Risk of Nuclear Attack Still Growing

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/

Risk of Nuclear Attack Still Growing
The United States and Russia have agreed to reduce their deployed strategic nuclear warheads by nearly a third. Efforts are underway to rein in the spread of nuclear materials, but the threat of nuclear weapons is still growing.
by Rod Hall
With the recent signing of the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) the two nuclear giants continue to reduce the world's stockpile of nuclear warheads deployed on hair-trigger alert. The new 10-year agreement calls for each nation to reduce deployed warheads from the current ceiling of 2,200 to 1,550 within seven years after ratification by Russia's legislature (Duma) and the U.S. Senate. It replaces the 1991 START I agreement. Delivery vehicles such as missiles, bombers and submarines are to be cut from 1,600 to 800. The treaty does not appear to cut the stored stockpiles not deployed that are more than three times larger.

Reducing stockpiles
According to the Federation of American Scientists over the past 25 years the world's stockpiles of nuclear warheads have been reduced from a cold war high of over 65,000 in 1986 to 22,300 ("Status of World Nuclear Forces," www.fas.org, April 6, 2010). Nuclear expert Michael Krepon, former adviser to the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, writes in The Washington Post of both decreasing and increasing threats. "While the threat of short- and medium-range missile attacks on our allies and forward-deployed troops is growing, the danger of transoceanic missile attacks on U.S. soil has decreased markedly...Overall, the long-range missile threat to the United States has decreased by two-thirds over the past two decades...Still, there are far too many missiles in U.S. and Russian arsenals on hair-trigger alert." ("5 Myths About All Those Nukes Out There," March 1, 2009).

Analyzing current threats
The threat of nuclear annihilation is still very much with us. In their book Global Catastrophic Risk, Nick Bostrom and Milan Cirkovic analyze the risks and picture the devastation nuclear weapons can bring. "In an all-out war involving most of the weapons in the current US and Russian arsenals, 35-77 percent of the US population (105-230 million people) and 20-40 percent of the Russian population (28-56 million people) would be killed. Delayed and indirect effects—such as economic collapse and a possible nuclear winter—could make the final death toll far greater" (2008, p. 21).

What are the chances your life will be cut short due to nuclear war? "At least 10 percent..." says Stanford University Professor Martin Hellman. The odds are "thousands of times greater than the risk you would bear if a nuclear power plant were built right next to your home" ("Chance of Nuclear War Is Greater Than You Think: Stanford Engineer Makes Risk Analysis," www.physorg.com , July 20, 2009).

Efforts to rein in nuclear materials
Recognizing the growing danger, U.S. President Barak Obama called for a world free of nuclear weapons in a speech in Prague last year. He also stated "the threat of global nuclear war has gone down, but the risk of nuclear attack has gone up" (The Washington Post, April 11, 2010).

The United States hosted a 47-nation Nuclear Security Summit, the largest such gathering in the United States since 1945. It was convened to stop terrorists from getting nuclear material. It called for the safeguarding of all "vulnerable nuclear material" within four years and steps to stamp out nuclear smuggling.

The United Nations also sponsored the five-year review of the 42-year-old Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the world's bedrock agreement designed to limit the spread of nuclear weapons.

Most of the world community (187 countries) has signed the NPT agreement. It recognizes the first five nuclear powers (the United States, Russia, China, France and Britain) and commits them to work toward nuclear disarmament. It allows all other countries, in compliance with treaty obligations, to pursue civilian nuclear power but not nuclear weapons.

The UN's month-long May NPT conference pushed a highly ambitious plan that "reaffirms the unequivocal undertaking of the nuclear-weapon states to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals" (Associated Press, "At UN, Deadline Aired for Abolishing Nuke Weapons," May 14, 2010).

But none of the five nuclear powers recognized under the treaty have ever endorsed a specific timetable for this to be accomplished. And Israel, India, Pakistan and North Korea are not signatories of the NPT and would be unaffected by any final plan.

Is it too late to rein in nuclear proliferation? The more nations that get the bomb, the harder it will be to prevent further proliferation. As technology and know-how become more widespread, technical barriers are lowered. And once neighboring nations start down the nuclear path, surrounding nations may feel obligated to join them.

The recently issued U.S. "Nuclear Posture Review" includes significant changes hoped to encourage NPT compliance. It pledges that if attacked with biological or chemical weapons by a state in compliance with NPT, the United States will not use or threaten to use nuclear weapons.

The United States also pledges to not develop new nuclear warheads or replace any aging nuclear components, emphasizing refurbishing instead. Exceptions must be authorized by the president.

But critics worry that the changes may encourage use of other weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) and weaken deterrents offered by the nuclear umbrella that has kept America and its allies secure for the past half-century.

Nuclear terrorism
President Obama identifies nuclear terrorism as "the most immediate and extreme threat to global security." His deputy national security adviser, Ben Rhodes, explained: "We know that terrorist groups, including al-Qaida, are pursuing the materials to build a nuclear weapon and we know that they have the intent to use one" ("US: al-Qaida Exemplifies New-Age Nuclear Threat," Associated Press, April 9, 2010).

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described in stark terms the impact that even a small bomb would have. "A 10-kiloton nuclear bomb detonated in Times Square in New York City would kill a million people.

"Many more would suffer from the hemorrhaging and weakness that comes from radiation sickness," she added. "Beyond the human cost, a nuclear terrorist attack would also touch off a tsunami of social and economic consequences across our country" (ibid.).

Her illustration uses a bomb about half the size of the one dropped by the United States on Nagasaki at the end of World War II. Terrorists are likely to use a similar bomb. They could also use less-developed radioactive materials in a variety of ways.

Terrorists could attack a nuclear reactor, steal nuclear fuel or waste; acquire fissile material and build a crude nuclear bomb (improvised nuclear device), disperse radioactive material with conventional explosives (dirty bomb), fabricate a nuclear bomb, trick a nuclear state into launching a nuclear weapon or acquire a ready-made nuclear weapon, small enough to fit inside a suitcase.

In spite of these growing concerns, a commission created by the U.S. Congress recently issued a "report card" on America's preparedness and gave it an "F" in some areas.

The report concludes the "U.S. government is not taking the necessary steps to protect the country from the threats posed by WMD and terrorism… There is direct evidence that terrorists are trying to acquire weapons of mass destruction...and the opportunity to acquire and use such weapons is growing exponentially because of the global proliferation of nuclear material and biological technologies" (World at Risk, www.preventwmd.gov, 2008).

The report warns unless nations act "decisively and urgently," it is more likely than not a WMD will be used in a terrorist attack by the end of 2013.

Growing nuclear stockpiles
In addition to nuclear materials used in bombs, there is a growing nuclear stockpile scattered about the globe in nuclear reactors, research facilities and military installations that may be vulnerable to attack or theft. This makes securing nuclear material more urgent and more difficult.

For example, according to the European Nuclear Society, 30 countries have 437 nuclear power plants, and 15 countries have 55 plants under construction ("Nuclear Power Plants, World-wide," April 2010). Another 40 countries, some in unstable regions, have also recently expressed interest in acquiring nuclear power.

And the amount of nuclear material needed for a devastating bomb is relatively small. The Washington Post reports, "Just 55 pounds of highly enriched uranium—about the size of a grapefruit—is needed to make a small nuclear device. There are an estimated 3.5 million pounds of the material in 40 countries and 1.1 million pounds of plutonium."

There is enough "'weapons-usable nuclear material' in the world to build more than 120,000 nuclear bombs" ("Obama Leads Summit Effort to Secure Nuclear Materials," April 11, 2010). The nuclear threat is also growing in specific regions like India, Pakistan, North Korea, Iran and Israel.

India and Pakistan
The escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan for more than a decade has spawned a nuclear rivalry. Pakistan is building two additional plutonium production reactors. At least one Pakistani scientist has confessed to smuggling nuclear weapons technology to other nations.

India has a superior conventional force, and there is growing concern that if pressed by an overwhelming conventional attack, Pakistan might use its nuclear weapons. According to the Federation of American Scientists both countries are estimated to have 60 to 90 nuclear weapons, and they continue to develop more (ibid.). Neither country has signed the NPT agreement.

North Korea
North Korea withdrew from the NPT in 2003 and has since successfully tested two nuclear weapons.

Times Online reports that North Korea is a "fully fledged nuclear power," an opinion shared by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). North Korea is capable of striking cities in neighboring countries and has threatened the United States and its allies ("North Korea Is Fully Fledged Nuclear Power, Experts Agree," April 24, 2009).

And North Korea is believed to have sold nuclear and missile technology to Iran, Pakistan and other nations.

Iran and Israel
The IAEA recently concluded that Iran is actively pursuing a nuclear weapons capability in defiance of IAEA and Western powers. The United States is leading a diplomatic push for a fourth round of UN sanctions against Iran. But past sanctions have not deterred Iranian efforts.

