This saying reflects the truth that we are all interconnected. No man can truly succeed when isolated from others; we depend on one another. There’s no place, culture, race or people better than another. It takes the sum of all to make up the human race. Obviously, we are currently living in a very interdependent time, and this saying speaks to that fact.

With that said, let’s do a little experiment: picture the Earth like a peeled orange. When you remove a couple of wedges from it and the orange is no longer a perfect creation or sphere, it’s incomplete. Brotherhood is no different; we need all of mankind to make up the human race.

Somewhere down your family tree someone may have disliked a particular country or group of people. Some of the reasons may have been historical land disputes, wars and the like.

“Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in sight of all men.” (Rom. 12:17)

So many of these disputes can be solved through our children’s generation. In brotherly love they can grow up together in a society that will not tolerate these ancient conflicts that have not been rectified because people simply refuse to let go of the past. If we look closely, we may discover that many these conflicts are based on misconceptions, intolerance. Grievance’s passed down through time tend to get distorted and become counterfeit to the point that no one can tell the truth of a matter. Consequently, many disputes have been going on for far too long with no reasonable end in sight.

Far too many people have been persecuted in horrific ways. We have a regrettable long history of not having brotherly love towards our fellow man. Men have filled history books with these atrocities, why? This is not something we should want to preserve as a people. Look how many of our fellow human beings have been slaughtered and allowed to suffer?

“Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Rom. 12:21)

We need to stop raising our children to follow in the footsteps of indifference or worse: hate, segregation, prejudice and racism; most of which are being taught as traits, whereas contrary to this, the Bible teaches the need for us to live in unity with love towards one another.

There have been many men and women down through the ages who have encouraged brotherly love towards one another. I personally met the late author Dr. Richard Jones on two separate occasions. At our last meeting, he gave me his book, A Life Long Pursuit of Brotherhood. This was his life story written at 82 years old. He thought it would take two weeks to complete but instead over a year of work involved. He passed away at 96 years old in December 2001. The book has many great stories about people who fought for equality between the races. In 1963, Dr. Jones is pictured sitting, laughing with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and two other men. He said of Dr. King, “I am a better person because I know Dr. Martin Luther King.” I mention this because it brings back memories of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

Dr. King said he looked forward to the day when his little children could be accepted and play with all children of the world. Do you feel that dream has come true now, in the decades since Dr. King’s speech? I have a saying that I’ve been using for so long I can’t remember when I started telling it. It is:

“God made one kind of people ‘human beings’ in His image no less; and secondly, one piece of real-estate, planet Earth. Man should have dominion over it, not dominate it claiming ‘my part is better than yours.’ This just keeps us from solving our problems and continues to promote the divisions amongst us.”

If we keep telling our fellow man that we’re better than another or our piece of ground is superior, there will never be peace on Earth. Satan loves this kind of fighting, because it plays into his strategy. Remember, divide and conquer is his motto. How often have you heard two or more people from the same country argue about which part of their country is best? Both of course hold their own bias.

Why don’t we thwart the Prince of Darkness by following instead, the method of God, the Father, and Jesus Christ our soon coming King of kings?

“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” (Heb. 12:14)

Dr. Jones spent his efforts in a “lifelong pursuit of brotherhood” how about you?

Other articles you should read

• The 7 Attributes of Successful Christians (Part 3)
• You Can Have Real Peace
• Responsible Parents, Responsible Children
• From the 5th to the 10th Degree
• A Mother’s Love

…except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no way enter the Kingdom of God.” (Matthew 5:20)

At first glance, one may think this would be impossible to do, but on the other hand, weren’t the Pharisees the men going around Jerusalem condemning Christ and persecuting His followers?

Saul, the man who later became the apostle Paul, was a Pharisee before his conversion and was responsible for persecuting many Christians. How could these people ever be considered righteous? Unquestionably, it should be fairly easy to be more righteous than the Scribes and Pharisees when considering the hypocrisy, graft, and corruption they participated in—right?

To better understand this issue, let’s look at the history of the Pharisees. The Pharisees were relative newcomers to the Hebraic religious traditions that had its formal beginnings with Moses, some 1400 years before. Comparatively, they had only been around for about 200 hundred years before Christ’s incarnation and existed for approximately another sixty years after His crucifixion.

The term Pharisee means the separate ones, or separatists. As a religious group they were distinguished most of all for their zeal for preserving the “duty” to the Law. They had won the favour of the rest of the population by virtue of the stress they laid upon religious interests and their extreme piety to those obligations. Though they did allow some Greek Hellenistic teachings or ideas to encroach their Jewish thinking, they remained firmly zealous towards the Law. Admittedly, they were so loyal to the Law they could have easily been considered “legislators of righteousness.” This reputation grew over the years because they did not hesitate to enrich the traditions established by Ezra and the Scribes by adding laws of piety.

The Pharisees were fixated on the Law of Moses. They were convinced the Law could be applied to all circumstances in everyday life. Their opponents, the Sadducees, comprised mainly the aristocratic and priestly classes, who rejected the pharisaic belief in the resurrection, an afterlife, angels, and Messianic redemption. Nevertheless, the Pharisees had a measure of respect from the general population because they came from the ordinary people. Their mission was to bring the study of the Law of Moses to everyone, not just the upper class of society, as the Sadducees did. They were also respected because they stood up to Roman authority. The Pharisees kept the Jewish tradition front and centre in the midst of an oppressive Roman autocratic state. If it were possible to ask a Pharisee if he were righteous, the answer would be a resounding yes, because they claimed to keep all the teachings of the Law, which they understood as the qualifier.

However, in modern times, the word Pharisee has taken on a new meaning. In Webster’s Dictionary, the word Pharisee, a noun, is defined as “a hypocrite; a self righteous person.” It goes without saying that the word has a very negative connotation and it gets worse. Hypocrite means: “a pretence of virtue or religious devotion.” These are traits a Christian must avoid at all costs.

We see evidence of this hypocrisy during Jesus’ mission on Earth. In Luke 6:6, Jesus heals the man with a paralyzed hand on the Sabbath day, yet the Pharisees accused Him of breaking the Law, misconstruing the healing as work on the seventh day Sabbath. They didn’t realize Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath.

In Luke 18:9, two men are praying at the temple. The Pharisee tells God how righteous he is by keeping the Law and claiming that he’s not a sinner. Beside him is a tax collector, confessing all his sins and asking God to have mercy on him. Jesus tells his disciples which one of them God hears—the tax collector.

Every Christian must desire to enter the Kingdom of God, first above all things (Matthew 5:33). But to do so, we’ve been told, we must exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees. So it would do us well to consider the reality that we must move beyond human righteousness, which is what the Pharisees had too much of and grossly misunderstood.

Webster’s Dictionary defines righteousness as: “conforming to the moral law; for anyone to be righteous, they must conform or obey the law.”

But it’s more than just that when it comes to God’s definition. We can keep all the Laws and Commandments we want, yet we won’t be any better off than the Pharisees, if we don’t have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us and guiding us towards “godly righteousness.”

The fact is, we can only be made righteous by justification through the shed blood of Jesus Christ, which provides grace or unmerited pardon; and through faith in Christ’s sacrifice we are made righteous (Ephesians 2:4-10). This is an important distinction to make if we intend to exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees!

Remember, what the scriptures say about human righteousness. They are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6). This makes our task of becoming more righteous than the Pharisees impossible, unless, of course, we accept the righteousness of God, which is Jesus Christ.

Consider what Paul says regarding the answer to achieving godly righteousness:

I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law rather I become righteous through faith in Christ. (Philippians 3:9)

Notice again what Paul says,

For I bear them [the Jews] record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.” (Romans 10:2-3)

And what is the righteousness of God? Jesus Christ (Romans 10:4).

If you need a reminder from time to time of how to live a godly life, read Isaiah 58. With the help of the Holy Spirit, you cannot go wrong. In time, our righteousness will exceed that of the Pharisees because this spiritual journey that we are on will eventually take us into the eternal Kingdom of righteousness—but only by the blood of the righteousness of God, Jesus the Christ!

