T Living Church of God L HE ivingChurch NewsLuipaardsvlei, 1743 Republic of South Africa Phone: (27)...

Vol. 7, No. 2

THE

March–April 2005

Dear Brethren and Friends,Our Father in heaven is truly granting us the opportunity and the inspi-

ration to greatly increase the impact of the Work. As you may know by now,we are testing three television options in Britain—and also plan to go on asatellite radio station there, God willing. This is in addition to the new tele-vision stations we are adding here in the states—most recently in Memphis,TN, and in Houston, TX. Together, these new outlets will add millions ofpeople to our potential audience. So we thank God for this opportunity!

In the past, as you know, we in our former association were never ableto have a really big impact in the British Isles. We did have AmbassadorCollege at Bricket Wood—where I acted as Deputy Chancellor for a coupleof years and which I had earlier helped establish back in 1960. But, in spiteof this, our actual Church attendance never even reached the 5,000 level andwas far below, proportionally, the attendance in Canada and Australia.

However, we did reach a few people in Britain, for a couple of years, throughthe “pirate” radio stations. Mr. Armstrong was given the impression that most ofthe people in Britain knew about us because of this and other outlets. But, as Ilearned from all five of the leading British ministers just a few months before Mr.Armstrong’s death, probably only about 1 percent of the British people wouldeven recognize the names World Tomorrow, Plain Truth or Ambassador College.Our low Sabbath service attendance certainly verified this, as well.

Personally, I helped get the Work started there on various trips includingone in 1954, another in 1956, and another in 1960—when I held extendedevangelistic campaigns and raised up the churches in Bristol, Birminghamand Manchester. Then, Mr. Armstrong asked me to stay on for severalmonths to help teach, and help the college there become established. Duringthose extended visits to Britain, my eldest daughter and next-older son wereborn. I love the British people, and have prayed for decades that we might doa far more powerful Work there. But, somehow, it just never worked out.

Now, as the end of this age approaches, the living Christ does seem tobe opening up opportunities to genuinely affect the British people in a sig-nificant way. For years, as I just mentioned, I have prayed about this becauseof my deep interest in genuinely reaching the “mother country” of ourEnglish-speaking world. Now, dear brethren, I ask you in Jesus’ name toplease join me in praying fervently that God will enable us to stay on thesetelevision stations, to obtain additional outlets on television in the future,

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Vol. 7, No. 2 March–April 2005

Living ChurchNewsivinL g ChurchNews

Living Church of God

Inside:Inside:A Higher Level ........................3

An Inside Job...........................4

Do Not Be Deceived!............................7

Final Things: Is Your House in Order?....................10

Counting Pentecost..............13

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

Spectator or Participant?.............................16

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

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

OOuurr FFuuttuurree LLeeaaddeerrss

LLiivviinngg CChhuurrcchh NNeewwss

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ChurchNewsLiving

Editor in Chief . . . . . . . . Roderick C. MeredithEditorial Director . . . . . . . . . . Richard F. AmesExecutive Editor . . . . . . . . . . William BowmerRegional Editors . . . . . .Rod King (Philippines)

Bruce Tyler (Australasia)Gerald Weston (Canada)

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

Linda EhmanElizabeth Martin

News Bureau . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . June OlsenBusiness Manager . . . . . . J. Davy Crockett, III

The Living Church News is published bimonthly by the LivingChurch of God, 2301 Crown Centre Drive, Charlotte, NC28227. Subscriptions are sent without charge to all members of the Living Church of God and others who mayrequest them.

©2005, Living Church of God™*. Printed in the USA. All rightsreserved. Postage paid at Charlotte, NC.

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The Living Church News is not responsible for the return of unsolicited articles and photographs. Scriptures are quoted from theNew King James Version (©Thomas Nelson, Inc., Publishers) unlessotherwise noted.

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on radio and in the print media and to have a truly significant impacton the British people. Those dear people need to be reached with thefull message of Jesus Christ and the “Ezekiel Warning” of the comingGreat Tribulation—before it is too late!

On another vital matter, I pray that all of us can begin to pray,plan and work toward helping the youth in God’s Church even moreeffectively. We on the Headquarters team here in Charlotte haverecently had meetings on this matter with Mr. Gerald Weston—ourYouth Director. We are very grateful for the excellent job, at the LivingYouth Camp, that Mr. and Mrs. Weston have been doing for years—and for the tremendous help provided by Mr. Lambert Greer, Mr. andMrs. Jonathan McNair, Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon Monson, Mr. and Mrs.Larry Solomon and so many others. There have also been many youthgatherings across the country with some of our key ministers andother leaders involved in helping conduct these programs, and somefine Bible studies and inspiring talks and programs for our young peo-ple. These must continue and even be improved upon as we go along.

We all need to think and pray about this need, and becomeinvolved! For our young people in their teens and twenties are the“leaders of tomorrow.” We need to appreciate their potential andinvolve them more and more in our Church activities—and in vari-ous opportunities for leadership and service. They can becomeinvolved in serving the congregation in many ways, such as helpingout in the parking lot, setting up chairs, passing out songbooks, par-ticipating in our music services and song-leading—and our youngmen can lead in prayer at Church services.

All of us who are older should be more than willing to step asideoccasionally and give a young person this opportunity to serve andto genuinely feel part of the Work of the Church! Remember howDavid was looked down on as the youngest and the least importantbefore he became king of Israel? He was almost overlooked beforeSamuel thought to ask his father Jesse, “‘Are all the young men here?’Then he said, ‘There remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keep-ing the sheep.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and bring him. For wewill not sit down till he comes here’” (1 Samuel 16:11).

And why did Samuel anoint with oil this very young man, to bethe next king of Israel? Before choosing David, God had instructedSamuel not to select the outwardly impressive Eliab. For “…the LORD

said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at his physicalstature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as mansees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks atthe heart’” (v. 7). God saw David’s heart. So, as with David, even inhis teens or early twenties God might designate a young man as afuture leader—though perhaps it would be a few years before hewould actually take office or assume responsibility.

Remember that the Apostle Paul told Timothy: “Let no one despiseyour youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, inlove, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, toexhortation, to doctrine” (1 Timothy 4:12–13). Although he may haveonly been in his twenties when Paul wrote this, Timothy obviously

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r. Herbert Armstrongoften used to tell theChurch of God thatmany among us were not

t r u l y “ c o n q u e r e d ” b y G o d .Sometimes he also stated: “Onlyabout half of you brethren are reallyconverted.” Near the end of his life,Mr. Armstrong stated: “Perhaps onlya tithe—only about 10 percent—ofthe Church is truly converted andconquered by God!”

In the years since his death, ithas become obvious that these com-ments were essentially true. TheChurch of God since that time hasbeen scattered and splintered, andmany brethren have simply goneback to the world. Many thousandshave stayed with the leaders of thegreatest apostasy in modern times,rejecting nearly all of the basictruths that distinguished us as theChurch of God. Can we understandand learn from what has happenedto so many of our former brethren?And what about us? How can youand I avoid falling for the same typesof false ideas coming from Satan?Even though we in the LivingChurch of God are sincerely tryingto restore the genuine Christianity ofChrist and the Apostles, are we com-ing up short?

Let us be honest!As the well-known American

philosopher and essayist GeorgeSantayana wrote: “Those who do notlearn from history are doomed to

repeat it.” It is truly vital that wemeditate and learn from the lessonsof the past. We also need to realizehow terribly weak so many of us are,and not kid ourselves about it.

T h e A p o s t l e P a u l w r o t e :“Therefore let him who thinks hestands take heed lest he fall” (1Corinthians 10:12). Even though wein Living Church of God are sincerelytrying to grow, are we—perhaps unwit-tingly—comparing ourselves with oneanother, or perhaps with weak indi-viduals we know in other groups?Remember, our real comparison oughtto be with Jesus Christ Himself! Whenwe make that comparison, we all comeup very, very short!

Dear brethren, as the end of thisage is surely approaching, I deeplyfeel that we must “get with it”beyond what we have ever donebefore. I am sure God wants us totake our spiritual growth to what Iwill call in this editorial, “A HigherLevel.”

As one of the Church’s leadingevangelists stated many years ago,God’s people tend to be heavilyinfluenced by the general attitudesand moral levels of the world aroundthem. We need to fully grasp thisfact. We need to realize that many ofthe western nations are descendinginto a “moral sewer,” and that we asChristians must virtually “rescue”one another from this and reach amuch higher level!

In Deuteronomy 4, we read ofGod’s warning to our forefathers:“When you beget children andgrandchildren and have grown old inthe land, and act corruptly and make

a carved image in the form of any-thing, and do evil in the sight of theLORD your God to provoke Him toanger, I call heaven and earth to wit-ness against you this day, that youwill soon utterly perish from theland which you cross over theJordan to possess; you will not pro-long your days in it, but will beutterly destroyed. And the LORD willscatter you among the peoples, andyou will be left few in numberamong the nations where the LORD

will drive you. And there you willserve gods, the work of men’s hands,wood and stone, which neither seenor hear nor eat nor smell” (vv.25–28). We as Christians must notassume that we are “okay” justbecause we are somewhat above themoral level of the modern Israeliteswho are on the verge of going intothe greatest tribulation in human history!

God told our forefathers that,after they had been taken captive,“from there you will seek the LORD

your God, and you will find Him ifyou seek Him with all your heartand with all your soul. When you arein distress, and all these things comeupon you in the latter days, whenyou turn to the LORD your God andobey His voice” (vv. 29–30).

Brethren, I am sure that wewould much rather “seek” God withall our hearts now rather than hav-ing to do this after we have enteredinto slavery! We must not watch thesame type of television shows,movies, Internet productions and

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A Higher Level

EditorialBy Roderick C. Meredith

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n the New Testament, Jesus seems to have rebukedno group of people more strongly and more fre-quently than He did the Pharisees. These rebukesand warnings are not recorded merely as a matter of

historical interest; they are set down for our benefit.During this Passover season, as we engage in a time ofself-examination, it is important that we come to under-stand a vital lesson that most Pharisees never understood.

Most of us are familiar with the beatitudes, a series ofblessings that Christ pronounced for those holding andpracticing seven specific attitudes and behaviors. Jesus enu-merated them at the very beginning of what is commonlycalled the Sermon on the Mount, recorded in Matthew 5.

Many have not realized, however, that these sevenblessings are paralleled by seven curses that Jesus pro-nounced on many of the Pharisees because of attitudesthat they held and behaviors that they practiced. Jesuspronounced this series of “woes” just a couple of daysbefore the final Passover of His ministry, as recorded inMatthew 23.

While a few Pharisees were undoubtedly sincere—Nicodemus and Saul come quickly to mind—most weresimply “playing at religion.” They were actors, little dif-ferent from the actors on the stage of the Greek theaterswith which most of Jesus’ listeners would have beenfamiliar. In fact, our English word “hypocrite” is takenfrom the Greek word for actor.

Did you know that even the Talmud acknowledges thatmost Pharisees were hypocrites? In fact, the BabylonianTalmud lists seven kinds of Pharisee, and six out of theseven were bad (Sotah 22b)! The six bad categories were:

• The “shoulder” Pharisee who wore his good deeds on his shoulder so everyone could see them.

