This week Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old woman facing a rare and debilitating form of brain cancer, chose to end her life. Maynard “suffered increasingly frequent and longer seizures, severe head and neck pain, and stroke-like symptoms. As symptoms grew more severe she chose to abbreviate the dying process by taking the aid-in-dying medication she had received months ago,” stated a spokesman for Compassion & Choices.

Stephen Hawking, a renowned physicist who has battled ALS for over 20 years, commented on assisted suicide in 2006, saying, “I think it would be a great mistake. However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. While there’s life, there is hope.”  Recently he has changed his position and feels those with terminal illness and pain should be able to end their lives as they see fit.  “We don’t let animals suffer, so why humans?” he told the BBC, noting that there should be adequate protections so that no one is condemned to die against their wishes.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control, over 40,000 suicides were reported in 2012, making it the 10th leading cause of death in the US.  Suicides are nothing new but legalizing them is a growing change.  Many of the arguments supporting legal suicide seem plausible, especially when we hear such emotional stories. But emotions should not rule our will!  We must submit to the Will of God, of which most of the world has no knowledge.  “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are on the road to destruction. The god of this age has blinded the minds of those who don’t have faith so they couldn’t see the light of the gospel that reveals Christ’s glory” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4, Common English Bible, CEB).

An opponent of assisted suicide, Diane Coleman, President of Not Dead Yet, said this week, “Brittany Maynard’s story is incredibly heart-wrenching. When you look at assisted suicide based on one individual, it often looks acceptable. But when you examine how legalization affects the vast majority of us — especially those most vulnerable — the dangers to the many far outweigh any alleged benefits to a few.”

One fundamental point lacking in most arguments either for or against assisted suicide is this:  What is God’s Will?  We understand this world is ruled by Satan, and he imposes his will mercilessly upon it.  But that doesn’t negate God’s Will or His desire for humanity.  God alone wills who should live or die.  “The LORD! He brings death, gives life, takes down to the grave, and raises up!” (1 Samuel 2:6, CEB).

While Christ was alive on earth, He knew that His death had been pre-appointed.   He agreed to die, not with dignity or in comfort with loved ones. Instead He died a most undignified and painful death.  His brethren abandoned Him during His trials.  And during His last moments on earth, even God the Father separated Himself from His Son, “and about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?’ that is, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’” (Matthew 27:46).

Christ did not commit suicide, but He agreed with the Father as to the time and manner of His death. He gave the world opportunity—eternal life because of His sacrifice.  We owe the Creator nothing less than to live a life, like our elder brother, constantly fulfilling God’s Will. 

Now that the Feast of Tabernacles is over, we face a long stretch before the Spring Holy Days are upon us. Our spiritual batteries should be fully charged to carry us to the spring.

It is encouraging to see growth in the Church’s membership with seven baptisms performed at the Feast in Germany this year, to the joy of everyone there. But we must also bear in mind that growth comes in two forms.  One is growth within the membership; the other is growth in grace and knowledge of Christ, which is very important.

Our stance on not being willing to compromise may seem to hinder magnificent growth in numbers, yet we must always bear in mind that we can accomplish more with ten zealously committed and truly converted individuals than with one hundred or even one thousand lukewarm and unmotivated social “followers.”

We have a command from God to move forward in the preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom, which is the only hope for mankind, and to do it with zeal.  God has no pleasure in an individual who looks back, once he has put his hand to the plough (compare Luke 9:62).

The world needs to hear the good news of the coming Kingdom of God, and the sinning nations of the House of Israel, namely the USA, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa, need to hear the Ezekiel warning message of coming disaster and slavery, which must occur before Jesus returns.

God’s Church must preach the Gospel with boldness, without shrinking back. Because of man’s foolishness, all flesh on this planet would be destroyed, if Christ was not to intervene, and hopefully, some who will hear the warning will respond and become Spirit-begotten members of the Family of God.

The Feast of Tabernacles has been an opportunity to charge up our batteries and energize ourselves for the push to get the Gospel message out to the world.  Individually, we must stay close to God in order to be useful instruments in His hands and according to His divine Will.

