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The Right Ratios

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Life consists of the things we do and the ability to wait for our actions to bear fruit.

Sometimes the actions take the forefront of our lives and sometimes all we can do is wait. Always, we are faced with determining what to do and when to wait. If we learn the right ratio, we can be successful or fruitful. The farmer does his work with care and perseverance and then waits for the growth that comes from the rain (James:5:7Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.). Sometimes it may seem like there is only work, but when the seed is in place, the seed and the farmer wait for the rain. Life gives us the balance between action and patient endurance.
In all we do, action and work precedes the fruits. In all we do, we also come to the time where we simply wait. The ratio between action and endurance may vary, but in that lies the probability of a good result. Paul noted the capstone of life when he wrote, "Eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good, seek for glory, honor and immortality" (Romans:2:7To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:).

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Being Christian in Nigeria

article by Oldare Akinbo

In Nigeria it is extremely difficult for young people to become independent and able to live on their own.

Due to extremely poor economic conditions, young men and women tend to live with their parents for as long as possible.
It is very common to see 30-year-old (or older) men and women still living at home even though they might be working. This is because young people need years of savings to be able to afford a simple place of their own and then save for a wedding. Even then, young people often depend on their parents and relatives to finance as much as 90 percent of the cost of the wedding.
Education is one of the few ways to improve one's lot, and there is often great pressure to sacrifice all—even one's religion—for the opportunity to succeed. In this difficult environment, three young people in the United Church of God prove that one can be Christian in Nigeria.
Ibironke Abiona Akinbo is 28 years old . "Ronke," as her friends call her, finished high school at age 15. It then took almost five years for her to secure a university admission to study law. She had gained admission once, but there were too many admitted and the school decided to revoke the admissions of the last 150 students. She was among them.
Now she is a student of law at the state university where she lives. Sadly, due to incessant strikes by lecturers or student riots protesting one issue or another, the school has closed many times. What she expected to be a five year program has now extended to eight years.
In 2007, which was to be her final year, she learned there would be a mid-semester exam during the annual Feast of Tabernacles (see Leviticus:23:33-43 [33] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
[34] Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the feast of tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD.
[35] On the first day shall be an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.
[36] Seven days ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: on the eighth day shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD: it is a solemn assembly; and ye shall do no servile work therein.
[37] These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day:
[38] Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD.
[39] Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.
[40] And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.
[41] And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.
[42] Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:
[43] That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.), when she planned to be gone. Her friends urged her to cancel her plan to attend the biblical festival, but she decided to be true to her religious convictions and go anyway. Ronke decided to observe the Feast even though she knew it would mean failing the exam and perhaps losing an extra year. She decided to pray and hope that when she later sat for the final exams she would make a good enough grade to pass anyway.
After attending the Feast, she came home and took her final exams. Regrettably, she was not able to overcome the missing mid-semester exam and failed. She was really hurt and devastated. Even so, she was glad that she made the decision to attend the Feast anyway because God says to do so. And while Ronke is pained at having to lose an extra year for just that one exam, she says that she does not regret her decision and would not hesitate to make the same decision in the future!
Femi Akinfolarin , 23, is a soft-spoken, quiet young man. The church his family attends sits on a piece of land given to it within a large compound owned by his father. All of Femi's family attends this church. He, too, was an active member who played in the church band.
Then he came across a copy of The Good News magazine at a friend's house. He liked what he read because it made sense to him and addressed issues he had often wondered about, especially the weekly seventh-day Sabbath (from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset).
He found the local Web site for the United Church of God and attended a midweek Bible study. This led to him requesting more booklets and starting to attend Sabbath services. At first his family gave him grief over his new beliefs. They threatened to cut off the support they were giving him for his education and to throw him out of the house. They claimed that he had been hypnotized and brainwashed.
But Femi refused to give in to the pressure. He quietly stood his ground and continued to attend every week. In order to make sure he had money for transportation to church services, he'd start saving what he could early every week.
Over time, Femi's family has come to accept his beliefs. While his family still has reservations about him not attending church with them, Femi continues to be an active and committed member of the United Church of God in Lagos.
Yakub Hakeem Oladimeji , 28, comes from a non-Christian background. Akeem, as he is called, grew up in a polygamous home, and his parents are now separated. He came in contact with God's truth through a friend down the street from him whose entire family is in the Church of God. The family accepted him without question, and the depth of love and fellowship he received made him a regular visitor. His friend's house became Akeem's second home.
When Akeem learned about the beliefs of his friend and his friend's family, they made sense to him and he started attending Sabbath services. He was soon baptized and is now an active, committed member of the Church.
As a third-year law student, the time came for him to pay his school fees. This coincided with an unbiblical religious festival his family observed. Even though he had not celebrated this occasion with his family for some time, this year his father insisted he come home and participate before he would give him the school fees.
Akeem was faced with a serious choice. He could go home, participate in the festival and collect his money or refuse to go and risk not getting the money for his education. If he couldn't pay, he'd be thrown out of school. Having struggled for more than six years just to gain admission to his school, this was no small problem.
In counseling with his minister, Akeem was advised to go home, tell his father that he was now a Christian and that he could no longer celebrate this festival, and to pray that God would touch his father's heart so he would give him the money. Akeem knew that he also had to be ready to accept whatever decision his father made. Whatever the outcome, it was time his father knew about his faith of the past seven years!
When Akeem's father learned of Akeem's beliefs, he was not pleased and threatened to disown him and have nothing to do with him if he didn't abandon his Christianity. His dad was also a lecturer at the university and could make life tough for him or even get him expelled if he so chose.
Akeem pleaded with his father to respect his desire to follow God as his conscience dictated, but his father would have none of it. Akeem left with a heavy heart, hoping that he could get financial help somewhere else. Just a few days before the deadline for paying the money, his father called him, spoke strongly and harshly to him, but eventually gave him the money.
His father was still angry with him and shocked, but somehow, he had come to respect his decision. This may not be surprising to many in the developed world, but this is indeed a miracle in Nigeria and most of Africa.
When Akeem went to pay the fees, he saw a new notice stating that all who had a certain grade point average or better were exempted from paying the school fees. As long as they maintained their grades, they would receive a cash award equal to the value of the school fees. Because Akeem's grades met the standard, he wouldn't have to pay. He had been faithful to His spiritual Father in spite of the possibility of losing out on his education.

