The “fatal sequence” of an empire is most commonly attributed to Alexander Fraser Tytler. It states that a nation progresses as follows:

          From Bondage to Spiritual Faith
          From Spiritual Faith to Great Courage
          From Courage to Liberty
          From Liberty to Abundance
          From Abundance to Selfishness
          From Selfishness to Complacency
          From Complacency to Apathy
          From Apathy to Dependency
          From Dependency back into Bondage

There may be debate as to whether they all have followed this course, but when looking at it, there are some undeniable accuracies. For some time now the English speaking countries have been the dominant empires. So this begs the question, where might we be in Tytler’s cycle?

If we are honest, we would have to say that we are near the end… in more ways than one. We are near the end of the list as well as being near “The End.” The Bible long ago predicted that the end-times would come and that there would be indicators that we are living in those times. Those events are presently happening all around us, and harbingers of future events are becoming clearer every day.

There is no question that these prophecies are going to take place and this present day empire will come to an end. This WILL happen! What is not clear is whether we as individuals will get caught up in the surge and suffer the same fate.

What are our tendencies? Is it to head towards bondage and away from godliness? Or is it to head towards spirituality and away from carnality? As we live in this world and walk through it, is the world wearing off on us or are we wearing off on it?

In the parable of the sower, Christians are warned about “the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches” (Matthew 13:22)–that they will choke off the Word of God and cause us to become unfruitful. If we succumb to these temptations, then we are in danger of receiving a great trial and tribulation (Matthew 24:21) to help get us back on the track.

We have been given a tremendous blessing in the calling and knowledge that has been bestowed upon us. Matthew 13:16-17 says: “But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

God brought us out of bondage and led us to the spiritual faith of Christ where He has given us courage, liberty and abundance in His way of life. Now we must be ever vigilant not to be caught in the vicious circle that leads back to the ignominy of bondage. Where are we in this “fatal sequence”?

The fact that God cares for us and is involved in our lives to the smallest and infinite details was “driven home” to me on the way back from the Feast of Tabernacles. Like many of you, my wife Delia and I had to “drive home” after a most inspiring and fulfilling Feast. We had a safe and uneventful trip except for two incidents:

We stopped for a break about twenty miles north of Yakima, Washington. I parked our van on the edge of the paved parking area, and we went into the gas station store. When we got back in the van, it would not start. I lifted the hood to see if I could find anything wrong, tapped on the battery, and tried again to start the van, but to no avail. We then both prayed to God for His assistance in this matter. I went back inside the store and asked a driver of a Pepsi delivery truck, if he had jumper cables, so I could start the van. He said he had none, so I bought a small wrench, took the cables off the battery, cleaned them off and tried again. The van did not start. I went back into the store. The driver was still there. He suggested to go across the street to another gas station to see if I could find someone who had jumper cables.

I followed his advice and approached two men in a pickup truck to see if they had jumper cables. They said they did not have any. At this time I looked over my shoulder and noticed a man at the pumps, trying to start his small truck. I went over and commented that it looked like he was having some problems. He said the battery was weak and wouldn’t start his truck.

I went back to talk to the two men in the pickup truck and then I noticed the man who could not start his truck speaking on a cell phone, so I went back to talk to him. He said a friend from a company not far away was coming to jump-start his car. I asked if he could send him over to our van across the street after he was done, since I also needed a jump-start. I walked back to our van and Delia asked me what was happening. I told her the story and no sooner had I finished when a man came over with a power pack and started my van. I thanked him, and we were again on our way.

When we got to Wenatchee, we stopped for a bite to eat and sure enough, when I tried to start the van, it would not work. I was feeling a little more confident this time and got out just when a truck pulled in with two men in it. I walked over and found out from the driver that he had jumper cables. I asked if he could get my van going, and he did. On our way home, we marveled how God had worked things out for us to bring us back safely. The next day I jump-started my van and took it to a repair shop. After testing the battery, I was told that it was no good. I bought a new one, and our van has been working fine ever since.

