O the Blessedness of...

I have been going through the Gospels as part of my personal Bible study. In going through Matthew 5, 6, and 7, I came across interesting commentary from two sources: The Gospel according to Matthew by Leon Morris and The Daily Study Bible by William Barclay. I felt both sources would be worth considering as part of our Sabbath Thoughts for a few weeks.

Blessed - Various expressions are used by translators for the word blessed. Words like “fortunate” (Anchor Bible) or “happy” (Jerusalem Bible) are how the translators of those works chose to express the Greek word “makarios”. But translating Makarios as happy or fortunate is basically a human way of conveying the meaning and misses the deeper religious meaning.

Fortunate - One of the meanings of fortunate is lucky. The word lucky conveys the idea of things for no apparent reason broke your way. There is nothing to it.

Happy - A word we can understand based on the first 3 letters of the word: hap. The root “hap” which means chance. Human happiness is something which is dependent on the chances and the changes of life, something which life may give and which life may also destroy.

So what is “the deeper religious meaning”? Let’s look at 2 general facts.

(1) It can be seen that every one of the beatitudes has precisely the same form. As they are commonly printed in our Bibles, each one of them in the King James Version has the word “are” printed in italic, or sloping, type. When a word appears in italics in the King James Version it means that in the Greek, or in the Hebrew, there is no equivalent word. Therefore, the word added in italics or sloping type was added to bring out the meaning of the sentence.

This is to say that in the beatitudes there is no verb, there is no word “are”. Why should that be? Jesus did not speak the beatitudes in Greek; he spoke them in Aramaic, which was the language Hebrew people spoke in Jesus day.

Aramaic and Hebrew have a very common kind of expression, which is in fact an exclamation and which means, "O the blessedness of . . ." The expression ('ashere in the Hebrew) is very common in the Old Testament. For instance, the first Psalm begins in the Hebrew: "O the blessedness of the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly" (Ps 1:1). This is the form that Jesus first spoke in the beatitudes. The beatitudes are not simple statements; they are exclamations: "O the blessedness of the poor in spirit!"

What is most important, is that the beatitudes are not pious hopes of what shall be. They are not glowing, nebulous prophecies of some future bliss. They are congratulations on what is the blessedness which belongs to the Christian. It is not a blessedness which is postponed to some future world of glory. It is a blessedness which exists here and now. It is not something into which the Christian will enter. It is something into which he has entered.

True, it will find its fulness in the time after Christ’s return. But for Christians, it is a present reality to be enjoyed here and now.

The beatitudes in effect say, "O the bliss of being a Christian! O the joy of following Christ! O the sheer happiness of knowing Jesus Christ as Master, Savior and Lord!" The very form of the beatitudes is the statement of the joyous thrill and the radiant gladness of the Christian life.

(2) The word blessed which is used in each of the beatitudes is a very special word. It is the Greek word makarios. Makarios is the word which specially describes the gods. In Christianity there is a godlike joy.

The meaning of makarios can best be seen from one particular usage of it. The Greeks always called Cyprus he makaria which means The Happy Isle. They did so because they believed that Cyprus was so lovely, so rich, and so fertile an island that a man would never need to go beyond its coastline to find the perfectly happy life. It had such a climate, such flowers and fruits and trees, such minerals, such natural resources that it contained within itself all the materials for perfect happiness.

Makarios then describes that joy which has its secret within itself. That joy which is serene and untouchable, and self-contained. That joy which is completely independent of all the chances and the changes of life.

The English word happiness gives its own case away. It contains the root “hap” which means chance. Human happiness is something which is dependent on the chances and the changes of life; something which life may give and which life may also destroy.

The Christian blessedness is completely untouchable and unassailable. "No one," said Jesus, "will take your joy from you" (John 16:22). The beatitudes speak of that joy which helps us through our pain. That joy which sorrow, loss, pain and grief are powerless to touch. That joy which shines through tears, and which nothing in life or death can take away.

The world can win its joys, and the world can equally as well lose its joys. A change in fortune, a collapse in health, the failure of a plan, the disappointment of an ambition, even a change in the weather can take away the fickle joy the world can give. But the Christian has the serene and untouchable joy which comes from walking for ever in the company and in the presence of Jesus Christ.