• The “wait a little” Pharisee who always found an excuse for putting off a good deed.

• The “bruised” Pharisee who shut his eyes to avoid see-ing a woman and knocked into walls, bruising himself.

• The “hump-backed” Pharisee who always walked bent double, in false humility.

• The “ever-reckoning” Pharisee who was always count-ing up the number of his good deeds.

• The “fearful” Pharisee who always quaked in fear of the wrath of God.

Finally, there was the seventh category: The “God-loving” Pharisee who sought to copy Abraham by living alife of faith and love.

Most of the Pharisees, in spite of all their talk of reli-gion, totally missed the point of what God was truly seek-ing in them. The best that could be said of the few sincerePharisees was what the Apostle Paul wrote: “For I bearthem witness that they have a zeal for God, but notaccording to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’srighteousness, and seeking to establish their own right-eousness, have not submitted to the righteousness ofGod” (Romans 10:2–3). We should deeply understand thelesson that most Pharisees never understood—a lessonthat should be especially meaningful to us during theDays of Unleavened Bread.

Blessings and Woes

How can we know what God really seeks from us? Agood place to start is by looking at the Sermon on theMount—in which, right at the beginning of His ministry,Jesus laid out the approach to God’s law that was funda-mental to the New Covenant. Christ began this teachingby describing the attitudes and behaviors that God wouldhonor and bless.

Jesus first told His hearers: “Blessed are the poor inspirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3).The poor in spirit are the very opposite of the proud andhaughty who possess illusions of spiritual self-sufficiencyand grandeur. The poor in spirit recognize how desper-ately they need what God alone can supply. Those whohave that deep humility are the ones who will ultimatelyinherit the Kingdom that God is preparing. Contrast thiswith the stinging rebuke that Christ gave the Phariseeswhen He pronounced the first “woe” on them. Theseproud hypocrites “shut up the kingdom of heaven againstmen,” neither entering themselves, nor helping others toenter (Matthew 23:13). This woe is the exact opposite ofthe first blessing Jesus pronounced in Matthew 5.

Jesus’ second blessing may appear contradictory atfirst glance: “Blessed [the Greek word literally means“happy”] are those who mourn, for they shall be comfort-ed” (v. 4). This describes an attitude of repentance.Ezekiel described this very spirit in Ezekiel 9:4, when Godtold the angel with the writer’s inkhorn to mark those who“sigh and cry” for the abominations of Israel and were tobe spared God’s wrath. Contrast this with the second woepronounced on the Pharisees in Matthew 23:14, whereJesus denounced those who make long prayers for pre-tense yet “devour widow’s houses”—whose continuedbehavior shows that they are not repentant, in spite of the

By John H. Ogwyn

An Inside Job

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LLiivviinngg CChhuurrcchh NNeewwss March–April 2005

length of time they spend praying. Had they sincerelymourned sin, they would have changed their conduct!

In the third beatitude, Christ declared: “Blessed are themeek, for they shall inherit the earth” (v. 5). Those who aretruly willing to let God fight their battles for them will ulti-mately inherit what all of the great conquerors who havestruggled and fought were unable to finally obtain: posses-sion and rulership of the earth. The Pharisees were indict-ed for going all over the earth to make a proselyte, yet ultimately making him a “son of hell” like themselves(Matthew 23:15). In other words, rather than inheritingthe earth, they and their followers would inherit death.

Jesus’ fourth blessing is found in Matthew 5:6: “Blessedare those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for theyshall be filled.” Those who truly crave God’s character andnature in this life will be blessed by being totally filled withit in the resurrection. In contrast, the Pharisees were notreally seeking the true mind of God; rather, they took alegalistic approach and drew many artificial distinctionsthat let them avoid doing what they should. In Matthew23:16–22, Christ pronounced curse and woe on them formaking a distinction between oaths that were binding(swearing by the gold of the temple and the gifts on thealtar) and oaths that were not binding (merely swearing bythe temple or the altar itself). They were not really cravingGod’s righteousness the way a starving man desires food.Rather, they simply wanted their own way, while trying togive the illusion of obedience and piety.

Jesus’ fifth blessing was: “Blessed are the merciful, forthey shall obtain mercy (Matthew 5:7). Mercy is a vital qual-ity of our Creator, and it is a characteristic that He valuesgreatly in human beings. We all deeply need God’s mercy,yet we can only partake of it if we are willing to dispense itto others. This contrasts with the Pharisees, against whomJesus pronounced His fifth woe in Matthew 23:23–24.While they were very meticulous in tithing, right down tocounting the leaves on their mint plants, they omitted judg-ment, mercy, and faith. Mercy, one of the weightier mattersof the law, was totally left out of their scheme of things!

Matthew 5:8 records the sixth beatitude: “Blessed are thepure in heart, for they shall see God.” What kind of heartdoes our Creator seek in us? One that is pure in motive andintent. Such a heart is not filled with guile and deceit, norwith hidden sins tucked away in the corners. An open, hon-est and repentant heart is clean and pure! By contrast, Jesuscompared the Pharisees to those who scrub the outside of adish while leaving the inside filthy. They were like white-washed tombs. Outwardly they appeared clean and beauti-ful, yet within was rot, decay and stench (Matthew23:25–28). The continued presence of spiritual filth thatmade their hearts unclean and impure brought forth asolemn declaration of curses and woe from the Savior.

The seventh behavior on which Jesus Christ pro-nounced blessing is mentioned in Matthew 5:9: “Blessedare the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”In order to be a peacemaker we must know and practicethe way of peace—something the world around us doesnot understand. The prophet Isaiah declared that peace isthe work or result of righteousness (32:17). HypocriticalPharisees sought to give the impression of loving peaceand righteousness, yet they possessed the same murderousspirit of their forbearers who had slain God’s true prophetsthroughout the ages (Matthew 23:29–33). Christdenounced this in the strongest terms, and pronouncedcurses and woe on those who clung to such attitudes.

In Matthew 5:10–13, Christ told His disciples thattheir spiritual blessing and happiness did not dependwhat others around them thought or did. Rather, even inthe midst of persecution and false accusation from theworld, Jesus’ true followers could rejoice, knowing thereward that lay ahead for them. Everything was put intoproper perspective for those who genuinely loved andtrusted God with all of their hearts.

What the Pharisees Failed to Understand

The Pharisees were greatly concerned about avoidingceremonial defilement. Such defilement would exclude onefrom access to the altar, and prevent further participation intemple ceremonies until one could be cleansed. Desiring tobe as holy and undefiled when they approached their owndinner table as any priest officiating in the temple comingbefore the altar—the table of the Lord—the Pharisees wentto great lengths to identify and avoid possible sources ofdefilement. This became an obsession with them.

Despite their concerns about defilement, they funda-mentally failed to understand the subject. Notice theexchange recorded in Mark 7:1–23, when the Phariseescriticized Jesus’ disciples for not practicing the Pharisees’elaborate hand-washing ritual before eating. Jesus respond-ed by quoting the words of Isaiah 29:13: “This people hon-ors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.” Jesusrebuked the Pharisees for elevating human tradition abovethe law of God. With clever legalistic reasoning, thePharisees often managed to circumvent the clear intentionof God’s law while appearing to remain within its letter.Jesus explained, by contrast, the nature and source of realdefilement—that it does not come about by contact withoutside things, but rather originates in the heart.

Jesus taught His disciples that food touched withunwashed hands could not be a source of spiritualuncleanness, for it enters the stomach and not the heart.Real defilement arises from the heart. “And He said,‘What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from

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within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts,adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness,wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy,pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from withinand defile a man’” (Mark 7:20–23).

The Pharisees failed to understand that cleanness, firstand foremost, is not primarily a matter of externals; it is aninside job! Deleavening our homes for the Days ofUnleavened Bread is designed to teach a similar spirituallesson. As Paul explained to the Corinthians, we should notkeep the Feast with the spiritual leavening of malice andwickedness, any more than we would keep the Feast withthe physical leavening that we regularly eat throughout therest of the year. Rather, we are to be partaking of the unleav-ened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:8).

Before conversion, we walked according to the courseof this world, ultimately influenced by Satan—the prince ofthe power of the air—who actively motivates the children ofdisobedience. However, God took the initiative by sendingHis Son—our Savior—to give Himself in atonement for oursins. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, andthat not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lestanyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, createdin Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before-hand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8–10). Wedo not earn it or deserve it. We can never make ourselvesgood enough. However, we are His workmanship—and Godis remaking us from the inside out.

Paul told the Colossians that if they had truly beenraised from spiritual death to spiritual life, they would beseeking the things that are above, living in a quest forheavenly values. He exhorted them to set their affection(Colossians 3:1, KJV) upon things above. This is perhapsthe greatest key to living a life of spiritual growth—wepursue and embrace that which we most deeply love andthink about. If our hearts and minds are set on heavenlythings, we will cherish them and hold them fast. We cannever forsake a life based on self-will unless we love God’swill more. The Pharisees valued appearances and theapprobation of other people, and many of their choicesdemonstrated that they cared more about what peoplethought than about what God thought.

God’s Power—Key to an Inside Job

The Pharisees considered the Sadducees andHerodians their bitter rivals. However, they were willingto cooperate to get rid of Jesus. Yet even after colluding toconvict Him of blasphemy in the Sanhedrin, and deliver-ing Him to Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, for exe-cution, their worries were still not over. They thoughtthey were finally rid of Christ, but they still worried about

His earlier statement that the sign of Jonah would be thesign of His Messiahship (Matthew 12:39–40). As a result,several of the religious leaders came to Pilate early on themorning of the First Holy Day of Unleavened Bread. Theyasked that a guard be posted at the tomb for the nextthree days. They told Pilate of Jesus’ promise to rise fromthe dead after three days, and they expressed their fearthat Christ’s disciples would break into His tomb, stealHis body, and spread the story that He had indeed risen.Pilate gave them the guard that they requested andallowed them to seal the tomb (Matthew 27:62–66).

The previous day’s events had certainly been unsettlingto all in Jerusalem. Beginning around noon on Passoverday, the sky rapidly darkened and the sun disappearedbehind heavy clouds. It became as black as night for aboutthree hours. Finally, just before the sky began to lighten, anearthquake shook the area so severely that structural dam-age was done to the temple. This earthquake broke thestone lintel that supported the veil separating the HolyPlace from the Holy of Holies, ripping that heavy curtainfrom top to bottom. This exposed the Holy of Holies toview. In addition, the quake shook open some tombs in theJerusalem area (Matthew 27:45, 51–52). As if all this werenot unsettling enough, a lunar eclipse occurred that night.The earth’s shadow fell across the full moon heralding theNight to be Much Observed, peaking at about 9:00 p.m.Jerusalem time and causing the moon to appear blood red.Astronomers confirm that this eclipse, mentioned in Acts2:20, occurred on Wednesday night, April 25, 31AD.

