... And a Successful New Year!

Now is a good time to stop and ask ourselves about how this first year of a new decade is going to go. What will it hold for us? Will it bring resolutions or revolutions? And, perhaps most importantly, what can we do to control our future, our success, in 2010?

"We wish you a happy and successful new year!" How many times do we hear this, as the calendar runs out? Well wishes fly about like snowflakes. At times they mean something; sometimes they're just trite communication, rather like "have a good day."

Whatever the use of the term "a successful new year," now is a good time to stop and ask ourselves about how this first year of a new decade is going to go. What will it hold for us? Will it bring resolutions or revolutions? And, perhaps most importantly, what can we do to control our future, our success, in 2010?

As we begin the New Year, it would be good to get a clear meaning for the term "success." One online dictionary defines it as "The favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors," or "the attainment of wealth, position, honors, or the like." No doubt these are aspirations we all have for the New Year, and for the new decade.

Many centuries ago, a national leader was about to undertake a huge new endeavor: not a new year, but a new homeland. Under the guidance of his predecessor, he had trained and prepared for his challenging new set of duties. When the great lawgiver Moses died, God commissioned Joshua to lead the young nation and reminded him of the path to success. Listen to these words God gave Joshua: "Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful" (Joshua 1:7, 8, NIV).

The words of Joshua's commissioning should ring true for us as we enter the New Year. Our real success will come not from winning the lottery or a chance event, but from our relationship with our Creator, and from subjecting ourselves to Him and to His laws.

We encourage you to take time now to re-examine your relationship with God, and to re-commit to Him, and you will discover true success.

Have a happy and successful 2010.

Far From Harmless

Some people believe that as long as we aren’t hurting others or breaking the law, innocent “white” lies can make life more pleasant. That’s the most common justification given for what many call “white lies” (lies that are intended to shield the recipient from otherwise painful or uncomfortable truths. Can a lie truly not hurt anyone? Can it really be told with good intentions? Truth is, all lies—white or otherwise—operate on the premise of deception. They take the truth and either shade, twist or completely deface it. They also harm the person telling the lie and corrupting good character.

When it comes to honesty, God and Satan stand in two opposite corners. God “cannot lie” (Titus 1:2), while Satan is “a liar and the father of it” (John 8:44).

God tells us not to lie in the Ninth Commandment (Exodus 20:16). The world is not a better place because of our white lies. White lies—and all other kinds—have resulted in the continual distrust and skepticism that plagues society. There are always alternatives. In many cases where our opinion could be hurtful, we can avoid saying anything. Other times, with thought and sensitivity, we can find things to say that are kind and tactful—“speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).

Won’t it be great when the whole world finally keeps the Ninth Commandment?

THE NUMBER AND MARK OF THE BEAST

Two of the most important aspects of the beast’s power are brought to light in Revelation 13: “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.” Revelation 13:16-18. So far in our study, we have described nine identifying marks of the beast power and its application to the papacy. Right here we will add the tenth point to our list by explaining the number of his name.

According to Revelation 13:17, the number of his name will also be the number of a man. Undoubtedly this refers to the man who heads the beast power. The ancient method of deriving the number of a name is to take the numerical value of all letters and add them up to get the sum. If we want to apply this test to the papacy, we must find the official name of the pope, who is the head of his church. If this is the number of a man, it would naturally be the man who is the head of the organization.

It is interesting to note that there is an official Latin title for the pope, a title which has been granted by the Church itself. This title is found repeatedly in the publications of Rome. But in the weekly Catholic newspaper, Our Sunday Visitor, of April 1915, we have the interesting statement that the letters of the official title are inscribed in the pope’s miter. Here is the actual quotation: “The letters inscribed in the pope’s miter are these; Vicarius Filii Dei, which is the Latin for ‘Vicar of the Son of God.’ Catholics hold that the Church, which is a visible society, must have a visible head; Christ, before His ascension into heaven appointed St. Peter to act as His representative. Hence, to the Bishop of Rome as head of the church, was given the title, ‘Vicar of Christ.’” At present, the pope’s miter does not contain the Latin title, but the words are incorporated into the coronation ceremonies of each newly crowned pope.

So with this official name of the pope in hand we can proceed to apply the test of the Scripture. How do we derive the number of his name? By getting the numerical value of the Roman numerals of the title Vicarius Filii Dei, we actually come to a definite number 666. Notice how it is worked out below as each letter is given its numerical value:

V - 5
I - 1
C - 100
A - 0
R - 0
I - 1
U OR V - 5
S - 0
___
112

+

F - 0
I - 1
L - 50
I - 1
I - 1
___
53

+

D - 500
E - 0
I - 1
___
501

= 666

Someone might object that this could be a coincidental occurrence. We grant that it is possible for such a thing to be a mere happenstance if we had only this one mark of identity to lean upon. But the fact is that this is the tenth of a long list of characteristic marks that the Bible uses to identify the beast power. It only adds weight and strength to that which has already been said in making the application to the papal power. It is the capstone proof in conjunction with all the other marks laid down so clearly in the Scripture.

The Mark—A Master Counterfeit

We are now prepared to consider the climax of counterfeits as far as the beast power is concerned. We have already learned that this power was to counterfeit many of the great truths of God. It was a combination of pagan ideas with Christian doctrine which formed a conglomeration of confusion, well designated as “Babylon” in the Scripture.

A few of the counterfeits might be listed as follows: instead of the word of God, tradition; instead of the Holy Spirit, the pope; instead of baptism, sprinkling; instead of communion, transubstantiation; instead of the eternal law of God, the changed law; instead of tithe, taxes and indulgences; instead of death, purgatory; instead of the seal of God, the mark of the beast.

Here we are especially concerned about the mark of the beast. In Revelation 14:9, 10, we read, “If any man worship the beast … and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation.” This is a matter of life or death. We must know exactly what this mark is and how we can avoid it.

We first of all notice in the Bible that the mark is always opposed to the seal of God. In Revelation 7:2, 3, we learn that the seal of God is placed in the forehead, just as the mark of the beast is set in the forehead. The two things seem to be in direct contradistinction to each other. Both are received in the forehead. Now we ask, “What is the seal?” If we can establish this point, it will help us to identify the mark.

The Seal of God

A seal is something that has to do with legal affairs. Official documents are always stamped with the seal of the governing body. Every government has a seal that is placed upon its legal documents. Its purpose is to show that there is authority behind the doc- ument. This is especially true of the laws of the country. Every new law has a seal to show that there is power and authority to back up the law.

Notice that each seal has three things in it. It must contain the name of the authority, the office or title of the authority, and the territory over which he has power. The seal of America’s president contains the following words: Bill Clinton, President, United States of America. When that seal is placed upon a law or an official document, it shows that the president’s authority is supporting that declaration.

Does God’s seal have to do with His law also? If so, how and where is it impressed? Let’s read Isaiah 8:16, “Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my disciples.” This proves that the seal is connected with the law. In fact, His law is sealed among the disciples of God. But where is the law actually placed upon those who are faithful? The answer is found in Hebrews 10:16, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them.”

This, then, is how the Lord’s seal is placed on the disciples. It is written on their minds or, symbolically, on their foreheads. Proverbs 7:2, 3 makes it even plainer: “Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.” The law, you see, is observed both by the hand and in the mind; thus, it is spoken of as being applied to the hand and forehead.

The Sign of God’s Authority

We want to search in God’s law to see which part actually does constitute the seal. But first, let’s find out what constitutes God’s power and authority. The President exercises authority by virtue of his office as President. God claims power based on His office as Creator of the universe. Notice the words found in Jeremiah 10:10-12: “But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: … Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens. He hath made the earth by his power.” Again, Psalm 96:5, “For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.” Put with these texts one more found in Isaiah 40:25, 26: “To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these things.”

We are impressed that the great thing that distinguishes the true God is His creative power. He bases His claims of authority as the true and only God upon His power to create. But what is the sign or memorial of His creation? Genesis 2:2, 3 gives the answer: “And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.” The Sabbath is a memorial of the creative power that distinguishes Him from the false gods.

