T L HE ivingChurch News · 2017-09-19 · this list. But that is another story. Over the years, I...

Vol. 4, No. 5 • Living Church of God

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September–October 2002

Dear Brethren and Friends,Do you want to be more like King David of Israel—the “man after God’s own

heart” (Acts 13:22)? Through most of my Christian life, King David and theApostle Paul were my main biblical “heroes”—apart from Jesus Christ Himself.As I have grown older, I have added Abraham and the beloved Apostle John tothis list. But that is another story. Over the years, I have studied King David’s life,and have preached several sermons on why he was a man “after God’s ownheart.” We have published a couple of fine articles on this as well.

Now, however, in this “Dear Brethren” letter, I want to zero in on just oneoften-neglected aspect of David’s relationship with God. We in the very Church ofGod should earnestly be trying to grow closer and closer to God in every way.Through fervent prayer, and through God’s Holy Spirit, we should all strive toachieve a deep closeness to God and to our Savior, Jesus Christ. We should try toobey fully what the Son of God Himself stated was the “great commandment ofthe Law.” For Jesus said: “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart,with all your soul, and with all your mind’” (Matthew 22:36–37).

There were two primary ways by which King David obeyed this funda-mental command. First, as we all know, David sincerely loved God’s Law andmeditated on it constantly. We read David’s words on this in Psalm 119:97–99:“Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Yourcommandments, make me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me.I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are mymeditation.” And again: “I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutesforever, to the very end” (v. 112).

No wonder David will once again be “king over all Israel” under Jesus Christin Tomorrow’s World! No one has had more direct experience in administeringGod’s Law and His form of government over an entire nation than has KingDavid. Christ’s soon-coming government will be fundamentally based on God’scommandments, and on the “statutes,” as they are spiritually understood andadministered under the New Covenant. Christ’s government will also be hier-archical—with those in authority appointed to their offices. There will be no voting and no politics, but rather a deep faith that Christ will install the rightpeople in each office. That is why it is vitally important that we in God’s Churchtoday learn to teach and practice God’s form of government in the Church—looking in faith to our living Head, Jesus Christ, to guide and orchestrate thegovernment in His Church. For if we do not even have the faith now to trust

Strive for Excellence .................................3

Dealing With Trials.................................4

Jury Duty: AChristian’s Perspective...............................7

Keys to Happiness:Forward fromThe Feast.................................11

International Corner... ...................................14

LYC 2002.................................16

Local Church News ........................................22

Commentary..........................24

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Vol. 4, No. 5 • Living Church of God September–October 2002

After God’s Own HeartInsideInside

Living ChurchNewsivinL g ChurchNews

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Editor in Chief . . . . . . . . Roderick C. MeredithEditorial Director . . . . . . . . . . Richard F. AmesExecutive Editor . . . . . . . . . . William BowmerManaging Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . Gary F. EhmanRegional Editors . . . .Rod McNair (Philippines)

Bruce Tyler (Australia)Gerald Weston (Canada)

Douglas S. Winnail (Europe)Layout Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Donna PrejeanProofreaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sandy Davis

Linda EhmanNews Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June Olsen

The Living Church News is published bimonthly by the LivingChurch of God, 16935 W. Bernardo Dr., Suite 260, San Diego,CA, 92127. Subscriptions are sent without charge to all members of the Living Church of God and others who mayrequest them.

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Christ to lead His Church, how can we expect to have any significantresponsibility in His soon-coming government?

The other “key” manner in which David expressed his profoundlove for God was in his attitude of being deeply thankful, appreciativeand worshipful before God in a manner beyond what most men inhuman history have ever exhibited. The Psalms of David reveal, in aremarkable way, what David was thinking and feeling—while he wasliterally “fleeing for his life” from King Saul, while he was desperatelysick or emotionally distraught, or when he realized the awfulness of hissin in the matter of Uriah and Bathsheba. These are the thoughts andfeelings of one of the greatest men of God ever. They are worthy of ourdeep and prayerful study and consideration.

When David had to flee from his rebellious son, Absalom, he wrote:“LORD, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who riseup against me. Many are they who say of me, ‘There is no help for him inGod.’ Selah. But You, O LORD, are a shield for me, My glory and the Onewho lifts up my head. I cried to the LORD with my voice, and He heardme from His holy hill. Selah” (Psalm 3:1–4). When David was finallydelivered from Saul, he wrote this prayer of exultation: “I will love You,O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliv-erer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the hornof my salvation, my stronghold. I will call upon the LORD, who is worthyto be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies” (Psalm 18:1–3).

Later in this magnificent psalm of praise, David described the gloryand the power of the God he served. “Then the earth shook and trembled;the foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken, because He wasangry. Smoke went up from His nostrils, and devouring fire from Hismouth; coals were kindled by it.… The LORD thundered from heaven, andthe Most High uttered His voice, hailstones and coals of fire. He sent outHis arrows and scattered the foe, lightnings in abundance, and He van-quished them. Then the channels of the sea were seen, the foundations ofthe world were uncovered at Your rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of thebreath of Your nostrils” (vv. 7–8; 13–15). Here, David pictured his God asliterally shaking the earth, and pictured God’s voice as rolling thunder.Those of you who have lived in parts of the earth where violent lightningand thunderstorms literally shake the earth can grasp the awesome powerof God that David portrayed in his psalms.

His absolute worship of the great God, and his deep awe of God’spower, gave David great faith and courage. When Goliath, the giant,came powerfully striding toward David, “cursed David by his gods” (1Samuel 17:43), and threatened to destroy him, the valiant young manwas imbued with remarkable faith and courage. For David’s mind wasnot on himself—that is the “key”—but on the awesome power andmajesty of God. So David cried out, with a great confidence, toward thegiant Philistine: “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and witha javelin. But I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the Godof the armies of Israel, whom you have defied… that all the earth mayknow that there is a God in Israel” (vv. 45–46).

David’s absolute faith that the wonderful God he served would“take care of things” helped prevent him from executing King Saul

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n our modern world it is oftenconsidered fashionable to be“cool.” Young people some-times pride themselves on not

appearing to be “trying too hard.”Yet that is exactly the opposite ofwhat our God wants us to be and todo! In fact, most of us in God’sChurch may need to “try harder”than those endowed with more nat-ural ability and who have perhapsbeen afforded more opportunitiesfor higher education and opportuni-ties to learn the social graces thanmost of us.

Why?Because, as God clearly states in

several different ways in His Word:“For you see your calling, brethren,that not many wise according to theflesh, not many mighty, not manynoble, are called. But God has cho-sen the foolish things of the world toput to shame the wise, and God haschosen the weak things of the worldto put to shame the things which aremighty” (1 Corinthians 1:26–27). InGod’s Church, we should deeply loveand appreciate one another and thevarious gifts that we have—eventhough we may know that very fewof us are truly rich or endowed withgreat natural ability. Instead, becausewe are more like “most folks,” wemay be more humble and not havethe same temptations to vanity andto resisting the Truth as have thosewith so much more ability. There arenot now, nor have there ever been,very many Winston Churchills,Albert Einsteins, Margaret Thatchersor Teddy Roosevelts in the Church ofGod. These magnificently gifted peo-

ple will have their opportunity in theGreat White Throne Judgment.

But, today, we are called tobecome full sons of God. We arecalled to emulate Jesus Christ. Weare instructed: “But as He who calledyou is holy, you also be holy in allyour conduct, because it is written,‘Be holy, for I am holy’” (1 Peter1:15–16). And to achieve this awe-some goal, we are commanded byour Savior: “But seek first the king-dom of God and His righteousness,and all these things shall be added toyou” (Matthew 6:33).

Nothing must be allowed to comebetween us and our transcendentgoal. It must always come first.Moreover, because we are not the“great” of the world in natural ability,social standing or material wealth, wewill need to put forth greater effort andto exercise greater zeal in our quest tofulfill God’s purpose for our lives. Butthis is nothing unusual! For nearlyevery top athlete, top corporate execu-tive or top world leader has been will-ing to put forth “extra effort” in orderto achieve his or her goal. You youngpeople in the Church, especially, needto realize this and be inspired toaccomplish great things—for you cando so with God’s help and earnestextra effort on your part!

In his very inspiring biography ofWinston Churchill, Robert LewisTaylor describes the drive and unceas-ing energy that Churchill poured intothe effort of leading his nation duringthe critical days of World War II.Taylor writes: “The burdens of leader-ship take an incalculable toll in thepassage of six war years, but Churchillseemed never to tire. He traveledthousands of miles, he worked eachnight until everyone else had gone to

bed, and he arose refreshed to hurl theoratorical thunders that rallied a peo-ple from despondency and defeat”(Winston Churchill: The Biography of aGreat Man, p. 363).

Here was a man who did noteven begin his career as PrimeMinister until about the time in lifewhen most men were ready to retire.Yet, because his supreme goal was toenable his nation to survive Hitler’sonslaught and win the war, Mr.Churchill drove himself to accom-plish an agenda that would have stag-gered most men even half his age!

Each of us must apply the exam-ples of Sir Winston and others to ourspiritual growth and accomplish-ment. For our God wants us to go“all out” in serving Him and in doingHis Work! During this Laodiceanera, God specifically warns us all: “Iknow your works, that you are nei-ther cold nor hot. I could wish youwere cold or hot. So then, becauseyou are lukewarm, and neither coldnor hot, I will vomit you out of Mymouth” (Revelation 3:15–16). ThenGod tells us: “As many as I love, Irebuke and chasten. Therefore bezealous and repent” (v. 19).

God appreciates those who go“all out” to serve Him. The ApostlePaul was inspired to write to theColossians: “And whatever you do,do it heartily, as to the Lord and notto men, knowing that from the Lordyou will receive the reward of theinheritance; for you serve the LordChrist” (Colossians 3:23–24). AndSolomon was inspired to tell us:“Whatever your hand finds to do, doit with your might; for there is nowork or device or knowledge or wis-

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EditorialBy Roderick C. Meredith

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hy is life so difficult at times? For a childblessed with a loving and nurturing familyenvironment, every day is a new adventure,

and almost every new experience generates excitement.As we mature beyond childhood, we entertain brighthopes and dreams for the future. However, as we growolder, life often darkens and becomes a series of prob-lems—and these problems usually come at the most inop-portune moments, when we least expect or want them!We may even make cynical comments like: “cheer up, itcould get worse”—then find that after we cheer up,things really do grow worse!

Why do we experience trials and problems? Are therereasons that life can become so difficult? Each year, mil-lions seek help from psychiatrists, psychologists, minis-ters and counselors as they attempt to deal with trials.Others turn to friends and neighbors for advice.Sometimes this advice is helpful, yet often one person’sadvice conflicts with another’s. Not surprisingly, manyuse alcohol and drugs as a means to cope or escape fromproblems—which only leads to more problems. Many donot realize that the Bible contains positive advice andpractical, proven guidelines to help us not only deal withtrials but even avoid many problems.

Why Trials?

People often consider life’s trials the result of “badluck” or of sad circumstances beyond their control.People with problems are sometimes ridiculed as igno-rant, or as having made stupid decisions. In some cul-tures where superstitions prevail, trials may be viewed asthe results of curses placed by one’s enemies. People witha “religious” perspective may conclude that a trial is apunishment from God, or that God may be trying to“send a message”—but find themselves unable to under-stand the reason for the punishment, or the message Godis sending. In our problem-filled world, many simplyshrug off trials as one of the uncomfortable, inevitableand miserable aspects of life.