With all these unusual occurrences, which many ofthe common people considered to be portents, the reli-gious leaders could not afford to take a chance on some-thing else happening. They surely congratulated them-selves on their foresight in having taken steps to preventsomeone from breaking into the tomb. Of course, beforethe end of the wavsheaf Sunday during the Days ofUnleavened Bread, they learned—from the very guardsthey had posted—that their plans had gone awry. Thereligious leaders intended that the guards would preventsomeone from breaking into the tomb and stealing Jesus’body. Instead, the guards bore witness that no one hadbroken into the tomb, which was already empty when theangel rolled back the stone early Sunday morning! Theguards became eyewitnesses to the fact that the emptytomb was an inside job! They knew that no outsiders hadbroken in (Matthew 28:11–15).

What do true righteousness and the resurrection ofJesus have in common? Both represent an inside job thatcan only be accomplished by the power of God! Let uscome to understand more deeply this Passover seasonwhat most of the Pharisees never grasped—the impor-tance of an inside job!


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he Bible teaches us thatSatan has deceived the wholeworld (Revelation 12:9).

How extensive is this decep-tion? Jesus told His disciples:“Follow Me” (Matthew 4:19). Heand His disciples kept the Sabbathand the Holy Days, yet historyrecords that after the death of theApostles, most who were in theChurch turned to pagan practicesof worshiping on Sunday (the dayof the sun), and celebratingChristmas (the Roman Saturnalia)and Easter (dedicated to the god-dess Ishtar)—in spite of biblicalprohibitions (Jeremiah 10:1–3).The vast majority of professingChristians today simply do not rec-ognize this deception!

Our modern scientific worldhas been deceived into believingthe theory of evolution, eventhough experimental attempts tocreate life in keeping with thistheory have consistently failed,and no one has been able to cre-ate a new species. In the last cen-tury, millions were deceived intobelieving in national socialism orcommunism, with tragic results!Millions today are told that forni-cation, adultery and divorce canbring happiness, and that biblicalroles for men and women can bediscarded without any conse-quence—yet these are also tragi-cally deceptive ideas.

You can often recognize, quiteeasily, when someone else has beendeceived. However, it is usuallymuch harder to admit to yourselfthat you have been deceived. Inthis article, we will examinewhether Christians who have beencalled by God can be deceived,and whether it is possible for even

the elect to be deceived. If our goalis to be in the kingdom of God, wemust learn to recognize deceptionand understand how to avoidbeing deceived. The Bible providesvital keys to help us deal with thisimportant challenge.

Targeting God’s People

Jesus called Peter to be a disci-ple and an Apostle. Yet when Jesusbegan to explain that He would bekilled, Peter “took Him aside andbegan to rebuke Him, saying: “Farbe it from You, Lord; this shall not

happen to You’” (Matthew 16:22).Jesus then told Peter that Satanhad misled him in his thinking andreasoning (v. 23). Peter had beendeceived! The Apostle Paul toldTimothy that “all those in Asia[who had once professed belief]have turned away from me” (2Timothy 1:15). Paul also mentionstwo individuals, Hymenaeus andPhiletus, “who have strayed con-cerning the truth… and they over-throw the faith of some” (2Timothy 2:17–18). Paul clearlywrote that, as the end of the ageapproaches, some “will turn theirears away from the truth, and beturned aside to fables” becausethey were deceived and lost theirlove for the truth (2 Timothy

4:3–4; 2 Thessalonians 2:9–12).From these verses, it should beobvious that individuals whomGod called to understand the truthcan be misled and deceived—andcan fall away—if they are not alertand able to recognize deceptivethoughts, feelings and ideas. Wemust constantly remain aware ofthis!

Recognizing and Resisting

The first and most fundamen-tal step in avoiding deception isto recognize that Satan is real and

that his goal is to deceive—espe-cially to deceive those who havebeen called to understand thetruth of God. Jesus told Peter:“Satan has asked for [desired]you, that he may sift you aswheat. But I have prayed for you,that your faith should not fail”(Luke 22:31–32). However, justknowing and believing this truthis not enough. The second step inavoiding deception is that wemust be able to recognize howSatan tries to deceive us. Paulwarned Christians that theyshould not be ignorant of the devil’sdevices, “lest Satan should takeadvantage of us” (2 Corinthians2:11). Satan has a whole “bag oftricks”—devious methods, which

By Douglas S. Winnail

Do Not Be Deceived!

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The first and most fundamental step in avoidingdeception is to recognize that Satan is real andthat his goal is to deceive—especially to deceivethose who have been called to understand thetruth of God

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he uses to deceive—that we must beable to recognize if we are to avoidbeing misled. Yet merely recognizingSatan’s methods is still not enough;we must also resist Satan’s cunningefforts. Peter wrote knowingly aboutthis: “Be sober, be vigilant; because

your adversary the devil walks aboutlike a roaring lion, seeking whom hemay devour. Resist him, [remain]steadfast in the faith” (1 Peter5 : 8 – 9 ) . J a m e s c o m m e n t e d :“Therefore submit to God. Resist thedevil and he will flee from you. Drawnear to God and He will draw near toyou” (James 4:7–8). But what meth-ods does Satan use that we must rec-ognize and resist if we are to avoidbeing deceived?

Satan’s Methods

The Bible informs us that Satanis a liar who promotes lies (John8:44). If we accept or believe hislies, we can be deceived. WhenPaul advised, “Test [prove, exam-ine] all things; hold fast what isgood [true],” he was offeringadvice against being deceived (1Thessalonians 5:21). John wrotethat we must “test the spirits,whether they are of God; becausemany false prophets have gone outinto the world” (1 John 4:1). Notevery thought, idea or doctrinethat is presented or assumed to be“Christian” is actually comingfrom God or the Bible; some maybe cleverly conceived deceptions.We can also be deceived into

believing or spreading lies aboutpeople, unless we actually take thetime to get the real facts—whichusually involves hearing and evalu-a t i n g b o t h s i d e s o f a m a t t e r(Proverbs 18:17). We may actuallybe deceived into living a lie if we

profess to be a Christian butreject—or do not really believe andfollow—Jesus’ plain teachings.

Scripture describes Satan as anaccuser of the brethren (Revelation12:10). Anyone who gossips andspreads rumors about other people,or who assigns motives incorrectlyor where no motives exist, can slipinto this satanic deception andunwittingly become a tool in Satan’shands. This is why Jesus said:“Judge not, that you be not judged”(Matthew 7:1–5). Our goal as aChristian is to focus on getting ourown life in order, instead of beingeager to point out others’ faults.Paul offered a similar warning, that“if you bite and devour one another,beware lest you be consumed byone another” (Galatians 5:14–15).Paul knew that comments aboutother people could be very destruc-tive, and that a willingness to makesuch comments (for example, abouta person’s conversion or motives oractions) does not reflect realChristian love. If we make com-ments like this about others, we aredeceiving ourselves that we areChristians! Real Christians are notnaïve, but they look for the positiveaspects of others whom God is call-ing, and they encourage the devel-

o p m e n t o f t h o s e q u a l i t i e s(Philippians 4:8).

When problems arise betweenpeople, the biblical admonition is togo directly to the person who has beenoffended (or has offended you), andprayerfully and respectfully try toresolve the issue (Matthew 18:15–20).This takes patience, humility, wisdomand courage. It also requires faith andtrust in God that His advice should befollowed. However, people often findit much easier to ignore a problem,hoping that it will go away, or to go tosomeone else (friends or others notdirectly involved), to talk about theirpain and frustration! However, talkingwidely of a problem instead of follow-ing the counsel of Matthew 18 doesnot solve the problem—it only makesit worse. It is simply not how aChristian is to function. But it isanother way that Satan can deceive us,if we are not careful!

Satan and his deceptive methodsare the cause of confusion and divi-sion, whereas, God’s methods pro-duce peace, harmony and peace ofmind (1 Corinthians 14:33). We aretold that Satan is the god of this age(2 Corinthians 4:4), which can helpus understand why there is such abewildering array of religions andreligious ideas in the world.However, Satan even works to dividechurches that claim to be “Christian”or “the Church of God” by fosteringcontentions and disagreements overdoctrines, practices and personalities(1 Corinthians 1:10–17). Unless weare carefully following the truth—andfollowing the Christian leadership ofthose who are clearly preaching andpracticing the truth (1 Corinthians11:1)—we can easily be deceivedinto following an individual or anorganization that only claims to bepreaching a Christian message!God’s true Church does not have dif-ferent “denominations” that believeand practice different things, but iscomposed of individuals who are led


We can also be deceived into believing orspreading lies about people, unless we actuallytake the time to get the real facts—which usuallyinvolves hearing and evaluating both sides of amatter (Proverbs 18:17).

9

by the same spirit (Ephesians 4:4) tobe “perfectly joined together in thesame mind and in the same judgment”(1 Corinthians 1:10). To believe orteach otherwise is to be deceived!

Satan also carries out deceptionby blinding us to the true origin andnature of our own thoughts and feel-ings. Even as a Christian, not everythought or feeling comes from God.God states plainly in Scripture: “Mythoughts are not your thoughts, norare your ways My ways” (Isaiah55:8). Solomon warned: “There is away that seems right to a man, but itsend is the way of death” (Proverbs14:12). Jeremiah observed that “theheart is deceitful above all things,and desperately wicked; who canknow it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). One ofthe regrettable and unpleasant dis-coveries that most people make atsome point in their lives is that wecan deceive ourselves through ourown human reasoning. This is whythe Bible advises: “Where there is nocounsel, the people fall; but in themultitude of counselors there is safety”(Proverbs 11:14). If we take the timeto seek counsel from God’s wordthrough prayerful study—as well asfrom God’s ministers, and from olderand more experienced people whoare willing to tell us what we may notwant to hear about ourselves—wecan usually avoid being deceived.However, this takes effort, and it isoften not what we are inclined to do.It is much easier to dwell on our ownthoughts and feelings and to nourishour real or imagined hurts. Doing socan lead us into deception.

Notice that the Bible reveals thatwe can even be deceived into fastingfor the wrong reasons! Isaiah warnedthat some people, believing that theyare religious, will fast “for strife anddebate” so that their particular ideasabout a doctrine or practice mightprevail (Isaiah 58:4–7). When indi-viduals fast for this reason, it mayeven be due to a lack of understand-

ing of how God works in His Churchthrough those He places in positionsof responsibility (1 Corinthians12:18, 28–30; 1 Timothy 4:11–16;Titus 1:5–11). A person with a trulyconverted attitude is teachable andresponsive when godly authority isexercised in Church matters (James3:13–18). However, if we do not liketo respond to this kind of govern-mental authority, we can be deceivedinto accepting and promoting wrongideas (2 Peter 2:9–17)—by the verybeing who gained the name “Satan”(the “adversary” or “hostile oppo-nent”) by opposing God and promot-

ing his own ideas (Isaiah 14:12–14).It is sobering to realize that while wemay be sincere in our intentions, wemay nevertheless be sincerelywrong—and can be deceived—if wedo not see the “big picture” of howthe government of God functions.And God does have government inHis Church (see Isaiah 9:6–7; Acts15; 1 Corinthians 4:14–21).

