Bible Course 21: Stewards In the Royal Household

The Oxford Dictionary definition of a steward is:

1. A person employed to manage another's property, especially a great house or estate.
2. One whose job is to arrange for the supply of food to a college or club.
3. A passenger's attendant and waiter on a ship or aircraft.
4. One of the officials managing a race-meeting or show. Pause awhile and consider how accurately those words define a true believer's responsibilities in the service of the King of Kings. For are we not managers in the Royal Household, working on an estate which spans the mighty universe? Are we not supplying spiritual food to fellow passengers on a craft (our planet) which is hurtling through space? And are we not officials in the greatest race of all - the one for eternal life?
   To be sure we are all these things and infinitely more, and that is why the Saviour refers to his followers as 'stewards' when he says:
   
   

   Luke 12:42

   "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall make ruler over his household to give them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath."

   
   This lesson has been designed to briefly explain a major duty in stewardship; just what you as a steward are required to do in the Royal Household of Yahweh the Holy One of Israel. It will show how you are, in fact, a co-labourer with the Most High and how that even the poorest believer - by worldly standards - can be a "faithful and wise steward" in the royal household of faith. The lesson will outline Yahweh's appointed arrangements for the financing of His work and the personal responsibility of each steward. It is the final lesson of the Course and contains a sobering challenge to every Christian committed to spreading the truth in his/her area. You may be sure that if you put this lesson into practice, the Everlasting Gospel will reach a thousand people in your country where now it is reaching only one.
   

   1. The Present Scene

   Consider for a moment how the various Church groups and Charitable organisations raise money to finance their work. The methods used include:
   
   • Buying and selling shares on the Stock Market
   • Renting real estate to the public
   • Sales of Work, Jumble Sales
   • Raffles, lotteries, sweepstakes, whist drives, football pools
   • Sponsored walks, marathons and race meetings
   • House to house and street collections
   • Coffee mornings, concerts, plays and displays
   • And the buying and selling of articles (books, records, candles, holy water, cards and souvenirs of various kinds).
   The list is long to say the least and no doubt one could add to it without any trouble; and tell of how sincere believers all over the world strive to raise funds for the charity of their choice.
   Please do not think that we are decrying their efforts or doubting their motives - because we are not. But here are some solemn questions for consideration. Are you sure that the Almighty wants the Everlasting Gospel financed by these methods? Do you honestly think that He who designed the great Plan of Salvation and paid for man's redemption with His own life blood had such methods in mind when He founded His Church and through His Son gave this staggering commission:
   
   

   Matthew 28:18-20

   "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. "

   
   For our part we must confess that praise-worthy though a few of those money-raising methods are, and most of us have taken part in them - not one of them bears the stamp of divine authority. Yes it is an unequivocal fact, that nowhere in the Holy Scriptures will you find Yahweh instructing His people to raise money for the Gospel Work by any of the above mentioned methods. They may be perfectly suitable for other causes; they may be the main channels of revenue for scores of charities in Britain and abroad; they may be fine as far as worthwhile secular projects go; but in the final analysis we must admit - they are not the divinely authorised method for financing the Everlasting Gospel!
   Could it be that herein lies the cause of the Church's financial problems; that somehow - perhaps even inadvertently - the church has allowed itself to become commercialised and wandered away from the truth? And could it be that by ignoring the Almighty's appointed way and resorting to human alternatives to raise funds, many groups have paved the way to economic ruin and in some cases are almost bankrupt?
   We think that this may well be the case; that in this very important matter of 'church finance', many sincere groups have not understood the divine plan and have failed to tell individual believers of their responsibilities in the work of the Most High. For, make no mistake about it, Yahweh has a plan for financing His work, a plan which includes every member of His Church - no matter how insignificant or poor they may reckon themselves to be.
   Without much ado, let us open to you the financial secrets of a vibrant Gospel work. Let us show you Yahweh's plan for taking the Truth to the whole world; and, more importantly, where you as a steward in the Royal Household fit into the picture. Here is the divine method encapsulated in a single command.
   
   

   2. The Almighty's Appointed Way

   "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."
   (Malachi 3:10) Yes, believe it or not, the paying of 'tithes' is the Almighty's appointed way for meeting the financial needs of His Church; for providing spiritual and physical food for the starving masses of humanity. The tithe is to be used:
   
   
   • To publish the truth, which is likened to spiritual food
   • To help the widow, the orphan and the needy with physical food
   • And to support the ministry.
   (Deuteronomy 14:22-29, Nehemiah 10:35-39, 2 Chronicles 31:5-6, Numbers 18:23-32)
   

   3. What is the Tithe?

   On the agricultural level the tithe is one tenth of the literal harvest, a tenth of the crop, a tenth of the oxen and sheep born each year in the fold and a tenth of the wine and oil harvest. On the industrial level the tithe consists of a tenth of one's earnings. For example if a man earns £10 a week, the tithe on that amount would be £1. And if he earned £100 per week the tithe would be £10. Every believer in the Almighty is commanded to bring in the tithe just as they did in ancient days.
   

   4. Who does the Tithe belong to?

   The tithe is Yahweh's, it belongs to Him. When we return the tithe to God, we are not really 'paying' Him anything; because, strictly speaking, the tithe is His in the first place. We are simply returning to the Almighty His share of the harvest.
   We use the word share because when a person becomes a true believer in the Almighty he/she immediately becomes a co-worker and shareholder with God in the Vineyard of Salvation. And every 'shareholder' in this divine company has, amongst other things, this solemn responsibility:
   
   To return to the Almighty His share of the harvest - the tithe!
   For His part Yahweh provides us with life, health, inherent ability, opportunities, the earth with its abundant supply of raw materials and, last but not least, the immeasurable blessings afforded by His very presence.
   For our part we provide the willingness, perseverance and the physical or mental effort required to produce meaningful results. At harvest time, nine tenths of the harvest is our share and one tenth - the tithe - goes to the Almighty. That is the divinely appointed share-out.
   Pause awhile and consider this generous arrangement? Have you ever come across a better employer? Do you personally know of any business, any enterprise, any company, any organisation where that kind of a deal is given to the workers? We are absolutely certain that you have not, because there just isn't another. Oh how generous is the Almighty, how benevolent His dealings, how far-reaching His plans.
   
   

   5. What does The Almighty do with His Share?

   When a believer returns to Yahweh His tithe, do you suppose that He keeps it for Himself? Do you think He desperately needs our money in the first place? You may be sure that He doesn't. The Almighty God of Israel is a Being of limitless resources and He doesn't need our money or our food to keep Him going. Indeed the cattle on a thousand hills and all the gold in the world's banks belong to Him anyway. (Psalm 50:10-13, Haggai 2:8)
   "Then why," you may well ask, "does He command us to give Him a tenth of our meagre earnings?"
   The answer is: because we believers are stewards in the Royal Household of Faith and each of us has a responsibility towards our fellow human beings. We all have a position to fill, a commission to carry out and a job to do in the Royal Household; and we will never spiritually mature until we shoulder those responsibilities and meet our obligations. And so to each one of us Yahweh says this:
   "Bring the tithe into the storehouse,
   that there may be food (spiritual and physical) in my household." Yes, the Most High has commanded every believer to set aside the divine portion - His Tithe - for the proclamation of His Truth and the sustenance of fellow believers. And that is where all true believers come into the picture, for we are all stewards in the Royal Household of Faith.
   The Most High could, of course, easily bypass the above method of tithing and provide spiritual and physical food for humanity some other way. But He has chosen not to do so. If He had, we believers would never really appreciate the valuable lessons of stewardship, responsibility and a job well done. If Yahweh had excluded His servants from all responsibility and bore the cost of every enterprise alone, we would be no better than cattle in a stall - totally oblivious of the meaning of duty and eternally unaware of how we could have in a small way - sacrificed for the benefit of others. Instead, the Most High has lifted us high above the level of brute beasts and allowed us the privilege, through sacrifice, of becoming responsible co-workers with Him in the Vineyard of Salvation. And when we shoulder our responsibilities and return to Yahweh His tithe we become 'active shareholders' in the divine company, 'co-labourers' with Him in the greatest project this universe has ever witnessed.
   
