When Israel was in the desert following their escape from slavery in Egypt, their lives began to take a new course. God released them from bondage and set them free. He chose Israel as a special people, giving them the opportunity to learn about the laws of God and discover the blessings that come from obedience. God looked at the big picture in this monumental act, knowing that the release from physical slavery was necessary for Israel to begin their journey towards spiritual freedom and growth.

Even though the Israelites cried out to God, asking Him to release them from slavery, they still found reason to complain when He finally emancipated them. They experienced miracles on their left, right and all around them! God opened the Red Sea to lead them away from the danger of the Egyptian army. God provided them with manna from heaven to feed them when they were hungry. He gave them water to drink from a rock when they were thirsty. He led them on a path of safety through the wilderness by a pillar of fire and a cloud of smoke. It was so obvious and clear that God was in their lives, blessing them on their journey, but it was not enough for them.

The question to ask is, why? Why couldn’t Israel see the mighty hand of God in their lives? Why couldn’t they see the big picture of what God was doing for them? The answer is that they had hardened hearts, mired in the world, swept away with the deceptive pleasures it promulgates. The words of the Bible instruct us to note how wrong this way of thinking is and to be different. “‘Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, In the day of trial in the wilderness, Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me, And saw My works forty years. Therefore I was angry with that generation, And said, “They always go astray in their heart, And they have not known My ways.” So I swore in My wrath, “They shall not enter My rest.”’ Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:8-12).

Though Israel was free from bondage, drawn to God to follow Him, they were still stuck in the world. Their focus was not on God, but rather, on the physical comforts they craved. “But they sinned even more against Him By rebelling against the Most High in the wilderness. And they tested God in their heart By asking for the food of their fancy. Yes, they spoke against God: They said, ‘Can God prepare a table in the wilderness?’” (Psalm 78:17-19). They failed to appreciate what God was doing for them. Instead, all they could think about was their physical condition, and how they wanted more and more and more. But that which really mattered – their relationship with God – they completely neglected.

We have a lot that we can learn by considering the hard hearts of ancient Israel. It’s easy to judge their actions from the lens of hindsight, but we are not that much different. We have the same carnal nature as they did. However, we live in an age in which it is exponentially more difficult to keep our focus because we have so many more sensational distractions to entice our human desires!  If we are not vigilant, we may find ourselves following in the same hard-hearted pattern of living as ancient Israel.

Seeing this, it is prudent to turn our questioning inward. Do we see the mighty hand of God working in our lives? If there was a Scripture written about us, would it say the same kinds of things that the Bible says about ancient Israel? Would it say that we complained about not having our physical comforts given to us? Would it say that we failed to appreciate the spiritual gifts that God abundantly provides? I hope that what God sees in us is much better than that.

We have a tremendous opportunity to be saved from death that awaits us all, but we will only receive it if we overcome the world through Jesus Christ. That means that we must take stock of what matters in our lives and honestly evaluate whether we are investing ourselves virtuously. Do we care too much about what we can collect in this physical life? Do we let those things control our emotions and corrupt our values? I hope not, because we have something so much better to live for.

Just as God led Israel out of the bondage of Egypt, He leads us out of the slavery of sin. This fact is just as miraculous in our lives now as it was for Israel then. This is what should guide us and give us hope, because this is what matters.

Sometimes we may go for a medical checkup to examine our current state of health to find out if we need to make changes in our lives to improve or maintain our health.

At this time of the year, we are to go through a spiritual checkup to see how we are doing spiritually. We need to know what we need to do to remain spiritually healthy or to become spiritually healthy. We are told to examine ourselves before taking part in the Passover service. Not to have someone else examine us, but to examine ourselves.

Remember at our baptism, we had repented and after being baptized, our sins were forgiven, and we were counted as clean. However, time has passed, and we have tended to sin from time to time. So annually, we come to Passover time when our feet are washed to cleanse them after travelling for the year since last Passover.

We gather dirt, or commit sin during the year, and we must recognize this and be symbolically cleaned up.

What are some of the areas we should consider?  We are told to glorify God in our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19-20), so let’s look at the various parts of our bodies and think how we can use each part to glorify God. Consider our eyes, ears, mouth, mind, heart, hands and feet.

Starting with our eyes, how do we use them? Up to 80% of our knowledge comes through our eyes, and they are a method by which Truth enters us. In this world, Satan has blinded the vast majority so they cannot see Truth. And when we look at what is available in the world, violent and pornographic entertainment is very common.