The greatness of the beatitudes is that they are not wistful glimpses of some future beauty. They are not even golden promises of some distant glory. They are triumphant shouts of bliss for a permanent joy that nothing in the world can ever take away.

(From The Daily Study Bible, by William Barclay: First Edition. Biblesoft Formatted Electronic Database Copyright © 2015 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Have a pleasant Sabbath evening,

Gary Smith

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.
____________________________________________________________________________

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

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

A Wasted Mind Can Be Transformed

“A mind is a terrible thing to waste” is a slogan coined by Arthur Fletcher, the former head of the United Negro College Fund.

A mind is a terrible thing for anyone waste especially if the mind is focused on murder.

Last Sunday, a man with serious mental health issues walked into a church meeting and opened fire on those gathered there. Sadly, this act of murder was the product of a long journey: arrest for abusive actions, dishonorable discharge from the service, incarceration, mental health treatment. Even though the man had his problems addressed, they were not resolved.

From a Christian point of view this act of murder began in the man’s mind. The sixth commandment tells us, "You shall not murder.” (Exodus 20:13). But keeping the sixth commandment in the letter, literally not committing the act of murder, is only the first line of defense against this sin.

Jesus Christ explained that the sixth commandment is to be kept not only in the letter, but in the spirit. Christ explains the full application of the sixth commandment in Matthew 5:21-22, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.' But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Raca!' shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, 'You fool!' shall be in danger of hell fire.”

Christ is saying that murder begins in the heart with anger and hatred. When anger and hatred reside in a person’s heart they eventually burst forth in derogatory words and eventually into murderous actions.

Jesus described the point of origin of murder and other sins in Mark 7:21-23, “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man."

Evil thoughts, fueled by unresolved anger, fester in a person’s mind until murder seems to be the obvious course of action.

Recently our nation has been plagued by a couple of mass murders. Why? Because something has gone very wrong in the minds of those who have perpetrated the slaughter of their fellow man.

The mind is a terrible thing to waste on hatred and rage that manifests in murder. Imagine the bondage and turmoil of someone with this mindset.

Jesus Christ came to set us at liberty from such life-destroying thinking. Christ’s work is to set us free from unresolved anger and hatred. As Christians we are told, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage” (Galatians 5:1). It would seem that the man who murdered the church-goers was entangled in a yoke of bondage.

Following Christ’s example and admonition, we can forgive those who have sinned against us (Matthew 6:14-15). Instead of nursing anger toward another, we can forgive them of their sin and allow God to deal with the sinner in his mercy and wisdom. We don’t have to carry the burden of anger and vengeance.

In harmony with Christ’s teaching Paul tells us, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2). In other words, as we humble ourselves before God, we can reject the worldly way of anger and hatred, and be renewed in godly thinking.

Thankfully, the path that is “good and acceptable” and in perfect harmony with God’s will is available to us as followers of Jesus Christ.

Additionally, we know that there will come a time when the young man with the mind so twisted by hatred will be able to enjoy the liberty we now enjoy. At that time his mind will no longer be wasted by anger and hatred.

It is why we pray, “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 5:10).

Have a pleasant Sabbath,

Gary Smith

Why We Should Care About Natural Disasters

Here in Houston we have been through Hurricane Harvey. For some of us, the hurricane has passed. We are dry and getting on with our lives.

But for several in our congregation they are still in various stages of dealing with the after effects of the storm. They are dealing with minor to major flood losses. They still need our help to one extent or another. So, we cannot just move on with our lives just yet.

More than that another hurricane, Irma, is raging the Caribbean and a threat to the islands and the mainland of the United States. If Hurricane Irma was not enough to worry about, we also have Hurricane Jose building up steam. While Jose is a long ways out, it is a threat of which it would wise to be mindful.

If hurricanes were not enough to worry about, we also have wildfires raging in Montana and Idaho. As of today, about 118,000 acres have been blackened. This pushes the current wildfire into the category of a mega-fire. Wildfires are not only being battled in Montana, but in California and in the Province of Victoria in Canada.

For us living in Houston, we’ve got our problems to worry about so who cares about disasters going on in other areas?

My point is we should care about suffering and loss going on elsewhere even if we did not suffer loss from Harvey.

