Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has proposed the establishment of an Asia Pacific Union, which would pave the way for further economic and political integration in the region. He made the comments during a speech at the Asia Society Australasia Centre in Sydney last night. Rudd believes that existing organizations such as the APEC and ASEAN are not designed to promote co-operation across the entire region, and that it would take an institution with similar powers to that of the European Union to bring peace and prosperity to Southeast Asia. Rudd hopes that this Asia Pacific Union will be in place by the year 2020, and has appointed a special envoy to lobby regional leaders to support the project. 

Quote: ""We need to have a vision for an Asia-Pacific community, a vision that embraces a regional institution, which spans the entire Asia-Pacific region - including the United States, Japan, China, India, Indonesia and the other states of the region," said the Prime Minister. The body would be "able to engage in the full spectrum of dialogue, co-operation and action in economic and political matters and future challenges related to security". "The purpose is to encourage the development of a genuine and comprehensive sense of community whose habitual operating principle is co-operation," Mr Rudd said. "The danger of not acting is that we run the risk of succumbing to the perception that future conflict within our region may somehow be inevitable."

This news comes just weeks before the expected announcement of the creation of a Mediterranean Union, comprising of the twenty seven members of European Union and the sixteen Mediterranean states participating in the Barcelona Process. It also follows a recent statement made by the Gulf Co-operation Council announcing the formation of a common market, similar to the one that eventually brought about the creation of the European Union. And like the EU, the GCC is also planning to launch a single regional currency by the year 2010. And of course efforts are still underway to bring about the establishment of a North American Union. The architects of this New World Order are planning to meet in Washington D.C. tomorrow to discuss ways of accelerating the globalization process. No doubt Kevin Rudd will be getting a great big pat on the back for services rendered. The question is, why are so many political unions being set up now? We have the EU, the AU, the ASEAN, the GCC, the NAU, the MU and now the APU. There are two main obstacles preventing the establishment of global government. They are religion and nationalism. The concept of nationalism is slowly being eradicated through the setting up of these diverse political unions. One of the goals of the European Union was to bring an end to war on the continent through the creation of a new 'European identity', to which people of all countries could subscribe to. Other groups such as the ASEAN union are also seeking to do the same. Last year we had the establishment of the Alliance of Civilizations, which seeks to bridge the cultural gulf between east and west. Efforts are also being made to erode the divisions between world religions and to bring them under one central authority. This year we have witnessed the establishment of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's Faith Foundation, a forum aimed at promoting dialogue between the major world religions. So where is all of this heading? It seems that the world is heading towards the establishment of a single economic, political and religious authority. The Bible states that during the tribulation period, a single religious authority will be established. This religious authority will be headed by one man, whom John describes as having the appearance of a lamb but he speaks as a dragon (Revelation 13:11). In other words, he will be a wolf in sheep's clothing (Acts 20:29). He may even have a semblance of Christianity. He will perform great miracles in an effort to persuade people that he has been sent from God, even going so far as calling down fire from heaven in the sight of men (Revelation 13:13-14). As we have seen this past week, there are people who are already fulfilling this Scripture in a spiritual sense. This spiritual leader will command all people to worship another man, a political leader, who will attempt to bring about world peace through the establishment of a single political authority (Daniel 7:20, Revelation 17:12).

But there will be no peace. What the world doesn't realize is, you can't have peace without first coming to know the Prince of Peace - Jesus Christ (Isaiah 9:6). The Lord Jesus Christ said, "Without me ye can do nothing", John 15:5. Jesus Christ is the Stone that is still rejected by this world's Bilderberg (Matthew 21:42). Only when Christ has been given His rightful place as King of Kings and Lord of Lords, will it be said, "Of the increase of [his] government and peace [there shall be] no end", Isaiah 9:7. What about you? Do you have peace in your heart? Without Christ you can do nothing. Trust in Jesus Christ for salvation today.

Isaiah 28:16
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner [stone], a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.

Source The Australian, Bilderberg

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has announced that he is planning to hold an interfaith gathering, aimed at preventing the "decay of morality and family values" in society. The revelation comes just weeks after the Vatican announced similar plans for a Catholic-Islamic summit, which would aim to increase dialogue and co-operation between the two monotheistic religions. The Saudi proposal will include representatives of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, all of which lay claim to a common heritage in the Old Testament and the Ten Commandments. 

Quote: "Saudi clerics, revealed the king, were also enthusiastic regarding this interfaith conference. "With Allah's aid, we will meet our brethren of the Torah and the New Testament. Together we will prevent the decay of morality and family values in our society, and replace the contempt and hurtfulness omnipresent in our world with genuine human fealty."

In May 2005, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia was on an official visit to the United States to extend the hand of peace, and convey the message that "tolerance must extend to those of all faiths and practices". But to citizens of his own country, the king was conveying an entirely different message. Just a few days before King Abdullah met with US President Bush at his ranch in 2005, two Christian gatherings in the Saudi capital of Riyadh were raided by the religious police. Around eighty Christians had been arrested, and their Bibles and literature confiscated for the crime of "trying to spread their poisonous religious beliefs to others through the distribution of books and pamphlets". In Saudi Arabia, you can be arrested, deported, publicly flogged and even be killed for the crime of possessing a Bible. Most foreigners found in possession of Bibles are arrested and deported. Some have been flogged. But no such luck for Muslims living in kingdom. In September 1993, Sadeq Mallallah was beheaded in Qateef on a charge of apostasy for owning a Bible. And the British government, for the sake of its close political ties with the Islamic state, enforces these unjust laws on its own citizens seeking to travel to Saudi Arabia. If you want to see tolerance in action, it seems you won't find it in Saudi Arabia. 

So why on earth is the Pope holding interfaith dialogue with the Muslims? Why is Tony Blair so concerned about bridging the divisions between Islam, Christianity and Judaism? Why is Abdullah speaking of tolerance for other faiths while persecuting believers in his own country? Why is religious 'fundamentalism', according to the Pope, Javier Solana, Tony Blair, and even some Christians, going to be the war of the 21st Century? Religious fundamentalism, the belief that truth is absolute, is one of the main obstacles in uniting this planet under a one world government system. Under the ecumenical and interfaith movements, no religion will be able to claim they have the 'absolute truth'. All religions, it will be declared, 'contain truth' and are equally valid. In other words there is good in all religions, and even though you may disagree about which one is the best, you cannot say your brother who follows Allah or Buddha is going to hell. And that is the message that is being propagated today, in our schools, by our media and now by our governments. As Christians we are not to criticize other people's religions, but we should tell them the truth. The Bible says there is only one way to get to heaven, and that is through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me", John 14:6. Praise God that despite man's best attempts to destroy God's Word, the Lord has promised that heaven and earth might pass away, but His words will never pass away (Luke 21:33). Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation today.

Source YNet News, NY Sun, Telegraph

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