From time to time, and perhaps in some cases daily, we pray for those of our brethren who are sick or who mourn or who are experiencing one problem or another, and of course, we pray for God to eliminate or ease the problems we ourselves may encounter. But how many times do we pray for those outside the Church? And I refer not only to family and friends.

I watch a number of newscasts on television and I find myself thinking about the events broadcast, including, for example, updates on the plight of the little Scottish girl Madeleine McCann kidnapped in Portugal over four years ago and yet still not found. One might blame the parents for being remiss in looking after this innocent little girl, now 8 years old, leaving her alone in their holiday apartment while they dined nearby. Yet that does not excuse the kidnapper nor lessen the agony of the parents or the child. I have prayed that God will give the Portuguese and British and other authorities who are looking for her an extra portion of insight and police intelligence in being able to find Madeleine and that she may be brought home to her parents and the kidnapper(s) brought to justice.

Occasionally I also view other programs on TV such as Children’s Hospital here in the UK, and my heart and prayers go out for the child’s aches and pains and to the parents for their concern when their child succumbs to injury or disease or death. There are numerous other incidents broadcast depicting victims of accidents, of monetary “scams” and criminal acts such as all-too-frequent knifings and the mugging of old ladies. The plight of those caught up in the extreme drought conditions such as in Kenya and Somalia come to mind, and I pray to God that He would mercifully ease their problems of disease and starvation and their desperate need for medical aid and clean water. Certainly we all recall the atrocious and senseless slaughter of more than 70 young people in Norway recently, and I’ve prayed that God would console the parents.

As I quite often jest, if there wasn’t so much crime and bad news these days there wouldn’t be any newspapers!… Wars in the Middle East and North Africa, volcanic eruptions here and there, increasing budget and inflationary pressures, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, droughts and famines etc. all come to mind. It seems we are swamped with all sorts of bad news—and we in the Church know the reasons why—and our prayers should plead for the return and intervention of Jesus Christ to alleviate the suffering and death which continue to strike mankind in all sorts of ways and with greater frequency.

In the light of all these disturbing events, we in the Church need to avoid being insular or oblivious to the problems of those outside the Church.  Here in the UK where I live I quite often come upon old people having to cope with a cane or walking frame or mobility cart or who are deformed in some way, or blind, and I thank God that I am not likewise encumbered while sympathising with such people and praying silently for them as I walk on by.

As we ourselves suffer trials, such trials can help us to become more sympathetic and empathetic with others going through similar difficulties. When was the last time you expressed your thoughts and prayers in sympathy with such people and in absolute faith that God heard your prayer? David tells us: “The LORD is gracious and full of compassion… and great in mercy” (Psalm 145:8; compare Philippians 2:4). Should we not, as God’s called-out ones, likewise be compassionate?  Indeed, for there is, truly, so many for whom we can, and should, offer our prayers in heartfelt sympathy.

One of the things you may see in people with wealth, power and influence is their desire to prolong their physical life. In their attempts to live a little bit longer, they may have organ transplants, utilize elixirs, or may be obsessed with natural foods and vitamins. This is not to say that any of this is wrong per se, and of course, we need to take care of our bodies and are not to engage in conduct which may shorten our lives. But this does not mean that we must try to artificially prolong life at all costs—such as being “nourished” intravenously for months or years, while in a coma, with no hope of recovery.

Others, knowing that their physical existence is temporary, may build monuments and erect statues of themselves, so that others may remember them after they are gone.

At the same time, we find that built into the human psyche is a desire for eternal life. The Bible says that God gave man such a desire (Ecclesiastes 3:11). Man wants to know what he must do to “get it.” Many have searched for centuries for the proverbial “fountain of youth,” and others have tried to invent elixirs to make them immortal. In their trust in the advancements of science, some even go as far as to have their mortal remains frozen in ice, until science has found a way to revive them.