For a person wrestling with a serious trial, the com-mon explanations are seldom helpful and provide littlecomfort or consolation. Most people simply do notunderstand why trials occur in this life, or how to dealwith them effectively when they arise. However, ourCreator reveals in Scripture some important perspectiveson why trials occur, and provides some helpful principles

for dealing with serious human problems. David under-stood this when he wrote: “Your word is a lamp unto myfeet, and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). One of thebenefits of knowing God’s Truth is that it sets us free fromthe doubt and ignorance that plague so many in the worldtoday (John 8:32). Another benefit is that when we expe-rience trials and problems with a proper perspective, wecan have greater peace of mind and can even use trials ina positive way that will help us grow (see James 1:2–4).The Bible reveals at least five reasons why trials occur.

• Jesus explained that time and chance happen tomany people (Luke 13:1–5). Just because some-thing bad happens to a person does not necessar-ily mean that he is evil or has committed a greatsin. Accidents happen. Storms, floods, fires,earthquakes and other natural disasters affectlarge numbers of people all the time. Sicknessstrikes millions every year. Everyone eventuallydies. This is a normal part of the human conditionin this world.

• The Bible also emphasizes that we reap what we sow(Galatians 6:7; Jeremiah 2:19). One of the funda-mental lessons we must learn in life is that thereare consequences for every decision we make(Hosea 4:9). We reap the benefits of good deci-sions, and we pay—sometimes dearly—for baddecisions. Sadly, in our misguided world today,many professing Christians claim to “love theLord”—yet ignore His laws, do as they please, andare surprised and dismayed when problems arise.

• One unique biblical perspective that most psy-chological counselors ignore is that humanbeings have an adversary—Satan the devil (1Peter 5:8). The word “Satan” literally meansadversary. This powerful, evil spirit being actslike a roaring lion, seeking whomever he candevour and destroy by whatever means he can. Ifhe can use trials to discourage and disillusion us,he will! He will seek any opportunity available todeceive us, mislead us, or divert us onto doctrinaltangents and personal missions that feed our van-ity and ultimately destroy us (1 Timothy 5:14).Satan’s goal is not only to keep the Truth from theworld, but to keep those who are called frombeing in the Kingdom of God. Whenever he can,he will use trials to further that goal.

Dealing with TrialsBy Douglas S. Winnail

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Living Church News September–October 2002

• Another biblical perspective is that God allows usto be tested to help us grow (1 Peter 4:12–13;Hebrews 12:5–11). Adam and Eve, Abraham andSarah, Job, Daniel, Jeremiah, the prophets, theApostles—and indeed every individual withwhom God has chosen to work—has had to facetrials and learn how to deal with them. You and Iwill not be exceptions to the rule. Jesus told Hisdisciples: “In the world you will have tribulation;but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world”(John 16:33). He was indicating that by lookingto Him, and following His example, we can alsoovercome trials that we encounter.

• A sobering biblical perspective is that God fash-ions severe trials and even disasters, to teach pow-erful lessons to those who are willfully disobedi-ent. God told Jeremiah to warn the rebelliousnation of Israel what would occur if it did notrepent of its evil actions: “Behold, I am fashioninga disaster and devising a plan against you”(Jeremiah 18:6–11). God instructed Ezekiel todeliver a similar message to Israelites who reject-ed His laws: “My eye will not spare, nor will Ihave pity; I will repay you according to yourways, and your abominations… disaster willcome upon disaster” (Ezekiel 7:9, 25–26). Theseprophecies will find their ultimate fulfillment inthe coming chastisement of our modern back-sliding, independent-minded Israelite nations inthe years just ahead. Even in the formative daysof the early Church, when Ananias and his wifelied, they died suddenly to provide a stunningobject lesson to those with eyes to see (Acts5:1–11).

When a trial arises, we face two fundamental chal-lenges if we are going to grow. First, we need to make theeffort to understand why the trial has arisen in our lives.This will help us identify changes we can make in ourlives to avoid having to face a similar situation in thefuture. Second, we must also focus on learning how todeal with and overcome the trial we are facing. Unless weaddress these two challenges, we will not grow as a resultof the trial. Again, the Bible offers extremely helpfuladvice.

Biblical Guidelines

When trials occur, it is a “natural” tendency to think:“Woe is me.” We sometimes want to cry and complainthat we do not deserve this negative turn of events, andwe look for others with whom to commiserate, who will

help us justify ourselves in our plight. It is also quite com-mon to feel discouraged and to look for ways to ignore,avoid or escape from a trial, or to pray that the problemwill just go away! However, we often have no choice butto endure a trial. The question then becomes: how do youdeal with a trial, once you have begun to understand thereasons why it has arisen?

How do you avoid or deal with trials that arise byaccident or chance? Jesus told His disciples, when He sentthem into a dangerous world, that they must “be wise asserpents” (Matthew 10:16). Proverbs tells us that a wiseperson recognizes dangerous situations and takes steps toavoid them (Proverbs 22:3). The bottom line is: stay alertand be careful! Drive carefully, live carefully and be cir-cumspect in your actions. Do not take foolish chances.Do not engage in risky behaviors, such as drunkenness,smoking, gambling or promiscuous sexual activity. Keepsensible hours. Do not stay out late at night, especially onholidays when many accidents, crimes and assaults occur.Watch weather forecasts when you are about to travel. Bywisely following these simple, common sense guidelines,you can avoid many trials that might otherwise be attrib-uted to “time and chance.” God’s protection is a blessingthat one who obeys His laws can expect to receive (Psalm91). This supernatural protection is also available for ourchildren (Matthew 19:13–15; 18:10). Jesus’ basic instruc-tion was to act wisely, obey His instructions and notworry unnecessarily about problems.

How do we avoid or deal with trials that are caused byconsequences of our own actions? The Bible reveals thatblessings come from obedience to the laws of God, andcurses come from disobedience to those laws (Leviticus26; Deuteronomy 28). Proverbs explains that “when aman’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemiesto be at peace with him” (Proverbs 16:7). Life involvesmaking choices at every minute and every hour of everyday. The sooner we learn to make wise choices—to obeythe laws and instructions in God’s word instead of ignor-ing, reasoning around or compromising those laws—thesmoother our lives will become, and the fewer trials wewill bring upon ourselves. The longer it takes to learn thisbasic lesson, the more difficult our lives will be as a consequence of our own decisions (Deuteronomy 30).This is why the Bible places such an emphasis on parentsteaching their children the laws of God from an early age (Deuteronomy 4:1–10; Proverbs 22:6). If we learnthe laws of God, and if we remember and chooseto follow those laws, we will enjoy the benefits (Proverbs3:1–2) throughout our lives—and create fewer trials forourselves.

Much of Scripture was inspired to help us understandthe importance of learning to make wise decisions.

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Throughout the book of Proverbs, we are urged toobserve and learn from the experiences of others, so thatwe can avoid making the same mistakes (Proverbs1:20–27). We are advised to “ponder the path of ourfeet”—to think about the potential consequences of deci-sions and actions that we contemplate (Proverbs 4:26).Being receptive to advice and instruction—especiallyfrom parents—can help us avoid serious problems(Proverbs 6:20–23). Our choice of friends will also bringconsequences: “He who walks with wise men will bewise, but the companion of fools will be destroyed”(Proverbs 1:10–19; 13:20; 14:7). Many trials that developin life come as a result of wrong or unwise choices, oftenmade by individuals who know (or should know) better.

How do we deal with trials generated by our adver-sary, Satan? To effectively deal with this cunning andadversarial spirit being, we need not only wisdom, butalso spiritual discernment and spiritual strength. One ofthe gifts of the Holy Spirit is a sound mind capable of spir-itual discernment (2 Timothy 1:6–7). We are told thatGod gives His Spirit to those who obey His laws andinstructions (Acts 5:32), to those who are willing to be ledby God’s Spirit (Romans 8:14), and to those who nourishthat Spirit daily (2 Corinthians 4:16) through regularprayer and Bible study. To battle successfully we must beable to recognize Satan’s attempts to deceive, discourage,or derail us through various temptations and trials, andresist those attempts by putting on the “whole armor ofGod” (Ephesians 6:10–19; James 4:7). Spiritually protec-tive armor includes knowing and living by the truth ofGod, showing real love for God and our neighbor, believ-ing God’s instructions and promises, nourishing andbeing led by the Holy Spirit and being watchful at alltimes of the dangerous activities of our spiritual adver-sary. We simply invite spiritual trials when we assume wecan discard various pieces of this vital spiritual armor.

How do we handle the trials that God permits us tohave to help us grow? We must learn to view trials from apositive perspective. James wrote that, instead of thinking“woe is me” and running away, we should rejoice in trials,because the effort required to overcome them will yieldpositive fruits (James 1:2–4). To view trials in this man-ner, we must understand and believe that “all things worktogether for good to those who love God” (Romans 8:28),that our Father knows our limitations and “will also makea way of escape” (1 Corinthians 10:13), and that once Hehas begun a work in us He will see it through to comple-tion (Philippians 1:3–6). To maintain this perspective, wemust remain strong, faithful and focused on our callingand on God’s way of life, and we must “endure to the end”without compromising or giving up (Matthew 24:13;Hebrews 12:1–11). We should be motivated by the under-

standing that rewards go to those who actually finish therace (1 Corinthians 9:24–27) and learn to be overcomers.Instead of allowing ourselves to become complainers orescape artists, we need to become problem solvers! As welearn to deal with our own trials and solve our own prob-lems, we are preparing to help others with theirs.

But that leaves one more trial—how do you deal withsevere trials that God brings your way? Most of the severetrials we read about in Scripture came as a result of will-ful and continued disobedience to the laws of God. Paulwarns that God will not be mocked (Galatians 6:7). Notonly will He let us reap what we sow, He will orchestratepunishment to teach unforgettable lessons to the disobe-dient, and also to those bystanders who have witnessedthe disobedience (see Ezekiel 5:14–15; Acts 5:11). Toavoid experiencing trials of this nature, or to deal withsuch a situation should it arise, we must be willing tocarefully examine ourselves—our motives and ouractions—in the clear light of God’s word (1 Corinthians11:27–32). We must be willing to repent—to admit wherewe have been wrong as David did—to ask earnestly thatGod will forgive us and point us in the right direction (seePsalm 51). There is a way through even these severe tri-als, but we are playing with fire when we allow ourselvesto fall into this situation. We need to remember that Godis not playing games. There is a real lake of fire for theincorrigible—those who will not listen or learn—and itwill be the final destination for such people. This shouldmotivate each of us to be very careful about “doing ourown thing”! Instead, we must humbly and diligently seekto obey God’s instructions, heed His warnings, and followthe Christian example and instructions of those whomGod has chosen to lead His work. That is what Jesus didand taught. By following His example, we can avoid everhaving to face the severe trials that God will bring onthose who insist on doing things their own way.

