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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Being “fickle” is defined by “thefreedictionary.com” as follows: “… characterized by erratic changeableness or instability, especially with regard to affections or attachments; capricious (of whim or erratic).” Wictionary has another interesting definition: “… quick to change one’s opinion or allegiance; insincere; not loyal or reliable.” The more this word is investigated, the greater the number of definitions. Further synonyms are “faithlessness,” “infidelity” or “unreliability”.
 
That is quite a list of descriptions for just one word, but how revealing it all is. On the CBSNews.com website, it stated the following on November 4th: “The 2010 midterm elections were not just big news for all Americans. The rest of the world took notice too. For some, it was yet another sad step down for President Barack Obama, who took office with near rock star-like popularity internationally.”
 
This was the President who was greeted in victory in near messiah-like proportions not that long ago–someone who was going to really change the USA, and it would all work out well for the nation. Two years later, the nation was “quick to change one’s opinion or allegiance; not loyal or reliable,” as fickleness was defined above. It could be argued, of course, that this sort of “fickleness” was necessary in order to change things, which may not be considered right.
 
On a mundane and much less important level, consider the many sports supporters who are watching their team being soundly and heavily beaten by a much better side. Many may leave the stadium early, not wanting to support their team if they’re losing.  They are fair-weather friends and fickle supporters, rather than appreciating the ability and class of the opposition.
 
Let us consider fickleness when it comes to our faith. We would shudder if we were accused of it and would roundly deny that this was part of our Christian way of life. However, the Bible does include many warnings for us in this regard.
 
Proverbs 24:21 instructs us as follows: “My son, fear the LORD and the king; Do not associate with those given to change.”

Gill’s Exposition on the Whole Bible explains that in religious things, we are to avoid those who “make innovations in doctrine and practice, always love to hear or say some new thing; turn with every wind, and shift as that does; are tossed about with every wind of doctrine, fickle and inconstant, carried about like meteors in the air, with ‘divers and strange doctrines’…”
 
Ephesians 4:14 tells us that “we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine….” Hebrews 13:9 instructs us along the same lines, and in James 1:6 we read: “But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.”
 
In addition, the attitude of fickleness is clearly revealed in Hosea 6:4: “O Ephraim (the British people), what shall I do to you?  O Judah (modern Jews), what shall I do to you? For your faithfulness is like a morning cloud, And like the early dew it goes away.” In the book of Hosea, Ephraim is mentioned over 30 times, and their “faithfulness” is described as fickle and fleeting.
 
It could be said that the opposite of “fickle” is “constant,” which is the position that the true Christian must maintain throughout his life. We must never waver, whatever happens! Fickleness is a way in which many in the world may behave, but it must not be an accurate accusation that could ever be levelled at us. It simply must never apply to our calling, as we keep and “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3), and as we trust in the supreme God–at all times!

In Galatians 5:7, Paul challenged the Christians in Galatia, when asking this pointed question: “You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?” Paul’s words are perhaps even more puzzling today for the overwhelming majority of Christians and non-Christians alike. Obeying the truth? Christ maintained before Pilate that He came into the world “to bear witness to the truth” (John 18:37). Pilate’s answer, as recorded in the next verse, was symptomatic of how many felt then–and how many feel today. He said to Jesus: “What is truth?”

When it comes to the truth, people are confused. Paul explains that the ancient Greek philosophers “exchanged the truth of God for the lie” (Romans 1:25). Since our present-day culture, at least in the Western world, as well as many orthodox Christian concepts, are to a large extent influenced by Greek philosophy, it is no wonder that even many Christians today believe in ideas which are not in accordance with godly truth.

We must come to know what the truth is. Pilate did not know; and he did not want to know. But we can know, if we are willing to open our minds.

David declared in Psalm 119:160: “The entirety of Your word is truth.” He also said: “And all Your commandments are truth” (verse 151). He added: “Your law is truth” (verse 142). Finally, he exclaimed: “For all Your commandments are righteousness” (Psalm 119:172).

Jesus did not come to abolish God’s truth–His righteousness, His commandments, His law and His Word. Rather, He said: “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets… Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:17, 19).

At one time, Jesus remarked that many of those who were listening to Him did not believe the truth, because they were willing to pursue the desires of Satan the devil, and there is no truth in him (John 8:44). But Jesus was not just talking to His audience then. Satan is still the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4), and he is still deceiving the whole world into believing lies (Revelation 12:9).