Iran was known to have five primary nuclear facilities until last September when a sixth facility was uncovered. It was being constructed secretly in defiance of the UN and IAEA inside a mountain near Qum. Iran has since announced plans to build 10 more.

Iran continues its efforts to enrich uranium to higher levels. The Iranians recently achieved the 20 percent level needed to produce nuclear fuel rods for research reactors.

According to the Long War Journal, Iran's stockpile of low enriched uranium (LEU) is "just over two tons, enough for two nuclear bombs if the uranium is enriched to 90%" ("Iran Actively Pursuing Nuclear Weapons Capability: IAEA," Feb. 19, 2010). Other experts indicate the additional enriching necessary to reach 90 percent is relatively small.

Many Arab countries worry about the unprecedented leverage a nuclear-armed Iran would have. With the dramatic altering of the balance of power in the Middle East, some may feel forced to respond with a program of their own.

Concern is nowhere more pointed than in Israel, which sees Iran's program as a direct threat to its existence. Israel has repeatedly threatened use of force if necessary to stop the Iranian efforts. Disrupting Iran's nuclear program will require more of a sustained campaign than the overnight air strike Israel launched on the Syrian nuclear site in September 2007. But even a successful campaign would likely only set the Iranian program back a few years.

If a strike occurs, the Iranians may retaliate either by striking Israel directly or through their proxies, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. And they may even order terror attacks on Western targets.

The Federation of American Scientists believes Israel is currently the only Middle Eastern country with a nuclear arsenal and calculates it has 80 weapons (ibid.).

"A nuclear exchange between Iran and Israel would be devastating," says Anthony Cordesman, former director of intelligence assessment for the U.S. secretary of defense. Israel "could conceivably survive a nuclear exchange while losing 200,000 to 800,000 citizens within 21 days, but Iran would face 16 to 28 million dead in the same time frame and no longer survive as an organized society" (United Press International, Nov. 22, 2007).

Prophecy and WMDs
Despite the global reduction of nuclear warheads, a growing dangerous nuclear threat explodes around the globe. We cannot know for sure when nuclear devices may be used. But they have been used in the past, and the figurative language of Bible prophecy in Revelation 9:13-19 appears to indicate a future global conflagration with staggering casualties (one third of the world's population) made possible only by today's arsenals of WMDs.

Jesus Christ personally warned that a time of trouble like no other is destined to push our world to the edge of human extinction (Matthew 24:22). Have you thought about what Christ said in Luke 21:36 and considered exploring its implications?

In a world seemingly out of control, it is time to understand why you are alive in the first place and what God has planned for you and the whole world. Learn about end-time events and God's plan to intervene to save us from self-destruction in Are We Living in the Time of the End?

Explore what the Bible says about your personal future in our booklets What Is Your Destiny? and Transforming Your Life: The Process of Conversion. WNP

Will You Celebrate Jesus Christ's Return?

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/

Will You Celebrate Jesus Christ's Return?
A commentary by Peter Eddington
UCG Media and Communications Services operation manager

A very significant month on the calendar lies just ahead of us. Thousands of Christians around the world are preparing to observe a very important biblical Holy Day in just a couple of weeks. Maybe you've heard of it? It's called the Day, or Feast, of Trumpets.

A prophetic picture
Jesus Christ observed this festival, as did the New Testament Church of God. It pictures the time of Jesus' return to this earth to establish His Father's Kingdom here. His return will be announced by a heavenly trumpet blast, and it will occur on the seventh of seven blasts—the seventh trump. We read about this event, as prophesied by Jesus Himself, in Matthew chapter 24:

"Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other" (Matthew 24:30-31, emphasis added).

We are approaching the observance of this great event on Sept. 9, the Feast of Trumpets. It makes us stop and consider the time when the actual prophesied fulfillment of the Day of Trumpets will occur—when our Lord descends from heaven to the Mount of Olives and establishes the Kingdom of God on earth, beginning at Jerusalem.

The second coming of Jesus Christ
Throughout history there has been much controversy, doubt and misinformation about the return of Jesus Christ. Many thought He would already have returned—some doubt that He will return at all! Many people today scoff at the idea of Jesus ruling from Jerusalem in the not too distant future.

However, the Bible is clear on this. His return will be as unmistakable and as universally visible as a flash of lightning (Matthew 24:27). It will be sudden and quite unexpected to the world (Matthew 24:37-39). It demands constant readiness on our part (Matthew 24:42-44), since none of us knows the exact time of His coming (Matthew 24:36). But we do know the end will come after the gospel of the Kingdom is preached to the world (Matthew 24:14)!

As Jesus commanded us, let us continue to pray, "Your kingdom come" (Matthew 6:10). As thousands of Christians around the world observe the Feast of Trumpets, keep in mind the great significance of what it pictures in God's Holy Day plan for mankind—the return of our Savior. If you're unfamiliar with this important day, you can read all about it in our booklet God's Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind. Perhaps you will feel compelled to observe it, too, as you pray for God's Kingdom to come.

Confusion About the Kingdom of God

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/

Confusion About the Kingdom of God
Eerdman's New Bible Dictionary, in discussing the Kingdom of God, traces views and interpretations of the concept of the Kingdom through history. The early Roman Catholic Church developed the belief that the Kingdom had already come in the form of the church. Its leaders were seen as leaders of the Kingdom; where the church spread its power and authority was viewed as synonymous with the boundaries of the Kingdom (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1962, p. 696).

"In their resistance to the Roman Catholic hierarchy, the Reformers laid chief emphasis on the spiritual and invisible significance of the kingdom and readily (and wrongly) invoked Luke xvii. 20f. in support of this." Protestant churches continued this drift in a reaction to abuses of power and developed an emphasis upon social and community programs. "The coming of the kingdom consists in the forward march of social righteousness and communal development" (ibid.).

The article concludes with the summation that returns to the duality of salvation and a kingdom. "In contrast to these spiritualizing, moralistic, and evolutionary interpretations of the kingdom, New Testament scholarship is rightly laying stress again on the original significance of the kingdom in Jesus' preaching-a significance bound up in the history of salvation and eschatology [study of events surrounding Christ's return]" (ibid.).

Zondervan's Pictorial Bible Encyclopedia concludes that neither the idea of a Kingdom of God without a Savior nor the idea of a Savior without a Kingdom of God "can stand on its own" and "each can be defended only at the cost of explaining away, often by dubious methods, the evidence for the other" (Vol. III, p. 804)

There is a kingdom yet to come from God. When Jesus instructed believers to pray for the Kingdom to come (Matthew 6:10), "the verb ...preclud[es] the notion of gradual progress and development, and impl[ies] a sudden catastrophe ..." (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words, Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, 1985, p. 345).

Zondervan's Bible Encyclopedia concludes its article on the Kingdom: "Although the Kingdom was truly present in the ministry of Jesus, He also spoke of it as a future entity and told His disciples to pray for its coming (Matthew 6:10; cf. Luke 11:12) ... By this manner of speaking, Jesus was referring to the age to come (Mark 10:30; cf. Luke 18:30) which was associated with the coming of the Son of man, the resurrection of the dead and the setting up of the eternal realm of bliss ..." (Vol. III, p. 806, emphasis added). GN

-- Cecil Maranville

Who Determines Right From Wrong?

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/

Who Determines Right From Wrong?
It's ironic that while some Christians vehemently defend the posting of the Ten Commandments, many other Christians believe that these laws have no application to modern Christianity.
by Gary Petty
American society is in the midst of a morality battle. A focal point of this struggle is the posting of the Ten Commandments in public schools and on any government property. Underneath the surface, there is a much more important issue in the Christian community than the post-ing of the Ten Commandments. The question really being asked is, "Are the Ten Commandments even relevant today?"

A survey done a few years ago involving people ages 15 to 35 revealed that most people could name no more than two of the Ten Commandments.

An Atlantic Monthly article reporting on the survey's respondents said that many "weren't too happy about some of the others when they were told about them. They also had clear ideas about how the commandments might be revised for modern times. Support was weak for keeping the Sabbath holy and honoring one's father and mother, but 'Thou shalt not drink and drive' and 'Thou shalt care for the environment' would have appeared on any new list of commandments put together by this group."

The group, by the way, was also asked to pick who they thought should be in charge of drawing up a new list of commandments. The number one choice? Oprah Winfrey.

A new set of commandments?
Over the last few decades there have been various movements to create a new Ten Commandments.

Author Orion Moshe Kopelman, in his book The Second Ten Commandments, claims that the Ten Commandments have outlived their usefulness. He promotes commandments like "Maximize your time spent in flow and happiness" and "Act true to your inner voice and fulfill your mission."

John Leo, in U.S. News and World Report, speculates that if we begin to change the Ten Commandments to fit into modern ways of thinking then they might appear as:

"Thou shalt not steal, but creative work on your tax return is okay.