Advertising is used to appeal to the lust of the eyes, as John mentioned in 1 John 2:16. Things or activities are advertised in such a way as to encourage our wanting them. Things we may not be able to afford or need are made very appealing.

David mentioned in the Psalms that he would set nothing wicked before his eyes. And that his eyes were ever toward the Lord.

I’m sure you remember the expression if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you. While this is a figure of speech, it means not to look at things that cause you to sin.

We can look at many right things, look upon others with compassion, look in the Word of God for instruction in living righteously, and look at events signifying the end of this world and the coming Kingdom of God. These are all positive things to look at.

What about our ears? Do we freely listen to gossip, someone destroying another’s reputation? When we hear something, we must carefully evaluate it to see if it is really true. Much of what we hear today is propaganda to get us to believe falsehoods as if they were Truth.

And yet there are many things we should hear. We certainly should listen to God’s instruction and correction, which can be personal or given generally in sermons.

A bit lower down from the eyes and ears is the mouth. Through our mouths we are nourished and can communicate with others, both important and enjoyable activities. While the Kingdom of God is more than meat or drink, we still need to care for our bodies in what we eat and drink.

There is a warning in Isaiah 55:2 that reads, “Why do you spend money for what is not bread, And your wages for what does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good. And let your soul delight itself in abundance.” Listening to God’s Truth is spiritual food to last forever.

We should also learn to use our tongues correctly. We can use it to uplift and encourage others. We can console those who are suffering. There are many right and true things to say, but with our mouth it is very easy to say negative things about others, to be the originator of gossip, or to pass on rumors. Even just talking too much can easily cause sin. Remember what King Solomon said in Proverbs 10:19: “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.”

We should seek God’s help to use our tongues to inform and encourage and sometimes even correct in a right manner. There is a right time and a right way to speak. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

The next part to consider is our mind. It is what determines our actions, and it should be molded, by studying and applying God’s Truth and laws, to reflect God’s mind in our lives.  This is mentioned in Philippians 2:5: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”

What about our heart? In the Bible, the heart represents the source of our attitudes. Christ said we could be defiled by what comes out of our heart. Mark 7:20-23 states: “And He said, ‘What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from 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 within and defile a man.’”

You probably remember where it says, you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart. We are also told to love one another fervently with a pure heart (1 Peter 1:22). In Ephesians 4:32 we read, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” So, our heart must be right before God.

What about our hands and feet? Our hands can be used for many purposes and there is an interesting proverb that gives us advice. Proverbs 10:4 states, “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.” As the fourth commandment says, six days we are to labor and do all our work. So, God intends us to work and not be lazy.

As for our feet, they are the means by which we walk on the path of life. We can walk on the broad and easy way which leads to destruction, or we can walk on the narrow way which leads to life. We must be of the few who walk on this narrow path leading to eternal life.

With Passover in only a few weeks, as we examine ourselves, as we do a full body periodic checkup, think of all the parts of our body, and what each part performs. Consider the sin each part can get us into and examine where we should change how we use each part of our body.

Unfortunately, as we travel through life, we sometimes use parts of our body in a way not appropriate, and need another Passover to be reminded to be washed clean from sin again, but remember, we are to glorify God in our bodies. And that includes every part, not just some parts. And when we have gone through this examination, we can take the Passover in a worthy manner, pleasing to God.

The recent German federal election, held on February 23, proved to be a real thriller. The election campaign itself, in which all parties were involved, can only be described as a farce. With each party attacking the others, and candidates fighting for every vote, the campaigns of the long-established parties were full of lies and deceit. Election programs were copied and declared as their own; and in the TV shows, the questions were constructed in such a way as to defame others. Every politician fought for his own power, and many voters were ultimately cheated of what they wanted to obtain.

However, it was interesting to see that voter participation had not been as high in almost 40 years as it was on that day. At the end of February, I read the following article on zdf.de: “An extremely polarizing election campaign and overlapping domestic and foreign policy crises have pushed voter participation in Sunday’s federal election to its highest level in almost 40 years… According to the preliminary results published early Monday morning, it was 82.5 percent.”

That is indeed enormous. Therefore, about 48.84 million people, out of 59.2 million eligible voters, participated in the election. Needless to say, they did not all vote for the same candidate, but for different parties and people.