It’s onward and forward without looking back, since the time is nearer than it was last year, and we need to work hard to get the job done. Then the end of the present evil age will come. This world’s madness will cease, and Christ will establish a wonderful world of peace and harmony which is what the Feast of Tabernacles pictures. At that time, we will assist Christ in bringing mankind their opportunity for eternal salvation.

Let’s not lose sight of that goal, and let us remain firm in our commitment to God to get the task done soon.

With Atonement, the Feast of Tabernacles, and the Last Great Day of 2014 approaching quickly, our anticipation should be near its peak. Whether you have been planning for a year, a week, or somewhere in between, there are probably details in your life that need to be coordinated to ensure that you can observe these days to their fullest potential. Preparing our clothes, packing our things, and making final arrangements are all necessary for those who are traveling. But, getting our minds in the right shape is what we really need to focus on, while casting physical distractions that impede our spiritual preparation out from our field of view.

We may encounter real, genuine obstacles to our physical preparation for the Feast days. Perhaps getting time off from work is a challenge, or perhaps our travel arrangements have seemingly impossible gaps that we don’t know how to fill, or maybe we have something at home that needs our attention. These obstacles, and others, are instruments that Satan will use to keep us focused on the physical world – the world that he rules – and turn us away from spiritually preparing.

A large part of preparing for the Fall Holy Days involves setting priorities in order. This is a time of the year when we are especially commanded to draw near to God, and we can only imagine how angry and jealous this makes Satan. He will look for our weaknesses, and tempt us to find reasons not to observe God’s Feasts. As we are advised in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” With this in mind, let us be prepared to overcome the weaknesses that cause us to neglect observing the Feast with the right spiritual state of mind.

When we are told to be sober and vigilant, this means that we must be on guard, especially when we know that our actions are an affront to Satan, causing him to become angry with us. This can be a very difficult affair. The strength that we have personally might not be enough to confront the temptations we encounter, but fortunately, we have the strength of Jesus Christ living in us to help. Paul reflects upon this fact in his own life in Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” This strength promised to us includes the ability to face the physical obstacles that we experience on our path to observe the Feast.

The world may throw obstacles in our way, distracting us from our spiritual growth, but this world is passing away (1 John 2:15). An age of perfect Spiritual rule will imminently replace it. What better way to prepare for that coming age than to make ourselves spiritually ready for the upcoming Feast days this year? Whatever physical and spiritual state we are in, we must be certain that we allow nothing to stand in the way of our observance of these Feast days to the absolute best of our ability—and with God’s help we can!

Are you ready?

Jesus shocked His audience when He told them about the potential of man. At the same time, He confirmed who He was. “I am the Son of God,” He said, “and that should not surprise you, because your own law says that you are gods.” The Jews viewed this as blasphemy, and they were willing to seize and stone Him for saying this.

It is no different today. Just tell someone that it is our destiny to become “gods”—born-again members in the Kingdom of God and immortal God beings in the very Family of God—and be prepared for the reaction of disbelief, outrage or open hostility and persecution. But the biblical teaching is so very clear and convincing—if one has eyes to see.  Not only the New Testament teaches this; so does the Old Testament, and the Jews in Jesus’ time should have known this.

In Psalm 82:6, God (“elohim” in Hebrew) tells human beings that they are (to become) “gods” (“elohim” in Hebrew). Jesus quoted this very Scripture in John 10:34, where the Greek word for “gods” is “theos”—the same word which is also used for Almighty God and Jesus Christ. God the Father and Jesus Christ, the Son of God, are God of gods and LORD of lords (Deuteronomy 10:17; Psalm 136:2-3; Revelation 19:16). And so, we are (to become) “gods” and “lords” under the Father and the Son. We will be praising God “before the [other] gods” (Psalm 138:1). And God stands in the congregation of the mighty (literally, God) and judges among the gods (Psalm 82:1).

Of course, there are hundreds of additional biblical passages, proving what our human potential is. But how often do we remind ourselves of our awesome destiny—especially in times of trials? The archbishop of Canterbury said recently that there are moments when he questions God’s very existence. Maybe none of us has ever reached that point—and then, some might have, especially before their conversion—but how many times do we ask ourselves whether God is really with us? And even if we do not express these doubts in words, do we show them through our conduct?

