Blessed Is The Man Who Has Realized His Own Utter Helplessness

 For my Sabbath Thought this week, I wanted to continue reviewing Christ’s instructions to His disciples found in the Beatitudes.

Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the Poor in Spirit is a most important point to consider in light of the time we are in.

It seems a surprising way to begin talking about happiness by saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." There are two ways in which we can come at the meaning of this word poor.

As we have them the beatitudes are in Greek, and the word that is used for poor is the word ptochos. In Greek there are two words for poor. There is the word penes. Penes describes a man who has to work for his living; it is defined by the Greeks as describing the man who is autodiakonos, that is, the man who serves his own needs with his own hands. Penes describes the working man, the man who has nothing superfluous, the man who is not rich, but who is not destitute either.

But, as we have seen, it is not penes that is used in this beatitude, it is ptochos, which describes absolute and abject poverty. It is connected with the root ptossein, which means to crouch or to cower; and it describes the poverty which is beaten to its knees.

As it has been said, penes describes the man who has nothing superfluous; ptochos describes the man who has nothing at all. So, this beatitude becomes even more surprising. Blessed is the man who is abjectly and completely poverty-stricken. Blessed is the man who is absolutely destitute.

So, in Hebrew the word poor was used to describe the humble and the helpless man who put his whole trust in God. It is thus that the Psalmist uses the word, when he writes, "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles" (Ps 34:6). It is in fact true that in the Psalms the poor man, in this sense of the term, is the good man who is dear to God. "The hope of the poor shall not perish forever" (Ps 9:18). God delivers the poor (Ps 35:10). "In thy goodness, O God, thou didst provide for the needy" (Ps 68:10). "He shall defend the cause of the poor of the people" (Ps 72:4). "He raises up the needy out of affliction, and makes their families like flocks" (Ps 107:41). "I will satisfy her poor with bread" (Ps 132:15). In all these cases the poor man is the humble, helpless man who has put his trust in God.

Let us now take the two sides, the Greek and the Aramaic, and put them together.

Ptochos describes the man who is absolutely destitute, the man who has nothing at all; 'aniy and 'ebyown describe the poor, and humble, and helpless man who has put his whole trust in God. Therefore, "Blessed are the poor in spirit" means: Blessed is the man who has realized his own utter helplessness, and who has put his whole trust in God.

If a man has realized his own utter helplessness, and has put his whole trust in God, there will enter into his life two things which are opposite sides of the same thing. He will become completely detached from things, for he will know that things have not got it in them to bring happiness or security; and he will become completely attached to God, for he will know that God alone can bring him help, and hope, and strength. The man who is poor in spirit is the man who has realized that things mean nothing, and that God means everything.

This verse is describing the Pharisaic pride in one’s own virtue with which Jesus was so often confronted and which has all too often made its appearance in later times. “This is the man to whom I will look,” the Lord says, “he that is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word” (Isa. 66;2). These are the poor in spirit.”

Christ is describing a radical reversal of the world’s values. We must be careful not to think that this beatitude calls actual material poverty a good thing. Poverty is not a good thing. Jesus would never have called blessed a state where people live in slums and have not enough to eat, and where health rots because conditions are all against it. That kind of poverty it is the aim of the Christian gospel to remove. The poverty which is blessed is the poverty of spirit, when a man realizes his own utter lack of resources to meet life, and finds his help and strength in God.

Of these lowly people Jesus says, theirs is the kingdom of heaven. We should understand this in the sense of consequence rather than reward. In no sense do they merit the kingdom, but being what they are they possess it. We should understand this in the sense “theirs alone.” Those who are not poor in spirit can never have membership in the kingdom.

If we take the two petitions of the Lord's Prayer and set them together:

• Thy Kingdom come.

• Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.

we get the definition: The Kingdom of God is a society where God's will is perfectly done in earth as it is in heaven. That means that only he who does God's will is a citizen of the Kingdom; and we can only do God's will when we realize our own utter helplessness, our own utter ignorance, our own utter inability to cope with life, and when we put our whole trust in God. Obedience is always founded on trust. The Kingdom of God is the possession of the poor in spirit, because the poor in spirit have realized their own utter helplessness without God, and have learned to trust and obey.

So then, the first beatitude means:

O the bliss of the man who has realized his own utter helplessness, and who has put his whole trust in God, for thus alone he can render to God that perfect obedience which will make him a citizen of the kingdom of heaven! 

(from The Daily Study Bible, by William Barclay: First Edition. Biblesoft Formatted Electronic Database Copyright © 2015 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved and The Gospel according to Matthew, by Leon Morris, Copyright 1992 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. All rights reserved.)

Enjoy the Sabbath!

Gary Smith

Preparing For a Future That Currently Doesn’t Exist

 Last week, we had 2 mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and in Dayton, Ohio. The week before we had the same in Gilroy, California. This seems to be a trend in our society which I think all of us as God’s people look forward to ending with the coming of God’s kingdom.

