leave the EU – men such as Denis Healey who died in October 2015.

Healey was one of the early members of the Bilderberger Group (founded 1954) and was Secretary of State for Defence and Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government. He hated UKIP and was an active supporter of a united Europe for many years. In 1979 he received the Grand Cross of Order of Merit from Germany for his efforts to bring about a united Europe – a policy that was part of Hitler’s 1942 ‘New Order’ plan.

Elitist Pressure

There are many like Healey still active in the House of Lords who are determined to keep Britain in the EU, which is a major reason why Theresa May called a General Election - to strengthen the Government’s hand in the negotiations to leave, which anti-Brexit politicians would love to undermine.

The backlash against this elitist group of politicians with their globalist objectives has been the cause of the populist uprising that brought Brexit in the UK, Trump in the USA and rank outsiders Macron and Le Pen in France.

There is no way of measuring the reasons why people have been voting for popularist candidates and rejecting the ruling elite. At least part of the reason must be a growing awareness of the obscene salaries and bonuses that globalist elites have been awarding themselves whilst avoiding paying taxes – but perhaps more broadly it is because ordinary people feel an ominous sense that there is something wrong with the current system and the direction in which it leads.

There are many politicians in both houses who are determined to keep Britain in the EU.

The PM and the People

In the current climate of populism, a remarkable political development has been seen in the local council and regional election results in Britain this week. The swing to the Conservative Party appears to go against popular trends. This could be very largely due to the way Theresa May has been able to distance herself from the political elite.

Her inaugural speech outside 10 Downing Street on the day she became Prime Minister set the tone of her leadership, when she declared her concern for ordinary working people who were having difficulties in making ends meet.

At the Conservative Party Conference, she signalled an end to the David Cameron style of government favouring the better off. She pledged a quiet revolution, rightly perceiving the significance of the Brexit vote among working-class voters. The increase in the Conservative vote this week has underlined her success in aligning herself with the populist cause – although it remains to be seen whether or not the high hopes she is creating will be realisable.

Wake Up, Church!

Probably only a small percentage of those who voted to leave the EU did so because of theological convictions that the EU is a demonic institution and that if our national future is to be prospered by God’s blessings, we have to repent of our ungodly laws and policies, many of which were inspired by the EU. But thankfully, God does not require a democratic majority in order to answer the prayers of his people!

God does not require a democratic majority in order to answer the prayers of his people!

The biblical strength of the new Government in June and the success of the Brexit negotiations do not depend upon chance – they depend on prayer, on the faithfulness of the Church and on the sovereign choice of God.

Perhaps the most pertinent question is – are Christians in Britain prepared to go into battle, not only against greedy globalists where they would have popular support, nor just against secular humanists who are brainwashing our children in state schools and are exercising their influence in the media and government, but against the spiritual powers of darkness that are contending right now for the soul of the Western nations?

Ultimately, this battle is not as much about the destiny of nations (though of course this matters) as it is about the eternal futures of millions of individual citizens and their chance to hear the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. It is essential that Christians should understand the spiritual nature of the battle and the importance of mobilising the power of focused, believing intercession at this crucial hour in world history.

References

1 The information in this paragraph is drawn from Rodney Atkinson, Europe’s Full Circle: Corporate Elites and the New Fascism’ Computing Publishing, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1996, p89.

What an incredible week this has been in international politics!

The week began with 70 nations gathering in Paris, with the intention of trying to force Israel into a two-state solution that would effectively commit national suicide. This was followed by world business leaders meeting in Davos, Switzerland, trying to assess the health and direction of the world economy.

On the same day that Davos started came the statement from Prime Minister Theresa May outlining British Government plans for Brexit which have long-term implications for Europe and the rest of the world. Today, the eyes of the world are upon Washington as the people of the USA install the most unlikely President in the history of the United States – Donald J Trump.

The pace of change worldwide has been increasing exponentially over the past 40 years. Today it is almost bewildering for all those who try to follow world events and to understand what is happening.

At the beginning of this year, political and economic commentators were looking back over 2016, trying to assess how accurate their forecasts for the year had been. Most of them admitted honestly that they had been taken by surprise on almost all major world events.