Living Conditions in Nigeria

With an estimated population in 2007 of approximately 135 million, Nigeria is often referred to as the "Giant of Africa." Nigeria is also a very poor country.
According to information published by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Army (www.country-studies.com/nigeria/income-distribution.html ), Nigeria's GNP per capita in 1988 ranked it below India, Pakistan and Ghana. Rising debt, falling average income and rapid inflation (20 percent yearly between 1973 and 1980) were responsible for a standard of living that was lower in the mid-1980s than it had been in the 1950s. As inflation became more severe in the 1980s, wages fell almost 60 percent.
Economic conditions in Nigeria today continue to decline. Estate agents demand an initial house rent of two to three years as advance payment excluding commission and agreement. Everything has to be done with cash and paid in advance. To own a car is considered a luxury, and 90 percent of all car owners buy them secondhand, after the cars are 10 to 15 years old.
With no steady electricity, no pipe-borne water (people dig boreholes and pump their own water into reservoirs), terrible roads and high corruption that makes every imported item (raw materials or finished products) extremely expensive by the time it gets to the hands of the consumers, the cost of running a business is very high. Every business from the mundane to the magnificent must have its own electricity generating plant in order to function. Because of this, companies are not expanding and very few new jobs are created.
More and more people are now struggling to get a degree and have the opportunity for a better income. But there are few openings for such job seekers. A company may advertise for two job openings and have as many as 15,000 applicants. Unemployment continues to rise every year as the schools churn out more graduates and the economy worsens. VT

Wars of Religion in Libya

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Wars of Religion

Thursday, September 13, 2012 (All day)

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Violence against American diplomats in Libya remind us how quickly religion can inflame the region.