These moments of uncertainty are not uncommon to man—including the spiritual giants of the Bible. Abram did not think that God would be with him in every circumstance—so he and his wife Sarai agreed to lie continuously about their true relationship (Genesis 12:11-13; 20:2, 9-13). They also doubted that God would be with them THAT MUCH that they could bring forth a child—given their age (Genesis 16:1-2). Moses did not believe at first that God would be really with him in Egypt to deliver Israel from slavery, and when the first attempts seemingly “failed,” his original doubts were confirmed in his mind (Exodus 5:22-23). And even though God had promised Jacob that He would be with him wherever he went (Genesis 28:15), Jacob had his doubts (verse 20).

God had assured Jeremiah that He would deliver him from his troubles (Jeremiah 1:8, 19), but when things got tough, Jeremiah began to question how “reliable” God really was (Jeremiah 15:18-19). Are we so much different today? Do we not also have moments when we question whether God is really with us—whether He really knows what we are going through? Of course, we do! When we do not see HOW God could possibly work out the seemingly impossible (Psalm 78:19), then we might feel somewhat forsaken and alone.  But God HAS promised us to be with us always—never to leave us nor forsake us (John 14:18; Matthew 28:20; Hebrews 13:5). He promised us to deliver us from all evil (Isaiah 43:2; Psalm 91:15). We are always on His mind—there is no place where we could go; no thought which we could think; no word which we could say; which God does not see or know or hear (Psalm 139; Matthew 6:8; Ephesians 3:20). And God acts for us in ways which are far beyond our ability to imagine (Psalm 77:19).

Still, moments of doubts might come—questions such as: Why did God let it happen? Why didn’t He intervene? Why didn’t He make the impossible possible? We might not get a full answer to all these questions in this life. But we have THE overriding answer, and that is the most important truth we can ever embrace in those moments: God is our Father. We are His children. Jesus Christ is our Elder Brother. The Father and the Son want to enlarge the God Family. They want us to be IN Their Kingdom. It is our potential to become gods—God Beings in the very Family of God. God will see to it that we will make it—whatever it takes. As long as we do not forsake Him, He will NEVER forsake us. Even if we do not fully understand now—God is there to carry our burdens and give us strength, and He will always be with us. With THAT assurance, ALL doubts should fade away.

In the aftermath of the destruction of the Worldwide Church of God, a clear understanding of the most fundamental truths of the Bible has been terribly eroded and even lost by many!

Why?

The answer is—as it always has been—that people are not really yielding to humbly obey God. With obedience comes understanding (Psalm 111:10); with disobedience comes deception and confusion (Romans 1:25, 28). Consider the following statements from Psalm 119, verses 97-104:

“Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; For they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, Because I keep Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, That I may keep Your word. I have not departed from Your judgments, For You Yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way.”

Today, there are those who question what the truth is or who is preaching the truth of God. Even when answers are given, far too often there is an unwillingness to openly and honestly examine the Word of God for the proof of a matter. Paul wrote of this attitude:

“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

Do you have “itching ears”—“always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7)? Have you cast your lot with self-appointed “teachers” as Paul warned, that, “…from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse (misleading) things, to draw away the disciples after themselves” (Acts 20:30)?

Jesus Christ continues to lead the Church of God! The truth is still being upheld and faithfully taught! If you believe this and if you are part of the Work God is doing, then you do understand—make certain to keep what you have been given!

As we are busy preparing physically and mentally for the annual Holy Days in the autumn, Satan is very active in creating all kinds of problems for us. He knows what the Holy Days represent, and he hates them with all of his being. In far too many cases, he has been successful in persuading former Church members to think that these days are no longer binding for us.

Then there are those who refuse to adopt this erroneous teaching. In their case, Satan adopts a different tactic. He bombards them with trials and tries to make life miserable for them, in order to detract them from focusing on God’s Holy Days and their meaning. When they become discouraged and allow themselves to question the need to keep all of God’s Holy Days in the enjoined way and at the place designated by God, then Satan has conquered them and he has won.

