In An Essay on Criticism written in 1709 by the English poet Alexander Pope, he coined the phrase, “For fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” He was speaking to literary critics of his time but this ageless quote still has significance today.  We need only to turn on the TV or search the internet for news to see the same foolish actions prominently displayed.

After the discovery of the 13 Turpin children held captive in tortuous conditions, California lawmakers called for stricter regulations for homeschoolers. “One California lawmaker has floated the idea of requiring annual walk-throughs of home schools by state or county officials because of the case and ‘a number of legislators have expressed interest in doing something,’ the HomeSchool Association of California said in a statement” (time.com).

And concerning the recent school shooting, “Hours after the shooting in Kentucky, Republican State Senator Steve West rushed to file a bill that would allow Kentucky schools to have armed school marshals patrol the site. His bill joins another in the state which seeks to loosen gun restrictions around college campuses” (bbc.com).

Efforts to fix these problems, whether from good intentions or the desire to exploit for political gain, won’t fix the evil.  All are misguided attempts to repair what cannot be fixed by man.  Mankind rarely seeks to address the true cause of its misery.

Satan stirs the waters like a fisherman throwing out bait, and mankind jumps to it with ravenous hunger.  What Satan spreads is foolishness.  Solomon wrote, “The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness” (Proverbs 15:14).  No problem can ever be truly solved by using Satanic guidance and motivation.  Murder won’t stop—it only grows worse.  The breakdown of God’s key foundation, the family, is continuously being eroded.

It can be astounding watching these events unfold, wondering how mankind continues to choose wrong instead of right.  Again, Solomon addressed this mindset stating, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise” (Proverbs 12:15).  We see through “godly” eyes.  In these tumultuous end-times, the blessing of His Holy Spirit within each of us cannot be taken for granted. Solomon also stated, “Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe” (Proverbs 28:26).  Keep your spiritual eyes opened!  God’s understanding will light a path through which each of us can safely pass.

The nation has been hit with sickness, resulting in thousands of flu cases, including several of our own members who were affected by it.  But this isn’t only limited to the United States, as this particular flu has spread around the world.  Now considered an “epidemic,” ABC News reported on January 19: “A deadly flu epidemic spreading across the nation has now claimed the lives of at least 30 children, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.  The report also shows that 8,990 laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated hospitalizations were reported across the nation between Oct. 1, 2017 and Jan. 13, 2018.”

The Independent added that this deadly “flu virus has been killing around 100 people per week in the US since mid-December, the Center for Disease Control has warned. A report published by the CDC with the latest figures showed there were 759 flu deaths between 7 October and 23 December.”

ABC News went on to report that “The CDC has identified a particular strain of influenza A, H3N2, as the culprit affecting thousands from coast to coast. Agency officials said 49 of 50 states have reported widespread flu activity at the same time.”

“‘This seems to be the worst flu season we’ve had here in the last 10 to 15 years,’ Dr. Adrian Cotton, chief of medical operations at the Southern California hospital, told ABC’s “Good Morning America.” ‘We’re seeing a lot more patients with the flu and the patients we’re seeing are a lot sicker than usual… lots of cases [are] happening, in lots of states, all at the same time.’”

The big question is, how does one protect him- or herself and prevent from getting the flu, or any other sickness for that matter?  A lot of controversies has been circulating around the effectiveness of the flu shot, whether or not this would really “prevent” or “protect” one from the flu.  The article of ABC News continues to say, “We know that the influenza vaccine is the best way to prevent the flu, but in this season it is not as effective as it is for the other viruses that circulate… It’s never too late to get the vaccine because the flu season can go on for months. It takes the vaccine about a week to really kick in. But if you’re at risk, which pretty much anyone out there is right now, [if] you haven’t gotten the flu shot, you should get vaccinated.”  That is what the CDC recommends, even though many who have gotten sick have also received the flu shot.