The Seal in the Law

We are now prepared to search God’s law to determine what His seal of authority really is. Remember that a seal must contain the name, office, and territory of the authority. One by one, we study through the ten commandments of the Decalogue. Gradually all are eliminated except one. The three requisites of a seal will be found only in the one that includes name, title and territory of God.

Right in the heart of the law is the memorial of His creative power, and behold, in that fourth commandment we find also the three components of the seal. “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God (name): … For in six days the Lord made (office—Creator) heaven and earth (territory), the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day.” Exodus 20:8-11. In other words, the Sabbath is the seal of God—the mark of the only one who can create and who is authorized to rule the earth. And to make His law authoritative, He has placed the seal in it, showing that He stands behind every single commandment in that law.

You may ask, “Is the Sabbath really the seal of God?” Let’s look at Ezekiel 20:12, “Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the Lord that sanctify them.” Here the Sabbath is called the “sign” of God. Is that the same as a seal? Romans 4:11 reveals that “seal” and “sign” are the very same thing, being used interchangeably in the Scripture. “And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised.”

Seal and Mark in Competition

Let us see what the relation is between the seal of God and the mark of the beast. The two things are in competition with each other. In Revelation 14:9, 10, the third angel’s message portrays those who have the mark: “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb.”

In verse twelve we have another group identified by these words, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” In other words, those who keep the commandments of God do not have the mark of the beast and those who have the mark of the beast do _not obey the commandments of God. The Ten Commandments, containing the seal of God, are set up in competition with the mark of the beast. The seal is the Sabbath; therefore, the Sabbath is opposed to the mark. Then what is the mark?

An Attempted Change
To answer this question we are pointed back again to Daniel 7:25, where the papacy is described as a power who would “think to change times and laws.” We have learned already how the second commandment was removed and the tenth commandment divided in the catechisms of the papacy. But what about the “times” mentioned in the text? Where only is time mentioned in the law? It is in the fourth commandment. Did the papacy think to change the Sabbath, the only time designated by the law? Yes, it did, and it happened in a most interesting way.

The pagans had a system of religion based on sun worship. Their sacred day was the first day of the week, which they named Sun-Day in honor of the sun god. Sunday was observed by the pagans in contrast to the Sabbath observance of Christians. But in the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine, a significant thing happened. Constantine professed conversion to Christianity and opened the doors of the church to all his heathen followers.

In order to gain power, prestige, and greater numbers to the church, he accepted many of the customs of sun worship from the pagans. Many of these compromises, such as Christmas and Easter, have already been described. Another of those customs was the observance of Sunday. It appeared more convenient to let the pagans keep their own day of worship on Sunday and ask the Christians to join them in it. So Constantine actually made the first law about keeping Sunday instead of the Sabbath. Papal church councils strengthened that law until it became firmly entrenched in Christianity and the world.

The Testimony of History

Turning now to the witness of secular historians, you may read the facts for yourself. Every statement is clearly defined in the historical records. From the Encyclopedia Britannica under the article “Sunday” we read: “It was Constantine who first made a law for the proper observance of Sunday, and who … appointed that it should be regularly celebrated throughout the Roman Empire.” Here are the words of Dr. Gilbert Murray, M.A., D. Litt., L.L.D., F.B.A., professor of Greek at Oxford University: “Now since Mithras was ‘The Sun, the Unconquered,’ and the Sun was the ‘Royal Star,’ the religion looked for a King whom it could serve as the representative of Mithras upon earth. … The Roman Emperor seemed to be clearly indicated as the true King. In sharp contrast to Christianity, Mithraism recognized Caesar e as the bearer of the divine Grace, and its votaries filled the legions and the civil service. … It had so much acceptance that it was able to impose on the Christian world its own Sun-Day in place of the Sabbath, its Sun’s birthday, twenty-fifth of December, as the birthday of Jesus.” History of Christianity in the Light of Modern Knowledge.

Dr. William Frederick states the same historical truth: “The Gentiles were an idolatrous people who worshipped the sun, and Sunday was their most sacred day. Now, in order to reach the people in this new field, it seems but natural, as well as necessary, to make Sunday the rest day of the Church. At this time, it was necessary for the Church to either adopt the Gentiles’ day or else have the Gentiles change their day. To change the Gentiles’ day would have been an offense and stumbling block to them. The Church could naturally reach them better by keeping their day.” Sunday and Christian Sabbath, pp. 169, 170.

The North British Review gives the following reasons for the Christians adopting the heathen Sunday: “That very day was the Sunday of their heathen neighbors and respective countrymen, and patriotism glad- ly united with expediency in making it at once their Lord’s day and their Sabbath. … That primitive church, in fact, was shut up to the adoption of the Sunday, —until it became established and supreme, when it was too late to make another alteration.” Volume XVIII, p. 409.

Catholic Agreement

Since the prophecy of Daniel predicted that the papacy would “think to change times and laws,” let us ask her if she had anything to do with this change of the Sabbath. We want to be fair to everyone, and get authentic testimony from all. The next several quotations are taken from well-known Catholic authorities that express clearly the claims of the papacy on the attempted change. From the Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume IV, p. 153: “The Church … after changing the day of rest from the Jewish Sabbath, or seventh day of the week, to the first, made the third commandment refer to Sunday as the day to be kept holy as the Lord’s day.”

Salvation History and the Commandments, p. 294, 1963 edition, by Rev. Leo. J. Trese and John J. Castlelot, S.S. describes it in these words: “Nothing is said in the Bible about the change of the Lord’s day from Saturday to Sunday. We know of the change only from the tradition of the Church—a fact handed down to us from earliest times by the living voice of the Church. That is why we find so illogical the attitude of many non-Catholic, who say that they will believe nothing unless they can find it in the Bible and yet will continue to keep Sunday as the Lord’s day on the say so of the Catholic Church.”

Another well-known Catholic writer gave this explanation of the change: “The Catholic Church transferred the observance from the seventh to the first day of the week. … The Catholic Church deemed it more fitting to appoint this day, rather than Saturday, the festival day of Christians.” This Is Catholicism, 1959 edition, John Walsh, S. J., p. 325.

A 1958 catechism by Killgallen and Weber entitled Life in Christ—Instructions in the Catholic Faith explained it thus: “Why did the Church change the Lord’s day from the Sabbath to Sunday? The Church, using the power of binding and loosing which Christ gave to the Pope, changed the Lord’s day to Sunday.” Page 243.

Rev. Stephen Keenan’s A Doctrinal Catechism has this to say: “Question—Have you any other way of proving that the Church has power to institute festivals of precept? Answer—Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her; she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the seventh day, a change for which there is no scriptural authority.” Please note the word “substituted,” a term we have used over and over to describe the activities of this power.

Cardinal Gibbons, in his book The Question Box, p. 179, makes this startling admission: “If the Bible is the only guide for the Christian, then the Seventh-day Adventist is right in observing the Saturday with the Jew. … Is it not strange that those who make the Bible their only teacher, should inconsistently follow in this matter the tradition of the Catholic Church?”

Rev. John A. O’Brien in the book Understanding the Catholic Faith, p. 13, 1955 edition, states: “The Bible does not contain all the teachings of the Catholic religion, nor does it formulate all the duties of its members. Take, for instance, the matter of Sunday observance, attendance at divine service, and abstention from unnecessary servile work on that day. This is a matter upon which our Protestant neighbors have for many years laid great emphasis; yet nowhere in the Bible is the Sunday designated as the Lord’s Day; the day mentioned is the Sabbath, the last day of the week. The early Church, conscious of her authority to teach in the name of Christ, deliberately changed the day to Sunday.”

One of the greatest challenges ever cast into the face of Protestantism is contained in a statement by Father Enright, President of Redemptorist College in America: “It was the Holy Catholic Church that changed the day of rest from Saturday to Sunday, the first day of the week. And it not only compelled all to keep Sunday, but also urged all persons to labor on the seventh day under pain of anathema. Protestants … profess great reverence for the Bible, and yet by their solemn act of keeping Sunday, they acknowledge the power of the Catholic Church. The Bible says, ‘Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.’ But the Catholic Church says, ‘NO: Keep the first day of the week’ and lo, the entire civilized world bows down in reverent obedience to the command of the holy Catholic Church.”