   

   6. Prove Yahweh, put Him to the Test

   Consider for a moment this amazing challenge:
   
   

   Malachi 3:10-12

   "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in mine house, and prove me saith the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I shall rebuke the devoured for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of Hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of Hosts."

   
   "Prove me" (put me to the test, give me a try) says the Creator to you! Oh what astonishing humility is here displayed, that the Almighty God of Israel must needs speak to His people in this way in order that we will bring His share (the tithe) to Him. Listen to His solitary reason for requesting it:
   "That there may be food in mine house"
   Yes that is why the Almighty is asking for His share of the harvest, "that there may be food in His house:" food for his servants, His flock to eat and be satisfied. Pause awhile dear reader and try to appreciate the astonishing worth of that single reason. Is it not proof of Yahweh's amazing love for His creatures, for the poor, the hungry and the lost? It is the same love that prompted His Son to say to the Apostle Peter: "feed my lambs" and "feed my sheep." (John 21:15-17)
   You may be sure that if every believer brought in the tithe, which is an unmistakable sign of where the heart is (Luke 12:34) there would be absolutely no shortages of any kind in the world today. The Most High would, as promised, "open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing on His people and the world, the like of which the sons and daughters of men would hardly contain. Yes, it is virtually impossible to imagine the effect on this world if the whole Christian Church carried out that single command.
   
   

   7. Suppose a believer refuses to tithe, is he/she sinning?

   We take no pleasure in publishing this fact, but the answer is yes. The commandment to tithe is still on the statute books of heaven and it is a sin to ignore it. In fact it is theft from the Almighty God and is followed by a curse:
   
   

   Malachi 3:8-9

   "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, Even this whole nation."

   
   There are, of course, other spiritual issues far more important than paying tithes; issues like justice, mercy and faith.
   The Saviour referred to these 'weightier matters of the Law' when he said in Matthew 23:23:
   " Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone."
   Notice how the Messiah instructed us to practice the weightier matters of the law, but not to neglect the matter of tithing.
   
   

   8. Where does one send Yahweh's tithe?

   In ancient days the tithe was collected by the Aaronic priesthood which was the physical counterpart of the Melchizedek Priesthood. The Melchizedek Priesthood is the highest Order of Priests in the universe and it is still in existence. All true believers in Yahweh are subject to its jurisdiction. Some are even priests in that eternal Priesthood.
   
   

   1 Peter 2:9

   "But you are a chosen race, a Royal Priesthood, a dedicated nation, and a people claimed by God for His own, to proclaim the triumphs of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvellous light."

   
   Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) is the High Priest of the Melchizedek Priesthood. (Psalm 110:1-4, Hebrews 6:20, 7:14-21) Therefore, to be in line with the Almighty's instructions the tithe should go to Yeshua, the High Priest of that Royal Order. The Melchizedek Priesthood like its Aaronic counterpart is:
   
   

   Hebrews 7:5

   "Commanded in the Law to take tithes from the people."

   
   How, then, do we give Jesus Christ the tithe? Obviously we cannot send it to heaven where he is. So what do we do with it; which group should we send it to? Where are the other priests of the Melchizedek Priesthood? Our advice to you is as follows:
   
   
   • Carefully examine the teachings of the various groups in the light of the Scriptures and hold fast to that which is true.
   • Then list the groups who are feeding the flock with Truth.
   • Always be on your guard against the spirit of commercialism in the church and of leaders who have a tendency for luxurious living.
   • Also watch closely the personal lives of the leaders; for you may be certain that if they blatantly break Yahweh's law they have no place in the Priesthood of Melchizedek.
   And when you have thoroughly examined each one of these points, then send Yahweh's tithe to the work you think comes closest to those standards: one that feeds the flock of God rather than spends its resources on well-meaning but spiritually barren projects. Remember that you have a responsibility to ensure that Yahweh's tithe is no wasted.
   

   9. The Rewards

   Never imagine that the service of the Almighty is all sacrifice and no gain. Yahweh and His Son, as we have already pointed out, are Beings of unimaginable love and generosity. And they have scheduled themselves to repay a hundredfold every sacrifice believers may make in the cause of duty. Consider this beautiful promise:
   
   

   Matthew 10:42, 19:29

   "Whosoever gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is my disciple, surely I declare to you, he shall not lose his reward."

   
   
   

   10. Stewardship

   Peter said, 'Lord, do you intend this parable specially for us or is it for everyone?' The Lord said,
   
   

   Luke 12:42

   "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall make ruler over His household to give their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath."

   
   And there you have it, perhaps one of the greatest challenges you have ever come across, to be a faithful and wise Steward in the Household of the King of Kings. It is a highly responsible post we will admit, and one that will call for sacrifice; but the rewards are great - greater by far than anything you can imagine.
   Are you willing to take up your duties?

Bible Course 20: Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Introduction

A spiritual phenomenon is currently sweeping the churches. It is demolishing doctrinal barriers between denominations and apparently uniting believers of all persuasions in an amazing fervour of religious excitement. Catholic priests, Protestant ministers, evangelical clergymen and lay-members from almost every denomination - who only a few decades ago would have tenaciously contended for their church's interpretation of Scripture - now unite in apparent harmony seemingly oblivious of their doctrinal differences. It is no longer important they claim where, how or when you worship, whether you pray before an image using a rosary or not, whether you are sprinkled as an infant or immersed as an adult, whether you confess your sins to a priest or to God alone, whether you look upon the Bible as the final authority in spiritual matters or as just another inspired book having equal weight with the age-old traditions of the church:
"These differences of opinion," many say, "are no longer important."
 
During the past few centuries doctrinal issues exercised the minds of the most learned theologians; they changed the course of nations, spawned new religious communities in distant lands and governed the behaviour of literally millions of Christians all over the globe. In those days the word doctrine was on every responsible churchman's lips and each group did its utmost to explain its beliefs to others, fully convinced that only by practising the truth as they understood it was salvation assured. Yes, 'doctrine' used to be an important consideration in times past. It was the navigational chart by which each group steered its course towards the spiritual Kingdom of God.
 
But the scene has changed: 'doctrine' has fallen from favour and now only a few church-goers, by comparison, speak of it. Today there is another word on the lips of many. It is the word 'experience.' It tells of supernatural happenings so overwhelming, so exciting and apparently fulfilling that no attempt to describe them we are assured can succeed, because they must be experienced!
"Never mind your doctrines" they say "I know. I've had this marvellous experience, and it makes no difference what you say or write or do because I know from experience."
And what is this 'supernatural experience' which has overtaken the church, causing it to abandon the tried and tested path of doctrine? It is called by those who have had it: the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

• What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?
• What are the identifying signs of a valid Baptism?
• Is there such a thing as a counterfeit?
• When will the real Baptism come?

This lesson has been designed to answer these questions. It is a lesson of great importance, so study it prayerfully and check the scriptural references given, for only then will you be in a position to evaluate its worth and act upon its advice.

What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the spiritual reality which is prefigured by Water Baptism. In Water Baptism the baptizer is a priest, a minister, an elder or a deacon of the church and the medium is water. In the Baptism of the Holy Spirit the baptizer is Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) and the medium is the Holy Spirit of Yahweh the Almighty God of Israel. (John 1:32-34)

As pointed out in Lesson 5 the Baptism of Repentance (Water Baptism) is a ceremonial ordinance of divine origin which enables a believer to publicly declare his or her faith in Jesus Christ by being momentarily submerged in water. The Baptism of Repentance, in other words, is the shadow, the type, the blueprint, the physical illustration, the symbolic ceremony.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the living reality to which Water Baptism points. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, in short, is the Main Baptism - the REAL THING!
But even though Water Baptism is only a 'symbolic ceremony' we can still learn a lot from it about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, just as an engineer can learn a lot about a machine by studying the designer's blueprint. So let us first turn our attention to that 'ceremonial blueprint' and see what we can learn about the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Upon doing this we find that when the repentant believer goes through the waters of baptism he/she figuratively declares to the world two important objectives.

