This is not only the title of one of our booklets, but it was a genuine request by the apostles to Christ, which can be found in Luke 11:1. It expressed a sincere desire on their part to learn how to pray. In Matthew 6:7-14, we can find the outline as to how and for what to pray. This outline is not something we are to repeat routinely, word for word, but rather, it is a guide as to what to pray about, while we are to fill in the gaps, as it were.

I was once asked if I was embarrassed or ashamed to pray in public. The individual told me Christ prayed in public. He thus felt justified to pray publicly anytime and everywhere he wanted.

On the surface this might seem quite plausible until we peel back some of the layers and have a good look at it from a deeper perspective.

It has been a long-time practice of the Church of God not to generally pray in public, and we should look at the reasons why. It is true that Christ prayed at times in public, but one must look at the circumstances surrounding these events. Here is one example, in Mark 6:40-41:

“So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties. And when He had taken the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven, blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and the two fish He divided among them all.”

Here is another example, in Mark 8:6:

“So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude.”

The people were there to listen to the message of Christ. This was similar to a public lecture or to a wedding, where people are there by invitation and a prayer is given to open the session or to ask God’s blessing on the food. Christ also prayed publicly just before He resurrected Lazarus from the dead. He did so to prove to those who were present and mourned over Lazarus’ death that God was hearing Him (John 11:41-44). He also uttered “public” prayers when He was being crucified  (compare Matthew 27:46). He was mostly concerned about speaking to God during the final minutes of His life, and He did not care too much as to who might have been present at that time to overhear His prayers.

However, those who insist on praying in public everywhere and anytime they please, especially with a desire to show those who may happen to be there how “righteous” and “religious” they are, are ignoring the clear and explicit instructions of Christ whom they supposedly worship. He tells us in Matthew 6:5-6:

“And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”

Nothing could be clearer. Those who do not comply with this simple instruction are in disobedience, and they have their reward, being seen by men. The Pharisees loved to put on a big show, but it was all in vain. That is the reason why we do not generally pray in public. Our focus is not on a reward or temporary recognition which we might now receive from man, but we look to a future enduring reward that shall not perish.

For the recent State of the Union address an appeal was made amongst Democratic and Republican senators and representatives to walk across the party aisle and sit together.  This effort was meant as a symbolic gesture to show the country that elected officials could act in a unified manner.  While it was acknowledged by some that this act “might be little more than a nod to civility at a time of rancorous political discourse,” it was intended as a start to a more civilized dialog between parties.

Minutes after the president’s speech, opposing party members gave their rebuttal to points brought up in the presidential address.  For the foreseeable near-future, TV and radio pundits will be dissecting the speeches in even greater detail, debating (ad nauseum) how either party might help or hurt America’s future.

Man-made unity at its best!

It’s tempting to jump into current political discourse and feed upon the vitriol that emanates over our airwaves.  But ALL of this comes from one source, “according to the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2).  What Satan broadcasts is not the foundation that builds us into future sons and daughters of God, but is instead “the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2).

We know from God’s interaction with the city of Nineveh that a whole nation was capable of repenting and changing—this is God’s desire, to bring “many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10).  God wasn’t interested in the politics of Nineveh, nor their immigration policies or their health care plans.

Far from it!  Jonah was sent to “cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me” (Jonah 1:2).  Despite their wickedness the entire city repented and God held back their destruction.  Unlike Nineveh our society still refuses to repent.

A leading conservative pundit said of the president after his first year in office, “The fact that his agenda has totally failed this year is the best thing that could have happened to this country… I thank God every day that it is going down the tubes.”

God is not pulling for the left, right or center of any aisle—these are ideals and constructs of man.  Man’s attempts all strive, but all fail—without God’s Spirit—to achieve unity and peace. We must constantly ask ourselves, what does God think?  What is His Will?  And we must pray for THAT Will to be done.

It’s God’s Will ALONE that allows this universe to exist.  And only with His Will can lasting unity take place.

We miss something if our manner, outlook and standards all mirror the times in which we live. Doing so would mean that we are living as a part of this world—that we are not different from everyone else.
 
But we are!
 
Here is what Jesus Christ stated—both about His disciples and Himself: “‘They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world’” (John 17:16).
 
However, we know that Jesus Christ was born in the nation of Judah and except for those who knew Him personally, He blended in with the people of His time–so much so that it was necessary for Judas, in betraying Him, to identify Him from among His disciples (compare Matthew 26:47-49).
 