Nobody likes a trial. Trials are not pleasant. Yet trialsare part of the human experience. Many can be avoided ifwe remain alert to potentially dangerous situations, andlearn to consider the consequences of any decision wemake. We can also avoid serious trials if we seek out—and are receptive to—wise counsel and advice. When wecannot avoid trials, the Bible offers us the encouragingperspective that God uses trials to help us grow, and thatHe will help us through the trials when we do our part. Ifwe learn how to deal with the problems of life, and wedevelop the skills and character necessary to overcometrials that are common to all human beings, God will beable to use us to rule with Jesus Christ and to reeducatethe peoples of this world in the coming Kingdom of God.The trials we face and overcome in this life can becomestepping-stones to an awesome and rewarding future.


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y wife and I pulled into ourdriveway late one Sundayafternoon, coming home

from a church trip, and I took ourmail from the mailbox and broughtit inside. As I quickly sorted throughthe mail, a large yellow notice leapedout at me. With dismay, I noted thatI had been summoned for jury duty.To make matters even worse, thedate for which I had been sum-moned was Monday, June 3—theopening day of LYC Pre-Teen CampTexas, which I was directing.

Carefully, I scrutinized thenotice to see if I could check somebox that would give me an excuse oran exemption. No, I would not beable to get out of it that easily. “Whycouldn’t it have been my wife?” Ithought. My wife is a Canadian citi-zen, and is therefore ineligible to siton a jury in the United States. If shehad received the notice, she couldhave simply checked the box indi-cating that she was a non-citizen,and mailed it back for an automaticexemption.

Traditionally in the UnitedStates, each county’s roster of thosecalled for jury duty was selectedfrom its rolls of registered voters.Because of lawsuits in the last coupleof decades, this roster is now madeup from those with driver’s licenses.Even so, most jurisdictions maintaina wide variety of categories of peoplewho hold a valid driver’s license, butare exempt from jury duty. In thecounty where I live, for example,those over 70 years old, those withyoung children at home, and thosewho are full-time students mayclaim exemption. Non-citizens and

convicted felons, too, are ineligiblefor jury duty. Everyone who does notfit into one of the court-approvedexemptions is required to appear incourt at the appointed time. The juryduty notice is a legal summons, andfailure to appear could potentiallyresult in arrest.

At this point, I had two con-cerns. One was my general objectionto jury service based on religiousconvictions. The other was that, atthe time I was required to appear incourt, I needed to be at churchcamp, about 200 miles south of thecourt in which I was summoned toappear. After thinking the matterover for a couple of days, and pray-ing about it, I decided to call theDistrict Clerk’s office at the phonenumber listed on the summons, andrequest a later date for jury duty. Italked to a secretary and explainedthat we had a church youth campgoing on that week, and I asked if itwould be possible to change the dateof my jury summons. She was quickto accommodate, and offered me achoice of several alternate dates, oneof which I selected. I would need toappear in about six weeks.

This brings to mind the firstimportant lesson I have learned indealing with a jury summons.Talking to the secretary was not thetime to discuss my religious objec-tions to jury duty. There was nothingshe could do about that, but shecould handle routine excuses or timechanges. If you have a routine excusefor an exemption, you may find itbest to simply use it, even thoughyou also have a religious objection.In Texas, only the judge can grant an

excuse for religious reasons, so Iconcluded that there was no point inconfusing the secretary in the Clerk’soffice, and perhaps risking havingmy routine request for a later datesidelined.

Of course, the later date onlypostponed the inevitable. TheClerk’s office still required me toappear in court and explain why Icould not sit on a jury. During theensuing month, I gave a lot ofthought to the reasons why I shouldnot sit on a jury and pass judgment.I did not know how much explana-tion I would be asked to give, orwhat kind of attitude to expect fromthe judge. Church members over theyears have sought exemption fromjury service based upon their reli-gious beliefs, even though moststates’ statutes do not recognize reli-gious beliefs as a valid cause forexemption. Federal courts have,however, upheld religious exemp-tions as valid, and the Church LegalAffairs Office can provide you withits “Jury Duty Exemption Request”form, including the details to sub-stantiate your claim of religiousexemption. Area Pastors also haveaccess to these forms, from the“Church Administration” area of theMember Resources Web site atwww.cogl.org.

While many have been excusedfrom jury service for religious rea-sons over the years, I wonder howmany have really understood whatthe “big deal” was regarding juryduty. Is it wrong to serve on a jury—and if so, why? Can you prove yourreasons from the Bible? Scriptureenjoins us to be ready to give an

Jury Duty: A Christian’s Perspective

By John H. Ogwyn

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answer to those who ask concerningthe hope that lies within us (1 Peter3:15).

We Are Ambassadors for Christ

Members of the Church of Godhave traditionally avoided participa-tion in the military and politicalaffairs of society. This has not onlybeen an issue in our day, but also hasbeen the historic position of theChurch, traced back to the first cen-tury. What are some of the reasonsfor this?

When Jesus Christ was on trialfor His life before the Roman gover-nor, Pontius Pilate, He told Pilatethat His Kingdom was not “of thisworld.” Christ went on to add that ifit were, His servants would fight todeliver Him from the Jews (cf. John18:36). Jesus Christ came as theadvance emissary of a coming world-ruling government. Because of that,neither He nor His disciples tookpart in the political and militaryaffairs of this world’s governments.Jesus Christ would not stir His fol-lowers into forming an army to fightfor His Kingdom, as did other so-called “messiahs” that arose amongthe Jews from time to time. Thosefalse messiahs represented politicalfactions among the Jewish commu-nity, though factions with verystrong religious overtones. The com-ing government that Jesus pro-claimed was far different; it was notto depend on the success of humanefforts, rather it was to be estab-lished by the supreme power of theGod of Heaven, and it would sweepaway all puny human governmentswhen the time came (cf. Daniel7:14).

The Apostle Paul explained inPhilippians 3:20 that Christians’ cit-izenship is in Heaven. Our primaryallegiance and devotion must be tothe Kingdom of God, not to the

earthly government under whoserule we temporarily reside. We are,in fact, ambassadors for Christ (2Corinthians 5:20). An ambassador isan official emissary of one govern-ment to another. We are, in thatsense, to properly represent God’scoming Kingdom in the midst ofwhatever human society we live in.It is proper that we should love ournative land, and if we are living aChristian life we will be productive,law-abiding inhabitants of the localewhere we reside. In addition, weshould show respect and honor toour government, and pray for itsofficials, as well as obey the laws ofsociety (unless, of course, theydirectly contradict God’s law), andpay our taxes (Romans 13:1–7).However, all of this being said, wecannot be part of this world and itsways. This includes its political system.

Notice the record preserved bythe noted historian Edward Gibbon.Writing of the early Christians, heobserved that “Christians felt andconfessed that such institutions[worldly governments] might benecessary for the present system ofthe world, and they cheerfully sub-mitted to the authority of theirPagan governors. But, while theyinculcated the maxims of passiveobedience, they refused to take anyactive part in the civil administrationor the military defense of theempire” (The Triumph of Christendomin the Roman Empire, p. 41).

Judging Righteous Judgment

While Christians are not to takepart in the military and politicalaffairs of this world’s governments,the question of jury duty raises otherissues as well. Some have pointed tothe Apostle Paul’s statement in 1Corinthians 6:2: “Do you not knowthat the saints will judge the world?

And if the world will be judged byyou, are you unworthy to judge thesmallest matters?” Does this verseprove that Christians should sit onjuries and render judgment aboutcertain secular disputes here andnow? No. Notice the context of thisverse. Paul is addressing the issue ofChristians taking other Christians toworldly courts in order to resolvedisputes. He points out the utterabsurdity of those who are preparingto judge the world under Christ notbeing able to resolve disputes withone another within the Church. Itholds Christianity up to ridiculefrom the outside when fellow believ-ers are “slugging it out” in worldlycourts. In context, this has nothingto do with believers sitting in judg-ment of unbelievers.

There is another very important,but often overlooked, aspect of thisissue. After the first resurrection,when true Christians sit on thronesexercising judgment as part of God’sgovernment, what criteria for judg-ment will be used? The Bible is veryclear that our judgment in thosedays will be based upon the samestandard that should guideChristians’ hearts and minds rightnow—God’s laws as revealed in theBible (Isaiah 2:3–4).

Isaiah 11 gives further informa-tion about judgment in tomorrow’sworld, telling us that the Messiahwill not make His decisions basedonly upon what things look like orwhat He has heard. Rather, we aretold, He will judge the whole worldwith righteousness (v. 4). What isrighteousness? Psalms 119:172thunders that all of God’s com-mandments are righteousness.Righteous judgment must be basedupon the revealed word of God.When we judge the world underChrist, we will judge the world inrighteousness! When we make judg-ments in our personal lives, or areinvolved in seeking to settle disputes


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between brethren, we are to useexactly the same criteria. God’s worddefines right and wrong, and tells ushow to draw proper distinctions.

Righteousness and faithfulnesswill be hallmarks of the way thatGod’s government is administered.Decisions will be made with equi-ty—utter fairness (Isaiah 11:4). AsChristians, we need to be developingthis understanding and approach aspart of our character. Serving on ajury in a worldly court will bring usinto conflict with these principles.

“How can that possibly be?” youmay wonder. “Don’t mankind’scourts seek jurors who strive to befair and just?” Certainly, most judgeswould say that they want jurors whocan be fair and impartial, and canrender a just verdict. That soundsgood, but we need to realize thatthere is more involved than mightappear at first glance. For instance,when I found myself sitting in acourtroom as part of the jury pooland receiving instructions from thejudge about what was required of us,most of it sounded good on the sur-face. As procedures were explained,we were told that our decision wasto be made on the basis of what weheard in court. We were expected torender our decision based upon theinstructions the judge would give usregarding the law. We were admon-ished that we must only consider asfacts those matters admitted into evi-dence in court.

There are problems with thisprocedure, however. To begin with, ajuror will not be privy to all of thefacts of a case. In many instances,the opposing lawyers will havealready made efforts to have thejudge disallow some information theother side seeks to present. Bothsides are seeking to win the case fortheir clients, so each will onlyemphasize those points that supporttheir side’s case. If, using some legaltechnicality, they are able to prevent

the other side from revealing to thejury certain facts that would damagetheir case, “so much the better”! Inmost cases, jurors will never even beaware of this backstage maneuver-ing. Even after truthful informationis presented to jurors in court, thejudge will sometimes instruct jurorsto disregard that information whenrendering their verdict.

The Texas Uniform JuryHandbook, which we were given atthe start of the jury selectionprocess, instructs: “The verdict mustbe based solely [emphasis mine] onthe evidence presented by the par-ties, the Charge of the Court, and

rules of law provided by the Judge.”Notice the contrast with the instruc-tions of Scripture, inspired by God,regarding circumstances when deci-sions of guilt or innocence were tobe made. Those involved in deter-mining guilt or innocence wererequired not to rely only on whatthey had heard, but also to makediligent inquiry into the facts(Deuteronomy 13:14). Those judg-ing were only to proceed after theywere sure that the facts of the matterhad been fully established.

Deuteronomy 19:15 providesimportant instruction regardingdecisions made in judicial matters.“One witness shall not rise against aman concerning any iniquity or anysin that he commits; by the mouth oftwo or three witnesses the matter

shall be established.” In the particu-lar case that I would have heard as ajuror, the guilt or innocence of theaccused turned on the testimony ofonly one witness. Under the laws ofthe State of Texas this is permissible,and jurors are to make their decisionbased upon how they weigh thecredibility of the witness. However,if I were to judge according to God’sinstructions, I would be forbiddenby Deuteronomy 19:15 to render averdict of guilty upon the testimonyof one alone—no matter how credi-ble he seemed.