This shows how desperate people are in Germany and, of course, all over the world. For many decades, people have been taken for fools by politicians, cheated, lied to and robbed of their possessions through various forms of expropriation; they have been arbitrarily imprisoned, made ill and even killed as a result of vaccinations. TODAY, however, people are turning a blind eye to this and want the whole scenario to be quickly forgotten. But God will not forget anything unless there is sincere repentance.

We know that Satan is behind all of this, as we can read in the Book of Revelation, in the 12th chapter and in verse 9: “So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world…” And Paul explains in his letter to the Romans, in chapter 8 and verse 22: “For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now.”

Even back then, during the 430 years of the Israelites’ captivity in Egypt, the world was in a state of disorder, and when the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, unfortunately their voter participation for God was not 82.5%. On the contrary, well over 90% voted against God. They constantly complained, murmured, and were not particularly blessed because of their disobedience. This, of course, increased the discontent of the Israelites until they finally decided to completely reject Jesus Christ as their Savior and King. Note 1 Samuel 8:1-22.

Yes, the world is still in a state of disorder today, but now at the beginning of sorrows. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are riding ever faster, more violently and more corruptly, until it will ultimately come to a triumph when our Savior JESUS CHRIST returns to earth and puts an end to all this madness.

But before that happens, true Christians still have some time to dwell here, and as Paul so fittingly wrote, they live in the midst of a perverse and crooked generation. In this context, Paul warns us not to behave like the ancient Israelites, and that we should remain steadfast and be counted worthy.

He wrote the following in Philippians 2:14-16: “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.”

Of course, we don’t want any of God’s called elders and pastors to have run in vain or labored in vain for the gospel of Christ and the salvation of the brethren. Christ commanded Peter to tend His sheep, and this task is entrusted to the elders and pastors today. We must therefore all remain steadfast, today more than ever, because the time that remains for us until the return of Christ is indeed extremely short!

Let us therefore constantly strive to ensure that our voter participation for God the Father and Jesus Christ is 100%.

Initial translation from German: Daniel Blasinger

When playing a sport, focus is crucial, especially where a ball is involved.  When keeping your eye on the ball, all your attention and focus are fixed on that object.  The moment you look away, it becomes challenging to successfully achieve what you are trying to accomplish, whether it be kicking the ball or catching it, hitting it, etc, depending on the sport. 

Based on the fast-paced nature and need for precise ball control, table tennis is often considered the sport that requires the most focus when using a ball, as players must react quickly to the ball’s trajectory and spin while maintaining a high level of concentration.

Baseball is another sport that uses complex hand-eye coordination, requires rapid decision-making and a need to track a fast-moving ball with precision, where focus on the ball is vital.  Pitchers can throw a variety of pitches with different speeds and breaking motions, demanding intense focus from the hitter to track the ball’s trajectory while players in the field must react quickly to batted balls, often requiring them to anticipate where the ball will land and make split-second decisions.  It’s a mental game, and baseball heavily emphasizes the mental aspect, with players needing to manage pressure situations and stay focused even when facing adversity. 

There are of course several other sports where this is the case, as well as sports that don’t require a ball, but internal focus is a necessity and can be mentally challenging.

The world, in general, can be quite distracting, and it can be easy to get caught up in it to where our focus is affected.  Getting back on track and regaining our focus is a constant task that we must accomplish.  Our “ball” is the Kingdom of God; something that we must never lose sight of, and our mental and spiritual strengthening is through God in whom we must always look to when trials, struggles, doubts, worries, uncertainties, and need for ANY help are affecting us in some way.  

Keeping our eye on the prize is something that Paul famously depicted in Philippians 3:14, using the imagery of a race where the goal is the prize and the runner must concentrate on reaching the finish line, signifying the importance of staying focused on our ultimate goal, not giving up, despite challenges we encounter along the way. 

We are to continue running with determination, “to fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2; New International Version). This encourages us to focus on Christ at all times and not get distracted by other things, for Christ, the captain of our salvation, overcame every difficulty imaginable and was thus made perfect through sufferings (Hebrews 2:10). He expects us to do the same—to overcome all obstacles, to remain faithful and obedient, and to keep our eye on the ultimate prize.

“Going the Distance” is the musical song in the original Rocky movie, and there is quite a lesson to learn from it about determination, endurance and reaching for a goal. The movie and the song are based on an unknown boxer, Rocky Balboa, with aspirations of becoming the boxing champion and what he was willing to put his body through in exercise, diet and determination to reach that goal. Even though he did not gain the title, he showed an inspiring performance of endurance, even when fighting in the ring. 