• To bury the old sinful nature.
• And then by the power of God to rise again to live a new life of righteousness. This spiritual resurrection is, in fact, the main purpose of baptism, that the washed believer will rise to live a new life of righteousness in accordance with God's will.

Colossians 2:12

Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13: And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;

Also read Romans 6:3-7. These two objectives, we repeat, both find fulfilment in the life of a believer who is Baptised in the Holy Spirit. They are no longer a figurative exercise as they were in Water Baptism, but a real, recognisable fact in the Spirit-Baptised believer's life.

What are the Signs of a Valid Baptism?

It follows from the above that the two main signs of a valid Spirit Baptism are when those two symbolic features of Water Baptism become a visible reality in the life of a believer. If they have not found fulfilment in a believer's life, (if you cannot plainly recognise their presence) then, no matter what that believer may claim, you can be sure that he or she has not been baptised in the Holy Spirit. When we look more closely at those two ceremonial features, we find that they tell quite plainly of these two things.

1. The burial of the old sinful nature
2. The rising to live a life of righteousness - obedience!

1. The burial of the old sinful nature

The carnal mind, the one we humans are born with, is inherently sinful. It is a rebellious mind and its true character only becomes apparent when it is called upon to obey the law of God. Then it rebels. The Bible says:

Romans 8:7

"The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be."

Because of this fact (that the carnal mind cannot be subject to the law of God) the carnal mind must be slain: for it cannot be made holy. This slaughter of the carnal mind is accomplished by the Spirit of God. The believer's sinful nature - the "old man" as one Scripture calls it - is to be slain and buried at baptism.
In Water Baptism this death and burial of the carnal nature is only figuratively expressed when the repentant believer is placed under the water, buried in the "watery grave" so to speak. But in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit this death and burial of the sinful nature really takes place. It is no longer a symbolic exercise, but a recognisable reality - a visible fact. The believer is literally purged of sin by the Holy Spirit of God. His old sinful nature is slain and buried. In other words, he does not sin any more. He has finished with sin forever because his old sinful nature is no longer alive. He is, in fact, no more capable of sin than a buried corpse is. His carnal, sinful nature is now dead and buried - so it cannot sin any more. We repeat: he does not sin any more! Consider this verse:

1 John 3:9

"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."

In other words a born-again believer who is baptised in the Holy Spirit is an extremely holy person - who no longer knowingly sins! He may make errors of judgement or leave tasks undone; or, like a child, may have a lot to learn, but he no longer knowingly sins. That is the first sign of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Just pause awhile and consider that amazing standard. The Scriptures make it abundantly clear that it will be reached by a great company of believers. Look up Revelation 14:1-5. There you will read about a perfect company of believers numbering many thousands who are faultless. So the standard of absolute purity can and will be reached. It has been reached before by men like Asa and Job. (1 Kings 15:14, Job 1:8)

2. Rising to a life of Righteousness / Obedience

The next sign of a valid baptism is a righteous life. The believer has not merely stopped sinning (that statement merely tells us of what he does not do). But he rises from the baptism to live a life of righteousness (This statement tells of what he does do). The Spirit-baptised believer, in short, will stop sinning (Sign 1) and will go on to do righteous deeds (Sign 2). He will obey the Law of God. He has not only stopped breaking the Law of God, but has now started to obey it. In symbolic language righteousness (obedience) is referred to as good fruit. And that is why when John the Baptist saw that true righteousness was very often missing from the lives of those who came to him for baptism, he spoke these scathing words:

Luke 3:7

Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8: Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance,... 9: And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

This man of God knew very well that if righteousness (right actions, good fruit) did not follow water baptism, then the whole symbolic exercise was invalidated and pointless. John was looking for good fruit - true repentance followed by obedience in the lives of those who came to him - and when he didn't find it his denunciations were voiced in no uncertain terms: "Every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire."
The Saviour expressed the same thought when he said:

Matthew 7:15

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16: Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17: Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18: A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19: Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20: Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

In other words, a believer who is Baptised in the Holy Spirit will live a righteous life. He will be eager to obey the Law of the Most High. He will not merely stop sinning (Sign 1) but he will go on to produce good fruit by obeying Yahweh's Law (Sign 2).

3. Supernatural/Witnessing Power

The third sign of a Spirit Baptised believer is supernatural power to witness for Christ.

Acts 1:4

And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5: For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. 6: When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? 7: And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8: But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

When we broadly consider this matter of supernatural power we find that it manifests itself in a variety of ways (Mark 16:17-18). To mention a few:

• The gift of Prophecy
• The gift of Tongues
• The power to Cast out Devils
• The power to work Miracles

Strictly speaking, the supernatural power the Saviour was referring to in Acts 1:8 was not the power to do these kinds of miracles. The disciples already had that power. Some three years before, the Saviour had called them together and given them supernatural power and authority over all devils and to cure all diseases (Luke 9:1-6). So the power they were to receive at the Baptism of the Holy Spirit was not the kind of power they already had. It was a completely different kind of power. Also bear in mind that many of the prophets of old had supernatural power. Elisha had even raised the dead. (2 Kings 4:32-36) The power mentioned in Acts 1:8 was an entirely new kind of power. It was the power to witness of the resurrected Saviour on a supernatural scale.
"Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
Indeed, when they received this new kind of power - the power to witness effectively - they turned the world upside down. Within a few years the gospel penetrated areas where even a thousand miracles would have gone unheeded. What they received on that Day of Pentecost was the great power of the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of the spiritually blind, to unstop the ears of the spiritually deaf and to raise the spiritually dead. This is the power the Spirit Baptised believer is promised in Acts 1:8 - the power to witness with spectacular results, the power to do the spiritually impossible!
That kind of power had never been known before. It was new.

The supernatural power conferred on a believer at the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, in short, is not to be confused with the power to do physical miracles. It is the power to witness of Yeshau and to produce supernatural results just as they did in the early days of the Christian era.
Here is a further word of instruction about supernatural power.
Supernatural power at its lowest level (the power to do physical miracles) is not confined to the Christian Church. It is found in most religions, pagan and otherwise. In India, Africa, China and the Middle East, yea in almost all the nations of the world, there are heathen spiritual leaders who possess miraculous powers; and, believe it or not, many of them speak in tongues. Like the magicians of ancient Pharaoh they are well able to duplicate most of the miracles done by the prophets of God. (Exodus 7:11,22)
Because of these facts we conclude that the commonly know expressions of supernatural power (miracles, healings, tongues etc.), wonderful though they may be, should NOT be taken as a unique sign of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. For we know very well that spectacular miracles are often done by heathen religious leaders. We also know that their powers do not emanate from Yahweh the Holy One of Israel. And because of this fact we should not accept something as from God simply because it is accompanied by a miracle.

To be accepted as a unique sign of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, supernatural power must be a witnessing power, witnessing of Jesus Christ and the Everlasting Gospel with Apostolic effect. But because this sign is so difficult to assess, we only consider it when it is accompanied by those first two signs:

1. The absence of sin
2. And the presence of righteousness.

We can summarise the valid signs of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in one word - obedience. Yes, obedience is the true measure of a believer: the more of the Holy Spirit he possesses, the more obedient (righteous) he will become. We would be false teachers if we were to pretend otherwise. These, then, are the signs of a valid Spirit Baptism. If even one of them is missing in the life of someone who claims to have been Baptised in the Holy Spirit, you can be sure that you are not seeing the genuine article.