USA Today reported on December 29, 2017,  “‘It’s just one of those years where the CDC is seeing that this strain of flu is only somewhat covered by the vaccine that was given this year,’ said Jennifer Radtke, manager for infection prevention at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville. ‘They’re seeing that it’s anywhere from 10% to 33% effective, so any time there’s a mismatch between the vaccine and the circulating strain of the flu, you’re going to see more cases.’” Not only that, but “‘It can take up to two weeks to build full immunity to the flu after you are vaccinated,’ said Dr. Cara Christ, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services.”

Even though health officials still recommend that “getting a flu shot now is still one way to combat the virus even though it can’t promise total immunity,” they also advocate common sense by frequently washing and sanitizing your hands, covering your mouth when coughing, staying home when sick, staying away from sick people, avoiding touching your face and getting lots of rest and hydration—so if you do come in contact with a flu virus, your body is prepared to fight it off.   The article continues that “antiviral prescription drugs such as Tamiflu can lessen the severity of influenza for people who have had flu symptoms for two days or fewer and prevent complications such as pneumonia. But they also can have side effects, so a flu shot while you’re well should be your first choice.”  (Please read our article in the Current Events section of this Update regarding the dangerous side effects of this drug.)

The most significant course of conduct the majority of health officials leave out is the importance of prayer.  Where is God in all of this?  He is our ultimate Healer and we should pray to Him FIRST when we are sick (compare James 5:13-18).  Of course, we also must understand that we should seek medical attention when necessary, along with God’s guidance.

The fact is, times will get increasingly worse and the Bible prophesies that there will be sicknesses and diseases much more horrible than we have ever seen before, when together with war, famine and other disasters a fourth of the earth will be affected (Revelation 6:7-8) in various places around the world (Matthew 24:7; Luke 21:11).  Described in the Bible as the Day of God’s wrath, no flu shot or vaccine and no amount of money can prevent what is to come as described in Ezekiel 7:2-19.  New disease epidemics will appear (Deuteronomy 28:27-28, 35, 58-61).  But is there a way that we can be spared from this inevitable suffering?  Our free booklets: “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord”,  “Human Suffering, Why…and How Much Longer?” and “Is That In the Bible? The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation” go into much detail and also explain HOW we can protect ourselves from these terrible times that are coming upon us in the near future.

Yes, there is a way that we can be protected.  As we explain in our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord,” Christ promises His people—who are counted worthy—a way to “escape all these things that will come to pass” (Luke 21:34–36; compare Revelation 3:10; Zephaniah 2:3; Psalm 31:19–20).   It is high time that we prepare ourselves NOW and take heed of the warnings the Bible proclaims, before it’s too late.

When you reach your mid-seventies, there are fewer and fewer events in your life that really surprise you. I had one such incident near the end of December of 2017. I went to Walmart in Penticton to pick up a few things and to my dismay, when I got back to my car, the battery was dead. I have made it a habit to carry jumper cables in my car, so I lifted the hood, put the jumpers on the battery and walked to a man in his mid-fifties with his wife in the parking lot who were just getting out of their car. I asked them if they could help me by giving me a jump start with his car. To my amazement, the man said no. Somewhat shocked, I approached another man with his wife who were returning to their car, and they were happy to help me out and I got my car going.

I was troubled for several days over this incident, having a hard time believing that a person would not help another when he needs help. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, a person should help another in need.

The story of the Good Samaritan comes to mind (Luke 10:30-36)—a story demonstrating true love for our neighbor.

This parable told by Christ describes a man who fell amongst thieves and robbers. He was beaten and left for dead on the side of the road, only to be passed by a priest and a Levite who did nothing to help him. Yet a Samaritan stopped, bandaged him up, brought him to an innkeeper and paid the innkeeper to look after him, while he continued on his journey. Interestingly, Jews wanted to have nothing to do with Samaritans. They avoided and looked down on them, which is demonstrated by the Samaritan woman at the well. In total violation of Jewish custom and “tradition,” Christ asked her to give him a drink of water, which surprised the woman as He, an unmarried Jewish man, would be willing to talk publicly to a Samaritan woman and ask her for a drink.