You must answer that challenge! Whom are you going to obey? Listen to these words by C. F. Thomas, Chancellor of Cardinal Gibbons, in answer to a letter regarding the change of the Sabbath: “Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change was her act. And the act is a mark of her ecclesiastical power and authority in religious matters.” Thus, the issues become plain—God says that He is the true God: He has given the Sabbath as a seal of His authority as the Creator of all. By keeping the Sabbath, we recognize His authority as the true God. But the Catholic Church appears and says in effect, “No, don’t keep the Sabbath; keep the first day of the week. We changed it, and that change is a mark of our power to overrule God’s law and authority.”

The mark of the beast, then, is the counterfeit Sunday by which the beast power is trying to be recognized as an authority greater than the Creator Himself. The sign, or seal, of God’s authority (Sabbath) is displaced by the papal institution of a substitute mark (Sunday) that she claims as her authority. Oh, that the world would see clearly the tremendous issue before us today! To whom will we yield our obedience—to God or to the beast? When we understand the issues we must make a tremendous decision either to keep the true Sabbath and recognize God’s authority, or to take the false Sabbath and recognize the Catholic Church’s claims. We must finally receive the seal of God or the mark of the beast. There are only two sides—God and the dragon, truth and error, Bible and tradition.

A book published in 1956 entitled The Faith of Millions and currently available from the Catholic Book Store as a textbook on the Catholic religion has this interesting statement on page 473: “But since Saturday, not Sunday, is specified in the Bible, isn’t it curious that non-Catholic who profess to take their religion directly from the Bible and not from the Church, observe Sunday instead of Saturday? Yes, of course, it is inconsistent; but this change was made about fifteen centuries before Protestantism was born, and by that time, the custom was universally observed. They have continued the custom, even though it rests upon the authority of the Catholic Church and not upon an explicit text in the Bible. That observance remains as a reminder of the Mother Church from which the non-Catholic sects broke away—like a boy running away from home, but still carrying in his pocket a picture of his mother or a lock of her hair.”

Long ago Cardinal Gibbons summarized the issue facing every individual on the Sabbath question: “Reason and sense demand the acceptance of one or the other of these alternatives: either Protestantism and the keeping holy of Saturday, or Catholicity and the keeping holy of Sunday. Compromise is impossible.” Catholic Mirror, December 23, 1893.

Protestants Concur

Perhaps you are wondering what the Protestant bodies think of these things we have been considering. They will speak for themselves. Here are some candid admissions of those churches upon the Sabbath question. All statements are taken from the most authoritative spokesmen. Here is a quotation from Dr. Edward T. Hiscox, the author of the Baptist Manual: “There was and is a commandment to keep holy the Sabbath day, but that Sabbath day was not Sunday. It will be said, however, and with some show of triumph, that the Sabbath was transferred from the seventh to the first day of the week. … Where can the record of such a transaction be found? Not in the New Testament—absolutely not. … Of course, I quite well know that Sunday did come into use in early Christian history as a religious day, as we learn from the Christian Fathers, and other sources. But what a pity that it comes branded with the mark of paganism, and christened with the name of the sun god, when adopted and sanctioned by the papal apostasy, and bequeathed as a sacred legacy to Protestantism!” (From a paper read before a New York ministers’ conference held November 13, 1893.) This great Baptist leader condenses into a few sentences all that has been said in the pages of this booklet.

The Presbyterian Christian at Work said this: “Some have tried to build the observance of Sunday upon apostolic command, whereas the apostles gave no command on the matter at all. … The truth is, as soon as we appeal to the litera scripta (the literal writing) of the Bible, the Sabbatarians have the best of the arguments.” Ed. April 19, 1883. The Methodist Theological Compendium states: “It is true that there is no positive command for infant baptism … nor is there any for keeping holy the first day of the week.”

Dr. W. R. Dale (Congregational) in The Ten Commandments, pp. 106, 107, says: “It is quite clear that however rigidly or devotedly we may spend Sunday, we are not keeping the Sabbath. The Sabbath was founded on a specific, divine command. We can plead no such command for the observance of Sunday. … There is not a single line in the New Testament to suggest that we incur any penalty by violating the supposed sanctity of Sunday.”

The Lutheran position, as revealed in the Augsburg Confession of Faith, states: “The observance of the Lord’s day (Sunday) is founded not on any command of God, but on the authority of the church.” Episcopalian spokesman Neander writes in the History of the Christian Religion and Church, p. 186: “The festival of Sunday, like all other festivals, was always only a human ordinance, and it was far from the intentions of the apostles to establish a divine command in this respect, far from them and from the early apostolic church to transfer the laws of the Sabbath to Sunday.”

In Ten Rules For Living, by Clovis G. Chappell we read: “We ought to remember that the Sabbath is God’s gift to man. We realize, of course, that our Sabbath is not the same as that observed by the Jews. Theirs was the seventh day of week, while ours is the first. The reason we observe the first day instead of the seventh is based on no positive command. One will search the Scriptures in vain for authority for changing from the seventh day to the first. The early Christians began to worship on the first day of the week because Jesus rose from the dead on that day. By and by, this day of worship was made also a day of rest, a legal holiday. This took place in the year 321. Our Christian Sabbath, therefore, is not a matter of positive command.” Page 61.

Mark Enforced

We could give statements from dozens of other denominational sources, but space does not permit. What is your answer to these things? Clearly, we have seen that God predicted the rise of a power who would try to change the Sabbath; history records that the power attempted the change; the power herself admits that she tried to change it; and Protestants confess the change was made. How many will take their stand on the side of Bible truth?

The world is rapidly approaching the time when God’s Sabbath becomes a great test of obedience. Its claims will be placed before all earth’s inhabitants. At that time, when the issues stand clearly revealed, individuals will accept the seal of God or the mark of the beast. The book of Revelation describes a final edict of this earth’s governments that will actually seek to enforce the mark upon all the world. “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads.” Revelation 13:16.

It is evident that no one has the mark until it is pressed upon all through this legislative act of human government. Then, the true Sabbath and the counterfeit (Sunday) will be so revealed that no one can escape a decision—a decision to keep the true Sabbath with mind and hand, or to submit to the counterfeit Sabbath of the papacy. In the next chapter you will learn the identity of the nation which will influence the world to accept the counterfeit Sabbath, and which will seek to enforce that mark of loyalty to the papacy.

Hope for the Future

Jeremiah 29:11…… “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

God wants the best for you.

As we stand on the threshold of another new year, let us be assured that God Almighty wants this coming year to be the best ever. As we step into our future, the plan of God for our life is to bless us beyond anything we have experienced so far.

This is a good time to remember what God has done for us up to now. Despite the financial chaos of the world, despite the ecological disasters and despite the moral depravity of lurid inhumanities, our Lord has not only sustained us but He has enabled us to overcome and to triumph.

Our faith has been stretched but God has honoured and blessed those who have trusted in Him. We are now stronger than ever and we are strategically placed to go from victory to victory. Glory to God.

A great excitement and anticipation rises within us. There is a sense of awe filling our spirit and soul, a rising awareness of the growing urgency to reach those who do not know Jesus.

God is equipping and preparing us to bring multitudes into His kingdom. A mantle of boldness and fearlessness has replaced apathy and despair. We are rallying to His call to go out into all the world and make disciples. It is harvest time, it is time to reach our family and friends. They will be saved and now is the time. I feel truly blessed and exhilarated to live in such a time as this.

The lies and deceit of the secular media serve to make us stronger in our resolve to swim against the current of world affairs. Let us gather those who are struggling into our slipstream and strengthen them with the truth of God’s word and His promises.

2010 is the time for all men to come to know Jesus and be born again.

Hallelujah, what a Saviour; our glorious King Jesus. Amen

New Life In Jesus Christ

“In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.” John 1:4

New life in Jesus Christ! You too can have new life in Jesus Christ this Christmas season and throughout the New Year.