Our Christian lives are a continual battle to maintain our equilibrium in overcoming Satan and the pulls of the flesh. Thankfully, we have the perfect coach in our corner who gave us the perfect example of overcoming sin, enduring trials and attaining righteousness through obedience.

He never said it would be easy and without trials; but rather, we would be faced with challenges, but He would always be at our side through thick and thin. Hebrews 13:5 tells us:  “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU.’”

These are powerful words of great encouragement since at times, when going through severe trials and tests, we may get the feeling of being abandoned but that is just not the case. Christ is full of love, compassion and mercy.Lamentations 3:32 says: “Though He causes grief, Yet He will show compassion According to the multitude of His mercies.”

He went through trials as a human and always looked to God the Father, and He was always in a good attitude, a good example for us to follow since even though we may ask for God’s merciful intervention, it may not always come as fast as we would like, or not come at all at that time since we may have lessons to learn by the trials we face.

What really helps us through these trials which come upon us is to focus on the end goal and make the effort to attain that goal with the same determination as Rocky Balboa did in the movie Rocky, putting himself through sacrifice and physical pain via training hoping to attain the goal he was focused on.

Our hope is in a future resurrection in the Family of God, a goal attainable if we obey and are faithfully following the example of our leader Jesus Christ Who patiently endured the suffering in His life, including death, on our behalf so we could be with Him in the Kingdom. So let’s not let Him down and let us show Him that we are willing to go the distance.

Vice President JD Vance recently said in Germany: “We have a new sheriff in town,” referring to President Donald Trump in Washington. But is there also now a new sheriff in Berlin? Some might think so.

I’m talking about Friedrich Merz (CDU) who is to become the new German Chancellor, replacing the deeply unsuccessful Olaf Scholz (SPD). Trump congratulated Merz, and so did many other leaders. Trump also congratulated the AfD, as some other populist leaders on the right did as well. In Germany’s election last Sunday, the AfD reached a strong second place [one of five Germans voted for it], so that the CDU and the AfD would hold enough seats for a majority in Parliament. But Merz said he would not enter into a coalition with the “far-right” AfD.

Meaning, “the legacy globalist-right conservative Christian Democrats” would have to enter into a “grand” coalition with the left-leaning SPD to be able to rule Germany… the same SPD which under Scholz has been largely responsible for the terrible demise Germany is in.

In an insightful article following the election, Breitbart wrote on February 24:

“But as Germany experienced in the Angela Merkel era of such grand coalitions between left and right, ultimately, the government is dragged left — very left — as the junior partners hold the senior hostage with the threat that they can, at any moment, collapse the government if not indulged…”

So will Merz, in time, stick to or abandon his pledge to uphold the “firewall” or “Brandmauer” against the AfD? The AfD is open to a coalition with the CDU. In fact, the AfD stated in the past that Merz is even more right-wing than they are. They also state now that the CDU has effectively adopted most of the AfD’s manifesto in order to attract voters who might otherwise have voted for the AfD. Merz, it is stated, thereby shifted his party to the right, abandoning Angela Merkel’s politics.

Merz’s victory has been described as “one of the most remarkable comebacks in recent political history,” and Merz was referred to as “a corporate king in conservative clothing.” It has been known that Merz has long represented the interests of some of the world’s most powerful corporate and financial elites, most notably BlackRock in Germany until 2020. Germany will become the first country to be ruled by a former BlackRock official. BlackRock profits from sectors including pharmaceuticals, entertainment, media and, of course, war. BlackRock is the biggest asset management corporation in the world, which controls some $6.3 trillion in assets — twice Germany’s gross domestic product. 

As first and foremost a businessman, Merz’s victory, we are told, will be celebrated in the boardrooms of BlackRock and other major corporations, granting them unprecedented control of Europe’s largest economy.

What political views does Merz have? Actually, this is very difficult to decipher. During a debate shortly before the election, Merz asked rhetorically whether people would continue to talk about NATO in its “current form” rather than about establishing an “independent European defense capability.”

Merz has been described as anti-American and anti-Trump. He said: “The EU must not come to Washington as a dwarf — because then it will be treated as one.” He also noted that America’s intervention in German elections was as brazen as Russia’s intervention. He sharply criticized Donald Trump’s administration and urged Europe to distance itself from Washington during a post-election panel.

