"Hold the Line; Close the Gaps"

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"Hold the Line; Close the Gaps"

article by Andy McClain





Satan relentlessly bombards us with his influence to commit sin. What can we do to proactively fight against his attacks?



In December 1944, near the end of World War II in the European theater, the German Army launched the Ardennes Offensive. Most in the Western world know this as the Battle of the Bulge. It was planned with great secrecy. Equipment and men were moved under the cover of darkness with minimized communication.



The goal of the German Army was to split the Allied forces in France by crossing the River Meuse and gain the seaport of Antwerp, Belgium, in just four days. In doing so, they would capture the Allied supply line, obtain much needed fuel and isolate the advancing divisions of Gen. Bernard Montgomery, coming through Belgium, and Gen. George Patton, advancing from northeastern France.



A key to the success of this German offensive was the small town of Bastogne. It was at the junction of several major roads leading to southeast Belgium. (This is summarized from Battle of the Bulge by Chester H. Philips and The Ardennes: Battle of the Bulge by Hugh Cole.)



Bastogne was being defended by the 101st Airborne. A vivid visual depiction of this battle is detailed in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers. The conditions were severe. They were dug into the forest in the middle of terrible winter weather. They had limited ammunition, little food and medical supplies, and lacked winter clothing. They were spread very thinly over the area they had been assigned to defend.



Before the intense fighting began, Gen. Anthony McAuliffe visited the frontline troops. After a brief discussion with the officers, all Gen. McAuliffe could say was, "Hold the line; close the gaps."



We are in a spiritual battle much like Bastogne. Conditions are tough. Our world is rapidly deteriorating both morally and spiritually. We are encircled and isolated. We are constantly under artillery fire from Satan. How can we win our spiritual battle? We must follow the same orders that Gen. McAuliffe gave the 101st Airborne: "Hold the line, close the gaps."



Hold the Line



What does this mean for us? Simply that we cannot give up or compromise in learning and living God's way. Paul told Timothy to "continue in the truths that you were taught and firmly believe" (2 Timothy 3:14But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;



See All..., Good News Translation). We must continue to grow in our understanding and application of God's truth each day. As Moses instructed Joshua, we need to "take careful heed...to love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and to serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul" (Joshua 22:5But take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.



See All..., emphasis added). "Hold fast" is translated from a Hebrew word that "is used of something sticking to or clinging to something else," according to the Complete Word Study Dictionary.



When the writer of Hebrews 10:23Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)



See All... says, "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering," we gain the greater understanding of what is meant by "hold fast." The root word for confession can also be translated as covenant. When God granted us repentance and we accepted Christ's sacrifice, we became betrothed to Jesus Christ, entering into a covenant relationship with Him. Remaining faithful to this covenant relationship requires us to keeps God's laws (1 John 5:2-3 [2] By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

[3] For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.





See All...). Our lives should reflect a pattern of faithfulness in keeping God's ways.



Daniel gives us an encouraging story about a life with a pattern of faithfulness. He was taken to Babylon as a young man. He served three different rulers during two empires. It would have been easy for him to become assimilated into the lifestyles around him. Yet Daniel "purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself" (Daniel 1:8But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.



See All...). This decision included concern for his spiritual condition, in addition to the physical dietary differences of Babylon.



God granted him tremendous grace and favor for many years. When he faced the trial of the lion's den, Daniel was an aged man ( New King James Study Bible, comment on Daniel 5:13Then was Daniel brought in before the king. And the king spake and said unto Daniel, Art thou that Daniel, which art of the children of the captivity of Judah, whom the king my father brought out of Jewry?



See All...). He could have reasoned that God would understand if he waited until the 30-day decree ended to pray. After all, he was an old man and had served God for many years. But he did not. He was faithful to what he understood despite adversity. So much so that King Nebuchadnezzar could say, "I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you" (Daniel 4:9O Belteshazzar, master of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret troubleth thee, tell me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and the interpretation thereof.



See All...).



What is the pattern in our lives? Daniel's faithfulness was reflected in a display of the fruits of the Spirit. Do we "hold the line" in keeping God's truth? We must take seriously Paul's warning to "listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it" (Hebrews 2:1Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.



See All..., New Living Translation).



Close the Gaps



The German artillery "not only surprised American commanders with its considerable volume but also its accuracy, indicating that the enemy had remarkably good target information of American installation" (www.militaryhistoryonline.com/wwii/articles/bastogne.aspx ). Satan's bombardment is also extremely accurate and relentless. He has very good intelligence on our weak points. Because of this, we must guard our minds against the penetration of sin.



Peter tells us to "gird up the loins of your mind" (1 Peter 1:13Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;



See All...). What exactly does that mean? The New King James Study Bible helps clarify this for us by saying, "Just as people in biblical times would gather up their long robes and tie them around their waists so that they could move quickly and freely, we need to do whatever it takes to focus our thoughts on those things that allow us to serve God successfully, all the while eliminating any thoughts that would trip us up." We must reject the wrong thoughts and ideas from our minds.



Closing the gaps in our mind against sin is called overcoming. We must continually work at controlling our thoughts to be more in line with God's. Proverbs 4:23-27 [23] Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

[24] Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee.

[25] Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee.

[26] Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established.

[27] Turn not to the right hand nor to the left: remove thy foot from evil.





See All... in the New Century Version says: "Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life. Don't use your mouth to tell lies; don't ever say things that are not true. Keep your eyes focused on what is right, and look straight ahead to what is good. Be careful what you do, and always do what is right. Don't turn off the road of goodness; keep away from evil paths."



Doing this takes strength from God. But we must "close the gap" against sin.



During the prophet Ezekiel's day, Israel was filled with corruption and immorality, much as it is today. On one occasion, God told him, "I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall" (Ezekiel 22:30And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.



See All..., NLT).



While this may not seem to apply to us today, consider what the Life Application Study Bible says: "The wall spoken of here is not made of stones but of faithful people united in their efforts to resist evil. When we give the appearance of loving God without living his way, we are covering up sins that could eventually damage us deeply... Repair your life by applying the principles of God's Word."



Those are powerful words we should apply. Sin can ruin our lives if not dealt with and overcome with God's help.



God shows us our gaps with great mercy and tenderness. In Matthew 19, Christ showed the rich, young ruler his gap—love of material wealth. Unfortunately, the rich, young ruler did not have the desire to "close the gap," and he left "sorrowful." When God shows us our gaps, do we desire to face and overcome them, or do we also go away sorrowful?