Melissa MacKenzie, in an article entitled, “The Common Thread Binding These Mass Murders,” (The American Spectator, August 5, 2019), wrote of the shootings, “And none of this is a surprise. After every heinous murderous act, the media spins it and blames. It’s easier than admitting that the culture that they shape is spewing these monsters out at an alarming rate and something more than politics is to blame. In fact, these death eating humans seem to be a product of a culture that is at the same time wealthier, more technologically advanced, and scientifically sophisticated while being morally lost and spiritually empty.

The most important words from the El Paso killer’s writings are in this line:

... My whole life I have been preparing for a future that currently doesn’t exist.”

In focusing on the quote from the El Paso killer, “My whole life I have been preparing for a future that currently doesn’t exist,” one can only detect despair and hopelessness.

The encouraging thing that we can grasp onto in these tumultuous times is we have a sure hope, in the midst of a troubled world. We are preparing for a future which is certain to come into existence.

Note what the writer of Hebrews had to say in regard to the hope we have as followers of Jesus Christ,

• “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end” (Hebrews 6:11)
• “That by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil” (Hebrews 6:18- 19).

We have “fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.” We have hope in God’s promise to be with us now and hope that “a future” is to come in which mass shootings will be eradicated as righteousness will prevail under the rule of Jesus Christ.

God has given us the Sabbath as a weekly reminder that a rest is here for us now and will be available to all peoples after the return of the Lamb of God.

God has given us the fall Holy Days to remind us that Christ will return, set up His kingdom, Satan will be removed, God’s Spirit will be poured out on all people, and the way will be open to all mankind to become a part of the family of God.

Interestingly, as Christians we are preparing for a world that does not now exist. We can only see it in faith. Looking forward to the hope that is promised, we go about preparing each and every day we live.

Looking once again at the despairing quote from the article, “My whole life I have been preparing for a future that currently doesn’t exist” we know this young man, most likely, had no idea what God had prepared for him and all mankind.

Paul addressed this lack of crucial knowledge in 1 Corinthians 2:7-10, “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.”

God has revealed through His Spirit and His word that there is hope for this young man. There is coming a day when he will rise from the grave in the second resurrection and his eyes will be opened to God, God’s forgiveness, and the opportunity to be a part of eternity.

He never had a clue in this present life, but he will come to see what we see in hope at the present time.

While tragedy in many different forms goes on day after day, we have hope in God as anchor to our souls.

Rejoice in God’s Rest,

Gary Smith

Biblical Principles in the Political World

We, as church members, have been able to go up to the Feast of Tabernacles once again in 2018. It is a time characterized by humility, service, patience, cooperation, giving, thoughtfulness, and sacrifice. Above all the truth of God’s soon coming Kingdom has been expounded. We have been reminded by the speakers of the righteous reign of Jesus Christ on earth and all of the wonderful things that will flow from God’s rule.

In returning home, if we tuned in to the news, in whatever format, we find strife, conflict, and a complete lack of civility in all too many situations. It is hurtful to see people raging at one another over things that could be settled peacefully if God and His word prevailed.

Let’s imagine God and His word being the foundational principle on which we decided who would be a justice of the Supreme Court.

The strife that unfolded in the selection process of a judge to fill a vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Anthony Kennedy was based upon a false premise. The false premise is that the right to have an abortion is a court ruling that must be defended no matter how down and dirty the opponents of the nominee have to go to defeat him.

If all parties accepted God and His word as the final arbiter, then the abortion issue would not be an issue at all. They would be led to see that life begins at conception. The miraculous cell splitting process that begins to unfold in the womb is the beginning of a human life. From God’s standpoint all human beings are precious because they all have the potential to be part of the family of God (Hebrew 2:10). From God’s point of view the Sixth Commandment, “You shall not murder.” (Exodus 20:13) would be the guiding principle.

A couple of other biblical principles which would have been helpful in sorting out the nomination process:

• The 9th Commandment, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (Exodus 20:16)
• 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

Sadly, we don’t see the application of biblical principles in the political world. As a result, we will continue to see strife and conflict on regular display.

The good news is that we are nearing the end of the time when raw, carnal nature will be on display on the nightly news. We have been reminded by going up to the Feast that Christ will return to this earth and judge in righteousness and equity for all.

Rejoice this Sabbath in the rest that is sure to come through the return of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4:11).

Gary Smith

Hope: An Anchor of the Soul

Kate Spade, Anthony Bourdain are two celebrities who have recently taken their own lives. How many others have ended their lives this week?

These individuals had money, celebrity and every good thing life could offer. Yet on some level something was missing and they concluded there was no point in going on in this life.

I don’t know either one of the celebrities mentioned above but I am acquainted with a young man who Liz and I came to know through camp. For several years it seemed that he was getting his life together. Then he decided, for reasons we don’t understand, to reverse course and go back into the world. In fairly recent times, he made another stab at coming to church services and getting his life in order. Sadly, he could not continue on the positive path and ended his life. His funeral was this week.

There are varying reasons why someone would choose to end their life. Thankfully, for most of those who commit suicide we know that God is merciful. There is a coming second resurrection and a time for them to embrace God’s vision for man and get on the path to salvation.

Many of us still living can probably hearken back to dark times in our lives. We may have contemplated that there was no reason to carry on. The ending of life may have seemed like a viable option. However, this is not godly thinking but Satan’s mindset. The fact that we are still living indicates we chose the better path.