What Jesus had that totally separated Him from both His countrymen and the rest of the world was His membership in the Family of God—from which He also drew His citizenship (compare John 8:23;18:36).
 
Christians, those converted individuals who have been called by God to come out of this world, are now also citizens of God’s Kingdom (compare Philippians 3:20); we are “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20); we are to live “as sojourners and pilgrims” (1 Peter 2:11); and, we are not to misuse this world (compare 1 Corinthians 7:31).
 
As such, we have a different status than those among whom we are to live. We have been given the gift of God’s Holy Spirit, and “now we are children of God” (1 John 3:2). Along with our RIGHTS to the promises of God, we also have DUTIES, and if we fulfill them, then we will be unmistakably different—a stark contrast to an age that is writhing in its own, final death-throes!

On the 16th January 1986, Mr Herbert W Armstrong died. As many of you may know, until his death, he was the human leader of the Church of God, known at that time as the Worldwide Church of God. Some 25 years later, the Church of God is organisationally split asunder with many off-shoots. This was, in part, caused by apostasy that came to a head in the mid 1990’s when it became obvious that the intention of the new leadership was to dismantle the Church to suit a mainstream approach.

This was not new but it would be fair to say that one might have been expecting problems and persecutions from the outside, but not from the inside, as it turned out to be. As we take the Bible as our guide to life, we ought to consider what had happened to the Church in the first century, when there was clear evidence of problems even at that time.

Paul writes in 2 Thessalonians 3:6 that Church members were to “withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.” The doctrines taught by Christ and His disciples are to be safeguarded by “the church of the living God, the pillar and ground (foundation) of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). We know that Paul had to admonish the Corinthian Church about the many problems that plagued it, and we read in 3 John, verses 9 & 10, that Diotrophes loved to have the preeminence among the brethren and forbade true believers to attend the local Church congregation.

There is much more biblical evidence of false leaders and those being led away from the truth. However, we should also note that God uses and approves of those who are submissive to His Will and prove to be good leaders (not perfect of course), and whose hearts are right with God.  A number of God’s followers in the Old Testament would fall into that category, as well as the disciples and early apostles and leaders in the New Testament Church. But often, when a leader dies, things change and not always for the best. The history of Israel and Judah are testament to that.

In the 20th  century, there can be no question that Mr Armstrong submitted to God’s Will to be used in a mighty way in the Church of God. Since the apostasy after his death, so many have thought themselves to become experts, discounting this, dismissing that and generally trying to diminish the Church’s heritage, history and doctrinal understanding. What such people forget is that had God the Father and Jesus Christ not used Mr Armstrong, these same people would not have been drawn to the Church of God and given the understanding that they had received. It is true, of course, that God could have used someone else to restore the truth that had been lost to the Church of God in the 20th century, but He didn’t.

Then there are those who almost worship Mr Armstrong, giving him almost a status of being “divine” or a “pope,” saying that nothing could be changed after his death. But Mr Armstrong emphasized again and again that we must change when in error. He stated that such willingness was one of the signs of a true Christian. If it were otherwise, there could have been no personal growth in any Church member in the last 25 years, but we are instructed to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

Balance is needed instead of swinging from one ditch into the other. Mr Armstrong was a man of God but not one to be worshipped. If he were alive today, he would be amazed as to what has happened to the Church since his death. Or would he? Perhaps he had the vision of what would occur, as he made mention on several occasions that he didn’t think many or even most Church members “got it”.

God has used and will use whom He will. And He wants to use each and every one of us today, in extraordinary ways, preparing us to become glorified members in the Kingdom and Family of God. The question is, Are you allowing God to use you to do HIS Will?

Are you experiencing events in your life that you just don’t like? I’m sure you do. We all do. But rather than becoming discouraged, complaining about “life,” focusing on the seemingly “negative,” the apostle Paul is approaching this subject in quite a different way. He was most certainly familiar with suffering, trials, mischiefs, headache, set-backs and tremendous problems. He was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, persecuted, maligned, arrested, tried, released and subsequently imprisoned again. If there was any man who could have given up in despair, it would have been him. But did he?