God’s Goal

The Bible reveals that God placesa very high premium on unity. Davidwrote: “How good and how pleasantit is for brethren to dwell together inunity” (Psalm 133:1–3). Paul stressedthat Christians should strive for unitywithin the Church—doctrinally andsocially (see Ephesians 4:1–16;Romans 12:9–19)—which reflectsthe unity within the God Family(John 10:30; 17:11). However, this

kind of unity does not just suddenlyappear as a result of prayer and fast-ing. It comes as a result of followingGod’s instructions, which promoteunity—and which teach us to recog-nize and resist Satan’s attempts toundermine and destroy unity throughhis deceptions. To achieve true unitywithin the Church of God, we mustresist the temptation to spreadrumors and accusations that mayseem true to us, yet may not really betrue at all. We must learn that goingdirectly to someone whom we haveoffended (or who has offended us) isbetter than talking to others about

the problem. We must learn the valueof seeking experienced and objectiveadvice, and must beware of placingtoo much trust in our own opinionsand feelings or those of people withwhom we may commiserate. Wemust also come to understand thatdecisions on doctrinal matters are tobe made by those God has placed inpositions of responsibility—and that,when we begin to spread our ownideas about doctrines and practices,this leads to division and disunity,and plays directly into the hands ofSatan, the deceiver!

Deception is a very serious trapthat every Christian must strive toavoid. However, with the keys thatGod has revealed in His word, wecan meet and overcome this chal-lenge. We need to learn to use theseimportant and practical keys so thatwe can avoid being deceived, andcan be in the Kingdom of God!


LCN

If we take the time to seek counsel from God’sword through prayerful study—as well as from

God’s ministers, and from older and more experienced people who are willing to tell us what

we may not want to hear about ourselves—we can usually avoid being deceived.

10

he news was suddenand unexpected. Oneday he was planning a

new venture, having recentlyretired from his trade of manyyears. A stroke interrupted all ofthose hopes, dreams and plans,and in 24 hours he was gone,his life cut short to the utter dis-may of his family and friends.

After the funeral, whenfriends and relatives had goneback to their own homes andtheir own lives, the reality ofdealing with the practical, mun-dane things pertaining to a fam-ily’s business came crashing inupon the survivors. Bankaccounts, pensions, real proper-ty, personal property, debts,assets—the grieving survivorshad to deal with so manydetails. Sadly, in this tragic case,there was no Last Will andTestament to guide the familya n d t o e n s u r e t h a t t h edeceased’s desires would be car-ried out.

This story actually hap-pened, and the hardship andconfusion resulting from thelack of having a last will wasvery real for the widow and sur-viving children.

It is a story that is repeatedall too often. People in everywalk of life—young, middle-aged and elderly—die as a resultof accident, disease or “natural”causes, without having put theirpersonal business affairs inorder by preparing a Last Willand Testament. The problemscaused by this lack of prepara-tion make it very difficult for

those who are left. Sadly, likemany in the world, members ofGod’s Church often neglect thisvery important duty to theirfamily.

What is the Bible’s perspec-tive on the subject? Death is areality for all of us: “And as it isappointed for men to die once,but after this the judgment”(Hebrews 9:27). Jesus Christmade it plain that we are to beconcerned about how ouractions affect others’ lives. Hesaid: “Therefore, whatever youwant men to do to you, do alsoto them, for this is the Law andthe Prophets” (Matthew 7:12).This principle, known as theGolden Rule, certainly appliesto the subject of estate plan-ning. Christ said of those whofollow His example: “If youknow these things, blessed areyou if you do them” (John13:17). Not only did JesusChrist teach us to be concernedabout others, He also set a per-fect example in making prepara-tions. John recorded Christ’swords: “...I go to prepare a placefor you” (John 14:2). Solomon,exercising godly wisdom, allud-ed to planning for those whocome after us when he wrote:“A good man leaves an inheri-tance to his children’s children”(Proverbs 13:22). To accom-plish this laudable goal willrequire proper planning of yourestate, whether large or small.

The sudden loss of a lovedone—especially a “breadwin-ner”—can create genuine hard-ship and financial uncertainty

for a family. To prevent suchhardship and uncertainty, fami-lies should plan and prepare.Paul was inspired to set thestandard for us in his letter tothe church at Corinth: “For Godis not the author of confusion...Let all things be done decentlyand in order” (1 Corinthians14:33, 40). He also wrote: “Butif anyone does not provide forhis own, and especially forthose of his household, he hasdenied the faith and is worsethan an unbeliever” (1 Timothy5:8). An important part of pro-viding for one’s family is to beprepared for the unexpected,including death or disability,especially in our child-rearingyears and as we grow older.

The Old Testament alsocontains some plain instructionwith vivid examples. Theprophet told King Hezekiah:“Set your house in order, foryou shall die and not live”(Isaiah 38:1). Abraham, “fatherof the faithful,” went throughmuch negotiation with the sonsof Heth to secure a burial placefor Sarah. After paying theprice, he obtained a deed to thecave and fields of Machpelahnear Hebron, and there heb u r i e d h i s b e l o v e d S a r a h(Genesis 23:1, 3–4, 16–17, 20).Later, Abraham was also buriedthere. He did not leave theseimportant details to chance, orf o r o t h e r s t o a r r a n g e .Subsequent generations alsoused this burial site; we see thatIsrael planned for his burial,and received a promise from his

Final Things:

By J. Davy Crockett, III

TT

Is Your House in Order?

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sons that his wishes would be car-ried out (Genesis 49:29–33).

At that fateful Passover in 31AD,Joseph of Arimathea stepped out ofthe shadows, claimed the body ofChrist from the Roman authorities,and placed it in a new, rock-hewntomb that he had ostensibly pre-pared for himself. His own planningserved a great purpose that he couldnot have foreseen when he was com-pleting his own arrangements.

So we can see that, as humanbeings, we must be keenly aware ofunpleasant realities and prepare forthe inevitable. Such is the biblicalexample.

In the book of Hebrews, theApostle Paul describes the physical

tabernacle and the priestly servicesthat pictured or symbolized Christ’ssacrifice and various aspects of Hisoffice and ministry. Paul explainedthat the old “testament” or covenantcontained promises of a physicalinheritance, but that Christ, as medi-a t o r o f t h e N e w Te s t a m e n t(covenant) conveyed “the promise ofthe eternal inheritance” (Hebrews9:15). The principle is that we learnabout spiritual things from physicalthings (1 Corinthians 15:46).

Throughout the Bible, we seethat final planning was done in bothphysical things and in things spiritu-al. Paul used the very clear exampleof a testament, or will, to explain thesignificance of the Messiah. Hewrote: “For where there is a testa-ment, there must also of necessity bethe death of the testator. For a testa-ment is in force after men are dead,since it has no power at all while the

testator lives” (Hebrews 9:16–17).Christ died so that His will—that wereceive a spiritual inheritance—could be accomplished.

When a person dies “intes-tate”—without a will—the laws ofthe state or province in which he orshe lived will determine how theperson’s property, both real and per-sonal, will be distributed. This usu-ally involves the courts, and requiresthe appointment of an administratorfor the estate—all of which is time-consuming and expensive. When aperson has a valid will at the time ofdeath, this is referred to as being“testate,” and it greatly facilitates thepayment of debts and distributingproperty according to the wishes of

the deceased, with a minimum ofdelay and expense.

So, while it is never pleasant tocontemplate the end of one’s life, themost loving thing to do is to plan forour death and consider the ramifica-tions for the benefit of those whowill survive us. In fact, every adults h o u l d h a v e a L a s t Wi l l a n dTestament. This is especially impor-tant for anyone who has dependentsor heirs. But, you may say, “I don’thave anything to pass on to others,”or “I’m too young to bother withsuch details; I’ll do that when I’molder.” Proverbs 27:1, however,exhorts us: “Do not boast abouttomorrow, for you do not know whata day may bring forth.”

I once knew a young man, notyet 30 years old. On one fine morn-ing, he kissed his wife and three chil-dren goodbye and cheerfully wentoff to work. Later that morning, as

he drove his truck on his appointedrounds, another vehicle crossed thecenter line of the highway andstruck him head-on, causing histruck to burst into flames and killinghim instantly. This is a brutal, real-life example of the dangers of mod-ern living, which vividly points outthe need for us all to be prepared.

God wants His people to be goodstewards of the blessings that Hegives us, and to provide for thosewho depend upon us in case we aresuddenly taken away. In moderntimes, we accomplish this by havinglife insurance, as well as disabilityand accident insurance, and bykeeping our affairs in order so thatour heirs will know our wishes and

be able to carry out their responsibil-ities when we die.

By expressing your desires in aformal Last Will and Testament, youcan prevent economic hardship,confusion and acrimonious dealingswithin your family. There are simpleforms found in “do it yourself” willkits for basic, uncomplicated wills,but most people will be better servedby an attorney who practices familylaw or estate planning. Many areintimidated by the whole process,and simply never get around to it.However, it is very important that weget out of our comfort zone and tendto this matter—for our peace ofmind, and for the benefit of surviv-ing family members.

What are the basic requirementsfor a will? In most states, for a will tobe valid it must follow strict guide-lines as to signing, witnessing andnotarizing. In the United States,

The sudden loss of a loved one—especially a “breadwinner” —can create genuine hardship andfinancial uncertainty for a family. To prevent such hardship and uncertainty, families should plan and prepare. Paul was inspired to set the standard for us in his letter to the church at Corinth: “For God is not the author of confusion... Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:33, 40).

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requirements vary from state tostate. To make a will, you must be“of legal age and sound mind.” AllU.S. states consider age 18 to be legalage. To be “of sound mind” means tobe able to grasp the nature and pur-pose of the document, and not men-tally handicapped or deranged.

A will can be handwritten (this iscalled a “holographic will”), but thisis not recommended in most cases. Allwills must be in writing. Photographsor videotapes are not considered writ-ing, and are not valid as wills. To bevalid, the will must be signed by thetestator. Most states require that thetestator’s signature be acknowledgedby at least two witnesses.

The will can contain specificbequests of property to whomeverthe testator desires. It can be verydetailed, or it can be very simple,depending upon the circumstancesand the desires of the testator. Thedocument should name an executor

and a contingent executor, and theterms of their service and remunera-tion, if any. The will can also containinstructions for the deceased’s funer-

al, specific instructions for the careand guardianship of minor children,and any other legal purpose.

In addition to a Last Will andTestament, it is wise to have a com-panion document known as a “letterof instruction.” This is a cost-freepersonal document which is notlegally binding, but which can bevery useful to those carrying out

your wishes. A letter of instructioncan provide a list of the estate’sassets, such as bank and investmentaccounts, stock and bond certifi-

cates, real estate documents, retire-ment accounts, including 401(k)plans and individual retirementaccounts, life insurance policies,assets held in trust, and any post-death benefits due from employers,the Veterans Administration or theSocial Security Administration.



The Executor’s Checklist• Locate the will• Obtain a lawyer, if necessary• Apply to appear before the probate court• Notify beneficiaries named in the will• Arrange for publication of notice to creditors and mail a notice to each known creditor• Send notices of the person’s death to the Post Office, utilities, banks, and credit card companies • Inventory all assets and have them appraised, if necessary• Collect debts owed to the estate• Check with the deceased’s employer for unpaid salary, insurance and employee benefits• File for Social Security, civil service or veteran’s benefits• File for life insurance and other benefits• File city, state, and/or federal tax returns• Pay valid claims against the estate• Distribute assets and obtain receipts from beneficiaries• File papers to finalize the estate

—Source: “Being an Executor,” Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, New York, New York.