John 4:9 states: “Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, ‘How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?’ For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.”

In His parable, Christ chose a good Samaritan expressing genuine love towards his neighbor, while Jewish leaders refused to do so.

Thinking about the incident I experienced, if this was the man’s attitude in good times we enjoy today, what will it be like in bad times? Matthew 24:12 [in the Authorized Version] tells us that because of lawlessness, iniquity or sin will abound, the love of many will wax cold. The frightening fact is that Christ is addressing here members in the Church. It’s somewhat perplexing to think that the love of many (not a few) would grow cold in the Church; yet, that is what Christ warned us about. This is one of the effects of sin—loss of love, a non-caring cold manner, abounding and ever increasing.

When such an attitude can develop in the Church, how much more will it be prevalent in the world. The world is in a complete mess and you have to wonder how long God is going to allow things to go on. We are all suffering, as it were, from the effects of sin, either nationally or on a personal level. If not dealt with, sin, like leaven, will grow and “deal” with us.

As Church members, we have to remain focused on the job given to us and not allow sin to take a hold of our lives. We must not be like the cold-hearted priest and Levite who plainly saw the man fallen under the robbers, being injured and in physical distress, but they did nothing to help him. Rather, they looked the other way, showing us how not to love our neighbor. WE must be DIFFERENT.

For our 11^th anniversary, my wife gave me a Bonsai tree. I have often admired Bonsais and the ability to craft and grow a tiny miniature tree. What I was not prepared for was the instruction sheet that came with this little tree. In order to keep this tree healthy, alive and growing, one has to do multiple things for it. It is not a get it and forget it type of plant. Nurturing, watering, plucking, replanting, growth wire, misting, and hibernating are just a few things that it needs.

This really reminded me of our Christian Way of Life. There are so many things that we have to be aware of as Christians, so that we stay alive spiritually. We come into our Christian life through a gift. That gift is God’s calling. He has known us for all eternity, and He also knew since then when He was going to call us and how He would call us. It was not a spur of the moment decision. God has called us because He knows that we can make it. Philippians 1:6 should be well known to us. God’s Will is to continue this good work in each of us to the very end.

Once we are called and we respond, we start to grow in this Way of Life. We keep our eyes on the prize of the Kingdom of God. Why else would we want to suffer so much through life’s trials?  If we didn’t have an end goal in mind, there would be no reason to endure.  I think that is why so many people walk away from the Truth in one way or another. They never truly understood or grasped the importance of our calling.

In Matthew 13:31-32; Mark 4:30-32; and Luke 13:18-19, Christ likens the Kingdom to a mustard seed that continues to grow into a massive tree. This is both in the sense of what the Kingdom will become, but also how we ought to view it in our lives as humans. If it is all important to us, we will continue to work towards it. Matthew 17:20 and Luke 17:5-6 show us that our faith, even if it is as the size of a mustard seed, will be able to accomplish great things, because we have also the faith of God and Christ living in us.

Leviticus 26:3-4 shows us that through obedience to the Truth, we will receive the things that we need to continue living. We will receive blessings from God. Blessings come in many ways, even ones that we don’t expect. Psalm, chapter 1, shows us that when we are obedient and meditate on God’s Ways until they become our Way of Life, then we shall prosper like a tree planted by a river.

With water and blessings also comes the need to be pruned. Romans 11:11-31 and Luke 13:6-9 show the amazing possibilities that come from our calling and that God is the one who directs and places people where He wants them. But we should not ignore the fact that God will and does prune where He needs to, so as to help His people. John 15:1-9 shows that we cannot wander off on our own, on some pointless tirade because we want to be right or think we know something that the ministry does not know. Christ’s very strong warning here is that we must stay in the Church; otherwise, we will wither and be thrown out.

