According to Wikipedia, “The modern motto of the United States of America, as established in a 1956 law signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, is ‘In God We Trust’. The phrase first appeared on U.S. coins in 1864.”

This happened on 30th July 1956, just over 61 years ago, and notice how society has changed since then.

It is an interesting question to ask if such a phrase would be permitted today. Maybe it would, as many still pride themselves on believing God… but it would just be a phrase without substance. The USA, as well as many other nations around the world, have become a much more secular and permissive society. In fact, Wikipedia goes on to say that “Some groups and people have expressed objections to its use, citing its religious reference that violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. These groups believe the phrase should be removed from currency and public property.”

As each day goes by, the lobby being anxious to diminish the influence of God seems to proceed with indecent haste. It’s almost like a death wish.

In an article by Dr. Elizabeth Mitchell on May 7, 2013, she wrote: “Following the April 29 (2013) opening of their documentary The Unbelievers at Toronto’s Hot Docs Film Festival, outspoken atheists Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss discussed the merits of their approaches to ‘ridding the world of religion.’ In a recent interview with Steve Paikin, they made it clear that, despite their sometimes different personas, they have the same agenda—getting people to get rid of their belief in God. Yet they both say that Christians should not feel ‘threatened’ by their efforts to expunge religion from human history.”

These people are quite open about their agenda and assault on God, but make the ridiculous comment that “Christians should not feel “threatened.”

Today, it could be said that people generally do not believe in the true God, let alone trust Him. However, many now trust in human beings. For example, when a new Prime Minister or President is elected, they are expected by their followers to put everything right, and so people put their trust in that person. In addition, we see at football (soccer) matches large banners that read: “In (a person) we trust” – and the name of the manager is usually inserted where God should be in that phrase.

The phrase “trust me” is one that is now used in general conversation to give the impression that the person speaking has all knowledge on the subject matter in hand, and that no other consideration or opinion matters. I often think that when someone who wants to be wise in this world (1 Corinthians 1:20) says “trust me,” I had better look very carefully at that situation as it may only be a phrase used to show that they are an expert on the matter, which probably they are not. It can be a personal ego-building assertion.

In Psalm 118:8 we read: “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.” One Internet writer gave these reasons why “no matter how good a man is, you cannot compare him with God”: “God cannot change but men are subject to change; men can lie but God never lies; men can fail but God never fails; God is omniscient but man is limited in his knowledge; God is faithful but men are not; God cannot forget His promise but men can easily forget their promise and God cannot, and never will, betray our confidence.”

The recent Coronavirus pandemic has caused panic among the nations with the media’s obsession with all things Covid 19—so much so that you can’t switch on a television news bulletin at any time of the day or night without being assailed with all the latest statistics, interviews via Skype (or similar) and any other information that they can squeeze out of this issue. Of course, it is a truly terrible situation causing much heartache to so many, but trust is in the NHS (National Health Service) in the UK, and around the world, not in the great God who is seldom mentioned, and when He is, it is oftentimes just lip service. Those of us in the true Church of God know better.

We must always rely on God and trust Him. President Eisenhower was right about the phrase but, in general, man now ignores this precious knowledge and he is always the poorer for doing so. In Proverbs 3:5 we read: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.”

Let the people of God never forget where their complete and total trust should be!

It’s pretty hard to hear the news these days. Circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 escalate day after day. The so-called experts interviewed in news reports fail to articulate answers about how to really solve problems. In fact, they aren’t even able to fully explain the problems in the first place! With such a lack of reliable information available, it is hard to believe that anyone has a plan to improve things any time soon.

With unemployment rates increasing and basic freedoms being stripped from people worldwide, there will be casualties of COVID-19 beyond those who have become infected. Depression, suicide, domestic violence, and substance abuse are among the destructive agents that will undoubtedly result from measures put into place by the world’s governments. The bad news of the pandemic will turn worse. Unfortunately, there is a grim outlook for the immediate future in the world we live.

With bad news lurking behind each corner, it is important for our wellbeing to have a source of joy in our lives that we can trust in. But where can we find it? How is it possible to find joy in the trial that spreads around the world? Clearly, the answers to these questions are different for each of us individually. But as hard as they might be to answer, it is critically important that we take the time to make sure that we do have an answer. If we do not make the effort to find true, meaningful, virtuous joy in our lives, our hearts will grow hard. God will not be able to work in our lives if we refuse to find delight in His plan for us. God provides reason for joy in the darkest of times, but if we fail to acknowledge it, we will only fall into deeper darkness.