The will can contain specific bequests of property to whomever the testator desires. It can be very detailed, or it can be very simple, depending upon the circumstances and the desires of the testator. The document should namean executor and a contingent executor, and the terms of theirservice and remuneration, if any.

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entecost is the only annual Holy Daycommanded by God that does not comeon a specific date. Rather, it is countedyear by year, always falling on day 50 of

a count that begins with the wave sheaf offeringon Sunday.

Normally this is a simple calculation, butquestions inevitably arise during years when theDays of Unleavened Bread begin on a Sunday andend on a weekly Sabbath. Would the wave sheafhave been offered on the first Holy Day, or on theSunday after the last Holy Day (thus falling out-side the Days of Unleavened Bread)? The year2005 is such a year, and it is important that weunderstand the Bible answer to this question.

First, we should review God’s instructions inLeviticus 23:4–21. After reminding Israel aboutthe Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread, Godadded instructions that would only apply afterthe nation had crossed the Jordan River andentered the Promised Land: “When you comeinto the land which I give to you, and reap itsharvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the first-fruits of your harvest to the priest” (v. 10). Thepriest was to “wave the sheaf before the LORD” onthe “day after the Sabbath” (v. 11). This beganthe 50-day count to Pentecost (vv. 15–16). Onlyafter this ceremony could the people begin eatingthe new harvest (v. 14).

Keeping these instructions in mind, we canlook ahead almost 40 years to the very firstPassover season after Israel entered the PromisedLand. Israel crossed the Jordan River and enteredthe land on the tenth day of the first month(Joshua 4:19). Immediately afterward, those whohad been born during the wandering in thewilderness were circumcised (5:2–9).

The Israelites encamped in Gilgal, and “keptthe Passover on the fourteenth day of the monthat twilight on the plains of Jericho” (v. 10). Wethen read that “they ate of the produce of theland on the day after the Passover, unleavenedbread and parched grain on the very same day”(v. 11). The manna ceased, and Israel “ate the

food of the land of Canaan that year” (v. 12).Considered in the context of Leviticus 23:10 and23:14, this can only mean that the wave sheaf wasoffered on the day after the Passover: the firstHoly Day of Unleavened Bread. In other words,the first day of Unleavened Bread came on aSunday, that year—and that was when the wavesheaf was offered, not on the Sunday that came aweek later, after the two Holy Days ofUnleavened Bread. Remember, food preparationwas specifically permitted on the two Holy Daysof Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:16).

Think about it! If Israel had begun to eatparched ears and bread from the harvest ofCanaan before the wave sheaf offering, this wouldmean that the first thing they had done uponentering the land was ignore Moses’ clear instruc-tions in Leviticus 23:10. We know that this didnot happen, because we are specifically told thatJoshua “left nothing undone of all that the LORD

had commanded Moses” (Joshua 11:15).Some become confused when they see that

the King James Version and Strong’s Concordanceboth wrongly refer to Israel eating the “old corn”rather than the fresh harvest in Joshua 5:11–12.No other major translations or reference worksmake this mistake, and any Hebrew lexicon willdemonstrate that the Hebrew word used here inJoshua does not refer to consuming the previousyear’s harvest. Remember that any old grain fromthe previous spring would have been stored with-in the city walls of Jericho in preparation for thesiege. Only the grain in the field would have beenaccessible to Israel. Furthermore, we are told thatIsrael ate parched grain on the first Holy Day—areference to the means of preparing still-greenears of barley, not grain that was a year old.

We are not left to speculation or human rea-soning to determine when to begin the Pentecostcount. Rather, God has preserved an example inScripture to make the point clear. When weobserve Pentecost on June 12 this year, we canknow that we are following the example God hasgiven in Scripture.

COUNTING PENTECOST

LCN

By John H. Ogwyn

P

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International Corner...Canada: Poised for Growth

by Gerald Weston

Canada seems poised for signifi-cant growth in 2005. The arrival ofMichael and Roslyn Elertson isalready helping out immensely at theCanadian office. Roslyn is busyanswering phones, doing data entryand handling various other choresthree days a week. Prior to herarrival, we were only able to takemessages on our toll free number,but now she answers many calls asthey come in. When she is not avail-able, calls are automatically forward-ed to my wife or to one of the men inthe office. This has been made possi-ble by a new phone system.

Mr. Elertson and I traveled toNewfoundland from February 2–8,and visited nearly all the membersand prospective members on theisland. While there, we held a PublicBible Study in Grand Falls-Windsor.Attendance was low because offreezing rain that fell early in themorning of the Bible Study, but thosewho did show up were very interest-ed—and three have started attendingwith us. Some family members alsoattended who do not usually attend,which brought the attendance to 24,a big jump from last year’s averageweekly attendance of nine.

The main benefit of this trip wasto better understand how best tos e r v e t h e b r e t h r e n t h e r e .Newfoundland is a beautifully ruggedplace, affectionately known as “TheRock.” Currently, we do not have aresident pastor to serve the membersthere, and up to this time the mem-bers have only seen a minister abouttwice a year. By taking time to visitthe members and other interested

people in their homes, and to get afeel for the roads and travel condi-tions they face, we were able to seemore clearly what is needed. Themove from Springdale to Grand Falls-Windsor was a major improvement,and by starting a second congregationin or near Deer Lake, we can morethan double, or possibly triple, thenumber of people in attendance.

Our next trip is scheduled forAlberta, where Mr. Elertson and Iplan to help Mr. Wachowicz by visit-ing a number of the members andprospective members in the south-ern part of the province. We will alsobe checking out a Feast site and con-ducting two Public Bible Studies inGrande Prairie.

The following week we are plan-ning a Public Bible Study forMississauga, where we have morethan 1,600 subscribers. We hope tobuild up this congregation a littleand then begin a congregation onthe east side ofToronto, wherethe majority ofnew contacts areoriginating. Wehave enough tostart a smallgroup there rightnow, but beforedoing so we planto hold a PublicBible Study tosee who might show up. The poten-tial here in Toronto is huge and, ifGod blesses our efforts, we could seea significant step forward in theCanadian Work.

We are also looking at Barrie,Ontario (where we already have avery stable congregation) as anotherlocation for a Public Bible Studybefore the Spring Holy Days. If God

calls people from that area, Mr.Winston Gosse is well-positioned towork with them. We are also lookingat two other locations in Ontariowhere we have seen significant inter-est over the last several years.

Television responses have beenvery strong since the beginning ofthe year, and our early morning pro-grams on Vision TV have made ahuge difference in the total numberof calls. British Columbia, Albertaand Ontario have benefited mostfrom these four additional timeslots. Vision TV also plans to start aChristian network channel that weare ready to go on, but it has beendelayed until at least the latter partof this year or into the next. Thatwill be a huge door when and if itdoes open.

While we can never know whatGod has in mind for us, we are veryencouraged by the direction theChurch is going here in Canada. It is

far more difficultto evaluate thespiritual growththat is takingplace, but wesaw 26 baptismsin 2004 and wetrust that Christliving in us isproducing evenmore encourag-ing results in the

lives of God’s children here andaround the world.

Papua New Guineaby Kinnear Penman

Wewak is the home of our elderin Papua New Guinea, Mr. PeterDevis, and his family. Wewak is a

Wewak, Papua New Guinea congregation

15


town on the northern coast of thecountry, and is about one-and-a-halfhours by jet from the capital, PortMoresby, and is where the PapuaNew Guinea brethren meet for ser-vices each Sabbath.

Immediately behind the townare very rugged jungle-clad hills,which are dotted with many villages.Beyond the hills are the plains andgrasslands of the mighty Sepik River,which wends for hundreds of kilo-meters right across to the border ofthe Irian Jaya province of Indonesia,which makes up the western part ofthe island of New Guinea.

Most people in Wewak live insqualid squatter settlements inswampy land on the town’s periph-ery and are unemployed or rely onmeager subsistence earnings. Thereis much crime—and it is crime thathad a hand in bringing me here.

Late last year, Mr. Devis’ officewas broken into, and his computerand printer were stolen. This lefthim unable to carry out many of theregular duties for which we dependupon the computer in this modernage. Regional Director Mr. BruceTyler asked New Zealand officeemployee Joshua Penman to pur-chase and set up a laptop computerand printer for Mr. Devis’ needs. It isthis equipment I have brought withme. We have spent our time makingsure everything works as it should,with the ultimate aim that Mr. Deviswill be able to maintain the PapuaNew Guinea mailing list and run anoffice that takes care of most needsof the Church in Papua New Guinea.We have also succeeded in connect-ing Mr. Devis to the Internet so thathe will again be able to receive com-munication from Charlotte andother offices in a timely manner.Illustrative of the need for such com-munication is the fact that a letter Iwrote to Mr. Devis one month ago,telling him of my trip, has only todaybeen delivered.

Argentina Youth Camp 2004by Estela Bravo

Twenty adults and young peoplefrom the Bahia Blanca and BuenosAires congregations attended theannual Living Church of God YouthCamp in Sierra deVentana, Argentina,f rom December2 6 – 2 8 , 2 0 0 4 .Brethren camped atYapay Park, locatedby one of the creeksthat cross throughtown.

Upon arrival,the young people had breakfast, andthe adults shared a good cup of maté(a traditional Argentinian tea). Aftersetting up the tents, everyoneenjoyed a special brunch of choripan(grilled beef chorizo with bread),cooked by a group of Church ladies.That evening, all enjoyed a longwalk, admiring the work of theCreator’s hand in its full splendor.

Activities coordinator EmilyCanclini divided the campers intotwo groups for a game of finding aBible motto, and preparing a shortBible study. Carlos Navarrete led thegroup that took Hebrews 13:1–2 asits motto (“Let brotherly love con-tinue…”) and prepared a Bible studyon dating. Santiago Canclini led the

group that took Psalm 37:4 as itsmotto (“Delight yourself also in theLORD…”), and prepared a Biblestudy on wickedness.

The adults who heard the Biblestudies presented by both groupleaders (ages 24 and 18, respective-

ly) realized what ablessing it is forparents to havefamilies walking inthe Way, protectedby the Eternalfrom the world’scontaminations.Brethren felt thatthey were watch-ing the fulfillment

of Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a childin the way he should go, and whenhe is old he will not depart from it.”

On Monday and Tuesday, thechildren swam in the creek, playedsports, helped with cleaning andmeal preparation and entertainedthe other campers with eveninggames and short plays. New talentswere discovered; but, above all, thebrotherly love was manifested thatunites us with the same spirit, andthe same hope—the Kingdom ofGod.

We returned to our homes onTuesday evening, December 28,grateful to God for giving us threeenjoyable days of friendship and fel-lowship (Psalm 133:1).

FFrreenncchh FFeeaasstt SSiittee IIss FFuullllThanks to an outpouring of interest from overseas

Feastgoers, the Living Church of God 2005 Feast site in Albé,France, cannot accept any more transfer requests. There remainmany other Feast sites outside the United States and Canada; ifyou are interested in attending one of those sites, please sendyour inquiry to [email protected]. Overseas brethren wishing toattend the Feast in the United States or Canada will be able totransfer to those sites after the Festival Planner 2005 is releasedlater this Spring.