Our goal is not that far out in front of us now. Let us make sure we stay on track in regard to this Way of Life. We need to make sure we have the proper goal(s) in front of us so that we stay focused. Like a tree that continues to grow with the right care, we too can continue to grow stronger in our faith and confidence that we are doing God’s Will and accomplishing what He has set out for us to accomplish.

While the term “suicide bomber” describes acts of terrorism in our daily news, there is an inescapable parallel to those who teach and practice false doctrines.

Jesus warned His disciples to beware of the doctrine, that is, the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees (compare Matthew 16:5-12). In Matthew 23, Jesus severely criticized the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy, saying, “‘…For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in’”(Matthew 23:13).

Their doctrines were “‘the commandments of men’” (Matthew 15:9). Those who followed them could not and did not enter the path of eternal life! In fact, they all paid the ultimate penalty for their sinful conduct—they died (Romans 6:23).

The apostle Paul addressed Christians in his writings, warning very specifically of the dire problems which would arise—things which we now face:

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times SOME WILL DEPART FROM THE FAITH, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1; also, compare Jude 17-18).

These evil spirits seek to drag mankind, but especially the begotten children of God, into their own hopeless fate! They seek to destroy humanity! They have embraced the rebellion of Satan the Devil, the powerful spirit ruler and god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4) who is able to deceive the whole world (1 John 5:19). His goal is to destroy anyone he can (1 Peter 5:8).

These are adversaries of Christians—indeed, a kind of spiritual suicide bomber! Their “bombs” are false doctrines and rebellion against God! Our zone of safety is the Truth of God—it is the FAITH, “which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

If we depart from the faith to follow seemingly appealing compromised understandings of the Word of God, then we will destroy ourselves unless we repent—that is, unless we have not already gone too far in rejecting God’s Truth! And not only could we be jeopardizing our own salvation, but we may very well pull our family and friends into the same miserable fate!

Among Paul’s admonitions is this encouraging and critical challenge—something we must do:

“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ…that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel (Philippians 1:27).

In the context of maintaining physical strength and conditioning or mental acuity, the phrase “use it or lose it” is commonly applied. If muscles aren’t used, the body is designed in such a way that those muscles lose strength. If our minds aren’t engaged in active thought, memory is lost, and rebuilding our understanding becomes more difficult. The basic principle is simple — if we do not actively put effort into keeping what we have worked to obtain, we will lose it.

This principle applies to our spiritual growth and understanding as well. The job of a Christian is to learn about the Truth, to become converted in the way in which life is lived, and to overcome sin. There will always be more work for a Christian in this regard, until he or she becomes perfected at the time of Christ’s return. Along the way in the journey, milestones will be reached, successes will be experienced, understanding will be obtained, and battles against sin will be won. However, these achievements are fleeting unless effort is continually applied to the maintenance of those successes. If we do not use the understanding that we have obtained, and exercise our proven ability to overcome sin, we will fall backwards and begin losing the spiritual ground we have gained.

The topic of endurance is mentioned in several biblical writings to the early Church for this very reason (compare 1 Corinthians 4:12; 2 Thessalonians 1:4; 2 Timothy 2:3; 2 Timothy 2:12; Hebrews 10:36; Hebrews 12:2). The race of a Christian takes a lifetime to run, and if one begins to lose focus, and ceases to apply effort, he or she will not win the race and will fail to win the prize. Likewise, even when effort is applied in pursuing a direction that is unsupported by the Truth, the result is loss of understanding. With such loss also inevitably comes the loss of the promised full reward (2 John 8), and in extreme cases, salvation (Hebrews 2:1-3). To become converted, only to halt pursuing Christian growth results in failure. We must remember that conversion and baptism are just the beginning of a lifelong transformation that never ends.