Satan's Counterfeit Baptism

It is an undisputed fact that Satan has over the centuries produced counterfeits of almost everything that Yahweh the Almighty God of Israel has done. There just doesn't seem to be any area of activity in which the Most High is engaged, but the Evil One will sooner or later produce one or more counterfeits; albeit inferior products by far. These imitations of Yahweh's efforts have inveigled their way even into the Christian Church, and so we have:

• False Prophets who pose as ministers of righteousness
• Over 100 modern English Bible translations, all posing as the Word of God. For proof see Bible Versions
• Counterfeit Sabbaths and Festivals which are being palmed off as the genuine Sabbaths and Festivals of the Most High
• Antichrists and bogus Messiahs pretending to be Agents of the Eternal
• Miracle workers with phenomenal powers all claiming that they are the instruments of the Almighty God

Yes, in all these and many other areas Satan has counterfeited the work of the Most High. Do you suppose that in this matter of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit he is idle? Oh no dear reader, in this field he is extremely active. Indeed he has already deceived multiplied millions of Christians into thinking that they have been baptised in the Holy Spirit. It is a deception of enormous magnitude and the time has come to expose it. Here is the Scriptural message about this astonishing fact.

The Lying Spirit

Most believers have never even heard of The Lying Spirit. And yet in the whole universe he is the most effective agent in the dubious art of deception. The Lying Spirit will succeed where all other agencies fail, mainly because he never comes in his own garb - he always poses as the Spirit of Truth. The Lying Spirit always transforms himself into an Angel of Light, when in fact he is a minister of darkness. The Lying Spirit is the wolf in sheep's clothing, a lamb who speaks as the dragon, the miracle-working False Prophet from whose mouth proceeds error and deception.
(Revelation 13:11, Revelation 16:13-14)

In the Christian Church he speaks through the mouths of the false prophets who blatantly reject the commandments of the Most High. They not only disregard the Law of God, but claim that it is obsolete; and proudly parade their supernatural gifts as evidence that what they say is correct. We are given a preview of the Lying Spirit at work in the experience recorded in 1 Kings 22. Read that whole chapter over a few times and you will realise that you are in fact looking at a dramatised prophecy of the greatest deception that this old world has ever witnessed. It is a symbolic prediction which is coming true in our day. There you will see how:

• The Almighty had determined to hand the disobedient Ahab over to destruction because even after Elijah's spectacular victory on Mount Carmel (see chapter 18) he was still allowing his wicked wife Jezebel to corrupt the nation of Israel.
• Each Spirit in turn proposed a plan to trick Ahab to his death. But only the Lying Spirit's plan would work.
  

  1 Kings 22:19

  And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. 20: And the LORD said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. 21: And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the LORD, and said, I will persuade him. 22: And the LORD said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.

• The Lying Spirit had decided to speak through the mouths of the prophets of Israel. Remember that these leaders were not the prophets of Baal. The prophets of Baal had been slaughtered some time before (see 1 Kings 18:40). These men were the respected spiritual leaders of Israel!
• Also note how the deluded prophet Zedekiah was wearing a pair of iron horns (verse 11). Iron horns are symbols of supernatural power. But for all Zedekiah's power and numerical advantage, (400 to 1 - verse 6 ) he was still delivering a false message. And what was worse he was totally unaware that the Lying Spirit was using his tongue to do so.
• Sad to say even the righteous King Jehoshaphat believed the false prophets and he almost lost his life as a result.

Why was that ancient experience recorded in the Bible? The answer is, because it has an important message for all of us who live in the closing days of this age.

1 Corinthians 10:11

"Now all these things happened to them as ensamples (that is, they were types, illustrations, figures) and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the end of the world are come."

Did you notice that? This ancient experience is an 'example,' a 'type,' an 'illustration,' a 'figure' of a great spiritual deception scheduled to come upon this world in the end-time. That time has already begun. So let us examine this matter further.

The Last Great Deception

As you study that story over and over again you will realise that you are, in fact, looking at a spiritual blueprint, a shadow, a dramatised prophecy of a world-encompassing deception that is currently sweeping the Christian Church; a deception that is the work of the same Lying Spirit of old. And, strange as this may seem, Yahweh is once again handing over multitudes of rebellious souls to believe the Lying Spirit because like Ahab and Jezebel they do not really want to obey His Law. Yes, the Lying Spirit is again at work, posing as the Spirit of Truth. As in the days of old, his spokesmen have supernatural power just as the horned Zedekiah had. He also has the majority on his side and he is convincing the people of God that he is speaking the truth. In the end even those he has deluded will find out that he was a liar and that the truth was not in him. Now consider this amazing end-time scene foretold by the Saviour.

Matthew 7:21:

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22: Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23: And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Here is one of the most amazing spiritual scenes portrayed in the whole Bible; one which will stagger your mind if you just stop to think about it. Here are believers - many of them - who:

• Openly profess Christ ("Lord, Lord" they say )
• They have prophesied in his Name
• They have cast out devils in Messiah's Name
• And in his Name have done many wonderful works!

But for all their preaching and for all their wonder-working powers, the Messiah will refuse them entry to his Kingdom. And what is the reason for this astonishing rejection by the one who said: 'He that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out'? The answer is: They are "workers of iniquity."
What is this thing called 'iniquity' that it can invalidate the powerful arguments these believers put to Christ; who disqualifies them from entering the Kingdom of Heaven? The answer is:
Iniquity is deliberate, persistent sin, a wilful refusal to acknowledge sin and obey the Law of Almighty God! Iniquity is an absolute rejection of Yahweh's commandments. Iniquity is disobedience of the worst kind, an act of spiritual rebellion so deep and so deluding that it even contemptuously dismisses the charge that it is wrong.
These persons are guilty of iniquity. To be sure they profess Christ. Indeed with their wonder-working powers they are usually the leaders in this field. What is more, in Christ's name they have cast out devils and have done many wonderful works. It would be foolish to suggest that they would use these arguments if they hadn't done these things. Yes they have done them all. But it avails them nothing. The Master still refuses them entry to the Kingdom. Like unproductive trees they are hewn down and cast into the fire.
Again we ask, Why?
Because they are blatant sinners who refuse to recognise and obey the Commandments of the Most High. They are wilfully and persistently disobedient. They are guilty of iniquity. Moreover, they have allowed their tongues to become the channel for the Lying Spirit and have taught and practised lawlessness to their own ruin. To be sure they can do miracles: but that counts for nothing when weighed against their iniquity. Oh what a terrible scene is here portrayed. Can you begin to understand it?
Pause awhile and consider so great a deception! Who are these people anyway? What do they call themselves? By what denominational name do they go? There must be many of them and they must be able to work miracles for the Master to say:

"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord,
Have we not prophesied in thy name?
And in thy name have cast out devils?
And in thy name done many wonderful works?" Once more we ask - Who are these people?
There is only one answer to that question and if you spend some time really thinking about it you will realise that it is the only answer that presents itself. And that answer is this.
These deluded souls are none other than the wonder-working Charismatic Christians who are currently claiming to have that supernatural experience called The Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Yes, believe it or not, these miracle-working believers are the only ones in the whole of Christendom who fit that prophecy. No other Christian group can possibly claim such powers as these people can.

• They openly confess Christ. ("Lord, Lord" they say)
• They prophesy in his name.
• The cast out devils in his name.
• And they have done many wonderful works.

And, astonishing as this may sound, no other group is so opposed to the Law of the Most High as they are. This makes them guilty of iniquity. The Charismatic believers are the only ones in all Christendom who fit that picture. Do you know of any others who would even qualify to be considered? We do not.
And what will happen to these deluded souls? Are they forever lost because in their eagerness to be Baptised in the Holy Spirit they have allowed themselves to be tricked by the Lying Spirit?
We are happy to say that many of them will realise their error and like king Jehoshaphat of old cry out to Yahweh before it is eternally too late. (1 Kings 22:32) Yes, many of them will repent, they will "wash their garments," that is they will begin to obey the commandments of the Most High. (Revelation 7:13-17, 22:14) But many others like Ahab and Jezebel will not. They will continue in their lawlessness and perish in their sins.