Notice what a lawyer asked Christ, as recorded in Luke 10:25: “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” Of course, the lawyer was trying to test or tempt Christ, but it is still true that many people wonder what, if anything, they can do to obtain immortality. But most people seek immortality in the wrong manner; that is, they resort to human means and reasoning.

On the other hand, true Christians understand what their future holds. They are told that eternal life lies within their grasp, and that God created man with the potential to obtain eternal life. Notice what Paul says in Titus 1:1-2: “Paul, a bondservant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began…”

Eternal life is a promise which has been a part of God’s Plan for mankind, before time began—that is, before man even existed.

However, Satan lied to Eve by telling her that eternal life could be received by disobeying God. One can never obtain eternal life through rebellion against God and disobedience of His Word. God wants to give us eternal life, but He will only do so when we prove to Him that we will always love Him enough to be obedient to Him and His Word.

When you think about it, for those in whom God’s Spirit dwells, there is no conscious interruption between physical death and immortal spirit life. When they die in the faith, they will be resurrected to eternal life and immortality within the next second of their consciousness. For them, it is like going to sleep at night and awakening in the morning. While they slept a dreamless sleep, they had no conscious awareness of the passage of time.

As true Christians, we don’t have to be terribly concerned with trying everything we can possibly think of to prolong this physical life at all costs. Rather, our desire must be to seek first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness. When we please God and are obedient to Him in this life, fulfilling our responsibilities as Christians, then we will receive in due time God’s GIFT of an eternal joyful and pleasurable life in His very Kingdom.

Those in this age who wield power in government, business, religion and virtually every walk of life are not governed—first and foremost—by truth!
 
What the actual state of a matter is; what can stand the test of verification; what the real facts are—all that denotes and defines truth is simply not held in godly esteem by society!
 
We live in a time in which deception supersedes truth, and it does so because Satan, who is the father of lies (John 8:44), powerfully influences mankind. However, there are some who don’t believe the innumerable falsehoods permeating our world—they are the ones who are governed by truth:
 
“We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one. And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:19-20; compare, also, John 14:6).
 
Jesus said, “‘And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free’” (John 8:32).
 
That freedom comes because we have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling in us and opening our understanding to His Word, and His is the Spirit of truth (compare John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; and 1 John 4:6). Jesus asked that His followers be set apart by God’s truth, and He further stated: “‘…Your word is truth’” (John 17:17).
 
Jesus also had to contend with the Adversary, and Satan’s method for tempting Christ was to lie—he misquoted Scripture, trying to give a deceptive application, but that did not work and this is what Jesus gave in answer:
 
“‘…It is written, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God”’” (Matthew 4:4).
 
As we see, Satan sought to destroy Jesus Christ—just as he now particularly seeks to destroy the people of God (compare 1 Peter 5:8-9). Attacks against the Church of God by Satan have continued, and we have been warned of this (compare Matthew 24:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; 1 Timothy 4:1-3).
 
Withstanding deception is no inconsequential matter!
 
Our battle can only be won when we stand up for and stand in the truth of God—the truth we know!

The Bible is very clear about its instruction for us to be careful when we plan our activities in life, and in nothing is this more true than in our commitment to God. In the context of understanding our level of commitment to Him, Jesus provides us a comparison in Luke 14:28: “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it.” Jesus then goes on to say that if for the sake of discipleship, we are not willing to give up everything detrimental to God’s Way of Life, we are not worthy to be a disciple. Our sacrifice for the sake of following Christ must be comprehensive.  Since this commitment is so comprehensive, it is easy to slip up on.

A common aphorism is that failing to plan is planning to fail. But, how about plans that fail? Even if we have seriously “counted the cost” and think our commitment and sacrifices are complete and genuine, we will certainly find blind spots where we fail. How often are our intentions good and we have seemingly prepared everything to the best of our ability, but then we find ourselves behaving inconsistently? Is there something we can do?