But is this an accurate picture which really describes Merz’s position? It has been suggested that any disagreements in public would largely be a façade, as Trump’s and Merz’s interests and visions are allegedly similar. Merz aligned with the US on issues such as the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, calling for the project’s cancellation long before the escalation of the Ukraine crisis. There may be disagreements as to how to deal with Russia and Ukraine… but we know from prophecy that both countries will unite in the end. Trump and Merz want Europe to spend more—a lot more—on defense, and both support the global “corporate elite.”

From a philosophical standpoint, Merz and the AfD are much more similar than Merz and the SPD. Will the push of the SPD in a grand coalition become so unbearable that the Germans will demand a dramatic change… which will ultimately end up in a coalition between the two right-wing parties?

Merz also made clear that he wants to become the conservative leader of Europe—thereby challenging Merkel’s protégée, Ursula von der Leyen. Will America’s withdrawal from European affairs give Germany, perhaps under Merz, the opportunity to become much more influential in Europe? Is Merz going to be used as an architect in that regard to allow end-time prophecy to develop in due course?

We will have to see how all of this will play out.

In April 2024, a new concept was introduced for the first 15-minute micro service at a church in Swansea, South Wales in the UK.  The news report stated that “Regular worshippers were joined by commuters and families who had popped in to sample the first micro service being led by… John Gillibrand the vicar of Pontarddulais with Penllergaer.  The aim is to make church more accessible by drawing in people with busy lives for whom an hour-long service doesn’t fit into tight schedules.”

“‘We’re very mindful of work pressures on family and working life in contemporary society,’ he said. ‘So the idea is to provide people with an opportunity to have a full engagement with the church, but within 15 minutes.’”

It was interesting to read how this was accomplished.  “Gillibrand propped up an office clock against the front pew facing away from the congregation and he was off. The reading was from the Gospel of Mark.  Gillibrand said Jesus was a ‘very busy bloke’ and in the episode he focused on [that He] had got up early, gone off to a ‘solitary place’ and prayed. When the disciples found Jesus, they told Him: ‘Everyone is looking for You.’

“Gillibrand said the feeling Jesus must have experienced was familiar to busy people. ‘It’s coming at you from all directions.’ He asked the congregation to ‘keep silence together … still ourselves … if thoughts pop into our heads, turn them into prayers.’ There were a few moments of deep quiet before the clock ticked to the hour and Gillibrand declared: ‘Fifteen minutes bang on. Thank you God. Mission accomplished.’”

There are those, this gentleman included, who feel that this is appropriate in this day and age of hustle and bustle.   But does this approach have the approval of God?   The phrase “people with busy lives for whom an hour-long service doesn’t fit into tight schedules” is an interesting one.

The problem with this approach is that God has to fit in with all of the other demands on a person’s life.   We’ll squeeze Him in with a short prayer here or a micro service there once a week or maybe once within a few weeks.   That’s not good enough as the Bible clearly reveals.

Putting God first means just that, and it is not achieved by just squeezing a 15-minute micro service in a day when most of the waking time is involved in many other matters.  Loving God more than anyone or anything else is what He expects of His people. He must be the most valued relationship that we have in our lives.  

In Matthew 22:36-38, we read Jesus reply to a question a lawyer asked Him: ‘“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?’ Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” This is the first and great commandment.”’”   That is not manifest in a person’s life just by attending on occasion a micro service.  Putting God first in our lives should be our most important consideration and concern as true Christians.  God must be at the top of our list and first in our lives.  Our lives must be centered on both the Father and Jesus Christ and only then are we fulfilling this most important Commandment.  

The outcome of this approach can be seen in Matthew 6:33: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”   God has to be first in our lives, not just an addendum to our normal routine.  In Matthew 6:21 we read: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  

How much can anyone learn about God and His Ways in just 15 minutes?   It may temporarily “salve” some people’s consciences but such micro services, fitting in with other people’s schedules, is not the worship that God expects.

In the Church of the Eternal God, we conduct weekly Sabbath services which are also broadcast live. They last approximately 2 hours. In addition, we have the Holy Day season which we are instructed to keep.   In Leviticus 23:2, God tells us: “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘The feasts of the LORD, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations, these are My feasts.”   We keep the days that God says are His!   