Paul is also referring to the same correlation between sinful conduct and the inability or unwillingness to believe the truth. He speaks of the condemnation of those who do not believe the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness (2 Thessalonians 2:12). He also speaks of sinful people who are “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:6-7). Without doubt, there is a connection between living in sin and unrighteousness, and failing to recognize and believe the truth.

Christ warned those who thought that they were Christ’s followers: “… depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matthew 7:23). When we continue to practice the way of sin, which is defined as lawlessness (1 John 3:4), we are not really Christ’s disciples. We are not really believing and obeying the truth. Unless we change our way of thinking and acting, Christ will tell us to depart from Him. He will spew us out of His mouth (Revelation 3:16).

We find a startling prophecy for our times in the ancient book of Hosea: “For they shall eat, but not have enough; they shall commit harlotry, but not increase; Because they have ceased obeying the LORD” (Hosea 4:10).

In times of physical need and dependency, we are to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and God promises us that He will take care of us (Matthew 6:33). We seek the Kingdom, when we seek and stand up for the truth–when we obey God rather than man in times of conflict (Acts 5:29). In living by “every word which proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4), we live by and obey the truth, since the entirety of God’s Word is truth.

When we continue to run well, without allowing anyone or anything to hinder us from obeying the truth, then an awesome promise awaits us. We will become kings and priests in the Kingdom of God, ruling on this earth with and under Christ, “being ready to punish all disobedience when [our] obedience is fulfilled” (2 Corinthians 10:6).

How can an ancient book, written more than 1900 years ago, possibly have relevance in our lives today? Look at where we are now – we are the most advanced society that has ever lived. How is it then that the Bible could remotely be applicable to us today?

Actually, there are several ways in which it is meaningful. Firstly, this book of books is replete with timeless principles of living that ensure that we can live a happy, full and blessed life.

There is profitable instruction throughout its pages in regard to how to do this. There are tried and true laws of health, diet, cleanliness, morality, relationships and many others that are there for us to glean.

The reason that this is still pertinent, is because in all that we have accomplished, we, as a people, have not changed nor have we been able to conquer our own human nature autonomously. Our character, the way we are and how we act, has remained the same.

This being the case, the God who made us and knows us, understands exactly what we need to have a good life. Because of this, the instruction that was given millennia ago, has not needed to change and is as appropriate for us today as the day it was written.

Secondly, there are prophecies that have yet to come about. The ones that have, are a proof of the veracity of the Word of God. The rest are now being fulfilled before our very eyes and will continue to come to pass in the near future.

As what God has foretold comes to fruition, it will announce His coming Kingdom and bring many to repentance. His Purpose will surely be seen as the Way to follow and to be.

The Bible shows the Plan of God and how we can live a better life right now. How could the Bible be any more relevant? 

Somebody once said, “Any old dead fish could swim downstream, but it takes a live one to swim upstream.”  The reason is, going upstream takes effort.

You have to overcome the downward resistance of the water current working against you; you have to deal with a certain volume of water; and, of course, you have to fight against the speed of the current. Likewise, an automobile transmission in neutral will not move the vehicle forward, but rather just spins its gears unless they are engaged.

All of this is similar to our Christian walk. Unless we make an effort, we cannot swim upstream, and unless we are engaged, we are just spinning our gears with no forward motion.

It is really important to focus on the reason why we are called today in the first place, in order to stay engaged. Were we called only to save our own skins? Not at all.

You might want to consider Christ’s words in Luke 21:36: “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” This verse has to be balanced with something else Christ said in Mark  8:35: “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.”

A soldier engaged in an intense battle with the enemy is more concerned with defeating and overcoming that enemy than saving his own skin. He is focused on achieving the purpose for his fighting; and that is, to win against and conquer his enemy.

As true Christians, we are not to fight in war, but we still have a purpose to fulfill. As soldiers of Christ, we must preach and publish the gospel (good news) of the future Kingdom of God and to utter a warning to a deceived and dying world. At that same time, we must keep ourselves unspotted from the world and defeat our spiritual enemy–Satan the devil and his demonic forces.

If our focus is only to save our own skin, then we could lose our salvation in the process. This is a serious matter.

Every Christian is engaged in a deadly battle against Satan’s efforts to thwart the Work of God. The more he can delay, slow down or impede the process  of preaching the gospel, the longer he maintains his deceptive rule over this world.

Our focus and desire should be to shorten his reign as the current god of this age. The big question is, are we engaged in the process to help make this happen, or are we like dead fish, floating downstream, or with the transmission in neutral?

We always have a choice. Let us choose to be fully engaged in doing the Work of the Eternal God.