Other articles you should read

• Start the Cultivation

The Last Three Attributes:

Each of the attributes discussed in this 3-part series are exhibited throughout the Bible. Solomon extols understanding. John promotes and writes about love. Paul introduces most of his letters with grace, mercy, and peace; with peace as one of the final three attributes. However, it will take a great amount of understanding, love, and peace to come to grips with cross bearing. Modern religions do not even touch on this subject. They are all about “smooth” concepts. For instance, many teach the commandments are nailed to the cross in order to remove our responsibility to keep the Law. Others teach we are going to be whisked away in a rapture to escape the tribulation.

We live in a world where ease, happiness and luxurious living are the ultimate goal. Mega-churches with casual pastors, bulging audiences and superficial sermons, aspire to the grandiose goal of the “abundant” life with God’s blessings. However,  true Christianity is the antithesis to this Satan-inspired world of deception. We will learn the truth as “It Is Written!”

 #5: Cross-Bearers

Throughout the gospels, Jesus Christ is adamant about forsaking all, taking up our cross daily, leaving family members, and possibly even losing our life for Christ’s sake. Is Jesus really serious about these very demanding statements? Yes, He is! Peter, concerned with Christ’s rigorous demands, even asked on one occasion, “Who then can be saved?” (Matthew 19: 25). There are eight passages in the gospels that are almost identical regarding “bearing your cross.” Are we to fear and have no hope because the task is too daunting? I doubt if there’s a single person reading this article who has not left someone or something to get an education, join a military unit, engage in some arduous sport or work incessantly at a job.

Consider the Tour de France. From July 4th to the 26th the cyclists travelled nearly 2200 miles of mountainous terrain to win a ‘mere’ yellow jersey. They engage the Swiss Alps, the Pyrenees (that border France and Spain), and a total of ten mountains in this 23-day event. To date, Lance Armstrong has won this prestigious event a total of seven times. These cyclists accumulate about 30-40 000 kilometres per year  in preparation alone, for events like this. It is a full time job to get in shape and have the mental toughness to win.  Anyone who even remotely considers the Tour has to literally give up their lives for this event. Though this is just one example, the fact is, man has engaged in many endeavours that cover the Earth and some even in outer space. So, it’s not that mankind cannot make the sacrifices Jesus requires; it is that most do not feel the need or even the desire to bear that cross.

One of Lucifer’s enticements is the offer of immediacy in satisfying our desires. We want instant results and we want to reach our goals with ease. Real Christianity is counterintuitive to this human proclivity. That is why Lucifer has been successful in deceiving the world. Lucifer has and still is ensuring that many seek an attractive life of ease, especially in religion. However, Jesus reminds us that we must count the cost of being a disciple. We cannot ignore or excuse ourselves by saying: it cannot be done so why even try.

The Unprofitable Servant in Matthew 25 confessed that he knew Jesus to be a hard man, so he was afraid. Jesus replied,

You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.” (Matthew 25:26-27)

Jesus did not correct the servant’s assertion that He was a hard man, but chastened him severely for his slothfulness. He did not even try, which was at the heart of what made Jesus lash out in a burst of bitter condemnation. The servant was sentenced to the Lake of Fire. Clearly, Jesus is very serious about bearing a cross, executing responsibility, and following his directives.

Jesus will reward us with enormous responsibility. So, He wants people who will follow His plan.

To him who overcomes will I grant to sit with me on my throne…(Revelation 3:21) …and they were judged every man according to their works. (Revelation 20:13) …Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. (Revelation 2:10) …I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Overcoming, works, patience, sufferings, and faithfulness to the end are indeed characteristics of a cross bearer! Hardship, difficulty and patience are virtues that enhance growth. These traits are required for any great achievement. A cyclist cannot win the Tour de France without all these traits. The list of accomplishments from around the world in all facets of society demonstrates the desire and level of commitment required for high achievement and accomplishment. We, who are the “weak of the world” could easily be discouraged by the overwhelming feats of worldly champions. Even Biblical champions as Paul, Stephen, Joshua, Moses and Gideon are daunting examples of cross-bearing men to be admired by all Christians.

But, what about Christian parents who raise their children to follow in the path of righteousness and grow up, continuing in this way for generations? Are they cross-bearers? What about the couple that remains faithful to each other in marriage and to God in all ways to the end of their lives? Are they cross-bearers? What about the true ministry, the deacons, and all the servants in the church, including the writers and producers of this magazine, are they not cross-bearers? The point is, we all fight the battles that are before us in our own time. The greatest battles we face today include the fight against apathy, the lure of worldly attractions, and having an increase of goods. Having too much ease can give a person the notion they have no need for God, or the church, resulting in the lack of dedication it takes to be a cross-bearer.

We are fighting for seemingly simple tasks compared to our Christian forefathers. There is nothing overwhelming about going to church services, tithing, observing the annual Feast days or participating in charitable projects. When the desire is gone, these tasks become burdensome and left undone. Every generation has its own problems, challenges, and opportunities. In the Apostles’ time, they were all martyred for their faith. In the 21st Century, many are lured into simply walking away from their faith. Jesus repeats for our good,

And whosoever does not bear his cross, and come after me cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:27)

Jesus is very clear in His assessment of what discipleship requires!

Which is more difficult? Fighting and killing a giant or fighting against the adversary that seeks to destroy us while our own carnal desires keep us from bearing our cross? One perspective is that killing a giant is over with quickly. On the other hand, our battle is in the increasing drudgery of the daily, weekly, year-after-year temptations, discouragements, and loss of purpose. Combine this with the constant tendency to slowly and gradually drift into perdition: our battle continues until we die or Christ returns. We have to become strongly committed to be true over-comers. Jesus tells us plainly the over-comers will inherit all things.

We often hear that only the incorrigibly wicked will be destroyed. However, Jesus criticized the Unprofitable Servant saying:

You wicked and lazy servant.” (Matthew 25:26)

So wickedness in the eyes of Jesus does differ from our “anything goes society” which promotes a life of ease and convenience. This creeps into our churches with ease. That is why our job as Christians is to be watching our behaviour, attitudes, and objectives.

We are to sharpen one another with loving encouragement so we don’t faint with the task and burden we bear daily. Our adversary is constantly seeking those who he can lure into a non-profitable attitude. We have to remember that sinning is missing the mark. The Servant (Jesus Christ) paid the ultimate penalty with His innocent life! So, with that in mind, we need to strive to overcome! Be prayerful, as Jesus demonstrated, and ask for strength and guidance. Take your responsibilities seriously and persevere to the end. We are created in God’s image and He wants us to reign with Him as Kings and Priests (Revelation 5:10). Let us all sacrifice as we work towards that awesome goal!

#6: Love

It has been said that there are two passions that will drive a man to the ends of the Earth: love and hate. For our discussion, we will address love as an attribute for successful Christians. It is interesting that God commands love. Jesus answered a lawyer about the great Commandment in the Law,

Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

Let us discuss the why and how of implementing these commands of Jesus.

The why is because we are in the God family! We are created in His image as it is written in Psalms 82:6. In John 10:34 it states,

Jesus answered them, is it not written in your law, I said, You are Gods?”

This shows we are destined to be Kings and Priests in a “family dynasty.” We are inheritors and rulers for eternity.

It is inconceivable not to love our own family. It will also be inconceivable not to work in loving harmony with God as examples to society. We will carry out Christ’s plans for growth, education, and blessings to all humanity.

Contrary to that the corruption of this world’s governments, we need to learn that love is an integral part of God’s government. When His government is in play, we will forever have full employment. Hunger will be a thing of the past. All humanity will know about God and His ruling saints. Currently, we are a little lower than the angels, but when Christ returns we will be above them and they will be there to serve and assist us in our collective duties (Ps. 8). Jesus Christ and His saints will have in place what every politician, union leader, and businessmen want for themselves: full employment, fair wages, profitability, low costs, and time for family activities with a bonus of being paid for celebrating all the Holy Days. Now who would not love a system that gives you every desire in life?