When will the Real Baptism Come?

The Scriptures tell us that multitudes came to John to be baptised of him in the Jordan. They came from every walk of life and from all directions to be "buried in the watery grave" and to be "raised up to walk in newness of life."
That was the symbolic environment, the figure, the spiritual blueprint, the ceremonial setting. The reality will be when multitudes of believers from all nations will be baptised by the Messiah in the Spirit of the Most High. Our sinful, carnal natures, with all their inherent, lawless traits will then be slain and buried. Our minds will then be overwritten with the Law of Yahweh the Almighty God of Israel. In other words, every believer who enters the Kingdom of Heaven is going to be Baptised in the Holy Spirit. The old carnal nature, the one that we are all born with, the nature that is inherently hostile to the commandments of the Most High, will be slain; and in its place the Messiah will give us a mind like his own and write on it His Father's Law. We will then be totally obedient sons and daughters of God, not because we have to be, but instinctively. This glorious prospect is guaranteed in these words:

Hebrews 8:8

For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah: 9: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord. 10: For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11: And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

The same thoughts are expressed in Hebrews 10:16. This experience is, in fact, the climax of the New Covenant when the whole Family of the Most High will assemble at Mount Zion to His Law inscribed on the tablets of our souls. In this Covenant Yahweh's commandments will be inscribed on our minds, etched by the divine hand into our spiritual 'hardware' (to use a computer term) for all time. We will then be absolutely holy people in every thought, word and deed. Yes, the Messiah is going to personally Baptise in the Holy Spirit every believer who is going to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. And he will do this in his own time; so wait for it. He has scheduled himself to slay our sinful natures, which in varying degrees are at enmity with the Law of his Father. And in the place of our sinful rebellion he will put total obedience.
This experience is the true Baptism of the Holy Spirit and when we experience it, we will never sin any more! And then this text will apply even to us:

1 John 3:9

"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God."

This, then, is the wonderful prospect that awaits every believer who wants to obey Yahweh and enter His Kingdom. Think about it dear reader and in your eagerness to be Baptised in the Holy Spirit do not sacrifice True Doctrine for the deceptions of the Lying Spirit. And now may the Spirit of Yahweh the Almighty God of Israel help you to understand and obey His will.
For further study see: The False Prophet   The Gift of Tongues   Miracles

Bible Course 19: The Everlasting Gospel

The word Gospel means good news. In a world daily bombarded with bad news it is encouraging to know that there is some good news to be heard. This lesson is about the everlasting Good News.' In Bible terminology it is called the Everlasting Gospel.

According to Bible prophecy the Everlasting Gospel is scheduled to be preached to all the world just prior to the end of this age, just before the Day of Judgement.

Revelation 14:

6: And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the EVERLASTING GOSPEL to preach unto them that dwell on earth, and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people.

Have you ever heard the Everlasting Gospel? Can you tell me what it is, what its requirements are, what's so good about it and why it is called 'everlasting' in the first place? Believe it or not, comparatively few people know the Everlasting Gospel. To be sure, millions have heard parts of it, and countless billions of Gospel tracts have been published through the centuries. But, astonishingly enough, not many people really know the Everlasting Gospel and what it calls for. If you were to ask a dozen Christians to list the main points or requirements of the Everlasting Gospel, you would probably come away with a dozen different answers, some the very opposite of the others.

Well, let us not speculate any longer. Let us find out what the Everlasting Gospel is. And, more importantly, what its requirements are. The book of Revelation tells us that shortly before the return of Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus Christ) three angels will bear special messages to mankind. The First Angel's Message is called the Everlasting Gospel. It is the message on which we will concentrate in this lesson. Angels, in normal circumstances, do not preach to mankind. The work of preaching the Gospel has been committed to men. Yes, men will preach the Everlasting Gospel to all the world just before the return of Jesus Christ to earth. As you read the Bible text below, notice the twofold requirement of the Everlasting Gospel. In particular notice the second requirement which calls for worship of the Creator.
 

The First Angel's Message

Rev.14:

6:And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the Everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, kindred, tongue and people, 7: Saying with a loud voice: Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His Judgement is come: and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the fountains of waters.

Closely examine the above message. Read it again and again and let its eternal truth sink deep into your mind: for you are in fact reading the Everlasting Gospel encapsulated in a single sentence. Of course you will not understand all that it means - no man on earth does - but here before you in essence are the twin requirements of the Everlasting Gospel, the message which throughout eternity will engage the minds of all the inhabitants of the mighty universe. These instructions are everlasting! They are ageless. They will never become obsolete; but will be carried out by the redeemed host for all time. What's more, the blessings the Everlasting Gospel brings to those who accept it, are eternal! So let us without further delay study the Everlasting Gospel and see what it says.

• Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His Judgement is come.
• And worship Him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the fountains of water.

What does this twin instruction mean? How does one go about obeying it? What are we expected to do - or not do - when called upon to "Fear God and give glory to Him" And finally how can a believer be sure he is worshipping the One who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the fountains of water? This lesson is designed to briefly answer those questions; especially the one concerning the 'worship of Him who made the heavens, the earth and the sea and the fountains of water.'
 

Fear God & Give Glory to Him

To fear God means to recognise Him as the supreme authority in the universe; to look upon Him with reverential awe and holy respect. Jehovah (Yahweh) the Almighty God of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is a Being of absolute holiness, power and truth: One whose character is so noble and whose ability so great that eternity will be too short to tell His worth. The whole human race is now being called upon to fear God, to stand in reverential awe of the Holy One of Israel; to have faith in Him and to respect Him for what He is and what He has done and is still doing for mankind.

• Are you meeting this requirement?
• Do you respect the Most High?
• Do you stand in reverential awe of His love, holiness and mighty power?
• Or do you secretly doubt that He even exists?

To "give glory to God" the Holy One of Israel is self explanatory. It simply means to render Him honour, praise and thanks for what He has done for you. Do you know what the Most High has done for mankind, for you? Has anyone ever told you the reason why you should give glory to God? Well, to begin with He created mankind to live in perfect happiness with Him. But man sinned, he set aside the Almighty's instructions, which if obeyed would have led to life. Instead man chose the way of doubt, disobedience and death. That was indeed a tragic day for mankind when our first parents sinned; for it wasn't long before sin, suffering, sickness and death engulfed the whole human race. The Almighty, however, was not caught off-guard by man's disobedience. In His infinite wisdom He already had an emergency plan to salvage mankind should sin enter the world. And this is how that plan found expression:

John 3:

16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17: For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18: He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Yes that is what the Almighty did for mankind, for you and for me. He allowed His only begotten Son Yeshua (Jesus) to die in our stead in order to redeem us from eternal death. It now remains for us to gratefully accept His free gift of salvation made available through His Son Jesus and to give glory to Him for so great an act of love and mercy. "And how," you may well ask, "does one accept salvation?" "How can we be saved?"
The Apostle Paul gives us the answer.

Acts 16:

31: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.

This first part of the Everlasting Gospel - of having faith in the Almighty God and accepting salvation through His Son Jesus is very well known to the Christian world. Millions of sermons have been preached about this vital first step towards salvation. But have you personally accepted Jesus as your Saviour? Have you committed your life to Him? Are you giving God the Father glory for what He has done for you? It is not enough to know that the Almighty's Hebrew name is Yahweh, or how His name is pronounced; or even to believe that His Son Yeshua Jesus was a righteous person who died for the sins of the world. The devils know all this; but it avails them nothing. What you must do if the Everlasting Gospel is to benefit you is to repent and confess your sins before the Almighty, make a total commitment to His Son and accept him as your personal Saviour. Nothing short of this will do. You may do so at this very moment by praying - in the secrecy of your own home - a short prayer like this:
"Yahweh I now believe in you. I accept your free gift of salvation through your only begotten Son Jesus. Forgive my sins, cleanse me from guilt, put your Holy Spirit within me and lead me in the way everlasting."
A simple prayer like this, and of course the words may be changed without corrupting the meaning, will testify to the angel host that you have personally placed your faith in God and have begun to glorify Him by accepting salvation through Jesus.