God desires that each and every person who has been given life would fulfill His purpose in their lives. But most people don’t know what God’s purpose is and they have no hope. Paul made this point in Ephesians 2:12-13, “That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

In the verse cited, Paul points out what gives a Christian hope. As Christians, we have Christ, we are part of the commonwealth of Israel (the Church, the body of Christ), and we have entered into covenant with God so we can enjoy the blessings of God’s promises. All of this has been made possible through “the blood of Christ.”

I would venture to say that Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain knew nothing of Ephesians 2:12-13 and were therefore without hope and without God in the world.

Additionally, I would say the young man who ended his life recently did get a glimpse of God’s great plan for him. Sadly, he did not grasp it well enough to establish it as a foundational part of his life. He was not at peace and lost hope. When one reaches this low ebb, this dark place, it actually seems like a reasonable decision to end one’s life.

The question for all of us who remain in the faith, “Do we have peace and hope?”

Regardless of the setbacks, disappointments, and other difficulties in life, we can be at peace. Peace is a state of mind that allows us to hold it together no matter what tribulations we face. In this life we can be at peace. In addition to being at peace, we can have the immovable hope of God’s coming Kingdom. As it is said in Hebrews 6:18-19, “. . . we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast….”

As we have this state of mind, we can reject the negative pull of discouragement and hopelessness and instead keep our eyes on the goal: eternal life in God’s Kingdom. That goal gives us every reason to keep pushing on until the end of the race.

Happy Sabbath

Gary Smith

United Youth Camp: A Microcosm of God's Kingdom Where One Day All Will Fit In

Dinner at Camp Pinecrest was already under way when the last camper finally arrived. His mom drove him up close to the dining hall in order to unload his luggage and to begin his first year as a camper. The young man clearly did not want to be at camp. He was definitely a most reluctant camper.

His unhappiness with being at camp continued as he was introduced to his counselor and took a seat in the dining room. All around this young man, campers and staff were conversing, laughing, and enjoying the evening meal. The boy chose not to eat and sat slouched in his chair, talking to no one. By his body language it was clear that he felt himself to be the proverbial “fish out of water”.

As I looked at the boy slouching in his chair, he did not fit. He was new to the church and only knew one other person at camp. The question was, “Would he ever begin to fit in as a camper?”

To have a successful teen camp, staff come from many parts of the country. In 2017, staff came from Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Alabama, Tennessee, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, Minnesota, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Colorado, Arizona, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Camp volunteers not only come from different parts of the country, but they have different skills and personalities.

To make it more interesting the camp has the responsibility of serving campers from the same areas mentioned above plus Virginia and British Columbia.

So, camp begins with quite a diverse mix of people.

How does it all mesh together to produce an environment that is pleasing to God, an environment conducive to helping the outsider fit in? It is not achieved by human skill, might or intellect.

This question could be asked concerning the events that took place on Pentecost 31 A.D.

We are told in Acts 2 that God’s Holy Spirit was poured out upon those who followed Jesus’ instruction to be in Jerusalem at the Temple on Pentecost.

Note what we are told about this event, “Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs — we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God." So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "Whatever could this mean?"” (Acts 2:7-12).

What this event meant was that God, through his Holy Spirit, was bringing together a diverse group of people: different cultures, different languages, and different personalities. But through the Spirit of God they were to be one and through yielding to that spiritual power they could be one (1 Corinthians 12:12-13).

Acts 2 further tells us what happened with the thousands who became a part of the Church of God that day. “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). They sought to follow the teachings of the apostles, to fellowship, and to offer up prayers to God. This approach allowed them to be “of one accord” (Acts 2:46-47) and to begin to function effectively as the body of Christ.

Those who come to camp are a most diverse group, but as we seek to continue “steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers” camp cannot help but be a success.

What about the young man that did not fit in? The staff recognized that this young man did not want to be at camp. He was struggling. Our job was to welcome him into the group. He was welcomed by his dorm and by other members of the staff. A concerted effort was made to help him become a part of the camp instead of an outsider.

As I observed him during the week, I saw him smiling, participating in activities, and slowly beginning to enjoy his first camp experience.

On the final morning, I spoke with the young man and he indicated he did enjoy camp. His experience had been more positive than he ever thought it would be. He told me that he
looked forward to coming back in 2018 and even gave me a hug.

On day one, I am certain that he would have left camp if offered the opportunity, but by the end he was happy he stayed.

Such a positive outcome is predictable when people yield to God’s Spirit in application of the truths of the Bible. Amazingly, such a positive result can be achieved in a week of summer camp. Imagine when God’s Kingdom begins the inclusion and transformation of all of the outsiders who don’t fit in as the Millennium gets underway.

A week of summer camp is a reminder that God’s way does work.

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

Too Many Distractions For Bible Study?

A few weeks ago a blog was written to address why third and fourth generation Christians are leaving the church. The blog addressed various points and I would like to address one of those points as part of this week’s Sabbath Thought.