While imprisoned in Rome, Paul wrote his famous letter to the Philippians. Philippi had been the first European city visited by Paul. He arrived there on the Feast of Pentecost, following the direction of a vision, which he had received in Troas (Acts 16:9-13). Paul and Silas were beaten, arrested and imprisoned in Philippi, but then freed through an earthquake (Acts 16:16-40). The beginnings of that church were very small, but it seems that it grew and that the Philippian brethren were very kind to Paul. And Paul did not forget that.

In his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul thanked and encouraged them. He spoke about his imprisonment as an event which helped, not hindered, the preaching of the gospel. Even though some might have described his condition in a very negative way, Paul viewed it quite differently.

When reading Philippians 1:12, one is amazed to see how strongly Paul was willing to relate the positive aspects of his situation. However, in the New King James Bible, the rendering of his statement is awkward and, frankly, quite misleading. There, we read: “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel…” This could give the impression that Paul believed that “the things” in his life just occurred because of “happenstance”—that they were the result of “blind fate” or time and chance.

This is, however, not the meaning of the verse. The words “which happened” are not in the original Greek. They were, unfortunately and incorrectly, added by the translator. Notice how other translations render this verse.

The New American Bible says: “I want you to know, brothers, that my situation has turned out rather to advance the gospel…”

The New Jerusalem Bible says: “Now I want you to realize, brothers, that the circumstances of my present life are helping rather than hindering the advance of the gospel…”

Paul knew that the “things” in his life did not just “happen” because of “time and chance.” Are you unsure about why you are going through certain events or discouraging problems in your life? Do you think they just might “occur” because you “happen” to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and that God has nothing to do with them? If so, think again. And while you are at it, please read chapter 4 in our free booklet, “Are You Predestined to Be Saved?”

Paul did not believe that he was a helpless victim of blind fate, and if you are a converted Christian, you should not believe it either. Paul knew that God was always there to watch, guide and direct him; to encourage him; and yes, even to chastise and punish him, when necessary. Paul would later write in his letter to the Hebrews that God chastises every child whom He wants to receive into His Kingdom (Hebrews 12:5-11). Paul knew that he was no exception. He was convinced that his occasional chastisement,  even though seemingly painful at the moment, was a positive, and not a negative event.

Paul was of the firm conviction that God was watching him at all times, and that nothing would just “happen” to him without or against God’s Will. He knew Christ’s words that no sparrow falls to the ground apart from the Father’s Will, and that the very hairs of our head are all numbered (Matthew 10:29-30).

I would like to quote from an older commentary—“Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible.” Admittedly, it is written in a language which might sound a little bit strange to our modern ears, but I believe that you will appreciate the gist of his comments:

“[Paul’s] sufferings on account of the Gospel, which though said to happen, were not things of chance but of appointment; for as all the sufferings of Christ the head, were by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, so are those of all the members of his [spiritual] body, and of his ministers who are appointed to these things, and they for them; of which Christ has given previous notice, so that they do not come unexpected, but are looked for by them; nor are they over distressed with them, being supported with the presence, Spirit, grace, and favour of God; hence they can rejoice in them, in hope of the glory of God…”

In addition, please also note these insightful statements in “Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary”:

“The apostle was a prisoner at Rome; and… he shows the wisdom and goodness of God in his sufferings. These things made him known, where he would never have otherwise been known; and led some to inquire after the gospel… Since our troubles may tend to the good of many, we ought to rejoice… Let us leave it to Christ, which way he will make us serviceable to his glory, whether by labour or suffering, by diligence or patience, by living to his honour in working for him, or dying to his honour in suffering for him.”

Paul saw God’s directing and sustaining hand in his life. Even though (or because) he was a prisoner, he was able to help in the furtherance of the truth of the gospel. His condition as a Roman captive enabled him to fulfill his commission, which Christ had given to him (Acts 20:24)–to open the eyes of the Gentiles and to turn them from darkness to light (Acts 26:12-18).

How about you? If God called you into His spiritual body, He has given you the same charge of living the truth of the gospel–of standing up for and, if appropriate, “defending” it (compare 2 Peter 3:15). When things go “wrong,” don’t blame time and chance or “life.” This would be a most serious mistake. Rather, consider whether the wrong things may be just right for you. Stay positive. Be thankful that God IS in charge—and that He has promised that He will be with you, always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

John the Baptist had some scathing words for the Pharisees and Sadducees as they approached him while he was baptizing people in the Jordan. Among other things, he chastised them for their misplaced reliance on their affiliation to Abraham (Matthew 3:9). These groups had come to put too much weight on this and had neglected the more important matters.

