Prayer Request for Our Angolan Brethren

One of the things we enjoy on the Sabbath is being able to meet in peace. In my forty-some years of going to church services, we have been able to meet in peace.

We have been blessed not to face government or societal suppression and persecution. That is a blessing that has allowed us to meet for Sabbath services, Holy Days and to share the gospel on a wide scale.

Paul speaks of doors being opened to carry God’s message far and wide:

• 1 Corinthians 16:9 For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.
• 2 Corinthians 2:12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened to me by the Lord
• Colossians 4:3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains

It is God who opens doors for us to find halls in which to meet and to hear the Christ’s gospel preached each Sabbath. It is God who makes it possible to meet in peace.

Just as Paul mentions adversaries in 1 Corinthians 16:9, we have “many adversaries” as well. Those adversaries may be human and they may also be of the spiritual variety as well, but they exist to thwart our coming together in peace and safety.

At the present time, we have a group of people affiliated with United who seek to meet each week to observe the Sabbath. However, they face a situation in which they might not be able to meet:

Prayer Request - Angolan Brethren Jorge de Campos, senior pastor, Portuguese speaking areas

The Angolan brethren, which number in excess of 5,000 men, women and children, request your prayers for their continued freedom to fellowship every Sabbath in Angola. The Angolan government just issued a decree that churches, to be able to gather in Angola, need to have 100,000 adult members in the country with their signatures duly notarized. The minimum threshold was established as 2/3 of that number in at least 2/3 of their provinces.

A number of churches which had been previously registered, had their previous registration revoked. What triggered this situation was that a number of small strange religions started appearing in Angola, originating from Brazil and other African countries, with weird practices causing what the Angolan government deemed as a nuisance and trouble. All churches had to submit their application to be recognized and allowed to continue gathering by yesterday (Monday, November 5th). The Angolan brethren submitted their application as required. They are appealing for an exception on the quantity of members and additionally they are referring to their ‘good works’ in the area of community schools and teachers that they are providing in various Angolan cities.

The process will now go through governmental review (for an unidentified period of time). We really do not know how long this will take. The Angolan government may ask for additional evidence, such as the notarized signatures, at any future time. As obtaining these signatures is a cost which to many of the local brethren is prohibitive (even though to us is only about US$7 per signature), UCGIA has sent them an unsolicited amount from the GCE approved Portuguese subsidy. This will help them in paying for a number of the notarized signatures of the brethren. The Angolan brethren are very grateful for all the help that they are receiving from UCG. However from now on, they will continue to gather in faith and they request your petitions to our Heavenly Father that they may continue to gather every Sabbath as it is commanded, and as per God’s will.

Thank you.
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We don’t have the power to change this, but God most certainly does. As we do offer up prayers on this matter please remember:

2 Timothy 2:1-3 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.

It would be most appropriate that we would offer up our “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks” to God that our fellow brethren in Angola “may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence”.

Have a pleasant Sabbath,

Gary Smith

The "Success Sequence" - It's Biblical!

Sociologists apply themselves to looking at social trends in
order to understand more fully the human condition.

One societal trend that has been noted recently is “The
Success Sequence.” I came across this subject in reading a
National Review article of July 5 entitled, “What If Major
Causes of Poverty Are Behavioral?”

He points out that the major cause of poverty plaguing one
generation after another is “family disintegration.” He says,
“Some cause of this remain unclear, but something now seems
indisputable: Among today’s young adults, the “success
sequence” is insurance against poverty.” He then cites the
study that supports this conclusion.

The success sequence is defined in the study is: get at least a
high-school diploma, then get a job, then get married, and only
then have children. “Wang and Wilcox, who did the study,
“focusing on Millennials 28 to 34, the oldest members of the
nation’s largest generation, have found that only 3 percent
who follow this sequence are poor.” In other words, if a
young person wants to avoid poverty and be successful follow
this sequence.

Sadly, this sequence for success is being followed less and less
in 21st century America. To make sure this sequence
continues, Mr. Will advocates promoting this sequence in
various ways to ensure that we do not substitute supposed new
realities in old principles that worked well.

The question is where did these old principles that worked
well in America for most of its existence come from? Mr. Will
does not explain.

Another author, Melissa Mackenzie, addressed the success
sequence on July 6, 2017 in a piece, in the American
Spectator, entitled, “Church, Family Millennials, and the
Success Sequence.”

She agrees with George Will’s data, but she concludes the
values of “success sequence” have a very definite Christian
origin.

She writes, “Parents who believe that education, selfsufficiency,
and marriage before children are going to raise
their kids with those beliefs and more importantly, choose
environments that support those beliefs and strengthen those
beliefs. Their beliefs drive their reasoning which drives their
decisions.”

Ms. Mackenzie asks, “What institution reinforces lifeaffirming
beliefs and gives social and economic support to
people beyond their families? The State? No. The Church.”
We would agree because we know that the success sequence is
biblical and would be part of what the church would promote
for its young people.”

She further states, “The “old principles” that Will alludes to
are taught in church. Don’t fornicate or adulterate. Take care
of your children (I Timothy 5:8). Get married (I Corinthians
7:9). Work hard (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Don’t get divorced
(Matthew 5:31). Care for widows and orphans (James 1:27).
Take care of the hungry and needy (Matthew 25:35-45). How
quaint, right?”

The sociological study that points to the “success sequence” is
a recipe for a better life for all who follow the sequence.

As of July 2017, we find a diminishing number of young
people following this prescription primarily because of the
breakdown of the family and the trend away from church
attendance and adherence to biblical values.

As the Sabbath draws near, we can know that there is time
coming when the “success sequence” will be a worldwide
standard.

Have a pleasant Sabbath,

Gary Smith

Pass It On

We are a week from Pentecost so it would seem appropriate to address this week’s Sabbath Thought to a topic that relates to that Holy Day.

In the example of Paul and Timothy we have a wonderful example of how the legacy of the truth is passed along to others.

On Paul’s first journey to spread the gospel of the Kingdom of God one of the locations that he visited was the area of Galatia. Three of the cities in this region were Derbe, Lystra, and Iconium. There Paul came upon a young man named Timothy.

Luke wrote of this encounter in Acts 16:1-3, “Then he came to Derbe and Lystra. And behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a certain Jewish woman who believed, but his father was Greek. He was well spoken of by the brethren who were at Lystra and Iconium.” Timothy stood out in a positive way that Paul could clearly see.

How was it that Timothy became a disciple and showed his maturity by being recognized by the brethren? Paul mentions the origin of Timothy’s faith in 2 Timothy 1:5, “. . . when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.” Timothy became a disciple as a result of the teaching and example of his grandmother and his mother. They paved the way for Paul to find a young man who was already progressing in God’s way of life and was capable of serving with Paul in his ministry.

Paul continued to help Timothy develop as a disciple and servant in the church by taking him under his wing. 2 Timothy 3:10 “But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra — what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”

In essence, we are being told that Paul took what he had learned from Jesus Christ, from the word of God, and from his own experiences and passed them on to Timothy.

Hopefully, we as members of the church can make the same type of contribution Paul, Lois and Eunice made to Timothy. We have learned God’s ways from family, friends, and most importantly the Bible. Will we make the effort to pass what we have learned along to the next generation? It is a crucial role God has called upon us to play.

Have a most pleasant Sabbath,

Gary Smith