This link from my friend Jim. Yale have announced that Special Envoy Tony Blair is planning to take on a part time job at the university, lecturing students about the issues of faith and globalization. The former British Prime Minister has taken on a number of different roles since leaving office last year. As well as taking on various speaking engagements on the international lecturing circuit, he acts as a consultant to American investment bank JP Morgan and Swiss insurance agent Zurich, and spends at least one week in four in the Middle East helping to build Palestinian economic and political institutions. While he was in office he rarely made mention of his faith, apart from one occasion on which he stated that he and US President Bush had prayed to God about whether or not to go to war with Iraq. I had even written several letters to him about the situation in Israel and how it relates to end time prophecy, and what he ought to do as Prime Minister of Great Britain. I also made sure he knew the Gospel. But I never received so much as a notification from Downing Street that he had received my correspondence. After he left office, Tony Blair converted to Catholicism. And since that time, the former Prime Minister has become heavily involved in the interfaith movement...

Quote: "Mr Blair, 54, is known to take an interest in encouraging understanding and dialogue between the three monotheistic religions – Judaism, Islam and Christianity – and has held talks with senior representatives of all three, which he regularly points out commonly derive from the patriarch Abraham. A practicing former Anglican, he converted to the Roman Catholic Church, to which his wife, Cherie, belongs, at a private service in December after months of speculation.

But how does faith relate to globalization, you ask? According to Yale President Richard Levin, "As the world continues to become increasingly inter-dependent, it is essential that we explore how religious values can be channelled toward reconciliation rather than polarisation". In other words, the political unification of this world is largely dependent on its religious unification. A few days ago I commented on the old Roman Empire, and how the Caesar sought to ensure the loyalty of all his citizens by setting himself up as a god to be worshipped by all. Today the same thing is happening. The book of Revelation mentions two leaders that will arise during the time of the tribulation period. A great political leader, which the whole world will wonder after because of his ability to make war (Revelation 13:4). And a great religious leader, who will ensure the loyalty of all to this great political leader (Revelation 13:12). It has been stated many times by many prominent figures, including Prime Minister Tony Blair, Home Secretary Blunkett and Pope Ratzinger, that religious extremism will be the enemy of the 21st Century. That's not just militant Islam, that includes evangelical Christians who are unwilling to compromise their belief that Jesus Christ is the only way to Heaven (John 14:6). Unfortunately there are some so-called Christians who are getting mixed up in this globalization process. One such person, Pastor Rick Warren, who is a member of the New World Order group, the Council on Foreign Relations, was invited to speak at a forum on Faith and Globalization by Tony Blair himself. This link was sent to me by my friend Kathi some weeks ago. The panel included a Catholic priest, an evangelical Christian, a Rabbi and a Muslim Cleric. As the above quotation states, all these faiths have one thing in common, they all claim Abraham as their father. Of course unless you have a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ, then you are not of Abraham's seed (Galatians 3:29). Even Tony Blair has stated that Christians and Muslims worship the same God. As we can see, the end time deception during the tribulation period will be intense. And this is why John describes the False Prophet as having two horns like a lamb, but speaks like a dragon (Revelation 13:11). For it is entirely probable that the one world religion that will be set up in the last days will have a semblance of Christian morality, but will be devoid of the true power of God, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Do not be deceived by these demonic doctrines. If you want to know the truth, it's right there in the Scriptures. Open your Bible, and open your heart to Jesus Christ today.