As His imminent death drew near, Jesus Christ knew that His disciples were going to face difficult times. But He gave them encouragement. First, He explained that His love was reason for joy. “‘As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full’” (John 15:9-11). The joy that Jesus Christ offers to us comes from the knowledge that God loves us, plain and simple. When all else fails, we have this fact to give us hope.

The source of joy that we have in knowing God loves us keeps us grounded, but this does not mean that we will be invincible to the effects of sorrow. Quite the contrary. Jesus Christ also knew that His disciples would suffer and experience sorrow. When preparing them for His death, Jesus said to them, “‘Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you’” (John 16:20-22). Again, the reassurance and source of joy come from having a greater perspective – seeing the big picture. Even though we will experience sorrow, it is temporary, and there is a greater future that we are to be a part of.

Certainly, it is comforting to know that we have a wonderful future to look forward to if we stay close to God. But we have to wait for the gratification in receiving that joy. Is there something else we can do to find joy in the present experience of life? Fortunately, the answer is, “Yes!” The method also involves changing our perspective in how we view our circumstances.

In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon expresses his grief in the endeavor to find enduring satisfaction in the products of his work. He saw that his accomplishments would only be temporary, and felt despair in that ultimate result (compare Ecclesiastes 2:9-23). However, he also reconciles his sorrow by finding reason for joy, even knowing the eventual fate of his work. By finding inherent satisfaction in the process of working hard and the daily experience of life, there is cause for joy. “He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 3:11-12). Even in the hard times, we can always continue to put forth our best efforts, whether the results succeed or not. We can find a moment to see the beauty of God’s creation. We can find happiness in sharing a smile with one another. In so many simple ways, life offers ample opportunity to find joy in the moments of our experience.

Truly, it is a gift of God to find joy. By understanding His plan that involves each and every one of us, we have hope for a much better future. By seeing the goodness and beauty that resides in our daily activities, we have solace in the present. By keeping our perspective fixated on remembering our blessings, we will find joy in the places where it seemed to be hiding before.

As most of the world sits locked down in their homes and scared, how are we doing as Christians? Are we succumbing to the daily terror in the news? Are we becoming discouraged and disheartened about what is happening? What is our mental attitude and state of mind at this time?

We are rapidly approaching the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. I remember thinking a month ago that I needed to really start digging in and examining myself, and I am surprised by how quickly that time has passed.

The god of this world, Satan, is causing massive panic (toilet paper shortages, as one small example) and great distress on ALL people right now. Most everyone I have talked within the Church is facing trials and troubles in unprecedented waves. It also appears to me that our trials are coming with such frequency that it can be hard to properly focus and take the time to examine ourselves correctly for the Passover.

While trials are not new to us, maybe the intensity with which they are coming is new.

I want to encourage each of us to MAKE the time to seek God, to examine ourselves and to work on the growth of our relationship with God. It takes effort and it takes time. I was listening to an old sermon by Mr. Edwin Pope (the late Senior Pastor of our Church), and he was reiterating how important our relationship with God actually is. The first few chapters of the Bible are replete with individuals who shaped the world by their relationship with God. We have to realize that we too have this same weight on our shoulders. I would suppose that this is not something that we venture to think about a lot. But our relationship with God, and our obedience, is in direct relation to helping to shape the outcomes in this world. Please note Matthew 6:33; 2 Peter 3:12; Matthew 24:22; and Matthew 24:14.

These Scriptures plainly tell us that we each have a direct responsibility in helping to accomplish these things. It is easy to not realize the impact and the magnitude of our calling. Satan wants to destroy each of us because of the impact we can have. James 4:8 tells us: “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Now is the time to really be drawing close to God, especially as the Passover draws near. If we have not been zealous in this regard, it is time to rectify this (Matthew 22:37; Romans 12:11; Hebrews 10:19-22, 4:6, 11; 7:25; 11:6 ). Drawing near to God is not a physical act, though it can include that. It is directing our heart, our mind and our attention to God, to His laws and commands, and being willing to look into our hearts and recognize where we have sin and then root it out. As Mr. Norbert Link has asked all of us to do, we should set aside a personal day of fasting and prayer prior to the Passover, if we have not already done so.

