So called, “Fake News,” makes it difficult to accept what we read or hear. “Alternative facts” in political statements leave us wondering what we can really believe.

In a recent issue of Time Magazine (March 23, 2017), the cover image asked a startling question: “Is Truth Dead?” The subject of this cover and an article in the issue was President Donald Trump–about the way he has handled truth and falsehood in his career and now as president. Mr. Trump has become the focus of constant fact-checking reporting. His seemingly contradictory statements have dismayed world leaders. Confidence in United States leadership is now severely eroded.

This is but one example, and we certainly understand that the battle between truth and deception is a global concern and that it is orchestrated by the ruler of this age—Satan the Devil (2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 5:19). He is called “a liar and the father of it,” by Jesus. Satan rules this world by lying, and the world believes him (Revelation 12:9). It is little wonder, then, that human leaders follow the lead of Satan.

However, what we are witnessing is a smothering of truth as falsehood GAINS POWER in the world. Of our time, God says:

“In transgressing and lying against the LORD, And departing from our God, Speaking oppression and revolt, Conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood. Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, And equity cannot enter. SO TRUTH FAILS, And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey…” (Isaiah 59:13-15).

Knowing that his time to rule is short (Revelation 12:12), Satan will especially attack those who have the TRUTH. The reason the people of God—Christians—will suffer persecution is because we know and practice the TRUTH!

While headlines in the news may focus on the veracity of a particular statement by various leaders or their aides, the bigger picture is more foreboding. Worldwide deception—supported by miraculous signs—is coming!

It will be against this backdrop of all-encompassing deceit that the Church of God will stand up for and stand in the TRUTH. It is what we are to be doing now, as well. It is the fulfilling of our commission to preach the TRUTH—the good news of the coming Kingdom of God!

The headline in an article in the magazine “The Week” on April 14th 2017, caught my eye.   It said: “Pence: When Does Christian Virtue Become Sexism?”

What was the problem?  Mr Pence is the Vice-President of the USA and is devout to his Christian beliefs.   He refuses to eat alone with a woman who is not his wife, or work late with a female aide, or attend any party where alcohol is being served unless Karen Pence, his wife of 31 years, is at his side.

Other newspapers and outlets took up the story.   One commentator wrote: “How sexist! screamed half of the internet. This is akin to Salafism, argued others.  Conservative Christians who attempted to stand up for Pence were quickly shouted down.”

Hmmm….some of these writers have never taken the time to look at biblical principles.   Perhaps they are not interested – or just plain ignorant? – or probably both!

It was written that “the vice president’s rule is a variation of what is known in evangelical circles as the ‘Billy Graham Rule.’ Billy Graham famously refused to meet, travel, or dine with a woman alone. The presumed reasoning behind this rule was that Graham did not want to create the conditions that might lead to any extramarital dalliances or, given Graham’s ministry, the mere appearance of any impropriety that would harm his ability to win souls to Christ. Many, many evangelical pastors and laymen still follow some version of this rule.

“Those outside the Church should know the Billy Graham Rule has come under a lot of criticism within the Church. It’s increasingly recognized that the Billy Graham Rule is sexist in practice if not in theory.”

To quote from all of the many articles written on this subject would cover many pages of this Editorial, but I would like to just quote a few to show exactly what Christians are up against.   We are under fire again!

The NewYorker.com opined that “President Trump and his straight laced VP have something in common.   They share a stated inability to resist women.”   The Washington Post wrote that “we’ve learned that Pence, too, is evidently helpless in the face of female temptation.”   The lack of understanding by the writer is breathtaking and their logic seriously flawed.   They add up two and two and come up with five but so many will just believe what they read!

The Cosmopolitan.com stated that Pence’s view of women as sirens and his fear of his own sinful nature put the women who work beneath and around him at a huge, albeit very familiar, disadvantage.

TheAtlantic.com took the view that “treating people in workplaces differently based on their gender inevitably hurts women’s careers.”

The UK Guardian newspaper had an article which said: “And while Pence trended on Twitter for his old-school sexism, what went largely unremarked on was that the vice-president cast the tie-breaking vote to push forward legislation that allows states to discriminate against Planned Parenthood and other healthcare providers that provide abortion when giving out federal Title X funds.  Pence is a misogynist. We know it from his voting record, we know it from the things that he’s said about women’s rights and now we know it because of his odd personal rule not to dine with women alone. But let’s not let one man’s sexism distract us from his whole party’s sexist agenda.”