It will take love to be the catalyst for inspiring the family government to continue without incident for eternity. John adds eloquently to the love issue.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8)

The why is rather straightforward and has true purpose and should be understood by all who know God. The how is more difficult to implement, because we now have to love God and love our neighbour as we love ourselves. It is somewhat ironic that overcoming and cross-bearing come into play in this section. For example, Paul writes in Romans 12:19, 21:

Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord… Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

How many incidents do we know where vengeance and getting even is the normal accepted attitude? When we are hurt, we are to forgive and let God avenge us. We are showing our love for God by obeying this command. Many fall into the black hole of bitterness by allowing evil to overtake them. The only satisfaction we should seek is in doing God’s will and trusting His Word. Our faith that God will avenge in His time and in His way helps us to develop character and overcome evil. Peter talks about how in 1 Peter 2:18-22:

Servants, be submissive to your masters … when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God… Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example… [and] committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.”

We learn about overcoming and love when we are chastised unjustly, gossiped about unfairly, rejected mercilessly, or taken advantage of by spouses, family or employers. Are we able to love all the people who offend and hurt us? Are we up to that challenge? Our task, as we embrace this way of love, is to return good for evil.

We have to allow hurts not to embitter us and learn to have mercy and forgiveness turning the other cheek. “Impossible!” we might say. Well, Jesus did it all the time. Christian love requires us to do right as we sting from the cold, heartless, hard attitude of the world. Love and forgiveness come when we are wronged and we hurt to the core of our being—and then we extend forgiveness and love to the offending party. That’s what makes the difference!

Traditional Christianity knows nothing about this part of life, because their message is, “Jesus did it all for us.” However, quite the contrary, Jesus set the example for us to follow, encouraging us not to take the slothful route that is common in the world and which produces no character. It takes a very strong, spirit-led person to be hurt, and still go on loving, in spite of that hurt. These are the attributes that make one fit to be a king in God’s Kingdom!

We have to remember our calling and the goal we are striving to attain. Christ suffered beyond imagination. He asked His father to forgive those who beat, berated and persecuted Him. They blasphemed, drove huge spikes into His flesh, and then hung Him up for ridicule. Yet, He forgave them. Can we, then start to extend mercy to those who do not deserve love? This is how we will learn godly love: the small challenges that confront us will teach us how to take on bigger challenges. Growing in grace and knowledge will take on new meaning for all of us. The how is very hard—but with God’s help we can do it.

The God family will be pleased they have chosen the right candidate for kingship. Perhaps the sombre words of Christ in Matthew 7:13-14 will shock us all into the reality of our need to love others as we love ourselves. We are few in numbers at the present time, but our calling, love, and determination will keep us on the narrow path to life eternal. We have a high calling in Christ Jesus and our growing love is a necessary attribute to become highly effective Christians.

#7: Peace

There was once a commission sent out for various artists to render a setting that would depict peace and tranquility. The first artist painted a pastoral setting with a house, children playing, a stream flowing gently through a meadow with cows and sheep grazing in the lush grass. There were puffy cumulus clouds in the blue azure sky with birds flying in formation. There were outbuildings from the house and chickens could be seen wandering around a pen. A dog was running around as the children played ball on the manicured lawn. The setting was deftly painted with artistic skill that depicted peace and tranquility and was an inspiration for even the most critical judge.

The second artist painted a dark foreboding seascape with huge rolling waves and whitecaps. The entire scene was dark with hovering angry clouds and lightning strikes throughout the sky. The high waves seemed to almost touch the clouds as they roiled with rain, spewing out balls of hail the size of marbles. The waves crashed into a high rocky cliff and the wind sent the spray high up the nearly vertical cliff. Near the top of the cliff in a small crevice was a small bird sitting comfortably in its tiny nest. The noise of thunder, the flashes of lightning, the fierce winds were of no concern to the bird. The bird resting peacefully amidst the violent storm in its warm dry nest depicted the epitome of peace and tranquility.

The traditional mindset of peace, among many believers is the pastoral setting. Many smooth, soft-spoken preachers tell their audiences that success, right relationships, and salvation are just a passing cloud away from them. Their message attracts millions because there is no conflict to resolve.

Jesus did it all for us, so we can all dwell in peaceful calm and bliss.”

Millions have bought into this suave, relaxing message of, “nothing to do but roll around heaven all day!”  Jesus dispels this false image by making a startling statement in Matthew 10:34-36:

Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’;  and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’”

Jesus tells us in the next passages that if we love anyone else more than Him we are not worthy of Him. Do we see how Jesus is training us and showing us by word and deed that we will have opposition? Jesus wants to know if we are true to Him only. Jesus tells us His Father knows when a sparrow falls. Just like the bird in the seascape was undeterred by the torrential winds and lightning, we too should take heart in the comfort of Biblical passages of promise. Peace comes to us through the torrent of family discontent, the winds of doctrinal dispute, and the fiery darts of the wicked one. Think of all the people who commit suicide when financial or other disaster strikes them. This world goes mad with fear, anxiety, and trauma over life issues that the Christian need not worry or fret about. That is peace!

The Spirit of Christ in us helps us to understand that He will never leave us nor forsake us. We may occasionally feel left out due to our admonishment not to be a part of the world. But would you rather be rich and famous or become a king in the first resurrection? God has specifically chosen us to see the world for what it is and delight in striving for perfection for the Kingdom of God as Jesus told us to do (Matthew 6:33). Our peace comes through walking through the fires of distress and confusion knowing God is always there for us. Job, the most righteous man of his day, stated,

Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him…” (Job 13:15)

These attributes show we have a responsibility to become Christ-like. This is a daunting task. Jesus shows in many ways His determination to have a cadre of friends who believe His message and His example. He is going to have saints with Him in His government. These battle-hardened individuals will have learned through time and constant reiteration from Scripture that Jesus says what He means and means what He says. Trust develops. Love becomes apparent. Truth is constant. Camaraderie becomes contagious. But, it all takes time (a lifetime) and a tremendous effort to build a cohesive family of dedicated ones who are one for all and all for one living up to the challenge presented to them by their leader. The leader inspires trust by His personal example, engendering faith and fierce loyalty. Think how many have given up their lives for the belief they held until death. Jesus is a wise, insightful, and compassionate leader that has many adherents in His program.

Let us all use the time we have to become true followers as we witness to others. Do it with zeal and unfaltering dedication. When we become practitioners of all the dictates of our King, we are then truly His kinsmen in every sense. This staunch belief creates in each of us a calm acceptance of life’s issues that we have to continually resolve. As we see how the promises are kept, our faith and love grow exponentially. All of this creates true peace of mind.

In the pastoral setting, the slightest disruption would have been catastrophic. On the other hand, in the seascape setting, would another lightning bolt have mattered? Would more vigorous thunderclaps make any difference to the nesting bird? The scene was as chaotic as our lives can be. Just as the bird was secure in the safety of its nest, so it is with us as we too rest in the bosom of our Saviour for security and safety through prayer. Our calling demands that we trust, believe, and obey. As we do, our inner being changes and we become determined to stay with the program until death. Serenity becomes a byword among true believers. Tranquility becomes our nature. We are poised in the face of discontent and confusion.

Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble.” (Psalms 119:165)

The government that is built on the foundation of the prophets, apostles, the saints and Jesus as the cornerstone, is going to grow to infinity (Isaiah 9:6-7). What a breathtaking concept the Father has invited us to participate in for all eternity. How can we be anything but inspired and eternally grateful for this opportunity? Peace of mind should come to each of us as we see the day approaching and know for certainty we will rise in the air to meet Jesus. Grace, mercy and everlasting peace to all!

Other articles you should read

• The 7 Attributes of Successful Christians (Part 2)
• The 7 Attributes of Highly Effective Christians (Part 1)
• When Your Hope is Hanging By a Thread
• An Invitation for True Knowledge and Wisdom
• From the 5th to the 10th Degree

Revelation 12:9 makes a significant statement. A “being” is mentioned, as one who is responsible for “deceiving the whole world.” This is not a frivolous accusation when considering the confusion and damage he has caused over the centuries of human history. Clearly then, is there any doubt as to God’s justification and right to hold this “spirit being” named Satan, accountable for the “sins of mass destruction” he has caused?