The author of the blog writes, “We are inundated with more distractions than the generations before us

Distractions. Distractions. Distractions. At the touch of a button we can pull up porn, dirty comedy, and a host of all kinds of other sinful things. Even if we aren’t out looking for it, it’s constantly being pushed in our faces. While TV and the internet are considered amazing modern advances, they make being a Christian a lot more difficult. Not only do they surround us with temptation, but they distract us from what we should really be doing.”

Are there more distractions today? Probably, but not only do third and fourth generation Christians have to deal with these distractions but so do all Christians living at this time. Distractions are part of this world and have always posed temptations for God’s people. Our challenge is to turn off the TV, the internet, the X-box, the cell phone or the computer. Instead of letting the distractions get the better of us, we must focus upon those things that are pleasing to God.

The Apostle Paul addressed where our minds should be in Philippians 4:8-9, “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy — meditate on these things.” Clearly, by conscious choice we must fill our minds with the uplifting things Paul points to in order that we can meditate on them. We must reject the distractions tempting us and deliberately focus on the positive.

The author of the blog continues, “We are trained to think that studying is work. It’s not something we look forward to since we do it all day long at school and even into (sic) our jobs. Studying the Bible in your free time just doesn’t sound relaxing. Now TV, that’s relaxing. We know what we should do, but it’s just so easy to give in to other options when they are sitting right there at our fingertips. However, take all those distractions away, sit in an empty room with just your Bible, and reading it becomes a lot more appealing.

Our relationships with God suffer because of this… and we know it. We ache for the simpler times when people weren’t so overwhelmed by this world and the distractions in it.

When we get distracted, when our relationship with God falls by the wayside, it becomes easier to leave.”

It is true that studying is not always fun or as relaxing as TV. But isn’t that the challenge we face in regard to Bible study? We are told in Hebrews 11:6 that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Diligence implies applying oneself, working hard, striving for a goal. From Hebrews 11:6 we can conclude that if we diligently seek to understand God and His way of life through the Bible we will be rewarded for the effort.

More to the point, where can we find the qualities Paul laid out in Philippians 3 more completely expressed than in the Bible? Paul directs Timothy, a young man in the faith, “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” (2 Timothy 3:14-15).

In the blog post the author gives a great suggestion for avoiding distractions and studying the Bible, “However, take all those distractions away, sit in an empty room with just your Bible, and reading it becomes more appealing.” Clearly, when one shuts out the distractions and focuses his attentions on the scriptures then the word of God has the greatest potential for impacting a person’s life.

As one studies the Bible in a focused manner, the rewards of the effort are great. Note what David recorded in Psalm 19 in regard to God’s word “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward” (Psalm 19:7-11).

It is true that our world is filled with many distractions and it is easier to be distracted than to engage in Bible study. However, at the end of the day, what do we have to show for indulging in distractions? In most cases, the distractions we indulge in offer us no lasting result and most importantly they do not contribute to our being in the Kingdom of God.

However, doing the work that Bible study requires, reap results that last forever.

Happy Sabbath,

Gary Smith

Thanksgiving Gratitude

In light of Thanksgiving, I began a new book, “Thanks! How
Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier” by Robert A.
Emmons, PhD. The book provided a quote to begin this
week’s Sabbath Thought on page one.

The quote stood out because it offers us a sure fire get rich
scheme. When you read of a “sure fire” get rich scheme, you
are probably thinking what I’m about to say is not reliable.
But consider the quote before making judgment. After
reading the quote, you will probably see how it really is a
certain scheme to insure you will be rich.

“I cannot tell you anything that, in a few minutes, will tell you
how to be rich. But I can tell how to feel rich, which is far
better, let me tell you firsthand, than being rich, Be grateful . .
.It is the only totally reliable get-rich quick scheme.”
—Ben Stein, actor, comedian, economist

The author of the book has researched the subject of gratitude
and sees it as helpful to conceive of it in two stages. He says,
“First, gratitude is the acknowledgement of goodness in your
life. In gratitude we say yes to life. We affirm that all things
taken together, life is good and has elements that make life
worth living. . . . Second, gratitude is recognizing that the
source(s) of goodness lie at least partially outside the self.
The object of gratitude is other-directed; one can be grateful to
other people, to God, to animals, but never to oneself. . . .
Thanks are directed outward to the giver of gifts.”

Proper thanksgiving is important. Notice the emphasis the
apostle Paul places on thanksgiving:

In Ephesians 5:20, Paul admonishes us to give,"thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

In 1Thessalonians 5:18, the same apostle instructs us to give thanks "in everything... for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

In Colossians 2:7, Paul says we are to abound, and to overflow with thanksgiving. 

Paul practiced what he preached! Aside from the statements of

thanksgiving that he makes in the bodies of his letters, as in

Philippians 4:6, he opens no less than five letters by thanking

God. You will find that in Romans 1:8, 1 Corinthians 1:4,

Philippians 1:3, Colossians 1:3, and 1 Thessalonians 1:2.

In Colossians 3:17, Paul says that, "whatever you do in word

or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to

God the Father through Him." Here in this verse Paul

indicates the fundamental benefit of gratitude. Being grateful

to God for all that He has given to us impacts how we

approach every day.

We may be facing adversity, struggles, persecution,

heartbreak, pain, and yet we can approach life as the richest

people on the planet. We may be well off, financially set,

have a nice family and home, and our health is good. But we

realize that our riches are not in this world they are the riches

that come from God.