It is easy to see how a person’s character can be blackened just because his beliefs and actions don’t conform to the liberal agenda which has been foisted on a gullible public for some years now.   They would have you believe that Mr Pence is helpless in the face of temptation, his actions hurt women’s careers and put them at a disadvantage and that he is a misogynist and sexist because he voted against the murder of the unborn (abortion).    What twisting of correct behaviour of an individual by those who seem to have a death wish for all reasonable and sensible conduct!

The Church of God for decades has taken a very similar stance to that of Mr Pence when addressing the issue of private meetings between an unmarried couple. We have to remember that Satan is more cunning and powerful than any human being, and he will do everything in his power to throw a true Christian off the path to eternal life.   Temptations can come in many forms and we read in 1 Corinthians 6:18: “Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.”   Also in 2 Timothy 2:22: “Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”

If we don’t put ourselves in potentially compromising situations, we will avoid the pitfalls that have plagued so many by the temptations that may confront them.   We have our own tendencies to sin but this can be reduced considerably by staying close to God.   Ephesians 5:11 is instructive in this regard: “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them,” as the apostle Paul instructs us to walk in the light.

In addition, we read in 1 Thessalonians 5:22: “Abstain from all appearance of evil” (Authorized Version) and in Romans 13:14: “… put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”

These are simple enough admonitions that can have the liberals apoplectic with rage but such biblical instructions simply have pre-eminence over any and all of the utterings of man.

It’s easy to become discouraged when trying to live our life in a way that is at odds with the mainstream ideals of the world. Quite simply, a Christian life in this age could be a hard one. When we choose to apply godly virtue and obedience in our thoughts and actions, we choose to elevate our standards for the sake of pleasing God, not man. Often, taking this course of action will be opposed to social norms and expectations of our peers, and on occasion, it could even be in conflict with the laws of the land. There is no shortage of pressure to conform to the ways of the world, and compromise our Christian convictions.  As the Bible forebodes, “… Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:14).

Even though it might be “a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (compare Hebrews 10:31) and while it is an ongoing challenge to commit our lives to righteousness, we must realize that we will be successful if we don’t give up. The Gospel of the Kingdom of God explains that it is God’s great pleasure to give us eternal life. From the beginning, God’s plan involved challenging mankind to overcome our carnal nature, and not succumb to sin. Certainly, this way of life is at times a hard one, but it is not impossible to pursue it.

God knows that everyone He calls will struggle to succeed, and for this reason He offers tremendous support. To begin with, the Holy Spirit of God the Father and of Jesus Christ dwells within everyone who has been properly baptized, strengthening righteous convictions and granting godly understanding. This gift provides a necessary means of overcoming sin. But the support provided by the Holy Spirit alone is not enough. We must apply our own effort to repent of our sins, and conform our behavior to righteousness. To face this challenge can be intimidating, and even induce fear of failure.

Something that should give us comfort when we face fear and discouragement in living a Christian life is that we’re not alone. Countless people have faced the same challenges and emerged successfully. I believe that it is safe to say that all of them needed encouragement.

When Joshua was leading the nation of Israel into the Promised Land, God recognized that he needed encouragement. As the story begins, he is encouraged repeatedly, but the best summary can be found in Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” God was aware of the great challenge that Joshua faced and anticipated that he might react fearfully. Bringing hundreds of thousands of people into a land filled with foreigners must have been a daunting responsibility. But Joshua followed God’s instructions, providing us with a tremendous example of faith. Joshua overcame any fear in large part because he was encouraged by the promises made by God.

In the letters that Paul wrote, there is a strong theme of encouragement in most of them. Many of the people in the young church congregations had their own unique struggles. In some cases, Paul had to admonish and correct their behavior, but even so, it was for the purpose of encouraging them to get on the right track and overcome sin. Paul recognized that it was important to encourage those who were struggling so that people did not become disheartened by the difficulty of living a Christian life and give up.