Just as Jesus came into a dark world and a dirty stable and yet the life of God shone light and newness...So can you too have Jesus Christ light up your life. Jesus did not come into a perfect world — and you and I are not perfect either. He did not come to live in a palace with many servants, but He came to the poor and He brought light into the world.

In the same way, when we ask Jesus Christ into our lives to be our Savior and Lord, He brings new life and light and hope and eternal life into our lives. Where there was darkness, now there is spiritual light. Where there was death, now there is eternal life. Where we were trapped in our sins, now we have forgiveness of sins because Jesus Christ died for our sins.

So really Christmas can be every day! When we have accepted Christ as our Savior, Jesus Himself comes to live spiritually in our lives and hearts. Jesus Christ is alive in us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is alive today!

So, this week, let us pray and ask God to

• Save millions of people all around the world
• Help each one of us grow stronger and stronger as Christians in Christ’s love by the power of the Holy Spirit
• Protect and keep safe and bless all our staff at Global Media Outreach
  

THANK YOU so much for your prayers. You are a part of a great global prayer team. God has promised to hear and to answer believing prayer that is according to His will from those who have accepted Christ as Savior and Lord. Let us pray together and see the world transformed for Jesus Christ.

Seek The Lord

Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the LORD’S anger. Zephaniah 2:3

Writing at one of the lowest points in the spiritual life of Judah, Zephaniah warns the people repeatedly that the Day of the Lord is coming—a day that signifies the judgment of God on earth and the ensuing time of blessing and peace. Zephaniah knows that when judgment is over, God will once again look with favor on His people, restore them, rejoice over them, and dwell among them (Zeph. 3:14-20).

So in Zephaniah 2:3, he told the people to

(1) seek the Lord;

(2) seek righteousness; and

(3) seek humility. Despite the impending Day of the Lord, Zephaniah told the people that if they were to do these three things, “maybe” God would have mercy on Judah and they could possibly escape His wrath. In the Bible, there are many instances a “may be” prompted and justified the actual doing of something. For instance:

A “may be” led Jonathan to attack the Philistines. “Then Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, ‘Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the LORD will work for us. For nothing restrains the LORD from saving by many or by few’” (1 Sam. 14:6). That event resulted in great victory for Israel.

A “may be” cheered David’s heart when Shimei cursed him after Absalom rebelled against David (2 Sam. 16:12). Eventually, God did protect David’s life from Absalom.

A “may be” inspired the lepers to visit the Syrian camp. The lepers said, “If we say, ‘We will enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore, come, let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they keep us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall only die” (2 Kin. 7:4). To their surprise, God moved on their behalf, bringing confusion and defeat to the enemies’ camp. The lepers had an abundance of food that day. We can have the same kind of attitude when we go through challenging moments in our lives. We can have a positive, faith-filled attitude. Instead of being helpless and feeling hopeless, seek the Lord. Instead of complaining and murmuring, pray! Prayer is more powerful than persecution. Seeking the Lord is more fruitful than sulking.

Are you in a situation like Judah? Is your back against the wall and you need a miracle from God? Do the same three things that Zephaniah told the people to do. How can we be assured that our “may be” can come through for us? Well, God is a gracious and merciful God. Lamentations 3:22 says, “Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.”

Theft Is Wrong—Plain and Simple

God said simply, “You shall not steal” (Exodus 20:15). What God says is wrong is wrong. His law doesn’t contain escape clauses, and what He calls wrong we cannot allow ourselves to think of as right or even justifiable under certain circumstances. Theft in any of its forms—whether of a candy bar or $150 million—means depriving someone else of the fruits of their labor.

The world tells us, “If you want it, take it.” God tells us, “If you want it, earn it.” The things worth having often require effort on our part, but this is not a hindrance—instead, it helps us appreciate what we’ve worked for. We work to maintain friendships. We work to make the income necessary to live. We work to maintain our relationship with God.

A world without theft will be a world where locked doors, alarm systems and other precautions are no longer required for protection. Can you imagine a world focused on giving rather than getting?

Won’t it be great when the whole world finally keeps the Eighth Commandment?

The Real Nativity Story: Surprising Truths You May Not Know!

The biblical accounts of Jesus Christ's birth present some surprising differences from popular ideas and traditions. Do you know the facts from the fiction?

Most of us have been brought up with the traditional Christmas story—you know, the one about Jesus being born on Christmas day in a stable in Bethlehem with the shepherds and three wise men looking on as depicted in countless manger scenes.

But is that the way it really happened? Most people think so, but a careful look at what the Bible really says reveals some surprising differences. Let's examine what the Bible actually does say about the circumstances surrounding Christ's birth.

While the Gospel accounts of Matthew and Luke describe the true story of Jesus' birth, we'll see that they assuredly do not describe the Christmas story so popular at this time of year.

Luke's important background

Consider first Luke, the Gospel writer who had the detailed mind of a physician and a historian. He wanted to make sure he presented all the pertinent facts.

Notice his preface: " Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed" (Luke 1:1-4, New Revised Standard Version, emphasis added throughout).

Luke, in other words, interviewed those who had witnessed or were knowledgeable of the events of Christ's life, and that information was the basis for his Gospel. After this important introduction, Luke begins the true story leading to Jesus' birth with an account of God's dealings with Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist:

"There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the division [or "course"] of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth " (verse 5). Later in the account it tells us she was a cousin of Mary (verse 36, King James Version).

"And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years" (verses 6-7).

Zacharias' priestly assignment or "division" helps us to know and understand the general time frame of Christ's birth. His was "the course of Abijah." But what does this mean?

About a thousand years earlier, King David had organized the Levitical priesthood into 24 "courses" or "divisions." As explained in 1 Chronicles 24 and more specifically in verses 3, 10 and 19, there was an abundance of priests to serve in the various temple functions.

Not wanting any to be left out of serving, David's solution was to divide the priests into 24 courses. Each priest would then serve for a specified week-long term twice during the year, plus the three festival seasons (Deuteronomy 16:16) when all the priests would serve.

The question is: Do we know at what times of the year the course of Abijah served at the temple? Yes, we do. The determination can be made by combining the information in 1 Chronicles 24 with a study into the traditions of Judaism regarding when the temple courses were carried out during the year.

The evidence points to Zacharias' week of service described by Luke being around Pentecost, which generally falls in late May to mid-June on our calendar. Although they fall at specific times on God's sacred calendar, the dates of His annual Holy Days and festivals vary up to several weeks on the Roman calendar we use today.

So it seems we can ascertain when Zacharias was serving in the temple. One resource, The Companion Bible, calculates it to the week of June 13-19 in the determined year (1974, Appendix 179, p. 200).

An unexpected angelic appearance

Luke's account continues: "So it was, that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord" (Luke 1:8-9).

What happened next would have been rather frightening to anyone. "Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him . . . And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, 'Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John'" (verses 11-13).

Then the angel explained the mission of Zacharias' son-to-be, John the Baptist: "He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb . . . He will also go before Him [Jesus Christ, the coming Messiah] in the spirit and power of Elijah . . . to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (verses 15-17).

Although a righteous man, in this instance Zacharias was all too human and displayed a lack of faith in the angel Gabriel's message. Because of his unbelief, he would not be able to speak again until his son John was born (verses 18-20).

Timing of Elizabeth's and Mary's conceptions

"So it was, as soon as the days of his service were completed, that he departed to his own house. Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived; and she hid herself five months" (Luke 1:23-24). Since Zacharias' temple course was in mid-June, assuming she became pregnant within a couple of weeks, five months would put this into mid- to late November.

The scene then shifts to the Messiah's birth: "Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph . . . The angel said to her, 'Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women" (verses 26-28).

This account clearly shows that Mary was a remarkable young woman of faith. Gabriel said to her, "And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest . . . And He will reign over the house of Jacob [Israel] forever" (verses 31-33).

Mary, since she was a virgin, then asked the obvious question. The answer came back: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you" (verse 35).