FFrreenncchh FFeeaasstt SSiittee IIss FFuullllThanks to an outpouring of interest from overseas

Feastgoers, the Living Church of God 2005 Feast site in Albé,France, cannot accept any more transfer requests. There remainmany other Feast sites outside the United States and Canada; ifyou are interested in attending one of those sites, please sendyour inquiry to [email protected]. Overseas brethren wishing toattend the Feast in the United States or Canada will be able totransfer to those sites after the Festival Planner 2005 is releasedlater this Spring.

16

very four years since1896 (interrupted onlyby World Wars I and II),the world’s best athletes

have convened to take part in thequadrennial spectacle known asthe modern Olympic Games. Asthe thousands of participantsstrive mightily to excel under theOlympic motto of “citius, altius,f o r t i u s ” ( “ s w i f t e r, h i g h e r,stronger”), they are cheered on bya huge audience in the stadium,and nowadays by a far larger audi-ence on television (estimated in2004 at 4 billion). This world-wide spectacle brings out the bestefforts of the participants—as wellas many judgments, both positiveand negative, by the spectators.

What lessons can we gainfrom this two-week sportingextravaganza that so captivatesthe world’s interest? One valuablelesson is that the spectator andparticipant play differing roles—and that the whole enterprisecould not exist without partici-pants. As we shall see, this is avital lesson for us as Christians.

How often have we seen that aspectator is more likely to bejudgmental and condemnatorythan a participant? An Olympicathlete who makes even a minormistake will often draw hostileboos and other expressions of dis-approval from the onlookingcrowd. An athlete who makesjust one serious mistake may findthat any previous successes andearlier displayed skills are quicklyforgotten. The arena is an unfor-giving forum.

Similarly, when we asChristians strive for success inour efforts to live godly lives, we

experience firsthand many diffi-culties, disappointments and set-backs. We see our brethren expe-rience similar trials. Do we criti-cize them the way one might crit-icize an athlete who has stumbledin a performance? Or do we recallhow we, too, have felt when wehave stumbled, and extend love,support and encouragement tothose who are treading the samepath as we are?

Unlike those in the world,who might criticize us, we knowthe resolve that is needed to over-come and to grow. How, then, canwe justify condemning or criticiz-ing others’ faults and shortcom-ings? Remember Jesus’ great illus-tration of one who finds fault withthe speck in his brother’s eye,while unaware of the plank in hisown (Mat thew 7 :1–5) . TheApostle Paul, too, who sufferedgrievous persecution in God’s ser-vice and lived robustly the role ofparticipant, offered a salutarywarning to those who might, asspec ta tors , s i t in judgment(Romans 2:1–11).

The participant makes a farsuperior teacher than the specta-tor. All teachers must master theirsubjects before they can effective-ly teach. There is no bettermethod for mastering a subjectthan being involved “at the coal-face”—being the participant.Merely acquiring academicknowledge of an activity is nosubstitute. Only by having been aparticipant can a tutor convey thefull passion and innermost inten-sity of stretching for achievement.In the Kingdom of God, we—today’s participants—will be theteachers and leaders in reeducat-

ing the world (Isaiah 30:20, 21;Revelation 20:6). Priests areteachers (Leviticus 10:8, 11;Ezekiel 44:23). Our High Priest,Jesus Christ, as our Intercessorand Judge, brings to His office Hisexperience—His participation—of having been in the flesh(Hebrews 4:14–16).

The part icipant grows instature and prowess as he trainsand practices. With daily disci-pline and reaching for a highergoal, we may excel—even to thepoint of setting new records. Paulcompares our efforts at growingspiritually with an athlete givinghis best (1 Corinthians 9:24–27).The parable of the minas (Luke19) clearly tells us that those whodo not put their assets to workgainfully (as participators), butrather conduct passive lives (asspectators), cannot expect to succeed. Scripture records thatGod wants His family to be madeup of overcomers (Revelation 2:7,11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21). Jesusinstructs us to strive to enter in atthe narrow gate (Matthew 7:13,14), not merely to watch otherspass through. Many who seet h e m s e l v e s a s “ h o m e a n ddried”—who think they havedone just fine—will be shocked todiscover that their mere lip ser-vice will not grant them admis-sion to the Kingdom of God(Luke 13:25–28).

What we say must be backedup by what we do. A participant’stestimony and opinion carries farmore weight and credibility than amere spectator’s. Authors and lec-turers know well the value ofbeing able to recount examplesfrom real life and historic events,

Spectator or Participant?

EBy Henry Cooper

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rather than only theories. Travelerswho have visited remote and exoticplaces can hold an audience spell-bound with tales and photographs offirsthand experience, much morereadi ly than can one who hasacquired only secondhand informa-tion. The heroes and heroines of theBible’s great “faith chapter”—Hebrews 11—will be able to makepowerfully compelling points fromexperience during Christ’s comingmillennial rule.Paul’s approach inpreaching was toperceive his sub-j e c t f r o m t h estandpoint of hisa u d i e n c e ( 1C o r i n t h i a n s9:19–23), know-i n g t h a t i n a l lprobability he hadexperienced thesame tr ia l s andh a d t h e s a m eproblems.

Like Paul, we can all look to ourpersonal experiences for examplesthat we can later draw upon, whichwill animate the advice and opinionthat may be sought of us, and whichwill allow us to speak with convic-tion and reliability.

Remember, our actions and con-duct are quietly observed and notedby more people than we think. Theman who habitually deals with hon-esty and integrity in business isrewarded with profitable trading, andshows the way to others who haveeyes to see. Wise King Solomon hadmuch to say on this matter (Proverbs11). The woman who acts with deco-rum and femininity is held in higheresteem by the discerner, as empha-sized by the well-known “Proverbs31 woman.” The youth who valueschastity and good conduct stores upa better future. The writer ofEcclesiastes ruefully adds hisendorsement (Ecclesiastes 11:9–10).

All too often, people nod inagreement with these values, butcompromise them in their own prac-tice—or disregard them whereupholding them might cause unpop-ularity and material handicap. “Doas I say, not as I do” is, sadly, toooften the hallmark of many in soci-ety. We will be profitable servants ofGod and Christ in tomorrow’s world,and effective witnesses for the Truthtoday, only if we have been through

the refiner’s kiln,and have done asour Savior hastaught us to do. Weare being spiritual-ly purified now, ifwe determine toparticipate in right-eousness.

Br i t i sh Fie ldMarshall BernardMontgomery, o fWorld War II fame,w a s a l e a d e rrenowned for not

asking anything of his troops that hewould not do himself—or that he hadnot once done. The result was aremarkably high degree of loyaltyfrom his soldiers. Once, inspecting aparade ground of decorated veterans,he enquired of the circumstances inwhich each earned the medals wornon their uniforms. Reaching the lastman, he explained that he too hadearned all the citations displayed bythe others, and that a single badgeworn by the old warrior before himwas the only one on display that daythat had eluded him.

As Christians, we cannot partici-pate in the wars of this world. We arefighting a spiritual war. But we canlearn from Montgomery’s example;he understood the importance ofbeing a participant, not merely aspectator. By contrast, many othergenerals have failed to inspire theirarmies to prevail in battle—and theresults have been demoralization

and ignominious defeat. Throughprivilege of birth and safe position-ing well behind battlefront lines,they failed to win the hearts and loy-alties of those they were given tocommand, and they did not under-stand the misery and peril of com-bat. A leader cannot inspire follow-ers and motivate them to succeed bywords and theories alone—he mustbe a doer, as well (James 1:22–27).

As Christians, then, how can weensure that we are fulfilling the roleof participant and not merely ofspectator? In our everyday lives, weare presented with innumerableinstances that allow us to partici-pate in helping others. By spendinga little time with those who are bur-dened, we can encourage them.When we return to enquire howthey are doing, we may thoughtful-ly bring a little help. We can prayfor our brethren in their trials andplights. We can empathize withpeople from many walks of life,especially if we have had similarexperiences. We can listen to thosefor whom society has less time. Wecan enquire after people’s well-being and send messages. We cangive support by just being there forpeople. Such participation in peo-ple’s lives can make all the differ-ence. Jesus said that as we do theselittle things in the right way, it is asif we are doing them for Him(Matthew 25:35–40). How worth-while He considers these littlethings! Conversely, and soberingly,Jesus also said that by omitting suchmatters (failing to participate) wewould fail Him (v. 45).

Let us be sure that we becomeinvolved in the practical, everydaymatters wherein we can make a dif-ference. In so doing, we will gainvital practice in dealing with life’schallenges from a godly perspective,and we will be fitting and preparingourselves for a useful role in theKingdom to come! LCN

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A letter of instruction should also give account num-bers, contact information for parties named in the willand details of the location of accounts and documents,and should mention whether the accounts are ownedjointly or individually. It can give detailed instructionsfor disposal of personal effects of lesser importance orvalue not mentioned in the will. A list of debts can alsobe very useful for the executor.

Detailed instructions for your funeral can be con-tained in the letter, including the type of service youdesire, and the selection of a funeral home. Your letter ofinstruction can also contain personal messages, so that

your will need not be cluttered up with them. While aletter of instruction is not legally binding, it can be ofgreat value to your survivors at a time when grief maymake it difficult for them to make decisions on thesematters.

Today, many people also make a “Living Will”—which simply states your instructions regarding medicalcare in the event that you become critically ill or injured.You can give instructions as to whether or not you wantto be placed on life support or allow other heroic meth-ods—such as breathing tubes or feeding tubes—to beused in keeping you alive.

Creating a trust for the management and distribu-tion of your assets is another useful tool for estate planning. Various kinds of trust agreements may beappropriate, depending upon what the testator wants toaccomplish. There are a number of important advan-tages derived from such documents, often including taxadvantages and avoidance of probate. If you plan to cre-ate a trust, it is wise to use an attorney who specializesin estate planning.

At some time in your life, you may be asked to serveas executor of someone’s estate. It may be a close relativeor a good friend. You may not even know that you havebeen named as executor until you find that you have beennamed in the will of the deceased. You may feel bound byduty and love for the testator, but you should be aware ofthe duties and responsibilities required by the job. Itimposes a fiduciary responsibility upon the executor,which means you must discharge the responsibilities with

a high degree of care and with impartiality and integrity.The basic role of the executor is to ensure that thedeceased’s estate is properly settled. You can hire a pro-fessional to provide advice and counsel and to do much ofthe actual work. If you are not able to serve, you candecline and let a contingent executor serve instead.

As you can see, settling an estate—even a simpleone—involves a lot of detailed work. The list accompa-nying this article, “The Executor’s Checklist,” may behelpful for those who need to get organized to serve as anexecutor. It is not intended to be a complete list, and youmay also find the advice of an attorney or certified finan-cial planner helpful.