In his letter to Timothy, Paul offers some very personal encouragement. He writes, “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:6-7). Timothy is reminded by Paul about his commission, and that he has nothing to be afraid of when facing the challenges faced in fulfilling his ministry. Even though these reminders were sent to Timothy intending to give him some individual encouragement nearly 2,000 years ago, we too should be encouraged by these same words. When we have the Holy Spirit, we can stir it up and put it to work, overcoming sin, and replacing it with godly love. This is God’s purpose for us (compare 2 Timothy 1:9).

Certainly, we can find encouragement through the knowledge of God’s purpose for us and through the words of the Bible, but encouragement must not end once we receive it. On the contrary, we have a responsibility to perpetuate it. “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25). As Christian brethren, we must remember to offer strength to others. Even when we might feel weak ourselves, an encouraging reassurance offered to someone else can be extremely helpful. As much as we might need encouragement ourselves, we need to offer encouragement to others as well.

There is no question that we can find many reasons to be discouraged in our Christian walk, if that’s where we focus our attention. However, these are poisonous distractions. Rather than focusing on the “reasons” why we might fail, we must remember to nurture our sources of positive encouragement that lead us to success. We find strength from our brethren, from the words of the Bible, and above all, from God’s faith in us.

It was not a great meeting… by any stretch of the imagination. The Local wrote on March 18: “Stark differences between President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on everything from trade to immigration were in full view during an icy first meeting at the White House Friday. In a frequently awkward joint press conference, Trump and Merkel showed little common ground…”

The New York Times added on March 17: “Worlds apart in style and policy, Mr. Trump and Mrs. Merkel… could not disguise the gulf that separates them…”

The Daily Mail supplied the following interesting comments on March 17:

“The two ‘could hardly be more contradictory’… President Trump defended his chilly summit with Merkel on Twitter Saturday, insisting it was a ‘great meeting’ – and immediately blasting Germany for owing what he said were ‘vast sums of money’ to NATO. He claimed that all reports criticizing their meeting were ‘fake news.'”

The idea that Germany owes money to NATO or the USA was strongly rejected by American and German newspapers alike.

The Washington Post wrote on March 18: “[Former] U.S. ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder wrote that… [the] alliance gave all member states until 2024 to reach that goal, and Germany is on track. ‘Trump’s comments misrepresent the way NATO functions,’ Daalder told us… ‘that’s not how it works.'”

German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen simply stated that there ”is no debt account at NATO,” adding however that it was necessary “to have a ‘modern security concept’ that included… a European defense union…'” (Reuters, March 19).

On the other hand, German journalists received much praise from their somewhat intimidated American colleagues, for asking pointed questions during the joint press conference.  As Deutsche Welle reported on March 17, “Politico reporter Tara Palmeri admitted… ‘The German press shamed us.’ Trump was also asked point-blank by one reporter [from Die Welt] why he keeps making statements he knows are not true. It was a question that… ‘shocked’ US reporters… The straightforward line of questioning visibly put off Trump… Rarely has [Trump] appeared so uncomfortable…”

President Trump is not one who can easily forgive and forget, as he has admitted in interviews. His impulsiveness is well-known and reflected by his emotional nightly tweets. To believe that the relationship between Mr. Trump and Mrs. Merkel will substantially improve would be naïve. And IF Mrs. Merkel will be replaced in September by her challenger Martin Schulz, then the relationship between Germany and the USA might deteriorate even further, as Mr. Schulz is known for being very outspoken (not as reserved and at times “stone-faced” as Angela Merkel), and he is an open critic of Donald Trump.

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 19 about Mr. Schulz: “[T]he former president of the European Parliament… vigorously defended his party’s support for the European Union… Schulz also took potshots at US President Donald Trump, saying that an election like that in the United States featuring ‘fake news’ and the ‘denigration of whole groups of the population’ had ‘no place in Germany.’ ‘A German chancellor can take a clear negative position’ toward the US, Schulz added…”

Both Mrs. Merkel and Mr. Schulz are strong supporters of the EU, which Mr. Trump opposes. On almost every issue of international consequence, Germany and the USA are in disagreement. Mr. Trump is extremely disliked by the vast majority of the German people (despite the fact that Mr. Trump is of German heritage). Focus wrote on March 17: “This President is anything else but a natural friend of the Germans. His government will not consider the obligations and needs of their allies.”