The Apostle Paul had to rebuke the Corinthian church, but he was pleased with the results. 2 Corinthians 7:5-12 states: “For indeed, when we came to Macedonia, our bodies had no rest, but we were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts, inside were fears. Nevertheless God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus, and not only by his coming, but also by the consolation with which he was comforted in you, when he told us of your earnest desire, your mourning, your zeal for me, so that I rejoiced even more. For even if I made you sorry with my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it. For I perceive that the same epistle made you sorry, though only for a while. Now I rejoice, not that you were made sorry, but that your sorrow led to repentance. For you were made sorry in a godly manner, that you might suffer loss from us in nothing. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death. For observe this very thing, that you sorrowed in a godly manner: What diligence it produced in you, what clearing of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what vehement desire, what zeal, what vindication! In all things you proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. Therefore, although I wrote to you, I did not do it for the sake of him who had done the wrong, nor for the sake of him who suffered wrong, but that our care for you in the sight of God might appear to you.”

We need to continue looking at ourselves, examining ourselves and making sure that we will be taking the Passover in a right and worthy manner. We need to make sure that we are drawing close to God, so that our examination is not just causing worldly sorrow, but rather godly sorrow that produces change in us. Are we changing? Are we allowing God’s Spirit to help us to change? If we are attempting to get rid of sin on our own, we will fail (2 Corinthians 13:5; 2 Peter 1:10-11).

While we begin to see the prophesied downfall of the modern House of Israel, it should cause us to wake up and to become more diligent in seeking and maintaining a right relationship with our great God. We need to do this so that we can stay mentally strong and sound in the faith (1 Corinthians 16:13; 1 Peter 5:1-10; Ephesians 6:18).

When we are properly seeking God, we will be having different desires than this world has. We will want to seek God. We will want to change. We will have hope (Romans 15:13). We will have desire for the Kingdom of God, and our entrance into it. Philippians 2:13 tells us that if we are on the proper wavelength  and have the right mindset, then God can and will work through us. This should be what we are desiring and striving towards.

It is amazing how the Word of God is also needed, as we seek to draw closer to God. When we properly spend time in studying the Word of God, we start to become convicted of what we read, and we can really begin to make the changes in our lives that must be made to draw close to God.

Restrictions get tighter and our “freedom” grows increasingly limited when it comes to what we were able to do just weeks ago. The question is whether more drastic measures are in the immediate future as cases of the Coronavirus increase and a “handle” on it looks grimmer, while leaders grasp for answers on how to deal with this crisis.

As the days continue, measures to cope with this new lifestyle become more extreme with “stay-at-home” orders. In focusing on California, people were encouraged just recently to go outside and go hiking, go to the beach, go to the park, and limit gatherings to less than 10 persons, and at the same time practicing “social distancing.” Yet, the public did what they assumed was “ok” to do, based on this convoluted information, until these recommendations were changed in California once again, leading to complete closures of beaches and parks and hiking trails along with threats of $1000 fines due to the overcrowding of people “gathering” at these places.

When there is nothing else to do, what can one expect?  Now everyone is restricted from what one can do outside.  What will the next day bring?  As the days go by, people’s patience will run out and stress, depression and anxiety will increase, which could very well lead to anger and taking matters into one’s own hands.  According to a report by CNN, dated March 19, “Gun sellers across the United States are reporting major spikes in firearm and bullet purchases as the coronavirus spreads across the country… ‘The world has never seen anything like this and people want to make sure they’re prepared for whatever lies ahead, whether that be food shortages, government shutdown, or worse,’ a spokesperson for Ammo.com said in an emailed statement. ‘When everything around you is uncertain, having a supply of ammunition can make our customers feel safer.’” This is a scary scenario and if people get tested on what they can or can’t do anymore, can we imagine what this could lead to, perhaps if martial law went into effect?

On March 10, 2017, I wrote an editorial, titled, “Civil War in America?” where this question was asked regarding the very possibility of this occurring in the near future, but at that time it focused on controversial governmental decisions which angered many people; yet were supported by others.  We saw then a stark contrast in viewpoints from two different sides within the nation. Much hasn’t changed since then.  In fact, things have gotten A LOT worse, as we can see now reactions to responses to the Coronavirus epidemic and what it has led to, not just in this country, but all around the world.