"Thou shalt not kill, except during any of the [pregnancy] trimesters or if the Pentagon says you must.

"Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods, except in the sense that our whole economic system depends on the power of envy and wanting more.

"Thou shalt not commit adultery, except if thou art unhappy or if personal fulfillment points thee toward the new secretary in thine office.

"Honor thy mother or mothers, including thy birth, adoptive, - step-, surrogate or same-sex-partner mothers, and honor thy father, thy mother's sperm donor or her casual inseminator, current whereabouts unknown."

Anti-Commandments movements
A number of forces are driving our society toward seeing the Ten Commandments as outmoded and even oppressive. One is the New Age movement.

Shirley MacLaine, a queen of New Age philosophy, promotes two modernized commandments in her book Dancing in the Light: "Know that you are God" and "Know that you are the universe."

Jesus Christ participated in the typical first-century Jewish debates over Old Testament law, which included the Ten Commandments. When asked to state the most important law, Jesus simply reiterated two laws from the Old Testament: Love God with all your heart, soul and mind and love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:36-39, quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18).

There are profound differences between the belief that there is a Supreme Being with knowledge of right and wrong, possessing the right to enforce His reality on His creation, and the belief that each person is a god or goddess with only his or her own thoughts and feelings to determine right from wrong.

A second type of resistance to the Ten Commandments arises from the ever-increasing secularizing of America. This movement is based on a belief that personal liberty—expressed as "Nobody can tell me how to live my life"—is the most cherished freedom.

Of course, the problem with commandments that restrict cheating on your income tax, committing adultery with your neighbor or lying to get ahead is that that they also restrict personal freedom to do whatever feels good at the moment.

A third force is found in Christianity itself. Since the early days of Catholicism, and in the relatively shorter lifetime of Protestantism, there has been a struggle in defining the relationship of God's grace to God's law. Some churches openly argue against the keeping of the Ten Commandments, saying they are unnecessary for Christians. Some major denominations have actually changed some of the Commandments. Others give lip service to them but only obey the ones they like, if even that.

Are the Ten Commandments relevant?
It is this last theological struggle that must be settled before either the New Age movement or secularism can be confronted by our nation's religious institutions. This confusion leaves most professing Christians so bewildered that they base their religious convictions on vague concepts of morality devoid of any real guidelines for conduct.

If the Ten Commandments, given by God, are valid guidelines for Christian conduct, then much of Christianity itself stands indicted by those same Ten Commandments. If Christians accept the validity of the Ten Commandments, then they must face some hard questions about their own religion.

Why have millions of people been killed in wars fought in the name of Jesus Christ? Why do Christians cheat each other, dishonor their parents or pray to statues and images in their worship of God even though this is plainly forbidden by the second of the Ten Commandments?

Let's return to John Leo of U.S. News and World Report, who writes: "It's possible to put together a modern, pro-impulse set of commandments based on advertising slogans—'Just do it,' 'Just be,' 'Sometimes you gotta break the rules,' 'Peel off inhibitions,' 'Find your own road.'

"The National Parenting Center asked children to suggest additional commandments. Among their ideas: 'No bombing for the heck of it,' 'Thou shalt not address people by their color' and 'No grabbing.'"

Are the Ten Commandments relevant today or can we trivialize them to the same level as "Use a good day planner to maximize your time"? Are they simply the "Ten Suggestions" the Creator wanted to pass on to His children? Are they laws that only applied to an ancient people and that have little application to modern life? If they are applicable today, what is the price we pay both individually and collectively for breaking them?

A better relationship with your Creator. A deeper relationship with Jesus Christ. A better life for individuals and society. These are why the Ten Commandments should be a more important part of your life! GN



Related Resources
The Ten Commandments
Many religious people embrace the idea of loving others as themselves but remain blissfully unaware of how the Bible defines love. As a result, they do not understand the necessity of putting into practice the biblical principles that determine the success or failure of their relationships.

The Danger of Distraction

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/

The Danger of Distraction
by Scott Ashley, Managing editor
Some 26 centuries ago an angelic messenger revealed to the prophet Daniel what would be a defining characteristic of our age. At "the time of the end," he said, "many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase" (Daniel 12:4, emphasis added throughout).

In Daniel's day, who in his wildest dreams could've foreseen the huge changes in transportation and information technology that have so powerfully reshaped our world?

Consider what we've seen in just a century's time.

A few years ago my grandmother passed away. What changes she witnessed! Born in the days of the horse and buggy, she lived to see the invention of automobiles, airplanes, jet aircraft, television, computers, skyscrapers and men walking on the moon. In a single airline flight she traveled more miles than her parents had in a lifetime.

When it comes to information, many of us have access to thousands of news sources all over the world via the Internet, not to mention entire electronic libraries at our disposal. In addition, we're deluged with information that pours down on us constantly from our TVs, radios, phones, computer monitors, laptops, books, newspapers and magazines.

Yet in spite of all the information inundating society, most lack the knowledge that's most important.

Have you ever considered how many great men of God spent considerable time alone in the wilderness? Moses spent 40 years as a shepherd tending flocks in the desert. David grew up in the outdoors as a shepherd boy; his many psalms reflect that formative part of his life. Elijah fled to the desert to escape the wrath of the murderous Jezebel.

Jesus Christ regularly went away into the wilderness to avoid the crowds and commune with His Father, just as He had done at the beginning of His ministry. The apostle Paul similarly went into the desert for three years to spiritually prepare himself for the work God had called him to do.

With all these men, something about the calm and quiet of the wilderness purged their minds of life's distractions. In their solitude God could fill them with purpose and passion. In the calm of quietness came conviction.

Is there a lesson here for us? In many ways today's information explosion is a great benefit. At our fingertips we have access to vast amounts and kinds of information previous generations could have scarcely imagined. But while this incessant flow of information is helpful in many ways, it can be quite destructive when it distracts us from what is really important.

With all of this information, so many are sadly lacking in the knowledge that's most crucial. God warned more than 2,700 years ago that people can be and are "destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6). The all-important knowledge people lack is that of how to live, why we are here and where we are going.

That's why The Good News is so important. We're here to provide and point you to that knowledge you won't find elsewhere. We're here to help focus your mind on the timeless, eternal truths God reveals in His Word—the true words that make life make sense.

Don't let yourself be continually distracted by the trivial, insignificant things that will consume your time and leave you frustrated and empty. Focus on what's really crucial—the all-important good news of God's Word! GN

Spend, Cut or Change Our Thinking?

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/

Spend, Cut or Change Our Thinking?
A commentary by Peter Hawkins
United Church of God pastor, British Isles
Posted August 19, 2010

The U.S. government is pumping a lot of borrowed money into the U.S. economy with the hope that it can be kick-started before it cools off. In the United Kingdom, on the other hand, the new coalition government under David Cameron has decided to take the "bull by the horns." The Economist reports that the budget cuts and work towards decentralization are "a great gamble."

"Throughout the rich world, government has simply got too big and Mr Cameron's crew currently have the most promising approach to trimming it" ("Radical Britain," The Economist, Aug. 14-20, 2010, p. 9).

Expecting our grandchildren to pay?
The article contrasts the American and British approaches to the debt crisis, explaining that "despite the Tea Partiers' zeal, the Republicans seem as clueless as Mr Obama in producing a credible medium-term plan to balance America's budget." And here is the critical part: "But pretty soon, as in Europe, somebody will have to come up with one―and Britain, for better or worse, is likely to be the place they will come to for ideas."

There is no doubt the world is still in an unstable economic state. We should not dismiss current attempts made by sincere leaders to keep the global economy afloat. But past overspending, easy credit and now spending ourselves out of a stalling economy means that we expect our grandchildren to pay for our excesses. That is not ethical.

We have to realize that the thinking that led us to this precipice has to change.

Prime Minister Cameron's actions to reduce the involvement of the state, to put more responsibility into the hands of the local community, will help to cut budget deficits. It remains to be seen whether the right values will be sufficiently practiced at the community level to make it work.

Imagine applying ancient Israel's laws today
Real change would come from understanding our need for God's revealed way of life. If the civil laws of the nation of ancient Israel were enforced as the laws of our lands today—and many U.S. and British laws do hearken back to those statutes and judgments—our society would be remarkably different.

The economic laws, for example, ensured that high interest rates were illegal within the country (usury). Family land was to be returned to its original owners every 50 years (the Jubilee year), which would create a different frame of mind in the sale of land.

A flat 10 percent (tithe) of productive increase was collected to make education possible by providing the needs of the teachers (Levites).

Many financial principles in the book of Proverbs and other sections of the Bible teach careful and sensible stewardship. God promises: "Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth" (Deuteronomy 28:1).

But our people and our leaders have turned away from the laws of God. We have permitted activities that are "politically correct," but are sinful in God's eyes. Please download or request our booklet The Ten Commandments.