On our annual Holy Days, there will be no 15-minute micro services during these most important times in God’s calendar.  It will be a time of real commitment for members and their families with these days highlighting what is to happen in the foreseeable future in God’s Master Plan for mankind. We are conducting daily worship services during that time which again last at least 2 hours.

How blessed are we to have been called by God at this time and to have the Truth fully expounded in due season.   Let us always look forward to the weekly and annual Holy Days and make the most of them at a time when the true knowledge of God and His Ways are simply not understood in this world.

Someone who says “thank you” in a timely and respectful manner enriches our lives! That stands out as being true, because, too often, we experience indifference or insincerity in our daily lives.

It is especially gratifying to watch young families in which their children are taught and then reminded to say, “thank you.” This is such a simple practice to instill as a part of parenting, and the lesson can have a broad impact on the overall character of a person throughout his or her life.

Saying “thank you” can help instill and then build an enduring sense of true gratitude and thankfulness. It is especially important that we acknowledge God to show our appreciation for His guidance and blessings in our lives. Sadly, very few people are truly mindful of God. The Apostle Paul writes, “…because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:21).

Jesus Christ did many miraculous things, including healing people, but His mighty works were taken for granted at times. Ten men who were lepers asked Jesus to heal them, and He did. Consider their reactions:

“And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered and said, ‘Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?’” (Luke 17:15-18).

How, then, was God glorified by the one who was healed? It was done because he was thankful and expressed it. King David also glorified God through praise and thanksgiving, and his Psalms virtually ring out with his worship of God. In celebration of having the Ark of God placed in the tabernacle he had set up, David wrote a Psalm which contains these words:

“Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever” (1 Chronicles 16:34).

Several of the later Psalms begin with these beautiful words of praise (See Psalms 106, 107, 118, 136 (comp. Jeremiah 33:11). David was thankful, and he did not forget to praise God for His mercy and blessings. We are also reminded to honor God by glorifying Him with our thanksgiving, as the Apostle Paul writes:

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (Colossians 3:17).

The story of Abraham’s departure from the land he was living in has been on my mind lately. What is interesting is that the Bible talks about the tower of Babel in Genesis 11 and then it reports much genealogy which gets us to the story of Abraham.

The interesting part I think is that we see the genealogy of Abraham laid out for us: Noah → Shem → Arphaxad → Shelah → Eber → Peleg → Reu → Serug → Nahor → Terah → Abram. There was much going on between the time of Noah and Abram. It is hard to say how long this time frame was, but it is estimated to have lasted somewhere between 350 to 400 years. That’s a long time for the Bible not to mention anyone else as playing a role in the Bible.

And then we are thrust upon the scene of Abram being told by God that he was to pack up everything and leave when he was 75 years old. He had come to live in Haran on the way to the land of Cannan, because his father had moved his family there (Genesis 11:31). So Abram listens to God and moves his family and his nephew’s family as instructed. They leave on this journey. They have considerable livestock. The journey if we look at where he travels is somewhere approximately 1,100 – 1,500 miles long. The Bible doesn’t tell us how long this journey took, but if they traveled 10-15 miles per day, the journey could have lasted several months to a year. The whole time God is telling Abram, don’t worry where you are going! I’m going to take you there and it’s going to be amazing.

Hebrews 11:8-9 states that the reason Abraham went out and did this was because he had faith in God. His faith in God led to his obedience: “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.”

I want to hone in on the mindset of Abraham though, because it shows us a lot about what God was looking for. God essentially is looking for this same mindset in us today. We may have a tendency to get in the thick of living and miss the point of living. We are here as sojourners. It doesn’t matter where we live in this world.  We don’t have a real home in this world. It’s nice to have consistency and safety. It’s nice to own nice things. None of that is wrong. The question then is, what is our attitude?

I want to set forth a few Scriptures, highlighting this journey of sojourners [all from the English Standard Version):

• Genesis 23:4 – Abraham said, “I am a sojourner and foreigner among you; give me a possession of a burying place among you, that I may bury my dead.”
• Psalm 39:12 – “Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; hold not your peace at my tears! For I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers.”
• Hebrews 11:13 – “These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.”
• 1 Peter 2:11 – “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.”

The mindset of looking to God — allowing Him to lead, guide and help us in our lives — is of the utmost importance for us. I know that this story has been told time and again in our Church literature and in messages, but truly, I think that it is so refreshing to read this story and to realize that this life that we are living has been experienced by others before. This is not something new. The stress, the anxiety, the frustrations–I am sure Abraham felt those, and I am sure the other people mentioned in the Scriptures above also felt the same way. And yet, God led all of them!