Revelation 3:20
Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 

Source Independent, BBC, YouTube

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called for a shake-up of international institutions, to better enable the world to cope with the processes of globalization. During a speech made shortly after his succession of Tony Blair, Gordon Brown said he believed that out of the greatest restructuring of the global economy, the 21st century would witness the creation of a new world order. After the signing of the Lisbon Treaty last year, the British government had promised that there would be no more institutional changes in Europe for some time to come. But parts of the Lisbon treaty are not due to come into force until around 2017 anyway, so this is less of a promise and more of a prediction on the part of the British government. Following the summit in Portugal, Brown stated that Europe's focus would now move away from internal institutional reform, to deal with the "the full agenda of globalization". Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates went further again, stating that the EU would become involved in three main areas of globalization, "the redesigning of global institutions, the globalization agenda, and the environmental issue". Today Gordon Brown outlined his intentions to press ahead with the redesigning of global institutions and the environmental issue. He called for the International Monetary Fund to be transformed into a global early-warning system which would be able to prevent turbulence in the financial markets. Brown also called for the United Nations to set up a fund for crisis and recovery management, and for the World Bank to establish a multi-billion dollar fund to finance environmentally sustainable development in the poorest countries. He also said Britain would take a leading role in nuclear disarmament, and would press for the setting up of a new international system whereby non-nuclear states could acquire new sources of energy.

Quote: "In a wide-ranging speech, he said the international institutions formed after World War Two, such as the United Nations, World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), had to be radically reformed to fit the new, globalised world. "I see a world that harnesses for the common good the growing inter-dependence of nations, cultures and peoples -- a new global society," he said in a speech to business groups in New Delhi.

As we can see, rather than slowing down following the adoption of the Lisbon Treaty, the push for globalization is continuing to accelerate at a rapid pace. Within the last three weeks, we have heard how the Gulf Cooperation Council is planning to establish an Economic Community by the year 2010, how the US and EU are planning to form a Transatlantic Economic Community by the year 2015, how military officials are considering the creation of a joint EU-US-NATO command structure, and how world leaders are trying desperately to bridge cultural and religious divides through the Alliance of Civilizations. When taken collectively, these factors give a clear indication of where the process of globalization is taking us, towards a system of global governance. The Bible prophesies that during the tribulation period, following a period of political turmoil, economic hardship and environmental catastrophe, ten kings will pledge their allegiance to the Antichrist for a short period of time. It has long been speculated whether these ten kings are the leaders of an existing alliance such as the Western European Union, or whether they will be a confederation of ten regional powers that will exercise authority over the whole earth.

Revelation 17:9-14
And here [is] the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, [and] the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him [are] called, and chosen, and faithful.

In the book of Daniel, the word "prince" is often associated with angelic and demonic spirits that exercise control over the empires of men. In Daniel 10:13 the archangel Gabriel mentions that when he was sent by God to answer Daniel's prayer, the "prince of Persia" withstood him for three weeks, but Michael, one of the "chief princes", came to his aid. And in Daniel 10:20, Gabriel says that following the fall of the Persian empire, the "prince of Greece" would come. The Bible also states that we Christians "war not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places", Ephesians 6:12. These are not earthly principalities, but spiritual ones. As my friend Cliff says, seeing there are governments that exercise authority over the kingdom of men, perhaps there are are angelic and demonic governments that also exercise control over the spiritual realm. The Bible seems to indicate that the Antichrist will be the "prince" of the people would be responsible for the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple (Daniel 9:26). And we know according to history that it was the Roman Empire that fulfilled this prophecy in AD70. Now I believe the Antichrist will be a literal man, but the Bible often associates earthly rulers with demonic spirits, one example being the King of Tyre and his spiritual "prince", Satan himself (Ezekiel 28). And in the book of Revelation we read that it was the Dragon, or Satan, who gave the Antichrist his power, seat and great authority (Revelation 13:2).

So we can see the Antichrist will be controlled by a demonic spirit closely associated with the Roman Empire. Some will disagree with me on that, but this is my understanding of the Scriptures. Nebuchadnezzar's dream of the image in chapter 2, representing four or five world empires that would rule over Israel, closely correlates with Daniel's vision of the four beasts in chapter 7. My friend Sam Jennings says that man views his empires as a glorious achievement, in Nebuchadnezzar's case as a magnificent image, whereas God views the same empires from a heavenly standpoint, as ravenous beasts that devour the earth. Daniel's fourth beast is associated with legs of the Nebuchadnezzar's image, which represent the Roman Empire and the Revived Roman Empire or presently the European Union.

