The amount of money owed by consumers in the UK broke through the symbolic £1 trillion barrier for the first time in 2004. The Bank of England said that consumers owe more than £1,000bn on cards, mortgages and loans. According to the National Consumer Council, about six million families are already struggling to keep up with credit commitments at a time when borrowing is rising. Students are now building up huge debts as they work their way through University. Debt is everywhere and continues to grow by the day.

But debt is not confined to the UK. Debt in the world is a massive problem. At a G-8 finance ministers’ meeting in February last year, the world’s richest nations agreed in principle to cancel up to 100 per cent of the debts of the poorest countries in Africa.

And yet, again referring to the UK, retailers have not been doing well and many businesses have been in serious trouble, some going into bankruptcy. Therefore, encouraging spending is usually part of the overall marketing drive throughout the year, but is particularly strong in the run up to Christmas, thus increasing even further personal debt.  It is a dichotomy. Retailers need sales but customers are up to their neck in debt.

As one expert stated: “The British economic recovery–heralded by Gordon Brown–is hanging by a thread. It rests on the fragile foundations of a consumer boom in Britain, and far more importantly, in the United States. Moreover the US economic bubble is keeping the world afloat at the present time. This is a fact recognised by all the economic pundits.” A very simple piece of Biblical advice is generally ignored by mankind–and to their hurt: “The borrower is servant to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). Some debt may be necessary to buy a house or a car, but debt has become such an integral part of almost everyone’s life today that it has spiralled out of control.

Personal situations, and the economy in general, are hanging by a thread. The global economy is so inter-dependent that it could fall like a house of cards. Massive spending fuels personal debt; not spending means that businesses will go out of business. The economy is so fragile that it could fail at any time. Let us make sure that our own house is in order.

I read a book a little while ago, which concentrated on strategies
for preventing and reversing cancer.  In the forward, a writer
made these observations. “We need to address the environmental causes
of cancer: not only the physical environmental pollution, but the
emotional pollution. I don’t think we know the power [that] negative
emotions have in the forming of cancer. Negative emotions that are held
onto–lack of forgiveness, hostility, depression, anxiety, loneliness
and lack of love that is felt all over the world–these have negative
powers”.

Powerful words. And the author went on to develop that
same theme. He said: “No drug on the market even comes close to
producing the positive effects of love. If scientists could find a way
to encapsulate love, they would have the marketing dream of the
century–the breakthrough of the millennium.  Although love
research is in its infancy, studies are beginning to confirm its
positive effects.  If we love, we are happy; those around us make
up a part of our positive world and don’t wear down our defences. I
welcome research on love.  Perhaps when its value is proven,
doctors will take advantage of this powerful knowledge in their daily
practice.”

These are very interesting comments from two members
of the medical profession! We recently celebrated Pentecost, a highly
significant event in God’s Holy Day calendar. God founded the New
Testament Church on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) and the Holy Spirit
became available to all those who “repent and are baptized in the name
of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). The fruit of
the Spirit is clearly spelled out in Galatians 5:22-23, and all nine
elements, as you would expect, are positive. The first element of the
fruit is love – outgoing concern for the good and well being of others.
God’s way is positive, and as members of the medical profession have
found out, love helps and assists in our physiological well being.

How
grateful we should all be for such knowledge, particularly the
spiritual knowledge that is revealed to us when we received God’s Holy
Spirit.   We are truly a blessed people.

The local government elections have been taking place in the UK this week with the national government in some disarray. The Health Secretary was barracked to an alarming extent at the national nurses’ conference last week after making a statement that the National Health Service had just had its best ever year; the nurses felt otherwise and registered their disgust. The Home Secretary’s department had let out around 1,000 criminals who had been recommended for deportation after servicing their sentences, and yet the system had allowed them back into the community, some being murderers and rapists. The Deputy Prime Minister had been found having a two year affair with his diary secretary, with lurid details being printed in many newspapers. And this from a government that had promised to do much better than the previous administration, which itself had many difficulties with sleaze!