Gabriel emphasized God's miracle-working power: "Now indeed, Elizabeth, your relative [ cousin, KJV] has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. For with God nothing will be impossible" (verses 36-37).

Mary and Elizabeth

So a little more time has elapsed. It is now Elizabeth's sixth month, perhaps late December or a little beyond. "Now Mary arose in those days [the same basic time frame] and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah, and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb" (verses 39-41).

Elizabeth at this time was in her sixth month of pregnancy with John the Baptist. It would not be a stretch to understand from the previous passage that Mary was now also pregnant with Jesus. Elizabeth even speaks of Mary as though she knows Mary is an expectant mother: "But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy" (verses 43-44).

Verse 56 says, "And Mary remained with her about three months, and returned to her house." Timewise it was now late March. Mary stayed with Elizabeth right to the birth of John the Baptist. "Now Elizabeth 's full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son" (verse 57).

We see, then, that Mary was probably three months pregnant when John was born. John was probably born in late March or early April. So when was Jesus Christ born? Six months later would be late September or early October—in the autumn of the year, not in the dead of winter, as so many today mistakenly assume.

The evidence of the Roman census

Can we find other biblical evidence that Jesus was born in the autumn rather than in winter? Indeed we can.

Continuing in Luke's account: "And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered" (Luke 2:1). "All the world" in this context would mean all the areas under Roman rule. "This census took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city" (verses 2-3).

What kind of people were the Romans when it came to order and efficiency? They built bridges, roads and buildings that in some cases are still in use to this day, 2,000 years later. Their roads were marvels of engineering. They constructed great waterworks and sewage systems. Even today, our city planning owes a great deal to the Romans. Even much of modern government and military organization is copied from the Romans. They were masters of organization and structure.

Would the Romans, then, have ordered a census in the dead of winter? Of course not. This would have defeated the whole purpose! In winter, temperatures drop below freezing around Jerusalem, and the roads would have been muddy and wet with cold rains and occasional snow. It would've been a terrible time to travel, especially for a wife nearing her delivery.

One author states that this census "could hardly have been at that season [winter], however, for such a time would surely not have been chosen by the authorities for a public enrollment, which necessitated the population's traveling from all parts to their natal districts, storms and rain making journeys both unsafe and unpleasant in winter, except in specially favorable years. Snow is not at all uncommon at Jerusalem in the winter months, and I have known it so deep that people lost their way outside the gates" (Cunningham Geikie, "Christmas at Bethlehem," Edward Deems, editor, Holy-Days and Holidays, 1968, p. 405).

No rational Roman official would have scheduled a census in winter. For an agrarian society such as that of first-century Judea, a census in the autumn, when the crops would've been safely gathered in, would have made much more sense.

Why was there no room in Bethlehem?

Picking up our story in Luke again, we find other biblical evidence for the true timing of Jesus Christ's birth.

"Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth . . . because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered" (verses 4-6).

We don't know how far ahead of time they traveled, nor how long they were there for the census. The essential point is that the most important human birth in all history took place under these circumstances.

"And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloth, and laid Him in a manger [margin, feed trough], because there was no room for them in the inn" (verse 7).

But why was there no room for Joseph and Mary in Bethlehem? We learn a great deal from understanding the culture of the time.

If we have judged the time frame correctly based on John being conceived shortly after the time of the first term of Abijah around Pentecost, and his birth following nine months later, followed by Jesus' birth six months after that in late September or possibly early October, was something else happening at that particular time of the year that would've created crowded conditions in Bethlehem?

Indeed there was. Late September and early October is the autumn festival season on God's calendar, one of the three times in the year when families would travel to Jerusalem to observe God's Holy Days (see Deuteronomy 16:16). With the Jews of Israel still obeying this command, even today it is difficult to find a hotel room in Jerusalem at this time of year!

The population of Jerusalem swelled several times over to overflowing at this time. This affected nearby towns such as Bethlehem, a few miles south of Jerusalem. Because of this huge influx of people, every house was filled. Joseph and Mary did find a place in what was normally used to shelter animals. It certainly wouldn't have been first class, but likely they were thankful to have even that.

The shepherds and their flocks

Continuing in Luke's account, we find further proof that Jesus wasn't born in winter. Verse 8 tells us, " Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night."

This likewise shows that these events did not take place in winter. The common practice of shepherds was to keep their flocks in the open fields from April to October, but in the cold and wet winter months they took their flocks back home and sheltered them.

The Interpreter's One-Volume Commentary (1971) says this passage argues "against the birth [of Christ] occurring on Dec. 25 since the weather would not have permitted" shepherds watching over their flocks in the fields at night.

Adam Clarke's Commentary explains that, "as these shepherds had not yet brought home their flocks, it is a presumptive argument that October had not yet commenced, and that, consequently, our Lord was not born on the 25th of December, when no flocks were out in the fields; nor could He have been born later than September, as the flocks were still in the fields by night. On this very ground the nativity in December should be given up. The feeding of the flocks by night in the fields is a chronological fact, which casts considerable light upon this disputed point."

Again, the evidence in Luke points to a late September birth.

The shepherds come to see Jesus

Continuing the story in Luke 2:10-17: " Then the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day
in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.'

". . . And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child."

We might notice that only the shepherds arrive in time to see Jesus in the manger. The wise men, as we will see, didn't arrive on the scene until later.

" And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb. Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, 'Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord'), and to offer a sacrifice . . . a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons" (Luke 2:21-24; compare Exodus 13:2).

This was called "redeeming the firstborn." Leviticus 12:2-3, 6 tells us that this ceremony occurred 40 days after the birth of a son. So if Christ was born in late September, we are now into mid-November.

The wise men and Herod

We'll now continue the story flow in Matthew 2:1-3: "Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.' When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him."

Why did this news disturb Herod? Other historical accounts attest to Herod's paranoia about being overthrown. The news that a new king of the Jews had been born threatened his position.

Herod obviously knew of the traditions and the prophecies relating to the Messiah. "And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, 'In Bethlehem of Judea'" (verses 4-5).

King Herod carefully concealed his murderous intentions. "Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, 'Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also'" (verses 7-8).

Notice that now Herod referred to Jesus not as a baby, but as "the young Child." He realized how long their travels would have taken the wise men—possibly from as far away as Parthia or the region around Babylon, where the Israelites and Jews had been exiled centuries before. Herod knew from when the star had appeared that he was not seeking a newborn baby, but a boy by now considerably older.

And to remove any threat to his position, Herod "put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men" (verse 16). Herod, covering all of his bases in protecting his throne, ordered the murderous slaughter of those 2 years old and under.

It wasn't the common nativity scene

The wise men were miraculously guided to the Christ child (verses 9-10). "And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother" (verse 11). The typical nativity scene completely falls apart at this point. There is no mention of a manger here. Rather Jesus was, as stated, in a house. And Jesus was no longer an infant, He was a young child. The wise men obviously visited Jesus long after the shepherds had come and gone—perhaps a year or more later.

The typical manger scene includes three wise men. The Bible, however, nowhere says how many wise men there were. It does note, however, that they presented three kinds of giftsto Him—gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Why these three particular gifts? Their symbolism is striking when we understand it.

Gold was a gift for royalty—in this case the chosen King of the Jews and ultimately the "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" who will rule over the entire earth (Revelation 19:16).

Frankincense was an incense intimately connected with the priesthood and temple sacrifices, foreshadowing the fact that Jesus Christ would serve as our High Priest and give Himself as the perfect sacrifice to pay the penalty for the sins of all mankind (Hebrews 4:14-15; 9:11-14; 1 Peter 1:18-19).

Myrrh had a much more sobering symbolism. When a person died, this perfuming agent was wrapped with the body to help cover up the stench of death. Jesus' own body would be wrapped in linen with myrrh and aloes (John 19:39-40).

Why we should celebrate God's Holy Days instead

Matthew and Luke reveal the true story of the birth of Jesus Christ and the general timing of when it really occurred. John the Baptist was born in the spring. His cousin Jesus was born six months later—probably in late September, possibly early October. The shepherds visited immediately; the wise men—their number unknown—arrived much later.