Prophetic end-time economy
We may continue to try our own way of fixing problems, economic and otherwise, but the time will come when we run out of workable ideas. The Bible speaks of a time when, for the sake of stability, nations within Europe will surrender their sovereignty to a powerful leader. Personal liberty will depend on submission to laws that the prophesied end-time leader will enforce—including restrictions that will exclude those who obey the laws of the Bible (Revelation 13:16-17).

This prophesied vibrant economy may sound like a positive development to many. The loss of liberty will be the price that our people will pay for the world's new order. This is explained in our booklet The Book of Revelation Unveiled, which shows a sequence of global events that will soon develop, and are even now shaping up behind the scenes.

Our responsibility is to provide the news of a different kind of government. The message Jesus Christ brought from His Father to mankind tells of a society motivated by a realignment of values. We will be preparing for our children and grandchildren's future rather than spending it.

Moses described the benefits of living God's way: "Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, 'Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people'" (Deuteronomy 4:5-6).

Find out more about the message Jesus brought about a new society. It is based on the eternal laws of God, flowing from God's desire to share eternity with us. Read this hope-filled good news in The Gospel of the Kingdom.

Is Homosexuality Acceptable to God?

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/

Is Homosexuality Acceptable to God?
The acceptance of homosexuality as an equally valid lifestyle is rapidly growing in Western culture. Yet God tells us that sex was designed for only one relationship—within marriage, exclusively between a man and a woman. Because homosexual activity, premarital sex and adultery are all outside of marriage, all are violations of God's instructions. These things are all sins, and those who commit these sins must repent of them.

The Bible condemns homosexual practices in several places such as Genesis 19:1-25, Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13, and Judges 19:1-25. These scriptures refer to homosexual acts as something that should not be done and as evil in the eyes of God.

In the New Testament, Romans 1:24-27, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and 1 Timothy 1:9-10 refer to homosexuality in the same way. The passage in Romans includes a specific prohibition of both male and female homosexual involvement. The Bible nowhere makes positive or approving statements about homosexuality. The only two options affirmed for adult Christians are heterosexual marriage or abstinence.

The vast majority of academic and biblical scholars agree that the Bible prohibits homosexual activities. Nearly all of today's translations of the Bible are also in agreement that God prohibits homosexual practice.

Contesting God's instructions, some homosexuals argue that God made them the way they are and that He therefore must approve of homosexuality. Such reasoning is inherently flawed for several reasons.

First, God made all of us with free moral agency; we choose what we will think, believe and do. We are not robots incapable of making our own choices or governing our own behavior. Second, one's environment has been proven to have a great impact on a person's developing sexuality. Moreover, studies of identical twins where one twin is homosexual and the other isn't prove that homosexuality isn't governed by genetic makeup. These factors show that homosexuals are made, not born.

Third, regardless of any conditions that may predispose a person to homosexuality, we are all expected to make moral decisions regardless of our circumstances. When we determine to follow God's instructions, we must live up to all His standards. God doesn't permit us to rewrite His rules simply because we are naturally inclined to premarital sex, adultery, homosexuality or any other sin.

And speaking of the way we human beings are made, the Bible reveals that we all (regardless of our sexual orientation) have a predisposition to sin. We have minds that from childhood are set against God and His ways (Jeremiah 17:9). As a result, we all sin (Romans 3:23). The challenge for each of us in responding to God is to repent of our sins—to change our lives, with His help, in conforming to His standards (Romans 12:1-2). When we commit our lives to God, we can change our lives.

It's encouraging to understand that there is clear biblical evidence that God can change the life of a person involved in homosexual behavior. In 1 Corinthians 6, the apostle Paul is addressing men and women in the church at Corinth. He lists many forms of behavior—including homosexual acts—that will keep a person from being in God's Kingdom (verses 9-10). Then Paul makes this statement: "And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God" (verse 11, New International Version).

Paul apparently knew former homosexuals in the church at Corinth. So the message that homosexuality can be changed is not new. Homosexuals have been experiencing change since the Bible was written. God's Word takes the approach of hating the sin but loving the sinner (compare John 3:16).

What is the responsibility of one who wants to be a Christian but struggles with a deeply ingrained attraction to members of his or her own sex? The Scriptures say that person is obligated to control his sexual desires in the same way that heterosexual single adults must exercise self-control. In other words, he or she must refrain from giving in to his or her lusts.

The Bible instructs us to repent and come out of sin. Homosexual practices, like any other sin, need to be repented of and overcome. A practicing homosexual would do so by acknowledging that homosexuality is wrong and by ceasing to live a homosexual lifestyle or place himself in a situation where he or she might be tempted to engage in such behavior.

Recognizing that sin begins in the mind (James 1:13-15), a person struggling with this or other sexual sins must strive to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5, NIV). Such an individual can be a true Christian even though he or she may be engaged in a lifelong struggle to resist returning to homosexual practices.

It is also important to understand the difference between homosexual orientation and homosexual lust and behavior. The orientation is not a sin but the lust and behavior is. While there are many people in our society today who reject God's instruction on this subject, there are many others with homosexual orientations who are coming out of this lifestyle to live in accordance with God's instruction.

As resources for those wishing to overcome homosexuality and obey God, we recommend reading Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality by Dr. Joseph Nicolosi and Breaking Free Journal (breakingfree.ucg.org), a publication dedicated to helping Christians struggling with homosexuality, addictions and other dysfunctional behaviors.

A book entitled Love Won Out by John and Anne Paulk can also be encouraging. It is the true story of how, with God's help, two people were able to leave homosexuality and find each other. For those seeking help in leaving the homosexual lifestyle, several organizations can be contacted:

Exodus International
P.O. Box 540119
Orlando, FL 32854
(407) 599-6872
www.exodus-international.org

Desert Stream
P.O. Box 17635
Anaheim Hills, CA 92817
(714) 779-6899
www.desertstream.org

His Heart Ministries
12162 E. Mississippi
P.O. Box 12321
Aurora, CO 80011
(303) 369-2961

The Middle East: Ground Zero of Bible Prophecy

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/

The Middle East: Ground Zero of Bible Prophecy
Only a century ago the Middle East was a relatively peaceful and tranquil area. Today it's the most volatile region of the world, with the possibility of war breaking out at any minute. You need to understand why this change happened, where Bible prophecy indicates things are headed and what it means for you!
by Melvin Rhodes
Only a century ago the Middle East was a relatively peaceful and tranquil area. Today it's the most volatile region of the world, with the possibility of war breaking out at any minute. You need to understand why this change happened, where Bible prophecy indicates things are headed and what it means for you!

It's hard to believe, but a century ago the Middle East was, as historian and Middle East specialist David Fromkin described it in his best seller A Peace to End All Peace, "a relatively tranquil domain in which history, like everything else, moved slowly" (1989,p. 25).

At that time, few in the West "knew or cared what went on in the languid empires of the Ottoman Sultan or the Persian Shah...The passions that now drive troops and terrorists to kill and be killed—and that compel global attention—had not yet been aroused" (ibid.).

A look at the map helps you understand why. "The political landscape of the Middle East looked different from that of today. Israel, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia did not exist then" (ibid.). All these lands were ruled as a part of the Ottoman (or Turkish) Empire. Jerusalem itself had been a part of the empire since 1517.

But everything was about to change.

Turning point for the Middle East
The turning point was World War I. The events that followed the assassination of the Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand spiraled into the greatest conflict mankind had ever known. The British, French and Russians were allied against the Central European powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary. The Ottoman Empire soon allied itself with the latter—and suffered their fate. All three empires collapsed in the aftermath of war.

For centuries the Ottomans had dominated the entire Middle East and North Africa. The empire had been in decline throughout the 19th century and had already seen vast areas of its territory become independent. But a far greater splintering was to come with the Paris peace conference of 1919-20.

It was this peace conference that created the modern Middle East—and led to virtually all the conflicts in the region over the last nine decades. Ultimately, it will lead to the final conflagration that precedes the return of the Messiah.

After World War I, often referred to as "the war to end all wars," the Paris peace conference was aptly referred to by Field Marshal Archibald Wavell, a British officer who served in Palestine, as "a peace to end peace." That's exactly what it achieved—transforming a languid and relatively tranquil domain into the most dangerous neighborhood in the world. The Middle East remains, by far, the greatest threat to world peace.

What is remarkable is that the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and its dismemberment was destined more than 24 centuries before it took place. It had to happen for specific Bible prophecies to be fulfilled, for Scripture shows that prior to Christ's second coming, an independent Jewish nation would exist once again in the Holy Land—one that would be a source of great consternation and contention to other nations.

No Jewish nation for 2,000 years
More than 2,500 years ago the Jewish prophet Daniel lived in Babylon, a powerful empire that had conquered the Jewish nation early in the sixth century B.C. The captivity of the Jews was to last 70 years. Daniel lived through the entire period of Babylonian rule and survived to see Babylon itself conquered by the empire of Persia in 539 B.C.

