Observing the Feast of Unleavened Bread–like all of the Holy Days of God–pictures fulfillments both past, present and future. This specific period is a time when we are not to have leavening in our homes or in any of the food we eat. Leavening symbolizes sin in this circumstance (1 Corinthians 5:6-8; Galatians 5:9).

For the Israelites, coming out of slavery and idolatry–their “leavening”–was departure from Egypt. In turn, Egypt was a type of the world and its system that exists under the powerful influence of Satan. John drew a contrast between those called out of the world and those Satan rules: “We know that we are of God, and the WHOLE WORLD lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1 John 5:19).

Sin doesn’t just exist in small doses–it permeates our societies! Sin is a WAY OF LIFE for Satan and those he influences. What is sin? It is lawlessness–it is the breaking of and disobedience to God’s perfect laws (Compare 1 John 3:4). Even our dictionaries define sin as something “shameful, deplorable, or utterly wrong.”

No greater lie has been told by Satan than to convince mankind that they don’t have to obey God! This has been the case throughout history, and it is the circumstance that Jesus warned would overwhelm people just before His return: “‘And because  LAWLESSNESS WILL ABOUND, the love of many will grow cold'” (Matthew 24:12).

Sin destroys love, while obedience causes love to grow!

As we continue to observe this Feast of Unleavened Bread, let’s carry forward the true meaning of removing leavening by getting rid of sin as well! The way to do this is to diligently seek to obey God–to walk in the footsteps of Jesus Christ and to also live our lives without sin!

Are you discouraged? Are you frustrated and doubtful–perhaps so much so that you–a baptized member of the Church–are wondering whether you should partake of the annual Passover service this year? Are you tempted to give up?

At the same time, do you neglect to analyze your life–how you are doing?

The few remaining days prior to Passover especially are a time of self-reflection and analysis. The letter to the Hebrews helps us in meeting this challenge. In that epistle, Paul gives all of us life-saving admonitions and encouragement. He begins in Hebrews 2:1, by uttering this sober warning: “Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.”

Paul cautions us not to take the truth of God for granted. Rather, we are to take great pains to retain and apply what we have been taught from God’s Word. It IS possible just to drift–to lose interest in God’s Way of Life–to find, instead, pleasure and excitement in what this world has to offer.

Paul asks us to consider very carefully our own persuasion and conviction, as well as the consequence of neglecting what we believe, know and understand, when he poses the question, “… how shall we escape if we NEGLECT so great a salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3). He warns us not to harden our hearts towards God’s teaching, especially during times of trial (Hebrews 3:8); not to “become weary and discouraged” (Hebrews 12:3); not to develop “an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12); and not to “refuse Him who speaks” (Hebrews 12:25).

Because–it IS possible to neglect God’s Word; to begin to disobey Him and to reject the truth; and to depart from God. Unfortunately, MANY–over the centuries–have done just that; and Paul warns us not to follow their bad and deadly example. He encourages us to “be DILIGENT to enter that rest” of the Kingdom of God, “lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:11). He repeats the same warning and encouragement in Hebrews 6:11-12: “And we desire that each one of you show the same DILIGENCE to the full assurance of hope until the end, that you do not become sluggish [or “lazy”]…”

Have you become sluggish or lazy, in studying God’s Word, applying what you understand, and obeying His voice? Or, are you diligently and continuously doing your job as a Christian? It is easy to become sluggish in respect to regular prayer, Bible study, meditation and occasional fasting. And the more we neglect these vital ingredients of a Christian life, the more we WILL develop a HABIT of neglect–until we might not be willing any more to listen to God’s Word, as explained to us by His ministers.

That is an awfully dangerous trap into which one can fall.

Paul admonishes us in Hebrews 10:35-36: “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.” He continues to encourage us in Hebrews 12:1: “… to lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with ENDURANCE the race that is set before us.”

Some brethren did not want to hear Paul’s admonition and warning, as some today may not want to read the words of this Editorial. But rather than refusing to hear, Paul encourages us today, as he encouraged the brethren at his time: “And I appeal to you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation” (Hebrews 13:22).

We must examine ourselves to see whether our heart is right with God. And if it is, we can and will find help in times of need, as Paul clearly says: “… let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22; compare Hebrews 4:16).

We can and should encourage each other in the process of our perfection (compare Hebrews 10:24-25). We should be “looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God” (Hebrews 12:15). And so, Paul was confident that “we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul” (Hebrews 10:39).