Christians who have been recognising for some years that God is shaking the nations can trace the hand of God in all this. The Psalmist got it right when he declared that God scoffs at the nations when they try to throw off all restraint and conspire in vain against his purposes (Ps 2). Paul touched on a deep truth when he said that “God made foolish the wisdom of this world…For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom” (1 Cor 1:20, 25).

Last year, most political and economic commentators were taken by surprise on almost all major word events.

The Nature and Purposes of God

So, how do we understand what’s going on in the world today? If we’re going to get a clear view of what is happening, we have to start by getting a biblical perspective of the nature and purposes of God.

This may sound boring to those who simply want to forecast the future. But without this broader perspective we have no yardstick of truth and no focal point for an investigation.

We need to know the God of Creation, who holds the nations in his hands. Despite having given human beings freedom of will, God nevertheless still guides the affairs of the nations to fulfil his overall purpose of bringing his Gospel of salvation to all people.

We have only to look at the incredible destruction of the city of Aleppo in Syria to see what human beings can do when all restraint is removed and there is no regard or value for anything, including human life. This is a picture in miniature of the direction the nations of the world, armed with the most incredible weapons of mass destruction, are taking towards collective global self-destruction. And this is the reason why God intervenes in world affairs - to steer the nations in a different direction.

Watching and Praying

Christians in the Western world have slowly been waking up over the past few decades to the reality of the world situation and the dangers that confront us. They have been stunned by the level of violence in the Middle East and the horrific acts of terrorism in Europe and elsewhere carried out by militant Muslims in the name of their god Allah. They feel helpless as the North Koreans strive to produce their first nuclear bomb and the Chinese establish military bases on unoccupied islands in the South China Sea.

An increasing number of Christians are taking seriously the command of Jesus to watch and pray. The significant rise in the number of home-based small groups around Britain is evidence of this. This prophetic, awakened Church is increasingly resembling that of New Testament times; not only for meetings in the home but also for emphasis upon prayer and Bible study.

If we’re going to understand what is happening, we have to start with a biblical perspective of the nature and purposes of God.

Prayer Makes a Difference!

In Britain, we are seeing more Christians involved in corporate prayer for national and international issues than we have seen since the days of the Second World War. I was at a conference last Saturday when the whole company agreed to stop and pray about the meeting of world leaders that was taking place in Paris. It was not on the agenda, but we spent a whole hour praying about the event and the issue of Israel and the Palestinians. I’m sure we were not alone and that prayer greatly influenced the outcome; bringing confusion among the delegates and resulting in no resolution that could harm Israel.

The business leaders’ meeting in Davos was also said to be a non-event, with delegates being more interested in what was happening in London, where Theresa May was speaking.

The Prime Minister’s speech certainly was very warmly received by much of the British media; especially her promises that Britain will no longer be under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice (or injustice, as many see it!), no longer subject to the free movement of labour so that we can control immigration and no longer under the control of European customs regulations so that we can develop international trade. Especially welcome was her statement that Britain would not accept a ‘bad deal’ - and that both Houses of Parliament will have a vote on the final agreement.

Of course, none of this has gone down very well in the European Union, which was to be expected. But during the next two years we may expect to see further major shaking of the EU and upheaval that will affect the negotiations with Britain. In threatening to make life difficult for post-EU Britain, European leaders are failing to factor in the activity of God.

In Britain, we are seeing more Christians involved in corporate prayer for national and international issues than we have seen since the Second World War.

Today: Focus on the USA

Anti-Trump demonstrators in Washington, today.

World leaders and Europhiles in Britain have all been surprised that their pre-Referendum forecasts of doom and economic disaster have not been fulfilled. But Christians know that prayer played a large part in Brexit and therefore we may expect to see God’s blessing – especially if believers continue to pray actively for the nation.

Today, the focus for prayer should be upon the USA – urgently asking the Lord to guide the new President and members of his Administration, that they will be given wisdom far above the normal human level to exercise Godly leadership as they navigate a confusing world and the rapid changes that are sweeping across the nations today.