If we strive to overcome, we know with certainty that "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.



See All...). Christ promised, "To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life... He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death... shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life" (Revelation 2:7He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.



See All..., 11; 3:5). We must expend our energies now in overcoming so we can claim those promises.



The 101st Airborne received many credits and honors for their heroic efforts at Bastogne. We, too, look forward to a reward from God if we remain faithful. Paul encourages us to "fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life... I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus...that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ's appearing" (1 Timothy 6:12-14 [12] Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

[13] I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;

[14] That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our LORD Jesus Christ:





See All...).



Continue to "hold the line; close the gaps"! UN

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Peace Kant Be Found

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Peace Kant Be Found

article by Robert Berendt





Peace. Millions speak of it, thousands write of it, but only One can truly bring it.



About four years ago, I was able to visit the homeland of my grandparents—the part of the world once known as Prussia (now part of Poland). I visited the small village of Gros Arnsdorf (now Jarnoltowo) and to my great surprise, I noticed a plaque on the wall of its small school stating that Immanuel Kant had tutored there for four years in the mid-1700s. At this point in its history, the area has been torn apart by wars for hundreds of years. About 700 years before this, a leader named Mieszko, the head of the Polani tribe, united several Slavic tribes together into what became Poland. Since then, the country had become the political equivalent of a football—pressured from all sides, overrun and ruled by different individuals and groups. It was a land that rarely knew peace.



My father was a young man in the Polish forces that withstood the Red Army around 1920, and he migrated to Canada in 1925. My mother’s father foresaw more violence, and sent his family to Canada and Argentina around 1926. Poland is very fruitful and beautiful, with plenty of fresh water, rich agricultural land, forests and mineral wealth. The salt mines near Krakow brought great wealth and, subsequently, interest from outside to the south of Poland hundreds of years ago. All of this contributes to making Poland a desirable land. (As an aside, I cannot help but remark that we constantly ate in outdoor restaurants and went for walks through fields and undergrowth without one mosquito bite! That in itself was an added attraction for this lovely land.)



Immanuel Kant is one of the world’s most eminent philosophers, and I recognized his name from my university courses in philosophy. Kant was born in Königsberg, East Prussia and rarely went much further than 100 miles from his home city. He saw wars and knew the strong interference of Catherine the Great (of Russia) in Polish affairs. He longed for peace as most average people do. I was intrigued with a paper he wrote in 1795 entitled “Perpetual Peace,” in which he referred to “THE PRELIMINARY ARTICLES FOR PERPETUAL PEACE AMONG STATES.” His complete work can be found online.



God tells us that we humans do not know the way of peace (Romans 3:17And the way of peace have they not known:



See All...). That does not mean we do not seek peace or that many do not want peace—it means that although we seek peace, other factors prevent it from remaining constant. Immanuel Kant thought about perpetual, ongoing, never-ending peace. That is in God’s heart too, and He will bring that condition to pass. Paul called God the “God of peace” (Philippians 4:9). Intangible factors such as vanity, ego and pride contribute to the failure of human attempts at peace. Additionally, there is the influence of the great power of darkness that God, because of mankind’s decisions, has allowed to roam on this earth. Revelation speaks of a “horse that was red; and power was given unto him that sat on it to take peace from the earth” (Revelation 6:4And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.



See All...). But despite this formidable flock of enemies to peace, it is a great and noble task to seek after peace on earth. Those who recognize the need to make the earth a better place for future generations are starting out on the right foot as far as God is concerned. It is, after all, what He is working toward as well!



Immanuel Kant made some interesting statements in “Perpetual Peace.” He wrote, “No Treaty of Peace Shall Be Held Valid in Which There Is Tacitly Reserved Matter for a Future War.” In other words, any peace treaty that fails to resolve all issues between two or more groups will only result in a temporary suspension of hostility. That certainly is recognized as the underlying cause of the Second World War. And we need only to look at the manner in which the boundaries of nations were drawn in the Middle East or Africa to see the seeds of unrest and turmoil that have not stopped in those lands.



Another factor Kant saw as essential for perpetual peace was that “No Independent States, Large or Small, Shall Come under the Dominion of Another State by Inheritance, Exchange, Purchase, or Donation.” He saw the state as a society of men, and only they had the right to command or dispose of themselves. Foreign dictation of conditions for existence created conditions in which peace could not survive. It is quite startling to find these points carefully considered and written over 250 years ago when we consider the incredible wars that have taken place since then, as well as the ongoing tensions that exist today.



Several other points in Kant’s writing also express dreams that, if followed, would do much to promote perpetual peace. The world’s collective failure to adhere to these principles gives us insight into why peace has remained unattainable: we lack the necessary collective willpower and the strength of character needed to follow through. Kant continued to write that, in a world of perpetual peace, “Standing Armies…Shall in Time Be Totally Abolished,” “National Debts Shall Not Be Contracted with a View to the External Friction of States,” and “No State Shall by Force Interfere with the Constitution or Government of Another State.” Kant concluded the section with the requirement that “No State Shall, during War, Permit Such Acts of Hostility Which Would Make Mutual Confidence in the Subsequent Peace Impossible…”



There are human words of hope seen in Kant’s writings. The words and ideas were no doubt born out of the viewing of the hostilities extant in the region. In Section II of his paper, Kant admits, “The state of peace among men living side by side is not the natural state…the natural state is one of war.” Such a statement brings us face-to-face with reality—but it does not mean we need to accept the status quo quietly or without resistance. We ought to seek ways of peace. We need to learn to solve our differences with dignity and concern for all, beginning right within our own homes. Nations are becoming more and more fractured because we cannot find peace within marriage and our own homes—let alone within the boundaries of a nation or continent. Peace begins in the heart and flows out from there. It is a hope and a dream that needs to be nourished. Yet, as Kant did, we all must acknowledge that peace is not the natural state among people. Differences arise and change is constant, so we do not have the tools or the understanding prerequisite to designing a perpetual peace—but there is hope.



God does have the needed tools—and the understanding! That is the bright and hopeful lesson Jesus teaches us. Thousands of years before Immanuel Kant published his work, God inspired Isaiah to give us this hope. Isaiah 2:2-4 [2] And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

[3] And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

[4] And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.





See All... reveals God’s promise of perpetual peace. One law, one religion, justice for all nations, armies abolished and warfare no longer learned. Perhaps Kant read some of these lines in his musings and ponderings. Continued failure has taught us that peace must come from God—the God of Peace. His children will be like Him!