Undeniably, the history of mankind is pathetic. Now I know, some of you may disagree, saying that’s unfair and rather harsh; and arguably, I suppose you could make the case there are a lot of good things humanity has developed, designed, and accomplished. However, so much of human history is tainted with destruction, bloodshed, suffering and injustice. And unfortunately, in that framing with all of the billions of human beings that have been sliced and diced, raped, robbed, and pillaged, enslaved, mistreated, tortured, and unfairly judged, there is a ring of truth to the perspective of mankind’s history being indeed pathetic! But sadly, most of humanity is completely ignorant and oblivious of this major contributing factor: a real living rebellious spirit world surrounding and interacting with the human realm, complicating the circumstances and exacerbating the conditions we find ourselves confronting. Keep in mind, Satan the devil is not called “the god of this world” for nothing! (2 Corinthians 4:3, 11:13-14). Satan’s authority, his activity, and influence upon the civilizations of mankind down through the ages are indisputable according to the scriptures of your Bible. So, who is this being named Satan? Where did he come from? Will he ever be held accountable for his culpability in so many horrific sins of mass destruction?

Some Fundamental Satanic History

If there is a God, how can He allow such wretched human conditions to exist?”

This is a good question considering the dilemma of reconciling our real-world-realities with a God of love—and therein lies the anomaly.

Logically then, there seems to be good reason to suspect something is missing in this glaring theological contradiction—and there is! In Isaiah 14 the prophet discloses some background on this missing dimension: a former “Covering Cherub” that went bad.

Notice,

How art thou fallen from heaven, O
Lucifer, son of the morning!” (Isaiah 14:12)

We are told here his original name was Lucifer. It means Morning Star, Light bringer, or Day Star. This was his original name and function,

“ …the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: Thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; …thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity [lawlessness, rebellion] was found in thee.” (Ezekiel 28:14-15)

These two sections of scripture explain quite a bit of information about Lucifer in his original role, giving us an encapsulated summary of his origin and profile.

It’s plainly stated; he was at the very throne of God as one who had great beauty, wisdom, and authority. Originally, he was “perfect in his ways,” as far as God was concerned. But a time came when he lifted himself up, violently against God, attempting to exercise power and authority over God Himself.

“For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars [angels] of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” (Isaiah 14:13-14, emphasis added)

This arrogant posture of prideful rebellion resulted in an awesome amount of destruction; the evidence is stunningly clear. We are surrounded by the pre-eminence of this devastation; just look around! Consider the reality of the current condition of the Universe. This was by no means, a small event. This was huge! It was a monolithic battle that was gargantuan in scope, of which caused a massive amount of overwhelming desolation and division within the physical and spirit realm of God’s dimension.

It also caused catastrophic conditions here on Earth, devastating the planet and all of what we consider to be the pre-historic world that existed prior to the creation of Adam and Eve. The materials of that pre-historic world were buried under prodigious amounts of water and earth, turning it into a thunderous raging and fierce turgid solution, which became a deep dark ball of water covering the complete surface of the Earth, while suspended in space, for who knows how many eons.

“And the earth was [or became] without form [Hebrew: Tohu; desolated, wasted] and void [Hebrew: Bohu; empty, ruined, chaotic]; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” (Genesis 1:2, emphasis added)

This was the condition and status of the earth when we pick up the story where God begins to “renew the face of the earth” (Psalms 104:30) for the purpose of reproducing Himself with mankind. The earth was simply an orb of H₂O; water!

Clearly then, what we have described in Genesis chapter one, is the re-creation or remodeling of the Earth, after a global catastrophe occurred, but now is down scaled around God’s purpose for man’s destiny: reproducing living creatures in His own image (Genesis 1:26-27) with the potential of becoming literally, “born again” except, this time of spirit (John 3:6-9; 1 John 3:1- 2), into His family. This is the awesome potential of mankind, which Satan is committed to subvert and destroy!

Another consideration many don’t realize is, when this rebellious insurrection occurred, Satan took one-third of the whole host of heaven with him, dividing the angels against each other. This was a real event in universal history. There was chaos and war in heaven! This is an undeniable fact of biblical history concerning the universe.

“And his [Satan’s] tail drew the third part of the stars [angels] of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: …And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon [Satan]; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.” (Revelation 12:4-8)

 Satan lost this battle. In addition, Jesus confirms this event when He mentions He was an eyewitness to Satan’s expulsion from heaven.

“And he [Jesus] said unto them [the disciples], I beheld [Greek-Theh-o-reh’-o: to be a spectator] Satan as lightning fall from heaven.” (Luke 10:18)

That’s right! Jesus asserts that He, first person, before His human birth, literally was a spectator and experienced the visual. He literally witnessed this spiritual battle and watched Satan become exiled to Earth.

However, this war and rebellion remains currently active, but presently contained to the proximity of this planet. It is a war in progress. Satan has not yet been formally charged with blame, judged, or punished for his culpability in the many sins of mass destruction committed upon mankind and originally directed at God Himself! God the Father has yet to settle this “issue” with this former “light bringer” who at one time was the apex of His creation.

Remember, Lucifer was perfect in all his ways from the day that he was created, until rebellion and avarice, vanity and pride was found in him (Ezekiel 28:15-17). Therefore, until he is blamed, judged accountable, and punished by being banished from the Earth, the score remains unsettled between these mighty spirit beings. These are the hard facts about an event that actually occurred many years ago in the spirit realm and was originally and personally directed and targeted at God; therefore, it really is important to God! And since it really did happen, it demands to be resolved by God, with Satan and those angels who followed him.

The Invisible War Presently Surrounding Us

This former covering cherub, who originally was part of a Triune relationship with Archangels, Michael and Gabriel, has since his rebellion been engaged relentlessly against God in an on-going effort to “divide and conqueror” everything God has planned. Satan and his minions have consistently been nothing but trouble while exiled here on Earth. From his original charming proposition to Eve (Genesis 3:1) to his final punitive fate described in Revelation 20:10, the Bible is filled with the fingerprints of his attempts to derail the plan of God. Satan has dedicated his life to thwarting God’s efforts.

Unequivocally, the Bible teaches that Satan the devil, formerly Lucifer, is God’s adversary (enemy, accuser, or slanderer). He is contradistinctive to everything God represents. His will is set in opposition to God and this deserves punitive judgment. Anything less, would be a dereliction of duty and unjust in the light of God’s law; and we know He is a God of justice and plainly states,

“…Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)

So, justice will be served! God and His plan of salvation will be vindicated, regardless of Satan’s efforts to destroy it.

Notice,

“And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” (Jude 6, emphasis added)

Notice what Peter says,

“For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell (Greek- Tartaroo: a place of restraint, currently the Earth) and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment” (2 Peter 2:4, emphasis added)

And notice what Paul says,

“Know ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life?” (1 Corinthians 6:3)

This judgment is a real prophetic, literal, future event that God fully intends to execute upon these rebellious demons that tirelessly attempt to destroy everything He has tried to build and share. (For more information, request our free booklet: The Devil, You Say?)

Undeniably, like it or not, all of us are involved in this spiritual war. We are living in the midst of it. The damage incurred over the centuries to world governments, cultures, and ruined lives of individuals, is profoundly incomprehensible! Because of this destruction, animosity, and the incorrigible attitude Satan has, God is determined to resolve this vicious cycle of violence against humanity and Himself! God fully intends to hold Satan responsible and destroy his work. Notice what John said concerning another important reason Jesus Christ came to Earth,

“He that commits sin is of the devil; for the devil sins from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God [Jesus Christ] was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8, emphasis added)

Presently, it is also by and through Christ in us that human beings are able to resist this spirit of disobedience and minimize his influences in our lives (Ephesians 2:1-10). This is at the core of this war between good (God) and evil (Satan). Central to God’s plan is the reproduction of His character in those He has called through the empowerment of His Spirit. (Request our free booklet: How to Build Godly Character).

However, central to Satan’s agenda is the destruction of that process. This is why Paul insightfully presents the perspective he does when he said,

“Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness [or wicked spirits] in high places.” (Ephesians 6:11-12)

 With that said, understandably, Peter describes Satan as a lion stalking his prey, looking for weaknesses he can exploit to the destruction of the individual Christian (1 Peter 5:8-10). He is the accuser of the brethren (Job 1:6-12, 2:1-7; Revelation 12:10). Whether Satan is disputing over some issue, as he did concerning the body of Moses (Jude 9), or blocking God’s angels from answering the prayers of the saints, as he did to Daniel (Daniel 10:9-21), Satan and his minions are committed to wreaking havoc and chaos with God, His angels, and His called out ones: the church (Revelation 12:12-17). Satan is relentless in his efforts throughout the world and will not rest, because he knows his days are numbered, having a relatively short time to accomplish his goal of defeating and destroying everything God has set out to do.