Those who are fearful that Trump’s ungodly and erratic past could carry over into his presidency need to remember that with God nothing is impossible; as Jeremiah rightly declared:

“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you!” (Jer 32:17)

Author: Dr Clifford Hill

References: Second image: Jose Luis Magana/AP/Press Association Images.

Clifford Hill discusses the demise of secular humanism – and the power of prayer to change a nation.

Discerning Christians began to see a turning tide in Britain more than two years ago when the Scottish Referendum upheld the unity of the United Kingdom. The result was seen as the outcome of a huge wave of prayer that had swept the UK in the lead up to the vote.

That movement to prayer increased throughout the stormy months of divisive argument that preceded the EU Referendum on 25 June this year, which marked a fundamental change in the history of Britain that has reverberated around the world and has even been influential in the election of an American President.

The Beginning of the End for Secular Humanism?

Both Brexit and the Trump election have been highly divisive in the UK and the USA, but both are profoundly world-shaking events in which discerning Christians can see the guiding hand of God.

Already in Britain we are beginning to see the fruit of the Brexit vote in turning the tide against the demonic campaign of the secular humanist liberal elite, who have driven the country to the very edge of moral and spiritual bankruptcy during the past 40 years (since we joined the EU) climaxing in the parliamentary vote to re-define marriage, which is part of God's act of Creation.

Both Brexit and the Trump election, though highly divisive, are events in which discerning Christians can see the guiding hand of God.

PM Defends Christian Rights

That vote sealed the fate of Prime Minister David Cameron and his Government and paved the way for a new Prime Minister who is prepared to stand up in Parliament and declare her Christian faith. On Wednesday of this week she said,

...we are now into the season of Advent, and we have a very strong tradition in this country of religious tolerance and freedom of speech and our Christian heritage is something we can all be proud of.¹

She said:

I'm sure we would all want to ensure that people at work do feel able to speak about their faith, and also feel able to speak quite freely about Christmas.²

Theresa May's statement was in response to a question from Fiona Bruce MP, who reported to the House that many Christians are worried and fearful of speaking about their faith. She referred to a report from the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship, which confirms that the "legal rights of freedom of religion and freedom of speech to speak about one's faith responsibly, respectfully and without fear, are as strong today as ever".³

A major report is also forthcoming from the Equalities watchdog criticising employers who intimidate Christians who dare to make a stand for their faith. This is a major turnaround for the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, which has traditionally upheld LGBT rights and discriminated against Christians.

The Commission report, due to be published in full next week, criticises organisations that have been dumbing down Christmas by using secular phrases such as 'Seasons Greetings' and 'Winterval'. It also highlights employers who have victimised Christians, such as British Airways, who suspended an employee for refusing to remove a tiny cross she was wearing.⁴

From School to the Workplace

In yet another sign of the turning tide against anti-Christian secular humanism, it was reported this week that a Christian Teaching Assistant, suspended for answering a question from a pupil about her faith and stating that she believed marriage was only between a man and a woman, had been re-instated and the school had apologised to her.⁵

Other schools have stopped producing nativity plays in case they upset their Muslim pupils – disregarding our centuries of Christian heritage.

A major report is also forthcoming from the Equalities watchdog criticising employers who intimidate Christians who dare to make a stand for their faith.

The Prime Minister's statement in the run-up to Christmas is timely, when many organisations and workplaces organise carol concerts. It is particularly important that Christians should feel free to speak openly about their faith on these occasions, which draw many people who have little or no knowledge of Christianity. The report from the Lawyers' Christian Fellowship (LCF) encourages Christians to share their faith at every opportunity – "in the workplace or at the bus stop".

Pressure for Change

The two reports, from the LCF and the Equalities Commission, reinforced by the PM's statement, reflect a sociological turning of the tide in Britain. There is widespread disillusionment and discontent with the general trends in the life of the nation. This fuels anti-establishment ideologies – a rejection of mainstream politics and a movement towards the far right or far left extremes of the political spectrum – towards anyone who will offer an alternative to the present holders of power.