Further reading

For more on the subject of peace (like why we lack it and how to obtain it) read “‘Peace, Peace!’ When There Is No Peace,” as featured in our free periodical, World News and Prophecy.

Jesus Christ: Divine Savior or Gnostic Nobody!

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Jesus Christ: Divine Savior or Gnostic Nobody!






article by Ken Treybig





"Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God" (1 John 4:2-3 [2] Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

[3] And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.





See All...)



Who was Jesus of Nazareth? A figment of the imagination of a group of men from Galilee? A good man? A teacher or prophet of God? Or was He truly a divine being made flesh? The answer to that question is the most vital piece of information anyone can have, yet it has been debated and argued for 2,000 years!



In recent years there have been several-high profile media efforts attempting to discredit the divinity of Jesus of Nazareth. Leading the way was The Da Vinci Code as both a book and movie. This was followed up by the supposed lost Gospel of Judas and, early in 2007, another book titled The Jesus Family Tomb.



Do you know for certain that Jesus was God in the flesh, or is there a nagging question in your mind about whether some of these modern claims may have some basis in fact? Could it be that perhaps Jesus wasn't really who He claimed to be, that He was just an ordinary man? Your answer affects your eternity, so you'd better be sure!



The modern questioning of the identity of Jesus follows the pattern established by the gnostics of the late first century. Around A.D. 90, the apostle John wrote to Christians warning that "every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God" (1 John 4:2-3 [2] Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

[3] And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.





See All...).



The issue here was the divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ—whether He was really God made flesh. Concerning John's statement, The Expositor's Bible Commentary says, "The clause 'that Jesus Christ has come' reflects the author's clear view of the preexistence of the Son, who came from the Father and from the moment of his historical birth, was Jesus Christ in the flesh."



Secret knowledge



Many Bible commentaries, Expositor's included, connect the mistaken believe that Jesus wasn't really God in the flesh with the beliefs of gnosticism.



The term gnosticism is derived from the Greek word gnosis, meaning "knowledge." Gnostics believe they have secret knowledge about God, unknown to others, and according to The Catholic Encyclopedia, modern scholars now trace the movement back to ancient Middle Eastern religious roots (www.newadvent.org/cathen/06592a.htm  ). As gnosticism came in contact with various religions, it appears to have "borrowed" terminology from them to describe its basic tenets—that the material universe is evil and that people are divine beings trapped in a material world by an evil spirit, the demiurge.



According to gnostic teaching, in order to free themselves from the evil, material world, human beings need special knowledge, including spells and magical incantations. There is a wide range of competing ideas within this religious grouping, but since gnostics generally considered the material universe to be evil, they rejected the idea that God would manifest Himself in a fleshly body. Therefore, when they came in contact with teaching about Jesus Christ being God in the flesh, the Savior who died for our sins, they rejected that and taught that He was only a "good person" or that He only "appeared" to be in the flesh—but was really just an apparition.



Jesus discusses His identity



Debate about who Jesus was is not new. In fact, Jesus brought the question up Himself among His disciples. Matthew 16:13-17 [13] When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

[14] And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

[15] He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

[16] And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

[17] And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.





See All... records the event and says the disciples told Him that some thought He was John the Baptist or another of the famous prophets of God come back to life.



But Peter answered that he knew Jesus was "the Christ, the Son of the living God." Jesus then told Peter that he was blessed and that God the Father in heaven was responsible for Peter's understanding of the fact that Jesus was indeed the Son of God in the flesh (verses 16-17).



Some of the Jewish religious leaders even asked Jesus for proof of who He was, requesting some kind of miraculous sign to prove His identity. Jesus called them evil and said the only proof He would give is that, just like Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the fish, He would be three days and three nights in the grave (Matthew 12:39-40 [39] But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

[40] For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.





See All...).



Guarding the tomb



After Jesus' death, these leaders remembered that He had said He would rise from the dead after three days. So they requested a military guard be posted at His tomb so the disciples would not be able to steal His body away and claim He had risen from the dead (Matthew 27:62-66 [62] Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees came together unto Pilate,

[63] Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.

[64] Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first.

[65] Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.

[66] So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.





See All...).



But surprise! Jesus rose anyway. And after Jesus rose from the dead, the soldiers reported the resurrection to the religious leaders who then bribed the soldiers and instructed them to say that Jesus' disciples had stolen His body (Matthew 28:11-15 [11] Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.

[12] And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,

[13] Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.

[14] And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.

[15] So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.





See All...).



Gnostic flair



So theories and lies about how Jesus was just an ordinary human being, and not God in the flesh, began to circulate immediately after He was resurrected. It is no wonder, then, that the first century gnostics would add their own flair to Jesus being a nobody—just another human being. Maybe He was a nice person—maybe a teacher of good things—but in their way of thinking, He was just another human being or just a vision. Their teachings could not conceive of God actually coming in the flesh.



While many today would protest that those behind the modern media efforts to discredit the divinity of Jesus Christ are not gnostic by religious persuasion, the method of discrediting Jesus is the same—to claim secret knowledge about Jesus being only human and not our divine Savior.



It is beyond the scope of this article to discuss all the deficiencies of the claims of these modern theories. However, if you are interested in reading more, you can read this brief commentary on the United Church of God Web site or view this article on the Associates for Biblical Research Web site about " The Jesus Tomb ," which was discovered in 1980 and examined by archaeologists, who determined it was not of special interest.



Also, see this article for a short review of The Da Vinci Code and for a commentary on the Gospel of Judas . Additionally, a half-hour video production on " Jesus, Judas and Da Vinci: What Is the Truth? " is available from Beyond Today television.



Was Jesus really the Son of God in the flesh, or just a regular person—a nobody—as taught by the Roman guards, the gnostics of the first century and some modern media efforts of our day? You cannot afford to be unsure of the answer.



The Bible reveals that many of His family and followers willingly gave their very lives for the truth that He was indeed the Son of God. The fact that He was resurrected from the dead exactly three days and three nights after He was placed in the grave, just as He stated, is clear evidence of Jesus' identity. VT

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World News and Trends: The Tragedy of today's British youth

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World News and Trends: The Tragedy of today's British youth

article by Jerold Aust, John Ross Schroeder





Following World War I (the Great War of 1914-1918), novelist Ernest Hemingway termed the returning, war-weary soldiers "The Lost Generation." The British media is beginning to use that phrase to describe the current plight of U.K. teenagers.



Whether it's obesity, alcoholism, drug abuse, illicit sex, illegitimacy, abortions or smoking, statistics generally place these young people at the top of the list.