When we feel that Satan might be gaining some access into our thinking, we must immediately respond and resort to counter measures. To successfully oppose an enemy, one must first know his identity, his character and his goals.

The Bible tells us who Satan is. He is our enemy (Matthew 13:28), and we are not left in the dark as to what he is like. God’s Word describes him as our adversary (1 Peter 5:8); the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4) who is worshipped by this world (Matthew 4:9); the prince and ruler of this age (John 12:31; 14:30; Ephesians 6:12; Luke 4:5-6);  the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2); the deceiver (Revelation 12:9); a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44) who blinds the minds of unbelievers (2 Corinthians 4:4); the tempter (1 Thessalonians 3:5); the accuser (Revelation 12:10); the destroyer (Revelation 9:11); the wicked one (Ephesians 6:16); and a murderer (John 8:44).

This is quite a list of ungodly characteristics. It shows that Satan is in no way interested in our well-being. He is described as a vicious, malicious, evil and deadly poisonous dragon-like serpent (2 Corinthians 11:3; Revelation 12:9) with tremendous powers.

The Bible also identifies the goals of our enemy. He wants to devour us (1 Peter 5:8). And he will try to do this through his fiery darts (Ephesians 6:16); his devices (2 Corinthians 2:11); his craftiness (2 Corinthians 11:3); and his wiles or schemes (Ephesians 6:11).

How then is it possible to win against such a devious mighty adversary? God gives us the answer! We can oppose, conquer, and protect ourselves against Satan, when we are sober and self-controlled (1 Peter 5:8); and when we are vigilant, watchful and on the alert (1 Peter 5:8). We must resist Satan (1 Peter 5:9; James 4:7), while submitting to and drawing near to God (James 4:7-8). We must put on God’s whole armor (Ephesians 6:13-18); claim Christ’s Sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins (Revelation 12:11); believe God and His Word and live by it (Revelation 12:17; 13:10); and we must give ourselves totally to God (Revelation 12:11).

If we do this, then Satan will lose against us, every time. Seeing that he cannot conquer us, he must flee from us (James 4:7). Problems and difficulties might stay with us for a while, but with God’s help and Satan’s retreat, we will overcome them all and become “more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). God in us, who is mightier and greater than the spirit who is in this world (1 John 4:4), will give us “the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Problems and trials must not wear us down and discourage us from obeying God and observing His weekly and annual Holy Days. Rather, we are to keep them in the proper way, and as we do, we will experience a greater understanding, as well as spiritual refreshment and powerful rejuvenation.

I recently watched a fascinating series of television programmes entitled “The Men Who Made Us Spend”.   One of many issues that was presented was that of planned obsolescence.   Amongst many definitions, it can be defined along the following lines:  “Planned obsolescence is when a product is deliberately designed to have a specific life span.”

It was pointed out that we live in a world of seemingly limitless consumption and that it just didn’t happen by accident.   The programme presented proof that relentless spending and throwing away were engineered.

Apparently, its origin, as presented in this programme, began in Berlin in the 1920s although other claims are made to its origin.   Manufacturers hit upon an idea that would become fundamental to the consumer economy, artificially limiting the life span of products.  A coordinated decision was taken by a global cartel of companies to reduce the life span of light bulbs which was known as the Phoebus cartel and was an idea that came from the Chairman of Osram, Mr. William Meinhardt. 

The programme gave evidence that in 1924, the world’s biggest electrical companies hammered out a deal in Geneva.   Its aim was to increase profits by fixing prices and production quotas and at the same time dictated the time a light bulb could last.   Before this, a bulb would last 2,500 hours but this was reduced to 1,000 hours.   The impact on sales was phenomenal, doubling the business of all parties in five years.

In the early 1990s, long forgotten papers were discovered in a factory in Berlin that revealed an extraordinary secret deal that provided the template for the consumer obsolescence that we live with today.   All rules were written down in minute detail.