From my perspective going through the experience of Hurricane Harvey heightened my sense of empathy and compassion for those going through disasters in faraway locations. Suffering faraway may not impact me directly, but I understand a little bit better what they are going through. Frankly, I don’t want anyone to go through a Harvey.

We have the perfect example of Jesus Christ in regard to man’s suffering. Jesus is far from the suffering that goes on all around this globe and as a spirit being why should He care? Thankfully, He does care and cared enough to become a human being in order to better understand the suffering that goes with being a human being.

Paul wrote of Christ’s experience in Hebrews 4:15-16, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time
of need.”

Jesus Christ through His human experience understands the ups and downs of human life. He can sympathize with the weakness of mankind and extend mercy and grace to mankind even if they don’t deserve it.

We live in a time when there are a multitude of disasters unfolding or about to unfold. We know what it is to suffer through a disaster. Hopefully, our experience has helped us to be more sympathetic toward those who are suffering.

My hope and prayer is that God would be merciful toward those who could be impacted by the hurricanes, wildfires and other natural disasters. If we cannot help directly, we all have the opportunity to go before the throne of grace to beseech God to help those who are in fear and suffering.

Enjoy the Sabbath rest and pray that all will be able to enjoy the rest that God provides soon.

Gary Smith

Comfort Your Hearts

Heresy is a most hurtful cancer that can ravage a church congregation. One of Paul’s purposes in writing to the Colossian church was to address the false teachings that had infected a portion of the people there. In his letter he admonished the hearers to "see to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ" (2:8).

Right teaching is essential to keeping God’s people on the right track. Paul recognized that sending a letter was helpful, but there was more that was needed. Paul saw that he needed to send someone to the Colossians to help them in addressing the spiritual challenges they were having.

Paul chose to send a man named Tychicus. Why would Paul choose to send this particular man? He speaks of this elder as “a beloved brother, faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord (Colossian 4:7).

Paul referred to him as a “brother” indicating a closeness and a bond that had developed in his work as an apostle. He knew the character of the man he had designated to travel from Rome to Colossae. Paul also notes that he was a “faithful minister and fellow servant”. Paul, with these words, expresses that Tychicus has been trained in the faith and has proven that he would adhere to the faith in working with the Colossian church. In other words, he had great confidence in Tychicus being able to point the Colossians toward sound biblical teaching which would give them stability.

Finally, he points to Tychicus as being a servant to the people of God. Service is the hallmark of minister and Tychicus had obviously displayed that in working for Paul.

So Paul was sending Tychicus to the Colossians to relay to them what was happening with Paul in Rome and to find out how the Colossians were doing.

Additionally, Tychicus was to do something most important for the Colossian Christians. “I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that he may know your circumstances and comfort your hearts” (Colossians 4:8). Tychicus was to learn their “circumstances” and to “comfort” their hearts.

Being a part of a congregation in which there is heresy is anything but comfortable. It creates division and stress for the membership. Additionally, if the false teaching is not eradicated, it will inevitably lead to division.

Paul tasked Tychicus with comforting the hearts of the Colossian church members. He would do this by encouraging them, teaching them the truth, and refuting the errors that were being propagated in their midst.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 states, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” Our God is a “comforter” and He works in us through the Holy Spirit to become men and women who can comfort and encourage others.

Paul had seen Tychicus grow as a Christian and a minister. Knowing his qualities allowed Paul to confidently send this faithful man to provide comfort and encouragement to the Colossians.

Hopefully, we are becoming men and women who can comfort and encourage the hearts of others in the congregation.

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

Hey Maggot!

Maggots. Few things trigger revulsion like the sight of
maggots writhing through rotting food or decomposing road
kill. While they perform a need function in helping in the
decomposition of dead things, they still leave a negative
impression.

Why begin a Sabbath thought with something repulsive such
as maggots?

We find the answer in Job 25 in a comment to Job by Bildad
the Shuhite. Job in the chapter contends that he is righteous.
Bildad doesn’t accept Job’s contention. He says, “How then
can man be righteous before God? Or how can he be pure who
is born of a woman? If even the moon does not shine, and the
stars are not pure in His sight, how much less man, who is a
maggot, and a son of man, who is a worm?" (Job 25:4-6).