Christ said in Hebrews 13:5: “… I will NEVER leave you nor forsake you.” This promise was “driven home” to me when we “drove home” from the Feast. No matter what the trial; no matter what the test; no matter how severe or minute–we can have confidence that He is there; that He cares for us; and that He intervenes for us when we ask Him.

What is persistency? It is defined as continuing firmly or obstinately in a course of action, in spite of difficulty or opposition. It is a habitual behavior pattern, continuing to exist or endure, or occurring repeatedly over a prolonged period.

How persistent are we in prayer? Whenever we ask God for something, does He answer right away?  Sometimes He may, but often times He won’t.  That does not mean however that we should stop trying.  If we know that it’s for a good cause, then we continue to ask, and we are always thankful. Colossians 4:2 tells us that we must continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.
 
Persistency pays off. We do pray about the same things over and over again, don’t we? However, our prayers shouldn’t be vain repetitions–just words coming out of our mouths, a script that we read every day–but we pray about such things that we care for. When one of us is sick, do we pray once about it, or do we pray continuously until he or she is healthy?  Even then we don’t stop praying because we thank God and ask Him to continue to be with that individual, to keep him or her strong and healthy. When we love somebody, do we tell that person once that we love them or do we tell them repeatedly?

How persistent are we in our Bible study? Yes, we can come up with excuses for not being diligent and persistent in this regard. We are all very preoccupied in our busy lives, but as we continuously hear about the importance of Bible study, even 10 minutes of meaningful study is very fruitful. We just have to make it a habit! 

Prayer and Bible study are part of our tools to live our lives successfully. How persistent are we in running our spiritual race? 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 admonishes us to run our spiritual race “in such a way” that we “may obtain” the prize.

Our zeal for God’s Kingdom must be continuing. We must have zeal to win. We have to have faith and trust that we can finish the race. We have to believe in God and what He promises us, and that we can always go to God for help in times of need, so that we can be successful.

Let us imagine a physical race, and let us compare it with our spiritual calling. Before we may run a big race, there are certain fears that we must overcome. We have to stay focused, not becoming distracted by our surroundings. We have to make sure that we are attentive because a false start could get us disqualified. One false start gives us a warning, but now we have extra pressure built upon us, because one more false start, and we’re out of the race. As we run our race, we have to look straight ahead. We must not look back, but we must stay on course by not drifting from side to side, into someone else’s path. We must stay on our own path.  Now we run as hard and as fast as we can, giving it our all, striving for that finish line and obtaining that prize. Finishing the race is what’s important. We don’t give up.

But, as opposed to a physical race, where only the top three will receive medals, the spiritual race rewards all those who finish, who never give up, but who have been approved, as it says in James 1:12. Is this the attitude we have so we can obtain our prize? Are we this dedicated when it comes to God’s plan for us?

We have to be persistent in whatever we do, and especially in spiritual matters which are very important to God. We must always remember that all the blessings that we receive and all that we have comes from God. So, let’s be thankful and do what God requires of us. Let us continue to be persistent in all things, including in our prayers and Bible study, so we can finally receive the ultimate prize.

Ever feel like you have reached your limit? Do you sometimes wonder if your own personal efforts are falling short? Do trials wash over you leaving you thinking that you just can’t take any more?

In truth, we all experience times in our lives when we think we have been pushed beyond our own expectations. Not all of these occurrences are necessarily bad for us–not if we follow God’s lead.

We have this assurance about the trials we may encounter, as stated in 1 Corinthians 10:13:

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear [endure] it.”

Beyond trials and temptations, we face another reality in our Christianity. As servants of God the Father and of Jesus Christ, we have been given responsibilities for which we are accountable. In summarizing His teaching about the qualities of a faithful servant, Jesus said:

“‘…For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more'” (Luke 12:48).

An additional dimension for us to consider about the kind of service we are to give in our calling is found in another of Christ’s teachings:

“‘So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, “We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do”‘” (Luke 17:10).

As we have each answered our calling and have continued to faithfully serve God, we must go on to become profitable servants! We must advance in our service, and the way to do that is given by Peter: “[B]ut grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

We have just finished the annual Holy Day season for this year, and we now have several months to deeply reflect on and implement what we have learned. We have been taught new things, challenged to really be involved in the Work of God and inspired to love one another fervently–in other words, to do even more!

