Tag: god

The Unthinkable: The World on the Brink of Four Simultaneous Conflicts

by MikeBain, posted in Uncategorized

As published in The Daily Examiner News Website and based on the Christian Voice New Zealand podcast: The Unthinkable

It’s hard for the typical New Zealand citizen to imagine that the country’s Defence Forces might be required to participate in a military conflict before the year is over.

The United States might need to lean on its military allies as China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran eagerly anticipate challenging the world’s most powerful military.

For many Christians as these events unfold may recall the words of Jesus Christ from the Bible, warning that in the last days, there would be wars and rumours of wars.

This year and more so now as 2024 draws to a close, we have reached a moment in history that none of us will forget.

As the world stands on the brink of four major conflicts, we are standing on the precipice of the unthinkable.

Horrific wars have a way of erupting when most people are not expecting them.

Hardly anyone expected a global war to erupt in 1914, but then tens of millions died over the next four years.

Hardly anyone expected a global war to erupt in 1939, but once again tens of millions died over the next six years.

This time around, what is happening should be glaringly obvious to everyone. 

If the nations currently beating the drums of war do not change course, not tens of millions but billions could die during the nightmarish global wars that are rapidly approaching.

Since the end of World War II in 1945, the prospect of another global conflict has loomed, yet the nations have been reluctant to tread the path again.

Since the end of World War II in 1945, the prospect of another global conflict has loomed, yet nations were reluctant to tread that path again. Now, that reluctance has vanished as the drums of war grow louder each day, causing major concerns across the United States.

There’s no longer an eagerness, only an obligation for the US to engage in conflict, and indications are they soon will be.

China continues to flex its muscles in the South China Sea, right in front of the US fleet stationed off the coast of Taiwan. Speculation is rampant that an invasion by Chinese forces is imminent.

President Xi Jinping, recently seen in military fatigues, has emboldened his troops to prepare for war.

Chinese analysts believe that the directive from Xi to “strengthen their preparedness for war” signals that a strike in Taiwan is likely. This could lead to a direct confrontation between the United States and China.

The conflict in Europe remains ongoing, with Russian forces, bolstered by reinforcements from North Korea, continuing their attempts to reclaim control over Ukraine.

 In response, Western leaders, spearheaded by French President Emmanuel Macron, are considering the deployment of NATO troops to assist Ukrainian forces.

If this decision is implemented, the United States, as a treaty partner, would be obliged to deploy its own troops, entangling the nation in yet another conflict.

The recent tensions between North Korea and South Korea are raising alarms in the United States, particularly as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un seeks to demonstrate military strength and has labelled South Korea a “hostile nation.”

Observers in Asia suggest that South Korea’s patience is limited, and if conflict were to erupt, the U.S. would feel compelled to intervene due to its obligations to South Korea.

The situation underscores the ongoing instability in the region and the complexities of international relations involving North Korea.

There is a genuine concern that four major conflicts could overburden the U.S. military, which remains focused on the Middle East, where the situation could rapidly become unmanageable. The prospect of war is inevitable, painting a grim picture for the United States Military, once regarded as the best in the world, now a mere shadow of its former self.

At the AUSA conference in Washington DC last week, General Charles Flynn of the United States Pacific Forces admitted, “the U.S. military is not the overwhelming global force that it once was.”

He emphasized that “Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea have been placing increasing pressure on American military resources.” While other major powers have been fervently preparing for World War III, Flynn concluded, “our military has been rapidly becoming a politically correct joke.”

He warned, “the day of reckoning is upon us, and we’re not ready.”

Concerns regarding New Zealand’s security and potential involvement in a global conflict remain unanswered by the New Zealand Government.

New Zealand’s Foreign Affairs Minister, the Right Honourable Winston Peters, has described the NZ Defence Force as “utterly unprepared,” consistently reminding that “we are no longer safe in our place in the world.”

As a member of the ANZUS alliance, New Zealand is obligated to support its military partners. Consequently, if the United States calls, New Zealand troops could find themselves deployed in any of these conflicts.

The unthinkable may soon become a reality.

He Wore a Chaplains Shirt.

by MikeBain, posted in Uncategorized

The following is a word of appreciation I wrote to the New Zealand Chaplains group following my time in hospital in 2022 after a near fatal accident which nearly took my life.

To whom this may concern,

Absolutely, without question, God is great, and few individuals are lucky to serve him on a daily basis.