Our riches are based upon our being called out of this world,

God forgiving us of our sins, opening our minds to His truths

and our being prepared for the soon coming Kingdom of

Heaven through Jesus Christ working in our lives through the

Holy Spirit. God has extended His grace and mercy to us

through His Son. Nothing in the physical world can change

that.

This Sabbath before Thanksgiving take some time to recognize the

blessings God has sent your way and to acknowledge the

Giver of every good gift (James 1:17).

Have a pleasant Sabbath and make this Thanksgiving a day of

gratitude to God.

Gary Smith

Cosmology and the Big Bang Theory

One of the blessings of the Sabbath is to remember our Creator. Exodus 20:11 states, “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” The word “therefore” in this verse points us back to what has gone before. In essence we are being told, “As a result of God making the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, God rested the seventh day.” God wants us to look back to what was brought into being by the Creator.

With the Creator in mind, I’d like to refer to the word: cosmology—a noun that is defined as “the science of the origin and development of the universe. Modern astronomy is dominated by the Big Bang theory, which brings together observational astronomy and particle physics.”

Over my years in the Church, I have always believed the entire universe came into being as a result of “a big bang.” It seemed a reasonable explanation. My view was there was nothing until God decided to bring the physical universe into being. In a great burst of energy, the universe began. However, that theory is just that “a theory.”

In last weeks, current events section published in the October 31, 2015 Houston bulletin another theory was posed in the article, New Astronomy Findings Challenging Big Bang Theory, by Tom Olago, October 27, 2015. The article reads, “Researchers in the field of astronomy have recently announced what is described to be a ‘truly monstrous’ structure, consisting of a ring of galaxies around 5 billion light-years across. Reported findings show that the seemingly unprecedented galactic ring, which was revealed by nine Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs), is located 7 billion light-years away.

“These GRBs, and by extension the galaxies they inhabit, are believed to be somehow associated since all nine are located at a similar distance from Earth. The odds of this distribution are said to be as low as 1 in 20,000. This means that they are very likely associated with the same structure; which structure should not even exist according to cosmological models led by the famous ‘Big Bang’ theory.

“The ‘Big Bang’ theory is an effort to explain what happened at the very beginning of our universe. Scientific findings have shown beyond a reasonable doubt that our universe did in fact have a beginning. The ‘Big Bang’ theory is an effort to explain what happened during and after that moment.

“It’s proponents in effect dismiss the possibility that the universe was directly created by God, and even the possibility that the ‘Big Bang’ is just an attempt to be scientifically descriptive of a process God may have chosen to use in creating the universe.”

As I considered this new theory of the origin of the universe, which might overturn “the Big Bang Theory”, how does this impact my overall view of the origin of the universe? Interestingly, it does not overturn what the Bible says in any way.

We are told, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). God brought all into being. God does not explain what method He used to bring all into being. We as human beings can seek the origins of the universe, but it is a daunting task given the vastness of the heavenly realm.

The Apostle Paul also speaks of how all came into being, “For by Him (Jesus Christ) all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16). Again, we are reminded of the Originator of the universe.

It is likely that theories of the origin of the universe will change over time and this side of the coming of the Kingdom of God we may never know the exact beginning point of origin. If we do figure out the origin of the universe it will be a most interesting piece of information. But regardless of the cosmological theory we know that, “. . . without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11:6).

Each Sabbath, we are to remember the Creator regardless of what cosmological theory holds sway in the realm of men.

Rejoice in the Creator this Sabbath.

Gary Smith

We Are One, Overwhelmed and in Need of Rest

“What hath God wrought?” Those words were uttered by Samuel Morse in 1844 when the first telegraphic line was set up. The inventor of the telegraph saw the telegraph as a blessing from God.

The invention of the telegraph was a massive technological leap. Prior to the telegraph, communication and transportation were linked. Information was carried by people on foot, by horse, or ship. It took time to spread information. This linking had been the case from the time of the most ancient peoples to 1844.

With the invention of the telegraph, information could be transmitted in an instant by wire. For instance in rowing races held at Poughkeepsie, New York to determine the team that would go to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, a man was ready at the telegraph to announce to the world the outcome of the races. Instant communication of this sort was viewed as miraculous at that time, but we being accustomed to seeing events around the world in real time see this as almost quaint.

“We are one!” recounted the poem “The Victory,” giving tribute to the telegraph’s inventor, Samuel Morse. Morse’s machine annihilated time and space by allowing information to be transmitted in seconds. Anticipating how the technology could produce a new “global village,” Morse wrote, “. . . the whole surface of this country would be channeled for those nerves which are diffuse, with great speed and thought, a knowledge of all that is occurring through the whole land; making, in fact, one neighborhood of the whole country.” Up until this time few people actually wanted or even needed to know all that was occurring in the land. Nevertheless, the telegraph invited a new type of public conversation that provided information with little or no context” (The Vanishing Word, by Arthur W. Hunt III, p.128).

“This was a new way of perceiving the world—taking it all in whole. Of course, one cannot take the whole world at one time. . . Information, then, became a commodity, a package of fragments and discontinuities of far-off worlds, made to be sold every single day as “news.”