Recently the British Medical Association (BMA) released a devastating report on teenage health. Times health editor Nigel Hawkes summed up the sad situation: "Britain is breeding a generation of adults that will tend to be infertile, obese and prone to mental illness ... Tomorrow's adults are overweight, smoke and drink too much, and have rising levels of sexual infection and mental illness" (Dec. 9).



Vivian Nathanson, head of science and ethics at the British Medical Association, said: "Young people in Britain are increasingly likely to be overweight, indulge in binge drinking, have a sexually transmitted infection and suffer mental health problems."



Further, the number of British girls indulging in underage sex has doubled in 10 years' time. One in four who have reached ages 15 and 16 smokes and about a third have experimented with marijuana. Early teens are consuming alcohol as never before, with more than a third relating that they got drunk for the first time at 13 or under.



No wonder the BMA predicts that "today's teenagers are condemning themselves to years of poor health and an early death" ( Daily Mail , Dec. 8).



It was Israel's King Solomon who perhaps first uttered that thought in the Hebrew Bible. He said: "Do not be overly wicked, nor be foolish: Why should you die before your time?"(Ecclesiastes 7:17Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?



See All...). The obvious implication in his question is: Why not alter your behavior in advance and live as long as possible? Prevention is far more effective than medical cures. Write for our free booklet Making Life Work. (Sources: The Times, Daily Mail [both London].)

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World News and Trends: Get married, stay married, live longer

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World News and Trends: Get married, stay married, live longer

article by Jerold Aust, John Ross Schroeder





Does marriage statistically make you live longer?



Marrying and staying married has a significant impact on longevity for both men and women, according a study by the National Center for Health Statistics that analyzed 2.2 million U.S. death certificates from 2003.



The study found that married men lived an average of 77.6 years compared to 69.2 years for never-married men and 67.1 years for divorced men. Married women had an average life span of 81 years compared to 77.4 years for the never-wed and 72 for women who had divorced. (Source: Scripps Howard News Service.)

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World News and Trends: Britain becoming hostile to Christianity

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World News and Trends: Britain becoming hostile to Christianity





article by Jerold Aust, John Ross Schroeder





Christian beliefs are becoming more openly challenged by more vocal opposition groups in Britain.



According to a British Roman Catholic cardinal who recently published a new book, Faith in the Nation, "The rise of secularism has led to a liberal society, hostile to Christian morals and values, in which religious belief is viewed as 'a private eccentricity' and the voice of faith groups is marginalised" (Jonathan Wynne-Jones, "Cardinal: Britain Is Hostile to Christians," The Sunday Telegraph, Dec. 7, 2008 ).



Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor, head of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales, continued, "Britain shows signs of degenerating into a country free of morals, because of its rejection of traditional values." He also stated that "atheism has become more vocal and aggressive" (ibid.). (Source: The Sunday Telegraph [London].)

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In Brief... Romania Confronts Transylvanian Separatism

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In Brief... Romania Confronts Transylvanian Separatism






article by Cecil Maranville, Darris McNeely, David Palmer, John Ross Schroeder, Peter Eddington





Romanian President Emil Constantinescu has rejected the call for Transylvanian self-government within a federal Romanian state.



Romanian President Emil Constantinescu has rejected the call for Transylvanian self-government within a federal Romanian state. The devolution argument, while framed in economic terms, has clear ethnic overtones as Transylvania is home to a large population of ethnic Hungarians. The Transylvania question is but one of the ethnic minority issues that continue to plague the new NATO members and aspiring NATO members of Eastern Europe. With NATO seen as effectively sanctioning the devolution, if not independence, of an ethnically Albanian Kosovo from Serbia, keeping these other problems in check will be an increasingly difficult task (STRATFOR's Global Intelligence Update, June 9, 1999).

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Vantage Point: The Supernatural and Disasters

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.

Vantage Point: The Supernatural and Disasters

article by Randy Stiver





Unfortunately, most of humankind have ignored or outright rejected God's way of living and are now beginning to suffer a new and frightful round of consequences.



Vampires, werewolves, wizards, shape-shifters—why are people so fascinated with these characters? Are they just flights of fancy or something more sinister? It turns out that they are, in fact, front men for the biggest supernatural "wannabe" in history!



Not surprisingly, in a recent interview in the Children's Books section of About.com, Kim Patton, president of the Young Adult Library Services Association in America, described the continuing trend in 2011 of teen fascination with supernatural themes and vampires, ghosts and zombies. Maybe you've been overly transfixed with those subjects too. If so, then you might like to know that they're all supernatural counterfeits!



There's a tell-all book, high on the Vertical Thought recommended reading list, that reveals a great deal about actual supernatural beings. It contains amazing true stories about real angels and demons. The latter, by the way, were once holy angels, who rebelled and are now fallen angels called demons. They're not friendly. And their leader—the supernatural wannabe himself—bears the title of Devil, which means "accuser" or "slanderer." He's got other names too, none of them good.



This terrific book is principally concerned, however, with the ultimate good guys —the supernatural divine Beings. It reveals the God family, comprising God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Plus the book recounts all sorts of adventures of people like you and me who directly communicated and interacted (sometimes well, sometimes badly) with these great, divine Supernaturals.



That interaction is going on at this very moment. And this book—the Holy Bible—tells us how we should interact, revealing the divinely directed way of living based on love for God and love for neighbor. Unfortunately, most of humankind have ignored or outright rejected this way of living, tuned themselves into the evil way of the supernatural wannabe Devil and are now, as a global civilization, beginning to suffer a new and frightful round of consequences.



Those supernatural consequences include the recent natural disasters that have befallen the planet. With recent droughts in China, Australia, southern Africa, Texas and elsewhere, combined with too much rain in parts of Europe and North America plus the most devastating tornados in the U.S. in many decades, mankind is hurting. This comes on the heels of the devastation in Japan. Ocean waves are beautiful, but a massive tsunami is not. When the crust of the earth is calm we don't often think about it, yet how terrified we become when it shakes and quakes!



Take some time to muse on this issue of VT. With the topic of earthquakes in mind, consider the creative power of the God's supernatural forces at work around us today as you read "What's Shakin' Terra Firma? " by Mario Seiglie.



And please realize that as a Vertical Thought reader, you're already involved with the supreme good guys and their divine supernatural power that created and sustains the universe. In fact, as another of this issue's articles explains, God has a plan, and you're a part of it. Keep thinking vertically!

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World News and Trends: Drugs spell disaster for more than just users

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.