To glorify God by personally accepting salvation through His Son Yeshua (Jesus) and then by declaring your allegiance to Him is the first requirement of the Everlasting Gospel. You will not live for eternity if you refuse to meet this requirement. It is mandatory. And now to that second requirement: the one very few preachers proclaim.

Worship The Creator

'Worship Him that Made the Heavens, the Earth, the Sea and the Fountains of Water.'
This requirement of the Everlasting Gospel, to worship the One who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the fountains of water, is mostly forgotten. The Everlasting Gospel calls all believers to go beyond the first stage of reverential awe and faith into the arena of obedient worship. This lesson concentrates on worshipping the Creator by obeying Him; not because it is the most important aspect; but because it is the most neglected. To be sure, a mental acknowledgement of Yahweh's authority and the acceptance of salvation through Jesus are vital: but worshipful obedience is also vital; especially that form of obedience which commemorates the creation of the heavens, the earth, the sea and the fountains of water. In other words, the Everlasting Gospel is calling upon mankind to worship the Creator of the Universe! Let us now examine this most neglected aspect of the Everlasting Gospel, the aspect of OBEDIENCE. One day a young man asked Jesus this question::


"Good Master what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?
And he said unto him: ... If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments."
(Matthew 19:17)
"Keep the commandments." Is the Master here pointing to an alternative route to salvation? Is he perhaps making a colossal ecclesiastical blunder by stating that obedience, instead of faith, is the real path to eternal life? Could it be that Yeshua is here disagreeing with the Apostle Paul who said:


"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved?" The answer is obvious: the Master knew very well what he is talking about. He was not defining an alternative route to salvation. He was not disagreeing with Paul or cancelling the necessity for faith. He was merely pointing to the other side of the same coin of salvation: that most neglected side of the Everlasting Gospel - the matter of obedience. "keep the commandments." Yes keep the commandments: for that, according to Jesus, is the way to life. When questioned further as to which commandments, Jesus specified the Ten Commandments. In other words obedience to the Ten Commandments is a vital consideration in this matter of salvation. It is a part of the Everlasting Gospel - the neglected part. And that is exactly what the First Angel's Message calls for. It is calling for obedience. So let us now briefly consider this most neglected aspect of the Everlasting Gospel; the one which calls upon mankind to worship the Creator by obeying Him. "Worship Him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the fountains of water."
 
How does a Christian meet this vital requirement of the Everlasting Gospel? What are we supposed to do to ensure that we are in fact worshipping the Creator, the One who "made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the fountains of water? For example, how can you prove that you are worshipping the One who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the fountains of water? A man may think that he is doing so; but can he prove it? Yes he can. The only one way a true believer can prove that he/she is worshipping the One who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the fountains of water is by keeping the seventh day Sabbath which is the divinely appointed Memorial of Creation.

Read the above statement again in the light of the Bible text below, which is the fourth of the Ten Commandments:

Exodus 20:

8: Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9: Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Can you now see the link between the Sabbath commandment in Exodus 20 and the the First Angel's Message in Revelation 14? Can you recognise the fact that both texts are calling upon mankind to worship the CREATOR! the One who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the fountains of water?
To be sure you can. It is an indisputable link which only the spiritually blind will refuse to recognise. The Everlasting Gospel is calling upon mankind to Fear God and give glory to Him and to worship the Creator! Therefore, we repeat the assertion, that the only way a true believer can be absolutely certain that he/she is worshipping the One who made the heavens, the earth the sea and the fountains of water is by keeping the seventh day Sabbath, which is the divinely appointed Memorial of Creation. No other sensible conclusion is possible.

Put another way we may say that believers who ignore Yahweh's seventh day Sabbath (Saturday) are like soldiers who refuse to honour their country's flag. They are like army officers who trample on the official orders issued to them. Sad to say there are thousands of church leaders who are doing exactly that with Yahweh's law. They have little or no respect for His commandments and like rebellious military officers deliberately ignore the orders from above. They reject the Sabbath commandment, which if kept identifies true worship the One who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the fountains of water.
We trust, however, that you will be different: that you will heed the requirements of the Everlasting Gospel and:

1. Fear God and give glory to Him,
2. Respect the Almighty, put your faith in Him and accept His offer of salvation through His Son,
3. And then keep His commandments, particularly His Sabbath command, which honours the Creator of the heavens, the earth, the sea and the fountains of water.

And that, very briefly, is the Everlasting Gospel. To be sure over the years you may have heard hundreds of Gospel sermons detailing the first part, to have faith in God and to accept salvation through Jesus. But today you have heard the second part, the requirement to keep Yahweh's Law; the part which Jesus referred to when he said: "keep the commandments." Both these requirements constitute the Everlasting Gospel; which is to go to all the world at the end of this age - just prior to the Judgement. That time has now come. The world is now approaching its final scenes and the Day of Judgement is near. It is high time that every true believer jettisoned the unproved theory of Evolution and began to acknowledge and worship the Creator by keeping His Sabbath day, which is the divinely appointed memorial of Creation. The question is, are you willing to meet these two critical requirements?

• To respect Yahweh and accept salvation through His only begotten Son Jesus?
• And to keep the Almighty's commandments? especially the commandment to:
  remember the seventh day Sabbath which commemorates the creation of the heavens, the earth, the sea and the fountains of water?

These are questions you must answer for yourself. No one can answer them for you. When answering them bear in mind that obedience is better than sacrifice, more acceptable than prayer and far superior to praise and thanksgiving. Obedience is faith in action - living faith. The Bible tells us that obedience is true worship and that faith without obedience is dead.
(1 Samuel 15:22-23, Matthew 15:9, John 9:31, James 2:24-26) Eternal

Also remember that the Everlasting Gospel will continue throughout eternity. It is eternal - everlasting! In other words the redeemed host will respect Yahweh, praise Him for salvation through Jesus and keep His Sabbath day - throughout eternity! Does the Bible teach this; that believers will congregate on the Sabbath day to worship the Most High - throughout eternity? It certainly does.

Isaiah 66:

22: For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name remain. 23: And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one SABBATH to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the LORD.

False Worship

Various forms of false worship are mentioned in the Scriptures. A few are listed here in order that the reader may guard against them:

The Worship of Gold

The world worships the God of Gold. But gold is scheduled to loose its value when the economy of the world collapses at the Message of the Second Angel. (James 5:1-7, Revelation 14:8)

Demon Worship

Devil worship, voodoo, black magic, witchcraft, Satanism etc. are all strictly forbidden in Yahweh's Word. Disorder and calamity are certain to fall on all who engage in them. They are by far the worst forms of false worship. (Deuteronomy 18:9-13, Matthew 4:8-10, Exodus 20: 3-6)

The Worship of the Heavenly Host

The Scriptures strictly forbid humanity delving into astrology (the study of the supposed influence of the stars on human affairs) reading of horoscopes and various other pagan practices associated with the worship of the sun, the moon and the starry host. (Deuteronomy 17:1-7, Job 31:26-28, Ezekiel 8:15-16, 2 Kings 17:13-20, 21:1-9)

The Worship of Manmade Products

In the final analysis there is nothing that man can make - be it a physical machine or an ideological system or doctrine - that can "save him out of his troubles." The material and mental productions of mankind may be ingenious to the extreme, they may for a short while dazzle the population, but in areas of real importance they are quite useless - because they cannot save mankind from sorrow, sickness and death. And it is because of this fact they are not to be venerated. Humanity is on the slippery slope to self destruction, and nothing we can manufacture or do can save us - except God. This ego-shattering fact must be realised before a person can hope to receive help from the Almighty. So let us not delude ourselves by worshipping "the work of our own hands" or foolishly think that the ideologies and "doctrines of men" can save us - because they cannot. The productions of mankind are as incapable of solving our problems or saving our souls as were the wood, stone and metal idols our ancestors worshipped centuries ago. (Isaiah 2:4-8, Matthew 15:9, Isaiah 44:9-20, Jeremiah 1:16, Isaiah 46:5-7)