Paul admonished the Corinthians for nearly the same thing — their gloating about their associations. They were saying, ‘”I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,…”‘ (1 Corinthians 1:12) and ignoring the real issue at hand.

When aligning ourselves with a person, a minister, an organization or even with a church, we can often feel safe because of numbers, past reputation or espoused doctrine. We can believe that by virtue of our alliance with them, we are justified in our current state and position.

But note the admonitions by John and Paul regarding those that were resting on the laurels of others: John the Baptist told the Jews that they needed to repent (Matthew 3:8); Paul goes on to direct those at Corinth, “that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the LORD’” (1 Corinthians 1:31). In other words, we cannot become complacent with our current condition, and we must continue to change it by looking to the Example who is “the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).

There have been many, even in our recent history, that have failed to remain on guard, thinking they were in the right place or that they could ride the coattails of another. “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:12-13).

It is amazing how clever Satan is when he wants true Christians to start compromising with any of God’s laws or statutes. He is very astute in facilitating convincing “justifications” in one’s mind. Take for example the doctrinal changes in the Worldwide Church of God, to which many true Christians belonged at one time. Did the new administration, which took over after the former human leader’s death, boldly come out and admit that they wanted to do away with the Sabbath, the Holy Days, tithing, or the distinction between clean and unclean meats? No; rather, they started by “adjusting” what seemed to be unimportant or insignificant teachings to some–for instance, whether or not we are already born again in this life; whether we need to proclaim the gospel of Christ or just about Christ; or whether God is a Family or just has a Family.

In their booklet “God Is,” they gradually abolished the true understanding that the Holy Spirit is not God or a person of the Godhead, but rather the power of God the Father and Jesus Christ, enabling them to create and accomplish things both in the spiritual and physical realm. First, they used the Greek word “hypostasis” for God, saying that God consists of three “hypostases.” The adoption of this philosophical term was just the first step in reaching the point of teaching the wrong orthodox doctrine of the Trinity.  “Hypostasis” was not “supposed” to convey the meaning of a Person—just a mode of being—but in the third printing of their booklet, the word “hypostasis” was substituted with the word “person.” Now they had fully embraced the pagan belief of the Trinity—“God being One Person in Three Persons”–something which they had apparently planned to do from the outset.

These changes were introduced subtly. Unfortunately, many were fooled and deceived, and like the proverbial dead fish or the dumb sheep, they were floating along with the changes and followed the false shepherds to the slaughter. Soon, all flood gates were open and now, one would not recognize as biblically correct most, if not all of the teachings of today’s Worldwide Church of God, since their changed beliefs are based on pagan traditions and superstitions, rather than the Bible.

What Satan was looking for was the proverbial chink in the armor–the one weak spot which makes a soldier vulnerable on the battlefield. For instance, the area around the shoulder is such a weak spot. Overlaps in the armor allowed for movements of the arms, but a good archer could successfully shoot an arrow into the unprotected area. The inflicted wounds were usually not fatal, but they rendered a fighting soldier ineffective for battle and if not tended to, he could bleed to death, if the arrow had pierced an artery.

In 2003, while attending the Feast of Tabernacles in England, my wife and I visited Warwick Castle. We noticed an archer on the pathway up to the castle. He was shooting arrows at a stuffed target, which had the form of a man. The target was some sixty to seventy feet away, but the archer shot the arrows with an amazing degree of accuracy. He explained that in the ancient English army bowmen were trained from the age of six or seven years old. By the age of adulthood, they had become very accurate in shooting arrows into the unprotected spots of enemy soldiers. Because of their intensive training, they could cause a lot of injuries in battle, and they could even help the defeat of their enemy in times of war.

Satan is highly skilled in the “art” of warfare. He is a powerful archer, who is able to shoot his arrows precisely into whatever small chink in our armor he might detect. It is very important that we are completely and thoroughly protected by the whole armor of God (compare Ephesians 6:10-17).

Satan is very subtle, as Paul stated in 2 Corinthians 2:10-11: “Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices.”

The church at the time of Paul was aware of Satan’s devices, understanding that one of them was compromise. Compromise usually starts in small areas–with little white lies and with becoming less diligent than one ought to be, for instance in the area of tithing faithfully, promptly and properly, or starting to engage in improper entertainment or do some “chores” on the Sabbath. These might be looked upon as “small” leaks in a dam, but they can cause insurmountable damage and may jeopardize one’s very salvation.