The Apostle John saw a vision of a beast with seven heads and ten horns. According to the angel's interpretation of the vision, the seven heads are associated with seven kings, five are fallen, one is living and the other has not yet come. Most commentators believe that the seven heads of this beast represent seven kingdoms that would rule over the land of Israel. Six of them are believed to be Assyria, Egypt, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome. In John's day, five of these world empires had fallen, and one was presently in existence, the Roman Empire. The angel states that following the fall of the sixth king, another would come along who would continue for a short while. Presently the European Union has only existed for around 60 years, not even a generation yet, and we believe that it must soon fall to make way for God's Kingdom. The angel tells John that the eighth king, who is the Antichrist according to the angel's description of him, is actually one of the seven. According to John's vision, the Antichrist receives a deadly wound and is miraculously healed (Revelation 13:2), and perhaps this is why one of the seven kings becomes the eighth king. Naturally we would assume that the seventh will become the eighth, for the other empires have fallen. And all the world worships the Antichrist, who's deadly wound was healed. It seems that following this event, the nations of the world will pledge their allegiance unto the beast, paving the way for the setting up of a one world government system. You can just imagine the press a world leader would get if he had been targeted in some terrorist attack, was thought to have been killed, but was "miraculously" raised from the dead. No wonder the people of the world will chant, "Who is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?", Revelation 13:4.

As we can see from today's events, the Kingdom of God is at hand. Forget talk about the "end of the world" for a minute. The world ends every day for somebody. I know from having the accident on my motorbike, any one of us could be launched into eternity within an instant. If that happened, where would you be? In heaven with Christ, or in hell, to be separated from God for eternity? Don't leave it too late. Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation today.

John 1:12
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name 

Source Reuters

Former military commanders from Britain, France, Germany, Holland and the United States have urged that a new security directorate be established, one which would combine the command structures of the EU, US and NATO under one central authority. In a new report presented at NATO headquarters in Brussels, the former commanders warned that individual nations are not capable of dealing with the scale of the threat now posed by global terrorism, and that only by establishing a joint-command structure can this threat be properly addressed. The authors of the report include former German chief of staff General Dr. Klaus Naumann, and former chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General John Shalikashvili. NATO heads are due to meet in April to discuss the organization's future role in the world.

Quote: ""There is a great mismatch between the interconnected list of dangers and the international and national capabilities to respond to them - capabilities that are weakened by their disunity," the authors wrote in the report, titled "Towards a Grand Strategy for an Uncertain World." "No institution and no nation is capable of responding to these dangers and risks on its own; and just a cursory glance at our international organizations leads us to ask whether we have a proper basis for coordinated action. Unfortunately, it would appear that we do not," the report concluded. The report's authors recommend the establishment of a US, EU, NATO "steering directorate" to coordinate operations when common interests are in danger.

Meanwhile the beleaguered Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is presently on tour of EU states in an effort to reassure the international community of his ability to govern the nation. The dire security situation has caused much concern of late, some thinking that Pakistan may become more of a threat to the West than Iran, should the country happen to fall into the hands of Al-Qaeda. States like Pakistan cannot deal with the terrorist threat on their own, this is a global threat that requires a global response. And as military cooperation between the US and the EU increases, so politicians are planning to increase the political cooperation between the two power blocs. WorldNetDaily has confirmed that US and EU politicians are working towards the establishment of a Transatlantic Common Market by the year 2015. Last April German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US President Bush signed an agreement which resulted in the creation of a Transatlantic Economic Council. The council has been given the task of harmonizing administrative regulations between the EU and US in preparation for the establishment of the Transatlantic Common Market. This is being done without the approval of the US Congress. WorldNetDaily believes the creation of the Transatlantic Common Market is the first step in creating a Transatlantic Union, and that this will be the first step towards setting up a one world government.