To serve as a juror, I would needto agree to use only the rules of evi-

dence acknowledged by the court. Iwould need to agree to be guided bythe laws of Texas as explained by thepresiding judge, whether or not theyconformed to biblical injunctions. Icould not make such an agreementas a Christian—one who is obligatedto follow Christ’s example and makeall decisions based upon the word ofGod.

Mercy and Judgment

There is another very importantissue that we have not yet examined.In Scripture, mercy is continuallyjoined with judgment. Jesus Christinstructed His followers in Luke6:36–37: “Therefore be merciful, justas your Father also is merciful. Judgenot, and you shall not be judged.


Righteousness and faithfulness will be hallmarks of the way that God’s government is administered.

Decisions will be made with equity—utter fairness(Isaiah 11:4). As Christians, we need to be

developing this understanding and approach as partof our character. Serving on a jury in a worldly

court will bring us into conflict with these principles.

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Condemn not, and you shall not becondemned. Forgive and you will beforgiven.” Righteous judgmentincludes not only the standard ofGod’s law, but also justice mixedwith mercy. You cannot follow JesusChrist and disregard the importanceof mercy.

In John 8, we read of a womanwho was taken in adultery and thenbrought before Jesus Christ by reli-gious leaders in Jerusalem. Jesus wasasked to render a verdict and assesspunishment. The facts of the casewere not in dispute, nor was thepenalty that the law required. Howdid Jesus respond? He considered anadditional aspect of the case: themotives of the woman’s accusers. Hestooped down and wrote in the dustfor a while, seemingly ignoring theclamor of the crowd. Finally, hestood up (at this point, what He hadwritten must have become visible)and acknowledged both the woman’sguilt and the prescribed penalty ofstoning, with the added caveat thatthe one among the group who waswithout sin should throw the firststone. Christ knew that the woman’saccusers were hypocrites, and Hewould neither play their game norfall into their trap. When heraccusers melted away, He offered thewoman a fresh chance, coupled withthe admonition to “go and sin nomore” (v. 11). God allows for repen-tance and forgiveness.

As Christians, our decisions areto be guided by God’s Word. Toagree to be guided solely by man’slaw would be to do something thatJesus Christ would never do! Nowis not the time for us to be engagedin judging the world. That time iscoming, however, after Jesus Christreturns to this earth as King ofkings and Lord of lords. AsChristians, we prepare for thatfuture by learning to make all of ourchoices upon the basis of God’srevealed will.

While we may need to makejudgments in settling disputesamong ourselves, and may some-times impose church disciplineupon brethren who persist in sin(cf. 1 Corinthians 5), we cannotimpose God’s way on the worldaround us. That will not be accom-plished until God sends JesusChrist back to Earth. Ultimately, thegovernments of this world will haveto answer to the Creator regardingthe extent to which they applied—or failed to apply—His standards of

right judgment. As Christians, ourresponsibility is to love the peopleof the world (Matthew 22:39), toset an example for the world, totake God’s message of good newsand of warning to the world and topray for the world—but not tobecome part of this world (1 John2:15).

As I sat with other potentialjurors in that Texas courtroom, Iknew that I could not in good con-science agree to make the kind ofjudgment that they wanted me tomake. While the judge and the attor-neys examined the potential jurors,asking us various questions, I keptwaiting for a question that wouldapply to me. None of their questionsdealt with religious objection,though I had explained my religious

objection in writing on the question-naire we had been asked to submit tothe court. Finally, we were instructedto go wait in the hallway while a jurywas picked. As we rose to file out ofthe room, I asked the judge if I couldapproach the bench. She invited meto do so. I then told her that I need-ed to bring something to her atten-tion, and to the attention of theattorneys involved in selecting thejury. I then simply explained that,based upon my religious convic-tions, I would not be able to render a

verdict in the case. In less time thanit takes me to write it, the judge told me that I was excused, and sheturned her attention to other matters.

As I walked away from the court-room to my car, I reflected on thethree hours since I had arrived at thecourthouse. I had watched man’sflawed legal system in action, andhad realized afresh the truth ofJeremiah 10:23: “O LORD, I know theway of man is not in himself; it is notin man who walks to direct his ownsteps.” The time is coming—in the years immediately ahead—whenwe will be able to assist Jesus Christin implementing God’s governmenton this earth. Then, we will trulyhave a part in judging the world inrighteousness!


As Christians, our decisions are to be guided byGod’s Word. To agree to be guided solely by man’s

law would be to do something that Jesus Christwould never do! Now is not the time for us to be

engaged in judging the world. That time is coming,however, after Jesus Christ returns to this earth asKing of kings and Lord of lords. As Christians, weprepare for that future by learning to make all ofour choices upon the basis of God’s revealed will.

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hat is the purpose of human existence?Philosophers have pondered this question

for thousands of years, but lacking God’s Spiritand rejecting His counsel their answers have been unsat-isfactory and incomplete. Winston Churchill, speakingbefore the U.S. Congress, said: “He must indeed have ablind soul who cannot see that some great purpose anddesign is being worked out here below” (December 26,1941). But he, though a great leader, did not know thatpurpose! Human beings, by themselves, cannot fully dis-cover God’s purpose, but God does reveal His purposethrough His Word, coupled with the discernment grantedthrough the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:6–14).

Our purpose is to be conformed to the image of JesusChrist, and ultimately to be born into the family of God,with the very nature of God (Romans 8:29; 2 Peter 1:4).We will have eternal life (John 3:16)—God life, for, asWilliam Barclay points out in discussing the meaning ofaionios (“eternal”): “eternal life is nothing less than the lifeof God himself” (New Testament Words, p. 37). But what isthe point of this? Does God’s life have purpose? If so,what is it? What will the divine family be doing for alleternity?

Jesus said: “I have come that they may have life, andthat they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Anabundant life suggests a full and happy life—a life of joy.

Scripture reveals one reason why God wants to shareHis eternal life with us: so that we may enjoy it! “Thesethings I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain inyou, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11). “Thesethings I speak in the world, that they may have My joyfulfilled in themselves” (John 17:13).

If you had to choose one word to describe this world,would you pick “happy”? Why is happiness so rare?People certainly want to be happy. Philosophers have longrecognized a universal human desire for happiness. Eventhe Declaration of Independence declares “the pursuit ofhappiness” to be a natural right of man—implying thathappiness is something everyone wants.

What are some of the common ways men seek happi-ness? Money is one of the most obvious. But money, asthose who have plenty of it have learned, does not guar-antee happiness. Wealth can be a blessing or a curse,depending on how it is used, but by itself money cannotbuy happiness.

Many talk of “self-esteem” as the key to happinessand fulfillment, not love for God and neighbor—notsacrifice; not service to others; not righteousness andthe pursuit of peace; but simply self-esteem! There is aplethora of books advising people to love themselves.This era has been aptly called the “Me generation.” Wehave popular songs like “I Believe in Me” and “I Did ItMy Way.” The dictionary gives “pride” as a synonymfor “self-esteem.” Malachi prophesied of a perversetime when “we call the proud happy” (Malachi 3:15,KJV). But is pride—self-esteem—really the key to hap-piness?

Martin E. P. Seligman, president of the AmericanPsychological Association, pointed out in an article titled“The American way of blame,” that we have recently seena cascade of multiple murders in schools by Americanboys, while in the 1950s there were none. Though thereare multiple factors, relating to social changes, in the dra-matic increase in extremely violent conduct, one thatSeligman identifies is the replacement of discipline withan exaggerated emphasis on self-esteem by parents andeducators. “Traditional American child-rearing in individ-ual responsibility has been replaced by a self-esteemmovement. This movement tells parents and educatorsthat their first duty is to make kids feel good about them-selves. Kids are taught mantras like ‘I am special,’ andthey believe them. Low self-esteem is seen as the cause ofteen-age pregnancy, depression, suicide, drug abuse andviolence, and so teaching self-esteem is supposed to be avaccine.”

“Unfortunately it turns out that hit men, genocidalmaniacs, gang leaders and violent kids often have highself-esteem, not low self-esteem. A recipe for their violence is a mean streak combined with an unwarrantedsense of self-worth” (APA Monitor, July 1998). Otherprominent psychologists have echoed Seligman’s observation.

Biblical Hebrew has a word for such selfish con-cern, self-centeredness and unwarranted self-esteem,manifested either in pride, boasting or self-display.That word, halal, is aptly translated as “madness,” andalso “folly” and “foolishness.” Commenting on thisword, Gesenius states: “In the sacred writers, the moreanyone boasts, the more he is regarded as being fool-ish; just as, on the other hand, a modest person is

Keys to Happiness: Forward from the Feast

By Rod Reynolds

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looked upon as wise” (Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to theOld Testament).

“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the hum-ble” (James 4:6; cf. 1 Peter 5:5). Paul warns: “For I say…to everyone who is among you, not to think of himselfmore highly than he ought to think” (Romans 12:3). Incommenting on the Greek of this verse, A.T. Robertsonremarks: “Self-conceit is here treated as a species of insan-ity” (Word Pictures in the New Testament). A phony self-esteem is not the key to happiness.

Some seek self-centered happiness through food,alcohol, sex or the pursuit of activities meant for theirown pleasure. But while these may enhance the joy of life,when used rightly, their pleasure is temporary at best. Godwants us to know a far deeper joy than these can provide.

The Joy of the Feast

The Feast of Tabernacles portrays a future world ofuniversal joy, rejoicing and happiness. God told His peoplethat the Feast was to be a time for rejoicing (Deuteronomy16:13–15). The millennial setting pictured by the Feast ischaracterized by joy and gladness (Isaiah 51:3, 11).

Alfred Edersheim, in his book The Temple, points outthat anciently “the most joyous of all festive seasons inIsrael was that of the Feast of Tabernacles” (p. 212). Oneof the lessons of the Feast is that God purposes happinessfor us. And in His Word He reveals the keys to living ajoyful, happy and abundant life.

These keys are given in outline form in the book ofEcclesiastes, although they are discussed in manyScriptures of the Bible. Ecclesiastes is one of the mostmaligned and misunderstood books in all the Bible.Although the internal evidence reveals Solomon as theauthor, some critics say he did not write it. Others, whilegranting that Solomon wrote the book, neverthelessderide it as uninspired. It is a book that commentatorsgenerally simply do not understand or appreciate. Yet themessage of the book of Ecclesiastes fits hand in glove withthe lessons taught by the Feast of Tabernacles. In fact, theJews traditionally read the book of Ecclesiastes during theFeast of Tabernacles. Whether or not they entirely under-stand why, this suggests that at some time in the pastJewish leaders did understand the connection betweenEcclesiastes and the Feast. Although many commentatorsregard Ecclesiastes as having a depressing and negativetone, when understood in its proper light, its message isextremely positive and uplifting.