Sometimes Church members, depending upon theircircumstances, deem it desirable and appropriate to

remember the Church in their estate planning and tobequeath part or all of their estate to the Church. Suchbequests strengthen the financial stability of the Church,and can be an important part of doing the Work that wehave been commissioned to do. While the Church doesnot offer legal advice or counseling in such cases, somebasic information is available, at no charge, which may behelpful to someone doing estate planning with such abequest in mind. If you are interested, you may requestthis information by writing to:

Living Church of GodAttn: Legal Affairs2301 Crown Centre Dr.Charlotte, NC 28227

You may also send your request by e-mail [email protected].

The purpose of estate planning is to be certain thatyour wishes and desires are carried out for the benefit ofyour loved ones with a minimum of cost and delay.Having your estate in order brings a certain peace of mindand a sense of accomplishment, knowing that you havehandled this important matter “decently and in order” forthe good of all.

Even with the best of intentions, procrastinationoften keeps people from carrying out this vital exercise.Do not let that happen to you. Complete your final plan-ning without delay, for: “If you know these things, blessedare you if you do them” (John 13:17).


Final Things: Is Your House in Order?(continued from page 12)

Creating a trust for the management and distribution of your assets is another useful tool for estateplanning. Various kinds of trust agreements may be appropriate, depending upon what the testatorwants to accomplish.

LCN

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other forms of entertainment thatour friends may think are “just fine.”We must not indulge in the samekind of drinking, partying and joke-telling that our worldly neighborsdo, for we are supposed to beChristians! We are supposed to haveJesus Christ living in us through theHoly Spirit! We are supposed to betruly “different”! Yet, without realiz-ing it, many of us are not really thatdifferent—are we?

We all need to go back, fromtime to time, and review JesusChrist’s own stern requirements forbeing His follower as set forth inLuke 14:25–35. Many of us mayhave had this passage expounded tous at the time of our baptism.Remember? Jesus said: “If anyonecomes to Me and does not hate [loveless] his father and mother, wife andchildren, brothers and sisters, yes,and his own life also, he cannot beMy disciple. And whoever does notbear his cross and come after Mecannot be My disciple” (vv. 26–27).

Have we come to the point ofgenuinely hating—or “loving less,”as it should be translated—our ownlives? Are we, individually, willing togo through trials, tests and severepersecutions and “bear our cross” asJesus Christ commands?

Do we truly understand Jesus’command: “So likewise, whoever ofyou does not forsake all that he hascannot be my disciple” (v. 33)?

Even though this is not a time tosell our homes and possessions, assome early Christians did (Acts2:44–45), most of us undoubtedlyneed to give far more of our time,our energy, our thoughts and prayersto fervently serving the living JesusChrist and surrendering to let Himlive His life in every single phase andfacet of our individual lives! We needto have Jesus living within us in our

family life, our sex life, our job orcareer, in the way we treat all thosearound us, in the way we respond toevery situation and seek to honestlydevelop—through God’s Spirit—the“mind of Christ” in every situation.We need to grow in expressing thepatience, the mercy and the lovingkindness that Jesus expressed.

Otherwise, dear brethren, we maybe “a little better” than some in theworld around us, but fall far short ofthe example of Jesus Christ. Note thatat the end of Luke 14, Jesus describedthe “salt” that had lost its flavor, andHe stated: “It is neither fit for the landnor for the dung hill, but men throwit out. He who has ears to hear, let himhear” (v. 35).

A person who is truly “con-quered” by God through His HolySpirit—through Christ ruling his lifein its every phase and facet—willhold back nothing from God’s direc-tion! That individual has truly “cru-cified” the old self with its vanities,lusts, misdirected “hurt feelings”and general foolishness. We all needto ask ourselves: “Have I, personally,been truly conquered by God?”

Are there “hidden corners” insome of our lives that we definitelywould not want others to knowabout? If we are truly “conquered”by God, this would not be the case!

Brethren, we all need to growmuch closer to God than we haveever been in the past. Our goalshould not be just to get back towhere we may have been before Mr.Armstrong’s death, but to grow clos-er to God than we have ever been!For we all are supposed to keepgrowing throughout our entireChristian lives. So we must trulydevote ourselves to a type of deepand earnest Bible study, continuousand fervent prayer, profound medi-tation, regular fasting and an entireway of life that is based upon gen-uinely “walking” with God! This willhelp us achieve the above objectives.

Even beyond this, I sincerelyfeel that God Himself will help usas He begins to shake the nations,the society around us and even allof the people in the various Churchof God fellowships. In His wisdomand mercy, He will no doubt deeplyhumble every one of us and bringus to our knees and to a profound“awareness” of His interventionand His power in a way that wehave never before experienced! Ifour attitude is right, we shouldbegin to “see” God in the circum-stances around us as He starts tointervene even more powerfully inhuman affairs at the end of this age.This, also, should help us truly “getwith it” and grow spirituallybeyond what we have ever donebefore.

Even after Jesus’ death, HisApostles were not fully converted.For the Holy Spirit did not come untilthe day of Pentecost. So during the 40days after Jesus’ death, Peter and theother Apostles showed a number ofweaknesses that would not have beenmanifested had they been fully con-verted. On one occasion Peter said: “Iam going fishing” (John 21:3). Fromevery indication, this was not merelya casual fishing outing. Rather, as anumber of these men had been pro-fessional fishermen in the past, thiswould probably have been the begin-ning of something far more serious ifJesus had not dealt with the situation.“But when the morning had nowcome, Jesus stood on the shore; yetthe disciples did not know that it wasJesus” (v. 4). In what may have beenan overcast early morning, Jesusasked them if they had caught any-thing. He then commanded them:“Cast the net on the right side of theboat and you will find some. So theycast, and now they were not able todraw it in because of the multitude offish” (v. 6).

The “d i sc ip l e whom Jesusloved”—the Apostle John—was

A Higher Level(continued from page 3)


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more spiritually sensitive and per-ceptive. Although Christ used Peteras the leader among the Apostles,and the book of Acts shows that hetook the lead in most situations,John was obviously stronger in a cer-tain spiritual “closeness” and sensi-tivity to the will of God. So it was inthis situation. “Therefore that disci-ple whom Jesus loved said to Peter,‘It is the Lord!’” (v. 7).

Often, we fail to recognize howGod is in overall charge of events

that are happening in the world—and even in our lives. Certainly, Heallows many events to happen to theworld that He may not directlycause. He is, as we know, allowingterrible storms, earthquakes andother events to humble people—andis allowing human beings to go theirown way for the present 6,000-yearage until Christ returns.

As we come ever closer to thefinal events of this age, we need tobe very sensitive to God’s directintervention in world affairs—and inour own lives. We need to be ever-mindful that, as Jesus said: “Are nottwo sparrows sold for a copper coin?And not one of them falls to theground apart from your Father’swill. But the very hairs of your headare all numbered. Do not fear there-fore; you are of more value thanm a n y s p a r r o w s ” ( M a t t h e w10:29–31).

Our Father in heaven is in totalcharge of this universe, and Heintervenes in any situation Hechooses! As we are His own begottenchildren, He knows everything aboutus—even the thoughts of our minds

and hearts! It is important that wedevelop a deep sensitivity andawareness to that fact! It is vital thatwe truly “commune” with God on aregular basis—far more profoundlythan most of us have been doing. Itis vital that we constantly ask our-selves: “What would Jesus really doin this situation?”

Jesus Christ said to His disci-ples—and to us: “If anyone desiresto come after Me, let him deny him-self, and take up his cross, and fol-

low Me. For whoever desires to savehis life will lose it, but whoever loseshis life for My sake will find it”(Matthew 16:24–25).

In our present “me” generation,it is difficult for us to fully compre-hend what it means to “deny” one-self or to “take up one’s cross” andfollow Christ. But we need to focuson these verses more than ever. Forsome of us will be called upon toleave everything—perhaps even ourown lives—during the next severalyears!

You and I normally desire to“save” our lives, in the sense that wewant a continuing stream of “goodthings,” pleasures, friends and a nice“comfortable” lifestyle. But Jesuscalls us to grow to a higher level—and to a profound spiritual aware-ness that we really are “strangers andpilgrims on the earth” as God’s truesaints have always been (Hebrews11:13).

Therefore, we must develop agenuine “fellowship” with Christand with the Father (1 John 1:3). Wemust soberly heed John’s statement:“This is the message which we have

heard from Him and declare to you,that God is light and in Him is nodarkness at all. If we say that wehave fellowship with Him, and walkin darkness, we lie and do not prac-tice the truth” (vv. 5–6).

Many of us allow areas of “dark-ness” to enter our lives all too fre-quently. We allow a “watering down”process to enter our thinking, andoften manage to reason our wayaround the total commitment weshould have to our great God! I saythis as one weak human being whoexperiences my own weaknesses,brethren! I have to fight myself everyminute of every hour of every day as,I am sure, all of you do. It is so easyto allow our human minds to make“excuses” for the lower level of loveand obedience that we often displayin our walk with God.

However, as this world contin-ues to suffer all kinds of convul-sions, terrorist activities, diseaseepidemics, drought, famine andearthquakes, it is vital that we seethat God is truly intervening inexactly the way He prophesied, andthat it is truly time to put our housein order! May God help every one ofus do this! And we must fully real-ize that it is only through JesusChrist living in us that this may bepossible. We must always rememberJesus’ statement: “I am the vine, youare the branches. He who abides inMe, and I in him, bears much fruit;for without Me you can do nothing”(John 15:5). Only through Hisstrength may we truly overcomeand grow spiritually to the highspiritual level that God wants—“tothe measure of the stature of thefullness of Christ” (Ephesians4:13). We all need to experiencethis true overcoming and growth,which will only come as you “seekthe LORD your God, and you willfind Him if you seek Him with allyour heart and with all your soul”(Deuteronomy 4:29).

In our present “me” generation, it is difficult for us to fullycomprehend what it means to “deny” oneself or to “takeup one’s cross” and follow Christ. But we need to focus on these verses more than ever.

LCN

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understood God’s inspired Word and had genuine faith in theGod of Israel. For Paul told Timothy in his second letter: “Butyou must continue in the things which you have learned andbeen assured of, knowing from whom you have learnedthem, and that from childhood you have known the HolyScriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvationthrough faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:14–15).

Who helped Timothy develop the outstanding faith towhich the Apostle Paul referred? In Timothy’s case, it wasnot his father but his mother and grandmother! For theApostle Paul wrote to Timothy about calling to remem-brance “the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt firstin your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and Iam persuaded is in you also” (2 Timothy 1:5).

So, “from childhood,” the Evangelist Timothy hadbeen taught the Holy Scriptures by his faithful motherand grandmother! These capable and dedicated womenimparted to this young man a deep awareness of HisCreator and of the Holy Scriptures, and enabled him tohave the capacity to later serve alongside one of the mostoutstanding Apostles in human history!

In addition to being outstanding examples of dedica-tion and service in their own right, as were Deborah, Ruth,and many other women, many ladies in God’s Churchhave a unique opportunity to spend time at home with theirsons and daughters and thoroughly teach them the ways ofGod—hour after hour—in a way that the working fathersmay not always be able to do. Certainly this was the casewith Timothy. And certainly it can be in the lives of ourladies—and especially mothers—in God’s Church today.

Faithful mothers can, through their children, have anawesome impact upon the lives of millions of other humanbeings—as we know from the stories of the impact of themothers of Abraham Lincoln, Dwight Eisenhower andmany others.