It's tragic that the true story should have become so badly garbled by human traditions. It's also tragic that people ignore the Bible's clear instructions and invent their own. Jesus Himself roundly condemned religious leaders of His day who were "making the word of God of no effect through your tradition" (Mark 7:13).

A strong and weighty biblical principle is found in Deuteronomy 12. It tells us why we should observe the annual Holy Days and festivals God has revealed in His Word—not traditional holidays borrowed from paganism:

"You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates have they done to their gods . . . whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it, nor take away from it" (Deuteronomy 12:31-32).

Have you ever thought it curious that although two of the Gospel writers describe the circumstances surrounding Christ's birth (the other two don't even cover the event), neither of them gives the date? Has it puzzled you that the Bible never once mentions "Christmas"? And that none of the biblical writers says anything about commemorating that birth?

We do find, however, explicit commands to commemorate Jesus Christ's sacrifice and death on our behalf (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). We also find commands to observe other biblical festivals, the same festivals Jesus and the New Testament Church celebrated. Isn't it about time you looked into the Bible to see what God's Word says about them?

Sex Is a Gift From God

The Seventh Commandment, thundered by God from Mount Sinai, states, “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:14). Straightforward enough, but when Jesus came to earth, He made it clear that the commandment was not dealing exclusively with physical actions, but also underlying attitudes. He said: “Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).

That takes things to a whole new level. It’s not enough to just keep from sex outside of marriage, but to keep our minds clean of the lust to do so. Adultery destroys relationships. For the married man or woman, it will seriously damage the marriage relationship along with the essential trust in it. There are no upsides to the abuse of the gift of sex. Even the lustful attitude leading to sex outside of marriage is condemned because its ultimate result is an ugly mess of lies, deceit, hurt, sorrow and anger.

Such things have no place in God’s family. He instead wants to see us find incredible joy and pleasure in a fulfilling, monogamous marriage—the same type of loving, enduring relationship that Christ has with His Church (Ephesians 5:25-27).

Won’t it be great when the whole world finally keeps the Seventh Commandment?

God's Preparation Plan

Matthew 16:2-4 ……. He replied, "When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." Jesus then left them and went away.

Looking at the accompanying video for the Gist this week, you may think that I have my head in the clouds. You may think that I am too caught-up in heavenly matters to be any earthly good. Perhaps you prefer to side with the majority of Christians in these cataclysmic times and you adopt the ‘ostrich approach’ – you bury your head in the sand and hope that all the bad things will go away. That is not going to happen, they are not going away.

We are living in the End Times; the ‘bad things’ are going to get worse but the good news is Jesus Christ is on His way back to take the Christian believers away. We talked about this last week in ‘The Rapture’ Gist. God does not want anyone to be left behind, therefore, He is using every manner of means to prepare mankind for the Second Coming.

He is preparing us through secular and Christian media. I have never been aware of so many articles or so many discussions and documentaries looking at the current global crisis. It seems everyone is aware that we are on the brink of something awesome that is about to happen. Of course, the bible clearly tells us what is happening and what is about to happen.

Some people are saying that it is the end of the world. It may not be the imminent end of the planet earth but when the rapture takes place it will change all of our lives, some for good and others for bad.

The world will try to explain it away with all kinds of theories and hypothesis. These will be lies and many will be deceived. The truth is that Jesus is about to come back for every believer; the dead believers shall be raised and every living believer will be caught-up together with them in the clouds (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

Are you prepared for what is about to happen?

Lord Jesus, come soon. Amen

The Fall Of Edom

The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, whose habitation is high; you who say in your heart, “Who will bring me down to the ground?” Obadiah 3

This verse rightly describes all proud people. Pride is self-deceiving. Those who are sure they have no pride are probably the proudest people. Those who are proud of their humility are proud indeed. And the confidence that we are not deceived may only prove the completeness of the deception. Let us look at how pride affected Edom.

1) They were deceived. Obadiah showed us certain areas in which Edom was deceived. They thought they were esteemed in honor. But God said that they would be greatly despised (Obad. 2). They had a false sense of safety and security because they were really near their destruction and did not know about it. They were overly confident of themselves and had said in their heart, “Who will bring me down to the ground?” but God said they will be brought down (Obad. 4). They thought they were wise, but God said no one in Edom had the understanding to know what was to come. And the alliances that Edom had built will ultimately turn against them (Obad. 7-8). It was their pride that resulted in their blindness and error in judgment.

2) Their pride led them to do evil. They were destitute of compassion. The Edomites were the descendants of Esau, the twin brother of Jacob. Instead of standing with Israel in the day of their captivity, they fought against Israel. They rejoiced in Judah’s destruction and stood with the enemies to cut off those who tried to escape. Because of that, God said, “For violence against your brother Jacob, shame shall cover you, and you shall be cut off forever” (Obad. 10). God’s displeasure with Edom is clear: “As you have done, it shall be done to you” (Obad. 15). Edom’s hostility to Israel brought enemies upon themselves. Their unkindness brought on them total annihilation. The word of the Lord to them was, “And no survivor shall remain of
the house of Esau” (Obad. 18).

In considering the Edomites and the pride of their hearts, let us look at ourselves so that we may not make the same mistake that they did. What can we learn from Edom that can benefit us?

a) Be careful of the deception of pride. “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). There are no other securities we can build for ourselves except our security in the Lord Himself.

b) Be merciful to others. Remember, what you sow is what you will reap. If you sow mercy, you will be shown mercy. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Matt. 5:7).

c) Be your brother’s keeper. Don’t stand with your enemies against your own brothers in the faith. One of the worst things that can happen to you is when your enemies line up to destroy you. However, defeat takes on a different meaning when close friends and brothers also join the opposition.

The First Christmas in Rome and What It Means to Us

The majority of Christians believe they are honoring Jesus Christ by observing Christmas. A minority of Christians believe keeping Christmas does not honor Christ. Where does the Bible stand on this question?

First, test yourself with the following question: When did the Christian Church first commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ on Dec. 25?

Was it during the time of the New Testament apostles? Was it in the second century when Christmas was first celebrated? Was Dec. 25 sanctioned as an official celebration of the church sometime in the third century?

If you answered yes to the first, second or third centuries, you answered incorrectly. Surprising as it may seem, the church in Rome didn't sanction a Christmas celebration until well into the fourth century. Notice this verification in the Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church: "Though speculation as to the time of the year of Christ's birth dates from the early 3rd century…., the celebration of the anniversary does not appear to have been general till the later 4th century" (p. 277). The Catholic Encyclopedia adds, "Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church" (Vol. III, p. 724).

Why did the church leaders wait over 300 years before instituting a Dec. 25 observance?

No biblical authority for Christmas

There were two main reasons why the ecclesiastical officials didn't sanction a Dec. 25 festival during the first three centuries. First, the New Testament gave no authority to observe Christ's birth as a religious celebration. "The observance of Christmas is not of divine appointment, nor is it of New Testament origin" (Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, McClintock and Strong, Vol. III, p. 276).

Second, Dec. 25 was already spoken for by the non-Christian Roman populace who were celebrating it as the day to the unconquerable sun, dies invicti solis in Latin. The Church identified this as an outright pagan festival and refused to have anything to do with it. For example, the Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th edition, states, "In Britain the 25th of December was a festival long before the conversion to Christianity" (Vol. VI, p. 293).

But in the fourth century, in spite of its pagan association, Dec. 25 became acceptable as the date on which to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. And what was the reason for this about-face?

Once the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great accepted the Christian religion in the early part of the fourth century, the church was encouraged to bring the Roman masses into the Christian fold. After all, the emperor had accepted Christianity and worshipping the sun god on Dec. 25 had to go. But this was easier said than done. The pagan population didn't want to forgo their celebrations. It was decided to celebrate Christ's birth on the Dec. 25 date and so try to prevent non-Christians from worshipping their pagan sun god on that day.