Even in the USA, President Trump’s popularity declines (notwithstanding some “reports” by Breitbart and the Hannity Show). But Donald Trump will be the President for at least four more years, enjoying the approval of unwavering core supporters, and he can rule with an iron fist within his realm of authority… no matter how the majority of American citizens might feel. And in times of hostility and danger, patriotic Americans will support their President in his fight against foreign enemies, regardless of what they might think about him.

The relationship between Germany and the USA has always been a difficult one. As we explain on page 17 of our free booklet, “The Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord,” “German Kaiser Wilhelm II had a plan to attack the United States about 100 years ago… His ultimate goal was to establish and possess colonies in South America and in the Pacific, and to gain control over the Panama Canal. The plan, though 10 years in the making, was not carried out. Instead, Kaiser Wilhelm II led Germany into World War I in 1914.

“In addition to Adolph Hitler’s attack on Great Britain, he also declared war on the United States on December 11, 1941. This was just two days after President Roosevelt announced that Germany was as guilty for attacking Pearl Harbor as was Japan. Hitler then ordered the destruction of all American ships, wherever they could be found. Hitler lost this war, as he fought too many battles at the same time…”

We reveal in our free literature that Germany is the modern descendant of ancient Assyria, while the United States is the modern descendant of one of the two most prominent tribes of the ancient house of Israel. As Assyria defeated and enslaved the house of Israel in ancient times, so it is prophesied that another war between these powers will occur in the last days, with devastating results. The difference will be that this time, Assyria (modern Germany) will not act alone, but it will lead a power bloc of ten European nations or groups of nations (the final revival of the ancient Roman Empire), and the ensuing war will be fought with nuclear weapons, destroying all major cities in the USA and exterminating millions upon millions of Americans. But after God has performed His punishment of the modern house of Israel, calling it an “ungodly nation” (Isaiah 10:6), He will then direct His wrath against Germany and the entire European power bloc, leading to their destruction, because they are not any more righteous than the American nation.

All of this will happen soon, no matter what people may want to believe or reject. God calls this coming time the “great tribulation, such as not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21; compare also Daniel 12:1).

Are you getting spiritually ready for this time? “Sudden destruction” will come upon this world (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3). But you could “escape all these things that will come to pass” (Luke 21:36). Our free literature tells you how.

Adam and Eve were given clear instruction as to their role while in the Garden of Eden, “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth’ ” (Genesis 1:27-28). We were created as two distinct sexes and told to multiply.  God considered this relationship to be complete because He blessed it.  We were also created as a type of the God Family and given dominion over the physical creation.  It was in a way a small semblance to the dominion God has over all of creation. His directive had the purpose of training mankind to become part of the God Family.

We read in Proverbs why it is so important to carry on Godly training, “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).  But what way should we go?  Whom can we turn to today and find a path that leads to God?  It’s not within the understanding of our own cultural leaders and educators to point to that truth.  It’s only through the small remnants of God’s true church, by adhering to the Bible, that any lights still shine in this dark age.

One striking example of the extinction of godliness today is in our entertainment industry.  Many grew up watching Disney movies which portrayed a modicum of wholesomeness and family-oriented values.  But Disney is embracing a more contemporary outlook today.  In a recent online Glamor article, speaking about recent Disney XD teen shows they state, “Diversity seems to have become more of a priority for the brand in recent years. In 2014 the live-action Disney Channel show “Good Luck Charlie” proudly featured a lesbian couple, whose storyline was the episode’s main arc. In more subtle endorsements of equality, the Disney Channel show “Gravity Falls” featured two male cops who were a couple.”

“Train up a child in the way they should go…”  Embracing homosexuality and gender fluidity is the direction society wants our children to go and God abhors it.  Our culture isn’t just accepting of perverse ideals but pursues after them.  That behavior is instilled into our youth, and they in turn pass it to their offspring. We are warned by the apostle Peter about this cycle that ultimately leads to death, “…having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness…” (2 Peter 2:14-15).

It wasn’t hyperbole when Christ compared us to lights in a world filled with ungodliness. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

We must stand out and shine more and more as the return of Christ nears.  It won’t make us friends to this world, instead its enemies.  We will be hated like Christ was hated because He sought a better way.  We must be Godly examples to our children, teaching them God’s laws: “We will not hide them [God’s laws] from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done” (Psalm 78:4).