Quote: "The plan – currently being implemented by the Bush administration with the formation of the Transatlantic Economic Council in April 2007 – appears to be following a plan written in 1939 by a world-government advocate who sought to create a Transatlantic Union as an international governing body. An economist from the World Bank has argued in print that the formation of the Transatlantic Common Market is designed to follow the blueprint of Jean Monnet, a key intellectual architect of the European Union, recognizing that economic integration must inevitably lead to political integration.

Jean Monnet believed the states of Europe were not strong enough individually to be able to guarantee prosperity and social development for their peoples. He said that peace would only come to Europe once they forfeited their sovereignty and established a federation of nation states. As a result of his efforts the European Economic Community was formed, which later became the European Community and European Union following further political and economic integration. 

Quote: "In 1950, in the face of rising international tensions, Jean Monnet felt that the time had come to attempt an irreversible step toward uniting the European countries. In his house in Houjarray, he and his team conceived the idea of the European Community. On 9 May 1950, with the agreement of Chancellor Adenauer, Robert Schuman made a declaration in the name of the French government. Prepared by Jean Monnet, this declaration proposed placing all the Franco-German production of steel and coal under a common High Authority open to the other countries of Europe. "Through the consolidation of basic production and the institution of a new High Authority, whose decisions will bind France, Germany and the other countries that join, this proposal represents the first concrete step towards a European federation, imperative for the preservation of peace," declared Robert Schuman. Soon the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands replied favourably. Thus the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was born, laying the foundation of the European Community. In 1952, Jean Monnet became the first President of the High Authority.

The Second World War helped to bring about the establishment of the European Union and the United Nations. Back then the threat was national, and the response was to create supranational organizations which would be able to unite the warring European states. Today the threat from terrorism is international, and an international threat requires an international response. And that response is what we are seeing today, with the further integration of the EU, US and NATO. Whether this threat is genuine or engineered, I don't know. There are many organizations working towards the goal of a one world government:- the Illuminati, the Bilderberg, the Council on Foreign Relations, Chatham House, the Trilateral Commission, the State of the World Forum, etc. There is also no doubt Islam is seeking to dominate the world. There are conspiracy theories that have an element of truth to them, but personally I feel people give them more credit than they deserve. Men would like to think they are in control of this planet, but in reality God is still in absolute control. Conspiracy theories are just surface. If you want to know what is really going on, you need to dig deeper, into the spiritual dimension.

Hebrews 4:12
For the word of God [is] quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and [is] a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

As my friend Cliff states, the Holy Spirit 'spilled the beans' on this 'plan of the ages' long ago. Satan's goal is to set up a one world government in direct defiance of God's promises in the Scriptures. And a one world government will be set up, headed by a man the Bible describes as the Beast and the Antichrist. But it will all be according to God's plan. For as this one world government is at the height of its power, in one act, its leadership will be decapitated and its authority will be completely destroyed. And Jesus Christ will return to Jerusalem to set up an everlasting kingdom which shall never be destroyed (Daniel 2:44). Praise God that as we witness man's increased efforts at setting up his one world system, we know that the Kingdom of God is at hand. The question is, are you a citizen of God's Kingdom? Have your sins been forgiven through faith in the atoning blood of Jesus Christ? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation today.

Hebrews 12:28-29
Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God [is] a consuming fire.

Source Jerusalem Post, Xinhua, WorldNetDaily, History of the EU

Javier Solana, the High Representative for the European Common, Foreign and Security Policy, has called for the Alliance of Civilizations to engage in concrete programmes rather than just inter-cultural dialogue. He made the comments following a two day summit convened by the organization in Madrid, which brought together representatives from over 60 nations of the world. The goal of the Alliance of Civilizations to improve understanding and cooperative relations among nations and peoples across cultures and religions and, in the process, to help counter the forces that fuel polarization and extremism.

