This page updated 17th April 2023
Upcoming Events
Don’t Start Your Own Church!
God is setting people free from Religion so they can rediscover relevant & meaningful relationships!
To register, go to Event Registrations on our secure web-shop. https://jubileeresources.org/collections/event-registrations
A Training Course for Ministry teams & individual Christians who want to serve the Lord Jesus Christ through home fellowships.
Whanganui - Sat. 29 April 2023
Wai Ora Marae, 49 Brunswick Road, Aramoho
Manawatu - Sat. 6 May 2023
Taonui School Hall, 170 Waughs Road, Feilding
9.30am – 4.00pm Bring your own lunch, Bible & pen.
New Title
Covenants, Crowns & Consequences:
Restoring Focus on the Hidden History for Kiwi Christians. After explaining God’s perspective of what Covenant means, the author explains that both He Wakaputanga (N.Z.'s Declaration of Independence, which was ratified by King William 4th), and Te Tiriti O Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi) are a Covenant before God between two peoples. For God, as it should be for us, the real issue is governance, not politics. “The government shall be upon His shoulder…" Isaiah 9:6. This is an issue for prayer and intercession for all Kiwi Christians. Some history has been hidden. Ask God to raise up men and women of wisdom, grace and stamina to pursue this “Putting Right” in such a way all New Zealanders can accept solutions that firstly please God, and then bring unity to the nation.
We don’t have the luxury of apathy any more. This important topic needs for us all to be involved in bringing correction and reconciliation. The racism on both sides needs to stop so that healing of our nation can occur. It’s time for mutual respect and reconciliation! #BCCC $10.99 MP4 video also downloadable from our web-shop.
The Other New Title
Unmasking the Adventist Paradox: Foundation of Delusions.
I was challenged by a friend a while ago about the Seventh-day Adventist beliefs and why I hadn't written much about them. I had some material on the SDA's in the Fatal Faith book plus a tract, but hadn't thought they were worth a separate book. After all, aren't they basically evangelicals with legalism about the Sabbath & diet? But the more I researched, the more concerned I became. As we were having books in European languages translated, I checked my missions book for JW's & Mormons to see which languages were required for those. I found there are twice as many Adventists as JW's in almost every country. Translation for this title is already underway in 14 languages as the result of what we found, so far. The Paradox is explained in Matthew 7:15-20 and James 3:11-12.
End of Financial Year
For those who made donations direct to our bank account during the past twelve months, if you haven't received our receipt with our grateful thanks, those will all be posted out within the first two weeks of April, as usual.
All unspecified donations will be used to pay for the translations of our books, as well as conversions into ePub-eBooks. We already have many dozens in multiple languages.
A Personal Note:
Last year I was referred for cataract surgery. My first eye was dealt with early December, ahead of schedule, and the other eye surgery was completed in late January. Because of medical rationing in the public system, this has required getting the surgery done at a private hospital. Many thanks for those who sent the finances towards this need. Praise God for His faithfulness. Having lost about 6 months to prepare books in different languages to upload to Amazon (& the eBooks onto our own eBook web-pages) I have now started work on the 209 books in 36 languages already in our computer. We've already completed the four Scandinavian Masonic books, bringing that title to 12 languages.
In his book, “Revolution,” researcher George Barna takes the perspective that we should be able to measure the effectiveness of a church method by the quality of disciples it is producing. In a chapter entitled “How is the Local Church doing?” based on interviews with born-again church-going Christians in the US, he found the following:
• 80% of all believers say they have not experienced a connection with God during the past year.
• The typical churched believer will die without leading a single person to faith in Christ.