Fortunately, God has provided us a way to correct our paths. Just as a global positioning system [GPS] or a satellite-based navigation system will recalculate a path for us when we get off track, the gift of repentance is a tool that we can use to obtain forgiveness, when we find that we are off track (compare Acts 5:31). However, repentance and forgiveness only work when we go through the process of evaluating the success of our plans. In order to do this evaluation, we first need to know where we plan to go. Only then can we even know that we are in need of a course correction.

Expanding on the example cited above, before counting the cost to build a tower, we first need to know that we want to build a tower. We must firmly establish our commitment to God, knowing that it is the most important thing in our lives, and then make the plans for how to work towards it.

The Bible gives us encouragement regarding the plans we make. It may be true that we have a righteous goal in mind – to commit our lives to God – but the steps in our plan to achieve that goal need to be consistent. The Bible is full of stories about people who had seemingly good intents, but poor plans, doing what was right in their own eyes (compare Judges 17:6). God must direct the plans we make (compare Proverbs 16:9). If we allow Him to do so and follow His lead, we are encouraged that we will have help and support along the way (compare Psalm 121:3). God wants us to succeed, but our success is only possible if we accept and choose God’s right goal and plan for us.

Most are familiar with Christ’s parable of the prodigal or lost son. It is recorded in Luke 15:11-32. The main point is very clear: The younger son repents of his wasteful lifestyle and returns to his father’s house, and his father receives him back with joy and celebration, while his older son is angry and refuses to greet his brother.

The father’s final words bring home the main lesson of this parable: “It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found” (verse 32).

But there is much more to this parable.

It begins with the younger son asking his father to give him his portion of the father’s goods which he would inherit upon his father’s death. The early Jews warned fathers against breaking up an estate too early, but here, the father grants his son’s request, giving him prematurely what he asked for. The son leaves and wastes all that he has received with prodigal living (verse 13). In doing so, he sins against God and men (verse 18), by devouring his father’s livelihood with harlots (verse 30).

Once the money is gone, so are his “friends” and “acquaintances.” All he can do now is to feed swine—an insulting and disgraceful job for a Jew—and he has sunk so low that he would be willing to eat swine’s food, but even that nobody is willing to give him. Perishing with hunger, he “comes to himself” (verse 17), realizing that he has been living in an illusionary dream world, which seemingly started out very promisingly, but ended up in a nightmare.

Recognizing his sins and anticipating that his father would reject him as his son, he is still willing to go back to his father’s house to become one of his servants.

The reaction of his father must have been surprising to him. Seeing him from afar off, the father shows compassion, runs towards him, embraces and kisses him and adorns him with sandals, a robe and a ring, showing his willingness to accept him as his son, who was dead, but has been found. He begins to celebrate—as God the Father and Jesus Christ and the holy angels rejoice when a sinner repents.

When the older son learns about the celebration for his brother, he is angry, as Jonah was angry when God accepted the repentance of the people of Nineveh and relented from doing them any harm that He had intended to bring upon them. The older son is even unwilling to recognize the younger son as his brother (compare verse 30). With self-righteous indignation, he claims that he has never transgressed or sinned against his father’s commandments (verse 29), but that his father never celebrated with him. He acts with envy, saying that his father’s conduct is unjust towards him. He behaves like the Pharisee who proudly compares himself with the sinner in the temple, saying that he is better than the sinner. Job had the same attitude of being proud about his self-righteousness, and he became angry when he had to suffer and did not receive at once the reward to which he thought he was entitled.

However, the father makes clear that a just reward will be given for just behavior. The younger son would not inherit anything, having wasted his share. He would not have any part in the remaining livelihood of his father which is reserved exclusively for the older son. The fact that the younger brother is given favors does not mean that there are no favors in store for the older son. Since all that the father has is the older son’s, he can always kill a fatted calf, whenever he pleases.  On the other hand, the wasteful life style of the younger son will have negative and lasting physical consequences for him for the rest of his life.

Still, the younger son has returned, and that was reason enough for celebration, and the older brother should have rejoiced too and joined in. We don’t know from the parable whether he finally did. It is hoped that he forsook his anger and overcame his self-righteousness, envy and pride, following his younger brother’s example who had repented of his sins, swallowed his pride and returned humbly to his father’s house.

