Wednesday 1 October 2014

LIVING WISELY IN A TOPSY TURVY WORLD


An interview with Rev. Dr. Kameel Majdali

A world trends watcher offers biblical insights for the turbulent times we are living in. 

As Christians, if we do not have a understanding of the seasons like the sons of Issachar,
how can we live soberly in these perilous end times?  *   

                                                                               
Asian Beacon (AB):    How did you get called into this ministry?

Dr. Kameel Majdali (KM):       It was more of a process than an event. After two decades of full-time ministry, the Lord led us to commence the ministry of Teach All Nations Inc (TAN) in 2004. I am an Arab-American who grew up in Los Angeles,  California and came to faith as a teenager. After graduating with a BA at 20, I went to the Middle East to do graduate study (MA). I was there for five years and then my wife and I did a two-year round the world tour. We were then called to Australia in February 1987 where I was part of a pastoral team for three and a half years. In 1990 I went to Harvest Bible College in Melbourne for 13 years, where I served as Principal for more than 8 years. From Harvest we began Teach All Nations.

AB:      What is your greatest passion?

KM:     My greatest passion is to equip people worldwide to know and grow in God.  Second, to practise a full-on Global Christian lifestyle. Third, I have a passion for ‘World Trends,’ being engaged in the world God has called us to reach. Like John Wesley, the world is my parish.

AB:      How does your teaching inspire and help people?

KM:     My teaching will inspire you to live for God and will teach you to survive and succeed in the days ahead by ‘hearing’ and ‘doing’ the words of Jesus (Matt.7:24-27). It will help you to make necessary adjustments to continue with life in these turbulent times.

AB:      How does your teaching renew the mind?

KM      When my teaching is based on Scripture and quickened by the Holy Spirit, then it will always renew the mind.

AB:      What are the significant events happening in the world that fulfils Bible prophecies regarding the End Times?

KM:     The four significant events happening are as set out below:

1. The Unification of Europe

Before Jesus returns, everything will be restored as the holy prophets said (Acts 3:20-21). Restoration means to bring something back to its original condition or to return to its rightful owner.  I believe God is about to bring back certain key players back to the fore before the end comes. The world trends among the nations are that nation states are uniting and merging as regional blocs. 27 countries now belong to the European  Union. United Europe could represent the old Imperial Empire (synonymous with the ancient Roman Empire). Just like the old Roman Empire consisted of Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, the EU could be heading in the same direction. Of interest is that the countries of North Africa and the Middle East belong to the ENP (European Neighborhood Program, which might be a prelude to joining the EU).  Read Daniel 2 & 7 concerning King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a statue (representing the kingdoms of this world). Watch what happens in Europe as we may see the fulfillment of Daniel Chapter 2.

2. Restored Nations in the Middle East

The culmination of this age will also see certain nations that existed before reappear
on the world stage such as Egypt, Israel, Iran (old Persia), Iraq  (old Mesopotamia/ Babylonia/Assyria/Nineveh/Shinar).  This will be the restoration of all things that was spoken by the mouth of the prophets since the world began.

3. Outpouring of the Holy Spirit and World Revival

The move of the Holy Spirit that has been chronicled by the secular media over the last few decades can have end time implications (Joel 2:28-29; Acts 2:17-18). The spiritual revival worldwide has been in operation for over 100 years.

4. The Great Universal Shaking

The Hebrew prophets predicted long ago a great shaking taking place (Haggai 2:6-7; Hebrews 12:25-29).

I don’t believe any one group or any one nation is orchestrating all the turmoil in the world these days, be it economic, geo-political, spiritual, or even upheaval through natural disasters. Some groups may have capitalized on some of these things but no  one controls all things. But the turmoil is beyond anybody’s control (eg earthquakes in New Zealand, massive floods in Australia, etc.). At the least, I see no earthly power facilitating the turmoil in the recent events. It is like a heavenly shaking. The shakeable kingdom(s) refer to anything that is man-made, man-centered, material and secular. The great universal shaking can be rightly called ‘the birth pangs of the coming Kingdom’. The universal shaking culminates in the fulfillment of Revelation 11:15, where ‘the kingdoms of this world’ become the Kingdom of Our Lord and Christ.

AB:      How can Christians understand the times we are living in from a Biblical world view and to prepare for the end times?