Baal or Nature Worship

The worship of the creature rather than the Creator is also strongly condemned in Yahweh's Word. Nature Worship is the inordinate adoration of the physical powers of the earth (rain, wind, fire) the beauty of the body, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life. All such worship is Baal worship. It is earthly, sensual, devilish and corrupting in its influence and effect. Yahweh has created this earth with its millions of life forms to demonstrate certain spiritual lessons. But alas, mankind in blind wonder fails to see the spiritual lesson, the real purpose of the physical illustrations Yahweh uses, and he worships the creature rather than the Creator. When this happens, and especially when it continues to happen in spite of repeated warning, Yahweh usually hands the wilfully ignorant worshippers over to Satan who produces in them the most despicable of degradation. In short, a person may study nature and learn the manifold spiritual lessons the Creator is teaching us; or he may completely miss the point and worship nature itself, and thereby risk being handed over by the Eternal to Satan. That in a nutshell is the choice. (Acts 7:42, Psalm 81:8-12, Romans 1:21-32, Psalm 81:8-12)

The Second Angel's Message

When the Second Angels sounds his message the economies of all nations will collapse. There will be an international crash on all the stock markets of the world and millions of businesses will grind to a halt. Read Revelation chapter 18 where a total collapse of the world's economy is dramatically described.

The Third Angel's Message

Bible prophecy indicates that false worship will reach a climax when the world's economy crashes. At that time, and all the signs indicate that the day is near, the Antichrist will make a personal appearance on the stage of time. Yes, he will actually appear before mankind and pose as Jesus Christ. When that time comes the vast majority of earth's inhabitants will worship him in blind adoration, quite oblivious of the fact that he is the Antichrist.
(2 Thessalonians 2, Revelation 13, Revelation 17:8)

Revelation 13:4-8

"They worshipped the Dragon. (Satan) They worshipped the Beast. (the Antichrist)"

Then the Antichrist will deceive most of mankind into thinking that he has the right to change the Ten Commandments. Because most people are basically unwilling to obey Yahweh's law - His Truth - God will hand over millions of souls to believe the Antichrist - to believe the Lie. The world will then gladly accept the falsehood taught by the Antichrist. This astonishing prediction is detailed in 2 Thessalonians 2 and Revelation 13. The choice facing mankind will then be between:

• The Truth
  The Everlasting Gospel which calls for worship of the Creator and the keeping of the true Sabbath day, the memorial of creation; and
• The Lie
  The Temporal Gospel which calls for the worship of the Antichrist and the keeping of the bogus sabbath day.

That will be the choice facing mankind in the near future. The Most High has given the world ample warning about worshipping the Antichrist - the Beast. Indeed you may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation and you will not find a stronger warning about false worship than that which is outlined in Revelation 14:9-11. "... If any man worships the Beast and his image, and receives his Mark in his forehead or in his hand. The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation..."
 
Here are divine threatenings of an awesome nature. We therefore humbly advise the reader to study Revelation 13 and 14 and to read Stewarton Bible School's explanation on The Mark of the Beast. You must understand what the Antichrist's Mark is.

Summary

Question:   What is the Everlasting Gospel and how may a believer meet its eternal requirements?
Answer:   The Everlasting Gospel requires people do the following:

1. Fear God / Give glory to Him
   To respect the Most High and to stand in holy awe of His greatness and infinite goodness. To accept - by FAITH - Yahweh's gracious offer of salvation through His Son Yeshua (Jesus) and to give Him the glory.
2. Obey Yahweh's commandments
   To express that faith by living a life of obedience to His commandments: bearing in mind that keeping the seventh day Sabbath is a special act of worship. It is the weekly acknowledgement that the LORD God of Israel is the Creator! the One who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the fountains of water. Obedience to Yahweh's commandments is, in fact, faith in action. (Exodus 20, Ecclesiastes 12:13, Deuteronomy 28)

King Solomon, one of the wisest men who ever lived, summed up the twin requirements of the Everlasting Gospel in a single sentence when he wrote in Ecclesiastes 12:13

"Let us hear the conclusion of the matter:

Fear God and keep His commandments:

for this is the whole duty of man." This, then, is the Everlasting Gospel, the good news that will prompt us to worship the Most High throughout eternity. If you accept the Everlasting Gospel and apply it to your life you will be blessed abundantly and will live for all time. That is the wonderful news! But if you reject it you risk losing eternal life at the coming Judgement. So pause awhile and re-consider those twin requirements of the Everlasting Gospel:

1. Fear God, stand in awe of Him, have faith in Him
2. And keep His commandments, especially the Sabbath commandment, which honours Him as the Creator of the heavens, the earth, the sea and the fountains of water.

The Everlasting Gospel has now reached you!

Bible Course 18: The Family Circle

Introduction

     The disintegration of the family unit is, doubtless, one of the greatest tragedies of modern times; a spiritual catastrophe so devastating that it is causing concern to almost all the governments of the world. Disinterested and irresponsible parents, sullen and rebellious children, battered wives and babies, adultery, incest, fornication, drug-abuse, alcoholism and a total lack of communication are evils which are commonplace these days in homes throughout the world. Even more distressing is the fact that most of these problems are escalating out of control, despite the valiant efforts being made to contain them.
     Perhaps you live in a home where one or more of these problems exist: where genuine love is a fading memory and peace a total stranger: a home which has become a verbal battleground between husband and wife, father and son, mother and daughter, brother and sister: a home where ridicule has replaced respect and where physical or mental cruelty is the norm.
     If you do, then take courage because all is not lost. For, incredible as this may sound, it is still possible even at a very late stage to reverse such a trend and to turn your home into a sanctuary of true love and peace; a place where every member of the family is welcomed and valued.
How can this seemingly impossible objective be achieved?
     The answer is so simple that there is a real danger you may dismiss it with a shrug of unbelief. But don't do that, because this remedy really does work and multiplied millions of believers through the ages have applied it with success. Here is the remedy - a spiritual formula - in a single sentence.
Have Faith in the Almighty, your Heavenly Father and prayerfully put into practice His advice concerning family life.
       This basic instruction - so childishly simple though it sounds - really does work. So we respectfully urge all readers to give it a try: for who is better qualified to advise on family life than the Creator himself; the one who designed the family unit in the first place. To enable the reader to speedily understand the instructions of Yahweh (the Almighty's name) this lesson has been arranged under the following headings:

• THE MARRIAGE INSTITUTION
• THE HUSBAND / FATHER
• THE WIFE / MOTHER
• CHILDREN
• COMMUNICATIONS IN THE HOME

     To obtain the best results from this lesson the reader must aim at its personal application. This means that after reading these pages, and especially when studying the Scriptural passages quoted, you must resist the temptation of evaluating the performance of the other members of your family. To be sure it is an easy thing to find fault with others, and often there is ample cause for doing so: but criticising others will never benefit you. And if you make a habit of it then this lesson will prove of little value to you. Much rather would we see you apply the lesson to yourself, no matter how much more you think it applies to somebody else.

Husbands should, therefore, dwell on the section headed The Husband/Father.

Wives should pay special attention to the section headed The Wife/Mother.

And children must beware of using these Scriptural guidelines to belittle their parents; an act which itself is a violation of the fifth commandment

Exodus 20:12

"Honour your father and your mother."

     Instead, be strict with yourself and forbearing with others. In this way each member of the family will benefit from the lesson and the remedy will begin to take effect in your life and home. Here, then, are the scriptural guidelines for a happy and blessed home. Success will come in direct proportion to their application.