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[Darris McNeely] The Middle East has once again erupted into violence. Unfortunately this week, an attack took place on the American Embassy Compound in Libya, the city of Benghazi. Four American diplomats were killed, including the ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens. It was a very unfortunate situation. This marks the first time since 1979 that a sitting ambassador has been killed in the country in which he is serving. And it highlights once again the volatility of the entire region, but as well the impact of religion and what it can do to suddenly provoke a problem and a reaction, and again even a larger war within this highly important area of the Middle East.
[Steve Myers] There's no doubt that religion had a major part to play in this whole incident because that was the backdrop, whether the leaders were actually convinced of that, but it was certainly used to provoke this whole incident. And it shows how easily people can be motivated by some of these kinds of things.
[Darris McNeely] In this case it was a video that was done that was purporting to cast the Prophet Muhammad in an unfavorable light. And yet likely this was planned because it also took place on the anniversary of 9/11 - the attacks on Washington and New York City 11 years ago. But again it just brings up the point that the wars of religion - we did a program on Beyond Today a few years ago about the wars of religion. Religion is still a very potent force in world affairs and culture. And as much as some people in the West especially would like to think that religion in a sense does not play a significant role, things like this happen in the Middle East to remind us that religion does play a very important role.
[Steve Myers] It's a huge role, and it's a prophetic role that we can't ignore. Daniel 11 talks a lot about that, it talks about the coming times, and how religion really will be a cornerstone to some of the issues that are going to be facing the world here shortly.
[Darris McNeely] Daniel:11:40And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. is a key verse in Bible prophecy that we are looking at to be fulfilled. It talks about the time of the end yet ahead of us when "The king of the South shall attack him and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind." Now what in general terms this prophecy is doing is describing a provocation where it says, "The king of the North shall attack." Excuse me, "The king of the South will attack." The king of the South is identified as the power coming out of the Middle East and in whatever way it provokes a reaction against another power here called the king of the North to come and to invade into the region. And interestingly as this prophecy goes on - of course, this is verse 40 - it goes on in verse 43 to mention even the very country Libya that we're talking about here (Daniel:11:43But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps.).
[Steve Myers] It certainly does. And do you see these attitudes already there today? If you read through all of Daniel 11 you find these descriptors of people's attitudes and their minds, where it talks about strife, where it talks about violence, where it talks about stirring things up. And boy have we seen that this week. That's what's happening.
[Darris McNeely] And we don't know yet what will happen additionally this week with other problems, but it just points up the fact to continue to be watching the Middle East. Be aware of what is taking place and understand how quickly events can unfold - even small events can become very big. This is a very significant event. It's not something to take lightly.
[Steve Myers] That's BT Daily . We'll see you next time.

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Why No Spectacular Miracles Today?

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article by David Sandland

The Bible is full of descriptions of fantastic miracles. Many wonder, why don't we see great public miracles today?