KM:     In order to do that, I would recommend three things that you should do:

1.       You have to have a sound and growing knowledge of the Word of God especially Bible prophecy.

You won’t understand anything unless you understand Bible prophecy. 2 Peter 1:19 tells us Bible prophecy is the brightest light we have till Jesus returns. It is imperative that you study Bible prophecy by taking classes or reading books. Be like the Berean Christians, searching the Scriptures daily to see if these things are so (Acts 17:11).

2. You do need to be informed of what is happening in the world.

You will need to know in general what is happening in the world. Great Commission Christians are called into the world. It therefore behooves us to know something about the world to which we have been called to. In other words, Christians are to have a Bible in one hand and newspaper in the other so that we have an understanding of the times. Those with an Issachar mindset will then know exactly how to navigate through the changing times.

3. You also need to have a flourishing spiritual life.

In other words your own personal relationship with God is very important. If you have a flourishing spiritual life; then the Holy Spirit will teach you all things (John 16:13). He will show you things to come. To me, this is not an optional extra, especially now as we are living in a globalised world.

If we neglect one or more of the above, we will be caught unaware when world events start washing up on our doorsteps. Probably we could have gotten away with it in the past but now that we are in a globalised world, things are happening too quickly and too intensely. It’s time to get serious about God and world trends before they overtake us.

AB:      The Spirit of Deception is very prevalent in these last days. How can we protect ourselves from deception?

KM:     Deception is increasing at a very alarming rate these days. For example, there are nations in times past that have been godly but are now are spewing out the biggest deceptions of all.

I advocate to people that TRUTH is to become sought after and precious to us. The antidote against crippling end-time deception (Matt. 24.4; I Tim 4:1,16) is TRUTH. What we need to remember is that Truth is not a philosophy or an ideology or an idea

Truth is a Person. His Name is Jesus (John 14:6). We also learn that God’s Word is Truth (John 17:17). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth (John 16:13).

Derek Prince asserts that when the 3 coordinates of truth line up -- Christ, the Spirit, and the Word -- then you have truth indeed.

We need a holistic approach to our Christian life - the Word, the Holy Spirit and being rightly related to the body of Christ. Only then are we guaranteed pure, strong, solid, unshakeable truth, a Rock that can never be moved..

AB:      What is one last thing you would like to exhort us to do?

KM:     I am urging all true believers that, that in light of our intense, changing, crisis- riddled times, to, more than ever, make God Number One in your lives. Practise Matthew 6:33 i.e. to “seek  first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you”. All the things the world seeks after (food, shelter, provision, clothing), God will give to you as a bonus.

The above article was first published in the April-May 2011 issue of Asian Beacon magazine, Vol 43 No. 2.


                                                                                 
*   The sons of Issachar had understanding of the times and knew what to do (I Chronicles 12:32).


For more: 

Wise living for the Last Days   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67gDAYdgQwI


RELATED POSTS (by Porridge for the Soul)

WILL CHRISTIANS GO THROUGH THE GREAT TRIBULATION?

A popular teaching tells us that Christians will not have to go through the Great Tribulation because they will be raptured first. But is such a 'pre-tribulation rapture' view valid? Is it true to say Christians will be airlifted to safety before the Great Tribulation begins?

HOW THEN SHALL WE LIVE?

To live soberly and purposefully during these perilous end times, we need to arm ourselves with wisdom and discernment.

THE GREAT FALLING AWAY


Spiritual decline is characteristic of the end times we are now living in. Will believers be affected by this turning away from the faith?


Biodata:

Rev. Dr. Kameel Majdali PhD (Melb), the Director of Teach All Nations (TAN) Inc. is a world trends watcher. He helps you understand the times and seasons we are living in and how to be prepared for the Second Coming Jesus Christ. His organization TAN is a global Bible teaching ministry with a prophetic edge and is based in Melbourne, Australia. Its goal is to fulfill the Great Commission of our Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:18-19). His wife, Leanne, serves as Associate Director. They have two adult children.

A dynamic preacher, a Bible teacher, a writer and a futurist who believes in the inerrancy of the Bible, Dr. Kameel now travels and speaks at Bible colleges and churches all over the world.  He has published five books and hosts two radio program in Melbourne and Australia called ‘On the Rock’ - The Unchanging Word for Changing Times’ and ‘Beyond the Box: World Trends Today.’


Teach All Nations website: http//www.tan.org.au has a wealth of information for believers who wants to practice ‘double listening’, with one ear open to the Word (Proverbs 4:20-22) and one ear open to the World (1 Chronicles 12:32).

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