God revealed a great deal to Daniel. These revelations contained the prophetic plan for the gentile (non-Israelite) nations that would dominate the Middle East and also His prophetic plan for the Jewish people. The book of Daniel was even written in two languages—Aramaic, the language of Babylon's rulers (for the prophecies relating to the gentiles), and Hebrew, the language of the Jews.

The prophecies revealed that after the Babylonian Empire would come the Persian Empire, to be followed in turn by the Greco-Macedonian Empire more than two centuries later, which would in turn eventually be succeeded by the Roman Empire.

In Daniel 11 we find an amazingly accurate and detailed prophecy of the fate that was to befall the Jewish people in the aftermath of the death of Alexander the Great. His vast empire, acquired during a short life span, was divided up between four of his generals. Bible prophecy focuses on two of them and their successors.

Ptolemy took control of what is now Egypt, while Seleucus took possession of everything north and east of what is today Israel. These two monarchs and their descendants are referred to throughout the chapter as the "king of the South" and the "king of the North" respectively. A great deal of attention is given to them as their continuing conflict constantly affected the Jewish people who were literally caught in the middle.

The prophecy's details have a clear, step-by-step correspondence in history until verse 32, which was fulfilled in the middle of the second century B.C. In verse 40 we see references once again to the king of the South and the king of the North "at the time of the end."

Why such a long gap of some 2,000 years? It's easier to follow when we understand Jewish history. The second part of verse 32 through verse 39 contains a prophecy about the exploits of the early Church set against the backdrop of the Roman Empire. But then there's nothing until "the time of the end."

That's because there was no Jewish nation from A.D. 135 until 1948! This prophecy is about the Jews and how they were to be affected by their two powerful neighbors, the kings of the South and the North, geographic locations in relation to Jerusalem, the Jewish capital.

But in the end time, once again the Jewish people are to be affected by these two powers, one to the south of Jerusalem and one to the north. However, these are not the descendants of Ptolemy and Seleucus. Much changed in that 2,000-year gap. The Ptolemaic dynasty died out with the last Ptolemy, Cleopatra VII, who was replaced by a long period of Roman rule. The Seleucid kingdom had been swallowed up by Rome even earlier.

Prophecies of Jews and Jerusalem at the end time
Other prophecies also clearly show that a revived Jewish nation would exist at the time of the end.

The Old Testament prophet Zechariah prophesied of the time when Jesus Christ returns to earth, an event still clearly in the future. Notice his words:

"Behold, the day of the Lord is coming ... For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem ... Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as He fights in the day of battle. And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east" (Zechariah 14:1-4). Again, this is a prophecy that has not yet been fulfilled.

In chapter 12 Zechariah makes more specific references to Judah and Jerusalem: "Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem" (verse 2, emphasis added throughout).

Note the reference here to both Judah and Jerusalem. In Bible history and prophecy, Judah is usually the name applied to the people commonly known as the Jews. They get their name from—and are descended from—Judah, one of the 12 sons of the biblical patriarch Jacob.

The Jewish nation today calls itself Israel, but it does not comprise all the nations of Israel.

The Bible records that after the death of King Solomon, 10 of the 12 tribes of Israel rebelled against Solomon's successor and formed a separate nation, the kingdom of Israel. Two tribes, Judah and the much smaller tribe of Benjamin, remained loyal to the heirs of King David and formed the kingdom of Judah. Their descendants include the peoples who populate Israel today.

Interestingly, the first reference to "Jews" in the Bible (2 Kings 16:5-6, King James Version) describes Israel and the Jews being at war with each other!

Both kingdoms eventually fell, and their people were taken away into captivity. Israel was invaded and destroyed by the Assyrian Empire in the eighth century B.C. Its people were exiled and eventually lost to history, becoming known as "the lost 10 tribes" of Israel. (To learn more, read our free booklet The United States and Britain in Bible Prophecy.)

The kingdom of Judah fell to the Babylonians in the sixth century B.C., and although some of the Jewish people returned over the next century and a half to reestablish themselves in the Holy Land, most were scattered throughout the Middle East and, ultimately, much of the Western world. Of course, this return to the Holy Land had to take place for the prophecies specifying the time and location of the birth of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, to be fulfilled.

Jesus also pointed to Jerusalem as the very center of Bible prophecy at the time of the end. "But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near," He said in Luke 21:20, part of His longest recorded prophecy.

For a long time this seemed unlikely to many because Jerusalem was mostly at peace for its four centuries under the Ottoman Empire prior to World War I. It lies within an area dismissed only a century ago as "a relatively tranquil domain." Yet it is now the most volatile region of the world, with Jerusalem itself a city of global contention just as Zechariah said it would be:

"And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it" (Zechariah 12:3).

Clearly, this will be a time of divine intervention in human affairs: "It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem" (verse 9).

New Testament prophetic focus is the Middle East
Other New Testament passages also show Jerusalem and the Middle East at the center of Bible prophecy. We have already seen the reference to Jerusalem in Luke 21:20.

Many people have heard of Armageddon, which has entered our language as shorthand for the final colossal battle at Christ's return. Revelation 16:16 says, "And they gathered them together to the place called in Hebrew, Armageddon." This name is the Greek form of the Hebrew words har Megiddo, meaning "hill of Megiddo." Megiddo was a strategically crucial fortress city in northern Israel in ancient times.

But a closer reading of this passage shows that Megiddo is only the gathering place for great armies. Megiddo lies at the western end of a large plain, known as the Valley of Esdraelon (or of Jezreel), that stretches 20 miles eastward. It will likely serve as a staging area, with the actual battle, as Zechariah 14 shows, taking place 55 miles to the south outside Jerusalem.

When Jesus told His disciples to watch Jerusalem, He also said that "Jerusalem will be trampled by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled" (Luke 21:24). Revelation 11:2 shows that the gentiles "will tread the holy city underfoot for forty-two months," the last 42 months of human misrule on the earth. Obviously something major must happen to end the current Israeli control over the city and turn it over to non-Jews.

During this period of time, the same chapter foretells that God's two witnesses will prophesy to the world from the city of Jerusalem (verses 3-10). Verse 9 shows that when they are killed, "those from the peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations will see their dead bodies three-and-a-half-days, and not allow their dead bodies to be put into graves." The world will be aware of their message, a final prophetic announcement about the imminent return of the Messiah and the establishment of the Kingdom of God and of the need to repent.

The purpose and point of prophecy
The primary purpose of prophecy is to encourage people to repent—to warn them of the consequences of continuing to disobey and defy their Creator and to urge them to turn to Him.

This was a vital part of Jesus' mission: "Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel'" (Mark 1:14-15). The gospel is the good news of the coming Kingdom of God and how we may be a part of it.

Each year, most of the world focuses on an event that took place in the Middle East more than 2,000 years ago, celebrating but missing the point—the all-important deeper meaning. The event was the birth of Jesus Christ, the Messiah promised to mankind. While celebrating His birth (on the wrong day and in the wrong way), they ignore the message He brought and the incredible role He is destined to play.

Isaiah 9:6 opens with two famous prophetic clauses: "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given . . ." What's described here was, of course, fulfilled two millennia ago with the birth of Jesus. But notice the words that follow:

"And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over His kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this" (verses 6-7).

You don't have to look any farther than the Middle East to see why the Messiah must return. The most volatile area of the world will not know peace until Jesus Christ reveals Himself and puts an end to false religious teaching.

The plague of false religion
The disciples asked Christ: "Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?" (Matthew 24:3). In answer, the first thing He warned about was false religion. "Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many" (verses 4-5, King James Version).

In Revelation, a book about end-time events, we see in chapter 6 a vision of four horsemen representing major trends that will devastate humanity.

It begins with a rider on a white horse who goes out "conquering and to conquer" (verse 2), which corresponds in sequence to Jesus' warning about religious deception—and the correspondence continues through the other horsemen. False religion leads to war, which in turn leads to famine, followed by pestilence or disease epidemics (verses 1-8; compare Matthew 24:1-8).

False religion will not end until Jesus Christ returns and forcibly sets the record straight about the counterfeit ideologies and faiths that have deceived the human race for centuries. Behind these false religions and philosophies is an evil spirit being who is known as Satan or the devil, of whom the Bible says "the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one" (1 John 5:19).

Three major faiths have a common origin in the Middle East, all sharing an interest in the Holy Land, especially Jerusalem, which is at the heart of Bible prophecy. Judaism, Christianity and Islam all claim a common ancestor in Abraham. Yet there are significant differences between all three, which have led to centuries of conflict and unending bloodshed.

The sad reality is that all three world religions are wrong! None follow in the true faith of Abraham. True Christianity, the Christianity that Jesus preached and which the early disciples and apostles believed and followed, does—but it has only a small number of followers today.