Over the years, working in Personal Correspondence for the Church of God, I have been confronted with many stimulating and thought-provoking questions that deserve an answer. One such question recently came into the United Church of God office here in Australia asking the question: "Why are no miracles being performed today?"
The writer went on to ask:
"Why doesn't God speak and interact directly with us today, as He did with the likes of Elijah and Elisha, and others? Why can't we—God's people—make, for example, the head of an axe to float? Why is it that we don't have that power today?
"Nothing spectacular is happening anymore. In the first century, supernatural things were going on all the time. Did the disciples have more of the Holy Spirit than we do or did they just have more faith? Because miracles were taking place on a daily basis.
"I think Jesus expects us to perform miracles; after all that was part of His message and ministry."
Certainly an interesting challenge. Why are there so few miracles, in the sense of spectacular public displays of God's power within His Church and by His people? Does God expect us to perform such miracles today, to somehow prove He is "on our side"?
True, many people do know that God does perform many miracles today. Many of us have witnessed miracles with practical benefits, such as the miracles of healing, protection, solving problems, etc. And then there's the miracle of conversion, which is the greatest miracle of all. However, that was not the type of miracle our writer was questioning. He spoke of the public displays of God's hand in the first and earlier centuries.
How would you have answered?
Perhaps a good place to start is in Hebrews:1:1God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,: "God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets." Those "various ways" did indeed include unmistakable and public miracles. Witness the life and work of the prophet Elijah and the judge Samson.
However, today He works in another way, as the explanation continues in verse 2. He "has in these last days spoken to us by His Son." Not necessarily through miracles, but through the life, message and teachings of Jesus Christ as recorded for us in the New Testament.
The miracles we read about in the Bible were examples of the power and love of God that are important to our understanding. But now that we have the biblical record, there is not the need to continually repeat all the different types of miracles.
Miracles were used at times to attract large audiences, and this was especially important in the founding of the New Testament Church. Today, we have the benefit of mass media technology.
The Bible shows that God doesn't want to force everyone to see His truth and where He is working during this age, so that He doesn't have to hold them fully accountable and they can be extended more mercy (Matthew:13:10-17 [10] And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
[11] He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
[12] For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
[13] Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
[14] And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
[15] For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
[16] But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
[17] For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.; Romans:11:7-10 [7] What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.
[8] (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.
[9] And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:
[10] Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway., 32). Proving Himself through miracles would make the audience more accountable.
And miracles aren't necessarily good for us. God gave many members of the Corinthian church miraculous spiritual gifts, but they seem to have done more harm than good in that the gifts went to the heads of the members.
Why Miracles?
Now let's consider a major question, What spiritual value are miracles anyway? What value are they in terms of conversion and salvation? Especially the public miracles that draw attention to God's work and people. Consider, as a first example, the parable of Lazarus and the rich man in Luke 16.
When the rich man begged for a miracle (as our writer seems to be doing), a miracle of a resurrection from the dead, notice Abraham's reply in verse 31:
"If they do not hear Moses and the prophets [many of whom did perform miracles], neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead."
Abraham explained that miracles would not necessarily convert the rich man's relatives.
What about the miracles performed by Christ Himself? Did they make any real difference? Would they have converted that rich man's family?
In Matthew:12:10-13 [10] And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
[11] And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
[12] How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.
[13] Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. we read the miracle of Christ healing the man with a withered hand—a dramatic and undeniable miracle. What was the reaction of the unconverted and carnal Pharisees? Verse 14 says, "Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him." So much for any positive effect, even when a miracle was performed by Christ Himself!
Again, back in Matthew:9:1-3 [1] And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.
[2] And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
[3] And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth., we read of another of Christ's public miracles. This time a paralytic was miraculously healed. The reaction from the scribes? "This Man blasphemes!"
Another equally discouraging example is recorded in Matthew:9:32-34 [32] As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil.
[33] And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel.
[34] But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.. "He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons," was the pathetic response. The same reaction is recorded in Matthew:12:22-24 [22] Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw.
[23] And all the people were amazed, and said, Is not this the son of David?
[24] But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils..
Apart from the mercy and kindness extended to those He healed, Christ would have saved Himself a great deal of opposition by not performing any miracles at all. But then Christ would have been asked, "Why do you not perform miracles like Elijah? Show yourself to be the Christ by performing a miracle." So would have gone the challenge and criticism.
Incidentally, even being a miracle worker, so-called, does not prove conversion or spirituality. Matthew:7:21-23 [21] Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
[22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
[23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. gives us the haunting and sobering warning that even those who have "cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name" will be confronted by Christ Himself with the chilling challenge, "I never knew you." Compare also Matthew:16:1-4 [1] The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
[2] He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
[3] And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?
[4] A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed..
So miracles don't necessarily have lasting or deep effects on those witnessing them. So, why none today? I guess you could say, Why bother?
Deceptive and Ineffective Miracles
We also need to consider that miracles can be used to deceive. Matthew:24:24For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. warns, "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect." If we are looking for such signs and wonders as some kind of proof as to where God is working today, then we run the risk of being deceived.
Perhaps one of the soberest warnings and examples of just how ineffective a miracle can be in getting people to change, is seen by considering the people alive just before Christ's return, who witness endless miracles as described throughout the book of Revelation. What will be the ultimate reaction of such a godless generation to the divine intervention of God?
"But the rest of mankind...did not repent...And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts" (Revelation:9:20-21 [20] And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk:
[21] Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.). Thus Christ has to return in undeniable power and might to convince that generation of unthankful, unholy and stubbornly resistant people. Miracles, of and by themselves, don't convince or convict people. Only the presence of Christ Himself will gain the permanent attention of that end-time generation. And many people will have to die and be resurrected before their minds are receptive to God's revelation.
Also in the book of Revelation, consider the miracles and wonders performed through the power of God by the two witnesses as recorded in Revelation:11:3And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth., 5 and 6. These two individuals will be given power: fire will proceed out of their mouths; they will have power to shut up the heavens and power over the waters of the earth.
Will men repent in the face of such power? We know otherwise. Verses 7 through 10 show war will be made against them and they will be murdered. The earth will rejoice, not over their miracles and power, but over their death! So much, again, for the power of miracles.
A Great Denial
Many of you will have been thinking about one of the greatest denials of miracle-working power ever experienced by mankind—the denial by ancient Israel of the God who miraculously brought them out of bondage in Egypt. As you have the time, you might want to read the entirety of Psalm 78. Verses 12-16 remind us of the "marvelous things He did in the sight of their fathers," how He "divided the sea," how He "led them with the cloud" and "brought streams out of the rock."
Their reaction? Entirely predictable by now: "But they sinned even more against Him" (verse 17) to the point God's anger was kindled (verse 21).
We could have expected Pharaoh, even in the face of miracle after miracle, to have continually hardened his heart (which, by the way, was hard from the beginning—he simply became more and more stubborn), but Israel? How many more miracles would it have taken?
If you wonder how many, read the story of Korah in Numbers 16. A mighty miracle was witnessed by the Israelites—the miracle of the ground literally opening up before their stunned eyes and swallowing Korah and his fellow complainers. Surely that would be enough to convince anyone that God was working through Moses and was a God to be reckoned with. Surely the letter writer would be satisfied if a similar miracle took place today?
What was the reaction? One of humble repentance? Hardly. Read verse 41: "On the next day all the congregation of the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, saying, ‘You have killed the people of the Lord.'" Absolutely astonishing. How did they think Moses pulled off such a feat—opening the earth and swallowing them up?
In all this, there's not too much evidence that miracles—in the sense of public displays of power—are the answer to the needs of man.
As we draw to an end, please also consider Hebrews:3:7-12 [7] Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice,
[8] Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
[9] When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
[10] Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.
[11] So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)
[12] Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God..
Even in the face of undeniable miracles, sin can and does deceitfully harden our hearts. The most important power for softening hard hearts is the indwelling of God's Holy Spirit. God's calling and the gift of the Holy Spirit is what all people ultimately need. Sure, miracles—signs and wonders—gain initial attention. But not always, as we have seen, positive or life-changing attention. The answer to the needs of man is found in scriptures such as Hebrews:10:15-16 [15] Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
[16] This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;, which tells of the writing of God's laws in our hearts.
I would like to quote from the answer we sent the letter writer who was looking for miracles to prove God is working in our midst.
"Even when God does speak and interact directly with us as He did with the likes of Elijah and Enoch, man will still not repent. No, miracles are not the answer, at least not the miracles you spoke about in your letter, but rather the miracle of true conversion is what man so desperately needs.
"Were their needs greater than ours, as you posed in your letter? No. All mankind has the same need—the Spirit of the Living God, miraculously dwelling and working in their hearts and minds. Let us be searching for that lasting miracle, not the fleeting, attention-getting miracles that usually lead no one anywhere.
"As much as miracles are great and wonderful, they never have and never will convert the hard, stony heart of man. Only the miracle of the indwelling of God's Holy Spirit will ever perform that miracle. And that is what God is doing today, through the work of His Church and people, as He offers the opportunity for the miracle of a transformed, Spirit-led life to those who are willing to accept that gift—that miracle." UN

