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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But there is much more to this parable.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Bible contains work regulations regarding…

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

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

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

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

Regarding debt, the Bible advises us to…

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

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

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

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

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

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

Are you rich, or are you poor? Does your answer change depending on the person asking the question? What kind of criteria do you use to measure your level of wealth? Do you count the sum of the value of your possessions? Do you count the number of cars you own, or the square footage of your home? Or do you count something else?
 
No matter what the criteria, when we answer the question of whether we are rich or poor, we base it on some evaluation of what we have or what we do not have. The United States of America, by measure of gross domestic product, is the richest country in the world. One might think that such a country would not have problems paying its bills. However, in the Current Events today, we read about the grim reality that without drastic measures, this country will fail to make payments on its loans in the coming weeks.
 
How can such a prosperous and powerful country fall so dramatically into a state of massive financial delinquency? Stated differently, how can a country so rich be so poor? While the passage does not strictly apply to the debt crisis of the United States, Revelation 3:17-18 explains a similar paradox. Speaking of the Laodiceans, Christ says: “‘Because you say, “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing” — and do not know that you are wretched, poor, blind and naked — I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich…’”
 
In this example, placed in the Bible for us, we learn that carnal pride in material success is a direct cause of true poverty. The only way to become truly rich is by working towards perfection, following the righteous instructions of God. Quite simply, we become poor when we turn from God. When we place our hearts and confidence in the material wealth we might accumulate, rather than what is spiritually important, we are investing in worthless assets. God instructs us to lay up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21), and not to invest in things which perish (John 6:27), placing value in the things of this world, which have no real and lasting value.
 
If turning away from God causes us to be poor, what happens when we do the opposite? How do we change when we turn our ways towards God? The answer is just as simple. When we fear the LORD, we prosper (compare Psalm 25:12-13). The eternal life and rewards written about in the Bible are the goals we should be working for. This is only attainable through faith and obedience, and bearing fruit with the talents that we have been provided (compare Matthew 25:14-30).

The Bible clearly states that material goods and worldly possessions are of no ultimate value, and that a heart working to overcome the world through God’s faith, righteousness and Godly obedience produces true profit. With the Holy Spirit of God, the greatest investment known to man has been placed in our possession. With this in mind, I’ll ask you one last question: How does it feel to be rich?

In my last member letter, dated June 23, 2011, I wrote that God works out His plan for true Christians, and that “in retrospect, they will understand that God’s Way was indeed the right one.” In fact, they were predestined, before the world began, to be called for salvation in this day and age. God knew them before they were born; He saw them in their mother’s womb; and He was determined to direct their path.

When I look back at my life, I can see now more clearly God’s guiding hands, even though I might not have seen them at first. As a Church member in Germany, I became more and more frustrated with my studies of man’s law. As a consequence, I did not perform very well at that time. The ministry counseled me to continue wholeheartedly with what I had started. When I heeded that advice, I began to do much better—especially on my last test in that particular semester, because I had just “happened” to study the very material the previous night, which I was examined on the next day.

I graduated, passed my first legal exam, concluded my two year practical training and passed my second legal exam, and I began then to practice law as an attorney. But deep inside, I knew that this was not what I had envisioned to do for the rest of my life, and sharing my concerns with my wife, she contacted the German Church Office. Although there was no job opening there, we learned that the Legal Department of the Church’s Headquarters in the USA was looking for a person trained in the law who could help with international legal matters.

And so, my wife, our nine-month old son, and I moved to the USA, originally for two years, to study at the Church’s Theological College and to work for the Legal Department. But our stay would not last for just the two years. In due time, the Legal Office offered me a full-time job and requested that I “take the bar” in the USA and become an attorney licensed to practice here—which I did, just in time to meet the requirements for obtaining a green card (that is, to become a permanent resident), leading ultimately to my naturalization.

Subsequently, while continuing to work for  the Legal Department, the Church’s German Work and the TV Department asked me to provide the main voice as a voice-over speaker for German TV programs, and we produced in excess of 100 German TV programs. But when the apostasy in my Church had reached a point which had become unbearable for my wife and me, I resigned and we joined a smaller Church of God organization which was committed to continue in the teachings which we all had learned and believed.

In due time, a split occurred in our new group, and while the majority established their own organization, we continued for a while until the majority revealed that it was determined to merge with a much larger Church organization. Since we—the minority again—were not convinced that that was the right path for us, we resigned, and organized the Church of the Eternal God in the USA. Church organizations in Canada and Great Britain also joined with us. At that time, most did not give us a chance for survival. But we have been in operation for ten years by now, and we have every reason to believe that our existence will continue–as long as God allows us to be of service to Him.

I believe that God has been guiding and training me all along. My training in writing and speaking has helped me in my present task as the presenter of our American StandingWatch and German AufPostenStehen programs; as a writer for the Church’s literature; as an ordained minister, being able to deliver sermons in English and German; and as a licensed attorney, being in a position to help those in the Church who are in need of legal assistance.

Looking back on my life in Germany, how little could I have known where God would be leading me. And quite frankly, when trying to look into the future, I still only “see  in a mirror, dimly” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Who is to say what is ahead for me in this life, and for my wife and family, my brethren, my friends…

I don’t know. But one thing I do know—and this applies to each and every one of those whom God has called and is calling at this time! When we are submitting to our loving and all-knowing Father and His Son Jesus Christ, we will be led in the way that we are supposed to go. Challenges will come; and our patience and trust may be severely tested. We may have questions without answers. We may not know exactly what we should do. But we need to stay close to Him who does know. We must want to remain clay in the hands of our Potter (Isaiah 64:8). And as long as we want God to train and guide and protect us, He surely will do so (Psalm 139:9-10).

Before his conversion, the apostle Paul made havoc of the early church by his unbridled zeal to try and stamp it out (Acts 8:1-3). He was a deeply religious man whose zeal turned to fanaticism in a quest to eliminate what he thought was a false belief system. He was zealous for the traditions of his fathers (Galatians 1:14), but in his misplaced zeal, he actually persecuted the true church of God (Philippians 3:6).

In the third chapter of the book of Revelation, the church of Laodicea was told that it was “wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked” (verse 17).  It was bereft of vital qualities that were needed, and it was lukewarm.  

Have we fallen at one time or another into either, or both of these traps? Perhaps when we were called, we had so much enthusiasm and somewhat misguided zeal that we tried to convert family, friends and anyone else we could get to listen to our story. And we became upset, at times, when they did not want to accept our “convincing” arguments. But, perhaps after many years in the church, we became lukewarm, having heard it all before and taking our calling much less seriously than we had done when we first came into a knowledge of the truth.

Taking the comparisons a little bit further, we may have had our nose in the Bible at every available opportunity, forsaking everything else and neglecting our responsibilities for our mate and children, but now we may rarely look at the Word of God from one Sabbath to another. Does any of this strike a chord with anyone?

One writer commented that “If you are told someone is ‘a bit zealous,’ it does not convey a totally positive image. Words like enthusiastic, keen, hot headed, lacking wisdom, scary, etc. tend to come to mind!” 

We have to avoid being a fanatic because this can send out the wrong signal when we are told to be lights to the world (Matthew 5:14-16). On the other hand, we have to have Godly zeal and enthusiasm for the Way that we have been called to. I remember clearly a minister saying to me some decades ago that “we have to be sold on this Way of life.” That must be reflected in the way that we conduct ourselves at all times.

It’s a fine balance. Do we consistently achieve that in our lives?