The key to avoiding the dire outcome of a neglected conversion is simple. It takes work. By continually working to improve our understanding, and by application improve our way of life, we are destined to succeed. Jesus Christ provides us with this promise, “‘So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened’” (Luke 11:9-10). The point that we need to understand is that growth is provided to those who ask for it and actively seek it out. With diligence, our efforts to learn and apply the Truth will be rewarded (compare Hebrews 11:6).

If we are fortunate enough to be blessed with godly understanding in this day and age, then we are obligated to do something with this gift. We must remember that the Truth is powerful and provided for our use! We are urged to take advantage of it, using it to direct our spiritual growth. But the Truth will only work for us if we do our part and work to accept and apply it. The parable of the sower informs us that there are many ways in which the Truth can be received, but only one way that leads to success (compare Matthew 13:18-23). We have an active role to play in receiving and using the Truth. If we want to bear fruit that is pleasing to God, then we must never end our efforts to grow in our spiritual development.

(Español: La Navidad es pagana… ¿y qué?)

“Every year again” (“Alle Jahre wieder”) is a famous German Christmas song, stating that the Christ Child descends to earth once every year to enter each house with His blessing.  As a child, I heard and even sang this song without thinking much about it. As I grew older and began to learn more about the TRUTH, I realized how utterly deceptive this song is. But most people never come to this understanding, following blindly the annual customs of Christmas and their wrong and, quite frankly, blasphemous teachings. Where I live, I am surrounded by houses with Christmas decorations (notwithstanding some notable exceptions), and when I sometimes go after dark on my daily walk with my little dog, I’m regularly reminded of Circus Circus in Las Vegas. It’s utterly ridiculous, but this is the world we are living in today.

Years ago, I saw a TV program with an odd-looking “preacher” (smoking a pipe and wearing a cowboy hat) who spoke of the unbiblical Christmas customs. He proved for over an hour that Christmas was thoroughly pagan, but then concluded that it does not matter and that Christians should keep it anyhow. I was reminded of this program when I noticed the following article which was published by Forbes on December 15, 2017, titled, “Why is Christmas pagan…?”

Here are some mind-blowing excerpts:

“Paganism… isn’t something to fear and it is bigotry to act like it is. Christmas is a holiday that has evolved due [to] the passage of time and the influence of various cultures as Christmas has entered their lives. Each of those cultures has enriched the holiday, giving us more traditions with which to celebrate it…

“For the ancient Romans, that holiday was called Saturnalia, named for the god Saturn. Saturnalia was celebrated by feasts, the giving of gifts… The ancient historian, Livy, tells us that Saturnalia began in 497 BC. Modern historians believe it probably started earlier than that. So, at least half a millennia after the origin of Saturnalia, Jesus Christ was born… It would be a few centuries until early church leaders decided it was a day to… commemorate. It would also be a few centuries until they decided to pick a day for that celebration, because the gospels do not tell us on what day he was born…

“On December 25th, 274 AD, the Emperor Aurelian consecrated the temple of Sol Invictus, creating a holiday called Dies Natalis Solis Invicti – the birthday of the Sun – officially elevating the Sun to the highest position among the gods… Around 350 AD, Pope Julius I officially declared December 25th to mark the birth of Christ. There was no evidence that was the actual day of birth… there’s no rule that says a day of celebration has to coincide with the actual date of origin…

“So, in Rome in the fourth century, there were three big holidays being celebrated on December 25—Saturnalia, Dies Natalis Sol Invictus, and the Dies Natalis of the Christ. It’s only natural that elements from these celebrations would cross-pollinate each other…

“As… Christianity grew, the people that celebrated those holidays would take their traditions to new areas… and [as they] introduced Christmas to the native Germanic peoples, the practices of Christmas were influenced by the practices of those peoples for their winter solstice holidays. Over time, traditions like the Yule log, mistletoe, tree decorating, and evergreen wreaths were absorbed and became thought of as Christmas traditions. The Saxons, the Vikings, the Victorians, and the capitalists have all added traditions to the rich tapestry of the holiday we all call Christmas… Pagan contributions are not something to fear…”

Have you ever read such ignorant nonsense? Christmas is pagan, but so what? It’s not to be avoided, but rather, it enriches our Christian walk of life! Sadly, for many who want to be part of the “crowd,” it makes sense. It gives them justification for being like a dead fish floating downstream… if they even care.