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Christianity and Capitalism: Do They Go Together?

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article by Mike Kelley

Recently Pope Francis slammed capitalism and the free market, advocating redistribution of wealth and other steps to level out incomes between rich and poor. What does the Bible say about Christianity and capitalism?

Source: Design Pics/ThinkStock

Last November, after barely eight months in office, the Catholic Church's Pope Francis launched a firestorm of controversy with his recent dictum, Evangelii Gaudium, or "The Joy of the Gospel."
Probably no religious writing in recent history has raised the eyebrows—and ire—of so many for its controversial views on economics and balance of economic power in society. While Catholics do not consider it commanded teaching from the Vatican, the papal exhortation nonetheless spells out the views of the current pope and thus commands respect from Catholics worldwide.
Evangelii Gaudium begins with Francis comparing the joy of receiving the Christian faith and the joy of missionary activity. He calls for reforms in the Catholic Church's missionary outreach—among them a greater emphasis on evangelizing efforts and a renewed call to help the poor.
But the exhortation does not stop there. Francis goes on to call for greater income equality, redistribution of wealth, and fundamental changes to the economic order. This statement from section 204 underscores his concern: "We can no longer trust in the unseen forces and the invisible hand of the market." And he calls for action "beyond a simple welfare mentality" that "attacks the structural causes of inequality."
He goes on to call for a redistribution of wealth and reform of economic structures that would ensure greater equality of income and opportunity. The rich, he says, should share their wealth and calls for a new commandment: "Today we also have to say 'thou shalt not' to an economy of exclusion and inequality."