David Kupelian, an award-winning journalist, Vice President and managing editor of a conservative publication, WorldNetDaily, and editor of Whistleblower magazine, published an article on March 5, titled, “The Root Cause of America’s New Civil War.”  He states that, “The Age of Trump is characterized by extreme polarization of the American populace, increasing violence and growing accusations of ‘fascism,’ ‘white supremacism’ and even ‘Nazism’ – especially directed at the president himself, many even comparing him with Hitler. Tens of millions of everyday Americans are thought of as ‘racist,’ ‘bigoted,’ ‘woman-hating,’ ‘homophobic’ and ‘anti-immigrant,’ not to mention (in Hillary Clinton’s words) ‘deplorable’ and ‘irredeemable’… America’s extreme polarization started well before Trump. In fact, the nation has been reeling under a full-scale revolutionary attack for many years, leading to the extreme level of anger and division currently gripping the country… the true nature of this division [is] at core… neither political nor even ideological.”

The writer goes on to say the USA today has gotten worse; that it has been “morphed in so many ways into the opposite of what it was in previous generations.”  He compares America now to the 1950s when, in his view, America was “basically confident, prosperous and overflowing with life, hope and unlimited opportunity. People were patriotic, and our culture was strong and essentially moral. America was the undisputed leader of the world – not just militarily and economically, but in terms of freedom and generosity.  Compared with the shining and vibrant nation it once was, today’s America has become a different country: deeply and angrily divided, unable to deal with crises foreign or domestic, the world’s greatest debtor nation with 50 million people on food stamps, rampant divorce and family breakdown, unprecedented sexual anarchy with 110 million with STDs, almost 60 million abusing alcohol and 70 million taking mood-altering drugs. On so many levels, America is becoming [even more] diametrically opposed to logic and common sense.”

Americans are angry, and frankly, so is the whole world.  But will the current President change that feeling or will the anger continue in this country? In an article, published February 6 by the left-leaning Guardian, titled, “Trump’s advisers want a new civil war – we must not let them have it,” it talks about Steve Bannon and Newt Gingrich engaging in “dangerous fantasies about US history” and their “chilling conclusions about the future.”

The article states that a “controversial and divisive US president is elected. State governments defy his will. Popular discontent erupts into low-level violence in several states. And then what?  We’ve been here before. In 1861, the newly elected president, Abraham Lincoln, had to be spirited through Baltimore on a secret train to Washington DC, to thwart a suspected assassination plot. Not long after he took power, a five-year civil war began… Time magazine has revealed that Steve Bannon, the White House chief of staff and Donald Trump’s closest aide, believes the next phase of American history should be as catastrophic and traumatic as the conflict of 1861-65… For Bannon, the No 1 enemy in this ‘war’ is Islam, with China No 2. But there is also a fifth column in America to be dealt with as part of a ‘global existential war’. For Bannon, this fits into a generational theory of American power whereby the nation fulfils its destiny through a cycle of catastrophic crises: first, the revolution of 1776, then the civil war, then the intervention into the Second World War and finally the crisis Bannon intends to provoke through Trump.

“In Bannon and Gingrich, then, you have two men influencing the most powerful office in the world whose beliefs about the dynamics of US history could be best described as dangerous… Bannon fantasises about turning the culture war into a real one; Gingrich about the survival of an undestroyed south… It’s chilling to acknowledge it but we must: large sections of the American right want another civil war. They have spent years amassing the weaponry for it.”

From these above-quoted articles with different political backgrounds, we see that both conservative and liberal observers consider the possibility of civil war in the USA, blaming, of course, “the other side” for these developments.

Since the article by the Guardian was published, controversial decisions by President Trump were put into place, including the so-called “anti-Muslim travel ban,” which sparked much uproar in our nation and the rest of the world.  Subsequently, a modified travel ban was issued on March 6, attempting to meet the legal challenges towards the original one, but it is certain that further legal actions will be brought against the revised executive order. The majority of Americans had a positive reaction to President Trump’s first speech to Congress on February 28, believing that the President would “move the country in the right direction,” based on the things which he said he would do, even though he was vague on explaining how he would do them.  Nevertheless, what kind of reaction might America see, if things don’t work out according to pronouncement or plan? Could a civil war be possible?

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).