People don't necessarily know what they're looking for; but they're looking for 'change' – something different from the present status quo that has led to increasing social, economic and cultural oppression. This atmosphere of discontent has been particularly palpable since the banking crisis of 2008 and the ensuing package of austerity measures that politicians have levied on various unsuspecting sectors of public life. There has been national outcry at the injustice of ordinary people having to pay the price for the reckless gambling of a small number of greedy bankers, who created economic chaos in a bid to secure their own fortunes.

The Brexit vote in Britain was heavily influenced by this discontent and so too was the election of Donald Trump in the USA. The same spirit of discontent is spreading right across Europe and will manifest itself in national elections across the EU, many of which are forthcoming in the next couple of years.

People are disillusioned with the secular humanist status quo in Britain - there is great opportunity here for Christians.

Is Samson's Hair Still Growing?

This social turning of the tide has spiritual implications that Christians need to note. Christians, of course, are part of the general population and are also influenced by social pressures. Many have been sensing the changes in society for a long time and have increasingly turned to prayer and studying the word of God to try to understand what's going on in the world around us.

As far back as September 2004 I said in Prophecy Today (the printed magazine) that there were signs in the churches that "Samson's hair was growing" – that spiritual strength was increasing as increasing numbers of Christians were gathering in small house groups for prayer.

Discerning Christians could see this as the beginning of a momentous change in the spiritual life of the Western nations. I said then that when the tide turns, it happens far out in the main, long before the waves begin to run up the beach where everyone can see the incoming tide. Praying Christians today can see the signs and recognise the new opportunities for sharing their faith in an age of disillusionment with the secular humanist policies that have been driving Western nations for the past 40 years.

Let's Take the Opportunity!

We do not yet know whether this turning of the tide will result in widespread revival of the Christian faith or whether it is simply a short 'window of opportunity'. But clearly the opportunity is there to be grasped. The Christmas Carol Love came down at Christmas expresses the heart of the unique opportunity being offered to Christians at this time of discontent. Now is the time to tell our friends and neighbours about why God sent Jesus – "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

If Christians rightly use this Advent season and it is followed up in the New Year by a call to prayer, this window of opportunity could become a time when we see the advancement of the Kingdom of God on earth – and in our nation.

References

1 Watch the video of Theresa May's statement during Prime Minister's Questions (30 November 2016) by clicking here.

2 Ibid.

3 Ms Bruce's own words, Prime Ministers' Questions, 30 November 2016. In reference to the LCF/Evangelical Alliance report entitled Speak Up: The Law and Your Gospel Freedoms, published August 2016. Click here for information on how to obtain copies of the report, which is also available online.

4 Petre, J. Hallelujah! Equalities watchdog says persecution of Christians must end - and blasts Lord's Prayer film ban. Daily Mail, 26 November 2016.

5 School backs down after disciplining worker for Christian views. The Christian Institute, 1 December 2016.

Storm-force winds are about to break across Britain.

The opening salvo was fired this week with Labour lobbying 170 questions at the Government,¹ all designed to throw stumbling blocks into the path of negotiations to get Britain out of the European Union.

Yesterday the battlefield widened and moved from Westminster to the High Court in London, where businesswoman Gina Miller began her challenge to the Government's right to trigger Article 50 using the Royal Prerogative. This avoids a vote in Parliament, which the Government would probably lose as most MPs voted to remain in the EU. Conservative MP Bernard Jenkin, who is chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, said "Treaty matters have always been done by royal prerogative, and Article 50 is a treaty matter".

He added: "Among those involved in the court case are a great many people who want to frustrate the UK from leaving the European Union or maintain a half in, half out solution. I think they want to protract the agony and uncertainty when in fact what business wants is certainty and a clear direction."²

Warnings of Difficulty

Prophetic warnings had already alerted us to expect these manoeuvres from those who want to frustrate Britain's exit from the EU. "Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7). These warnings have come from many prayer groups and ministries around the country. They acknowledge that God guided the Referendum vote on 23 June and that it was inevitable that the enemy would be angry and would do everything possible to obstruct the path of Brexit.

Warnings have already alerted us to expect manoeuvres from those who want to frustrate Britain's exit from the EU.