Planned obsolescence still operates today and is, we were told, an open secret.   One German expert showed how pervasive it is involving so many products: electric toothbrushes, washing machines, printer cartridges and much more.   This expert showed how the counter on a printer cartridge could actually be re-set and used again and how electronic chips in printers are fitted to say that the ink has run out when it hasn’t!

All this leads to a consumer society where continual spending is the norm.

No analogies are perfect in every way but as I was watching this programme I thought about the difference between the planned obsolescence of man which is driven purely for sales and profits through continual product consumption and the fact that God has given us physical life which will end when God decrees.  Those who are called and chosen in this age are given a time span in order to develop holy, righteous character and then those who have remained faithful to the end, their flesh and blood will be a thing of the past with eternity in the spirit world to look forward to.

Man’s planned obsolescence is driven by greed; God’s approach is that we have physical life for whatever time He decrees as His people are not subject to time and chance, with the goal of a wonderful, happy and joyous future.

What a difference there is between the ways of man and the ways of the great God!

Striving for perfection is probably the most difficult thing one can do; however, that does not mean that we can’t do our best to attain perfection. Matthew 5:48 states that we are to become perfect, just as our Father in heaven is perfect.

There are many ways that people search for perfection.  For example, some may look for the perfect job; others may look for the perfect mate; many people dream about having a perfect body.  These goals are very tough to achieve.  Even though someone may be satisfied with what they have, it doesn’t mean that it is perfect.   There are many things that can be perfectly achieved, as, for example, a perfect driving record, perfect attendance in school, or a perfect score on a test.  All of this takes work – this is how we strive for perfection.

To achieve perfection, we have to prepare for it, like taking a test, for example.  In most cases, studying hard will get us there.  Now what about us spiritually?  When we are given a test, will we be prepared to pass it?  Have we studied enough?  Have we studied continually to pass this test and any other test that we are given?  Preparation is the key. We have to be prepared at all times, especially when we are being tempted by Satan, just as Christ was on many occasions.  He passed all tests, challenges and temptations, and that is why He was perfect!

We might think that perfection could have been achieved from the very beginning of the Bible when man was created.   Adam and Eve had everything they needed and lived in Paradise.  Everything was perfect, but that didn’t mean that they couldn’t be tempted to sin.  Their wrong decision is recorded in Genesis 3.  Romans 1:18-28 tells us what has happened to this world as a result.  It is very tempting to sin, but we know what the consequences are when we do sin.  James 1:17-25 tells us what we should do when we are tempted to sin.   Not only do we have to listen to what we are being told, but we have to apply it as well.  When we are being taught in a class, we take notes and we study those notes so we can pass the test.  We listen to what the teacher says and we apply the information on the test.  The same goes for all of us, spiritually speaking.  We have our ministers who preach to us and we listen and take notes so that if we are ever in a pop quiz situation, we can answer questions confidently, thereby passing the test.

We do, however, have an extra edge, a study guide.  Our Bible is our study guide.  All the answers are in the Bible.  And to help us better understand the Bible, we have God’s Holy Spirit and our teachers in the ministry.  When we apply this valuable understanding to our daily lives, we are striving for perfection.

God has to permit it however (compare Hebrews 6:1-3), just as He permits trials in our lives.  When we are baptized, we receive His Spirit, His power, to give us strength, and that strength can overcome any trial.  God can do anything and once we have responded to His calling, which He permits, we have to be strong and faithful to that calling.  We have to be excited about His calling.  Of course, there are times when we are down; there are times where we feel like quitting; there are times when we feel alone; and there are times when we are discouraged.  During all those times, we have to feel encouraged because of what God promises us.  He knows exactly what we all go through, even through the toughest times.  This is when we should fervently pray to God and study His Word, because that is also the time when we are most vulnerable to sin.

To help us better strive for that perfection that we so desperately need, there are a few traits we must continue to work on, and we must continue to remember to apply them in our lives.  We read about these traits in 1 Corinthians 13:13.

The first one is hope.  We hope for the future, for Christ’s return.  We hope that we will make it and be part of the God Family (Romans 8:18-25).  At the same time we have patience, waiting in hope to be saved.