Every day we receive news from all around the world on our TV’s, our radios, our computers, our cell phones, and our IPads. The challenge is there are times when it is overwhelming.

We can probably all remember 9/11/2001 as pictures of planes flying into the Twin Towers were broadcast to the world. It was shocking to see the planes crash into the building and smoke boil out of the building. Our horror was magnified as first one building collapsed and then the other. The event and the images greatly impacted America in 2001, but we are 14 years further along the road of history and there a new images that bombard us daily. Riots, beheadings, natural disasters, inventions, sports to name a few all come our way.

Communication and the images that accompany them flow without ceasing unless we choose to shut the flow off. Our ability to shut out the world from Friday sunset to Saturday at sunset is a precious blessing that God has given us. The Sabbath gives a chance to put “the news” that really matters into perspective. We know that the “news” that really matters is the Good News of the coming kingdom of God. Each Sabbath provides us a time to be refreshed with God’s truth so that as we venture back out into a technologically advanced world we can keep it all in the proper perspective.

Enjoy the Sabbath,

Gary Smith

The Boys in the Boat: Pain is Part and Parcel of the Deal

The Sabbath thought for this week is based upon a book recommendation at this year’s ministerial conference in Cincinnati. The book is entitled, The Boys in the Boat by Daniel James Brown. As it says on the cover of the book, it is about “nine Americans and their quest for gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics”.

The sport in which the men competed for Olympic gold was rowing. I don’t know much about rowing and to this point I have not had a lot of interest. But one cannot help but have an interest after getting into the book.

I was especially impressed with the rigors of rowing which are described in chapter three of the book. The following quotes help one to understand how exacting rowing is on a competitor.

“Competitive rowing is an undertaking of extraordinary beauty preceded by brutal punishment. Unlike most sports which draw primarily on particular muscle groups, rowing makes heavy and repeated use of virtually every muscle in the body, despite the fact that a rower….scrimmages on his posterior annex.” (p. 77, Thorndike Press Large Print Version).

“. . .Pound for pound, Olympic oarsmen may take in and process as much oxygen as a thoroughbred racehorse. This extraordinary rate of oxygen intake is of only so much value, it should be noted. While 75-80 percent of the energy a rower produces in a two-thousand-meter race is aerobic energy fueled by oxygen, races always begin, and usually end, with hard sprints. These sprints require levels of energy production that far exceed the body’s capacity to produce aerobic energy, regardless of oxygen intake. Instead, the body must immediately produce anaerobic energy. This, in turn, produces large quantities of lactic acid, and that acid rapidly builds up in the tissue of the muscles. The consequence is that the muscles often begin to scream in agony almost from the outset of the race and continue screaming until the very end.

“The common denominator in all these conditions—whether in the lungs, the muscles, or the bones—is overwhelming pain. And that is perhaps the first and most fundamental thing that all novice oarsmen must learn about competitive rowing in the upper echelons of the sport: that pain is part and parcel of the deal. It’s not a question of whether you will hurt, or of how much you will hurt; it’s a question of what will you do, and how well will you do it, while pain has her wanton way with you” (p. 77, Thorndike Press Large Print Version).

As I read this description, I thought who would take on such a painful challenge? Amazingly, there are men and women all across the country that are willing to compete in this demanding sport.

The question for all oarsmen is, “what will you do, and how well will you do it, while pain has her wanton way with you.” It is a pertinent question for all of us as God’s people as well.

Paul addresses this issue in 1 Corinthians 9. There he uses the Olympic type games that were common in his time to make his point. He speaks about running a race and he tells us in 1 Corinthians 9:24 to run so that we may obtain the prize.

We are all in a race to obtain the kingdom of God. At times, the race is intense and demanding just like rowing. The question we all have to answer is this, “What will we do and how well will we do it as the challenges of being a Christian intensify?”

It is a worthy consideration for us on the Sabbath day.

Gary Smith

God Is Always There

My subject for this week’s Sabbath Thought comes from an event that occurred on Sunday, July 12.

On that date a group of church members met at Haak Winery in Santa Fe, Texas for a winery tour and tasting. It was a most pleasant opportunity to get together with brethren in a social situation.

As the occasion came to a close we headed back home on Highway 6. About the time we arrived in Alvin, Texas my phone rang. On the line was a woman who was frantic. We had difficulty hearing the caller but eventually deduced that the lady had just arrived back in Houston from the Middle East and was requesting anointing for her son.

We also learned that her son had been in prison for eight months and just been released fairly recently. Upon his release he went back to taking drugs and had taken drugs and gotten behind the wheel of his car. Not being used to the amount of drugs taken, he suffered cardiac arrest and had an accident.

When rescuers arrived at the scene, they did not think that the driver of the vehicle had survived. But they got him out of the vehicle and transported him to the hospital. There he remained unresponsive for three days before his mother arrived.

The mother of this young man was not a member of the United Church of God, but a part of the many “Churches of God” that characterize this age of the Church. She also understood anointing and that God is capable of intervention to heal. She was applying God’s instruction in James 5:14-15, “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”

We arrived at the hospital and met the mother and father. The mom was especially emotional because the prospects for her son’s recovery were not good.