Each one of us can do this, because we are servants of God–and with Him, all things are possible!

Members of the Church of God have just celebrated the annual Feasts of Trumpets and Atonement, which picture the return of Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:16) and the banishment of Satan (Revelation 20:1-3). In a few days, Church members will observe the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days at designated convention sites all over the world. These days picture and foreshadow a time of unparalleled joy, happiness and prosperity for all nations–something that the world has not experienced before. The Kingdom of God will have come to this earth (Matthew 6:10). Truly, utopia will become reality–Paradise will be established right here on this planet. This world will witness “heaven on earth” in the truest sense of the word.
 
Today, we are bombarded with bad news. Even the “Current Events” sections in our weekly Updates are filled with unpleasant and dire warnings. But we don’t report these events because of masochistic tendencies. Rather, we are telling our readership what is happening in light of Biblical prophecy. These events are necessary to unfold prior to a most mind-boggling occurrence–the return of the Messiah and the beginning of a wonderful and better world. Viewed in that way, even the bad news is good news.
 
But the REALLY good news will become reality when God begins to rule this earth. The Feast of Tabernacles pictures the “Millennium” or a period of one thousand years, when Christ and His immortal disciples or “saints” will govern on and over this planet (Revelation 20:4, 6; 5:10; Isaiah 32:1; 33:17, 20-22). Notice, from the pages of the book of Isaiah, the RESULT of such righteous and all-powerful administration–and compare it, if you like, with our present human rule:
 
— “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:4).
 
— “Of the increase of His government and peace There will be no end” (Isaiah 9:7).
 
— “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb. The leopard shall lie down with the young goat. The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them… the nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole… the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD” (Isaiah 11:6-9).
 
— “Then He will give the rain for your seed With which you sow the ground, And bread of the increase of the earth; It will be fat and plentiful. In that day your cattle will feed In large pastures…” (Isaiah 30:23).
 
— “And the inhabitant will not say, ‘I am sick'” (Isaiah 33:24).
 
— “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, And the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb sing” (Isaiah 35:6).
 
— “For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, And streams in the desert” (Isaiah 35:6).
 
— “He will make her wilderness like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the LORD; Joy and gladness will be found in it” (Isaiah 51:3).
 
— “All your children shall be taught by the LORD, And great shall be the peace of your children” (Isaiah 54:13).
 
— “Violence shall no longer be heard in your land” (Isaiah 60:18).
 
— “The LORD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations” (Isaiah 61:11).
 
Too good to be true? But why should it be? Granted, these are truly amazing, breath-taking announcements of a better world to come–and there is so much more! It is THAT better world, which is worth “living for”–and even “dying for,” if need be. The Feast of Tabernacles reminds us of a future civilization and society, which seems so distant today, so unrealistic, so incredible.
 
But imagine what we just read: Satan will no longer deceive mankind; Christ will rule this earth; human nature will be changed; the environment will be fruitful, hospitable and pleasant; war and violence will be a thing of the past; all sickness will be healed! Why is it so hard to believe that such a world is possible? Of course, with man it is not possible–but is anything too difficult for God?
 
Adam and Eve lost their Paradise–but not forever. It is man’s destiny to find and regain it–and even in a much more all-encompassing condition than at the time of man’s creation.
 
Today, the Church of God proclaims the gospel or good news of the coming Kingdom of God in all the world as a witness. That very Kingdom will be ushered in within a few years from now–and all the world will experience its life-saving and life-enriching effects. Today, this world scoffs at its destined future. But soon, it will celebrate a new and everlasting beginning of a better world–and why not?

On the Sabbath of September 13, I was walking from the car park to church services and had an accident. For no apparent reason, I fell headlong, injuring my left side and my back. As I tried to protect myself, I seemed to almost bounce off the pavement and hit my side and back on a steel post. For a couple of minutes, the pain was excruciating, but then seemed to lessen. It was very uncomfortable, and three days later I went to the hospital. After being seen by a nurse and two doctors plus having a lumbar x-ray, I was advised that there was no damage except for the very obvious bruising. Time would heal.