That editorial addressed what is extremely relevant right now, which is that “what WE in God’s Church know is that overall, America will not be able to emerge out of the mess they are currently in; that the relationship between America and the rest of the world will get worse and worse; and that this nation will end up in captivity and slavery because of the terrible sins they are committing (Zechariah 7:4-14; 8:7-15; 9:10; 10:6-10; 11:4-17).” This is still coming and that is why we need to be READY NOW, and continue to watch what is happening, as it says in Matthew 24:42: “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”

Mankind doesn’t seem to understand who the god of this world actually is, and it cannot connect the dots as to why all this is happening. On the other hand, God’s people DO understand why.  The vast majority will be caught off guard even more so as things WILL get worse and they will not even know what hit them until it is too late.

I concluded the editorial in the same way this one is ending here, stating that, “This is why we in God’s Church must proceed in warning our people and the rest of the world of what is coming in the near future (Ezekiel 33:2-7; Isaiah 62:6; Luke 21:36).”

Coronavirus! A man-made pandemic which originated in China, apparently due to the ungodly consumption of unclean meat. It is destroying the world—its civilization; its societies and global economy. Panic reaction to the virus has changed our daily lives… including cancellations of social and sport events; closure of schools, restaurants and shops; serious restrictions for our jobs and work abilities; national and international travel bans; prohibitions of assemblies and confinements in mandated isolation and quarantine… as well as cancellations of our religious worship services.

Many countries have already banned church services, and who is to say as to how long these limitations of our religious and individual liberties and freedoms will continue… It is as if we are victims of a worldwide war… and in a sense, we are—each country seems to fight a suicidal war against itself and an all-encompassing “preemptive” war against other nations.

When hearing this mind-boggling news which affects many innocent people and which sounds like the wild imaginations of a science fiction or horror movie, I wonder how much we have taken our freedom from autocratic restrictions and totalitarian governmental intervention for granted with the opportunity to assemble each week for our religious services. Many times, the sad truth is that we begin to really miss something when it is taken away from us. The Bible admonishes us that we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together (Hebrews 10:25). Many have not heeded God’s warning in this regard, or they might have attended half-heartedly, lacking real zeal and enthusiasm for God and His people.

In Old Testament times, ancient Israel and Judah polluted God’s holy days—either not keeping them at all or keeping them grudgingly with their own added traditions—and God was very angry about this and punished them with many plagues and ultimately, with destruction, death, war and captivity.

We can read about this in Ezekiel 20:12-13:

“Moreover I also gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between them and Me, that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them. Yet the house of Israel rebelled against Me… and they greatly defiled My Sabbaths…” As a consequence, God said that He would rule over them with “a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out” (verse 34).

Ezekiel 22:26 adds:

“Her priests have violated My law and profaned My holy things; they have not distinguished between the holy and unholy, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them.”

Sadly, man seldom learns from his mistakes, it seems, and today’s “priests” in our modern nations have hidden their eyes from God’s holy Sabbaths as well. As a consequence, God pronounces a curse on us for repeating the sins of our forefathers.

In Hosea 2:11, God tells us how He feels about “days of worship,” which man created for himself, while rejecting God’s Sabbaths:

“I will also cause all her mirth to cease, Her feast days, Her New Moons, Her Sabbaths—All her appointed feasts.”

But we should not overlook the fact that God is also angry with the lackadaisical attitude with which some of His people might be “keeping” His Holy Days, and that He announces the possibility of preventing them from keeping His Sabbaths by assembling for worship services, as they did not really appreciate this great privilege anyway.

Hosea 9:5 gives us this sobering warning in the context of future slavery and captivity for our nations which will also include some—if not many—of God’s people: “What will you do in the appointed day And in the day of the feast of the LORD?” The Neue Luther Bibel 2009 writes: “What will you do then during the annual feasts and the feast days of the LORD?”

Amos 8:10-12 also adds this sad prophecy:

“I will turn your feasts [or feast days] into mourning, And all your songs into lamentation… ‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD God, ‘That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the LORD. They shall wander from sea to sea, And from north to east; They shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD, But shall not find it.’”