In Ecclesiastes, Solomon refers to himself as the“Preacher.” The Hebrew word koheleth actually meansassembler, one who assembles, and hence preaches orteaches. Israel during Solomon’s reign in many respects

typified the millennium. Solomon’s name means “peace-ful.” Israel was at peace during his reign. Israel was alsothe most powerful and prosperous nation on earth, theonly period in ancient history when that was so. In 1Kings 8, we learn of an occasion when Solomon assem-bled Israel. At the dedication of the temple a feast washeld, followed immediately by the Feast of Tabernacles(vv. 65–66; 2 Chronicles 7:8–10). Moreover, “men of allnations, from all kings of the earth who had heard of hiswisdom, came to hear the wisdom of Solomon” (1 Kings4:34). In these things Solomon typified the time whenpeoples of all nations will be gathered to be taught by thereigning Jesus Christ (Isaiah 2:2–3; Zechariah 14:16).

In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon tells of his questfor the answer to the question, in effect: “What is life’spurpose?” The entire book revolves around that theme(Ecclesiastes 1:12–13; 2:3). Though he did some foolishthings, and will not have so high a responsibility in God’sKingdom as will his father, King David, King Solomonwas a man of the greatest wisdom. Indeed, on the whole,Scripture shows that Solomon was the wisest king Israelhad, or will have, other than Jesus Christ (1 Kings 3:12;4:29–31; 10:23; Ecclesiastes 1:16). He sought answers tothe question of life’s purpose, and he found them. Theprinciples he expounds apply not only to this transitorylife but to eternal life as well.

The Keys

Consider these three basic keys, plus one “masterkey,” to happiness:

The first key to happiness that we find uncovered inEcclesiastes is what some consider a dirty four-letter word:w-o-r-k. “Nothing is better for a man than that he should eatand drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor.This also, I saw, was from the hand of God” (Ecclesiastes2:24; cf. 2:10; 3:12–13). To paraphrase, the answer to thequestion of life’s purpose has to do in part with your work.

God made Adam and Eve, then put them in a gardenand gave them the work of dressing and keeping it(Genesis 2:15). Their survival was assured, but they hadwork to do that would lend enjoyment to their lives. Afterthey sinned, they were expelled from the garden and thenature of their work changed. “Cursed is the ground foryour sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of yourlife.… In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread”(Genesis 3:17, 19). And so, for many, life is constant toil,a struggle to survive through hard travail. In Scripture thereward of God’s Kingdom is spoken of as a rest from thetoil that has been a curse to mankind.

Yet eternal life will not be a life of idleness, rather alife of joyful, creative work. God Himself is a workman


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(John 5:17). His work produces joy both for Himself andothers (Psalm 104:31; Job 38:4–7).

The second key to happiness may be stated simply asenjoying the fruits of one’s labor. “It is good and fitting forone to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his laborin which he toils under the sun all the days of his lifewhich God gives him; for it is his heritage” (Ecclesiastes5:18). This principle is reflected in the Feast ofTabernacles. “You shall observe the Feast of Tabernaclesseven days, when you have gathered from your threshingfloor and from your winepress. And you shall rejoice inyour feast… the LORD your God will bless you in all yourproduce and in all the work of your hands, so that you

surely rejoice” (Deuteronomy 16:13–15). While enjoyingthe fruits of our labor at the Feast we are picturing themillennium, when God says: “They shall build housesand inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat theirfruit… and My elect [human beings called by God duringthe Millennium and White Throne Judgment] shall longenjoy the work of their hands” (Isaiah 65:21–23).

Our “booths,” or temporary dwellings in which westay during the Feast of Tabernacles, remind us that ourphysical lives are temporary. This is a major theme ofEcclesiastes, and the message—though universally applic-able—is especially suited for the millennial setting, whenpeople will enjoy extended, prosperous lives free of dis-ease, and other plagues and ailments will be rare. In stress-ing an awareness that this life is transitory, Scripturereveals that our ultimate goal is resurrection to eternal life.

The third key is sharing the fruits of one’s labor andthe joy of life with others. While having abundance canenhance the joy of life in the proper circumstances,Jesus said that it is even more blessed to give than toreceive (Acts 20:35). We give when we share our lifewith another. Solomon relates this principle in terms ofmarriage. “Live joyfully with the wife whom you loveall the days of your vain life which He has given youunder the sun… for that is your portion in life”(Ecclesiastes 9:9). But the principle of giving appliesmore broadly to all the members of the family sharingwith one another (Psalm 127:3–5), and to extendedfamilies, communities, nations and the whole world(Ecclesiastes 11:1–2).

Ultimately, the principle of sharing the fruits of one’slabor applies to the entire glorified family of God. Thefamily—where ideally each member contributes his shareand each lovingly gives to the others—is a microcosm ofthe divine plan. The principle is also expressed in theFeast of Tabernacles. “And you shall rejoice in your feast,you and your son and your daughter, your male servantand your female servant and the Levite, the stranger andthe fatherless and the widow, who are within your gates”(Deuteronomy 16:14).

God will forever share with His family the blessings ofGod-life and all He possesses (Revelation 21:7). Thedivine family will be sharing life and its joys and its labors

through creative work forever. With an eternity to engagein creative endeavor, the possibilities are endless.

The Master Key

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: FearGod and keep His commandments, For this is the wholeduty of man” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). None of the other keysare fully effective apart from the fear of God and keepingHis commandments. This key is also reflected in the Feastof Tabernacles (Deuteronomy 31:10–13). God’s commandments are not a curse or a burden, but togetherconstitute the most vital of all keys to lasting joy. Thecommandments are designed to promote joy, and aregiven as a blessing (Deuteronomy 30:15–16; Psalm1:1–3). Respect toward God and His way unlocks thepotential for abiding happiness within the context of cre-ative work and sharing (Psalm 128:1–4).

As we reflect upon the Feast of Tabernacles, let usremember how it portrays not only the joy of temporallife lived God’s way, but the joy of life for all eternity, livedin the happiness that comes from our profound worshipand love of God and Christ (John 4:24; Zechariah 14:16).The principles we have discussed—work, enjoying thefruits of your labor, sharing with others, fearing God andkeeping His commandments—are simple. A child canunderstand them. But they are as profound as they aresimple, and they should inspire us—year round—to morediligently, and happily, follow Christ’s Way of life (1 John2:6; 1 Peter 2:21).

God will forever share with His family the blessings of God-life and all He possesses (Revelation 21:7). The divine family will be sharing life

and its joys and its labors through creative work forever. With an eternity to engage in creative endeavor, the possibilities are endless.

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International Corner...European Update

by Douglas Winnail

The work in Europe continues tosharpen its focus. During June andJuly we began holding regular month-ly Sabbath services in the city ofBelfast and in the St. Albans/BricketWood area of north London in addi-tion to regular weekly services innearby locations. I plan to make visitsto London, Glasgow, Belfast andHolland approximately once a monthduring the coming months. Duringthese trips I have taken the opportu-nity to use various libraries in the UKand Europe for doing editorialresearch as well as gain informationand insights into developments on theEuropean scene.

Plans are underway for addi-tional advertising in Ireland andseveral UK and European locationsduring fall and winter. During thefirst six months of this year we havereceived about 2,700 responses tothe German Web site. Although thisrepresents only a 5 percent increaseover the previous six months, thoseresponding have shown a stronginterest in our materials. More than700 booklets (a 33 percent increase)and more than 1,600 articles (a 92percent increase) were downloaded.This is an encouraging sign.

South African Updateby Syd Hull

We are receiving more and morevisit requests as time goes by. God isgiving us more new members now.There are more who are on the vergeof coming in. Our Landbou Weekblad

and Farmers Weekly ads are yieldinggood responses. Radio Kingfisher isyielding very good responses. Thisradio station is in Port Elizabeth onthe Eastern Cape Coast. They havealready played two of our programsand the responses are increasing.God had a church there at one timeand He could very well have onethere again in the not-too-distantfuture.

Kenya Updateby Ernest Owino

Last June, a new congregationwas established at Got Kojowi inWestern Kenya, about 30 km southof Ndhiwa (our largest congrega-tion in East Africa, with the averageSabbath attendance of 70). The firstSabbath service in Got Kojowi sawover 20 in attendance. In Nairobi,we have had two new visitors, bothof whom had never had any experi-ence with the Church before.

In Sultan Hamud, about 120 kmsouth of Nairobi, along the Nairobi-Mombasa Road, another new videogroup has been formed, with an averageattendance of five. Mr. King’oo Muteti isour host there and is truly dedicated tothe Truth of Almighty God.

We have some additional devel-opments to report about local trans-lations. By mid-June this year, Ibegan translating Which Day Is theChristian Sabbath? into Luo, a dialectspoken by more than 10 million peo-ple in East Africa, a number ofwhom do not understand English.With the assistance of Mr. LucasOgada of Ndhiwa, we have alsotranslated Who or What Is theAntichrist? into Luo, and are current-

ly typing and editing it. A number ofinterested individuals will possiblysoon have their eyes opened throughthese two booklets. In Kenya alone,we have an average weekly atten-dance of 125, and with the already-published literature translated intoLuo, we expect that this figure willsoon double.

Philippines Updateby Rod McNair

Recent months have seen goodfruit in the Work and the Church inthe Philippines. In the month ofMay, the Manila office sent out 256booklets and 195 Bible Study Courselessons. Six hundred fifty-eight peo-ple are enrolled in the Bible StudyCourse, and 8.5 percent of them havereached Lesson 18.

Attendance is growing. OurLuzon pastor, Mr. Gorgonio de Guia,reports new people from other associ-ations have begun attending inManila since Dr. and Mrs. Meredith’svisit last April. We are also seeinggrowth in some of the remote, isolat-ed video groups, such as Polomolok,which reached a record average atten-dance of 22 for the first time in May.And in southeastern Mindanao, themanager of one of the local access TVoutlets airing Tomorrow’s World decid-ed to cut his fees in half as a contri-bution to the Work! By the end of thesummer, we plan to be on a new radiostation in Davao.

We are amazed and encouraged bythis continued growth in the midst ofongoing unrest and tension, and evensporadic violence. Many of our mem-bers dwell in communities where fearis a fact of life. Some of our members

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are approached from time to time byclandestine rebel groups, seeking tointimidate and extort. A relative of oneof our members was murdered severalmonths ago by unknown assailants.One of our video group hosts wrote ofrecent events in his April report: “Themonth of April was a quivering monthfor General Santos city folks, the near-est city to the Polomolok churchbrethren. As I left for Manila onMonday, April 1, KCC Mall, one of thebiggest [malls], was reduced to ashesby terrorists just two weeks afterKimball Plaza was also razed. On April18, Pit Mart was bombed by unidenti-fied men, 15 people died and 60 morewere injured, but praise to the Lordthat no member was hurt or near thescene during those incidents. May 2,while I was preparing my monthlyreport, we heard from a newsbreakthat an incendiary bomb was foundtucked in a displayed jacket in the gar-ment section of Gaisano Mall.… Therewas panic among customers andemployees, but none was hurt.”

In June, one of our member fam-ilies in Metro-Manila happened to beat the wrong place at the wrong timeas they were traveling tovisit a relative. They foundthemselves in the middleof a bus hold-up, andwrote about their experi-ence: “The hold-uppersdemanded that we givethem all our money orelse! They shouted invec-tives, cursed at and threat-ened all the passengers,hurling insults on thosewhom they thought woulddare to fight back. First they tookwallets and jewelry from everyone....They took all our handbags, dumpedthe contents in the aisles, taking allthe money and valuables they couldfind. The woman who had a hankytied around her nose and mouthfrisked me thoroughly, and took mywatch and wedding ring.... With

God’s protection and mercy, wereached my sister-in-law’s house atabout 10:30 that evening, sound andsafe. What a terrible experience! Butwe know God allowed it to happenfor our own good.”