World News and Trends: Drugs spell disaster for more than just users

article by John Ross Schroeder, Scott Ashley





A recent study in The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that people who are not users of illegal drugs, but who live in households of users, are killed at a rate 11 times higher than those who live in drug-free homes.



The study also reported that, in households where one or more members are alcoholics, nondrinkers run a 70 percent greater risk of being killed than nondrinkers in other households.



Earlier studies showed that 40 to 70 percent of homicide victims had alcohol in their blood. Alcohol abuse was also shown to triple the risk of suicide, while those who abuse both alcohol and illegal drugs run a 16.6-times-greater risk for suicide and 12-times-greater risk of being a homicide victim than nonabusers. Those who live with drug users also showed a higher rate of suicide than the general population.



In preparing the report, researchers studied medical examiners' findings on 438 suicides and 388 homicides covering a three- to five-year period, then compared victims' proximity to drug and alcohol abusers with control groups of nearby residents. (Source: The New York Times. ) GN

.drugsGood News MagazineNews and Prophecy.

In the News: "Good Divorce" Not So Good

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.

In the News: "Good Divorce" Not So Good






article by Amanda Stiver





A popular theory holds that "good divorces" - where separated couples remain on relatively good terms - are harmless to children and parents. But a recent study shows this idea has no basis in reality.



The study from Pennsylvania State University, which examined 1,000 families, found that the children of friendlier divorces faced the same sort of problems as those kids from bitter, acrimonious divorces. Although children of non-hostile divorces had fewer behavioral problems during their teen years, they nevertheless had, like their peers from unfriendly divorces, self-esteem problems, dissatisfaction with life, tendency to smoke and try drugs, and lower grades.



Experts hope these findings will prod divorce counselors to make greater effort to encourage couples to try harder to save their marriages and to provide better counseling for children of "good divorces" (Fiona MacRae, "A Divorce Can Never Be Good for Children No Matter How Amicable It Is, Says Study," Telegraph.co.uk, Feb. 2, 2012).



God created marriage as a binding union between man and woman for life. Believing that breaking this physical and emotional bond carries no consequence is sorely naive. Marriage is serious. Premarital counseling and even pre-engagement counseling with a minister or wise counselor is important for young people considering marriage. Going into marriage with divorce as an easy-out option isn’t a stable foundation for building a future and a family.

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Did Jesus Christ have brothers or sisters?

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.


Did Jesus Christ have brothers or sisters?


What does the Bible say about Mary being a perpetual virgin? How many siblings did Christ have?



Answer:



Yes, the Bible says Jesus Christ had brothers and sisters. When the Jews of Jesus' hometown heard Him speak, they were indignant. Matthew records their contempt for Him, born of familiarity: "Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?" (Matthew 13:55-56 [55] Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

[56] And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?





See All...).



Jesus' neighbors knew His family intimately. From their comments, we know that Mary had four other sons and at least two daughters (because the Bible says "sisters" instead of "sister," we know there were at least two). This also shows that Mary was not a "perpetual virgin."

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World News and Trends: National malaise grips France

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.

World News and Trends: National malaise grips France






article by John Ross Schroeder, Melvin Rhodes, Scott Ashley





A Sunday Times feature article contained an element of surprise.



It was the sort of news one is used to seeing in print about North America and Britain but rarely mentioned about France. It said in an on-the-spot report: "France has a sickness that pervades its politics and corrupts the bourgeoisie. Decadence now rules in a morally rudderless society."



The reporter, Matthew Campbell, observes: "Les Chandelles is the most exclusive boite échangiste , or wife-swapping club, in Paris. Such places have never been so well frequented. Talk around polite dinner tables about which are the best échangiste clubs to frequent is one gauge of how widespread the habit of collective romping has become." There are an estimated 50 such clubs in Paris and perhaps 200 throughout the rest of the country.



Jean-François Mattei, a professor at the Institute of Political Studies in Aixen-Province, recently stated: "There's been a retreat from political life in France in favour of personal pleasure. It's a decadent society dedicated to sex and pleasure. We are swimming in hedonism: nightclubs, wife-swapping, magazines for men, magazines for women. It's the pursuit of pleasure all around."



Once pretty much the preserve of the elite, this sort of behavior has spread to all levels of French society. Novelist and university professor Michael Ermin echoes the general thought: "The country is in the grip of a hedonistic, licentious and frivolous mood. People are as confused in their intimate lives as they are in their politics." (This issue of The Good News contains a special series of articles showing the futility of adultery and promiscuity as a way of life—illicit practices that cause intensive suffering and seriously mar the marital happiness God intended for us.)



Not surprisingly, theft is on the increase as well. As one author put it, "The French crisis over law and order has already cost the prime minister [Leon Jospin] his political career."



Causes are not hard to come by. "Sociologists and criminologists attribute much of the rise of crime in cities and rural areas to youths who have dropped out of the education system and are unemployed. Unlike Britain, where the age profile is more even, France has more unemployed young." Young people with too much leisure time on their hands sometimes get into trouble with the law. The way out of many of these social problems is addressed in our free booklets The Ten Commandments and Making Life Work. (Sources: The Sunday Times, The Sunday Times Magazine [both London].)

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The Spirit World's Dangerous Dark Side

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.

The Spirit World's Dangerous Dark Side

article by Mario Seiglie





Strange practices and religions such as Wicca, Santeria, voodoo and channeling are growing in popularity. What's behind them? Are such things harmless, or is there more to them than meets the eye?



As traditional Christianity has lost its appeal for many people, growing numbers have sought to fill that vacuum in their lives in other ways. Some turn to alternate religions popular in other parts of the world. Some turn to witchcraft and pre-Christian paganism. Some seek answers in the occult. A few even knowingly turn to Satanism and evil spirits.



Some are simply curious; others are very serious. But whether they recognize it or not, all are dabbling in dangers that likely are well beyond their limited comprehension. That's why these dangers are often referred to as the occult—things that are secretive, mysterious and concealed.



Maybe you've never directly seen Satan or his demons, but certainly those familiar with the Bible recognize their influence in this rapidly degenerating world. No wonder the Scriptures describe Satan as "the god of this age" (2 Corinthians 4:4In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.



See All...).



His influence is not new, but its prevalence in modern society certainly is. What was once banned or very limited in dealing with the dark spirit realm is now mostly out in the open. Satanism is rampant in movies, and movements based on it, such as Wicca, Santeria, voodoo and consultation with mediums, are thriving, especially with the young.



The apostle Paul tells us we should be wary of such practices, "lest Satan should take advantage of us, for we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Corinthians 2:11Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.