Pros and cons weigh in

Economists, politicians and pundits from both the left and right have lauded or attacked the pope's exhortation. Some called parts of the document "pure Marxism" and suggested that someone else may have written the papal document for him.
Writing for the conservative Townhall magazine, John Goodman commented that a search of almost any introductory economics textbook would fail to turn up the terms "survival of the fittest," "trickle down theories," or "powerful feeding on the powerless," which he termed "slurs used by the left to cast aspersions on free markets and pro-growth markets" ("Papal Economics," Dec. 21, 2013). He went on to maintain that free-market economics, far from being a detriment to society, are the single greatest cause of the prosperity millions enjoy today.
Those on the left, predictably enough, lauded the document. In the Guardian, a popular liberal newspaper, Jonathan Freedland said, "Francis could replace Obama as the pin-up on every liberal and leftist wall" ("Why Even Atheists Should Be Praying for Pope Francis," Nov. 15, 2013).  The New Republic praised Francis' stance on economic issues, while attacking his—and the Catholic Church's—views on abortion and homosexuality.
Even prominent Catholics differed in their reaction, some wondering if the pope has gone too far. Robert Sirico, a Catholic priest who cofounded the liberty-oriented Acton Institute and authored the book Defending the Free Market, says in a YouTube video response that while Francis is not motivated by political beliefs, he fails to note that economic prosperity over the past century is largely the result of free market economics.
"How are we to respond to his warnings about mere temporary responses to poverty ... with the demonstrable benefits that we see accruing to the poorest of the poor ... which were made possible by markets globalizing?" (Acton.org, Nov. 27, 2013). How, he asked, can the pope ignore the reality that millions have greater access to jobs and health care, and have risen out of poverty because of the globalization of markets?
To Francis' concern about the dangers of "markets that are unhampered," Sirico asks, "Where are these unhampered markets?"—pointing out that markets everywhere are bounded with regulations of every sort.
All of this raises very important questions about Christianity and economics. Is it God's will that poverty be eradicated in this present age? If not, what is Christianity's responsibility to the poor? Does the Bible espouse any one economic system?

Why has God not eliminated poverty?

Poverty and income inequality are as old as mankind. It may surprise you to learn that the Bible has much to say about poverty, the distribution of wealth, and other economic matters.
"The poor will never cease from the land," Moses was inspired to write in Deuteronomy:15:11For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land.. Jesus Christ Himself seemed to echo that reality when the subject of His anointing for burial came up shortly before His trial and death. Asked by His disciples why He approved the use of expensive oil for His anointing rather than having it sold and the money given to the poor, Christ may have shocked the disciples with His answer: "The poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always" (John:12:8For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye have not always.).
We know that a powerful and loving God could eradicate poverty at any time. Yet He has not chosen to do so thus far. Is there a reason? The surprising answer is that a time is coming when God will eradicate poverty—but more about that later. The fact is that our Creator has not chosen to do so in this present world.
Yet the Bible is replete with instructions on how to properly treat those less well off. Students of the Bible know that more than 3,000 years ago God began dealing with one nation, ancient Israel. That nation of 12 tribes that descended from Abraham was an agricultural society, and it was given one of the most fertile areas of the Middle East as a result of promises God made to Abraham (Genesis:12:7And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.; Genesis:13:14-15 [14] And the LORD said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward:
[15] For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever.).
Those with large landholdings tended to be better off, while many small farmers eked out a modest living. Those without land or marketable skills often found themselves in poverty. But God did not forget the poor of the land and in His laws made provision for them.
For example, God provided a food supply for the poor to gather, telling landowners: "When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them to the poor" (Leviticus:19:9And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest.). It's noteworthy that the poor had to put forth the effort to gather the food for themselves. They couldn't just go to a warehouse and claim it or have it delivered to them.
It was also widely understood that family members took care of other family members. And if a woman lost her husband, her children were responsible for taking her in and caring for her.