In the Philippines, as in otherplaces around the world, many ofGod’s people are in difficult straits.Yet God continues to do a Work andfeed His flock. Especially as wedraw closer to the end, how encour-aging and real are the words ofDavid! As Psalm 37:39–40 says:“The salvation of the righteous isfrom the LORD; He is their strengthin the time of trouble. And the LORD

shall help them and deliver them.He shall deliver them from thewicked, and save them, because theytrust in Him.”

Martinique Updateby Dibar Apartian

Many good things happened dur-ing my short visit to Martinique inJuly. First, I officiated at the weddingof a young couple who had been

“patiently” waiting severalmonths for my arrival.Then, I was interviewedby two different radio sta-tions. One of them—Radio Caraibes, the largeston the island—used to airLe Monde a Venir five timesa week, blanketing thewhole island. Even thoughthey are no longer airingreligious broadcasts, weare hoping that they may

make an exception in our casebecause of the previous popularity ofLe Monde a Venir. Of course, theirnew fee may also be beyond ourmeans! On the Sabbath of July 20,about 25 of our French brethren onthis beautiful island rejoiced when Iordained as an elder Mr. MarcelGinier, a longtime member and dea-

con in God’s Church. The followingday, to our delight and surprise, 53new people attended the public lec-ture I conducted; its theme was“Coming World Events.” Finally, totop it all, as I boarded the Air Franceairplane to return home, the stew-ardess, who was checking the ticketsand the passports of the passengers,exclaimed when seeing my passport:“Monsieur Dibar, Le Monde a Venir!”Encouraged by all these exciting hap-penings, I am already planning mynext trip to Martinique.

Caribbean Updateby Jonathan McNair

As we move into the busy sum-mer months in the United States,our two associate pastors in theCaribbean have been hard at work.Mr. Hugh Wilson made a profitablevisit to Barbados in June. Mr. Wilsonis the associate pastor for the con-gregation in Kingston, Jamaica. Healso travels once a month toBarbados. There he serves as associ-ate pastor as well. Eight prospectivemembers have counseled with Mr.Wilson for baptism in Barbados.Another was baptized on June 16.

Mr. Fitzroy Greeman is serving themembers in Trinidad as associate pas-tor, in addition to serving in the samecapacity for his home country ofGuyana. During his monthly trip toTrinidad, he counseled with fourprospective members about baptism,as well as conducting a SpokesmanClub.

Our long-term plans for theCaribbean include investigating tele-vision coverage for the islands sur-rounding Antigua. Currently, wehave very little prospective memberactivity in this particular area. Ourhopes and prayers are thatDominica, St. Kitts, Nevis and theVirgin Islands can develop from thehub of Antigua.


Mr. Marcel Ginier

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Cool nights and pleasant days once again providedthe ideal setting for Michigan Living Youth Camp.Campers and staff arrived from the United States, Canada,and even far-away New Zealand for two weeks of fun, fel-lowship, learning and hard work at NorthwoodsChristian Camp outside of Pickford, Michigan.

Four boys’ dorms and four girls’ dorms rotatedthrough a wide range of activities. Every day began with“morning motivation” at 7:45 a.m. Camp director Gerald

Weston ledcampers andstaff insinging sev-eral verses ofthe “campsong,” thencalled ondorms tocon t r ibu t e

new verses inspired by events of the past day. Exampleswould be: “To wake us up / From in our beds / Theyknocked our tent / Down on our heads!” Or “We love CI[Campus Improvement] / Although it’s tough / ‘Causehauling trees / Will make us buff!” Next a weather reportwas given, and a few headlines or news stories were read,followed by a proverb for the day.

After “morning motivation,” campers proceeded tobreakfast before beginning the day’s activities. Duringbreakfast, counselors met with Mr. Weston, and withassistant camp director Mr. Lambert Greer, to discuss anyproblems and finalize plans for that day’s activities. Thestaff ate after the campers, then had a short briefing tomake sure “all bases” were covered for the day.

This year a new tradition was added to the program:“First Things First.” This meant that the first activityperiod of each day was Christian living. Campers andstaff gathered in five class-sized groups, turned to the TenCommandments in Exodus 20, and reviewed a differentcommandment each day. The five groups were taught byministers Gerald Weston, Lambert Greer, JonathanMcNair, Paul Shumway and Rod McNair.

Putting first things first was a major step in a gooddirection. In the past, most staff members could not par-ticipate in these classes since they were occupied withteaching elsewhere, but with all the campers occupied atthe same time with Christian living, this freed the staff to

also attend the Christian living classes. The reaction wasentirely positive. When asked for any comments aboutcamp, the first thing Michigan Upper Peninsula memberLinda Blanchard said was: “I really like Christian livingstraight across the board for all of camp every morning.”Numerous comments by staff members echoed her senti-ment. Putting first things first contributed to the excep-tional unity and harmony experienced this year, asexpressed by high school staff member Sophia Kovanis,from Agoura Hills, California: “There was a feeling ofsupport, unity, and an atmosphere of teamwork.”

For the remainder of the day, each dorm rotatedthrough a variety of activi-ties. On a typical day, adorm might go from theChristian living class to asoccer class taught byGary Maney of Cherokee,North Carolina. Afterlunch, fellowship time,and a rest period, theymight proceed to CampusImprovement, whereSteve Olson from KansasCity, along with his staff,guided them in the con-struction of a 16’ by 24’ storage building. Their next activ-ity might be media skills; Brian Scarborough would dividethe dorm into groups to tackle different projects such aspreparing a Bible Study for the teen Web site, taking pho-tographs for “Living Reflections,” the LYC memory book,or preparing a news brief for the daily LYC Web siteupdate. The last class of the day might be archery, taught byDerek Forrestier from Brazoria, Texas. He and his staffhelped campers identify the parts of the bow and arrow,then shot at targets on the archery range. In their secondclass, they moved to the woods, where they tested theirskills on three-dimensional targets.

Other activities included dance, volleyball, soccer, fit-ness, ultimate Frisbee and music appreciation. A newclass this year was “creative skills”—taught by Mr.Lambert Greer. Campers used their ingenuity, and a min-imal amount of materials, to construct the assigned pro-jects. Each dorm had to build a means of carrying an egg,water balloon and bag of popcorn by air, land and water.On the final day of camp, the dorms put their creations to

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the ultimate test while cheering campers and staffwatched. As expected, some models worked better thanothers, with a few surprises along the way. As Scripture

tells us: “The race isnot to the swift, northe battle to thestrong,… But timeand chance happen tothem all.”

The highlight formany campers wasthe overnight canoetrip, led by Mr. Paul

Shumway and the canoe staff. Campers paddled into theLes Cheneaux Narrows, camped overnight onGovernment Island, and returned to camp the next day.While there, they were met with a number of challengesthat required teamwork and cooperation. The weatheralso presented some unexpected challenges that helpedbuild faith, courage, teamwork and true bonding.

After the daily activity session, campers returned tothe dining hall for another meal. The busy schedule con-tinued into the evening. Every dorm participated in table-topics and dance. Campers had the opportunity to polishpublic speaking skills during the topics session.Afterwards, they put the steps they learned during danceclass into practice. The dances taught this year were theswing, slow dance, electric slide, crocodile rock andpolka. Emphasis was again given to the principles ofshowing outgoing concern toward the other person andnot leaving anyone out.

While some campers were enjoying table-topics anddance, others might be spending the night onGovernment Island, as the remaining campers enjoyedactivities of their choice during the evening hours. Theyalso enjoyed another fellowship time, during which theyhad the opportunity to mix and mingle, and get to knowone another in casual conversation.

For campers, each evening concluded with eveningreflection. Campers and staff gathered together in themain hall to sing hymns, and to listen to a short instruc-tional story read by Mr. Weston. As campers and staffsang “It Won’t Be Long Now,” or “By This Shall All MenKnow,” the LYC end-of-the-day theme songs, a contenteddrowsiness settled over the camp.

After evening reflection, the adult and high schoolstaffs retired to the lodge for a time of fellowship andrelaxation. On most evenings, they sat around eating

snacks, conversing, and playing cards and board games.One night there was a dance. Another evening included agame night, where they played “Name that Tune,” andother interesting games.

On Thursday, August 1, Dr. and Mrs. Meredith flew infor the tail end of camp. Before dinner, Dr. Meredith tooka vigorous walk with a couple of campers. Later thatevening, he and his wife Sheryl enjoyed watching the campers partici-pate in an enthusias-tic game of Play-Doh Pictionary. Thenext day they touredthe campus and the activities. OnFriday evening, Dr.Meredith and Mr.Weston answeredsome of the many Bible questions submitted by campersand staff. Before services on the Sabbath, Dr. and Mrs.Meredith helped serve on the food line, dishing upwhipped cream for the strawberry waffles.

A talent show took place Saturday evening, and wasby far the best ever. Campers and staff gave performanceswith the theme of “Heroes.” Dorm counselors StephenHall and Lisa Wilson concluded the evening with a rous-ing rendition of “America the Beautiful”—Lisa sang whileStephen played the sax.

Sunday night was the climax of camp. The eveningbegan with a barbecue steak dinner topped off with adelicious cheesecake. The high school workers and otherstaff members served the banquet in a near-record 12minutes. Following dinner, there was a short fellowshiptime before the camp video was shown and Mr. Westonmade his final comments,complimenting the staff ona job well done and thecamp as a whole for beingthe best camp ever since itshumble beginnings in1995. He also encouragedcampers to become heroesby exercising the courageto put into practice the lessons learned this year.Campers were urged to remember to “put first thingsfirst,” “don’t leave anyone out,” “practice give rather thanselfish get,” “resist the negative influences of this currentage and prepare to rule in the age that will soon be ush-

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ered in.” Mr. Weston ended by saying that “now it is timeto go down the hill and do some dancing”—somethingthat everyone, including Dr. and Mrs. Meredith, werelooking forward to.

Among campers’ comments, summing up their feel-ings, were the following: “Camp was fantastic! I wish itlasted longer. I hope I’ll be able to come back next year.”“It was great! Thanks, all you staff.” “This year was awe-some—‘first things first’ really made a difference!” “It’smy favorite place to be. I love my counselors!” “Overall,I thought camp was very organized and well-prepared.The staff was great and very helpful!” “I like havingChristian living first. I also like having a lot of fellowshiptime.” “Camp was awesome.”

Texas Pre-Teen Camp

June 2–7 was an exciting week for more than 40 chil-dren between the ages of seven and 12. Mostly comingfrom Texas and Louisiana, these young people, along withthree teenage counselors and approximately 20 adult staffmembers, spent the week at Ft. Parker State Park nearMexia, Texas. There was a wide range of activities, fromarchery, canoeing, and softball to Christian living classesand an evening story time.

Mr. Gerald Weston, who oversees the Living Churchof God youth program, provided guidance and supportfor those directly working with the Texas camp. SouthernRegional Pastor John Ogwyn directed the camp, assistedby Mr. David Crockett of the Gladewater congregation.