It becomes plainly apparent that until Satan is completely taken out of the sphere of influence he now enjoys, the restitution of all things will not be possible (Acts 3:21). This demon has set his will against God, thereby becoming the anti-thesis of everything God represents. He is the ultimate contradistinction that signifies the quintessential opposition to God’s reproductive plan He initiated some 6000 years ago in the Garden of Eden. God has emphatically stated He will bring Satan down to the “pit” (Isaiah 14:15). And he will be punitively banished from the Earth, consigned to eternal torment, “day and night for ever and ever” (Revelation 20:10). But it will happen at a designated time, yet out ahead as prophesied to occur and metaphorically illustrated in the Day of Atonement.

The Resolution Of The Issue: Revealed In The Day Of Atonement

This event of punitive banishment is captured in the symbolism of the Day of Atonement. Admittedly, the judgment of Satan and his minions is yet to occur. They are presently reserved unto judgment. Clearly, this indicates they have not yet been judged or punished, but rather remain chained to that destiny because of their unrepentant attitude towards God and His Reproductive Plan of Salvation. Unfortunately, for this rebellious group of fallen angels, their future is not good, as is revealed in the metaphor of events contained in the symbols of the Day of Atonement.

Those of us familiar with the events described in Leviticus 16 understand the Azazel goat, (which by lot was made distinct and separated from the one that represents the Lord), ultimately, receives the blame and is held accountable for sin. Recall, “…the devil sinneth from the beginning…” (1 John 3:8). It is plainly described that one of the final acts that serve to conclude the ritual of Atonement is the High Priest (representing Jesus Christ at this juncture) by the laying on of hands, transfers the sins to this Azazel goat (representing Satan, his minions and all their evil), banishing it to the wilderness as a punishment.

[NOTE: This “act of transfer” for the purpose of blame is conducted after the reconciliation portion of the ritual has been completed (Leviticus 16: 20). Plainly illustrating, this final action has nothing to do with the reconciliation associated with the goat representing the Lord, but rather everything to do with the Azazel (Satan) and its separate, distinct banishment (judgment/punishment) to the desert wilderness.]

This now clears the way for making possible the total restitution of all things. And then ultimately, true to the reality described in Revelation 20:10 and as was previewed at the beginning of the millennium (Revelation 20:2-3), this unrepentant, rebellious, ill natured, and mean spirited fallen cherub and his minions, will finally be expunged, banished, and separated from the presence of God and His Kingdom for all eternity (Jude 13; Revelation 20:10). Clearly, this prophetic event connects up nicely with the picture captured in the Atonement ritual (Leviticus 16) and provides the answer as to how the transition of power is finally taken from Satan, the “god of this world,” and given to the King of kings and Lord of lords: Jesus the Christ!

We must remember, Satan’s current role as the “god of this world” is no small matter and is confirmed in the scriptures. His evil actions and original insurrection demand, by God’s own admission, vengeance, judgment and punishment! Assuredly, Satan will be removed and replaced by Jesus Christ and the Saints who will reinstitute the government of God (Daniel 7).

However, we cannot ignore the reality of this score yet unsettled between these mighty spirit beings. It’s very real to God and was originally a serious betrayal and breach of His laws that qualify as sin (1 John 4:3) and consequently, requires punishment. All that Satan has done portrays an enormous, ongoing, never-ending evil role over the history of man’s existence, which only goes to substantiate the necessity to hold him accountable for his rebellion, and ultimate punishment for his original sin and those he exacerbated throughout mankind’s history.

Admittedly, we want to be careful about obfuscating our responsibility for the sins in our own lives. It’s been said, we can be our own worst enemy and if the truth were known, many times if not most, Satan had nothing to do with our own individual sin! Rather, it was simply our own fault, by failing to exercise the character to control our “fleshy appetites.” Clearly, that illustrates why we need a Saviour who is able to forgive and cover sins we are responsible for committing.

However, by contrast, this still doesn’t dismiss the fact that Satan does have ways of aggravating the circumstances and conditions we contend with in our lives; nor does it mitigate, marginalize, or eliminate his direct involvement in so many “sins of mass destruction” over mankind’s history. Until the potential and possibility of Satan’s real influence is completely eliminated by “pitching, or purging” him from the activity of God, the restitution of all things cannot be fully achieved, or really appreciated.

However, thankfully, by accepting the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His intercessory ministry for the forgiveness and covering of our sins, as portrayed in the Passover—in combination with the future banishment of Satan and his minions, as portrayed in the Day of Atonement—only then, can we be assured this issue will be settled and God will be vindicated. This will result in the restitution of “all things” and God’s plan will be accomplished with the successful birth of the Sons of God who will co-inherit “all things” with Christ (Romans 8:14-23; Hebrews 2:6-13). When that is accomplished, a New Heaven and New Earth will be established where there won’t be any more pain, suffering or death to deal with and Satan will be banished forever!

All things will be new!

All things will be spiritual—literally!

All things will be eternal and we will be immortal, living with our Father, and tabernacling with Him and Jesus Christ, our Lord, for all eternity in a Kingdom without end! (Revelation 21:1-7; Revelation 22:1-7; Isaiah 9:6-7).

Other articles you should read

• The King’s Marine
• In the Dead of Winter?
• Amid the Financial Chaos, Blessed Be the Name of The Lord (Pt. 2)
• Are You a Fox or a Hedgehog?
• God’s Diamond in the Rough

Census of Quirinius

Luke’s account of Christ’s birth mentions a census (Luke 2:1–7). This registration and taxation were carried out according to the Jewish manner. This would mean that taxes would be collected after the fall harvest season approximately September or October, not in the winter (The New Unger’s Bible Dictionary, Chronology, New Testament, p. 230). This census record calls to question a winter birth of Christ. A winter census would require the populace to travel from all over the country in severe weather making the journey dangerous and harsh. Furthermore, a census occurring after the harvest season in the fall would reduce the economic effect because roads would be dry thus allowing much easier and faster travel.

Another piece of evidence Luke provides proving Christ’s birth to be in the fall is that there were no rooms available in the inn because thousands of people were arriving for the census. Additionally, other sources argue that many people were already in Jerusalem to observe the fall Holy Days and  Bethlehem was crowded due to its proximity to Jerusalem.

Shepherds in the Field

The gospel of Luke provides yet another piece of evidence pointing to a fall birth,

“Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night. (Luke 2:8)

This argues against a winter birth of Christ in December, because it would have been too cold for shepherds to stay outside throughout the night.

“…It is also a fact that the Jews sent their flocks out into the mountainous and desert regions during the summer months, and took them up in the latter part of October or the first of November, when the cold weather commenced. While away in these deserts and mountainous regions, it was proper that there should be someone to attend them to keep them from straying, and from the ravages of wolves and other wild beasts. It is probable from this that our Saviour was born before the 25th of December, or before what we call “Christmas.” At that time it is cold, and especially in the high and mountainous regions about Bethlehem…” (Barnes Notes on The New Testament, note on Luke 2:8).

The Birth of John, the Baptist

The scriptural events surrounding the birth of John, the Baptist, provides further evidence of a fall birth. Luke’s gospel account reveals that the conception of Elizabeth, mother of John, the Baptist, occurred six months before Mary’s conception of Jesus (Luke 1:36). Hence, determining the time of John, the Baptist’s, birth will lead to the time of Christ’s birth.

To do this, we need to understand the course of Abijah is key to correctly placing John’s birth. Concerning the preceding events to John’s birth, the gospel of Luke mentions that Zacharias was serving in the temple during the course of Abijah when and angel appeared to him and announced that his wife would have a child (Luke 1:5-13). It further mentions that Elizabeth conceived John in the days shortly after Zacharias’ course was completed (Luke 1:24).