Businesswoman Gina Miller has launched a legal challenge to the Brexit process.The prophetic words we have been hearing, some of which we have published in recent weeks, warn that this will not be an easy time and there will be many alarms and excursions, especially regarding the economic health of the nation.

But the assurance has always been that as a nation we will come through this and see considerable prosperity in the future, provided we hold onto a steady path and our negotiators seek the ways of righteousness, truth and justice.

Need for Prayer

This is where Christians have a role to play in upholding in prayer all those who are involved in the negotiations. We do not expect all our negotiators, businessmen, lawyers and politicians to be committed Christians - although undoubtedly some will be, and we hope that God will use their words to steer a clear path of truth and to be the most influential. God does not save by numbers – in fact, he loves to use small numbers and those whom the world considers weak.

Paul actually boasted in his weakness; he said "I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Cor 12:10). This may seem a strange statement, but God had made him a promise: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor 12:9).
This is a paradox that only Christians can understand. It means that when we acknowledge our powerlessness and put our trust totally in God, he is then able to take full control and we don't mess things up by trying to do everything in our own strength.

It is particularly important to learn this spiritual lesson at this stage in our nation's history, because God has responded to the prayers of large numbers of his people as well as using the frustrations of many who don't know him to achieve the vote to leave the EU. God is now looking for those who do know him to strengthen the fearful and uphold those who are weak. He says "Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees! Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed" (Heb 12:12-13).

Christians have a role to play in upholding in prayer all those who are involved in the negotiations.

Word AND Spirit

How do we grow in spiritual strength? The prophet Ezekiel was faced with a very difficult task when he was taken to Babylon as one of the captives, but called by God to exercise leadership and strengthen the people.

Figuratively he was told to eat a scroll of the word of the Lord (at least, I think it was figuratively - it may have been a real scroll of the Torah!). He says that it tasted as sweet as honey in his mouth and then God promised "I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them though they are a rebellious house" (Ezek 3:9). In order to minister effectively to his fellow captives from Jerusalem in Babylon, Ezekiel had not only to know the word of God, but to be filled with the power of the Spirit of God.

Many of the prophetic words we have been receiving from Christians in different parts of Britain speak of the great opportunity that is being presented to us at this time to witness to the nation. It is God's intention and desire to bless Britain – indeed, I believe that God wants to use Britain to demonstrate to the world the power and prosperity that comes to those who put their trust in him.

He can only do that through those who understand his purposes; who know his word and are filled with his Spirit. We may not all be directly involved in negotiating the Brexit process – but in taking the opportunities God is providing for witness, in strengthening feeble arms and weak knees and in faithfully interceding for our nation at this important time, we can all play a role. For those who are willing, I believe that God stands ready to equip, strengthen and lead, providing a sure footing at every step.

References

1 The 170 questions were laid out in a letter sent by shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry and shadow Brexit Secretary Sir Keir Starmer to Brexit Secretary David Davis, earlier this week.

2 Clifford, M. Theresa May has no legal power to start Brexit, High Court told. Sky News, 13 October 2016.

Theresa May replaces David Cameron as Prime Minister and forms a new Government - but what will her leadership be like?

It used to be said that "a week is a long time in politics" – now political change is measured by the hour! The incredible changes that have taken place in the past three weeks since the Referendum have left the whole country breathless. The political landscape at Westminster has been turned upside-down. Only Jeremy Corbyn remains unchanged (at the time of writing!)!

It is really sad to see the tumultuous upheavals in the Labour Party at a time when we need to have a strong Opposition in order to make democracy work. Government should always be challenged when proposed legislation is under consideration. A strong and effective Opposition ensures such scrutiny for the good of the whole country. It ensures that we are not being ruled by a one-party system that favours those already in power.

Not Just the Privileged Few

The new Government being set up by Prime Minister Theresa May signals a wholesale change from David Cameron's Government, which was often accused of being a posh boys club. May's inaugural statement on reaching Downing Street said "The Government I lead will be driven not by the interests of the privileged few, but by yours."¹ This was a brave statement for an incoming Tory Prime Minister, and sounded more like the sort of thing that Harold Wilson or Jim Callaghan would have said.