On July 7 kissing my wife goodbye as she put my cell phone in my back pocket and rode down the drive on my bike with the intention of cycling my regular fifty kms from Te Awamutu which would take in the streets of neighbouring Hamilton City.

It would not be until mid-September, until I returned home, having spent the period in Hamilton’s intensive Care Unit, Ward M2 and ABI in Auckland.

I am unsure of the exact date, but told, it was sometime in August I can recall a woman in face mask rubbing and kissing my arm.

In those moments of regaining consciousness, I was confused as to who this woman was, but I could tell by the kisses that this was my wife, Mandy.

I vaguely recall her telling me I had been involved in an accident and was in hospital, and I am quite sure the first thing I mentioned was that I could feel the weight of prayer offered on my behalf, I was aware God was with me.

Although in a coma and heavily influenced by drugs, I was aware of certain people being around me like a nurse, my family, a member of my church pastoral team and someone called Brian who was in and out of those moments. He was the one wearing the chaplain’s shirt.

As I became more lucid and checking memory with Mandy as to what was real and what was drug induced memory, I spoke about Brians presence and his prayers.

It was later I found out how instrumental Brian had been during this time period I was unconscious.

Mandy and the family speak highly of Brian’s commitment to me in visiting on regular occasions each day and the support he provided for them.

He certainly wore the chaplain’s shirt, both physically and spiritually.

Mandy was and will be forever appreciative of the time, commitment, and compassion, he showed in being the hands and feet of Jesus at the time.

Although I can say, had I not met Brian recently, I may have passed him in the street without recognition, so much as my memories were, but I was always aware and appreciative of his presence, it gave me a sense of peace when under the influence of administered drugs.

I understand Brian was not the only member of the team who had visited and made supplication for healing on my behalf, I appreciate their time and commitment.

Once released from ICU, I spent weeks in a general ward and recall, chaplain Lance Langley sitting by my bedside praying and comforting me.

A year plus on as a part of my recovery, I joined the volunteers at parkrun, a 5km run around Hamilton Lake on Saturday.

Mandy has been involved as an athlete for years and before my accident I would bike through to Hamilton and meet up as she was finishing for coffee.

It was only in recent weeks that my family told me that the Lance I spoke to on a regular basis was the chaplain I had prayed with and he too, like Brian and the rest of the team were at my side on a regular basis.

Somewhere in the blur I recalled saying to Brian, when this is all over, we must have coffee, because even then I recall he was there.

There is one thing I have understood from this experience is that King David was correct when he wrote the 23rd Psalm.

Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

Brian may well have worn the chaplain’s shirt, but I do believe God had both appointed and anointed him to help me through that dark valley.

Having gone through all the trauma at the time it was great for Mandy and me to be able to catch up with Brian and acknowledge the hard testing times he put in with both me and my family.

Brian was able that day to facilitate a trip back to ICU and had a chance to catch up with others whom I did not recognise but knew they had also worked on my recovery.

There is no way or words that can really express our gratitude for their work except to say, “Thank You.”

Brian, Lance, and the rest of the team may have “just” been wearing the chaplain’s shirt during those days, but I know, those who were wearing the shirt were walking with God.

I want to finish this off with a verse from the book of 2 Samuel 7 as King David sat before the Lord although speaking of the new temple, he was to build I hope these words will pass onto the chaplaincy team.
Now be pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, Sovereign Lord, have spoken, and with your blessing the house of your servant will be blessed forever.”

I thank God daily for you and may you continue to bring peace and assurance of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

The collapse of society is imminent

by MikeBain, posted in Uncategorized

The collapse of society really is coming, and most of us will find themselves completely and utterly unprepared when it finally happens.

Survey after survey in New Zealand points to a genuine concern we are not confident of our future.

If you look at the political polls conducted over the past decade, especially the question on optimism, like are you happy where the country is headed, there are more dis-satisfied people than there are satisfied.

I acknowledge over the past decade we have had changes in government, and although the recent change has brought about an increase in optimism but is that superficial based on some form of hope brought about by an inner fear, it might not happen.

If you are feeling this way, you are not alone.

In his Olivet discourse (Matthew 24) when speaking of the time of the end times Jesus used a nearby fig tree to make his point and said to his disciples “learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.

So what is it exactly that’s causing people to lose heart, to lose certainty about their future.

As an honest person, one who is not afraid to speak the truth, the answer comes down to what you believe, what it is which occupies the space in your head.