King David divided the service of the priests into 24 courses or divisions (1 Chron. 24:3–19). Each division was assigned to work one full week and the service rotated to the next course until all courses were served.

It took six months for all the courses to be served and then the rotation would start again. Each priest served a one-week shift twice a year. The Bible reveals that the 12 tribes of Israel had their representatives serving by course. The first course commenced in the first month (1 Chron. 27:2). The first month for service in the temple was Nissan (March-April). Thus, this was also the first month for the priestly courses. The beginning point of the next rotation would be Tishri (September-October).

Let’s consider Zacharias’ first shift of service. The 8th course would normally start a little less than three months from the beginning of the ecclesiastical year. The dispute among dates when the 8th course would begin and end varies among different sources. However, a safe range that encompasses most disputed dates for the course of Abijah would be May 22nd-June 20th.  Elizabeth then conceives in the immediate days following. Nine months after would put John, the Baptist’s, birth according to most sources in March-April. Christ’s birth then following six months later would occur between September-October.  This would support the time when the census took place as well as the time shepherds would be watching their flocks by night. It would be in the fall, after the harvest!

In conclusion, when considering the secular and biblical evidence it’s apparent that Christ’s birth took place between the months of September and/or early
October. This is also the time when the fall Holy Days occurred. A winter birth in
December is incorrect given all the evidence discussed above.

Although the Bible does not mention the exact date of Christ’s birth, it is very plausible it fell on the Feast of Trumpets or during the Feast of Tabernacles which several sources claim. Numerous passages in the Bible picture the Feast of Trumpets as the coming of Christ. This being the case, isn’t it reasonable that God could choose the Feast of Trumpets as a day of Christ’s birth? Similarly, the same could be said regarding the Feast of Tabernacles. This Feast pictures the Kingdom of God and more appropriately Christ coming to tabernacle with us. Again, is it not possible for God to choose a date that falls during the Feast of Tabernacles for the Saviour’s birth?

The point is, the birth of  Christ on either of these fall festival days would be in perfect harmony with God’s marvelous plan portrayed by these and the other Holy Days. Most importantly, we need to remember Christ is the central figure in all the Holy Days.

Therefore, if we want to take part in a festival that has a direct connection to Christ why not consider observing the Biblical Holy Days (Lev. 23). How much more appropriate would it be to sing, “Joy to the world, the Lord is come!” not in the dead of winter, but during the fall Holy Day festivals!

Other articles you should read

• Lucifer’s Insurrection: A Score Yet Unsettled
• Are You a Fox or a Hedgehog?
• You Can Have Real Peace
• What Did Jesus Tell The Poor?
• Letters to the Editor

The Quick Fix

Of course, governments don’t like situations as described above, especially if an election looms.  Voters become upset, and the finger pointing begins.  It’s my belief that Republican Presidential Candidate, John McCain, often seen as having close ties to the Bush presidency, was defeated when the United States economy began to implode in the fall of 2008.

Many blamed the Bush presidency for the nation’s economic woes. I don’t think that was entirely fair. Politicians may influence, but they don’t control the economy. Nevertheless, the average voter thought differently and as a result, a Democrat was elected.  Where it will lead is anyone’s guess, but the voter had his say.

What we do know is that President Obama, despite his mantra of “change” is likely to carry forward the same economic medicine prescribed by his predecessor’s team. Increased market liquidity in the form of handouts, bailouts, lower interest rates, and eventually greater public spending on infrastructure projects etc., are likely to continue. Remember the tax rebate checks sent out by the Bush administration in 2007?  Watch for more of the same.

These tools and others will be used because they’ve been used in the past with some temporary success (e.g. by FDR in the 1930’s) and they’re readily available, because fiat money makes it possible.  The problem is that the financial spin doctors don’t follow the advice of their mentor John Maynard Keynes. He suggested that fiscal stimulus and deficits were good during bad times, but that their use during good times should be curtailed.  The problem is that this never seems to happen.

Welfare, for example, is never severely curtailed during good times, but rather it seems to morph into various forms, especially when times are good. In the public’s mind, social system handouts become entrenched entitlements; politicians see them as useful tools when seeking re-election. As a result, the fiscal problems of credit inflation and the knock on effects associated with deficits and excess liquidity remain. They accumulate and fester, much like a wound left untreated. In the end, the current problems will blow over, but a day of reckoning is looming. Eventually, the total fiscal problems will become so large that no government can solve them with their bag of tricks.

In the interim what will we see?

Taxes will rise, deficits and unemployment will grow, and inflation caused by excess fiscal stimulus will rear its ugly head, but the world’s bankers will cooperate to prop up the current system in the face of inflation. This means, in part, that the US dollar will be supported now, even as it’s later allowed to quietly and gently decline in value almost unnoticed.

Will gold rise as the US dollar quietly declines?

As an alternative to paper fiat money, it should. If it does not, the Gold Bugs will notice. They’ll be quick, as they have in the past, to suggest that there’s a concerted worldwide effort (read conspiracy) to suppress a rise in gold prices which, if left unchecked, would indicate a failure of the US dollar and expose the truth of things.

Surprisingly, governments sometimes listen.  In particular, after many voices were raised against perceived gold price manipulation several years ago, the Central Bank Gold Agreement was signed in 2004 limiting Central Bank sales of gold. Remember the example from Isaiah in Part 1 of the article? (Isa. 2:20; Isa. 31:7). As predicted, and now suspected by some, the world’s central banks have been casting off their hordes of silver and gold to prop up their paper fiat money system. They may continue when the current agreement expires. More inflation will be the result (Rev. 6:6).

Why do governments allow this?

The underlying causes are non-God based governmental systems. Democracy, although a better form of government than communism, is still a flawed human system.  Alexander Tyler, a Scottish History professor at the University of Edinburgh, is reputed to have noted, democracy fail when voters learn that they can use the ballot box to pick the pockets of others for their own gain (e.g. various undeserved social benefits for some, paid for by others).

Another reason that democracy doesn’t work is that it attracts the wrong people to office. All authority is given by God, but this does not mean that the currently elected politicians and their attendants are necessarily His first choice. They are merely His current choice. How many scandals in the news surround the political class? Look at the social changes that they’ve brought to our world. How much of this lines up with God’s Word?

When I look at the fiscal carnage day after day and read about the hardship it’s wrought, I shudder in disbelief. For those who have lost money or jobs, the immediate future seems gloomy. As the disaster continues to unfold, many seem similarly shell shocked by the swift downward vortex. During this time, a man I know asked a question. “There must be a lesson in all of this” he muttered quietly to himself.  Many of you reading this article may have asked yourself the same question.

Keep a Cool Head Man

The lesson is this. When a financial system pursues the wrong objective of more at all costs, trouble comes (1 Tim. 6:10).  When the wrong people are in charge, trouble comes (Prov. 29:2; 1 Cor. 6:9).  When the financial system is based on confidence and the designs of men, and God is forgotten, trouble comes (Deut. 8:18; Isa. 46:10; Rev. 21:6; Prov. 17:2; Eccl. 10:7).

Nevertheless there is a solution. “Be of good cheer” Jesus said, for “I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). There is coming a future kingdom of prosperity which is known as the Millennial Kingdom. It will last a thousand years on the Earth.

The righteous, as God sees it, will rule under the stewardship of Jesus (Rev. 20:4-6).  Under His guidance, the world will experience peace and prosperity (Isa. 9:6-7; Isa. 2:4; Isa. 11:6-9; Isa. 65:21).  Men will live much longer lives (Isa. 65:20).  Each man will enjoy the fruits of his own labours and not another’s (Isa. 65:22).  Those who practice wrong doing will be excluded from leadership (1 Cor. 6:9).  Democracy, fiat money, the stock market and dirty tricks will be things of the past.

Will everyone be convinced? No! There will still be rebels within (Isa. 65:20) requiring a rod of iron to rule (Ps. 2:9; Rev. 2:27; Rev. 19:15) and culminating in rebellion (Rev. 20:7-10), but things will be better.

There are some caveats though.

In order to enter an office of authority in the Millennial Kingdom, you must either survive the Great Tribulation, or be returned from the dead, and become a spirit-born being during the first resurrection.