Without knowing it, most professing Christians practice a false form of Christianity, a blend of pagan beliefs mingled with some biblical teachings. As Revelation 12:9 says, Satan "deceives the whole world"—not just a corner of it here and there, but all of it.

The apostle Paul adds that "Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light." He has his own false apostles and false ministers who in reality are "deceitful workers," likely unaware that they are, in fact, helping spread Satan's lies, fraudulent counterfeits of God's true religion (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

These false religious systems have left a legacy of fear and hatred in the Middle East that will not easily go away.

Ancient family rivalry
Abraham is deeply revered in all three faiths. It was in the time of Abraham that the primary cause of the greatest conflict took place, when Abraham fathered Ishmael by his wife's handmaid, Hagar. Later, his wife conceived and bore Isaac. Ishmael's descendants include a large part of the Arab peoples, while Isaac through his son Jacob is the ancestor of the Israelites. The sibling rivalry of these two boys has continued down through the centuries in their descendants, exacerbated by religious differences.

A prophecy regarding Ishmael foretold: "He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility towards all his brothers" (Genesis 16:12, New International Version). This has certainly been fulfilled (and continues to be on a daily basis) in Ishmael's offspring.

A longer form of an old Egyptian Arab proverb states: "I against my brother. My brother and I against our cousin. My brother, my cousin and I against the neighbors. All of us against the stranger." The last clause is sometimes given as "my cousin and I against the world."

Events headed just where God said
It's amazing how much the Middle East has changed in the last century, since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire following World War I. But the pages of your Bible show that this was all prophesied thousands of years ago. Clearly we can see God's hand in these developments (Daniel 2:21).

Prophecy continually points us to our Creator and reminds us that ultimately everything is in His hands. It makes us realize God's constant presence in the affairs of this world. It also reminds us that events are on track for the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of His Kingdom, which will be ruled from Jerusalem.

Seeing God's hand at work in history and as events play out before our eyes, we should need no further reminder of the need for our own personal relationship with Him through repentance, faith and submission to His divine will as revealed in His Word! GN



Related Resource
The Middle East in Bible Prophecy
You need to understand what is prophesied to happen in the Middle East. Whether you realize it or not, or understand it or not, events there are destined to affect the lives of every person on earth. In this free booklet, you will learn the story of the past, present and future of this crucial region that was laid out thousands of years ago in the Bible.

The Biblical Origins of the Arab Peoples
Why is there so much unrest in the Middle East? Why is there constant strife between the Israelis and Palestinians? The answers to these questions didn't begin with the formation of the state of Israel in 1948. The history of these conflicts goes back 4,000 years and is recorded in a place many people would never think to look-the Bible!

The OM_! Phenomenon

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/

The OM_! Phenomenon
A commentary by Debbie Pennington
I was struck by a recent commercial. The scenarios weren't surprising.

Geared toward teen girls, it advertised a deodorant that could withstand typical teen stresses of extra homework (scream!), demanding teachers (scream!) and teen friendships and relationships (scream!). The product's tag line was: "For every OM_ moment." (Yes, we took the "G" out to try to help those of us who don't want that phrase going through our heads.)

Standard slang

That abbreviated phrase comes from instant messaging and texting. Yahoo advertises an "OM_!" Web page detailing celebrity fashion dos and don'ts. But the words are neither new nor obscure.

Television sitcoms and movies have included the phrase for decades, and it's frequently used at school, on campus, at work or around town. Perhaps you've even said it a time or two.

Rest assured, everyday stresses are certainly not to be belittled. Teenage years in particular are challenging for many reasons. But if you use the phrase casually in your regular conversation or the abbreviated version when you text, you might be surprised what the Bible says.

Back to basics

Most people are familiar with the Ten Commandments, though perhaps a bit rusty with the third one: "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain" (Exodus 20:7, emphasis added throughout).

God stated "in vain" twice. The general definition: to render something empty, void, meaningless or to misuse.

Have you ever heard a word so many times that it sounds strange? A word or phrase loses meaning when repeated too often. This is the caution of the Third Commandment.

Weighty words

Note the last half of the commandment: "For the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain." Jesus tells us we are in fact held responsible for every idle word we speak (Matthew 12:36-37). Idly misusing God's name is also included.

What it implies

If we casually repeat God's name without meaning, or "in vain," our attitude is irreverent—that is, disrespectful to God. It's sincerely doubtful that most people use "OM_!" to genuinely declare over and over that the true God is their God.

Simply put, using the phrase to express any mundane event or casual emotion sends a clear message of disregard or contempt. Likewise, abusing Jesus' name sends the same message, and calling a common or vile thing "holy" is also extremely disrespectful.

The abundant heart

So is the phrase ever appropriate? Actually, variations of it are abundant in the Psalms (see Psalm 22:1-2 for an example).

King David poured out all his emotions in his prayers to God, running the gamut from complete frustration and anger to absolute ecstasy and joy. But despite frequent use of the phrase and its variants, David didn't abuse His Creator's name. Why? Because his heart was in the right place.

David's approach was always one of complete respect toward God, not once flippant or casual. He looked to God for solutions, unburdened his concerns and expressed his praise with a sincere attitude. We can learn much from his heart and example.

When the moments do come that cause you to react with surprise, shock, humor or pain, avoid the disrespectful slang. To learn more, check out "The Third Commandment: From Profanity to Praise." VT




About the Author
An Ambassador Bible Center 2000 graduate and an alumna of The Ohio State University and Indiana University, Debbie Pennington and her husband, Guye, attend the United Church of God in Bloomington/Normal, Illinois.


Comments or Questions
If you have any comments about this article or vertical-thinking questions we can help you answer please send them to info@verticalthought.org .

The Decline and Fall of Nations: A Prophetic Perspective

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/

The Decline and Fall of Nations: A Prophetic Perspective
Ancient Babylon fell in one night after having been "weighed in the balance and found wanting." Can modern empires fall just as quickly? History and the Bible provide an answer!
by Darris McNeely
Harvard historian Niall Ferguson, writing in the March-April 2010 issue of Foreign Affairs magazine, presents an analysis of how empires can quickly collapse into chaos. Rather than a slow decline over centuries, Ferguson shows that many large nations of the past were gone in a few short years. While seemingly strong and viable, they faded virtually overnight.

Conventional wisdom assumes that the economic challenges to America's global dominance are long-term threats. It is pointed out, for instance, that demographics alone will over time increase the debt to unmanageable proportions.

Ferguson himself cites long-term predictions of China overtaking America in economic size and output by 2027 or 2040, but then he asks: "What if history is not cyclical and slow moving but arrhythmic—at times almost stationary, but also capable of accelerating suddenly, like a sports car? What if collapse does not arrive over a number of centuries but comes suddenly, like a thief in the night?" ("Complexity and Collapse," p. 22).

Sudden shifts like a thief in the night
A thief in the night? Sounds biblical! The New Testament tells us: "But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. For when they say, 'Peace and safety!' then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape" (1 Thessalonians 5:1-3, emphasis added throughout).

What the Bible says about end-time events culminating in the Day of the Lord applies to the sudden collapse of powerful nations and empires throughout history.

Ferguson looks at the collapse of the Soviet Union over a short period of five years, from the time Mikhail Gorbachev became general secretary of the Soviet Communist Party. Although the CIA overestimated the size of the Soviet economy, the Soviets did have nuclear superiority over the United States. It looked as if the Soviet Union would be around to challenge America for many years to come.

"Yet less than five years after Gorbachev took power, the Soviet imperium in central and Eastern Europe had fallen apart, followed by the Soviet Union itself in 1991. If ever an empire fell off a cliff—rather than gently declining—it was the one founded by Lenin" (p. 30).

Ferguson's thesis is that empires are large, complex systems that can be turned upside down in short order by the insertion of even one event that is more than the system can handle. Lack of confidence in a nation's future, even while it is strong, can be such an event. When other nations lose confidence in the sustainability of an economic model, events can be set in motion to quickly change the balance of power.

Other smaller, seemingly insignificant events can trigger a chain reaction leading to massive upheaval. The assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in June 1914 was the fuse that lit the powder keg of World War I. No one saw it at the time, but events quickly raced out of control, and a worldwide conflict ensued.

An example from the recent economic crisis
We have the recent example of how the complex world economy went from boom to bust when a lot of Americans began defaulting on what are commonly called "subprime loans." Because thousands of large financial institutions were set up to depend on the performance of those loans, they suddenly found themselves insolvent or quite near the brink. The reverberation brought down large Wall Street financial houses and had repercussions across Europe and Asia.

The world financial system approached meltdown one week in September 2008. The global economy is still recovering. It is an object lesson in how quickly events, even relatively small ones, can turn the world upside down.