Jesus' teaching and examples

Jesus Christ lived and taught in an area that was under crushing Roman oppression. During His ministry, He taught and showed by His personal example the right attitude toward those less well off.
Matthew's gospel records a time early in Christ's ministry when more than 5,000 men, plus thousands of women and children, flocked to Him to hear the gospel of the Kingdom of God. Many came from considerable distances, and at the end of the day, rather than send them away hungry, Jesus miraculously fed them from five small loaves of bread and two fish. Read about it in Matthew:14:13-21 [13] When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.
[14] And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.
[15] And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.
[16] But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.
[17] And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.
[18] He said, Bring them hither to me.
[19] And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.
[20] And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.
[21] And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.. Not long afterward He repeated the miracle, this time with a slightly smaller group of 4,000 men, plus women and children.
Each of the Gospel accounts relates dozens of miraculous healings that Christ performed, mostly of poor people. Matthew alone relates many of these acts of compassion. Jesus cleansed lepers (Matthew:8:1-4 [1] When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.
[2] And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
[3] And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
[4] And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.), healed a paralyzed man (Matthew:9:1-6 [1] And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city.
[2] And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
[3] And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth.
[4] And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?
[5] For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?
[6] But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.), gave sight to two blind men (Matthew:9:27-31 [27] And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us.
[28] And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.
[29] Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.
[30] And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.
[31] But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country.), and even cast demons out of the daughter of a Canaanite woman (Matthew:15:21-28 [21] Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
[22] And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
[23] But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
[24] But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
[25] Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.
[26] But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.
[27] And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.
[28] Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.).
Christ certainly showed compassion for the poor, a compassion He taught to His disciples and by extension to us, both by word and example. Just before His betrayal and death, He summed up what our attitude should be toward those suffering from sickness, isolation and poverty: "In as much as you did it unto one of the least of these my brethren, you did it unto Me" (Matthew:25:40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.).
Christ's disciples didn't forget those examples, and carried on His example of mercy and compassion. Notice Acts:3:2-9 [2] And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple;
[3] Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
[4] And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us.
[5] And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
[6] Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
[7] And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
[8] And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
[9] And all the people saw him walking and praising God:. The apostle Peter didn't have gold and silver to give to a lame man who asked for alms. But he was able to give the man something of far greater worth, telling him, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk" (Acts:3:6Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.).
The New Testament teaching is clear. Today God is not performing such dramatic miracles before the public through His people (though He still does miraculously heal, and we should pray for that). But when we see needs and have the ability to do something to help, it is our duty to respond. That's what our Savior commanded.
Does this mean we literally sell all that we have and distribute it to poor people around us? Many will point to Christ's encounter with a rich young ruler as proof that income redistribution is the duty of all Christians. But let's take a close look at Matthew:19:16-23 [16] And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
[17] And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
[18] He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
[19] Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
[20] The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
[21] Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
[22] But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
[23] Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.. Christ told the rich young ruler to "sell what you have and give to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me" (Matthew:19:21Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.).
When the young man went away sorrowful "because he had great possessions," Christ used it to illustrate the point that it is often difficult for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. He didn't tell His disciples to proclaim a gospel of income equality, but to understand that devotion to material wealth can be a major hindrance to spiritual growth.
Indeed, the young man here was placing his wealth before God, which is precisely why Jesus told Him to give it away. This wasn't a rule for every person, for some are able to possess wealth while maintaining proper perspective and living by love toward God and neighbor.
The early Church was characterized by wide spreads of income. Some Christians were wealthy and powerful, as was the case with Philemon, to whom the apostle Paul wrote. Others, such as Philemon's slave Onesimus, were certainly much poorer. Yet Paul never condemns wealth. His concern was for people's spiritual, not physical, wealth.

Does the Bible reveal a proper economy?