Of course, it didn't really turn out that way. The pagan populace continued in their superstitious ways and licentious behavior and so brought their customs into the church. Many of those customs are still observed in today's celebrations of this dubious festival. "There can be little doubt that the Church was anxious to distract the attention of Christians from the old heathen feast days by celebrating Christian festivals on the same days" (James Hastings, Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, Vol. III, p. 607).

When God called the children of Israel out of a superstitious and idolatrous nation, Egypt, He realized their proclivity to copy pagan concepts rather than follow His advice. That is why He warned them of that tendency that would lead them away from the Creator and destroy their special relationship with God. The warning is found in Deuteronomy 12:30: "Take heed to yourself...that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.'"

Two ways to worship God

In worshipping God we can follow the instruction that Jesus gave in John 4:24, "Those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." Or we can follow the traditions that have grown up through the centuries based on using human reasoning to decide how to worship the Almighty.

The alternative way of worship is the most popular. But a person who worships God "in spirit and in truth" will allow God to have the final say.

Jesus Christ makes it clear that human tradition can result in worshipping God in vain. Notice His admonition: "In vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:9). Those who seek to honor Him by observing religious customs that have no biblical basis but are based on human traditions drawn from pagan religions can be worshipping God in vain.

God established festivals that help us worship Him in spirit and truth. These days help us learn more about His great plan for mankind.

If Thoughts Could Kill

Christ told His disciples, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment” (Matthew 5:21-22). “Angry” here implies a deep wrath or hatred of one’s brother. What we learn here is that God’s command in Exodus 20:13, “You shall not murder,” was not intended solely as a restriction against taking someone’s life. The attitude behind murder—hatred of another being—is also forbidden.

Christ explained: “I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” Why? “That you may be sons of your Father in heaven… Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:44-45, 48).

God was willing to send His Son to die for us. If anyone has a right to hate someone else, God does. And yet, we read that “God so loved the world” (John 3:16)—so much so that He wants to include its people in His eternal family.

Silvio Berlusconi Attacked

Events like this bring to mind a passage in the New Testament—a troubling description of social trends in the last days.

A political leader assaulted while signing autographs in his own country? Last Sunday, December 13, that's exactly what happened to Italian politician Silvio Berlusconi in the city of Milan. As he mingled with the crowd and signed autographs, an enraged assailant threw a heavy object that hit him full in the face. Press reports later showed a bloodied Mr. Berlusconi being driven to a nearby hospital. He reportedly suffered a broken nose, cuts, and two broken teeth.

The attacker, described as a "mad person," reportedly had lain in wait for the prime minister, armed with the object—an alabaster model of a Milan cathedral—as well as pepper spray, and a resin crucifix. According to press reports, he had been "developing a rage" against Mr. Berlusconi for some time.

Since the incident, social networking web sites have seen thousands of messages praising the attacker. Meanwhile, Italian politicians of the left and right began to exchange accusations of responsibility for creating an environment in which this kind of attack could take place.

So since when does political debate in a democratic nation come to this? Surely there are better, non-violent methods of expressing one's dissent. And what does this say about people's respect for national leaders, and their ability to discuss differences in a civilized manner?

Events like this bring to mind a passage in the New Testament—a troubling description of social trends in the last days. In 2 Timothy chapter three, verses one to five, the apostle Paul described the way human beings would become. "In the last days perilous times will come," he wrote. Listen to some of the adjectives he used to describe these days: "Men will be… unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal…"

That sounds like the incident in Italy, doesn't it? And the world scene presents us with many other examples. The world has become a brutal, violent place.

Thankfully, there are those who still follow the words of Jesus Christ, who declared "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall see God." In the midst of this brutal and violent world maybe it's time to take a new look at the words of the Savior. And to put them into action.

Honoring Mom and Dad

In the Fifth Commandment (Exodus 20:12), God instructs, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.” God takes family relations seriously. He wants us to be children in His family (1 John 3:1). But such a family is impossible without the correct relations between each member—especially honor.

It’s important to note that there’s no “if” clause in the Fifth Commandment. We are not told, “Honor your father and your mother unless/until [insert reason here].” We are to honor them always. That may be difficult when families are in chaos.

As a representative of your family’s name, you choose whether or not you bring honor or dishonor to your parents by your actions. What you do (and even don’t do) will affect how people see not only you, but those related to you. When we choose to bring honor to our family name and our parents, it opens up the potential for a long and happy life.

Won’t it be great when the whole world finally keeps the Fifth Commandment?

Peace On Earth, And Good Will To Men

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.’” Luke 2:8 11

Christmas can change your life! Just as Jesus Christ was born in a stable 2,000 years ago, so He can live in our hearts each and every day when we ask Him in.

The way Jesus was born was like this. When Mary His mother was ready to give birth, the Roman government said everyone had to travel to their home town to pay taxes, and so Mary and her husband Joseph had to travel to a town called Bethlehem in Israel. When they got there, there was no room for them in the inn, so they had to stay the night in a stable where animals slept.

While they were there in the stable, the time came for Mary to give birth, and she gave birth to her Son Jesus. Angels sang in the skies outside: “Peace on earth, and good will to men.” Shepherds who were out in the fields saw the angels and came and worshipped the new born child.

How amazing — the Son of God came not in a palace with beautiful clothes, but in humility in a stable where animals lived. God came to earth as a human being and lived among us. Truly Jesus Christ knows you and can understand your hurts and your pains — because He lived not a life of luxury, but lived as a common man among us. The King of Kings came to earth as a little baby.

So, this week, let us pray

• God will help each of us love one another and not be proud
• God will cause the message of the birth of Jesus Christ to spread around the whole world
• God will keep and protect our staff at Global Media Outreach and fill us with His love and joy
  

THANK YOU so much for your prayers. You are our partners in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ — of God’s love and forgiveness — with the whole earth.

May God bless you,

Did you know we’re commanded to take a break?

Ever felt like you were being pushed beyond your limits? Like your every minute was crammed so full of activity that it was about to burst? Wouldn’t it be great to have some time to take a break from it all?

The Fourth Commandment gives us the incredible opportunity to do just that. In Exodus 20:8-10, God commands, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work...” This seventh day of rest is both a commandment and a blessing to all those who faithfully keep it.

God, who alone has an intimate knowledge of our needs, established the Sabbath so that once every seven days we would take a break from our hectic schedule and rest. Failure to set aside time to recharge our batteries will eventually cause us to burn out and crash. We are commanded to keep this time holy by not working and by delighting in it and focusing on God (Isaiah 58:13-14). This includes meeting together to worship God, fellowshipping and serving others.

In a world drowning in endless jobs and chores with an ever-burgeoning demand on our time, the Sabbath is a welcome and necessary rest. It is a time to change our focus, slow down, and draw closer to our Creator, who has had, still has and will always have our best interests at heart.

Won’t it be great when the whole world finally keeps the Sabbath?

Copenhagen: Just Snuff?

We do need to take a major step toward global management of our planet—we need a one-world government. But who can be trusted to be fair, truthful and benevolent to all the world?

Question: What has the eyes of many around the world fixed on Denmark?

Answer: the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change taking place in Copenhagen from December 7th through the 18th.

Also referred to as the global warming conference, these meetings will be making plans for major changes in the lives of people in many nations.

As the new president of the EU Herman Van Rompuy stated in a speech reported by the BBC: "2009 is the first year of global governance with the establishment of the G20 in the middle of the financial crisis," and he continued, "the climate conference in Copenhagen is another step toward the global management of our planet."

It's easy to see why skeptical American conservative reporters read "global management of our planet" as "one-world government and surrender of United States sovereignty."

Furthermore, in late November unnamed hackers collected thousands of emails and other documents from the Climate Research Unit at East Anglia University in the U.K. These were later posted on a Russian file-sharing server and revealed active discussions between "politically correct" scientists concerning, among other things, active attempts to shut out the data and opinions of scientists that dissent from the popular "global warming" viewpoint. The revelation and developing furor has been dubbed "climategate."

Nevertheless, Climategate has raised the destabilizing concern about politically corrupted science—which many have long suspected.

So whose science can you trust?

This specter is compounded by the supra-national tone of "global management of our planet" of the global warming conference in Copenhagen.