We all can and should learn from this parable. If we have sinned against God and men (and there is no human being who does not sin)—we need to confess those sins to God and repent of them, and reconcile with our fellow man, while leaving the past behind. Some are too proud to do that; others are too timid and fearful. But without “coming to ourselves” and acting like the younger son did, we will not return to our father’s house.

Likewise, if someone has sinned against us and shows his regret, we must embrace him and receive him back. We must bury any grudges, forget the past, accept the repentant brother and reconcile with him. If we refuse to do this, we will stay outside like the older brother did, and we won’t go into our father’s house to join the celebration.

You might say, “I would never act like the younger son, leaving my father’s house and wasting my father’s possession.” Or, “I would never act like the older son, refusing to take back my brother.” But in saying this, you might very well be wrong and deceive yourself. Paul does not say without reason: “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12) and, “Do not be haughty, but fear” (Romans 11:20).

You may all have seen the recent riots in London, Manchester, Birmingham and other major cities in the UK, where mindless gangs of feral youth attacked vehicles, setting some alight, and where innocent bystanders were hurt and looting took place. 
 
There were the inevitable comments from the usual suspects about young people not being engaged, systematic racism, lack of job prospects and other painful excuses for bad behaviour. One commentator observed that “there can be no excuse for this brutal behaviour. What we saw was not a political act but an outbreak of vicious nihilism.”   He went on to say that “Indeed this mentality is deeply immoral, for the biggest losers from the Tottenham riots are the decent, law abiding citizens who have lost their homes or businesses. Their determination to contribute to our society has ended up being punished by brutes who demand respect but give none to others.”

Another commentator said that “Years of liberal dogma have spawned a generation of amoral, uneducated, welfare dependent, brutalised youngsters.” He went on to say: “If you live a normal life of absolute futility, which we can assume most of this week’s rioters do, excitement of any kind is welcome. The people who wrecked swathes of property, burned vehicles and terrorised communities have no moral compass to make them susceptible to guilt or shame. Most have no jobs to go to or exams they might pass. They know no family role models, for most live in homes in which the father is unemployed, or from which he has decamped.”

This has been on the cards for many years. We have had a succession of governments who have dismantled the fabric of a decent society by undermining the importance of marriage, the bedrock of society, and redefined it. On top of that, co-habitation is now seen as the “norm” where feckless young men father children by different women. Many grow up in one parent families and jobs can be hard to find for those even when well qualified. Many youngsters have become dependent on welfare benefits and seem to feel that living off the state is their right. With time on their hands and little to do, this can be a potent mix where the disciplines of yesteryear are discarded. I heard, on the radio, a young girl looter telling a BBC reporter that “it showed the rich and the police that ‘we can do what we like.’”

And the “rent-a-mob” mentality takes hold.

A week later, and we had the Prime Minister and other leading politicians in the country talking about looking at ways to fix a broken society. And this was from a group of career politicians, many of whom had been caught with their fingers in the till over the expenses scandal. What sheer hypocrisy! Not once did I hear anything about God, the Bible or Christianity being mentioned in the plans of action to be discussed as these issues are investigated.  As the deputy Prime Minister is an atheist, he would be unlikely to look at any spiritual aspect of any proposed form of action.

Biblical values are consistently undermined by the teaching of evolution in schools, that all life styles are equal irrespective of true morality, and an aggressive atheistic lobby holds sway where a gullible public swallow their intellectual nonsense. Christianity is often sidelined and ridiculed, and the Bible is seen as being outdated and unnecessary.   The one place where there are sustainable answers is rarely, if ever, mentioned.

There is little esteeming others better than self and doing what is in the best interests of neighbours. A selfish society has developed where these riots take place, and the perpetrators feel that it is their right to act in such a way. And much handwringing takes place by those in charge.

With all of this potent mix present, just what did they think would happen?