• Only 9% of churched believers have a Biblical world view, and most spend less time reading the Bible than watching television and reading other material. There’s no evidence New Zealand is any different.
|
Report on Summer Schools '23 The 21st Annual Jubilee Resources Summer Schools were held recently in Wellington, Christchurch & Auckland. Gary Colville spoke on Power in Intercession with a very colourful powerpoint teaching. Chris Gore spoke on how to Change the Spiritual Atmosphere, and Releasing Healing with Disciples of Jesus. Selwyn Stevens explained the origins of New Zealand governance, including the how and why we haven't had a legitimate government for many decades. He reminded us of the LV Martin & Son motto, "It's the Putting Right that counts." The small book on these issues sold out in each venue. It is intended as a spur to intercession. Marama Dey shared what God is doing in Whanganui, including converting bikie gangs and their families, teaching them construction, bringing peace in their city. Allan Cawood spoke on the Courts of Heaven and gave a demonstration of how to do that, and also explained about the other Books in Heaven.
|
Newest Title
Unmasking the Adventist Paradox: Foundation of Delusions.
I was challenged by a friend a while ago about the Seventh-day Adventist beliefs and why I hadn't written much about them. I had some material on the SDA's in Fatal Faith plus a tract, but hadn't thought they were worth a separate book. After all, aren't they basically evangelicals with legalism about the Sabbath & diet? But the more I researched, the more concerned I became. As we were having books in European languages translated, I checked my missions book for JW's & Mormons to see which languages were required for those. I found there are twice as many Adventists as JW's in almost every country. Translation for this title is already underway in 14 languages as the result of what we found, so far. The Paradox is explained in James 3:11-12.
eBook for Download: https://jubileeresources.org/products/unmasking-the-adventist-paradox-foundation-of-delusions-ebook-new
Print copy: https://jubileeresources.org/products/unmasking-the-adventist-paradox-foundation-of-delusions-book-buas
Update on Translations
Jubilee Resources has uploaded our top 25 print & eBook titles in English onto Amazon globally. We have also completed 140 titles in non-English languages. These include Spanish (for the Americas), Afrikaans, Tagalog, French, German, Brazil-Portuguese, Italian, Dutch, Greek, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Ukrainian, Polish, Russian, Hungarian, Slovak, Czech, Romanian, & Urdu languages. In addition, the following are now also coming in for production as we get to them; Japanese, both forms of Chinese, Hindi, Malayalam, Punjabi, Tamil, Malaysian, Indonesian & Arabic. The eBook versions of all completed titles are already on Jubilee's web-shop, including some too small for Amazon. These may be found on the eBook section of our web-shop.
Please inform any of your friends who speak or read those languages. Thanks.
Link: https://jubileeresources.org/collections/ebooks
A Personal Note:
I've had increasing difficulty working on the computer this year, as my eyesight seemed to get worse. I went to my optometrist for a test. When he was finished, he said that selling me glasses would be pointless, due to cataracts that had developed in both eyes. He referred me to the hospital for cataract surgery. I then saw my doctor. He told me the levels shown in the tests could guarantee the public hospital won't see me until I'm basically blind. I asked if that was rationing of medical services, and he said, "Welcome to my world." So I've been referred to a private hospital. Surgery is scheduled for mid-December. Until the operation/s are completed, I really can't get much done on the computer, so as translation work arrives I put them into their language folder and wait for better days. Not having health insurance, this will be self-funded. Praise God for His faithfulness. When I can, I'll be able to start work on the 200+ books in 31 languages I have in the queue already.
We have been in the "End Times" since 30AD, and it seems we are getting much closer to the Return of Jesus than ever before.
* Imagine if we focused on preparing for Jesus Christ than an anti-Christ?
* Imagine if we focused on the mark of the Lamb, rather than that of the beast?
* Imagine if we focused on preparing for redeeming the Earth than escaping it?
* Imagine if we focused on Hope rather than fear?
What Christians Need!
Confidence: Like Moses, to stand still and see the Salvation of the LORD.
Commitment: Like Joshua, who will say “As for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
Discernment: Like Joseph, to recognise that what some mean for evil, God means for good.
Faith: Like Peter, to step out of the Boat and attempt the impossible for Jesus
Fervency: Like Hannah, to trust God and pray in times of despair and joy.
Obedience: Like Samuel, to heed the calling of God.
Compassion: Like Luke, to care for the physical and spiritual needs of others.
Vision: Like Nehemiah, to persevere in what God calls success.