Theresa May's new Government signals a wholesale change from David Cameron's.

In the same speech she had signalled her intention of working for social equality.

That means fighting against the burning injustice that, if you're born poor, you will die on average 9 years earlier than others. If you're black, you're treated more harshly by the criminal justice system than if you're white. If you're a white, working-class boy, you're less likely than anybody else in Britain to go to university.

If you're at a state school, you're less likely to reach the top professions than if you're educated privately. If you're a woman, you will earn less than a man. If you suffer from mental health problems, there's not enough help to hand. If you're young, you'll find it harder than ever before to own your own home.²

It may be that Mrs May has been impacted by the biblical values that she would have heard many times in her childhood from her Anglican clergyman father. Biblical values always favour the poor and powerless because they are based upon the two central values of love and justice that are part of the nature of God. Of course, it's part of our human nature to prefer love to justice, but if we wish to be righteous in the eyes of God we have to embrace both: we cannot have one without the other.

Our new Prime Minister has signalled her concern for those who are not the favoured ones enjoying the fruit of prosperity and good health: those who need assistance to enable them to achieve their full potential and contribute to society. A society that cares for its weaker members in biblical terms is 'a just society'. That is the kind of society that God blesses with peace and prosperity.

Our new PM has signalled her concern for the poor and powerless in our society – has she been influenced by biblical values?

A Transformed Future?

The prophets in the Bible roundly condemned those who misused their power to oppress others and gain personal advantage. Amos berated those who "oppress the righteous and take bribes and deprive the poor of justice in the courts" he said that God would not even listen to their worship or their prayers. "Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never failing stream!" (Amos 5:12, 23-24).

If Theresa May has appointed men and women to her Cabinet who share a commitment to lead Britain out of the entanglement of EU laws and regulations – re-enacting those that are just and righteous, and discarding those that are not – the future for Britain could be totally transformed in the next decade. It could become a land of peace and prosperity in a world of inequality which would be a model for other nations.

The Seeds of Destruction

The new PM comes to power at what keen observers see as the most difficult and threatening time since the days of World War II. The tensions in Europe are growing daily with increasing social unrest in many nations within the European Union, where inequality and poverty are the daily lot of millions and the financial crisis and austerity policies are impacting unfairly upon the poor. Far right parties are vying for power – a recipe for revolution; while the banks in Italy, Portugal, Spain and France are struggling and Deutsche Bank in Germany is heavily exposed to all of them.

May comes to power at what is the most difficult and threatening time since the days of World War II.

You don't have to be a Marxist to see that Marx was right when he said that capitalism contains within itself the seeds of its own destruction – what he didn't say was that those seeds are greed and corruption. America is engulfed in election fever, faced with the choice between a 'corrupt' Democrat and a 'lunatic' Republican (that's how they describe each other!) so the future looks highly uncertain.

Both Europe and America, bastions of Western civilisation, are coming apart at the seams while the Islamic world continues to tear itself apart with increasing violence in the Middle East. Tensions are growing between Russia and the West: and in the Far East China's ambitions to take possession of all the islands in the South China Sea and North Korea's nuclear ambitions pose a very real threat of war.

Everything That Can Be Shaken...

If we add to all this political and social instability the effects of climate change, drought and famine, storms and floods, hurricanes and earthquakes – the only conclusion is that the world is highly unstable and the biblical prophecies are coming true. We are indeed seeing God shaking everything in the world of nature and among the nations. The prophecy of Haggai 2:6-7 is being fulfilled in our lifetime – "This is what the Lord Almighty says: in a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations".

Surely it is time for Christians to seek the Lord to discover why God is shaking everything and what he is saying to his people today. Maybe this is the time when Britain can truly become a nation used by God – a nation founded upon biblical values of love and justice and exercising a powerful influence for good in the highly unstable world that faces us.

Wise word for the week -

"History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely when they have exhausted all the alternatives." – Abba Eban (Israeli diplomat)³

References

1 Statement from the new Prime Minister Theresa May. Prime Minister's Office, 13 July 2016.

2 Ibid.

3 Quoted in The Week, 7 July 2016.