The encouragement we need is found in these stories. We need to meditate on them and then take action, by allowing God to show us what needs to be done. It becomes imperative that we learn this lesson and learn how to allow God to lead. God will allow us to live our lives on our own until we come to the point where we realize that it doesn’t really work. In fact, this is the story of man for the last six thousand years. God allows man to go his own way to learn that it doesn’t work.

Where is God leading each of us? This is something we can each think about deeply and meditate on.

Like God promising Abraham a good land for his descendants, God is promising US access into His Family as God beings. That is where God is ultimately leading each and every one of us. If we set our faith and sight on that, we can more easily learn to turn our lives over to God and allow Him to help us as we live our lives. 

When I was in my undergraduate program, I had the opportunity to make maps. This was a good thing since I loved maps. This was also the era of the fold-up map. People planning a road trip would rely on those maps from their neighborhood gas station or the Automobile Club of America (AAA).

For our schoolwork, we plotted the base of a historic lighthouse on the eastern end of Long Island in NY and surveyed a segment of a beach. We relished making the maps, but we learned that no matter how accurate our work was, we were always a bit off. Not so that we would have wound up in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, but significant to the point that we had to settle for being close enough.

In reality, there was as much about art as science in the creation of maps. Back in the day, cartographers would converse with traders who would travel from port to port and town to town. The mapmakers would compare stories and adjust their maps. When possible, they would venture out as actual experience was vital.

Because this work was painstakingly tedious and personal, the cartographers would often insert an intentional mistake or what came to be called: a phantom settlement into a map to make it their own. This was a location or physical artifact that in fact did not exist. If someone copied the false information, the original mapmaker had the evidence to show.

The point of including this story is to make the far more important point that as true Christians we should never blindly rely on information simply because it is in print. However, we know that we can and must trust absolutely in the Word of God contained in our Bibles. We need to use our Bibles and become familiar with the Scriptures.

We know that the Bible was written in Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek, and there can be subtle differences in translations. Ultimately however, it comes down to this Scripture in Psalm 119:160: “The entirety of Your word is truth, And every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.” This is a simple yet complete message that is reinforced for us in 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

We must always make certain that any study tools and translation aids we are relying on are rendered accurately. While I was preparing my previous editorial in December 2024, Mr. Norbert Link and I realized that something was amiss with a particular NIV translation I was using. I had used a popular online Bible study tool—but as you may guess, the translation was inaccurate.

I’ve researched this since my experience and learned that this particular tool uses Artificial Intelligence to analyze biblical texts and provide translations, commentaries, and study resources. This does not inherently mean that Scripture will be altered with AI, but in my experience, it was. I think back on previous work using the tool, and recall apparently “minor” changes the tool frequently suggested. I never accepted the changes since I knew this would modify Scripture.

I suspect that online Bible study tools generally focus on readability. However, we must never alter Scripture to suit the software. It is clear that there is no better resource for true Christians than actually using our Bibles.

In Exodus 20:1-2, Moses wrote: “And God spoke all these words, saying: ‘I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.’”

This Scripture and the next 25 verses provide the record of the conversation between Moses and our Creator, concerning what was now a mutual relationship between God and His people. God saved His people from the yoke of the Egyptians and was now communicating His expectations for His people: their adherence to the Ten Commandments.

The words that God chose for this message were perfect, and modifying them in any way would diminish this sacred and historic moment, as well as alter the Word of God.

In Proverbs 3:5-6, we are reminded to rely on God:  “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” For further emphasis, consider this Scripture in Deuteronomy 4:2: “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.” This is very clear guidance as to how we should be reading and using our Bibles to grow our understanding of Scripture. It is also instructive as to how we must consider tools such as AI in our Bible studies. As we delve deeper into Scripture, we can see that God makes this point time and again. Trust and rely on His word, neither add nor subtract from it. Let’s consider two more Scriptures to close out this editorial.

Proverbs 30:5-6 states: “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.” Revelation 22:18-19 emphasizes: “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

Technology can be wonderful and yet can also create challenging issues. I am not casting all AI software with a negative light, but just as we rely on a map to be accurate, as true Christians, we must make certain that the tools we rely on to help us draw closer to God and Jesus Christ are indeed godly and have integrity. We can do this by using the Bible as our roadmap.