In my own case, I can honestly say that my own moth-er and grandmother—as was the case with Timothy—had aremarkable influence upon my life and upon my later rela-tionship with God. For I can remember spending time withmy grandmother—on literally dozens of occasions—whenshe would read to me from the Bible, talk to me about Godand impart to me a deep awareness of the Creator and aheartfelt feeling regarding His inspired word. My motherinterested me deeply in reading, and in understanding thepurpose of life. She inspired me to develop a degree ofcharacter, persistence and drive that has served me well inlater life. I owe both of these dear ladies a tremendous debtof gratitude, and will be able to thank them in a special waywhen they rise in the second resurrection!

The remarkable motherly influence upon Timothy—and, no doubt, that of Mary upon Jesus Christ Himself—no doubt played a significant part in their effect on oth-ers’ lives. The impact that all parents have upon their chil-dren can never be underestimated. For having their ownparents or grandparents talk sensibly and faithfully aboutthe Creator can certainly deeply impact and encourageyoung men and women—even in later life—to have anawareness of God and of the importance of genuine spir-ituality. As in my case, Timothy no doubt often recalledhis mother and grandmother personally teaching himabout the meaning of life—and he later displayed thewonderful “fruit” of that early relationship.

Timothy really believed God, and constantly acted onthat faith! He dedicated his life to serving God and his fel-low believers. He was obviously very conscientious in trulyserving his fellow man. The Apostle Paul relied on Timothyto teach the Word of God correctly, and to help and encour-age the brethren in a completely un-selfish way. Paul wrotemovingly of Timothy: “For I have no one like-minded, whowill sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, notthe things which are of Christ Jesus. But you know hisproven character, that as a son with his father he servedwith me in the gospel” (Philippians 2:20–22).

Having visited our own Living Youth Camp a numberof times, and having talked with our ministers in manyareas, I am pleased to see that we have quite a number ofyoung people who are beginning to exemplify the kind ofdedication, service and character development that Paulascribed to Timothy. In many areas, we are on our way!But we need to do even more. So, in the future, other pro-grams may be suggested and put into action.

As the end of this age approaches, brethren, we allneed to genuinely try to restore Apostolic Christianity inevery single phase and facet of God’s Church. We all needto have Christ directing our relations with Him, with God,with one another—and with our young people! They willundoubtedly provide an energy and youthful perspectiveto help us complete this Work over the next several yearsin a way that we might not be able to do otherwise. Theywill help reach out to the broader community in a way thatmany of us cannot—especially reaching other young peo-ple around the world. Some of them may also live right onover—in the human flesh—into Tomorrow’s World. Withtheir special background and training, they may easilybecome outstanding leaders—under the guidance of God’sFamily—in directing the way of life of this entire earth!Our youth are truly precious to God, and should be to us.

Our Future Leaders(continued from page 2)

Local ChurchNews

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MarriageDebbie Penman and Craig Hill of thePerth, Western Australia congregationwere joined in marriage on January 9.The ceremony was performed by thebride’s father, and took place at herparents’ home in Auckland, NewZealand. The couple will continue tolive in Perth.

Matching GiftsMany companies are able to match donations made byemployees (and retirees) and their spouses. You may wish tocheck with your employer’s personnel office to determinewhether your gift qualifies. Your employer may significantlyincrease or even double your giving to the Living Church ofGod.

New Living Church of GodBible Hymnal!

Upcoming TToommoorrrrooww’’ss WWoorrlldd TelecastsWGN: Sunday, 6:00 AM ET VISION (Canada): Sunday, 5:30 PM ET & Monday–Friday, 3:00 AM ET

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

March 6 Prophetic Milestones AheadMarch 13 What Is True Christianity Really Like?March 20 Vital Keys to HappinessMarch 27 Should You Observe Easter?April 3 Can America Police the World?April 10 Who Is the Beast?April 17 Why Were You Really Born?April 24 Is There Life After Death?

The new Living Church of God Bible Hymnal arrived from the printer during thethird week of March. Copies are being shipped to every Living Church of Godcongregation. Individual copies may be available for purchase in the future, butnot until Headquarters knows that the needs of all the congregations around theworld have been met. An announcement will be made if copies of the new BibleHymnal become available for purchase; until then, please use the hymnals that arebeing sent to your local congregation.


BBiirrtthhss

Alma Aman of the LCG congregation in Minneapolis,Minnesota, died on February 22. A longtime member ofGod’s Church, she was 84 years old. She is survived byher husband of 58 years, Henry Aman, age 92, and also byher sons Wayne and Jerry and her daughter Zelda. Mr.Sheldon Monson conducted the funeral service onFebruary 25 in Edina, Minnesota.

Charlene Brazeal died of pancreatic cancer on February3, at the age of 76. She was baptized in 1967 and hadattended faithfully with the congregations in Terre Hauteand Indianapolis, Indiana. She was preceded in death byher husband Arlow, who was also an LCG member. She issurvived by four children, seven grandchildren, and sev-eral nephews and nieces. A memorial service was con-ducted in Lafayette, Indiana, at which Mr. GeorgeDellinger, elder in Indianapolis, spoke briefly, followed bya number of friends and relatives.

Nellie G. Evans, age 82, of Searcy, Arkansas died sudden-ly on October 22, 2004. She was a longtime member ofGod’s Church—the first in her family to be called. Sheloved being a part of God’s Church. Even when she didnot feel well, she would express her fervent desire toattend Sabbath services. She seldom missed a Bible Study.She is survived by her sister, Jonnie Monroe, sons Wayne,Richard and David Evans, daughter Rose Creekmore (anLCG member in Cincinnati, Ohio), 11 grandchildren

(three of whom attend God’s Church) and 17 great-grand-children. Mr. Charles Ogwyn, pastor of the Little Rockcongregation, conducted her funeral service.

Irma Jean Pine, of the Columbia, Missouri LCG congre-gation, died on December 17, 2004 at age 76. Despite suf-fering from several ailments in the past few years, sheattended almost every Sabbath service. She began listen-ing to Mr. Armstrong on the radio many years ago, andreceived the Plain Truth and Bible Correspondence Coursein the 1960s; she was baptized in 1984. She is survivedby Joseph R. Pine, Sr., her husband of 52 years. Other sur-vivors include daughter Cindy Miller of Fulton; sonJoseph Pine Jr. of Auxvasse; brothers Delmar Hawkins ofMexico, Charles Hawkins of Bellflower, and JamesHawkins of New Florence; four grandchildren; threegreat-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Shewas preceded in death by a son, a brother and a sister. Mr.Rand Millich conducted her memorial service in Fulton,Missouri.

John Vaikia, a deacon serving the Living Church of Godbrethren in Myanmar, died on January 9. He was 57 yearsold. Baptized in 1975, he was ordained as a deacon in1993. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, by onebrother, three sons, three daughters and four grandchil-dren. Mr. Thomas Tial Hoe conducted the funeral serviceon January 10.

Elizabeth Ester Brown was born onFebruary 15, weighing 9 pounds,14 ounces. She is the second childof Eric and Cammie Brown of theLCG congregation in Cambridge,Ohio.

Michael and Shana Jewsbury ofBellevue, Washington, are happyto announce the birth of their firstchild, daughter Hannah Elynor

Jewsbury, on December 25, 2004.She weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces,and was 21 inches long.

Ryan and Roxanna Bird, ofCanada’s Calgary, Alberta congre-gation, are happy to announce thebirth of their first child, HannahJanae Bird. She was born onDecember 4, 2004, weighing 8pounds, 2 ounces, and was 21

inches long. Grandparents Bruceand Donna Bird are pleased towelcome their first grandchildinto the family.

Alan and Wanda Croyle gratefullyannounce the arrival of John EzraCroyle on December 28, 2004,joining his two brothers and sixsisters. He weighed 8 pounds, 8ounces at birth.

In Loving Memory

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23

The average American would love to have a happymarriage to the right person. Most people who divorcecome to the conclusion that they were simply terriblyunlucky in getting stuck with the wrong mate. There ismuch to be said about being wise and choosing to com-mit one’s life to the right person.

But is a quick divorce likely to be the answer forfuture happiness? If so, one would expect the divorcerate for second marriages to be much lower. Surely oneseeking to remarry after a difficult marriage anddivorce would tend to be a little more cautious andchoosy. Amazingly, statistics do not support thishypothesis; divorce rates for second marriages are sig-nificantly higher, not lower, than for first marriages.

The Institute for American Values published a veryinteresting study in July 2002, titled: “Does DivorceMake People Happy?” Researchers studied 645 indi-viduals who reported unhappy marriages. When theseunhappy people were surveyed five years later, thosewho remained married reported a far greater degree ofhappiness than those who had divorced. In fact, 66percent of those who had stayed together reported thatthey were happy five years later—compared to a 19percent rate of happiness among those who haddivorced or separated.

A Psychology Today review of this study reported:“In fact, the most miserable marriages had the mostdramatic turnarounds. Seventy-eight percent of peoplewho stayed in very unhappy marriages said that themarriages were currently happy five years later” (“Don’tDivorce, Be Happy,” November-December 2002).

Granted, there are valid reasons for divorce,including physical abuse, drug addiction and rampantsexual immorality. But for most typical unhappy mar-riages, statistics clearly demonstrate that someone whois unhappy in marriage is more than three times more

likely to be happy five years later if he or she stays mar-ried, rather than seeks a divorce.

Some are beginning to question the appropriate-ness of no-fault divorces. Maggie Gallagher, author ofThe Abolition of Marriage, wrote: “Imposing a five- toseven-year waiting period for contested no-faultdivorces—as do many European jurisdictions—wouldserve the ends of both justice and prudence, raising thenumber of marriages that ultimately succeed.”

Divorce tends to undermine happiness for manyreasons, not the least of which is its effect on children.When parents decide they are unhappy, and decide todivorce, it is not just the death of the marriage relation-ship; it is the death of the family relationship. Financesare another reason that unhappy couples who split stillfind themselves unhappy 81 percent of the time fiveyears later. According to Lenore Weitzman, author ofThe Divorce Revolution: “One year after divorce,women’s standard of living decreases by 73 percent.”

God Himself, the Creator of marriage, emphatical-ly stated: “The LORD God of Israel says that He hatesdivorce” (Malachi 2:16). God understands humannature far better than we do. Most unhappiness in mar-riage is caused by the violation of spiritual principlesthat God has designed for marital happiness. Moreoften than not, when two self-centered human beingsdivorce, they carry the pattern of failure from the pre-vious marriage into their single life or their secondmarriage. This is why most unhappy couples who stickit out, and gradually change and adapt, are happier fiveyears later. This is why those who refuse to change—who choose to divorce and to carry the same patternsof self-centeredness into their next marriages—tend tobe unhappy five years later. In most cases, for one seek-ing happiness, divorce should be the last choice, notthe first choice.

NON-PROFIT ORG.US POSTAGE PAIDCHARLOTTE, NCPERMIT NO. 4081

By Jeffrey Fall

CommentaryThe Mythology of Divorce

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

T Living Church of God L HE ivingChurch NewsLuipaardsvlei, 1743 Republic of South Africa Phone: (27)...

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