Many great American thinkers, one of which was Abraham Lincoln, warned that if destruction was to come, this nation would destroy itself from the inside. President Lincoln did not foresee that a foreign power could overtake America. But we know from the Bible that destruction from the outside will follow. We need to be ready and we need to continue to watch what is happening (Matthew 24:42). 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).

Most of our spiritual growth and understanding comes from Christ working through the ministry. If angels can learn something being said from the pulpit (compare 1 Peter 1:12), then logic dictates there certainly is something for us to learn. People who think they do not need the ministry and can just sit at home are guilty of overlooking several biblical concepts.

For one, they reject the admonition to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together (Hebrews 10:25). In addition, they forget that iron sharpens iron and that cannot be done at home alone (Proverbs 27:17).

There is also a tendency of being wise in our own understanding, which usually leads down the path of self-righteousness and error.  I have noticed that over time, the arrogance of knowing better than the ministry is self-delusional.

What we need to accept is the fact that God, not man, places the offices of the ministry in the Church. Ephesians 4:11-13 tells us:

“And [Christ] Himself gave some to be apostles, some, prophets, some, evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”

Notice the purpose for God doing this: To become a perfect man, to be more Christ-like.

Christ is the Head of the Church (Ephesians 5:23), and the Church is likened to a woman. We are spiritual embryos, as it were. A baby in the womb is protected. The ministry has the responsibility to protect the sheep from wolves and their false doctrines. The baby in the womb is also fed by the mother. We are being fed by our mother, the Church.

The umbilical cord connected to the baby carries blood, food and oxygen for growth and nourishment to the baby. Imagine if the baby in the womb decided that it no longer needed the mother; that it was mature enough to be on its own, wanting independence.  How long would it survive, once being disconnected from the mother?

This analogy can be applied to the independent Christian who feels mature enough so that he no longer needs the ministry for spiritual growth. The outcome is predictable. It is usually only a matter of time until the “babe in Christ” suffers premature spiritual death, unless genuine repentance and forgiveness prevents this from happening.

Our continued growth in spiritual understanding hinges on our understanding and belief that the ministry is a vital part of that growth. We should be grateful to God when He provides faithful servants who fulfill their responsibility of feeding, nourishing and protecting God’s sheep in a non-compromising manner (John 21:15).

As my wife and I have welcomed our second son into the world, I was struck with many emotions when I first heard his cry, and subsequently, when I was able to hold him and look at him. I would think that for most parents, there is no love that quite compares with being able to hold your child in your arms. God has truly designed an amazing way to keep the human race growing. There are so many things that science has taught us about this process, but there is also so much that we may never fully understand until we are God beings and can totally comprehend all of God’s knowledge.  In Psalm 139:13-16, David contemplated the reality of the conception and birth of a child, and he gave thanks to God for this. All of creation is an amazing example of God’s power, strength, foresight and love.

God wants to enlarge His spiritual Family through man. As the Bible shows, He started this growth process with two physical human beings. His command to them was to be fruitful and multiply. Genesis 1:28 reveals that this process of human creation is a blessing. In addition, Psalm 82:6 makes clear that God has planned from the outset that man should become God. But 1 Corinthians 15:49-50 shows us that we, as physical human beings, cannot become God beings. Something else is needed.

One of the most famous Scriptures is John 3:16, which states “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” This Scripture is part of God’s plan for us. Without this ultimate Sacrifice, both on the part of God the Father and Christ His Son, there would be no way for us to become Spirit beings.

God loves His creation. Genesis 1:31 tells us: “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.”  And yet, people have been trying to ignore and reject God (Romans 1:20-21). Some have even denied His very existence. But God will still carry out His plan and give everyone a fair opportunity to become a part of His Family.

The fact that God is recreating Himself is basic knowledge that the Church of God has been teaching for a long time. Please read any of our free literature on this subject, as well as one of our Q&A’s for a more in-depth analysis, titled, “When we are born-again members of the God Family, what will we be, and what powers and abilities will we have?”.

God’s ultimate plan for ALL of humanity is reaching its tipping point. God has truly shown us that He loves all people, and that He wants the best for everyone. But due to Satan’s evil deception and man’s ignorance and selfishness, chastisement and education are necessary before man is able to comprehend his ultimate potential.