Are we experiencing now a foretaste of what is going to come—a last warning perhaps and a strong admonition from God to get our act together, before it is too late? To get us back on track to worship the true God of the Bible with zeal, dedication, enthusiasm and love? All of us are called upon to examine ourselves and to make sure that God provides us with protection from the worldwide plagues and their consequences, and to appreciate fully the Sabbaths which God gave us as a sign between Him and His people.

Jesus said to His disciples, those with whom He had just observed Passover, “‘you are My friends,’” but He added this conditional requirement, “‘if you do whatever I command you’” (John 15:14).

The Bible shows that the building block for friendship in the Family of God is love, and it is what Jesus requires of us: “‘This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you’” (John 15:12, also, verse 17). In fact, Jesus uses His own example to set the standard:

“‘A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another… as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another’” (John 13:34-35).

In what way has Jesus loved us? Just how far was He willing to go to prove His friendship with us? He defined it this way: “‘Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends’” (John 15:13); and we know that “Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Jesus magnified the second part of God’s commandments—“‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:39).

God, Himself, calls Abraham “‘My friend’” (Isaiah 41:8), and God “spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend’” (Exodus 33:11). Both did what God commanded them to do.

Can it also be said that we are friends with the Father and Jesus Christ? Jesus prayed that this would take place among His disciples:

‘”I do not pray for these alone (those whom He had earlier called His friends), but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me’” (John 17:20-23).

The depth of our relationship as friends with the Father and Jesus Christ is shown in that we share in the knowledge of what the Family of God is doing, and that we are part of it:

“‘No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you’” (John 15:15-16).

One thing we can ask the Father is that He will indeed help us to do whatever He commands. That is exactly what Jesus did! He depended on the Father, and the Bible reveals that Jesus prayed for help in the work given to Him to accomplish. Jesus was able to say: “‘I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do’” (John 17:4).

And so it likewise falls to us to finish the work God has commanded us to do. We are chosen for this—because we are the friends of God.

The world at the moment is in a spiraling catastrophic downspin of one major curse after another, which has accelerated since January this year. One article which demonstrates this, titled, “10 Plagues That Are Hitting Our Planet Simultaneously,” has been published on February 17 by Michael Snyder and linked by the Drudge Report, as follows:

“All of a sudden, really crazy things are starting to happen all over the world… The following is a list of 10 plagues that are hitting our planet simultaneously…

“#1 Armies Of Locusts –… swarms of locusts the size of major cities have been devouring entire farms in Africa in as little as 30 seconds.  These swarms have also been spreading throughout the Middle East, and now we have learned that they have even reached China… Billions of the insects have destroyed food supplies across Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia in what has been described as the worst plague for decades.

“#2 Extremely Bizarre Weather Patterns –… An all-time record 209 mph wind gust just hit California, and absolutely crazy storms are happening all over the planet… Sydney has been thrown into chaos by a devastating storm that saw two months of rainfall in just two days – forcing mass evacuations, leaving 150,000 homes without power, and prompted warnings not to drive to work. The storm dumped 400mm of rain on the city over the weekend, causing mayhem for commuters on Monday morning with roads blocked, ferries canceled and trains suffering major delays across the network.

“#3 Unprecedented Flooding – We are seeing unusual flooding all over the world right now, and the flooding that is devastating the southern U.S. at this moment is being called ‘unprecedented’… In Jackson, Mississippi, hundreds of residents either watched their homes flood over the weekend or worried their residence would soon be drenched as the Pearl River crested Monday at 36.8 feet, its third-highest level ever recorded – behind only 1979 and 1983. Calling the Jackson floods ‘historic’ and ‘unprecedented,’ Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said in a Sunday press conference that ‘we do not anticipate this situation to end anytime soon. It will be days before we are out of the woods and the waters recede.’

“#4 Major Earthquakes –… A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Tuesday (January 28) about 80 miles from Jamaica, shaking people in the Caribbean and as far away as Miami. A tsunami of 0.4 feet was recorded in the Cayman Islands at George Town, but no tsunami was observed at Port Royal, Jamaica, or Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic.

“#5 Unusual Volcanic Eruptions – … One of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes, Mount Merapi just experienced its most powerful eruption since 1930! The eruption reportedly took place on Thursday (February 13) and was caught on video displaying a powerful and terrifying eruption showing the moment the crater exploded and launched lava and ash an estimated 2,000 meters into the air forcing local residents to stay outside of the designated no-go zone 3km (1.8 miles) from the crater.