Bildad's view of God's dominion and majesty in the heavens
causes him to devalue mortal man as a maggot or a worm. His
conclusion is that man is so disgustingly sinful, like maggots,
in God’s sight there is no possibility of self-justification like
Job.

While Bildad is right in making the point that human beings of
themselves, corrupt and impure, are morally unworthy to have
anything to do with God, he is wrong in making it seem that
mankind is essentially worthless in God's eyes.

However, as we consider Passover, we are reminded that man
has great value in God’s sight. Mankind has value in God’s
sight not because they are righteous and deserving of God’s
positive valuation. God looks positively on men and women
because each one of them has the potential to become a part of
the family of God.

Men and women have the potential to become spirit beings,
living forever, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (1
Corinthians 5:7).

The Apostle John was inspired to express our value to God in
John 3:14-17, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that
whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal
life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only
begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish
but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into
the world to condemn the world, but that the world through
Him might be saved.”

It is true that by our sinful conduct we are no better than
maggots or worms. But through looking to the Lamb of God,
sacrificed for the sins of the world, we can be cleansed of all
unrighteousness and mature to the very stature of Jesus Christ.

Thank God for His grace and mercy in sending his Son to die
for our sins.

Have a most enjoyable Sabbath.

Gary Smith

Every Kingdom Divided Against Itself Is Brought To Desolation

Last week, the attempt by the Republican Party to overturn the
Affordable Care Act (aka: Obamacare) failed. Because of the
division in the majority party not enough votes could be
mustered in order to prevail. This failure to deliver on the
campaign promise made both by presidential candidate
Donald Trump and many congressional candidates as well is a
major setback.

The obvious conclusion is that our national government is
divided. The question that yet remains to be answered is, “Can
our government reach a level of unity where legislation can be
passed that will serve to move our country in a more positive
direction?”

Jesus Christ addressed the issue of a house divided in Matthew
12:22-26, “Then one was brought to Him who was demon-possessed,
blind and mute; and He healed him, so that the
blind and mute man both spoke and saw. And all the
multitudes were amazed and said, "Could this be the Son of
David?" Now when the Pharisees heard it they said, "This
fellow does not cast out demons except by Beelzebub, the
ruler of the demons." But Jesus knew their thoughts, and said
to them: "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to
desolation, and every city or house divided against itself will
not stand. If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against
himself. How then will his kingdom stand?”

Barnes’ Notes comments, “Their subtle and cunning device
was completely foiled, and Jesus made their argument recoil
on their own heads. A kingdom or a family can prosper only
by living in harmony. The different parts and members must
unite in promoting the same objects. If divided-if one part
UNDOES what the other DOES-it must fall. So with the
kingdom of Satan. It is your doctrine that Satan has
"possessed" these whom I have cured. It is also your doctrine
that he has helped me to cure them. If so, then he has helped
me to undo what he had done. He has aided me to cast himself
out-that is, to oppose and discomfit himself.

At this rate, how can there be any stability in his kingdom? It
must fall, and Satan must have less than human prudence.”
(from Barnes' Notes, Electronic Database Copyright © 1997,
2003, 2005, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The national leadership of the United States seems to be
hopelessly divided. Can we come together to achieve a
common purpose? I’m sure we all hope for that outcome.
However, we must realize that if we continue on the current
divided against itself it will not stand.

Living in a divided world is one of those things that is vexing
to a Christian. How do we change this situation? Sadly, we
cannot change this situation.

But we can know that when we come together on Passover
evening, to participate in the footwashing, the bread, and the
wine it symbolically points to unity.

Unity begins with humility and service of others as
symbolized by the footwashing.

Unity is further accomplished as we continue to yield to Jesus
Christ continuing His work in us as symbolized by the eating
the bread and drinking of the wine.

We may live in a divided world, but we by our humility,
service, repentance, and growth in righteousness can be
unified as the body of Christ. In the Passover service, we are
renewing our commitment to be one with God and one
another.

I think Paul summarizes the concept of unity conveyed in the
Passover well in 1 Corinthians 10:16-18, “The cup of blessing
which we bless, is it not a very sharing in the blood of Christ?
When we break the bread do we not actually share in the body
of Christ? The very fact that we all share one bread makes us
all one body. Look at the Jews of our own day. Isn't there a
fellowship between all those who eat the altar sacrifices? (The
New Testament in Modern English, J. B. PHILLIPS)

Enjoy the Sabbath rest,

Gary Smith

When Does a Baby's Life Begin? God Knows.