We must also have faith (Hebrews 10:18-23).  Hope and faith go hand in hand.  And with that comes one more trait, that of love, which is the greatest of all three.  We have to love God and each other as a family.  If we don’t show love for God and our fellow man, then we have no hope or faith in our future.  And without love, we have nothing!  We must love the church and love the work; we must love God’s law and consider the tests and trials that God allows in our lives.  God expects us to pass the test.  If we apply these traits in our lives and continue to prepare ourselves with fervent prayer and diligent study to pass each test that we are given, striving for that ultimate goal, then on that day, when Christ returns, we will be changed into perfect Spirit Beings.

It is hard to believe that in a few short months from now, we will be leaving for the Feast of Tabernacles. As usual, the Feast fever is starting to grow. And it should be this way. We should be genuinely excited about God’s commanded Holy Days.

The effort and zeal that we put into getting ready for the Feast is present every day. Whether it be preparing for special music or messages for those who speak, as well as other tasks to be carried out.  It always seems that the last two months before the Feast are the busiest. Proper preparations take forethought and time to come into place.

Each year we somehow manage to have “the BEST Feast ever!” This is truly a side effect for people of like mind and unity, enjoying what God has foreordained. And how quickly these days go by!

And then, when the Feast has ended, we walk away on a spiritual high. That energy and zeal lasts for a little while. That is until we get sucked back into the world and back to the daily grind.

But there is a task which all of us should be carrying out before and at the Feast, and thereafter.  We all have the ability to reach out and help each other through our rough patches. We are told many times to lift each other up, to encourage each other to carry on (Hebrews 3:13; 10:25; 1 Thessalonians 5:11).

Each day we wake up is another day closer to the ultimate return of Jesus Christ. This is a fact that we should bear in mind as we go about our lives. If we make it a part of our thinking we will begin to look beyond the past, present and near future difficulties.  We will no longer be slowed by doubts and inhibitions. Paul was encouraged to write this little tid bit to the Philippians, to show them by his actions how to stay focused. He said: “ … I press on toward the goal…” (Philippians 3:14).

So as we continue to prepare for this important time of year, let us also prepare for after the Feast. We have to develop this sense of urgency and focus so that we can help in “hastening the coming of the day of God” (2 Peter 3:12).  Let’s do this together–holding each other up in love and encouragement.

Our society fulfills its desire for entertainment in an ever increasing level of shock and complete imbalance.  With the ability to record pictures and video on almost every cell phone in use today, it’s rare to not see the aftermath of accidents, disasters and wars captured with immediacy and made available for the world to see.  There is no lack of desire to see images more and more horrific in nature.  Mainstream media has standards of what they cannot show and often warn or black out images deemed too graphic.  But standards relax and what was unacceptable to show 20 or 30 years ago is now common place on nightly news.

We can attribute these growingly macabre desires to the god of this corrupt age and the influence he has unleashed on this world.  But Satan has been at work since his deception in the garden and mankind’s lust for gore is not a new one.  King David was given a heart wrenching decree by God because he gloried in bloodshed: “But God said to me, ‘You shall not build a house for My name, because you have been a man of war and have shed blood’” (1 Chronicles 28:3).  Christ said that David was “a man after My own heart” (Acts 13:22) but more importantly we know that David had God’s Spirit.  Like each one of us with that same Spirit, David saw the world with his eyes opened by God. But, he stumbled because of his love of war and bloodshed and was not allowed to build a physical house for God.

Living as a Christian in this world is difficult.  The subtleties in how we interact on a daily basis can form lasting habits and those habits can either direct us toward godliness or away from it.  It’s too easy to mirror the standards of this society and grow accepting and accustomed to the comfort it appears to give.  But true Christianity should find no comfort in the beliefs of this age: “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). 

Each of us must strive to build a spiritual house—one that God would desire His Spirit to dwell within.  It is imperative then, for our eternal existence, that we let our “conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel” (Philippians 1:27).  Living a Christian life is not about “what I can’t do” but instead “what I should be doing.”  With that mindset we can conduct ourselves in a manner suitable for Christ.