Ferguson concludes by observing that "empires behave like all complex adaptive systems. They function in apparent equilibrium for some unknowable period. And then, quite abruptly, they collapse . . . It is sudden" (p. 32).

What Ferguson and other historians typically leave out of the discussion is what can be called the missing dimension in world affairs. That missing dimension is the hand of God in the rise and fall of nations and empires.

The Bible is a chronicle of ancient nations that rose and fell according to God's plan and purpose. Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece and Rome—all are mentioned in the narrative. All played key roles in interacting with the nation of Israel and the Church founded by Jesus Christ. Even today, the lessons of empires embedded in the Bible apply as we watch the modern world move toward what Christ said would be the end of the age of human governments.

The lesson of ancient Babylon
The prophetic book of Daniel lists Babylon as the first in a line of empires that would impact the world from the time of the fall of Jerusalem in Daniel's day to the end of the present age of human misrule. Daniel found himself at the seat of the empire dealing with a succession of rulers beginning with Nebuchadnezzar. While explaining the significance of the king's dream to him, the prophet told him that God "removes kings and raises up kings" (Daniel 2:21).

Here is a crucial first principle to understand about world affairs. God determines the course of nations. He can set up or remove a leader when He wills. That doesn't mean He is involved in every small nation's affairs when these don't impact the course of His plan. But clearly He is involved in seeing to it that all the prophecies He has given about various nations and the world at large are fulfilled. Many of these prophecies are warnings of judgment.

Babylon found itself facing God's prophetic warning on the night when a subsequent ruler, Belshazzar, "made a great feast" (Daniel 5:1). This event occurred as the Persian armies massed outside the city gates. During the banquet the disembodied fingers of a man's hand appeared and wrote on the wall of the king's palace (verse 5). King Belshazzar was troubled at the sight and asked for anyone who could interpret what the writing said. Word came that Daniel was the only one who could possibly interpret the handwriting, so he was brought into the banquet room.

Daniel related some of what the former ruler Nebuchadnezzar had learned through his experience with God, including the fact that "the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses" (Daniel 5:21).

Daniel's interpretation of the handwriting highlights another fundamental dimension in world affairs. The message on the wall was, "God has numbered your kingdom, and finished it...You have been...found wanting...Your kingdom has been divided, and given to the Medes and Persians" (Daniel 5:26-27).

It is God who judges the time an empire is allowed to persist and when its time is over. A key is when the nation and its people are "found wanting"—not measuring up. In other terms, this is speaking of sin, breaking God's laws and not acknowledging Him.

The Babylonians worshipped false gods who neither saw nor heard nor knew anything. They did not acknowledge the "God who holds your breath in His hand and owns all your ways" (verse 23). Their problem was the same as virtually all other great nations that rose and fell throughout history: They did not worship the true God. They practiced what the Bible calls idolatry, worshipping as God that which is not God. The problem remains with us today.

That very night the Persians captured Babylon and Belshazzar was killed. As a power, Babylon ended—absorbed into the Persian kingdom. The transition was over suddenly, like a thief in the night.

A modern-day "Babylon" to rise and fall
In the Bible, the name "Babylon" refers to more than just that ancient city. It is also used to describe a religious and political system that traces its roots back to pagan Babylon. When we go to the book of Revelation, we see a modern version of this ancient system dominating the world scene. Revelation 17 shows a woman sitting on a scarlet beast with this name on her forehead: "Mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth" (verse 5).

This system controls the world for a brief but significant time prior to the coming of Jesus Christ. The world will be lulled into a sense of peace and security by this system that will come together in the guise of safety and security.

While this system will impact the entire world, there are signs it will be weak in its foundation. Its size alone will make it a complex system. Many nations, ethnicities, cultures and languages will be in play. It will be an unstable mixture that, after a brief supremacy, will quickly unravel.

Revelation 17:16 shows that the economic and military power aligned with this end-time Babylon, prophetically called the "beast," will turn on this system symbolized by a fallen woman. Revelation 18:8 tells us: "Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine...'For in one hour your judgment has come'" (Revelation 18:8-10).

Once again, judgment comes quickly—unexpectedly. Whether it is days or months is unclear, but it will likely not be much longer, given the time frame of prophecy in this period. Like ancient Babylon falling in one night, we see that sudden change can come on a nation even as life appears to be normal.

Christ's warning not to be caught unaware
Jesus Christ said people would be going about a normal life and would be caught unaware by the momentous changes occurring: "But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth" (Luke 21:34-35).

Once again, we see the warning that events will occur suddenly, like a thief in the night. What Niall Ferguson observed in his article about the decline and fall of nations is supported by both history and biblical prophecy. But there is a difference. Ferguson and most modern historians focus on demographics and economic factors. As already pointed out, they typically leave out the spiritual dimension of God's intervention.

To ignore and deny the hand of God in history is to miss the real meaning of history and current world events. And to deny God is what lies at the heart of any decline and fall.

The problem of idolatry
Nebuchadnezzar had to learn this lesson the hard way. He looked at the kingdom he ruled and thought it was all established and built through his wisdom and cunning. Like any despot in history, he was pretty high on himself; and when he surveyed the splendor of Babylon in a pride-filled boast, he came face to face with reality.

Scripture says He went mad for seven years. His mental state made him a prisoner in his body, with no ability to act or think rationally. And then, just as suddenly, he returned to normal and resumed his position in the kingdom. He learned a lesson—that God's control of leaders and nations is the critical factor in world affairs. The last few verses of Daniel 4, where this part of the story is told, form a final word on the reign of Nebuchadnezzar.

The words of the prophets, including Jesus Christ, teach us the critical lesson we need for understanding why nations can suddenly collapse when the normal signs say otherwise. When a people fail to acknowledge God and lapse into idolatry, putting themselves first, they set out on a road to collapse.

That collapse may take several generations, but it is inevitable apart from national repentance. The fall can take a few decades or only a few years. But when God's time is ready, what He has foretold will happen.

This is why the present state of affairs in America and its role in the world is so critical. Since the end of World War II, America has been the defender of what has been called the "free world." Its nuclear shield protected Europe during the Cold War, allowing European economies to rebuild. The U.S. Navy has kept the sea lanes of the world open to commerce. Its armies have fought terrorism, responded to genocide and been a deterrent to rogue nations like North Korea and Iran.

America's rising debt will one day—perhaps very soon—cause it to retreat from the historic role it has played as a global protector. When that day arrives, it will signal a change, perhaps a collapse, in America's role as a superpower. What follows will likely be quick and sudden, "like a thief in the night."

When the day comes that America and the English-speaking peoples relinquish their historic and biblically predicted role in the modern world, the world will become a vastly different place—with much darker days to follow. GN



Related Resource
Are We Living in the Time of the End?
Religious people aren't the only ones asking this crucial question. Many recognize that we live in an increasingly dangerous world.

Are You Protected by the Ultimate Security System?

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/


Are You Protected by the Ultimate Security System?
We live in a dangerous world. Threats to our safety and security are growing. Is there a way to insure that you and your family are always protected?
by John LaBissoniere
Dateline: Dec. 18, 2009, WDTN TV Channel 2, Dayton, Ohio: "The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office arrested two men after a Jefferson Township woman called 911 as she hid in her bedroom from two men who were breaking in the back door.

"'They're outside, but I can hear them banging,' she told the dispatcher. 'Are they trying to break in?' he asked. 'Evidently, but I'm hiding in my bedroom ... Hurry, please hurry,' she said. The woman stayed on the line as officers rushed to the home. When they arrived, police said they found two men inside the home.

"'You never know what a person's intention is; they might have just walked away, or they may have hurt her, you just never know,' said Captain David Hale, Montgomery County Sheriff's Office."

Dateline: Dec. 10, 2009, The Buffalo News, Buffalo, New York: "Niagara Regional Police are looking for four men who pulled off a home invasion robbery on Riverdale Drive Wednesday morning. Police said the four robbed residents of the home about 10:10 a.m., barging inside after ringing the doorbell.

"Two residents were found bound by the hands and feet when officers responded to a home intrusion alarm.An undetermined amount of cash was stolen and police said they believe the robbery was 'not a random act.'"

Dateline: Dec. 15, 2009,The Sydney Morning Herald, Engadine, New South Wales, Australia: "A 21-year-old man had a shotgun pointed at his head in a violent home invasion in Sydney's south last night, police say. The man heard three men trying to enter his home at Dunstan Place, Engadine about 11:40 p.m., police said.

"He went out to confront them and had a small shotgun pointed at his head. He was marched back into his house, where the gunman demanded money, police said. The man and two other housemates, aged 24 and 26, were forced to the ground before he was allegedly hit on the head with a blunt object. Police said the alleged robbers fled with some household items when they were unable to get any money from the residents."

A growing threat
These reports are actual news stories describing recent home invasions. A home invasion is the crime of entering an occupied private residence with the aim of carrying out a crime, whether assault, robbery, rape or murder. It's a legally defined offense in the United States, Australia, New Zealand and other countries.