Who are these people?

They are the ones who have accepted Jesus as their sovereign Lord, ruler and personal Saviour (Matt. 10:33). These are people who have also repented of their worldly ways and adopted the attitudes, beliefs and habits of the God of the Bible (Rev. 3:8).

What is this new way? In a word, it is love. God is love (1 John 4:16; Eph. 2:4).  Jesus said it this way:

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15)

God’s commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:2-3).

Greed and fear drive the financial markets. Greed is a form of idolatry which is sin (Col. 3:5), and those who refuse to repent and turn to God’s way of thinking cannot enter in (1 Cor. 6:9; Rev. 22:15).

Those who practice love do not sin. As well, perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18).  In the coming Kingdom, neither greed nor fear will predominate. Love will.

My advice to you, dear readers, is this; keep a cool head, the future belongs to those on God’s side! This world and its troubles will pass! If you want to invest, invest in the Kingdom (Matt. 6:19-20; Matt. 16:24-28) by running after God and His way (Matt. 6:33).

Afterwards, blessings will come supernaturally. If you have a need, seek God through prayer (Eph. 6:18-19) and fasting (Ps. 35:13; Dan. 9:3; Luke 2:37; Acts 14:23). From personal experience, I tell you that this world’s plans often don’t work except for the rich.

Where are you investing today?

Addendum: Parts 1 and 2 of this article were written in December 2008 at the height of the economic collapse. Since then, the markets have revived and many commentators are sounding the “all clear” siren.  Much of the revival seen in the stock market by June 2009 is due to government driven liquidity, and previously sidelined investor money re-entering the market.  Many of the underlying economic fundamentals have not changed. My advice is this, be cautious.

Other articles you should read

• Amid the Financial Chaos, Blessed Be the Name of The Lord
• What is Our Desire?
• The Consequences of Sin
• Lucifer’s Insurrection: A Score Yet Unsettled
• God’s Plan of Supernatural Provision

In the 7th century B.C., Archilochus, a Greek poet/philosopher, was grappling with the fundamental nature of man and came to the conclusion that everyone can be categorized into one of two categories: foxes or hedgehogs. He wrote,

“The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.”

The fox uses all of his cunning devices, the hedgehog has but one: he rolls up into a ball. Despite all of the fox’s cunning, he never succeeds against the hedgehog’s simple, yet masterful defense.

While it can be successfully argued that people are far too complex to group them into foxes or hedgehogs, the concept is useful to us as Christians. For example, most people find the world is too perplexing to relate everything to one big idea—much like the fox. On the other hand, to the Christian, all things work together as part of a single grand design—much like the hedgehog. As Christians, we follow the example of Jesus Christ. Figuratively speaking, Jesus Christ is a type of hedgehog while Satan is a type of fox. Let me explain.

The Battle

These two divergent ways of thinking are contrasted in the epic battle Christ had with Satan, which is recorded in Matthew 4. In this exchange, two masterminds clash. One is a criminal mastermind, pulling out all the stops to crush our Saviour; and the other, a loving mastermind, determined to rescue mankind. In this conflict, we get an extraordinary view into these two great minds. The conflict is preceded with Christ fasting 40 days and nights in order to bring His centralizing “hedgehog” concept into sharper focus. As a result of this spiritual effort, He was starving physically; and then the fox approached.

With each conflict, Satan’s craftiness intensifies. He attacks Christ’s point of weakness, and then he attacks Christ’s point of strength. Finally, he attacks Christ’s hope of the Kingdom. Like the hedgehog that has only one defense, Christ had one defense and repeatedly utilized it. He relied on the Word of God!

The Conclusion

When Christ overcame Satan, Satan fled from Him (Matthew 8:11). Like Christ, we must have one defense and rely on it every time we see Satan approaching (James 4:7). We have a choice to make. We can be like the hedgehog or we can be like a fox. We can be enlightened or live in darkness.

In the light, everything is connected and organized around a single, big idea: enternal life as a son of God. In the darkness, everything appears disconnected and very confusing at times.

Ephesians 4:14 says,

“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;”

We must not be ignorant of the fox’s cunning devices (2 Corinthians 2:11). Clearly, we must solely rely on the Word of God. Just as the fox cannot defeat the hedgehog’s singularly simple, yet powerful defense, Satan, the criminal mastermind, cannot defeat our singular, but simple and powerful defense. If we draw close to God, we can overcome Satan! (James 4:7). Remember, Christ’s example and His promise in Revelation 3:21 if we overcome as He did.

“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”

Other articles you should read

• The 7 Attributes of Successful Christians (Part 3)
• Lucifer’s Insurrection: A Score Yet Unsettled
• In the Dead of Winter?
• You Can Have Real Peace
• What Did Jesus Tell The Poor?

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:14)

The reality of life is different from the dream. Instead of real peace, we live in a world beset by wars, conflicts, and discontentment. Jerusalem, the “City of Peace,” has been a place of continuing unrest for millennia. America, Canada and several other nations, are paying a heavy price in monetary and human terms for two wars, thousands of kilometres away in Afghanistan and Iraq. In Africa, tribal conflicts of various sorts rage in many parts of the continent. Across the world, stress and uncertainty arising from economic crises and an ever increasing rate of crime and violence have come upon us like armed bandits, robbing us of that elusive concept called peace.

So I ask, where’s the peace in our world today?

Of course, this isn’t a new question. A famous writer, H.W. Longfellow, echoed this sentiment long ago when he wrote:

And in despair I bowed my head, “There is no peace on earth,” I said, “For hate is strong and mocks the song of peace on earth, good will to men.”
(From the poem, Bells on Christmas Day, 1861)

Some of you may ask why there is such an absence of peace. The answer lies in two words: envy and fear.

Envy

Envy describes that dark emotion of discontentment, or jealousy, which makes us begrudge others for their position and possessions. It’s resentment and sometimes malice towards others, because they have something we want for ourselves. It often begins with self-comparison, which leads to discontent and then resentment, until envy festers into a deep seated hatred which may lead to sin.

James 4:1-3 states that coveting (envying) is a prime cause of wars and deadly conflicts. The exact quote is:

“Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.”

Warnings against envy are shown elsewhere in the Bible. Psalm 73 describes the psalmist being overcome by his envy of the wicked. This psalm tells us that envy distorts our perception of reality, making others seem better than they really are.

Isn’t that true? We look at our neighbour’s neatly cut, weed-free green lawn, and his shiny new car in the driveway, and envy begins to slowly swallow us. We might say:

“He’s not a Christian, and yet, he’s so prosperous! He’s got no problems, but I obey God, and look, my lawn is full of weeds, and I’ve a ten year old car which looks like junk!”

When we say and believe things like this, our peace and contentment is slowly devoured by the enemy of envy. Left unchecked, envy like this could lead us into doing harm to our “prosperous” neighbour.

It couldn’t happen you say? Around the world, the reality is that many people allow their unbridled envy to run wild, and this leads them first into a moral lapse which then spawns serious crimes like robbery and murder.

What a difference it would make to our peace of mind, if when we are tempted by envy, we were able to remember the 10th commandment (Exodus 20:17) which tells us not to covet that which belongs to our neighbour! What peace we would have, if only we loved the law of God and truly lived by it! (Psalm 119:165).

Of course, the opposite of envy is contentment. Lest we forget, godliness coupled with an attitude of contentment is far better than the greedy pursuit of riches which sometimes stems from the envy of others’ possessions. The Bible says it this way:

“Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (1 Timothy 6:6-10)

Fear

Whereas envy distorts our perception of reality by making us wrongly think others are better, fear, and its cousin, worry makes us think others are more powerful. Fear also causes us to believe that some situations are too big to handle. The main point is this: when we allow our fear of others’ perceived power, or the circumstances of life to overwhelm us, mental torture takes over and robs us of our peace of mind (1 John 4:18).

In particular, Psalm 37:8 warns us not to fret because “it only causes harm.” Instead of giving fear permission to steal our peace, we should remind ourselves:

“God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7)

When we commit our fears and anxieties to God, who is larger and far more powerful that any person, or circumstances that can come against us, we have the assurance our minds will be at peace.