“#6 The Coronavirus – Needless to say, the coronavirus outbreak in China has been getting more headlines than anything else on this list.  The numbers continue to rise, and many are speculating that this could potentially become the worst global pandemic since the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918…

“#7 The African Swine Fever – ‘Pig Ebola’ has already wiped out millions upon millions of pigs in China, and it has now spread to more than 40 other countries.  The price of pork is absolutely skyrocketing in China right now, and to help fill the demand the Chinese are increasingly importing pork from U.S. sources…

“#8 The H1N1 Swine Flu – Unlike the African Swine Fever, the H1N1 Swine Flu can actually kill humans.  In fact, it has already killed more people outside of China than the coronavirus outbreak has… As of now, the H1N1 virus is posing a great threat once again as it has claimed 13 lives in Taiwan in the last week. This virus is highly contagious and is known to spread from human to human. It is especially dangerous for those with a compromised immune system like those suffering from chronic medical conditions and long-term health conditions.

“#9 The H5N1 Bird Flu – This strain of the bird flu caused a massive global scare a number of years ago, and now it is experiencing a stunning resurgence… experts are warning that this outbreak could be just getting started… China also is reportedly dealing with an outbreak of the deadly H5N1 bird flu in chickens in the Hunan province, an area that borders the province where the coronavirus emerged… As of Feb. 1, local authorities had culled 17,828 poultry after the H5NI outbreak…

“#10 The H5N8 Bird Flu – This strain is different from the H5N1 bird flu, but many believe that it is even more frightening.  It has started to pop up in numerous places around the globe… Germany has reported an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu virus in a backyard in the southwestern part of the country…

“2020 has certainly started off with quite a bang, and many expect global events to continue to accelerate… things are likely to get even crazier in the months ahead.”

In spite of all of this happening, and much more could be added, are the people, communities and nations asking themselves WHY this is occurring? Well, it is happening because of SIN. China is experiencing this horrible outbreak of the coronavirus because of breaking God’s laws regarding clean and unclean meats. The United States is under a curse for their murders, sexual sins, drug abuse and a host of other issues they are not addressing nor dealing with.

We are witnessing the effect of worldwide sinning but not addressing the root cause which is transgressing His commandments and laws in effect today, but if they were to obey, these curses would go away. Just as the author of the article states, “Hold on to your hats, it will get worse” (paraphrasing). Indeed, it will get much worse before it gets better.

Look at what Christ stated in Matthew 24:21: “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.”

As we approach the Passover season and examine ourselves, let us make sure we are putting sin out of our lives so that we may be worthy to escape that which is coming on the whole world and to stand before the Son of Man when He returns. This we know: Things will get MUCH better—there will be absolutely no comparison whatsoever–once Christ returns and ends the current madness.

There are a number of passages in the Bible that show us that there are many things that we do not understand in this age. The title of this editorial is from 1 Corinthians 13:12, first part. In fact, the same verse goes on to explain that “…Now I know in part…” The apostle Paul was saying here that in his human life, there were things that he could not see clearly but darkly, or as an enigma as the Greek can be translated. The mirrors in those days were usually polished metal and not fully effective, and he used the image in a poor mirror as an analogy of his understanding.

When we study God’s Word, there are many things we read but as humans cannot fully understand. We read them and know them to be true but with human reasoning we cannot understand how or why. An example of this is in 1 Corinthians 15:35: “But someone will say, ‘How are the dead raised up? And with what body do they come?’” Paul goes on to answer this question by beginning with an analogy comparing physical with spiritual things.

Just recently, in a question and answer series, the question was answered, “How can God listen to billions of prayers at the same time?” As a human being, we can usually only concentrate on one conversation at a time, which is why the question would be asked. But with God, whose understanding is infinite (Psalm 147:5), He could listen to all the prayers of faithful and sincere people at the same time. As was mentioned in the Q&A, in this present age, the number would certainly be a very small fraction of billions, but it would be well within God’s ability to listen to billions.