In the United States chewing tobacco is often called "snuff" and one longtime brand is named after the host city of the global warming conference. Recently a commentator derisively described the Danish conference by summing up the dissenting view about global warming, "Copenhagen is just snuff!"

Maybe, time will tell.

In the final analysis there is one salient point raised by EU President Van Rompuy. We do need to take a major step toward global management of our planet—we need a one-world government. But who can be trusted to be fair, truthful and benevolent to all the world?

The good news is that a world government is coming—and soon. However, that government's most important representative will not darken the door of this Copenhagen conference. Yet in spite of that He will in fact be able to control the planet's thermostat—because He created it.

That leader will also bring about a far more important change—spiritual climate-change. You can learn more, just read about the return of Jesus Christ.

Sow The Right Seed

They sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no bud; it shall never produce meal. If it should produce, aliens would swallow it up. Hosea 8:7

Life is a seed-time of harvest. Many may have said that they have sown a seed. However, a prudent person not only sows, but thinks of the harvest. The righteous will be encouraged by a good harvest but those who are godless will receive a bad harvest. Here are some things that a worldly seed will produce:

1) A worldly seed produces bad consequences. “They sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind.” If the sowing is careless or mischievous, the harvest will be of the same manner—reckless and ruthless; only terribly intensified. As the prophet describes, the wind grew into a whirlwind. Sin cannot be tolerated. Occasional indulgence in sin will become a habit that will slowly destroy your life. “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened” (1 Cor. 5:6-7).

2) A worldly seed leads to failure. “The stalk has no bud.” A bad seed will not produce a good harvest. Salvation cannot be obtained through self-righteousness. The gospel cannot be understood and analyzed through human wisdom. Idlers and talkers will try to appear useful but they actually achieve nothing. Their words are empty. They are just great talkers whose “stalk has no bud.” Without faith and obedience, Christians are deceived and live foolishly without the blessings of a good future. There is “no bud” in their life.

3) A worldly seed leads to an unsatisfactory harvest. “It shall never produce meal.” The man who lives for pleasure will find satiety (disgust caused by overindulgence or excess). He who lives for fame will gather vanity. He who lives for self will find misery. He who lives by his own works and religiosity will not reap real salvation. Solomon said, “I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind” (Eccl. 1:14). But what was his conclusion then? Ecclesiastes 12:13 (NIV) says, “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

4) A worldly seed leads to personal disappointment. “If it should produce, aliens would swallow it up.” A person who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption (Gal. 6:8). He will spend his life toiling but in the end, he will gain nothing. Even if he gets his reward, it will be taken away from him. Without God, nothing is wise, strong or worth the doing. Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Christmas: Why Are We Doing This?

Have you ever stopped and found yourself asking why? Why are we doing this? Why are we spending all this money, even burdening ourselves with debt carrying over into the new year? Is Christmas even worth celebrating?

"Black Friday." "Cyber Monday." What strange terms have come to be associated with the start of the Christmas season! The day after Thanksgiving, "Black Friday," is so named as the day many retailers hope to break even for the year, and start making a profit by using the Christmas shopping season to move out of the red and into the black. Last Friday, some 195 million people visited stores and online shopping sites on "Black Friday," up from 172 million in 2008. Shoppers on average spent more than $340, down from the $372 they parted with last year.

"Cyber Monday," on the other hand, marks the supposed start of the online buying season. This year online retailers rang up over $900 million in web-based sales in the United States, a record figure.

But even with total Christmas spending down this year, the season still accounts for a lot of money – some $417 per shopper this year, at a time when many consumers are saddled with thousands of dollars in credit card debt.

But in this crazy, year-end spending frenzy, have you ever stopped and found yourself asking why? Why are we doing this? Why are we spending all this money, even burdening ourselves with debt carrying over into the new year?

Is Christmas even worth celebrating? Believe it or not, early immigrants to the New World once banned the celebration of Christmas. Massachusetts Puritans in the seventeenth century prohibited the celebration of this year-end festival. In England, Christmas was forbidden by an Act of Parliament in 1647. Why? They identified it as a time of waste, greed and self-indulgence that dishonored Christ. Another reason was that the Savior wasn't even born in late December, a fact clearly understood in secular and religious sources.

The New Testament makes that fact clear. We're told that a census took place just before the birth of Jesus. Hard to do in the coldest, darkest days of the year. We also read that shepherds were keeping their flocks out in the fields by night when the Savior was born, something they would not have done in the dead of winter (Luke 2:1-5, 8).

So you see the Savior really wasn't born in winter at all. Frankly, Christmas is more commercial than religious, just as it was in the seventeenth century. So the big question is: why be part of it? And are we really doing the right thing when we drop all that cash, to pay for a festival not even mentioned in the Bible? Now's a great time to reconsider.

Et Tu, Tiger?

The Tiger Woods high-profile sexual scandal have captured headlines around the world. This should serve as a sober reminder to all of us of the danger of letting down our own moral guard, and lead us to ask ourselves if we could do something similar.

The tawdry details of another high-profile sexual scandal have captured headlines around the world. One of today's most respected athletes, Tiger Woods, has suddenly found the intimate details of his personal life laid bare under the harsh glare of public humiliation. In a statement posted on his web site he admits heartfelt regret for private "transgressions," offers a profound apology to his family and those who have supported him, and promises that he will strive to be a better person and husband and father. Most of all he pleads for family privacy to allow healing to take place.

Undoubtedly some of the more salacious allegations will prove to be untrue, and we frankly have no need to know the details of his admitted transgressions. But when someone has betrayed the sacred trust that lies at the foundation of every marriage, when we see apparently innocent victims like his wife and children, it's difficult to feel a great deal of compassion for those who caused their heartache.

How did this tragedy happen? Did Tiger Woods leave home one day intending to bring shame on himself and emotional devastation to his family? Of course not; no one ever does. So how did that family end up where they are today? Some may decry the invasiveness of tabloid journalism, but the tabloids didn't cause this problem.

Certainly we all extend our heartfelt wishes for healing to those who are suffering and sincerely trying to make amends and regain the trust and love that have been so deeply wounded. A part of that healing process will include an honest examination of the small, seemingly inconsequential moral compromises that brought them to this place. For any of us, the path to self-destruction begins with small choices made in the total privacy of our own minds.

Most of all this should serve as a sober reminder to all of us of the danger of letting down our own moral guard, and lead us to pause—at least for a moment—to ask ourselves if we could do something similar. A second, even more important question comes to mind as well: "What can I do to protect myself and my family from that kind of pain?"

King Solomon's warning about infidelity, calling it "playing with fire," has become a common metaphor in daily language. Have you ever read what he wrote a few verses later? "But a man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself. Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away…" (Pro 6:32-33, NIV)

We wish the very best for the Woods family, but we must always remember that anyone who starts down that seductive path of immorality will discover it's a dead-end road with nothing but broken hearts and lives waiting at the end.

Out of the Rubble

The next time you face the storms of hardship, try to look at them from a different perspective and determine to make it an opportunity for greater growth.

A few years ago, my in-laws hometown was devastated by an F4 tornado. Violent winds destroyed the small Missouri village. The old town square – gone; historic downtown buildings – consumed.

The twister damaged so many properties, left scores of homes ruined, not to mention the countless number of trees that were left with completely leaf less limbs.

In the months following the huge tornado the town began reconstruction. Ultimately, the town square was rebuilt with a modern, yet hometown appeal. Out of the rubble has risen a beautiful quaint little town that has a forward-looking approach.

Now imagine this: some townspeople say that the tornado was the best thing that ever happened to the little city.

Thinking of this circumstance, I'm reminded that we should be cautious in how we view tragedy. Personal losses, family misfortunes or even unexpected adversity in life can be like a purifying fire in our lives.

When your personal F4 whirlwind is raging, or after it leaves what seems like total disaster behind - it may just make new growth and greater development possible.

Jesus taught this principle in John 12:24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain."

So the next time you face the storms of hardship, try to look at them from a different perspective and determine to make it an opportunity for greater growth.