There is just so much mistrust these days, every night when I watch the news, I find myself checking each story as to whether its true and not spun in a way that it “just looks true.”

Faith in all of our major institutions is dropping, and here in New Zealand the Readers Digest every year takes a poll to find what is the most trusted brand and or profession.

Last year we voted we trusted Whitakers Chocolate as the most trusted brand and doctors were number one trusted professional.

But there is a growing consensus that very challenging times are ahead of us.

Here in 2024, we will be facing huge issues not just at home, but from overseas, and while we may have plenty to say about the rights and wrongs of things like societal change it won’t matter one iota, because we here are just a small country at the bottom of the planet.

And because of our geographical isolation, we are not living in the same nightmares people on other continents find themselves in.

 Later this year the people of the United states will get to vote in what is already being described as the most chaotic election season in the countries entire history, multiple wars are erupting all over the planet, economic problems are rapidly growing, destructive natural disasters are becoming more frequent, global authorities are warning us to brace ourselves for the next pandemic, and our cities are being absolutely overwhelmed by endless waves of new migrants.  

The stage is set for a societal implosion of epic proportions, and many around the globe are feverishly preparing for a coming collapse that they believe is inevitable.

In New Zealand, our civil defence message was “get ready, get through.”

Remember. How we, were encouraged to have emergency kits to get us through a disaster?

The idea, like wearing life jackets on a boat is a good one but really who complied.

And like the people of Hawkes Bay found out last year having faith in your government would help keep society stable was unfounded.

Today, if you actually believe that the government will be there to rescue you when things really start hitting the fan, you are delusional.

Many New Zealanders are realizing that they will be forced to rely on themselves as society collapses, but no one, and I mean no one is spending significant money on emergency preparedness, given the cost-of-living crisis in this country, no one can afford to think beyond dinner time let alone next week.

But spending a couple hundred dollars on some emergency preparedness items simply is not going to be enough to survive what is eventually coming.

I keep coming back to this point, many, and that number increases, but many wealthy are divesting assets around the world and building shelters for themselves, some have built them here in New Zealand.

Come back to Jesus words “learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it[e] is near, right at the door.

This is not a doomsday message by any means but ask yourself, When things get really bad, will you shut your door to those that are requesting help?

We have all seen the dystopian movies where people will be so desperate and take what they want for themselves.

We no longer have to wait for those times here in New Zealand. We see certain groups of people already helping themselves in supermarkets with no consequences.

Discussions on collapse often turn to signs and signals – The economy, politics and social tensions have become increasingly unstable for many years now, and much like adding more and more weight to a man standing on a frozen lake, eventually the ice is going to break. The question is, how do we know when that moment will be?

As cultural systems begin to dissolve due to political clashes and economic decline the real evil tends to slither out of the woodwork.

It happens slowly at first, then all at once. A sure sign of accelerating collapse is the growing prevalence of psychopaths and psychopathic behavior in the open.

As New Zealand as a country we are in the middle stages of such a collapse with many sociopaths and psychopaths beginning to feel that they might be able to act out their worst impulses without consequences.

They are beginning to test the waters to see what they can get away with.

Years ago, last century, I asked a man about the changes in society we were seeing back then if the end of civilisation was coming, his answer to me was, “If you think it’s happening, then it really is.”

The old mans words really resonated with me, because they are so true.

I am sure that you have noticed the same thing.  Evil is literally growing all around us, and the inmates are taking over the asylum.

And I am entirely convinced that 2024 is going to be a historic turning point.

Are you ready for the tremendous chaos that is coming?

If you have not figured it out yet?

Then let’s start by understanding why these things are happening, why Jesus told his disciple about terrible things to come and why he said, for these must happen.

Each one of us, in order to get through, we need to get ready, yes we need to ensure we have an emergency kit prepared, that is just commonsense, but we also need to ensure we have the right standing before God.

I talked about trust earlier, you can put your trust in a Whitakers chocolate Bar or your doctor, but I’ll tell you this. When society goes to hell in a handcart, I would rather have trust in what many refer to as the mystical man in the sky, I am talking about the God of the Bible who already has a record for saving individuals and nations from destruction.

How about you, who are you putting your trust into today?

If you want to find out more about God, the bible, or even what can give you faith in your future, then feel to reach out to your local bible believing, teaching church, or contact us through our website and we will be able to help.

This is not a game.