That morning I had prayed for a number of things, one of which was for protection. Did God not hear my prayer or was there another explanation? To the skeptic or unbeliever, this would be good ammunition for them to try and prove their case. But to me it entirely DISPROVED their point!

If God always healed us, then we would never die. If we were always protected from everything, then we would never know how others suffered when they had accidents. And aren’t we promised tests and trials? For me, the key was that God DID protect me from anything serious. I could have hit my head on that steel post, causing concussion, brain damage or even death. I could have smashed my face, had severe dental damage, injured my eyes or any number of other scenarios. Even my spectacles which were in my pocket were undamaged, and they would have been expensive to replace.

Yes, I did have a couple of weeks of pain, soreness and quite severe bruising in many places, but that was it. And yes, I believe that I really was protected from what could have been so much worse. God is the protector of His people. Let us always trust Him for His protection.

Many of God’s people will be traveling, in some cases long distances, to keep the Feast of Tabernacles. Some will drive hundreds of miles while others will fly. Let us all pray for one another that we will all be protected on the outward and return journeys and also during the Feast. This is another area where we can be of service to the brethren and put our trust in the One Who will, and does, protect us.

This is a message of the most extreme importance. Be ready to flee today …but continue to live your life like Christ will not return for many years. In other words, hurry up and wait!

Since Christ came nearly 2000 years ago, many have been expecting His return in their lifetime. How long have we been awaiting the arrival of Christ or more specifically, certain events leading up to His Second Coming? The answers will no doubt range from a very short time to many decades. But no matter how long it has been, are we maintaining a sense of urgency?

Now, the problem with the title and opening sentence of the Editorial is that we are so inundated with emails, snail mail, and ads in general that are saying the exact same thing, that the tendency for us is to tune it out. When we read the Bible, hear sermons, read Editorials, peruse Current Events and Q&As, are we inclined to do the same? God forbid!

Now here is a little test: Did any of us just skim over the last emphatic statement at the end of the preceding paragraph or did we take it to heart? Only you can answer the question and only you can be the one to decide to heed the warnings of the Bible for our time and be compelled to press forward.  No matter how many times we have heard this before, NOW is the time to really do it… and so is tomorrow.

Brethren, “let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

My wife and I had a saying when one of us had to go away on a training or business trip, or to visit our daughter in North Carolina, while the other spouse had to stay home and take care of things. That saying was, “Keep the home fires going.” It was understood to remind us in a loving way to take care of the house; to do the laundry and dishes; to make sure the children were fed and taken care of; to water the plants; to make the beds and generally, to have the house and yard in the same condition as it was when the spouse had left.

We did not consider this to be an unreasonable request, and we usually followed through on it, so that the departing spouse would not be overwhelmed with excess work upon his or her return.

Christ gave His disciples a similar admonition when He stated in Matthew 24: 45-46: “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.” To give them food in due season includes doing our part in publishing the gospel to the world, as prophesied in Matthew 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

Notice, it says the gospel WILL be preached, not that it might perhaps be preached.  The question we need to ask ourselves is, are we engaged in this process? Are we furthering this Work by faithfully tithing? Are we praying for the success of this Work and are we doing our part, however small it may seem to us? We should not despise the day of small things and always bear in mind that the effective prayer of the righteous person avails much. James 5:16 confirms this: “… The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

Now is not the time to let down. We must not allow our environment to slow our progress in the responsibilities we have towards God in regard to our calling and efforts to get this much needed gospel out to a sick and dying world. We have to be zealous in the job we have been given to do, since that is what is expected of us. Remember, we are blessed if, at His return, the Lord finds us faithfully doing the Work. So let’s ensure that we are keeping those home fires going.

How adept are you in answering those outside the Church regarding all manner of queries including, for example, abortion, being “born again,” going to heaven, why does God allow the evil that continues to torment the world, or what makes you think you are part of the true Church of God? You call yourself a Christian; how do you define a true Christian?  From these examples you can readily perceive the type of questions that might be asked.  Could you, for example, quote or paraphrase the Scripture that defines a true Christian or that condemns homosexuality, and what about challenging the Trinity concept, and the notion that the Ten Commandments are no longer in force.