Quote: "UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon stressed the urgent need for inter-cultural dialogue to thwart the threat of extremist movements. "Never in our lifetime has there been a more desperate need for constructive and committed dialogue," Ban said, describing the Alliance of Civilizations as a "unique" platform for that purpose. It was easy to call for cultural bridges, Ban admitted, but it was much more difficult to turn the words into deeds influencing how people thought and acted. Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos urged the participants to engage to back US peace efforts in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, complaining of a "lack of political will" to create a Palestinian state.

The idea of the Alliance of Civilizations was first proposed by Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, following the Madrid train bombings in 2004. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair later backed his proposal, and the United Nations put the plan into effect. It's creation also followed the publication of controversial cartoons of the prophet Mohamed, which sparked a wave of Islamic violence across the globe, resulting in the deaths of many Christians. In an unprecedented step, Javier Solana took it upon himself to personally apologize to Muslim leaders on behalf of Europe. There were no protests in Egypt however, even though the same cartoons were printed in an Egyptian newspaper four months prior to those published in Europe. The riots continued for many weeks, and several hard-line Islamic governments were found to be actively involved in supporting them. But the schism between the Islamic and Western cultures has been healed of late, after a group Muslim clerics sent a letter to prominent politicians and religious leaders in the West, calling for greater understanding between the two sides. The letter urged Christians to set aside their differences with Islam, and focus on the values that are common to both, and "that we worship none but God, and that we shall ascribe no partner unto Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords beside God". As I commented at the time, no Christian in their right mind could agree to such a statement, for the Qur'an teaches that Jesus Christ is a created being and in the eyes of Islam, any person that believes the Deity of Jesus Christ is ascribing a partner to God. But many Evangelical leaders did respond to the letter, apologizing for the war in Iraq and calling for deeper dialogue between Islam and Christianity. I somehow doubt that dialogue will include telling Muslims of their need to be saved in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).

There have been many calls for a "United Nations of Religions" over the past few years. And there are many organizations that are actively involved in pursuing the unification of all religions under one umbrella. On the surface, the values that these groups espouse seem to be admirable. World peace, tolerance, love, etc. And as Christians, the Bible commands us to follow peace with all men (Hebrews 12:14), and to love not only our neighbours but also our enemies (Luke 6:27). But the Bible states that God will not give His glory to another (Isaiah 42:8), and these organizations have placed every idol on an equal par with the God of the Bible.

Quote: "Rev. Marcus Braybrooke, a scholar of interfaith, describes it as follows: Religion too often has been used to justify killing people in 'holy' wars, crusades and persecution. The interfaith movement recognizes that God is present in every religion. It believes that people of faith and good will must cooperate to break down religious prejudice and work together for a better world.

Even those who profess to be Christians, such as US President Bush and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, have claimed that Islam and Christianity both worship the same God. As we can see from the above quotation, these men may be only following orders from the chief of this one world system, Satan himself. For this is the lie that all these organizations are bringing in, "we are one people, we can all get to God our own way". There is one verse in the Bible that stops this idea dead in its tracks...

John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 

You just can't get around that verse. Many have tried, even Joel Osteen tried it. But you just can't twist it. These organizations will continue to promote their religious ideas, as the world prepares for the coming of the Antichrist. The Bible states that during the tribulation period, a religious leader will emerge on the scene who will seemingly unite all religions under the authority of the Antichrist. As my friend Olli-Pekka has been commenting recently, it seems that many religions are now expecting the coming of a great leader who will usher in an era of peace upon this world. The world isn't anti-God. You can have your god and call him whatever you like, doesn't bother Satan one bit. People of the world will have no problem in adding one more god to their list of deities when the Antichrist appears on the scene. But the world is anti-Christ, and the Bible says that the tribulation saints will pay a heavy price for the proclamation of the Gospel (Revelation 20:4). May we continue to do so as good and faithful servants, until He comes.

Revelation 13:11-15
And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by [the means of] those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

Source Earth Times, URI, You Tube