Well, God cares, and He tells us this in Deuteronomy 12:28-31:

“Observe and obey all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you and your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the LORD your God. When the LORD your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods…”

As true Christians, we must NOT follow the pagan ideas and religious practices of other nations and people around us. If we do, it will not go well with us and our children.

Well, actually, I can and I do.

During the Feast of Tabernacles just over a couple of months ago, a number of us went to see the Sachsenhausen Memorial and Museum close to Berlin, and were taken on a tour conducted by an American lady who was an expert on the Holocaust. This place was a Nazi concentration camp used primarily for political prisoners from 1936 to the end of the Third Reich in May 1945. Jews and those opposed to the Nazi regime were at the forefront of those who were killed.

The website states the following:

“Discover the brutal history of the facility that was primarily used for political prisoners but also the administrative center of the Nazi concentration camp system. Our informative guides expose the grim realities of life and death at Sachsenhausen. We will explain stories of tragedy and triumph. Explain how everyday life was in the camp, and some of the tactics used here. Although this is a very sobering and somber tour we also like to celebrate some of the strong personalities[,] survivors and victims that suffered here but whose actions bring inspiration to this day!”

It was, in fact, a very stark reminder of man’s inhumanity to man and how, it appears, people were just killed for the sake of being killed. We were told that some staff members were actually paid a bonus for killing someone.

We saw the places where they lived and the conditions and numbers would have been terrible. We saw places where they died. We saw the horrors that happen when demonic activity takes place. There is plenty of newsreel footage available to show what went on at that time and newspapers from that era confirm that such atrocities did occur. It did happen.

The website goes on to say: “Some 200,000 people were imprisoned here and subjected to systematic torture, starvation, forced labor and some of the worst living conditions. As you tour the memorial you will uncover the truths about the camp where 50,000 people were brutally murdered by the Nazi’s and 60,000 held captive until 1950 during the Soviet era. Today the Sachsenhausen Memorial stands as a reminder to the horrors of the 20th century.”

Incredibly, there are the Holocaust-deniers. Wikipedia defines this as follows: “Holocaust denial is the act of denying the genocide of Jews in the Holocaust during World War II. Holocaust denial often includes the following claims: that Nazi Germany’s Final Solution was aimed only at deporting Jews from the Reich, but that it did not include the extermination of Jews; that Nazi authorities did not use extermination camps and gas chambers to mass murder Jews; or that the actual number of Jews killed was significantly lower than the historically accepted figure of 5 to 6 million, typically around a tenth of that figure.”

Today, apart from Holocaust-deniers, we have other conspiracy theorists who believe that the moon landing was filmed in Hollywood, that the earth is flat, that there are aliens amongst us and, probably for some, that the moon is made of green cheese!

Unfortunately, I have known of Church members who seemed to be “big” on conspiracy theories.  It can become a religion all on its own and can be a dangerous distraction from the Truth that we have learned in the true Church of God.

In addition, denying that the Holocaust actually took place is divorcing oneself from reality.

Can you believe it?  Well, actually, I can and I do.   And the sobering thing is that these atrocities that were committed will again happen and, probably, in the fairly near future.  The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord will bring a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time” (Daniel 12:1).  This time will be even more barbaric than those events in the 1940’s and it will be the only way that God will be able to get the attention of rebellious mankind.

A visit to such a former concentration camp is a very sobering business and it is a reality check on how human beings can behave – and will behave again in the near future. We should pray, with increasing fervor, that we may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36).