Of course, the UK is not the only nation to have such problems; it is a fact of life in all nations around the world. Democracy is much trumpeted as the way forward, and it was to bring peace and stability in Iraq. We are all too well aware what has happened in that nation. But in spite of the Bible clearly showing that being involved in the world is ungodly, a leading figure in the Anglican Church urged people to vote. As it is stated in our Update #76, of 17th Jan 2003: “Participating in voting for governmental elections shows a lack of appreciation for the Will of God. It also shows a misunderstanding of the fact that Satan rules this world, and that Christians are ambassadors of Christ, called to come out of this world to be separate.” Such understanding is lost on the world’s religions, including most of Christianity.

In November 1947, Sir Winston Churchill observed that “Many forms of Government have been tried, and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.”

Democracy–in fact, man’s rule in general– is not the answer to the world’s problems. The only sure answer is the return of Jesus Christ to rule as the beneficent King of Kings and Lord of Lords. His return must surely be a part of our daily prayers. Do we regularly pray “Thy Kingdom Come”? If we do, then this surely shows where our focus is; if not, perhaps we ought to urgently review our prayer content.

When that wonderful time of Christ’s setting up the Kingdom of God on earth arrives, democracy will be a thing of the past; flawed leadership by flawed individuals will no longer be even considered and, with Christ ruling with fairness and equity, the perfect theocracy then in place will be appreciated by all the earth’s inhabitants.

God speed that day!

Very often the big events in Biblical prophecy are the ones that
catch the eye, excite the imagination and stir the blood. Into this
category, events that may immediately spring to mind may be, amongst
many others, the formation of the nations in Europe as a forerunner to
the Beast power; the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord; and the
fate of the incorrigible wicked. While it is understandable that such
events can set the pulses racing, there are other prophecies that may
be somewhat overlooked but have great significance at this time.

One
such prophecy is found in Matthew 24:12: “And because lawlessness will
abound, the love of many will grow cold.” This is addressing those in
the Church who at one time had the love of God, but who had begun to
let it slip. That’s why it says that the love of God will grow or
become cold–so it was hot at one time. We also read in the book of
Revelation that the first era of the Church had lost their first love.
The love of many growing cold–NOW–is really quite scary because of
the problems that will emanate. We read in verse 10 that “…many will
be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.” And
why? Because lawlessness will abound! The true Church of God has always
been a Church that has taught and kept the law of God, but we have
seen, in recent times, incorporated Church organizations blown to the
four corners of the earth because of lawless teaching and behavior. The
pull of the world seemed to have been far too strong for too many who
should have known better.

Why does love grow cold? Because of not
keeping the law of God and because of apathy, hostility and
carelessness! In John 16:1-2, we find these chilling verses: “These
things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble.
They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that
whoever kills you will think that he offers God service.”

We
read about people whose love will grow cold and who will, as a
consequence, hate and kill, supposedly, in God’s service. These are
spine chilling verses, but how is this possible? Perhaps we can find
the answer in Matthew 13:24-30, which is the parable of the wheat and
tares. Verse 30 offers more than a clue: “Let both grow together until
the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers,
‘First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them,
but gather the wheat into my barn.'” Wheat and tares grow up together
in the Church. Events over millennia culminating in more recent times
have shown the accuracy of these prophesied events–and there is, no
doubt, more of the same to come and probably with increasing intensity.
And, it stands to reason that the tares will be participating in the
killing of God’s people–the wheat.

In less than three weeks,
baptized members of the Church of God will be taking the Passover.
Verses in Matthew 5:23-24 are among those that will show God whether we
are serious: “Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there
remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift
there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your
brother, and then come and offer your gift.” If we follow this
instruction, it will show God that we mean business and clearly
indicate our love for others.

Studying prophecy is a fascinating
subject–but we should ONLY engage in it for the ultimate purpose of
acquiring and living God’s love in us. We must be very careful that
God’s love does not grow cold in US. The time just prior to Passover is
a good occasion to reflect on this vital truth.