One might ask, “How could God know, before He created the world, who would be alive in Ephesus in the first century so He could choose His firstfruits from them?” (compare Ephesians 1:4). As a human, our experience and therefore first-hand knowledge extends from some time after birth to death. But with God, who created time, He knew before the world was created whom He would call to become one of His firstfruits prior to Christ’s Second Coming.

Through Moses, God explains to us in Deuteronomy 29:29: “The secret things belong to the LORD our God.” Then He informs and encourages us, “But those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” So even though there are some things we may not understand because they are not revealed yet, there are many things that God has revealed to us for our benefit. And God has given us this revelation in the form of His Bible. It reveals all we need to know about God and His Plan.

Much is revealed to us in it including that God has a desire for everybody to be ultimately saved as we read in 1 Timothy 2:3-4: “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” He does not exclude anyone for any reason from His desire but when they are called, they must of course respond to Him.

This is also stated in John 3:17: “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” This not only includes His firstfruits but provides the possibility for everyone to be saved in his or her due time. God’s Plan is all inclusive.

However, through His Word, God gives His firstfruits knowledge of rewards for us. Romans 8:29-30, 32 states: “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified… He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things.”

God also promises that He will not give up on us if we do not give up on Him. Philippians 1:6 says: “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” God can be totally relied upon to carry out His part of His agreement with all those He calls now.

Again, God addresses us in 1 John 4:9-10, 14. He reveals to us that His Son is not only our Saviour, but the Saviour of the world: “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Saviour of the world.” Again, it is revealed to us that Jesus is the Saviour of both us and, later, the world.

And He reveals to us knowledge of the great rewards ahead through king David. Psalm 16:11 reads: “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”

Many things are revealed in the pages of the Bible but some things will not be revealed until our resurrection or change.

If we knew and understood all things, there would not be any reason for faith and hope. Both faith and hope can only be present if we do not see everything clearly but rely on God’s promises, and His promises are awesome. But in this life God requires us to walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Both faith and hope are mentioned in Hebrews 11:1: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hope is also mentioned in Romans 8:24-25: “For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”

Considering the end result of this process of believing what we cannot see, we can read in the rest of 1 Corinthians 13:12: “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I am also known.” God knows us fully now but then we shall know all things fully.

The question in 1 Corinthians 15:35, pertaining to the first resurrection, that Paul answered at first with an analogy, before explaining it fully, is also answered in full in 1 John 3:2: “Beloved, now we are the children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” That is, a glorious Spirit being as John saw in a vision in Revelation 1:13-16.

So the conclusion to the subject is that if we live in faith and hope, not understanding all things now but believing what God has revealed and His promises, this will be the ultimate result, as stated in Revelation 21:7: “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”

In 1982, my wife and two children visited the Kennedy Space Center in Florida whilst attending the Feast of Tabernacles at St Petersburg that year.

Late last year (2019), our son, his family and my wife and I again visited the centre and, after 37 years, much had changed!

On the website we3travel.com are the following comments:

“The John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is the U.S. launch site that has been used for every NASA human space flight since December 1968.  KSC has changed a lot since I last visited in…let’s see…1982?

“The main Kennedy Space Center Visitor Center is an expansive complex that resembles a modern-day amusement park.  Its attractions feature an Early Space Exploration exhibit, Rocket Garden, children’s playspace, 2 IMAX shows, an Astronaut Hall of Fame and Astronaut Memorial, the popular (with the younger set) Angry Birds hands-on exhibit, multiple cafes, gift shops, and much more.”

It seems that someone else who attended the centre, also in 1982, realised the massive amount of change that there had been over the years.

I don’t have the relevant data, nor do I have the complex technical understanding to make any comments about all of the many changes made over the last four decades.   However, what I did discern quite clearly this time around was that there was a great deal of self-belief and arrogance as well as a complete lack of godly understanding about the whole issue of space.

We read in Genesis 6:5 “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”   We know how God told Noah to build the ark and that man was to be destroyed from off the face of the earth.

The Benson Commentary observes: “Here is God’s resentment of man’s wickedness. He did not see it as an unconcerned spectator, but as one injured and affronted by it; he saw it as a tender father sees the folly and stubbornness of a rebellious and disobedient child, which not only displeases but grieves him, and makes him wish he had been written childless.