The Bible reveals that God has much to say about money and wealth. Many of the most famous personalities of the Bible were clearly quite wealthy. Genesis:13:1And Abram went up out of Egypt, he, and his wife, and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the south. tells us that "Abraham was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold." His son Isaac inherited much of his father's wealth and increased it. Genesis 30 relates how Isaac's son Jacob was blessed with vast herds of cattle, sheep and camels, so many that he had to come up with a method for distinguishing his large herds from those of his uncle, Laban.
Centuries later, King David became wealthy during the time of peace he was able to bring to Israel. But it was his son Solomon who became one of the richest men of all time. We find a detailed account of Solomon's wealth and power in 1 Kings 4.
When God gave Israel the Promised Land, it was to be divided up so families received property portions relative to their size (Numbers:26:54To many thou shalt give the more inheritance, and to few thou shalt give the less inheritance: to every one shall his inheritance be given according to those that were numbered of him., Numbers:33:50-54 [50] And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying,
[51] Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye are passed over Jordan into the land of Canaan;
[52] Then ye shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, and destroy all their pictures, and destroy all their molten images, and quite pluck down all their high places:
[53] And ye shall dispossess the inhabitants of the land, and dwell therein: for I have given you the land to possess it.
[54] And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every man's inheritance shall be in the place where his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit.). Even if land ownership changed hands due to economic or other hardship, title to the land reverted to the original families every 50 years (Leviticus:25:10And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family., Leviticus:25:13-17 [13] In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession.
[14] And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not oppress one another:
[15] According to the number of years after the jubile thou shalt buy of thy neighbour, and according unto the number of years of the fruits he shall sell unto thee:
[16] According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it: for according to the number of the years of the fruits doth he sell unto thee.
[17] Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the LORD your God.). This provided for a generally even playing field economically, and prevented individuals from permanently amassing huge amounts of land at the expense of others.
It's clear that God does not condemn wealth or the acquisition of wealth. The fact of wealth means inequality of income. Many today accept that fact but attack the methods used to attain wealth. Throughout history, much wealth has been attained through trade, business and investing. Are these activities wrong? Notice what Jesus Himself taught about the value of increasing wealth through proper investments.
Shortly before His death, Christ gave some final teachings to His disciples. In the parable of the talents in Matthew:25:14-30 [14] For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
[15] And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
[16] Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
[17] And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
[18] But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
[19] After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
[20] And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
[21] His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
[22] He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
[23] His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
[24] Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
[25] And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
[26] His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
[27] Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
[28] Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
[29] For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
[30] And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth., He tells of a man taking a trip to a distant country. Before he leaves, he apportions his goods to each of three servants, with the understanding that they will try to increase what they are given.
Those who received five talents and two talents (a talent was about 6,000 denarii, probably ten years' average wages at the time) went out and through various business dealings managed to double their money. A third servant, who received only one talent, dug a hole in the ground and hid it.
What did the wealthy man do on his return? He praised the actions of the two servants who had doubled their money. But his reaction to the lack of return of the third servant was far different. "You wicked and lazy servant ... you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my return I would have received back my own with interest" (Matthew:25:27Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.).
It's difficult to make a case that Jesus condemned wealth or legally acquiring it. He did teach on several occasions, however, that wealth and the pursuit of wealth can be a snare that distracts us from the pursuit of righteousness. What this parable teaches is that we should exercise and build on our spiritual talents, skills and abilities, which to God is infinitely more important than our material wealth.
The Bible does make a case for a liberty-oriented economy—what we would today call true capitalism or, perhaps better put, private property and free exchange.
What then are we to make of the time when the early New Testament Church practiced a communal economy? Notice this in Acts:2:44-45 [44] And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
[45] And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.: "Now all who believed were together and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need."
Does this teach that Christians should practice a communal economy and way of life? First of all, we must understand that this was a completely voluntary sharing of resources (see Acts:4:32And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.–5:4)—not to be confused with a communist system wherein shared ownership is mandatory, amounting to theft of private property.
Secondly, this was a temporary circumstance during a time of persecution and of thousands of new converts in Jerusalem, many from foreign lands who were remaining for a while to learn from the apostles. Sharing took care of an immediate need. The account in Acts shows that these disciples were soon scattered to other regions (Acts:8:1And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles., Acts:8:4Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.). Later writings give us no indication that this short-term experience with communal living lasted very long.

Universal prosperity will come

For centuries, mankind has tried various systems to arrive at prosperity for all and the elimination of poverty. Monarchies, socialism, Marxism, fascism—all have failed. So-called capitalism, too, despite some free-market benefits, has left millions in its economic wake—being a system of government overregulation and cronyism in which government colludes with business.
What has not been tried is true economic liberty through the government of God and God's economic system. While on earth, Christ's mission was to preach the gospel (good news) of the Kingdom of God. This gospel foretold a time when Christ would return to earth to set up His Kingdom. Longtime readers of The Good News know this has always been the major focus of this magazine.
The good news is that the universal prosperity, greater equality of income, and lives free from want that Pope Francis writes about will come. But it won't come through man's political parties, papal encyclicals, the churches of today's world or other human organizations. It won't come through political movements calling for redistribution of wealth, for "taxing the rich" or a higher minimum wage.
Your Bible makes hundreds of references to that coming time of peace and prosperity unparalleled in human history. Bible prophecy foretells a time when Christ Himself will return to the earth to rule.
God's Word gives us a few hints about the economy of this future Kingdom. It will be an economy that values and preserves private property rights, a hallmark of a capitalistic economic order: "Everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid" (Micah:4:4But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree; and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts hath spoken it.).
Those privately owned farms will produce abundant harvests: "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it" (Amos:9:13Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.).
This economic order will allow those who work and profit to enjoy the fruits of their labors, but it will also ensure a level economic playing field that gives everyone a just opportunity to prosper.
God will then pour out His Spirit on the nations, and people the world over will receive the loving character of God, meaning that the way of the world will then be to help others in need. This will be accomplished not through government taking from some to give to others, but through an internal change in the hearts of people everywhere to motivate them to generosity and showing true concern for their neighbors. Best of all, God invites you to be part of this exciting future!