Salvation: Through Jesus Christ, Who is not willing that any should perish but that all should
come to repentance, restoration and relationship with their Creator.
SHOULD WE OBEY OR DISOBEY GOVERNMENT?
“Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in authority have been placed by God.” (Romans 13:1)
“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority, or to governors.” (1 Peter 2:13)
These portions of Scripture have caused much confusion, conflict, and even chaos in the church. The key to understanding is in the word ‘submit.’ The word ‘submit’ in the Greek is the word “hupotassō” which literally means: “to arrange respectfully in an orderly manner underneath.” Paul and Peter saw governing authorities as necessary for keeping the peace. God is a God of order, not anarchy or chaos (1 Cor 14:33). But here’s where we can go wrong... There’s another word, “hupakouōm” which best translates as ‘obey.’ It literally means: “to conform, to follow a command, or to bow as a subordinate.” Paul and Peter could’ve used “hupakouō” (obey) instead of “hupotassō” (submit) but they didn’t.
Here’s the lesson: to submit doesn’t always mean to obey – they’re two distinctly separate actions. However... Though Paul, Peter and other followers of Jesus disobeyed laws that were in conflict with God’s, they still submitted to the authorities by accepting the legal consequences of their actions.
As believers, the law isn’t meant to be our ultimate moral guide. Remember: Slavery was lawful. The holocaust was legal. Segregation and apartheid were legally sanctioned. And yet all were wrong. Even many Christians were found wrong in them.
Simply put: the law doesn’t dictate our ethics. Jesus Christ does.
Our ultimate allegiance isn’t to any government, but to the Gospel. When devoted believers break unjust laws, you won’t see them struggling to avoid arrest, or being violent or promoting chaos. Instead, they willingly submit to the legal consequences of their actions. They show us how to interpret Romans 13 as Paul and Peter meant: if we ‘disobey’ an unjust law to highlight or protest its injustice, we must also be willing to ‘submit’ to the punishment for disobeying such laws, so that we demonstrate our respect for the role of government in general.
EXAMPLE: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednigo disobeyed King Nebuchadnezzar’s law, but willingly submitted to his punishment of being thrown into the fire. Daniel disobeyed King Darius’s law, but willingly submitted to the punishment of being thrown into the lions’ den. Paul, who wrote Romans 13, disobeyed the Roman law, but willingly submitted to the punishment of imprisonment and then eventually death. The Hebrew midwives disobeyed Pharaoh, Rahab hid the spies, Esther disobeyed Persian law, etc.
CONCLUSION: We do not follow a God of chaos, doing whatever we want, but a God of order and respect for all, including the governing authorities. There will be times when we as believers will be called to stand with a holy ‘NO!’ in the face of evil and injustice. Romans 13 does not undermine that – it informs it. Be wary of a common misuse of such Scriptures, one that justifies apathy and belittles those who protest injustice.
Be careful not to disobey unjust laws out of anarchy and carnal-mindedness. And be discerning not to merely accept and embrace what God might be calling us to oppose and resist. Pursue righteousness, live honourably, resist evil, seek unity, obey Holy Spirit, and respectfully submit to any legal consequences, should it come to that. What an exciting hour to be alive for our Messiah!
Pressure is increasing, hearts are being tested, but great things are coming from it and are still yet to come. Glorious days are ahead for us Keep the faith.
(Source: Anon, but very worthwhile)
Charity Donations: As a registered charitable organisation, donations over $5 to Jubilee Resources International Inc. are tax-deductible within NZ. All monies not specified will be invested in translation of our books into the languages we've had orders for. Direct Credit or Automatic Payment Donations are welcome, including through our secure web-shop. Please ensure your name, initials & address are shown for receipt. Email advice requested. Thank you!
A/c name: Jubilee Resources Intl. Inc.
Bank & Branch: KiwiBank, Wellington.
A/C #: 38-9018-0512398-00
Routing or Swift Code: KIWINZ22
Donations from outside New Zealand can be made to one of the following:
through our secure web-shop www.jubileeresources.org
Selwyn R. Stevens, Ph.D.,
President, Jubilee Resources Intl. Inc.
|