Some, however, did fall away during Paul’s time; many did over the centuries; and some will still fall away before Christ returns. Let us therefore examine ourselves truthfully and with brutal honesty. And after “having done all to stand” (Ephesians 6:13), let us eat the bread and drink the wine this Sunday evening, symbolizing the body and blood of Jesus Christ’s supreme Sacrifice. When we do, we come “to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel” (Hebrews 12:24); and we ask God the Father to make us complete, “who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant” (Hebrews 13:20).

More recently, the concept of self-regulation has been introduced into so many areas of life, including commerce, industry, finances and sport, amongst many others. These courses of conduct are usually called voluntary codes of practice to ensure that appropriate behavior is implemented, based on the law. They want to avoid the heavy hand of the law and the penalties that would probably follow. Much is made by organizations who trumpet the fact that they are able to police and manage their sphere of operations sufficiently and well enough without the need of outside interference.

But self-regulation has been in force for a Christian for a long time, showing how up-to-date the New Testament is, in spite of it being nearly 2,000 years old! At baptism, a Christian commits to a life of growing and overcoming, with the power of the Holy Spirit. He has to regulate himself and his behavior to conform to the Will of God and His Way.

In just over a week’s time, on the evening of April 1, after sunset, baptized members of the Church of God will be taking the Passover, but only after self-examination. There are a number of Biblical references to this requirement, which are given to ensure that Church members spend time examining themselves to be certain that they take the Passover in a worthy manner.  In other words, they have to engage in and review their own self-regulation, based on God’s Law! By taking this course of action, they are able to judge themselves, so that they will not have to be judged by God (compare 1 Corinthians 11:31).

While this is the time of the year when a more intense spiritual introspection takes place, ongoing self-examination is an integral part of a true Christian’s way of life.

Self-regulation is not a new concept dreamed up by government agencies, business or other areas of life in the 21st century. It is a concept as old as Christianity–one that we must take seriously today, as we press towards the Kingdom of God. It is an essential part of our calling–one in which we must not fail.

The world may be producing as much as 5 exabytes of NEW information each year.  That is 5 billion gigabytes, which is estimated to be more than what was produced during the almost 6,000 years of man’s past history combined.  Technology is increasing exponentially such that by the year 2010 it is predicted to double every 72 hours, which is unfathomable.

In an attempt to access a portion of this nearly incomprehensible amount of information, there are 2.7 billion searches on Google alone each month… give or take a few.  Yet, has mankind come up with or found the answers to the truly important questions in life?

Paul actually addresses this exact subject in his second letter to Timothy.  In talking about the end time in chapter 3, he continues a thought in verse 7, “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”  This has never been more true than it is today.  Current rates of new information production roughly equal 1 gigabyte of unique information per person per year, or, to put it another way, about 1000 Bibles worth of data.

But in reality, all that is needed is just ONE Bible. When it comes to the search for truth, the Book of books is the only foundation that we require.  We do not need to run to and fro looking here and there in pursuit of this and that.  We already have the inspired Word of God and the Truth that is not going to change. 

As we seek to simplify our lives, let us make sure that we invest our time and energy into what is profitable and right, and what will stand the test of time.

Paul gives us the following admonition in Philippians 2:5: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” We know full well that without “this mind,” we could not reach our future goal of partaking in the resurrection at the return of Jesus Christ. The mind Paul was referring to was none other than the mind of God the Father which was also in Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit, which Christ had “without measure.”

This mind enters our minds when one of God’s true ministers lays hands upon us at baptism. We start off as mere “babes in Christ.” As we grow spiritually, we approach the maturity that God expects of us, by “growing  in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).

In due time the expansion of the mind of God and of Christ displaces our carnal mind, which is enmity against God. By its very nature, our carnal mind doesn’t want to be told what to do. Romans 8:7 tells us: “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.” It is impossible for our carnal mind to be subject to God and to even want to obey Him. That is precisely the reason why we should seek to be baptized once God is revealing His truth to us. It is only through proper baptism that we can receive the Godly mind, through the gift of the Holy Spirit, which facilitates spiritual growth until we become more and more Christ-like. We know that this process will be completed at the resurrection. At that time, we will not be able to sin anymore.

Today, we need to concentrate on overcoming sin and developing the mind of Jesus Christ in our lives. As we approach the Passover in less than a month, we should take the opportunity to examine ourselves and put sin out of our lives, so that we will be able to take the Passover in a worthy manner. And as we continue to draw near to God the Father and to Christ, we can be assured that, as a result, “this mind” which was in Christ Jesus, will be truly in us.

How many wouldn’t love to win the Lottery? If you asked the average person, the answer would be a resounding YES! It has become a national pastime buying weekly tickets, especially a few times of the year when the grand prize reaches amounts that garner national attention.