During the month of January, Channel 4 television in the UK screened
two programs presented by an atheist who is also a scientist–not an
uncommon combination.  The first program was called, “The God
Delusion,” and the second one was titled, “The Virus of Faith.” The
presenter’s purpose was to convince one to accept the theory of
evolution as a scientific fact and to dismiss religion and the belief
in a supernatural, all powerful Being as just a myth. This surely fits
into the category of calling evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20).

Christianity,
amongst other religions, was under attack, and from many different
angles. Many who are atheists or who have no interest in God or
religion take the view that if this is all there is to this life, let’s
just enjoy what we have–and that can often lead to a really selfish
approach. When you’re dead, you’re dead, according to their approach,
and with nothing to look forward to, they can make the most of the here
and now, irrespective of any other considerations.

It can be
assumed–and it was by the presenter–that religious people sacrifice
happiness in this life for the afterlife. In fact, some may do just
that. But didn’t Mr Armstrong mention many times in his writings about
the abundant life–here and now? By living according to God’s way, we
can avoid the problems experienced by those who ignore it. We don’t get
sexually transmitted diseases because we follow God’s instructions on
sexual behavior; we avoid many of the health problems that can be
caused by eating pork, certain seafood and other unclean foods; and we
can have peace of mind about our future because of our faith–without
having nervous breakdowns that some may suffer because of their anxiety
about the future.

Our life can be more fulfilling and enjoyable
because of our faith–not grinding out this life before we enjoy
eternity, as this presenter assumed. We can enjoy life now more than
others because we follow God’s instructions on how to live and behave
in this life, and we also have a wonderful future to look forward to as
a member of God’s family in the Kingdom of God. Yes, religion and
belief in God was under attack in these two programmes, but that does
not alter the reality of our calling and the fact that we do have the
best of both worlds.

There are many aspects of false worship but one area that has
proliferated in more recent times has been that of the celebrity
culture. It has always been there, of course, but celebrity and hero
worship seems to have become embedded in a society where entertainment
and the media take center stage.

Recently in the UK we had the
spectacle of the funeral of an outstanding footballer [soccer player
for our American readers] who, by common consent, was one of the best
that the country had ever produced. He was just 59 years of age with a
chequered personal history of alcoholism and other problems, and yet he
was worshipped like a god. Hundreds of thousands of people lined the
funeral route, a motorcade escorted the hearse, and there was huge bill
for policing. A massive amount of flowers was laid outside his former
football club, and a minute’s silence was observed at football matches
throughout the land. Perhaps this was hardly surprising as
football is the new religion.

We had a similar outpouring of
grief when Princess Diana died a few years ago. One Church minister
said about this event: “Yes, ‘we all’ had shared the grief at Diana’s
death, ‘we all cried’, we all laid flowers, went to the funeral and
sang along to Elton John. But actually, by trying to pretend that Diana
was something other than human, we were guilty of ‘paganism’,
attributing the characteristics of holiness to an insufficiently worthy
vessel. We had worshipped the wrong thing, and worshipped in the wrong
way.”

Diana, it was implied, had been melted down and turned into
a golden calf. A former Prime Minister said that his perception was
that because we have become a secular society, the outpouring of grief
for Princess Diana was a manifestation of the worshipping of
celebrities.

These two events were linked in many people’s minds
here in the UK. One commentator wrote: “Not since that distant late
summer day when Princess Diana’s coffin was borne through the streets
of London have so many people turned out to demonstrate their surging
affection and sense of loss.”

And yet the Bible is very clear on
this issue: “You shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3) and:
“You shall not bow down to them nor serve them (verse 5).” Although
specifically referring to carved images, the worship of anyone or
anything can be covered by this verse. Aren’t we most blessed to
understand that, while we can admire others, only the true Creator God
is to be worshipped, and not flawed human beings?

Finally,
let us not forget the false worship that is currently in full swing
with the inevitable Christmas celebrations. Much has been
written about that matter over the years and the recent member letter
discussed the “spirit” of Christmas. But only God is to be worshipped,
and only in the way that He has prescribed, and nothing else will
do!