The question is, what do we want for ourselves? What do we want for others? What are we willing to do about it? God wants us to be His children—obedient and willing to do without question what He commands, so that we can make it into the Kingdom of God and help others to reach their incredible potential as well. Our time is short. Let us be obedient children.

Are there really any consequences for how we live? In the great scheme of things, does it actually matter whether or not we follow a code of conduct—especially, one established by God? Consider what God set before His people, Israel:

“‘I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them’” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20).

The Bible reveals that very few of the Israelites made the right choice, and the underlying reason is summed up in the last chapter of the Book of Judges: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). Government was missing and people became a law unto themselves.

In a time of Israel’s abject paganism (and this is prophetically picturing our day), Jeremiah was inspired to write:

“O LORD, I know the way of man is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. O LORD, correct me, but with justice; Not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing” (Jeremiah 10:23-24).

But who will take correction? Surely, all of the Old Testament was written for carnal people, but I am a Christian, one might say. I can figure things out on my own, because I have been baptized and I have God’s Holy Spirit—Jesus Christ lives in me!

Tragically, the rebellious attitude which corrupted and defiled the people of God in ancient times still remains! However, Christians—above all people—are expected to be led by God. That leading from God will include correction:

“And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: ‘My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; For whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives.’ If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?… Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:5-7, 11).

How, then, do Christians receive correction? Does God send an angel or a prophet to rebuke you? Does Jesus Christ appear in a vision to warn you? Even though those things have occurred in times past, people still chose their own paths.

Today, Christians receive correction through the Word of God by obeying what is revealed, but there is more. God has established His Church, led by Jesus Christ, to administer God’s government among Christians—and that includes correction.  Additionally—and this is critically important—each one of us must willingly receive correction by submitting ourselves to the clear understanding of God’s Will.

Life and death are set before us. We, as Christians, are making a choice of eternal death or eternal life! What matters for us is that we choose eternal life—and that might just be determined by how we receive correction from God!

I was recently listening to the radio in the car and just caught the end of a conversation. I thought that I had heard everything but this was extreme. It was said that there were over 50 sexual orientation descriptions. I had read that a school in England a while ago had given a questionnaire to young people to see how they saw themselves from a list of over 20 definitions which, in itself was staggering, but over 50?

When I got home I googled this.   What I found was that the website www.thedailybeast.com stated the following: “It’s Complicated.  What Each of Facebook’s 51 New Gender Options Means.  For ten years, the social network limited billions of people identifying as either male or female. Now there are dozens of terms to pick from. Here’s how to understand them all.”   It then lists the definitions of all 51 genders.

Reading some of these definitions would be very amusing if it wasn’t so serious. I wonder how many reading this editorial, who have Facebook accounts, realised that Facebook was into this sort of thing?   It was quite shocking to think a seemingly harmless social networking site had been willing to go along with such perversion, and a site which now has two billion active users which is quite a sphere of influence!

As Christians, we should always ask ourselves: “Is this in accordance with Biblical instruction?” and “What must God think about this?”

First of all, we know that in the beginning God created man and woman (see Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 2:21-24). He didn’t create 51 different genders, He created just two, and in Genesis 1:31 we read: “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good…”  Therefore, God created just two genders, and to God it was very good!

Man comes along and two genders are not good enough for him. Of course, it has taken nearly 6,000 years to get to this stage, but it has been in the pipeline for quite some time with this being foisted on humanity through the “frog in boiling water” principle, and we know who is really the author of it all.  It is confusion.

God is not the author of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), but Satan is. He is the author of all that is wrong and evil; he is a liar and the father of it (John 8:44); he deceives the whole world (Revelation 12:9); and “he has great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time,” referring to the end of this age (Revelation 12:12). Just about everything that is wrong in society has Satan at the root of it all, and giving a list of 51 supposed different gender definitions causes confusion–and it IS confusion.

This sort of nonsense is another sign of how far society has degenerated, but unfortunately, it is now common currency with the younger generation who have had this foisted on them without realising it.  In fact, for many, it seems to be a badge of honour to be different from normality – and the Way of God! How tough it must be for parents with young children today who, if they realise it is perversion, have to combat this approach and mindset.

It is yet another manifestation of Isaiah 5:20-21: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!  Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!” This gender confusion fits into this category perfectly.

Let us make sure that we recognise the ruses of Satan at this end time, of which this is one!