It is hard to believe that the campaigning for President of the United States has already begun. Sometimes it seems like it never stopped. Currently we have the “conservatives” starting to vie for the nomination of their particular party, while the sitting President has not really ever stopped his fund raising in a bid for a second term in office.

The News outlets are all agog with every prattling detail of the infighting, as well as the shots being fired across the partisan aisle. Yet individually, everyone still has a savior they are touting – the man or woman who is going to put the US back on the straight and narrow. This nominee will be expected to deliver us out of debt, redeem consumer confidence and master the economy, along with a host of other near impossibilities.

As each of the possible candidates are vetted for their responses to the crisis du jour, a more pertinent question that would get to the heart of the matter is not being asked. The issue at hand is not which politician should be elected, but rather, should we be looking for a solution from politicians at all? Are they the remedy for what ails the US… and the world, for that matter?

The answer is a resounding “NO!” But there is more to this than just that. The reason they are not the key is because politics are not the actual problem. The quagmire that we are in is due to a pervasive character problem. The trouble that we consistently see around us stems from a lack of Godly attributes in the people who are making the decisions.

At the root of what is going on around us are amoral ethics of greed, lust, hatred and selfish ambition… and the list goes on. If we are to carefully scrutinize the basis of the conflicts going on all around us, we would have to come to the conclusion that there is a vice underlying it.

So then to whom should we look to lead us? The answer would have to be one of impeccable and unimpeachable character. Someone who is going to make the right decision for all mankind. Of course, only the God Family has traits that are this virtuous – so naturally the returning Christ is the One that we should be looking to for leadership here on earth.  He is the only one capable of directing and guiding us out of this morass that the world is currently in.  To put our faith anywhere else would be to misplace it, because the Son of God truly is and will be our only Deliverer, Redeemer, Master, Savior and Leader.

This phrase is batted about by people who make a claim to Christianity, yet have no biblical concept of what they are actually saying or how to achieve that goal. For openers, being a true Christian requires a calling from God. One cannot just decide on the spur of the moment at some evangelical assembly, to become a Christian by “giving one’s heart to the Lord.”

By definition, a true Christian is one in whom God’s Holy Spirit dwells, and who follows its lead. There are steps and a process to follow. One is called; repents, that is, turns away from sin; believes in Jesus Christ’s Sacrifice and the gospel of the Kingdom of God; and is baptized. We read in Acts 2:38: “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

Even the Holy Spirit just does not fall upon someone at repentance, but hands must be laid on the person after the baptism, and this must not be done by just anyone, but only by one of God’s true ministers.

Acts 8:18 tells us: “And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money.” Notice, it was by the laying on of the apostles’ hands that the Holy Spirit was received.

Christ said it was possible to worship Him in vain, as Mark 7:6-7 points out: “He answered and said to them, ‘Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written: “THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR FROM ME. AND IN VAIN THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.”’”

Notice again, the ones who were worshipping God in vain knew who God was and what He requires of us; that is, they apparently kept the Sabbath and the Holy Days, but their worship became in vain because they added so many petty regulations which were unnecessary, and they abrogated other godly commandments, such as the injunction to honor our parents. They had added man-made provisions, putting obstacles in the righteous path, so it became burdensome, and they had “liberalized” certain godly commandments, declaring them to be superfluous.

Religions of this world are following the god of this world, Satan the devil (Ephesians 2:2; 2 Corinthians 4:4). We know that this situation will be corrected once Christ returns to this earth, removes Satan and reveals the truth to mankind on what is acceptable worship to God.

But what about all so-called Christian churches? If they don’t teach and observe God’s commandments and accept the biblical truth as to who and what God is, they are following Satan’s deceptions—even though in many cases, they are not even aware of it. For instance, the Bible does not support Sunday worship or the keeping of Christmas, Easter and the rest of pagan-based holidays, which only steer away from the true God and His plan for mankind.

We are either true and believing, or nominal and professing Christians. By our fruits we will be known. What kind of a Christian are you?