See All...).



Wicca, Santeria and voodoo

One of the fastest growing movements in Western nations is Wicca, a modern version of witchcraft. Part of its popularity is due to American TV programs such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Charmed. Wicca is so popular that the United States, Great Britain and many other nations now recognize it as a legitimate religion with legal rights.



The term Wicca was popularized in 1954 by the British leader of the movement, Gerald Gardner, who described it as a return to the "Old Religion" popular in Europe before Christianity.



Wicca, from on an Old English word for "witch," incorporates many of the trappings of ancient British witchcraft practices. The satanic pentagram is used as its symbol, and one of its main tenets is adoring nature through different rituals and deities. Some, but not all, covens, or groups, practice casting spells, divination and magic. Wicca is an umbrella group or movement that gathers under its fold very different beliefs and practices—but is at its core a thinly disguised type of old-fashioned witchcraft.



Santeria is a Caribbean religion based on mixing African witchcraft with Roman Catholic beliefs—similar in many ways to voodoo or pure African witchcraft. Its followers practice animal sacrifices and perform feverish dancing during Santerian rituals that can lead to possession of a person by an orisha or "saint" being invoked. The individual then is said to speak and act as that saint. If this is an actual spiritual experience, however, it is nothing more than demonic possession.



All of these practices have this in common: Satan is their originator and they should be absolutely avoided. God, who knows exactly how Satan and his demons work, emphatically warns us not to have anything to do with them. He tells us to not "give the devil a foothold" (Ephesians 4:27Neither give place to the devil.



See All..., New International Version).



We should not consult with people associated with these practices, in spite of what they claim are good intentions to help us. God says: "There shall not be found among you anyone who . . . practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord" (Deuteronomy 18:10-12 [10] There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,

[11] Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

[12] For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee.





See All..., emphasis added throughout).



What are mediums and familiar spirits?

What about mediums and people who use such things as tarot cards and Ouija boards to consult with the spirits?



Mediums—also sometimes called "seers" or "clairvoyants"—are people who may be used by the fallen angels the Bible calls demons. They might appear normal and helpful, but those who are not fakes (and many are) can genuinely have contact with deceitful spirits who seek to attract and use human beings for their own evil purposes. For this reason these evil angelic beings are called in the Bible "deceiving spirits" (1 Timothy 4:1Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;



See All...).



A true medium has a "familiar spirit" in him, and the term comes from the Hebrew word obh, meaning "a leather bottle." To the ancient Hebrews, the hollow sound of the voice of a familiar spirit, speaking through a medium, sounded as if it came out of a skin bottle. Just as a skin bottle is a type of vessel, so a person who has a familiar spirit serves as a vessel or a "medium" that contains the spirit.



Familiar spirits, in reality disguised demons, can have an intimate knowledge of people, alive or dead. They have at their disposal an extensive network of information from fellow demons who are more than willing to share their knowledge with the deceived "host." In this way, they will entice many more people to be deceived and hooked—ending sometimes as pawns to these spirits.



This is the grave danger of participating in any of these practices—at first these spirits appear as willing servants, but inevitably they end up as harsh taskmasters.



That is why we should avoid coming into any contact with people who claim they can communicate with the dead. God, who is intimately familiar with this spirit world, warns us that "the person who turns to mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people" (Leviticus 20:6And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people.



See All...).



The Scriptures candidly admit that legitimate mediums do exist and can establish contact with demons, who disguise themselves as departed loved ones, to attract the unsuspecting into their dark spirit world.



Tarot cards and Ouija boards

Some use manual devices such as tarot cards or Ouija boards to consult directly with these familiar spirits. These objects should be avoided at all costs—they are not innocent "games" but ancient ways of attracting these familiar spirits.



Think of these instruments as potential passports into your mind—possibly opening an entry to the zone that should only be inhabited by your own thoughts and God's Holy Spirit. If you do not invite these evil spirits, they cannot enter. Yet sometimes even an unsuspecting invitation through these devices can give demons a green light! Sadly, many people have unknowingly invited evil spirits into their minds—never to be quite the same again.



As the Scriptures reveal, these spirits need to be cast out by genuine ministers of God. Acts 19 records an instance where some would-be exorcists tried to cast a demon out of a person and the demon turned on them, saying, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" Much to their surprise, "the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded" (verses 15-16).



This is therefore no laughing matter or cute entertainment—it is deadly serious! Scripture records several instances of people falling into such forbidden practices with disastrous results.



Saul and the medium of En Dor

In the Old Testament, we find the tragic example of King Saul going to a medium. He had first tried to consult with God, but because of his multiple sins, especially his slaughter of 85 priests and an untold number of innocent inhabitants of the town of Nob, he did not receive any answers (1 Samuel 22:18-19 [18] And the king said to Doeg, Turn thou, and fall upon the priests. And Doeg the Edomite turned, and he fell upon the priests, and slew on that day fourscore and five persons that did wear a linen ephod.

[19] And Nob, the city of the priests, smote he with the edge of the sword, both men and women, children and sucklings, and oxen, and asses, and sheep, with the edge of the sword.





See All...).



Saul then broke God's law and consulted with a medium at En Dor (1 Sam- uel 28:7). She invoked a figure of one appearing as the prophet Samuel. Yet Saul never saw him; he only heard a voice. This is one reason why God prohibits such consultations—demons are very clever and can impersonate the person being summoned. Notice the Bible had said God would not answer Saul's inquiries "either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets" (verse 6). This clearly was not the prophet Samuel!



The spirit the medium saw ascending out of the earth (verse 13) was in fact a demon. Saul only thought it was Samuel, but this demon had tricked him. As the apostle Paul explains: "For Satan himself transforms himself into [or disguises himself as] an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into [or impersonate] ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works" (2 Corinthians 11:14-15 [14] And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

[15] Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.





See All...).



It was not unusual, therefore, for a demon to have impersonated the dead prophet Samuel. The Scriptures clearly tell us Samuel was dead, buried and unconscious: "For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing" (Ecclesiastes 9:5For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.



See All...).



Saul was left with the dire prediction that he would die the next day. He never did turn back to God. That is one of the reasons he is such a tragic figure in the Scriptures.



Paul confronts a spirit of divination

Another case of a medium is found in the New Testament, and it is quite instructive.



We read in Acts 16:16-19 [16] And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying:

[17] The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

[18] And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

[19] And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,





See All...: "Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, 'These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.'