As the Sabbath approaches, I thought it worthwhile to
consider two marches held in Washington the first full week
of the new U.S. president’s term.

In looking at the two marches, one can see an immediate
contrast between those involved in the Women’s March on
Washington and the March for Life. In examining the two
groups there could be no more vivid example of the cultural
divide that plagues our country in 2017.

The women’s march on January 21 was characterized by
vulgarity, coarse language, and the primary goal of the
gathering was to ensure that abortion on demand continues to
be available. It is sad to see ladies taking pride in being called
“nasty” women and heartily endorsing the killing of potential
children of God before they have a chance at life.

In contrast, we have another group of people who gathered to
promote the right of the unborn to life. The demeanor of the
participants in the January 28th march was much more
positive. Interestingly, many people gathered for the pro-life
event were motivated by God’s word on the subject. The view
of many among them is that God is the giver of life and He
alone has the right to give or take life.

Sadly, the marches are over but the cultural war will continue.
But if the Bible were the guide there would be no abortions
and Roe vs. Wade would be superseded by God’s truth on the
matter.

One great question that arises out of this controversy is,
“When does life begin?” Consider the example of Jesus Christ
in this regard.

Consider that the one we know as Jesus Christ dwelled in
heaven throughout eternity as John 1 makes clear.

But it was God’s plan to send a Savior in the likeness of men
in order to save man from the penalty of sin. God’s plan to
send a Savior was instituted immediately after the sin of Adam
and Eve (Genesis 3:15).

At the right time in His great plan of salvation, God sent His
son, in the likeness of flesh, to redeem mankind of the death
penalty because of sin. “But when the fullness of the time had
come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under
the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we
might receive the adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).

The Apostle Paul tells us that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, was
an eternal being inhabiting eternity with God the Father. But
the one who became the Son of God was willing to let go of
being God in order to enter human realm (Philippians 2:6-7).

So, we find that Jesus Christ had eternal life. Yet He was
willing to place His very existence in the hands of the Father
to bring about a transference from being at the Father’s right
hand to life in the womb of Mary.

How did Jesus’ life begin in Mary’s womb? Luke 1:34-35
explains how this came about, “Then Mary said to the angel,
“How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel
answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon
you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you;
therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called
the Son of God.”

The scriptures equate the Holy Spirit with the power of God,
and the power of God with the Holy Spirit. It is through God’s
power that the life of Jesus Christ began in the womb of Mary.
Mary supplied the ovum and God supplied the rest. What God
began in the womb of Mary was not some glob of tissue, but
the life of the one who would become the Savior of the world.

If we look to the example of Jesus Christ’s, we see His life
began in the womb. The womb is where all human life begins
as well, at conception.

Sadly, at this time, there is a controversy, a cultural divide
over when life begins. Someday, there will be no marches in
Washington, D.C. But mankind will come to know that life
begins at conception and every baby is a potential member of
the family of God.

Gary Smith

Feeling What Not Having Hope Feels Like

A prominent politician made an interesting comment a couple
of weeks ago. The politician said, “We are feeling what not
having hope feels like.”

Why is this person lacking in hope? Her hopelessness comes
as a result of her political party losing in the November
election. With the election of someone that they heartily
disagree with, they feel that the policies conducive to hope
will be cast aside.

On the other side of the political spectrum, there is great hope
that “America will be made great again”. The sad reality is
that hope springs forth every time there is an election. The
winning voters always seem to hope that good things lie
ahead. As the hopes of the winning side in the election are not
met, there will be great disappointment over the failure to
deliver on the promises made to the voters.

The reality is that no matter the politician, his followers are
bound to be disappointed. The hopelessness of trusting
politicians and their offer for humanity is brought out in
Psalms 118:9, “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put
confidence in princes.”

Whereas man is limited and uncertain, God is not. God is the
same “Yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). We can
always be assured that God is there and He will always act in
our best interest even if His response is not what we want.

Let’s consider a couple of scriptures that lay out for us the
panorama of hope which is what prophecy is all about.
Through these scriptures, we can see why for God’s people
there is always hope.