I anointed the young man asking God to intervene in the situation and as I did so I could see his eyes open a bit. It seemed he was looking at me, but there was no recognition.

After speaking with the mother for a short time, we went home assuring the mother that we would be praying for her son’s healing. As we looked at the seriousness of the situation, we realized that without God’s direct intervention there was little hope. That realization is very hard for a parent to accept.

Interestingly, on Monday, we received a call from the mother in regard to this young man. She told us that the boy had awakened and had become responsive. The doctor was surprised by the outcome, but the nurse and the mother knew why the young man had taken a turn for the better. They knew that God in His mercy had intervened in this tragedy in order to give the youth another chance at life.

Why did God choose to intervene in this particular situation? We know, “for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). We know God is gracious and He is merciful to all in many ways. It is not always clear why God chooses to intervene in one situation over another.

But we can be assured that when we go to God with our ailment through being anointed by an elder that God hears our prayer and considers our situation. He will then act in the way that is best for us as it relates to eternal life in the Kingdom of God.

We can take comfort in the fact that God is always there for us.

Happy Sabbath,

Gary Smith

Preaching the Gospel

As the Sabbath day arrives, I would like us to consider “the preaching of the Gospel.”

When Jesus began His ministry, He began to preach a particular message. Mark mentions this in Mark 1:14-15, “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel."”

After His death and resurrection, Christ re-emphasized the work that the Apostles were to carry out, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen (Matthew 28:19-20). Clearly the Apostles were to carry on the work that Christ began in Galilee. They were to preach the gospel message of the soon coming kingdom of Heaven. They were to make disciples, which can only be done by teaching the truths of the Bible. These verses emphasize repentance since one can only have their sins washed away in the waters of baptism upon repentance.

Did the Apostles preach the gospel? We only have to look at what happened on the day of Pentecost in 31 AD. Acts 2:38-41 “Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, "Be saved from this perverse generation." Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.”

The Gospel was preached. Disciples were added to the Church by God and congregations were established throughout the world. For a time, the Church of God enjoyed a relative freedom to preach the truths of the Bible and to meet the Roman Empire and beyond.

However, by the end of the 1^st Century, distortion of the truth and persecution upon the Church had begun. By 325 AD, with the decisions of the Council of Nicaea and Roman Emperor, Constantine, God’s people had to go into hiding for better than 1280 years. At the end of that time, the door was slowly opened for the Church to go forward to openly preach the Gospel.

For those of us associated with the Radio Church of God and its later manifestation, the Worldwide Church of God, we have lived in a remarkable time. A hundred years in which there has been relatively little suppression of the truth. It has been a time when the church could proclaim the Gospel to the world, over the airwaves, on TV, and in print. It has been an era in which the Church could meet in peace without fear of oppression.

On Friday, June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court decided a case legitimatizing something that is condemned by the scriptures. It opens the door for actions to be taken against those who wish to follow the scriptures.

Some questions:

• Will we be able to meet in peace while holding fast to the truth?
• Will we individually and collectively come under attack because our religious beliefs?
• Will we be able to hold jobs where we are forced to accept something we know to be in opposition to God’s way of life?
• Most fundamentally, can we continue to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ if we can no longer preach the message of repentance from dead works?

Pandora’s Box has been opened and there is no putting what has been unleashed back in the bottle.

Will we follow the Apostles admonition as we go forward in preaching the truth even if we are threatened and persecuted? Note what Peter and the other apostles said in response to the religious authorities seeking to suppress the truth, “We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him." (Acts 5:29-32).

How the future will unfold exactly is unknown, but all of God’s people must be aware that on June 26, 2015 we crossed a threshold that can only bring challenges for God’s people.

We especially need God’s protection, wisdom, and guidance as we journey on to the Kingdom of God.

Stay focused on the hope we receive every Sabbath day and may God hasten the reality that the Sabbath portrays.

Gary Smith

The Good Old Days Are Yet To Come

As those of us of an older generation look at world conditions, we also tend to look back. In looking back, we many times conclude that the days of yesteryear were better. We might refer to them as, “The good old days.” But we must ask, “Are the Good Old Days Really Good?”

Ecclesiastes 7:10 contains a thought often heard these days: “Do not say, ‘Why were the former days better than these?’ For you do not inquire wisely concerning this.” The times we live in are indeed becoming steadily more difficult. Christian values are consistently being attacked. Under such circumstances, a person is apt to say what Solomon warns us against saying. It is easy for us to let ourselves become “down.” But we need to be careful because discouragement is a child of impatience. In difficult situations, we want the trouble to pass quickly. However, be aware that in such times it is easy to allow one’s carnality to take the bribe of doing a “quick and dirty,” less-than-good job in order to make life less stressful and tiring.

To take a quick and easy approach is understandable these days because conditions in this nation give no sign of positive change. It seems that those governing us are delivering us into the hands of the nation’s enemies. Others who are illegally invading us are dragging us into the gutter, and at the same time, much of the nation’s wealth is flowing into the hands of the few. Jobs are becoming scarcer.