Why are so many countries and families on the edge of financial disaster? Is it poor financial planning? A tax code that is too liberal or conservative? Absolutely not! The real cause of our financial problems is not the budget deficit, but a deficit of true knowledge. It’s because neither politicians nor people know or follow the Bible.

What does the Bible say about personal and public finance? A lot more than you might imagine!

The Bible tells us a lot about work. It tells us…

• to work (1Thessalonians 4:11)
• why to work (1Thessalonians 4:12; Ephesians 4:28)
• how to work (Colossians 3:23-24; 1 Peter 2:18-20) 
• when to work (Exodus 20:9)
• when not to work (Exodus 20:10).

The Bible contains work regulations regarding…

• how employers must treat employees (Deuteronomy 24:14; Colossians 4:1)
• how employees must treat employers (Ephesians 6:5-8; Titus 2:9-10)
• what will happen if either violates these regulations (Malachi 3:5; Luke 16:11-13).

The Bible includes a system to care for the poor (and even aliens) through…

• paying at certain times a specified portion of our income (Deuteronomy 14:27-29; 26:11-15)
• giving privately to those in need (Deuteronomy 15:7-10)
• providing for our own families (1 Timothy 5:3-8).

It even provides examples of how to fund worthy public works (2 Chronicles 24).

Regarding debt, the Bible advises us to…

• stay out of debt if we can (Proverbs 22:7)
• pay back our debts if we have them (Psalm 37:21)
• eventually relieve those who are unable to repay their debts (Deuteronomy 15:1-2; 31:10-11).

Unlike laws invented by partisan politicians, the Bible provides a perfect balance between discipline (2 Thessalonians 3:10-14) and mercy (2 Thessalonians 3:15; Leviticus 19:10).  It encourages generosity (Proverbs 19:17) and diligence (Proverbs 21:5; 27:23), while warning against stinginess (Proverbs 11:24), laziness (Proverbs 6:6-11; 10:4) and greed (Proverbs 28:8).

Believe it or not, the Bible even commands us to pay a specified portion of our income to God (Malachi 3:8-10; Proverbs 3:9-10; Luke 11:42) and to save money every year to spend on good food and good times with friends and family, while attending God’s annual worship services (Deuteronomy 14:22-26. See also our free booklet “The Meaning of God’s Fall Holy Days”).

There are well over 3 million words in the U.S. tax code. Yet, as events of the past weeks have proven, it has not produced sustainable personal and national prosperity. In less than 800,000 words, however, the Bible provides comprehensive, compassionate, proven instructions on every aspect of private and public life.  Those who know, understand and practice them have a wonderfully peaceful, happy, prosperous and eternal future ahead of them (Revelation 22:12, 14).

What about your life–are you absorbed and busy, captivated by your opportunities and enthralled with indomitable fascination?
 
Or have you just lost interest in most of what is happening? Do you merely endure the things that come your way, day after day?
 
I think we have all observed people who radiate a sense of being fully engaged in what they do. I am also fairly certain that each one of us have had our moments when that could be said of us.
 
When reading what is recorded about the life of Jesus Christ, it is an unmistakable fact that He vigorously fulfilled God’s Will for Him: He fasted forty days in preparation for the Work He was given (Matthew 4:2); He prayed fervently for God’s guidance (Luke 6:12-16; Matthew 26:36-46); He was willing to die in order to save others (John 10:15)—in all that Jesus did, He did everything with a zealous commitment to please God!
 
In Matthew 25:14-30, the parable of the talents is given by Jesus. Quite decisively, some of the servants were more productive than others. We find an example of someone who used his talents with great energy and effectiveness—the apostle Paul:
 
“For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:9-10).
 
Jesus Christ stated this concerning all who are His disciples:
 
“‘…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly’” (John 10:10).
 
We are also told in Ecclesiastes 9:10, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might…”

 Let’s not make the tragic mistake of drifting along without fervently responding to the supreme calling that is Christianity.
 
Now, what about the life that you now live, are you engaged—really?