Compromise is like a small spark. Unless it is extinguished right away, it may develop into a roaring and destructive fire, which might soon be burning out of control. The Worldwide Church of God started their doctrinal apostasy with seemingly small insignificant “semantic” changes—but in fact, Satan had begun to shoot his arrows into unprotected areas of many of God’s people. We must never think that something similar could not happen today again.

Unless we repent of any wrong course of action and change our way of thinking, the slippery slope of compromise will ultimately lead to our demise. We must take due diligence to ensure that we are not caught up in compromise and that our spiritual armor has no chinks, so that Satan’s arrows cannot cause us any spiritual injury.

Trust is an asset that cannot truly be bought, yet in its purest form is absolutely priceless. Trust is the primary vehicle on which a community should manage to function. Without it, even the simplest activities that we normally take for granted become dramatically more dangerous. To cite an example, when we drive we stay on our side of the road trusting or expecting that those in oncoming traffic will do the same. Likewise, the drivers whom we trust, place their trust in us to stay on our side of the road. When any single driver on the road decides to neglect this trust, the roads become unsafe. Only with a system of mutual trust, where that trust is honored by all parties involved, is it possible to provide a stable and safe environment.

It is when trust is violated that havoc ensues. Try to imagine an environment where you cannot believe anything that another says. Imagine that others fail to confide in anyone else for fear of being betrayed. In such a world, how nerve wracking would it be to make a simple purchase, knowing that the cashier might take your money and ask you to leave without your purchased goods? How difficult would it be walking down the street, knowing that each person you pass poses a serious threat to your safety? It is clear that a world void of mutual trust is a nightmare that no one wants to live in. Yet, this is the direction towards which this world ceaselessly marches.

With the recent public release of the infamous WikiLeaks communication cables, a shocking amount of international trust has been flushed down the tubes. The private and unflattering views of many foreign dignitaries have now been exposed to friends and enemies alike, worldwide. Because of this event, has the United States lost its reputation for integrity, honor and honesty? Will the countries and individuals as subjects in these secret documents dare to trust this country with its valuable information any longer? Anyone who has had their trust betrayed will find it natural to conclude that many of those relationships will grow cold. Proverbs 18:19 tells us: “A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city.” Here, we see a real world example in which mutual trust is disintegrating before our eyes. With international trust violated on such a grand scale, the international political environment has taken a giant step towards greater instability and lack of safety. Just how high the guard walls will rise up, only time will tell.

The only way to correct such a cascading course of distrust and betrayal is to set an example of trustworthiness. The Bible provides the best instruction to us on this subject matter. The Ten Commandments teach us how to treat our neighbor — with honesty, respect and love — so that we can be trusted. Jesus Christ Himself set the best example of trustworthiness by sacrificing His own life for our sake. By His name we know that we can and will be saved (Acts 4:10-12). As Christ’s disciples, we must live in a manner so that we can be trusted. In the final analysis, only God is totally trustworthy and reliable. We are told in Scripture not to put our ultimate trust in man (Psalm 146:3; compare Psalm 118:8; Micah 7:5).

The Bible clearly teaches that above all else, we are to trust in God. We find comfort in Psalm 9:10 where we read, “And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.”

As the world around us becomes more unstable with the virtue of trust disintegrating, we are required to adhere to the righteous and spiritual ways of God, rejecting the ways of the world. We must prove ourselves to be trustworthy by demonstrating Christian integrity. Most importantly, we must also trust in the one true God to fulfill His plan for the Kingdom to be established.

Trust is an asset that cannot truly be bought, yet in its purest form is absolutely priceless. Trust is the primary vehicle on which a community should manage to function. Without it, even the simplest activities that we normally take for granted become dramatically more dangerous. To cite an example, when we drive we stay on our side of the road trusting or expecting that those in oncoming traffic will do the same. Likewise, the drivers whom we trust, place their trust in us to stay on our side of the road. When any single driver on the road decides to neglect this trust, the roads become unsafe. Only with a system of mutual trust, where that trust is honored by all parties involved, is it possible to provide a stable and safe environment.