"And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, 'I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.' And he came out that very hour. But when her masters saw that their hope of profit was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to the authorities" (emphasis added throughout).



This passage tells us quite a bit about the dark side of the spirit world. First, it reveals there are some cases where people actually do have the spirit of divination and are quite economically successful at what they do. Nowhere does this section deny the fact that people can tap into this source for valuable information. Also, it shows there are others willing to promote such a business, which can be quite profitable. Today, millions if not billions of dollars are made from this ancient and harmful practice.



One can find many programs on radio or TV, backed by successful businessmen, where people with a spirit of divination can greatly impress audiences with their apparent intimate knowledge of those they interview. Most of the time these persons openly call themselves channelers, psychics or mediums. Of course, not all who practice this profession are genuine mediums, for there are many clever charlatans as well, but some are authentic!



As the biblical case in Acts 16 shows, the slave girl with the spirit of divination was a real medium. We know this because when the demon left her, she could no longer reveal intimate details of a person's life or predict the future.



Another insight from this account is that the message from a spirit can be positive and true. After all, the Bible plainly says the young girl used by the spirit of divination announced that Paul and his companions came from God and preached the way of salvation. This was true, so what was the problem?



The problem wasn't the message itself, but the source of the information. We see here the subtle element of deceit. Many times, the initial message of a spirit of divination, or a demon, can seem positive, harmless and helpful. Just as a fisherman entices fish with succulent bait, so these spirits know they must attract innocent victims with something useful and agreeable. They know, once their victims are hooked, there will be plenty of time later for them to change their message.



Simply say "No!"

We must simply say "No!" when enticed to play with this dark spirit world. Don't fold under pressure from friends, family or anyone else. Put God and His Word first! Literally, your life and your mental welfare could depend on it!



God, who knows exactly how Satan and his demons work, emphatically warns us not to have anything to do with them. We should not consult with people associated with these spirits in spite of any stated intentions to help us. God's Word is clear: "Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God" (Leviticus 19:31Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.



See All...).



Ask, "Would Christ approve of this?" Certainly He would not! So we should avoid all contact with mediums, fortune-tellers, witches and their devices—and not be fooled by whatever means they might use to try to entice us. GN

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What Does God Think About Drugs?

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.

What Does God Think About Drugs?

article by David Treybig





Through the principles found in the Bible, we can know what He thinks about this modern issue.



Question: What's wrong with using street drugs like marijuana?



Answer: God wants everyone to have a good physical life (John 10:10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.



See All...; 3 John 2) and then, through acceptance of His way of life, receive eternal life (John 3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.



See All...). The connection human beings make with God is through our minds—the organ that allows us to determine and complete our actions.



Recognizing how vitally important one's mind is, Proverbs 4:23Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.



See All... says, "Keep your heart [mind] with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life." The problem with illegal drugs is that they destroy or impede our ability to think soundly. When we don't have a sound mind, it becomes much more difficult to have a relationship with our Creator.



Another problem with drugs is that they damage our health (www.news.com.au ). The Bible teaches us that because our bodies are to be the temples (places of residence) for God's Spirit, we need to take care of them. Doing so glorifies—shows respect to—God who made us (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 [19] What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

[20] For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.





See All...). Then there is the important addiction issue addressed below.



Q: It seems everyone around me is using drugs. What's wrong with just trying it once to see what it's like?



A: Many people have gotten hooked on drugs after deciding that they just wanted to try them once. So to chance this at all is utterly dangerous. Some drugs are physically addictive, affecting some people even more strongly than others. In addition, people get hooked on the high—the euphoric feeling they have while under the influence of the drug. It feels so good that they want to do it again and again and will do just about anything—including illegal and immoral behavior—just to get another "fix" so they can again enjoy the effects of the drug. A wise person will not take the chance of getting hooked, which amounts to idolatry—putting other things before God and his laws.



Sadly the character issue is often overlooked. But it is absolutely vital. God wants people to develop righteous character in this life in preparation for the next one. Righteous character is developed by determining right from wrong, choosing to do what is right and then following through with the proper action. It is a matter of character to choose not to do what is illegal, disrespectful of God and potentially damaging to our health and spiritual well-being.



Q: What's the difference between using alcohol in moderation and drugs?



A: God permits the use of alcohol in moderation and within legal limits (see Romans 13:1Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.



See All...; Judges 9:13And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees?



See All...; 1 Timothy 5:23Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.



See All...)—legal issues being age, driving, location, etc. Christians are not to be "heavy drinkers," but to be self-controlled and moderate (Titus 1:7-8 [7] For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

[8] But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;





See All...; 2:3, New Living Translation). Moderation means using good sense so as to not come close to becoming drunk. Drunkenness is a sin that can keep a person out of God's Kingdom (1 Corinthians 6:9-10 [9] Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

[10] Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.





See All...).



Studies have shown that the moderate use of alcohol can actually be good for your health (www.hsph.harvard.edu ).



Drugs are a different story. Because their use causes intoxication (similar to drunkenness) and is detrimental to one's health, their use is inappropriate for people who want to honor God.



Q. Since peer pressure is a major cause of youth trying illegal drugs, how can one resist this influence ?



A. Learning to resist pressures to do what is wrong is an important part of being a Christian. The book of Proverbs, specifically written as advice for young people, says, "My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent" (Proverbs 1:10My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.



See All...). When we become adults, we are likewise to resist the world's temptations to sin.



One way to resist negative peer pressure is to spend time with people who don't tempt us to sin. Choose the right kind of friends and associates. God says not to keep company with a drunkard (1 Corinthians 5:11But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.



See All...). While we will undoubtedly meet and have to interact with people who break God's laws, if we are wise, we will spend the majority of our time with those who are also striving to live honorable lives.



Q: Doesn't God want young people to have fun?



A: God tells us to enjoy things that don't cause pain to us or others in the long run. He wants young people to enjoy their youth (Ecclesiastes 11:9Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.



See All...) and all that goes with it. This entails the excitement of learning, doing new things and spending time with others who share good values—as well as their knowledge of God (Psalm 5:11But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.



See All...), since this knowledge will be the key to getting the most out of life. God also encourages us to enjoy the weekly Sabbath and His Holy Days (Isaiah 58:13If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:



See All...; Deuteronomy 12:18But thou must eat them before the LORD thy God in the place which the LORD thy God shall choose, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite that is within thy gates: and thou shalt rejoice before the LORD thy God in all that thou puttest thine hands unto.



See All...; 16:14).