The state park provided a beautiful setting on MexiaLake for our whole range of activities. We leased thegroup camp facility, which had an air-conditioned head-quarters building that served as our main activity centerand dining hall, and contained a full institutional stylekitchen. In addition, there were dorms for the campersand the staff, as well as playing fields and a beautifulwooded setting with hiking trails.

The day began with morning exercises, followed bybreakfast and a brief “morning motivation” given by Mr.Ogwyn. There were two classes for the campers in themorning and three in the afternoon. Classes includedChristian living, fishing, kickball, softball, archery, canoe-ing, volleyball, ping-pong, arts and crafts and baking.After supper there was an opportunity for indoor gamessuch as Pictionary, then all gathered around for a storybefore bedtime, read by Mr. Crockett.

Mr. Derek Forrestier from the Houston congregationis a certified archery instructor and provided the equip-

ment needed for that class. He even managed to procurelife-sized animal mannequins to serve as targets, ratherthan the traditional bulls-eye style. Before the week wasover, some of our budding “William Tells” were able notonly to hit their targets, but even to pop a balloon affixedto the target!

When the week ended, everyone was tired from a fullschedule of activities, but already eagerly anticipatingdoing it again next year. The pre-teens had learned newskills and made new friends, all the while having a lot offun in the process.

—John Ogwyn

Missouri Pre-Teen Camp

At Cuivre State Park, just north of St. Louis, there is aprivate group camping area called “Sherwood Forest.”Instead of being populated by English nobility and bandits, it was home to a very merry group of 75 adultsand youth of theLiving Church ofGod between June 9and 16. Forty-sevenpre-teen camperscame from Alabama,Georgia, I l l inois,I n d i a n a , I o w a ,Kansas, Missouri,Nebra ska , Oh io ,Oklahoma and Wisconsin. The eight or so people(including two counselors) in each cabin became well-acquainted, and participated in activities as a unit for thenext week.

Each day began with “morning motivation.” Cabinsin turn led the group in singing original camp songs thatillustrated some aspect of camp life. After a short motiva-tional talk by the camp director, everyone went to the din-ing hall for a hearty breakfast. The rest of the day wasspent in activities such as Christian living class, archery,arts and crafts, canoeing, challenge course, first aid, flagfootball, line dance, manners, music, rifle range and “ulti-mate baby-sitting.”

In the Christian living classes, campers learned the long-term consequences of right and wrong actions in one class,and principles of lasting friendships in another class. In thechallenge course, campers worked together to build a mov-ing bridge across a swamp using boards and tires. The chal-lenge was that the bridge was “moving” because there werenot enough planks and tires to construct a bridge for the


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length required. It was always obvious which cabins had justcompleted the first aid class because they exited with arms

in slings made ofelastic bandages andcreative storiesabout how they sus-tained their“injuries.” The “ulti-mate baby-sitting”class included videosegments illustrating

challenging situations that can arise when baby-sitting. Aftereach segment, the campers discussed how they would havehandled the scenario.

All of the children had singing instruction in themusic activity, and what a difference it made! After theinstruction, the great majority of campers elected to singin the children’s choir on the Sabbath. The St. Louischurch congregation joined the campers for a Sabbathservice with 105 attending.

Each evening had a special activity for the entiregroup. Evening activities included a mixer game, the bee-tle game, newspaper fashions, Bible baseball and musicnight. The music night started with several group dances.Performances from campers and staff members includedthree solo vocal selections, a piano duet and a singingquartet. Finally, Mr. Bill Oswald, a special guest thatnight, played songs on his steel guitar and led thecampers in a sing-along.

Spending a week at camp with those who share thesame beliefs was compared to being at the Feast ofTabernacles. Together, our collective light shines brighter,and both campers and staff were reminded that God’s wayof life is very special.

—Randy Gregory

California Pre-Teen Camp

On Sunday, June 30, 62 campers and staff made theirway up the two-lane roads of the Sierra NevadaMountains, to the California Pre-Teen LYC in centralCalifornia, located at 6,000 feet elevation. Campers camefrom around the Church’s Western Region, including thestates of Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon andWashington. From the onset of camp, friendlinessabounded and new acquaintances were made by youthsand adults alike. An unusual level of peace and harmonyseemed to permeate the camp, making it a memorableexperience for everyone.

Camp activities for each of the five days began at 8 a.m.with “morning motivation” before breakfast. Classesincluded Christian living, arts and crafts, fitness and health,orienteering, soccer, manners, flag football and entertain-ment. One of the mornings featured a three-hour hike up toa peak 1,000 feet above the camp with views of distant,s n o w y ,13,000-footpeaks. A near-by river gavethe campersan afternoonof swimmingand splashingunder thet o w e r i n gheights oflush pinetrees, beds of ferns and fragrant mountain azaleas. After theevening meal, activities included a night of Bunko, GoofyOlympics, line dancing lessons, and the grand finale: thecampfire program. The class in entertainment prepared thegirls’ dorms to perform a song together, which was followedby a song from the combined boys’ dorms. Other campfireprogram performances included a skit by the staff of a mod-ern portrayal of Balaam and Balak, a humorous song by thekitchen staff, campfire songs with everyone joining in, anda song by the combined boys’ and girls’ dorms. To conclude

every evening, thecampers sloweddown the day’s activi-ties with eveningreflection, includinghymns and a storypromoting aChristian virtue.

The camperswere outstanding in

their attitudes and participation, as was evidenced bytheir unanimous response in a camper survey. One ques-tion asked if they would like to return to camp next year.Typical responses were “Definitely” and “Yes, yes, yes!”

The five days were a profitable foretaste of the benefitin working early with young people, as well as buildingfriendships and camaraderie among Church brethren.The staff members were outstanding examples, willing togive for the benefit of future potential members of God’sFamily. God’s way works!

—Jeffrey Fall


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dom in the grave where you aregoing” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

When we read of the Olympicchampion swimmers rising beforedawn to engage in strenuous swimworkouts, then driving to their regularjobs and working all day, then return-ing home again at night for morestrenuous training in the pool, we canappreciate the fact that they are willingto put forth great effort to achieve theirgoal. If our true goal is to reflect thezeal of Jesus Christ and “make a dif-ference” by giving our lives today inHis service as a “living sacrifice”(Romans 12:1), how vital it is that wedemonstrate the same zeal that JesusChrist Himself, the Apostle Paul andmost of the other great biblical leadersdemonstrated in their service to God.

Because many of us have grownup in “average” families, we may nothave seen the examples of outstand-ing drive and zest that the world’sgreat leaders exemplify. Yet we arecalled to be truly great leaders—if wetruly “overcome” (Revelation2:26–27). We need to understand thereality of the situation and startbuilding the wisdom, the successfulhabits and the zeal of top leaders.“Do you not know that the saintswill judge the world? And if theworld will be judged by you, are youunworthy to judge the smallest mat-

ters? Do you not know that we shalljudge angels? How much more,things that pertain to this life?” (1Corinthians 6:2–3).

Remember, a vital part of theFourth Commandment tells us: “Sixdays shall you labor and do all yourwork” (Exodus 20:9). Jesus told theJews: “My Father has been workinguntil now, and I have been working”(John 5:17). Even in this aspect ofHis human life, Jesus set us an exam-ple of zest and accomplishment.

In his very interesting book, SamWalton—The Inside Story of America’sRichest Man, author Vance Trimbledescribes how Walton became fabu-lously wealthy, even though he wasborn to “average” parents and livedfor much of his life in the state ofArkansas. Over and over, Trimblecites comments from Walton’sfriends and associates describing howhard he worked. Though not wealthy,his father did teach Sam a wonderfulwork ethic, which enabled Sam laterto become America’s richest man.Trimble relates: “Although not per-sonally feeling the worst effects ofthe Depression, ‘Sammy’ Walton wasliving up to his dad’s ‘work, work,work’ ethic at Hickman High School.In addition to his man-killing regi-men in academics and athletics, hefound time for odd jobs and wasmore and more becoming self-sup-porting. Rolling out of bed at dawn,he delivered a route for the M.U.

journalism students’ ColumbiaMissourian. Significantly, he alsobecame a part-time helper in aColumbia five-and-ten-cent store”(p. 33). Sam Walton had to workreally hard to succeed the way he did.

We all admire the Apostle Paul’spassion for Jesus Christ. However,Paul also had a passion for work andfor accomplishment. Paul states: “Butby the grace of God I am what I am,and His grace toward me was not invain; but I labored more abundantlythan they all, yet not I, but the graceof God which was with me” (1Corinthians 15:10). Because he didlove Jesus Christ, and because he was“not afraid” of hard work, the ApostlePaul evidently did more evangelizing,raised up more churches and wrotemore books in the New Testamentthan any other man! What a magnifi-cent reward Paul will receive whenChrist returns as King of kings.

If we are to become even moder-ately successful in this life, we willneed to learn to use our time and tal-ents wisely. We will need to “go theextra mile” on many occasions. Andabove and beyond all this, we shouldlearn to go “all out” in working, inserving and in doing everything wecan with zeal to prepare for theKingdom of God. For Christ Himselfsaid: “‘And behold, I am comingquickly, and My reward is with Me,to give to every one according to hiswork’” (Revelation 22:12).

while Saul was still “God’s anointed.” Even when Saulwas absolutely helpless before David—fast asleep—Daviddid not permit the warrior Abishai to kill him. “But Davidsaid to Abishai, ‘Do not destroy him; for who can stretchout his hand against the LORD’S anointed, and be guilt-less?’ David said furthermore, ‘As the LORD lives, the LORD

shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shallgo out to battle and perish. The LORD forbid that I shouldstretch out my hand against the LORD’S anointed. Butplease, take now the spear and the jug of water that are by

his head, and let us go’” (1 Samuel 26:9–11). Davidwould not have had this attitude toward a man who hadtried, again and again, to kill him—unless he constantlypictured his God, the “Rock” of Israel, as being very real,totally fair and a God who would always “make thingsright” in the end!

For David worshiped and adored God. Out under the stars at night, David exclaimed: “When

I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, themoon and the stars, which You have ordained, what is manthat You are mindful of him, and the son of man that Youvisit him? For You have made him a little lower than theangels, and You have crowned him with glory and

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After God’s Own Heart(continued from page 2)

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honor.… O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is Your name inall the earth!” (Psalm 8:3–5, 9).

When David was deeply troubled by sickness andinfection, he cried out: “O LORD, do not rebuke me in Yourwrath, nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure! For Yourarrows pierce me deeply, and Your hand presses me down.There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your anger,nor any health in my bones because of my sin. For my iniq-uities have gone over my head; like a heavy burden theyare too heavy for me. My wounds are foul and festeringbecause of my foolishness” (Psalm 38:1–5). Yet even in thedepths of his despondency and pain, David fixed his mindon God’s faithfulness. “For in You, O LORD, I hope; You willhear, O Lord my God” (v. 15).

When David began to profoundly repent of his vile sinwith Bathsheba and the murder of her husband, Uriah,once again he fixed his mind on God and His mercy, and onGod’s purpose in all our lives: “Deliver me from the guilt ofbloodshed, O God, the God of my salvation, and mytongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. O Lord,open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise.For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; Youdo not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God area broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart—these, OGod, You will not despise” (Psalm 51:14–17).