One commentary at the JFK Space Center was that “we are not creating history but embracing our destiny.”   In a way, that is true, but not in the way that man looks at it.   Man has great arrogance at times about his own ability and capacity, and God has certainly given him a very small amount of His own ability, but man, generally, thinks that it is all down to his own brilliance!   Not once, when visiting the centre, did I see one acknowledgement about God’s magnificent and stupendous universe – if there was one, I certainly missed it!

I am reminded of the saying, “Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.”   The details of a stupendous universe, vast beyond man’s ability to fully understand, does not negate the fact that God did create and that He sustains it all by His might and power, and His Word amply proves this.

It would have been appropriate, but probably politically incorrect, to acknowledge the Creation by a great and loving God, but I could not find any observation or comment to that effect.   God’s benevolence and patience are simply not understood today. In fact, as man’s capacity to do great things has increased exponentially, belief in the One who created and now sustains all things has slithered downhill at a rate that our forefathers would not have believed.

They want to explore space.   Why?   To build colonies and, possibly, live there!   The simple observation that man cannot exist peacefully on earth at present, and hasn’t down through the last 6,000 years, is a fact that they never seem to acknowledge.   If it did happen, man would fight in space (he is already talking about a “space war”), just as he continually does on the earth today; just look at the conflict down through the ages and such conflicts are still going on today!    The same human nature would be transferred from the earth to wherever man finished up in the universe.   How ridiculous it is that so much money is spent on a useless exercise that will never come to fruition during man’s occupation on earth!

Of course, we know that there have been some helpful results from some of the work done, for example satellite navigation, and there may be some other results that have been made, but man, in his present form, will simply not be allowed to live in outer space.

However, there is good news!   Those who have answered God’s calling and will have remained faithful to the end of their lives will become members of the Family of God who will inhabit the universe.

In our free booklet “Heavens and Earth…Before and After the First Man!,” the last paragraph reads as follows:

“When God created man, He purposed to bring him into His very Family and to give him rule over the earth and the entire universe, to administer His government over His physical and spiritual creation. Once man has qualified and has become a God being, God will direct him to restore and beautify the earth, and finally, to “colonize” new heavens and a new earth (2 Peter 3:13).”

Man’s current arrogance will end, and an appreciation of the great God will replace this – and for eternity!

When Moses struck the rock at Meribah and caused water to flow, was he justified in the anger he felt towards the Israelites? One third of Moses’ life (see Exodus 7:7 and Deuteronomy 34:7) was spent leading the people of Israel to the Promised Land. In those 40 years he dealt with a rebellious people that struggled to place God before their own lusts and desires.

At one time, God even wanted to destroy those rebellious people immediately, “Then the LORD said to Moses: ‘How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them? I will strike them with the pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they’” (Numbers 14:11-12).  But Moses interceded and quieted the anger of God, “Then the LORD said: ‘I have pardoned, according to your word; but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD—because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it’” (Numbers 14:20-23).

A generation died out and did not enter into those physical promises because of their rebellious attitude towards God. This punishment was severe to those who failed to follow after God.  And this same punishment was leveled against Moses for his anger.  “…and Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly before the rock. Moses said to them, ‘Listen now, you rebels; must we bring you water out of this rock?’ Then Moses raised his hand [in anger] and with his rod he struck the rock twice [instead of speaking to the rock as the Lord had commanded]. And the water poured out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank [fresh water]. But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you have not believed (trusted) Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, you therefore shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them’” (Numbers 20:10-12, Amplified Bible 2015).

There are no exceptions made for rebellion against God, “For there is no partiality with God” (Romans 2:11).  Moses understood God (through God’s Holy Spirit), something the Israelites around him could not do.  But the same consequences for sin still applied to Moses, and he likewise did not enter into the Promised Land.

God guided and trained Moses his entire life in order to lead His people. He governed a nation with Pharaoh, tended sheep for Jethro, and lead God’s people out of captivity. But the years spent with a people that constantly drifted away from God undoubtedly had an impact on his attitude, at least in that moment at Meribah.  And one (seemingly) small act caused swift punishment from God.

Being surrounded by such ungodliness in our day can have that same effect on our attitudes.  Left unchecked, we can sin in a way that distances us from the Will of God (however valid our actions might seem to the world).  And one small act can cascade into a loss of eternal life.  Understanding and retaining the Will of God in all our actions is fundamental in each of us reaching the lasting promises of becoming part of God’s eternal Family.