Godly fun is fun we can tell our parents and, later even our grandchildren, all about. Godly fun is always in harmony with God's laws and is something one never regrets. Godly fun doesn't harm our bodies. (For ideas, see the article "Alternative Entertainment 101" from our April-June 2006 issue at www.verticalthought.org/issues/vt11/entertainment.htm .) VT

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Michigan Paper Campaigns Against High Divorce Rate

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.


Michigan Paper Campaigns Against High Divorce Rate





article by Melvin Rhodes





As the state of New York joins the other 49 states in allowing no-fault divorce, a surprising bill before the Michigan legislature aims to make divorce for couples with young children more difficult.



God hates divorce.



We're told this in Malachi 2:16For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.



See All..., which adds, "For it covers one's garment with violence."



Surprisingly, my local newspaper also seems to see the connection between divorce and violence.



Michigan, like all the other states in the United States now that New York has changed its law, has a no-fault divorce law. That means that if any married person wants out of a marriage, he or she can get out of it. There doesn't have to be a reason. "More than 80% of...divorces are unilateral," my local paper reported ("There's Plenty to Discuss About Divorce," Lansing State Journal, July 9, 2010).



The Lansing State Journal believes this needs to change.



Every year, in Michigan alone, there are 30,000 children affected by divorce. That is 30,000 young children who will no longer share the same home with Mom and Dad. Usually, the children stay with Mom, and Dad lives elsewhere. As the total family income remains the same, this results in considerable hardship and even dire poverty.



Divorce is the number one cause of poverty. According to a recent Dateline documentary on NBC, 60 percent of children who do not have enough to eat are the children of divorce, living with a mother who is often destitute.



Highlighting the link with violence, the Lansing State Journal warns that these children are the most vulnerable in our society and the ones who are most likely to fill our prisons a decade or so down the line.



Yet the prevailing attitude of many when justifying their own divorce is: "Children are resilient!"



Trends and tragedies

I remember watching the Middle Eastern news channel al-Jazeera some years ago while on a visit to West Africa. This was at a time when the United States was lecturing a Middle Eastern nation on its human rights record. One lady from the region made the comment: "Who are the Americans to lecture us on human rights? The basic right of every child is to have two parents, yet half America's children don't." Good point.



The U.S. divorce rate is about 50 percent. Half of all American marriages end in divorce.



On a recent visit to Turkey, I asked our tour guide what the divorce rate was in the country. He said it was 3 percent. So I started checking the Internet. India has an even lower divorce rate of 1.1 percent, or 11 couples in a thousand!



It might surprise some today to learn that the U.S. divorce rate was much lower a century ago. There was a time when divorce was frowned upon and socially unacceptable. Of course, that was also a time when people were more aware of biblical teachings against divorce and for the sanctity and lifetime commitment of marriage.



The fact that it has become much more acceptable in the last few decades is a contributing factor to the exponential increase in the number of divorces.



"A team of researchers led by Brown University's Rose McDermott looked over material from a study of 12,000 Massachusetts residents since 1948 and concluded that divorce is contagious," wrote the Lansing paper on its opinion page leader. "A bill to restrict divorce, Senate Bill 1127, was filed in February." So far, it has not progressed any further.



Continuing, the paper said: "The state of Michigan has a vested interest in the welfare of its children. It's long been known that divorce can lead to all sorts of negative outcomes for children. As such, Michigan should reverse the last 30 years of policy and restrict the use of no-fault divorce for couples with minor children."



What the Bible says about the attacks on marriage

The apostle Paul's predictions in 2 Timothy 3:1-2 [1] This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

[2] For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,





See All... help us understand why divorce is more prevalent today. "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves."



Not just men, of course, but women also. This is a very self-centered age. Selfishness abounds. Marriage requires a couple to care for each other. A successful marriage requires selflessness; selfishness is detrimental to marriage.



Paul also wrote of how the relationship between a man and a woman is similar to the relationship between Jesus Christ and the Church. "So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes it and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church" (Ephesians 5:28-29 [28] So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

[29] For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:





See All...).



God not only hates divorce, He never intended it to happen in the first place. Jesus Christ said: "Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so" (Matthew 19:8He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.



See All...).



A primary reason for divorce is mentioned in the very next verse. "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery" (Matthew 19:9And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.



See All...).



A prophecy about the end time states it very clearly: "They commit harlotry continually" (Hosea 4:18Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.



See All...). The sexual immorality that is prevalent in the Western world today directly contributes to the high divorce rate. People who have had multiple sexual partners before marriage are highly unlikely to settle down and commit to one partner for life after marriage—they will eventually revert to their previous bad habits.



God hates divorce—and the United States and other Western nations largely ignore Him!



Nation continues to mock God

Cal Thomas, the conservative syndicated columnist, had an article in the same paper on Aug. 13, 2010, warning the United States against further mockery of the Almighty, this time over the trend toward same-sex marriage.



"The decision by a single, openly gay federal judge to strike down the will of 7 million Californians, tradition dating back millennia [not to mention biblical commands, which the judge decided, in his capacity as a false god, to also invalidate] is judicial vigilantism equal to Roe v. Wade" ("California Ruling Shows U.S. Immorality," Lansing State Journal ).



Roe v. Wade was the Supreme Court case that legalized abortion in 1973. Neither of these seismic changes to the nation's culture was approved by the majority in a democratic process.



Thomas continued: "Most great powers unravel from within before invading armies [or in America's case, terrorists] conquer them. A preacher might develop a good sermon on how nations fare when they mock God."



Later in the column, Thomas wrote: "Abraham Lincoln concluded that our Civil War might have been God's judgment for America's tolerance of slavery. If that were so, why should 'the Almighty,' as Lincoln frequently referred to God, stay His hand in the face of our celebration of same-sex marriage?"



Although there are many people in the United States and other Western nations who are trying to be faithful to their spouses, recognizing that this is what God wants and expects of those who follow Him, increasingly it seems people just do what they want to do regardless of what God says.



Thomas continued, "A nation that loses its moral sense is a nation without any sense at all. Muslim fanatics who wish to destroy us are correct in their diagnosis of our moral rot: loss of a fear of God, immodesty, especially among women, materialism and much more."



In conclusion, Cal Thomas quoted Scripture: "None of this should surprise anyone who takes the time to read and understand what happens to people and nations that disregard God... 'Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint,' which is paraphrased in the Living Bible, 'When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild' (Proverbs 29:18Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.



See All...); and 'In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit' (Judges 21:25In those days there was no king in Israel: every man did that which was right in his own eyes.



See All...)." WNP

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