Certainly, David continually focused his thoughts on thelove, the mercy and the greatness of God. The entirety ofPsalm 103 is a magnificent expression of the love and worshipDavid constantly expressed toward his Creator: “Bless theLORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holyname! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His ben-efits: who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your dis-eases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crownsyou with lovingkindness and tender mercies.… The LORD ismerciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding inmercy.… For as the heavens are high above the earth, so greatis His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east isfrom the west, so far has He removed our transgressions fromus. As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those whofear Him. For He knows our frame; He remembers that we aredust” (vv. 1–4, 8, 11–14).

Dear brethren, in our confused and utterly materialisticsociety—where we are daily and almost hourly bombarded with the sounds and images of the television,telephone, computer, radio, traffic outside and perhapseven helicopters whirling overhead—it is often difficult forus to concentrate on the beauty, the mercy, the profoundwisdom and the awesome power of the great God who madeus in His image. Yet, if we are to be like David—the man“after God’s own heart”—we will have to so organize ourlives that we also quietly, slowly and thoughtfully drink inof God’s Word and “meditate on God’s Law” as David did.

We must find time to go outside and look at the trees, flow-ers and plants, and the sun, moon and stars that our Godand Creator has made. Then, as David did, we must taketime to pour out our hearts to God in sincere thanks, wor-ship and adoration. We should all be able to say with David:“Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cryaloud, and He shall hear my voice” (Psalm 55:17).

God our Father, and Jesus Christ our Savior, shouldboth be at the very center of our being. They are truly“one”—as Jesus said: “‘I and My Father are one’” (John10:30). Our hopes, dreams, thoughts and plans should allrevolve around God and what He wants us to do and to be.As David profoundly understood, and as the Apostle Paulexpressed: “In Him we live and move and have our being”(Acts 17:28).

In Psalm 104, David described the beauty and the wis-dom in God’s creation. He described how God stretchesout the heavens “like a curtain.” He described how God’svoice sounds like “thunder.” He described how “He causesthe grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the ser-vice of man, that he may bring forth food from the earth,and wine that makes glad the heart of man, oil to make hisface shine, and bread which strengthens man’s heart” (vv.14–15). David exulted: “O LORD, how manifold are Yourworks! In wisdom You have made them all. The earth isfull of Your possessions—this great and wide sea, in whichare innumerable teeming things, living things both smalland great” (vv. 24–25).

Then King David of Israel cried out from the depths ofhis being: “I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will singpraise to my God while I have my being. May my meditationbe sweet to Him; I will be glad in the LORD. May sinners beconsumed from the earth, and the wicked be no more. Blessthe LORD, O my soul! Praise the LORD!” (vv. 33–35).

Will you and I “sing to the Lord” as long as we haveour lives? Will we “sing praises to God” while we have ourbeing? Are our heavenly Father, and our personal Lordwho died for us—Jesus Christ, “the Lord God of the armiesof Israel”—the real focus of our lives, our plans and all thatwe hope for?

Brethren, let us sincerely pray to our God that we—andall our brethren in God’s Church—may learn to “seek” Godwith all our hearts, walk with Him, love Him and constant-ly praise and thank and worship Him like King David did!Then, truly, we will become a people “after God’s ownheart.” Then, God will bless us, deliver us, heal us and inevery way “cause His face to shine upon us” as never before.


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Teens Enjoy Smoky Mountain TripLocal Church

News

Fourteen teens and chaperonesfrom throughout the southern U.S.traveled to the Great SmokyM o u n t a i n s f o r a d v e n t u r e —Appalachian style.

Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Maney, andMr. and Mrs. Gary Maney, hostedthe group in Cherokee, NorthCarolina. Mr. Gary Maney arrangedfor the group to stay in a communi-ty center before they began thebackpacking trip. On the Sabbath ofJune 22, members from westernNorth Carolina joined the group fora service followed by a covered-dishmeal. On June 23, the group trav-eled to the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock

Wilderness Area, just south of theSmoky Mountain National Park.This area is famous for its beautifulviews, spring flowers and waterfalls.Lower Slickrock Creek Falls, andWildcat Falls with its three pools,both provided a cool respite to tiredfeet and aching backs. After fivedays of backpacking and camping,everyone thoroughly enjoyed a safereturn to Cherokee, and nice, hotshowers

Later, the Maneys treated thegroup to complimentary passes to“Unto These Hills”—a showretelling the history of theCherokee Indians in North

Carolina. The next morning, thegroup traveled to the NantahalaGorge. The afternoon was filledwith a visit to the CherokeeCultural Village, followed by afish-fry, provided by the Maneysand other local brethren, andattended by Mr. Martin Fannin, thearea pastor. There is nothing like avisit to another part of America togain appreciation for the beauty ofour land. And traveling to visitother congregations alwaysreminds us of the bond that wehave with each other throughoutGod’s Church.

—Jonathan McNair

In the month of July, visitors to the officialEnglish-language LCG Web sites—www.lcg.org,www.tomorrowsworld.org and www.cogl.org—sub-mitted 1,631 online “Order FREE” forms. Eachform allows the requestor to order the literatureoffer from the current week’s telecast, theTomorrow’s World magazine, the Bible Study Courseand up to three additional booklets.

Of the 1,631 forms submitted, 615 requested theTomorrow’s World magazine, and 621 asked for a sub-scription to the Bible Study Course. This is an encour-aging increase from June’s 1,125 forms, 440 magazinesubscriptions and 470 Bible Study Course subscrip-tions. Additionally, more than 3,000 booklets andaudiotapes were requested!

The sites recorded their first visits from sevencountries in July, including Burkina Faso, Greenland

and Vatican City. A total of 157 countries are knownto have visited the Church Web sites since theirinception in 1999.

July activity on www.lcg.org exceeded 46.5 giga-bytes and 35,500 user sessions (up from 40.6 and30,500 in June). More than 122,000 page viewswere recorded on the Church sites (up from110,000 in June).

In the month of July, our advertising campaignon the www.google.com search engine received2,226 “click-throughs” (Google users coming toour sites via our ads). At approximately 14 centsper click-through, with an average of one bookletordered for every four click-throughs, the cost-per-response is currently under 60 cents! Please con-tinue to keep the Church Web effort in yourprayers.

July LCG Web Activity Tops June Records!

23


New Tomorrow’s World Telecast SeasonBegins September 22!WGN: Sunday, 6:00 AM ETVISION (Canada): Sunday, 3:30 AM & 5:30 PM ET

Air Date Broadcast TitleSeptember 22 World War III and ProphecySeptember 29 The World After World War IIIOctober 6 Has Christianity Failed?October 13 Will Hydrogen Bombs Destroy Our Cities?October 20 What Happens When You Die?October 27 The White Throne Judgment

For additional stations and times, check the Television and Radio Log on page 31 of yourTomorrow’s World magazine.

BirthMike and Pam Rude, of the Minneapolis, Minnesota LCG congregation, announce the birth of a baby girl, DawnMarie Rude. Born on June 18, Dawn Marie weighed 5 pounds, 14 ounces, and was 19.5 inches long. Motherand baby are fine, as are father and big sister.

Betty Alberts, age 77, a member of the St. Louis, Missouri Living Church of God congregation, died on June18. She had been in failing health for several months. Her husband of 53 years died in 1999; she is survived bythree daughters, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Coming into the Church seven years ago,she remained faithful to the Truth throughout all the trials and upheavals that have occurred since. Friends saythat she had read the Bible from cover to cover ten times. She will be missed by her family and friends, who lookforward to seeing her in the resurrection.

Dick Dalrymple, a member of the Living Church of God in Buffalo, New York, died of a massive heart attackon May 15. He had served as video host in Buffalo, New York, for several years. Mr. Paul Shumway conductedthe funeral on May 20. He is survived by his wife, Jan, and will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Thomas DeBerry of Independence, Missouri, age 85, died on June 2. Baptized in 1951, he gave more thana half-century of dedicated service to God's people. He is survived by Florene, his wife of 64 years, his sisterAudra Robbins, a son and daughter-in-law, a daughter and son-in-law, six grandchildren, seven great-grandchil-dren, three great-great-grandchildren, one great-great-stepgrandchild and many nieces and nephews. He was afine example to all who knew him; he will be fondly remembered and greatly missed.

In Loving Memory

The above is an adaptation of one of the many commentaries, on key topics facing our world, available at thewww.lcg.org and www.tomorrowsworld.org Web sites.

Commentary

Over the last century, debate has raged regarding theorigin of the universe. Has the universe always existed?If not, when did it come into existence—and how did itcome into existence?

If there was a moment of time when the universecame into existence, logic alone would tell you that acreator was involved. When we look at a well-designedpainting, we inherently know that it has not alwaysexisted. Scientifically, one could have the wood framedated, as well as the pigments in the paint, and it wouldquickly become evident that there was a specific timewhen the painting was brought into existence. A paintermust actually have painted the canvas.

In the last decade, the Hubble telescope has provid-ed dramatic new evidence that the universe has notalways existed. The universe is rapidly moving apart,and is constantly expanding. Most scientists now believethat the universe exploded into existence some 14 ormore billion years ago.

This evidence of the creation event, which some sci-entists call the “big bang theory,” is mounting year byyear. Science now confirms that there has been no pasteternity of matter! Amazingly, even Albert Einstein laidthe foundation for understanding that matter has notalways existed, with his famous “general theory of rela-tivity.” This well-accepted principle of physics was usedto demonstrate mathematically that the universe had abeginning, and that all matter came into existence fromoutside the physical realm, outside the laws of physics.

In Hebrews 11:3 we read: “The worlds were framed bythe Word of God, so that the things which are seen [theuniverse] were not made of things which are visible [matter].”

The Bible clearly states that the universe was notmade from pre-existing matter. That fits precisely with

the evidence in astronomy and physics. So, if the uni-verse was not made of pre-existing material or matter,how did it come into existence? Science cannot answerthis, but God tells us His method of creation: “He hasmade the earth by His power” (Jeremiah 10:12). Godcreated the earth—and all the universe—from Hispower, or energy. Nuclear physicists have known foryears that energy can theoretically be converted intomass and, conversely, that mass can be converted intoenergy. This is how the mass of a nuclear bomb isreleased into energy.

So, in the creation event—what some scientists callthe “big bang”—the Creator God brought the universeinto existence by His power or energy. This becomes themissing ingredient that explains what astrophysicists areobserving in the universe.

There is one more crucial bit of amazing informa-tion about the creation and origin of the universe, whichwe can find in God’s word and which has recently beenproven in astronomy and physics: “It is He who sitsabove the circle of the earth… who stretches out theheavens like a curtain” (Isaiah 40:22). The Hebrew verbtranslated “stretches” is in the present tense. In otherwords, God is still stretching out the universe. This fitsprecisely with what has been observed by the Hubbletelescope: the universe is still rapidly expanding.

In the same verse, we read that God “spreads [theheavens] out like a tent to dwell in.” Here, in the Hebrew,“spreads” is in the past tense. God’s Word indicates thatin the original creation event, He stretched out the heav-ens, and that the universe is still being stretched out incontinuing expansion, as seen by the Hubble telescope.

Amazingly, science is finally catching up in under-standing with the Bible concerning the origin of theuniverse.

The Origin of the Universe By Jeffrey Fall

T L HE ivingChurch News · 2017-09-19 · this list. But that is another story. Over the years, I...

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