It is when trust is violated that havoc ensues. Try to imagine an environment where you cannot believe anything that another says. Imagine that others fail to confide in anyone else for fear of being betrayed. In such a world, how nerve wracking would it be to make a simple purchase, knowing that the cashier might take your money and ask you to leave without your purchased goods? How difficult would it be walking down the street, knowing that each person you pass poses a serious threat to your safety? It is clear that a world void of mutual trust is a nightmare that no one wants to live in. Yet, this is the direction towards which this world ceaselessly marches.

With the recent public release of the infamous WikiLeaks communication cables, a shocking amount of international trust has been flushed down the tubes. The private and unflattering views of many foreign dignitaries have now been exposed to friends and enemies alike, worldwide. Because of this event, has the United States lost its reputation for integrity, honor and honesty? Will the countries and individuals as subjects in these secret documents dare to trust this country with its valuable information any longer? Anyone who has had their trust betrayed will find it natural to conclude that many of those relationships will grow cold. Proverbs 18:19 tells us: “A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city.” Here, we see a real world example in which mutual trust is disintegrating before our eyes. With international trust violated on such a grand scale, the international political environment has taken a giant step towards greater instability and lack of safety. Just how high the guard walls will rise up, only time will tell.

The only way to correct such a cascading course of distrust and betrayal is to set an example of trustworthiness. The Bible provides the best instruction to us on this subject matter. The Ten Commandments teach us how to treat our neighbor — with honesty, respect and love — so that we can be trusted. Jesus Christ Himself set the best example of trustworthiness by sacrificing His own life for our sake. By His name we know that we can and will be saved (Acts 4:10-12). As Christ’s disciples, we must live in a manner so that we can be trusted. In the final analysis, only God is totally trustworthy and reliable. We are told in Scripture not to put our ultimate trust in man (Psalm 146:3; compare Psalm 118:8; Micah 7:5).

The Bible clearly teaches that above all else, we are to trust in God. We find comfort in Psalm 9:10 where we read, “And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.”

As the world around us becomes more unstable with the virtue of trust disintegrating, we are required to adhere to the righteous and spiritual ways of God, rejecting the ways of the world. We must prove ourselves to be trustworthy by demonstrating Christian integrity. Most importantly, we must also trust in the one true God to fulfill His plan for the Kingdom to be established.

To write out the number that is the title of this editorial would necessitate a 3 followed by 23 zeros–the newest calculated estimate of the number of stars in the universe! Contrast this unimaginable number to the very few thousand stars one might see if we look up into the night sky.
 
The majesty of this universe is the signature of God–the very proof that He offers of Himself to mankind (compare Romans 1:18-22). In fact, throughout His written Word, God challenges us to understand Him through His creation:
 
“”To whom then will you liken Me, Or to whom shall I be equal?’ says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, And see who has created these things, Who brings out their host by number; He calls them all by name, By the greatness of His might And the strength of His power; Not one is missing” (Isaiah 40:25-26).
 
Considering the grandeur and the glory of God’s creative power instills us with awe! Even among His angelic realm, God is worshipped as Creator:
 
“‘Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created'” (Revelation 4:11, NASB).
 
God also reveals His purpose in creating not only the vast universe but this earth, as well, when He states:
 
“For thus says the LORD, Who created the heavens, Who is God, Who formed the earth and made it, Who has established it, Who did not create it in vain, Who formed it to be inhabited: ‘I am the Lord, and there is no other'” (Isaiah 45:18).
 
The earth is the focus of His Work at this time. The earth is where He sent His Son, and it is where He is preparing mankind to enter His Family to live eternally with Him and His Son in the new heavens and the new earth which He will also create (compare Isaiah 66:22; 2 Peter 3:13). Paul wrote, “For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God” (Romans 8:19).
 
Jesus taught that God the Father is very concerned, very aware and very involved in what happens on this earth. Note how He explains this:

“‘Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from Your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows'” (Matthew 10:29-31; compare Matthew 6:26).
 
Perhaps it is sometimes easier to acknowledge God’s creation from afar than to make the personal connection as to what that means to you and me–to realize the extent to which this same Creator is involved with each one of us!
 
Jesus taught, “‘ …for with God all things are possible'” (Mark 10:27); and, “‘…If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes'” (Mark 9:23).
 
While we can take the time to step back and drink in the power of God in His Creation, let us also step forward to claim the personal relationship that is ours in our calling as Christians–as brethren of Jesus Christ and as sons and daughters of the Living, Eternal God!