If our explanation is in accord with God’s Word, then disbelief or disapproval of the questioner does not make the truth any less true. 1 Peter 3:15 tells us “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander” (New International Version). It is a matter of defending our faith—the faith that Jesus Christ gives us. It is also a matter of defending the Truth. If we are weak in this area, it may reflect negatively on the Church. It may even discomfort us and put off the other person if we find ourselves groping for a proper answer.

In order to be able to reply to questions we may be asked, and because some of us are occasionally plagued with a “forgettery,” we need to review what we have learned over the years, and then to review it again from time to time so as to improve our memory—and we certainly should ask God to help us in that regard. We need to give thought to areas similar to those mentioned above, keeping in mind that sometimes we are likely not to have a Bible handy to help us in our reply and in which case we will need God’s inspiration.

Our answer will need to be catered in such a way that it does not offend the questioners, realizing also that, perhaps, they are being called, and yet they may lack the Spirit of understanding on a particular matter.

Being aware that we are living in an atmosphere where most people are rich, as it were, with this world’s knowledge and poor in biblical knowledge, our answers need to be catered accordingly. And toward that end, and at that moment, we should pray a silent prayer for inspiration so that we are able to answer tactfully and correctly, not based on personal philosophy which dominates religious discussion in the world outside.

We need to be aware, also, of those who tease us with insincere or inappropriate questions…. “trying it on,” as it were, in which case Solomon tells us to answer according to that person’s folly (compare Proverb 26:4-5).

If, however, they are sincere, we might offer them access to a booklet or an internet reference on the subject, or put them in touch with a Minister. And we should also offer up a prayer for that person when we sense a genuine interest.

One of the most satisfying experiences we can have is to discover that the person who asked us a question was eventually called into God’s fold and who then responded to that calling.  Therefore, always be ready to answer those who ask, for how do you know if, perhaps, God was using you in that calling?

Religion projects itself as being mankind’s ultimate answer to all that is wrong, by presenting what is right. The trouble with this is, whom to believe! Virtually every humanly organized belief system says that it is the only true religion. Especially the “gatekeepers,” who exercise the influential dominance as leaders over their believers, try and sell the idea that they—alone—know God’s Will!

Amidst such dizzying confusion, can we still find out what is right and separate it from what is wrong?

First of all, just because you believe something is not a guarantee that you are right. You need corroborating evidence—a source beyond mere personal opinion. As a Christian, we are, by definition, followers, imitators, disciples, and believers of Jesus Christ.

Paul pointedly instructed Christians to, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1); Peter reminded Christians to closely look to the model of Jesus: “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for [you], leaving [you] an example, that you should follow His steps” (1 Peter 2:21); and Jesus Himself gave this overarching principle for His followers: “‘For I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you’” (John 13:15).

We know about Jesus Christ and the Christian religion by the record of the Word of God. When those of Berea heard the preaching of Paul and Silas, “…they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).

In that first generation of the Church of God the impact on that age was so great that those who stood in opposition accused Christians of turning the world upside down (compare Acts 17:6)! However, even in that time, deception overtook many believers and toward the end of Paul’s life, he stated,  “…all those in Asia have turned away from me, among whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes” (2 Timothy 1:15).

The apostle John had to confront those who were rejecting the truth of Christianity for the sake of personal status: “I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to have the pre-eminence among them, does not receive us” (3 John, verse 9).

As it was in that long ago time, so, today, the challenge to avoid deception and clearly discern between what is right and what is wrong remains paramount! Only by seeking the source of God’s Truth—His written Word—will we also be able to prove those who serve God and those who don’t (compare Malachi 3:16-18).

Along with the truly faithful, names of infamy are written in the Bible—people who rebelled, who lied and deceived and who through selfish greed made merchandise of the people of God.

Will other names from our own generation find mention in future annals that document the history of Christianity in this time? As for how they might appear, the question remains–right or wrong?