All of those things are indeed true to some degree, but we have to resist allowing this influence to get a firm grip on us, as it indicates that our focus is too much on carnal men and all their self-centered flaws rather than on what God is accomplishing to fulfill His promises. Yes, living is growing less comfortable, but He is telling us to look ahead and focus on what He will accomplish in the future. God wants us to evaluate honestly what we have received by virtue of His calling.

Consider an interesting aspect of the mindset of Abraham. Genesis 13:2 describes him as very rich in livestock, silver, and gold. Hebrews 11:10 reports that despite all that wealth, he looked for a city whose Builder is God. We know that Abraham was wealthy enough to put together an army of over 300 men, but in this way, God shows us what dominated his mind.

What lay in the future, not the present, motivated his life. Abraham bought no land to call his own, and Hebrews 11:9 records that this very wealthy man lived in tents. A tent is a symbol of temporariness, as well as lack of wealth and status. The wealthy live in solid homes; the poor live in tents because they can afford nothing better. Yet, Abraham was not merely wealthy, but very wealthy.

Abraham was certainly aware of the riches of the world around him. He came from Ur of the Chaldees, a very prosperous city. He visited Egypt, the world’s most powerful and wealthiest nation at that time. Pyramids cannot be built without wealth. Movies like The Ten Commandments attempt to depict the splendor. What Hebrews 11:9 does not say is that, all the while he lived in what appears to be a lowly status, he was heir of the world (Roman 4:13)! To a person of faith that means a great deal.

Some may perhaps mistakenly think that everybody lived in tents in Abraham’s time, so the way he lived was the way every wealthy person lived. This assumption leads one to conclude there is nothing unusual in the Bible pointing these things out. Not so. The way Abraham lived reflected where his heart was, a glimpse into his faith, vision, and humility. Archeologists have compiled and recorded a great deal of evidence about the time Abraham lived. The people of that day built fine houses and huge buildings. The cultures were highly developed, and their building projects were grand and extensive.

It has been said that the “good old days” are the result of bad memory and good imagination. We old folks have a proclivity to look back and say, “The old was better.” That is true sometimes. Solomon’s advice is trying to help us understand that, though we must look back to learn, the future must nonetheless dominate our minds. If one is looking over his shoulder while trying to move forward at the same time, he is likely either to crash into something, or to trip and fall over some impediment.

Jesus cautions in Luke 9:62, “No one, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Solomon is urging us, the called, to move on with life and its problems by looking and working toward the future. The Sabbath urges us to focus upon the future when the “good old days” of this present age will be paled by the truly good days of God’s Kingdom.

Have a good Sabbath

Gary Smith

But They Shall Dwell Safely

In Memphis, Tennessee a violent attack that was caught on camera — and now, police in Memphis say they have arrested and charged four juveniles.
The attack happened in the parking lot of a Kroger grocery store on Saturday, September 6th.
Fox6’s sister station, Wreg in Memphis reports a 15-year-old has been charged with aggravated riot and acting in concert: to wit aggravated assault.
Wreg reports the teen was out on gun-related charges at the time of the attack. Wreg says the teen wasn’t enrolled in school, and his mother was previously charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Wreg reports a 16-year-old is also charged with aggravated riot, and acting in concert: to wit aggravated assault. A 15-year-old and a 17-year-old are charged with aggravated riot.

“It was nonsense violence. I can say that for sure. It seemed very unprovoked. They weren’t about anything, that it was fun for them. They were out having a good time. They were all smiling they were laughing,” the man said.

Laughing, as they knocked out a 17-year-old Kroger employee — kicking him in the head and throwing large pumpkins on him as he laid on the ground.

The man new to town says several Kroger employees were recording video of the incident — but one man seen at the end of the video knocked out, actually stepped in to defend him and the 17-year-old Kroger employee knocked unconscious.

Most likely a number of us living here in Houston shop at a Kroger store, or at one of the many other grocery stores in our communities. Such an incident, as what happened at this particular Kroger store, should cause us to think carefully about where we shop and areas that we frequent. It should also be a reminder that we need to be aware of our surroundings.

Sadly, assaults, break-ins, car-jacking’s, and thefts are all too common realities in this 21st century. Being aware of these threats certainly leads us to pray for God’s protection not only for ourselves, but also for our families and for God’s people as we all go about our daily lives.

The good news is that there is coming a time when our safety will no longer be uncertain. The prophets give us a couple of reassuring promises concerning safety in the world to come.

Micah 4:4 But everyone shall sit under his vine and under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid; For the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken.

How wonderful it will be to sit under our grape arbor or fig tree in the cool of the evening and not be afraid of anyone or anything. We will have confidence in God’s watching over us.

The prophet Ezekiel was also given insight into the safety of God’s Kingdom, “And they shall no longer be a prey for the nations, nor shall beasts of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and no one shall make them afraid.” (Ezekiel 34:28).

Many times, those who assault, steal, and vandalize are like predators looking for the weak and vulnerable to prey upon. Under Christ’s rule, we will dwell safely in our homes and communities and no one will make us afraid.

The Sabbath Day reminds us of the coming Kingdom of God, where peace and safety will abound.

Enjoy a most positive Sabbath Day.

Gary Smith