Most of the winners begin with great aspirations when they win a prize of that sort, becoming instant multi-millionaires. But looking at the lives of many of those people today, years after they were awarded that grand prize, we frequently see ruined lives: stories of divorces, family members suing one another, and suicides are not uncommon. Even with the greatest of expectations, lack of financial maturity and planning lead many away from what they thought was a dream come true.

Among the billions of people on earth today, we have been given a precious spiritual gift. The gift of God’s Spirit is rare and priceless, and one that can and does change our lives for the better. But without proper spiritual guidance and planning, God’s Spirit within us can disappear from our grasp. And squandering His Spirit can lead to a much greater ruin than squandering money, much worse than those whose lives were shattered from lost fortunes.

We are told in Proverbs 11:14: “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” Foremost, God’s Word should give us daily counsel. The Ministry and our brethren, secondly, can help to guide our paths.

With these counselors the “dream come true” that has been given to us can become a reality.  But we can’t cash the check just yet!

In Revelation 3:18, 21, we read: “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see… To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”

Unlike the winners of the Lottery, our gift is despised by the world. Christ was slandered and killed because of His uncompromising willingness to be led by God’s Spirit within Him, and likewise, we will be slandered and hated as well. But we must continue to overcome, continue to strive for that “payout” that is awaiting us. And we will only achieve it if we allow God’s righteous counsel to open our eyes, guiding us away from that which harms and towards our cherished reward.

People say it this way, “Let me play the devil’s advocate…” The thought is to introduce an opposing viewpoint–to present the other side of an issue.

This not-so-innocent approach in public debate has become so common place that no one really gives it a second thought. However, the startling truth is, the devil has enlisted the whole world to play his advocate–societies all over the planet both favor and approve of the cause of the devil!

It is even further astonishing that so few are advocates of truth–of God’s Way, which leads to peace, to abundant blessings of families and nations and to eternal life!

For those of us who have responded to God’s calling, understanding the kind of world we live in is absolutely vital. We know from God’s revelation in His Word that we live as sojourners, as strangers even in our native countries and as ambassadors of Jesus Christ–that is, as representatives of a Kingdom that will utterly replace the governments of this world (Compare Hebrews 11:13; 1 Peter 2:11 and 2 Corinthians 5:20).

Our message represents the only real hope for mankind, but it stands in stark contrast to what this world believes. Paul understood the difficulty he faced in fulfilling the work given to him by Jesus Christ, and what he said is still true for us, today:

“But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).

Jesus also warned of the difficulty that lies ahead for us when we present the true gospel: “‘Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake'” (Matthew 24:9).

Right now, our advocacy for God and His Way does not bring on the kind of persecution that Jesus has warned us about–at least, not yet in our Western societies. However, already, being a Christian in many countries could bring about terrible trials and even death, and this will eventually be the case all over the earth!

We need to be clear about whose advocates we are. The greatest proof of our standing will be found in our conduct–both in our personal lives and in our fulfillment of God’s calling to be a part of the Work of God in announcing the good news of the return of Jesus Christ and the establishment of God’s Kingdom here on this dying world!

We don’t hear most people say it this way, “Let me be God’s advocate”–but that day is coming, and may God hasten the time when no one will any longer be blinded and deceived and unknowingly stand as “the devil’s advocate.”

Personally, I believe that we are experiencing global warming. I also feel that it is man-made, at least to a large extent. Certain prophecies seem to confirm to me some of the very same consequences, which are described by proponents of global warming. For instance, Luke 21:25 speaks of a time, just prior to Christ’s return,  when there will be “on earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring…” It appears to me that man-made global warming may just be another aspect of God’s prophetic warning in Revelation 11:18, reporting about God’s intervention in human affairs to “destroy those who destroy the earth.”

Not everyone agrees with the concept of man-made global warming. I have friends who believe otherwise. And they may be right. This does not diminish or destroy our friendship. At worst, we agree to disagree. After all, not all scientists are in universal agreement that we are experiencing man-made global warming. It is shocking, however, how political this “hot debate” has become in the media and amongst scientists and governments.

Reports have been filed about alleged past political pressure from the Bush Administration on scientists believing that global warming is man-made, as well as recent political pressure from the state of Oregon on the state’s Climatologist who believes that man does not cause global warming.

Germany’s “Die Welt,” wrote that those scientists who disagree with the concept of man-made global warming are labeled or “libeled” as “deniers”–a highly explosive term, especially in Germany, where Holocaust deniers are committing a crime. And so, in a recent article in the Boston Globe, it was stated that “we’re at a point where global warming is impossible to deny. Let’s just say that global warming deniers are now on a par with Holocaust deniers, though one denies the past and the other denies the present and future.”

