It is difficult for us to fully comprehend the loss of one life and the effects it has on the lives of those who are close to it, much less the loss of over 30 people in a wholly senseless act.

The tragedy at Virginia Tech this past week has garnered much of the attention of the American people. Many vigils have been organized, countless press conferences have been given, and the news was saturated with every possible detail.

But where is the mourning for the nearly 3,700 that were unjustifiably killed today… yesterday… the day before, and will be killed tomorrow and each and every day in America? There have been 48,000,000+ innocents in the US alone that have been murdered since the abominable judgment rendered in Roe v. Wade (1973).

Can we grasp the magnitude of these numbers? If all of these children had been allowed to live, their numbers would be larger than the entire population of over 200 countries in the world today. On average, there are considerably more unborn babies killed every day in the US than died in the World Trade Center on 9/11! Yet, there is no war on abortion!

We were devastated when we watched the buildings come down. We shake our heads in disbelief every time there is a school shooting. But the world goes on day to day without mentioning in the news that approximately 126,000 babies are being executed daily in the world. Are we as upset about this as we are about 9/11 and Virginia Tech?

As a country, we condemn others for their human rights violations, and rightly so. But have we looked at the beam in our own eye? Ours is a barbarity that may be unequaled throughout the history of man, and we are supposed to be a civilized nation.

When Christ returns, He will be looking for those that have His mark upon their forehead. It will be upon those that sigh and cry for the abominations committed around them (Ezekiel 9:4). The rest, God has prophesied will be killed without pity and unsparingly (Ezekiel 9:5). The only way to avoid the coming Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord is through repentance… a turning from the wrong way, our ways, and going God’s way.

Rachel is once again weeping for her children… are we? (compare Matthew 2:16-18).

The Holy Scriptures compare God’s Spirit and Spirit beings to the wind (John 3:8). Wind is invisible to the human eye. Yet, one can feel its effect on the human body in the form of a cool breeze, or on the earth in the form of a mighty wind.

In addition, the Bible talks about not quenching the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19). Here, it is compared to fire, which can be quenched  through various means. So, a person with the Holy Spirit can lose it (Hebrews 10:29; 6:4-6).

God’s Spirit has also been compared to water. We are told that in the future, God’s Spirit will be poured out–like water–upon all flesh (Acts 2:17-18). Isaiah 11:9 states: “For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea.”

Interestingly enough, water can be manifested in three forms. One is vapor which we cannot see–yet, it is present in the air and measured as relative humidity. The second form is liquid. The human body is, to about ninety percent, composed of liquid, and over seventy percent of the earth is covered with water. The third form is solid, which we know as ice. Water has also interesting qualities: It is the universal solvent–a requirement for physical survival of mankind and the animal and plant world; it seeks its own level regardless of surroundings, and it cannot be compressed; it also expands at each end of its state–frozen or very hot, just before boiling.

Like water, righteous Spirit beings can also manifest themselves in various ways. A righteous Spirit being can be invisible to the human eye; they can be visible to the human eye–yet, still able to go through physical objects like walls or buildings; and they can be manifested in a form which can be touched and felt, as Christ appeared to His followers after His resurrection. 

What is important for us, as God’s people, is to use and maintain God’s Spirit in the manner pleasing to God. We are told to walk in the Spirit; that is, to be a right and correct example to the world. We are also told to grow in grace and knowledge (2 Peter 3:18). Growing in grace is growing in the Spirit. After an orchard has been well watered, it will produce fruit for the owner in abundance. As we grow in the Spirit, we should produce the fruit of the Spirit, as mentioned in Galatians 5:21-22. This is the outward manifestation of the Spirit of God working in our lives.

As we approach Pentecost–the  Festival when the Holy Spirit was made available to the apostles and followers of Christ–let us ensure that we are manifesting the Spirit of God in our lives through the fruit of the Spirit. In doing so, we are witnessing to the world where God’s Spirit is dwelling and working in this present age–that is, in His true servants.

We can then look forward to the future, when God’s Spirit will be made available to all of mankind and when the fruit of the Spirit will be manifested on a worldwide basis–just like a well-watered orchard produces much fruit for the benefit of the owner and the pleasure of those who partake in the eating.

We have just observed the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread.  These days remind us annually of Christ’s death–when He paid the penalty of our sins and reconciled us to God the Father. The world is cut off from God. But those reconciled with God are no longer cut off from God, as Christ’s shed blood is a sufficient payment for their sins. 

Jesus said, “No one can come to Me, except the Father who sent Me draws him” (John 6:44). Those specially chosen by God and drawn to Christ are instructed to put sin out of their lives, which is what the Days of Unleavened Bread represent.  Leaven puffs up, as do vanity and sin.  Leaven is a type of sin, and the putting out of the leaven pictures putting the “get” way out of our lives and turning to the “give” way.  This is the beginning of building into our lives holy, righteous, perfect, Godly character.

Beginning with the morrow after the Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we count 50 days to observe the Day of Pentecost, which means “count 50.” Originally this Feast was called the Feast of Firstfruits, portraying the first spiritual harvest of God’s begotten children.

Remember, Adam cut mankind off from God, and man must have contact with God the Father to receive His Holy Spirit.  The “tree of life” in the Garden of Eden meant that God freely offered Adam and all of humanity, the Holy Spirit, but Adam had to make a choice between accepting God’s gift and rejecting the tree of knowledge of good and evil.  As mentioned, the “tree of life” represented God’s Holy Spirit and the “give” way of life.  The other tree represented Satan’s “get” way of life. Adam chose the “get” way and was driven by God from the Garden of Eden, “lest he….take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever” (Genesis 3:22).  As a result, spiritual salvation was closed to all humanity except to those whom God predestined to be called in this day and age.

We are among those predestined to be called now!  We have been called to receive God’s Holy Spirit and  to overcome Satan, Satan’s world and our own human nature.  This requires effort, self-denial and will power.  The Holy Spirit makes us God’s begotten children–but we are not yet born into the God Family. God’s Holy Spirit gives us the ability to comprehend spiritual knowledge.  It is the love of God placed within us.  It is the spiritual power by which we can overcome, to turn away from and resist the “get” way, and turn to the “give” way.  It is the power by which we may develop holy, righteous, perfect character which is the purpose for God having created humanity in the first place–so that God could reproduce Himself through man.

Let us rejoice in this special calling we have been given.  Let’s not take for granted what the day of Pentecost is all about–a reminder to us every year that we are among those called to be a part of the FIRST small harvest. God calls us His “special people.” He offers us salvation, by calling us out of a world that has been cut off from God since the time of Adam.  But, we have been called for more than just our own spiritual salvation and the gift of eternal life.  We are called NOW to help in preparing for the Kingdom of God and backing up the great commission of proclaiming the true Gospel to the whole world.

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

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

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

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

Sin destroys love, while obedience causes love to grow!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Paul admonishes us in Hebrews 10:35-36: “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of ENDURANCE, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.” He continues to encourage us in Hebrews 12:1: “… to lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with ENDURANCE the race that is set before us.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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