Over the past decade, law enforcement officials have observed a marked increase in the number of home invasions. This may be due to many banks, convenience stores and fast-food restaurants, all traditionally targeted by criminals, installing advanced security and surveillance devices. As a result, criminals are now targeting less secure residential neighborhoods.

What can occur during a home invasion? Chris McGoey, a professional security consultant, discusses this subject on his Web site:

"The most common point of attack is through the front door or garage. Sometimes the home invader will simply kick open the door and confront everyone inside. More common is when the home invaders knock on the door first or ring the bell. The home invader hopes that the occupant will simply open the door, without question, in response to their knock. Unfortunately, many people do just that.

"Home invaders will sometimes use a ruse or impersonation to get you to open the door. They have been known to pretend to be delivering a package, flowers or lie about an accident like hitting your parked car. Once the door is opened for them, the home invaders will use an explosive amount of force and threats to gain control of the home and produce fear in the victims . . .

"Some home robbers have been known to spend hours ransacking a residence while the homeowners are bound nearby watching in terror . . . A major fear is that the robbers might commit more violence like sexual assault or even murder . . .

"If you can delay a home invader at the point of entry then you have a chance of deterring them or have time to call the police . . . The weakest home security link is the home occupant who fails to lock doors or windows or who will open the door without question at the sound of a knock" (crimedoctor.com/homeinvasion.htm).

Are you at risk?
Obviously the thought of a home invasion or any crime is alarming. Could you and your family members be at risk? Becoming a crime victim is certainly a possibility. In the United States, for example, the Federal Bureau of Investigation estimated that more than 9.7 million property crimes took place in 2008, the most recent year for which complete statistics are available, resulting in $17.2 billion in losses. The FBI also estimated that nearly 1.4 million violent crimes occurred that year, including murder, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault.

What can you do to make your home less susceptible to a home invasion? Security professionals encourage good safety habits and also advise installing solid core wood or metal outside doors with high-quality locks and deadbolt mechanisms. Many experts also recommend using window alarms, motion-sensitive outdoor lighting, video surveillance cameras, interior motion detectors and a two-way, voice-activated security monitoring system.

However, while these devices can help reduce your chance of a home invasion, they cannot guarantee that you won't become a crime victim. No matter where you live, you are at risk in a dangerous world. So what can you do?

It comes down to a simple question: Are you protected by the ultimate security system? This system insures that no matter what trouble comes your way, you will be safe and sound. It is summarized in this statement by King David of ancient Israel: "The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (Psalm 118:6).

A failed security system
While humanly designed security systems have their place and we should do what we can to shield ourselves from harm, complete protection can only come from God. Regrettably, most people have rejected this critical security arrangement. Too often they have placed trust exclusively in humanly-devised safeguards, which can and do fail.

For example, consider the infamous Maginot Line. This massive security project, designed chiefly as a strong barrier against any future German invasion, was constructed by France on its eastern border during the 1930s. Named in honor of André Maginot, a World War I hero and French minister of war during the 1920s, its intricate network of forts and bunkers was intended to provide sufficient time for French armed forces to mobilize in the event of an attack.

Built between 1929 and 1938, the Maginot Line became a vast, state-of-the-art defense complex stretching more than 400 miles along the German and Italian borders. Most of the system's fortresses, which included miles of interconnected tunnels and railroads, were located underground.

The multiple thousands of soldiers who served throughout the intricate configuration were sealed behind reinforced concrete walls and heavy steel doors. There they trained, watched and waited for war. And war came on May 10, 1940.

As the key component of the German invasion strategy, Adolf Hitler's 19th Panzer Corps quickly sliced through the Ardennes region of the French-Belgium frontier and broke through near where the Maginot Line connected with Belgian fortifications. The French mistakenly believed the area's extensive forests and steep hills would pose a major impediment to the rapid movement of large motorized forces.

This failed strategy allowed Germany's main invasion forces to smash through to swiftly outflank and trap Allied forces that had advanced into Belgium and Holland. After expending enormous effort and resources on the Maginot Line, the security the French thought they possessed vanished nearly overnight. The German blitzkrieg overpowered and conquered the entire nation in just six weeks.

Absolute protection comes from one source
What lesson can we learn from this example? Even with a carefully calculated strategy designed to protect an entire nation, no security method is foolproof.

What if we applied this lesson to the most advanced electronic home security system? Here, too, we can find inherent vulnerabilities. A door or window could be inadvertently left open or unlocked, creating an opportunity for intrusion. And what about times away from home while driving, walking or shopping? A person's well-being could be compromised in these and other situations.

So is security even possible in this world? Where can we find the answer? A careful look into the Bible, the "instruction manual" for life, gives us the decisive answer. Throughout the Scriptures, we find that God offers His mighty protection to those who trust and obey Him. A number of passages confirm this important and comforting fact.

Israel's King David wrote of his profound confidence in God's pledge of security: "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.' Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence.

"He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day,nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you" (Psalm 91:1-7).

Beyond the physical
Just as a mother bird instinctively covers its fledglings during a threat, God carefully guards those who believe and obey Him. But does this mean that no evil will ever befall those who trust in God? No, it does not. Biblical passages confirm that God permits difficult trials to afflict His people.

David distinctly understood this reality: "For all day long I have been plagued, and chastened every morning" (Psalm 73:14). Yet although he suffered, David knew God stood by him and would deliver him: "Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory" (verses 23-24, emphasis added throughout).

David recognized that there was life beyond his physical existence. He knew that "glory"—eternal, spiritual life with God in His Kingdom—awaited him. The truth is, physical security and survival in the here and now is not an absolute biblical promise. It is not without exception.

In fact, Jesus Christ carefully explained to His disciples that they would face harsh persecution and some of them would suffer martyrdom (Matthew 5:11; 24:9; John 16:2). The prophets of past ages had suffered the same. And even Christ Himself, though perfectly righteous, was viciously abused and then brutally murdered at the hands of malicious evildoers (Matthew 23:29-37; Luke 23:33).

A future focus
The long history of God's true servants is one of distress at the hands of Satan's human instruments. The time just before Christ's second coming will be no different.

Although God supernaturally protects His people in numerous ways and will ultimately spare many from the terrible martyrdom that is coming, He will nevertheless allow others among them to be the focus of Satan's fierce rage at that time, even to the point of facing death (Revelation 12:9-17). Yet for most, that prospect will not overthrow their faith! Why? Because their focus will then be on their future spirit life with God in His Kingdom rather than on this fleeting physical existence (Hebrews 11:35-38).

Just like those who preceded them in martyrdom in previous ages, they too will be more attracted to the promise of an eternal reward than a desire to extend their physical lives a few more days, months or years. "And they overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death" (Revelation 12:11).

Though some of God's people will die physically in this coming martyrdom, they will in the end be utterly victorious (Matthew 10:28-39). They know that God's promise of perpetual security is absolutely guaranteed (1 Corinthians 15:53-54).

While God regularly provides physical security to those who trust and obey Him, the protection of our minds and hearts is His foremost motivation and objective. The apostle Paul wrote, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).

Physical safety is important, but our spiritual well-being ought to hold significantly more meaning and value to us. "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory" (Colossians 3:1-4).

Rescued from death
What then is the "ultimate security system"? It is our eternal salvation. Salvation simply means preservation, deliverance and rescue. And from what are we rescued? From the peril and threat of eternal death. Jesus Christ "has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel" (2 Timothy 1:10).

Through His suffering, death and resurrection, we have been given full access to never-ending life as spirit beings in God's coming Kingdom (John 6:51; Ephesians 2:22; Romans 6:23).

This salvation, which is our unending security, is only accessible through repentance from sin and our full acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on our behalf (Colossians 1:14). Once we have repented and been baptized, we must diligently labor at "bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5). We need to "fight the good fight of faith" in order to "lay hold on eternal life" (1 Timothy 6:12).

Our faith and obedience will be rewarded at the second coming of Jesus Christ: "And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work" (Revelation 22:12).

That is ultimate security! The question is, are you protected? GN


Related Resources
Transforming Your Life: The Process of Conversion
Examine the Bible's teaching on conversion. Contrary to what many think, it is not just a one-time event. Instead the Scriptures reveal that it is a process.The process begins with God's calling, followed by the key steps of repentance, baptism and the receiving of the Holy Spirit—finally climaxing with the return of Jesus Christ, when the dead in Christ are resurrected to immortality and given eternal life. That is the ultimate transformation, being changed from a mortal to an immortal being!

You Can Have Living Faith
Our world is experiencing a crisis of faith. Few people place much faith in the future. Many have no faith their marriages will survive, that political leaders will honorably serve their country or that education will prepare them adequately for the challenges ahead. Faced with the difficulties of everyday life, many people simply have no confidence that there will be a better tomorrow.