On the worldwide political scene, European nations are seriously considering to police and punish certain countries–most and foremost the USA–which have not signed the Kyoto climate protocol; perhaps by enforcing a “carbon tax.”

The global warming confrontation amongst governments, politicians and scientists will continue, and more and more pressure will be placed on those who dare to have a “different” viewpoint, which might be “politically incorrect.” But political correctness does not define right and wrong.

Christians who are concentrating on following the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, must be careful how they conduct themselves in the light of this “hot debate.” They must not be in any way emotionally influenced by political tactics stemming from the wisdom of this world–whether the respective positions are “pro” or “con” man-made global warming. If someone differs from you on this matter, so be it. God has called us to peace (1 Corinthians 7:15)–not to useless hot debates about inconsequential matters, which you and I cannot change, anyway, on a global scale.

Germany’s “Die Zeit” wrote that, due to inconsistent scientific “findings” of the past, “no one is sure anymore what to believe, when it comes to climate change.” This may be so. And God will show us in His due time, what He knew all along. In the meantime, let His true followers keep themselves unspotted from the world (James 1:27), while concentrating on being about their Father’s business (compare Luke 2:49; Matthew 28:19-20).

Public opinion is something that matters very much to the political parties–so much so that they are very good at finding out what the people want and then feeding that desire. One encyclopedia defines public opinion as the aggregate–the sum total–of individual attitudes or beliefs held by the adult population. Gone seem to be convicted politicians who stand for what they believe.

Influence is one of the outcomes of being in power. There has been so much manipulation in so many areas over a sustained period of time that those things that our fathers and forefathers thought were wrong are now accepted practice. For example, in Great Britain and many other parts in the world, the homosexual lobby has made such inroads on public opinion that the law is now on their side, and one can be prosecuted for quoting what God has to say on the matter. Abortion was abhorrent not all that long ago, but now is accepted practice. Foul and abusive language is commonplace in television programs, and now very few even bat an eyelid. The list continues. Public opinion has been so manipulated that standards of yesteryear are now thought of as old fashioned and that society has “moved on.”

Has this rubbed off on the people of God? I would think that the answer must be yes to one degree or another. We don’t live in a vacuum–and we have to live in this wayward society of ours. Someone once said that fashions may change but standards do not. Godly standards do NOT change although there are those who try to explain them away. God is very specific on this matter. Malachi 3:6 says: “For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.” Hebrews 13:8 explains: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” James 1:17 adds that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

The great God of the universe is constant in everything. He doesn’t change with public opinion as people try and bend Him into the shape that they want–and with which they are comfortable. Whichever direction public opinion takes should make absolutely no difference to our approach to the important issues of life. The knowledge of God and His ways are simply not known or understood, except by the very few. In the Kingdom of God, public opinion will not be influenced by that master of the black arts–Satan the devil–who is today the real source of forming and shaping the values of our society.

Once Jesus Christ has established God’s government here on earth, mankind will have to be taught God’s way, and a lifetime of absorbing Satan’s influences will have to be swept away out of the minds of billions of people. Public opinion then will be Godly and not manipulated in the wrong direction as it is today. Public opinion is of no use to us at all–it is the opinion and the way of God that matters. What we have to do is seek the will of God–not the will and opinion of society. Matthew 6:33 sums it up perfectly: “But seek first the kingdom of God and HIS righteousness, and all these [physical] things shall be added to you.”

Blaise Pascal is purported to be one of the great thinkers of the 17th Century. In an effort to convince non-believers that they should become followers of the Bible, he came up with the following logic. His argument was that we should accept the truth of Christianity, because if we are wrong, we have lost nothing, but if we are right, we have gained everything.

Have we accepted this gambit as our approach to Christianity?  Are we “hedging our bet” that we are doing the right thing or that we are in the right place?  We do not need to “go with the best odds” to know whether God exists or the fact that His Way is true.

Once called by God, we have all the facts and assurances that we need in the Bible if we are willing to put forth the work and time. The Word of God is not laid out like a good technical manual, but rather meanings have been purposefully obscured to most (Matthew 13:10-13), and pieces to each puzzle have been scattered “a little here and a little there” (Isaiah 28:10,13). But nonetheless, the Book of Books does indeed have all the information that we need to prove that God exists and that this is the path in which we should walk.

If we are willing to put forth the effort, as we are admonished (Ecclesiastes 9:10), we can know with 100% certainty what is and will continue to be a mystery to many.