The panorama begins in Genesis with the sins of Adam and
Eve. As God spelled out in Genesis 2, in the day in which
Adam or Eve ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
they would die. Death is an inevitable outcome of sin.

With death hanging over the lives of the first couple, it might
be said, “They were feeling what not having hope feels like.”

However, one of God’s first actions after sin entered the world
is found in Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between you
and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall
bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel." God was
telling the first man and woman that a seed would come who
would work out the problem of sin.

The scripture in Genesis seems pretty obscure until God fills
in more details about the coming, Seed, Jesus Christ, who
would open the way to salvation for all mankind.

What is to be ultimately be worked out by the Seed, Jesus
Christ, is detailed in Acts 3:19-21, “Repent therefore and be
converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of
refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that
He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,
whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all
things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy
prophets since the world began.”

God, through Peter, tells us that as promised from the time of
the first sin there is coming a time when all things will be
restored to the way God always intended them to be. We are
reassured that there is always hope for this sin sick world
through Jesus Christ the Messiah.

The Bible reassures us of the fulfillment of this promise from
Genesis all the way to the end of Bible in Revelation.

Human beings lose hope because things don’t work out the
way they want them to.

But God is our hope no matter what is going on in our lives or
in the world around us. As the Psalmist says, “For You are my
hope, O Lord God; You are my trust from my youth (Psalms
71:5).

Have a most enjoyable Sabbath because we always have hope.

Gary Smith

We Can Change The World

 In this week’s Sabbath Thought, I would like to reflect on a flash from the past. The topic came to mind as I listened to a 1971 song by Graham Nash entitled, Chicago|We Can Change the World.

The song focuses on the 1968 Democratic National Convention and the trial of the Chicago Eight who were accused of inciting the rioting that took place at that time.

So your brother's bound and gagged
And they've chained him to a chair
Won't you please come to Chicago just to sing?
In a land that's known as freedom
How can such a thing be fair?
Won't you please come to Chicago for the help that we can bring?

The first stanza addresses one of the accused inciters of riot being bound and gagged because of repeated outbursts during the trial. This was considered to be an act of brutality incompatible with “a land that’s known as freedom.”

The call is then issued for all who disagree with such actions by the government to come to Chicago to turn the world around. The belief in the betterment of the world through man’s concerted efforts is expressed in the chorus:

We can change the world
Rearrange the world
It's dying
To get better

Yes, we can change the world
(Rearrange) Rearrange the world (It's dying)
If you believe in justice (It's dying)
And if you believe in freedom (It's dying)
Let a man live his own life (It's dying)
Rules and regulations, who needs them?
Open up the door

When I heard this song, I was moved by its message of bringing a change to the world. Even prior to coming into the knowledge of the truth, I knew the world had some serious problems. However, being ignorant of the reality of human nature (Romans 8:6-8), I did not realize that changing the world was only a fantasy.

Men can have high-minded ideals about bringing changes to the world, but how have those efforts of worked out? If you examine the history of the various revolutions of the 20th century—the Bolshevik overthrow of the czar; Mao Tse Tung’s rise in China, Pol Pot in Cambodia—the death toll and suffering is immense.

Even if one examines the American Revolution and the establishment of the United States, what is its condition in 2016? Our nation has lost its way morally and financially and we are not going to turn it around.

The bottom line is that apart from God nothing is going to change for the better. Man cannot through his own mind and ability change himself or the world.

Thankfully, our God is fully aware of the world’s horrible condition and it is His desire to change the world from top to bottom. In fact, God is already on the job of changing the world as He works with the firstfruits of salvation to create His Holy righteous character in those whom He has called.

God has called us to keep the Holy Days of the seventh month to impress upon us that the coming of Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the saints to eternal life, the binding of Satan, the thousand-year reign of Jesus Christ, and resurrection of all who have never known God or His plan of salvation is right
on course. Everything related to these days will be played out in the near future.

It is in that time, as God powerfully intervenes in this world, that our dying world will be changed permanently for the better.

The knowledge of the playing out of God’s plan is a perfect focal point as we enjoy God’s Sabbath day and look forward to the Holy Days ahead.

Good Sabbath to all!

Gary Smith