Peace is Possible

Is it possible to have true peace? The resounding answer is “Yes!”, but real peace can come only from The Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ, whom the prophet Isaiah says will usher in a government that will continually multiply peace on the Earth (Isaiah 9:6-7).

Jesus has many names. One of them is, YHWH Shalom, which means, “The Lord is Peace” (Judges 6:24).

The truth is, we can never have real peace until the Prince of Peace takes up residence in our hearts and we allow Him to rule and reign there. An ancient philosopher and religious figure, Augustine, said:

“Lord, Thou hast formed us for Thyself, and our hearts are restless till we find our rest in Thee.”

Christ specifically promised to give us His peace (John 14:27) as a fruit or product of an indwelling Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22), and by this, our minds would be freed from being troubled, afraid or envious.

This peace of Jesus is flawless. The Bible says:

“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” (Isaiah 26:3)

This statement also implies and is in sync with another biblical statement which says we have to learn the art of contentment which maintains our peace, (Philippians 4:11) just as we learn fear and envy which rob us of our peace.

Earlier, I quoted a portion of a poem by Longfellow which talked about peace. In this poem, Longfellow saw beyond the present despair of a peaceless Earth, to a future time when God’s promised hope of peace would be realized. In the last stanza of his poem, Longfellow wrote:

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep;
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
the wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With Peace on earth, good will to men.”
(From the poem, Bells on Christmas Day, 1861)

Longfellow understood that true peace was tied to a close relationship with God.

Do you want to have God’s peace? Well you can! Philippians 4:6-7 shows us how:

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

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“My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King: My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.”(Ps. 45:1)

When John, the Baptist, sent messengers to Jesus to ask if He was the Messiah, John already knew the answer. While baptizing Him, John saw the Holy Spirit descending like a dove, and personally heard from God concerning Jesus’ identity (John 1:29-34).

Jesus did however answer John, by telling His messengers to tell John what they saw and heard.

“The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” (Matt. 11:5)

John’s followers had told him about a dead man being raised to life. Imagine the magnitude of such a miracle! Luke 7:11-18 tells about this event. It says that the people witnessing this were seized with fear, stunned by Jesus’ power. Now think about who may be blind or deaf, and suddenly receiving complete sight or total healing. Amazing! Or, how about someone you know who is in a wheelchair or perhaps a war veteran with a missing body part; imagine that person being restored merely by someone speaking a few words. To witness such an event would be unforgettable. To personally receive restoration would change your life forever.

But what about the poor?

The poor had the Gospel preached to them. This seems pretty trivial, compared to the greatness of the miracles Jesus performed. After all, aren’t we admonished to help the needy whenever we can? The scriptures are full of such instructions. How could a few words or even a sermon help the poor?

I tried to imagine what Jesus might have said to these poor folks. Perhaps He tried to comfort them by saying:

“Well, I’m here to tell you that when I return in my Kingdom you can be with Me, and be better off than you are now.”

Jesus’ message to the poor was astounding and just the opposite of what the religious world teaches. In Isaiah, where it talks about Jesus’ ministry, the scripture says,

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor.” (Isa. 61:1)

Why? Read the last part of verse 3:

“That they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

My attention was drawn to the words, glad tidings. The Greek translation is “gospel,” meaning good news. The Hebrew word here is basar which can be translated as a “rosy report.” Today’s news about the economy and other money matters is anything but rosy. Just what was this good news, glad tidings, rosy report? Surely there had to be more for the poor than some message about a far off Kingdom.

Isaiah 52:7 reads:

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of Him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’”

Romans 10:15 confirms that the beautiful feet referred to here in Isaiah are indeed the feet of Jesus or anyone who brings His Gospel message. Let’s look at the meaning of some of these words in Isaiah 52:7.

First of all, we see the word basar here again. This good news message was a proclamation of peace. The Hebrew word here is none other than the well-known word, shalom. But it means much more than peace. It is also used when talking about health and welfare. It’s used in the context of a covenant relationship with God concerning safety and prosperity, contentment and restoration.

Next, note that the following phrase, “glad tidings” is that word basar again. But glad tidings of what? “Good things.” The Hebrew word used not only means good, but also prosperity and best. We see here the rosy report of prosperity building. But we’re not done yet with this one verse. A proclamation of salvation is included. The Hebrew word here is yeshua, the same word Moses spoke when Israel was trapped  with the Egyptians behind and the Red Sea in front of them (Exod. 14:13-14).

Ever felt like you’re, completely engulfed by financial problems? The meaning of the word here is threefold: deliverance, victory, and prosperity. The account reveals that that is what transpired as Israel obeyed God through Moses. Moses told them to stand still, and watch the Lord perform for them.

In 2 Chronicles 20, a prophet spoke to King Jehoshaphat, when Judah was being threatened by three hostile nations. This man, Jahaziel, full of the Spirit of God, told the King not to fear because the Lord would fight for him. He, like Moses, said, “…stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord…” The same word, yeshua is used here. By obeying, the people would see the fullness of yeshua that is, deliverance, victory and prosperity. Besides believing, the people had to do their part. The Lord gave them the victory and so much prosperity that it took them three days to gather the spoil. They held an assembly and called the place “The Valley of Blessing.” We see here just how powerful and prosperous the Lord’s salvation can be.

The good news that Jesus spoke to the poor had the capability to deliver them from any need. The power was in the words. Those who received His words were also given faith, which comes by the hearing of the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). Jesus was the Sower of the Word. Those who received the words that could deliver them from poverty were now empowered with hope to bring those words to produce fruit that would glorify God. Compare Luke 8:11-15 with John 15:5-8.

The good news of deliverance from poverty, spoken to the poor by Jesus, would not have the same affect on all hearers. Some people would not understand. Some would lose their enthusiasm quickly when they did not see immediate results. Still, others would persevere longer, but would lose their focus through distractions of everyday living (Matt. 13:18-22). We know that the thief has come to steal, kill, and destroy. That’s why Jesus was able to say that the poor would always be around. Most of them could not withstand the attacks of the devil.

Luke 8:11-15 says most hearers of God’s Word do not bring the fruit of the word-seed to maturity, except one group who prepared their hearts to receive the Word. They would constantly rehearse those words building up their faith. This kind of faith in God  can remove all obstacles standing in the way. First, remove those obstacles by speaking to them by Jesus’ own authority. Then, believe you’ve received what you asked of God in prayer (Mark 11:22-25).

In Psalm 31:19, David said,

“Oh, how great is Your goodness which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You.”

The word “goodness” in this verse could also be translated as “your best,” and “laid up” could be translated “kept hidden” for those who fear God. We have greatly underestimated God’s goodness.

The Word of God is alive and powerful (Heb. 4:12). It gives life to the hearer (John 6:63). Jesus spoke the Word of God when He created the universe. He mixed it with faith (Heb. 11:3). Jesus told the poor that those, who received His Word believed that God was able to do exceedingly abundantly above all they could ask or think (Eph. 3:20). They could always have sufficiency in all things, and produce an abundance of good fruit that would glorify God. Isaiah 61 says that the gospel was preached to the poor that they would truly glorify God. What’s in the way of your prosperity and mine?

Let’s take the Word of God to heart, stick with it, and bring fruit to maturity that our Father may be glorified (John 15:7-8).

Other articles you should read

• In the Dead of Winter?
• Are You a Fox or a Hedgehog?
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I lack discipline and self-control
Save me Lord before I lose my soul.
Jesus, a perfect example of self-control,
was spat on, beat, and ridiculed.

He did not lose control in spite of it all.
It was evident, the fruits of the Spirit, He had them all.

Peace, love, long suffering, I’m adamant about emulating my Jesus.

Temperance, gentleness, meekness, joy, and faith,
The glory of your Coming I anticipate.

Through the cultivation process I will be strong;
in order to get salvation.

The Patriarchs of the Bible had the Fruits of the Spirit.
Through their trials and testing they have displayed it.
By faith they were triumphant and were blessed.

Lord please heed my cry, and start the cultivation before I die.

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• The Righteousness of the Pharisees
• The 7 Attributes of Successful Christians (Part 3)
• The 7 Attributes of Successful Christians (Part 2)
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• A New Conception in Christ