When Israel went before Samuel to demand a king, it was in response to egregious sins from his sons, the ruling priesthood.  We read that they, “turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice” (1 Samuel 8:3). In this climate of outward sinning, the elders of Israel, correctly, sought to remove those priests from ruling positions.  But they couldn’t have chosen a worse method to eradicate corruption from their presence.  To Samuel they pleaded, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways.  Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations” (1 Samuel 8:5).

God understood what this plea really signified and who it was that Israel wanted distance from, “And the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them’” (1 Samuel 8:7).

Samuel was quite clear in describing the characteristics of how a king would rule (see Samuel 8:11-18). But even with the warnings about human leadership, Israel stayed the course to reject God and seek rulership and justice via carnal man.  Israel had had enough of godly rule and in their heart wanted to assimilate into the world around them, “Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, ‘No, but we will have a king over us, that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles’” (1 Samuel 8:19-20).

The desire to “be like other nations” is a key attitude that has plagued Israel from its inception.  It is a disease to all descendants of Israel and the promises given to us through Abraham. So much more is expected of our conduct! It was God’s desire that we be “a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples who are on the face of the earth” (Deuteronomy 14:2).

It was God’s wish that Israel carry the banner of His priesthood, an example to the nations that God was in charge.  But Israel chose instead to seek power from within human leaders.  They were warned what would accompany this reliance on man instead of God and for several millennia have suffered because of that choice.  Although Israelite nations still actively reject God, He has not rejected His promise or the love He has for His special people.

It is in that environment that you and I are tasked to pick up that banner, to exclaim that Godly rule does prosper. We must not be blinded like ancient Israel and think God doesn’t fight for us. The only battle that truly matters—overcoming sin—can only be won when we allow God to lead.

How often do we think about quitting?  There may be situations in our lives which can become so difficult that we get to the point where we believe that the only option we have left is to simply quit.  That is, quitting God’s Way of Life.  Are problems so intense that we can’t overcome them?  How often do we make mistakes in life?  How often do we fail?  Do we actually have a desire to succeed?

Michael Jordan, who is considered one of the best basketball players of all time, famously stated that through failure, he was able to become successful.  He said, “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career.  I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed.  I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life.  And that is why I succeed.”  He didn’t quit when things got difficult, but instead he became motivated to overcome his failings and made an effort to become the greatest that he could be.  He also said, “I can accept failure, but I can’t accept not trying.”

Is this the kind of attitude we should have when it comes to our spiritual lives?  The Bible gives us the answer in many different ways.  Proverbs 10:4-5 tells us how to be productive.  “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich. He who gathers in summer is a wise son; He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame.” Ecclesiastes 9:10 tells us, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.”  It involves effort on our part, for we plan, but God directs (Proverbs 16:9).

We read many examples in the Bible of those who went through difficult times. God was always there to help in those situations, offering encouragement, strength, and patience.  Often times, God will test our reactions when we go through a particular trial for the purpose of succeeding.  The choice, however, is up to us, for God will not force us into obeying Him.  He provides us with all the tools we need to live a righteous and fruitful life.

We will continue to face challenges, especially in the society we live in, as the majority of the people we are in contact with do not believe what we do.  Some may tolerate or even respect our beliefs but they don’t agree with them.  What we are doing today as part of God’s Church is what God commands us to do, by proclaiming the message of the Kingdom of God and being examples, even though many will not listen.  But some will!  That is why we need to keep going, through our obedient example, for we do not know who will respond to be saved from the end time’s devastation that is coming upon this world.  In light of our desire to help others, do we have enough faith to overcome the trials and shortcomings that we go through, which is necessary for our success?  (Compare Hebrews 11:32-34.)

No, quitting is not an option. We have a goal for which we are striving.  “… I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12-14).

In addition, we also need to remain confident that with God’s help, we will succeed.  “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: ‘For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.’ But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul” (Hebrews 10:35-39).

We must continue to be watchful and on guard as we keep moving forward. As times will get tougher, we will get stronger as we overcome, because it will all be worth it in the end.