The Marriage Institution

1. Marriage is a divine institution designed by the Almighty for the happiness of mankind and, more importantly, to reflect His own spiritual relationship with His people.
   (Genesis 1:27-28, Genesis 2:18-24, Isaiah 62:4-5, Hosea 2:19-20, Isaiah 54)
2. Marriage is for life and can only be dissolved by the death of one of the parties. The Almighty abhors divorce, and though it is an extremely common practice these days, divorce is nevertheless totally distasteful to God.
   (Matthew 19:3-9, Romans 7:1-3, Malachi 2:14-15)
3. In view of these two facts, that marriage is a divine institution ordained by the Almighty to last till death, married couples ought never to toy with the idea that if all doesn't go well then they could, with God's approval, obtain a divorce and marry new partners. Millions of potentially happy marriages have been wrecked by this insidious delusion and not a week passes when yet another marriage breakdown is reported. The first step in achieving success in marriage, is to determine that come what may your marriage is not going to fail, but succeed. And not only is it going to succeed, but with the Almighty's help it will be so happy that in time it will begin to reflect the beautiful relationship that He is to have with His Church. The following scriptural passages make these points clear and show how sacred and enduring the marriage bond really is. Read them each time you are tempted to think otherwise.
   (Matthew 5:31-32, Matthew 19:3-9, Mark 10:11-12, Jeremiah 23:10)
   
   

   The Husband / Father

4. The husband is the divinely appointed head of the home; the one held most responsible by the Almighty for the physical and spiritual welfare of the whole family. He is required by the Most High to exercise his authority with the utmost care, taking as his example the Messiah himself.
   (Proverbs 18:22, 1 Corinthians 14:35, Ephesians 5:23-33, 1 Timothy 5:8)
5. A husband's allegiance to his wife overrides his allegiance to all his friends and relatives, including his parents and children. This is because in the sight of the Almighty a married couple is "one flesh," one unit, one spiritual entity, not two. A husband should, therefore, love and cherish his wife above all earthly beings, treating her with the gentleness, respect and attention that is the wife's divine right. This means that in their relationship there should be NO place for:
   
   
   • Physical violence and viciousness of any kind
   • Mental cruelty or oppression
   • Spite, hatred or ridicule. See the section on Communications for in this area millions of couples are woefully ignorant.
   • Marital infidelity (adultery). This is by far the most destructive element in a marriage relationship, so much so that the Almighty devoted one of the ten commandments to it. In awesome tones He commanded: "Thou shalt not commit adultery."
     Modern society has glamorised adultery to such an extent that it is no longer looked upon as a sin. But the Almighty's law cannot be broken with impunity: adulterers and fornicators invariably pay a heavy price for their sins. So do not deceive yourself because you will certainly suffer for it. Above all, do not treat your wife as a sex object.
     (Exodus 20:14, Deuteronomy 22:22, Hebrews 13:4, Jeremiah 29:22-23, Proverbs 6:27-32, Galatians 5:19-21)
   The aim of every husband should be to love, cherish and honour his wife; finding in her the companion and friend she was designed by the Almighty to be. If a man does this, he will be a real blessing to his wife and pave the way to lasting happiness for his entire family.
   (Proverbs 5:18-19, 1 Peter 3:7)
   
6. Laziness is strongly condemned in the Scriptures. Therefore, so as far as possible, a man should work for his living and provide for his wife and family.
   (Proverbs 6:6&9, Proverbs 20:4, 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12, 1 Timothy 5:8)
7. It is the responsibility of both parents (particularly the father's) to train their children to be citizens of worth. Juvenile delinquency, a major cause for concern these days, would be a rare thing indeed if fathers followed Yahweh's instructions concerning the rearing of their children. Listed below are some guidelines as to why and how this should be done:
   
   
   • Train up your child to respect the Almighty God, the Creator of the universe! It is impossible to over emphasise the importance of this single instruction. One might say that it is the cornerstone of good character.
     (Proverbs 22:6)
   • Teach your children the commandments of God. You could hardly expect them to live upright lives if they do not know right from wrong. The commandments of the Most High define sin, they state in plain and simple terms what sin is and what righteousness is, and children must be taught to recognise the difference. The Ten Commandments are recorded in the Bible in Exodus chapter 20 and explained in great depth in Matthew chapters 5, 6 and 7. Spend a few minutes each day reading these and other portions of Scripture to your family. Enormous benefits will be the result. Children must be taught the Ten Commandments
   • Without being cruel or too severe, chasten (smack) a naughty child. The Holy Scriptures come out strongly in favour of corporal punishment when it is deserved. If a child persists in doing what it has been told not to do, it should be physically punished. The family or society which rejects the Almighty's instructions in this vital matter of punishing a wayward child will certainly suffer the consequences when those same children grow up.
     (Proverbs 3:12 and 13:24, Hebrews 12:7, Deuteronomy 8:5, Proverbs 19:18 & 22:15)
   • Do not provoke, harass or discourage your children, but treat them with the respect that is their due.
     (Ephesians 6:4)
   • Set a good example, for after all is said and done "the glory of children is their father."
     (Proverbs 17:6)
   • Imitate the Most High, for is He not the Husband of the Church and the Father of us all?

   The Wife / Mother

8. A million words would not suffice to tell the worth of a good wife. She is the heart of the family just as surely as the husband is the head. The Scriptures abound with praises for the woman who reaches Yahweh's standard, for, then does she becomes a blessing to the whole community and a lasting joy to her husband.
   (Proverbs 18:22, 19:14)
9. In Proverbs chapter 31 the manifold virtues of the perfect wife are listed and every woman would do well to study that chapter. At a first reading the standard called for may appear quite impossible to reach; but like all divine requirements it can be met with the Almighty's assistance. The original Hebrew word translated "virtuous" in Proverbs 31:10 is hayil. It means strong in all moral qualities. Listed below are a few of the moral qualities wives should aim to be strong in:
   
   
   • She is virtuous and, therefore, priceless. (verses 10-11)
   • She is not lazy but industrious. (verses 13-15, 19&24)
   • She handles the family budget wisely. (verse 14&16)
   • She is kind and generous to the poor. (verse 20)
   • She is confident. (verse 21)
   • She is a source of honour to her husband. (verse 23)
   • She is not slovenly but well dressed. (verse 22)
   • She is respected in the community. (verse 23&25)
   • She is wise and well able to advise others in Yahweh's law. (verse 26)
   • She is careful of her family's needs. (verse 27)
   • She is respected by her husband and family. (verse 28)
   • She is not vain, but reverences the Most High. (verse 30)
10. It is that last point, her recognition of vanity for what it is and her reverence of the Most High that is the secret of her worth. The wife who reveres the Almighty and seeks to live in accordance with His law will go on to become a crown of blessing to her husband and a priceless gem in the Eternal's sight.
    (Proverbs 12:4, 31:10)
11. In direct contrast to the above we find the unworthy women described in the Scriptures, in whom one or more of the following traits are found:
    
    
    • The contentious and angry spirit. (Proverbs 21:9&19, also 27:15)
    • Promiscuous, whorish behaviour. (Proverbs 6: 24-32)
    • Dressing and posing as men. (Deuteronomy 22: 5)
    • The scheming, hateful spirit. (Ecclesiastes 7:26)
    • Taking over men's duties in the church. (1 Corinthians 14:34-35, 1 Timothy 2:11-12) 
12. According to Yahweh's Word, a wife should be submissive to her husband; for the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church. We will admit that this standard - and especially that word "submissive" - will rankle in the minds of many in this electronic age; but we are dealing here with the Word of the living God not with the fickle fashions of a confused and wayward generation.
    (Ephesians 5:22-24, Titus 2:5)
13. A wife's behaviour, the way she ought to dress, how she should speak to her husband and her whole attitude and outlook towards life are perfectly described in 1 Peter 3:1-6. Women who seek to excel in everything that is truly worthwhile, should closely study those verses and practice the directions listed in that inspired instruction. The resulting benefits to the family and community at large will be incalculable.
14. Modern ideas about the liberation of women are perfectly acceptable to a degree, for women have been treated as second class citizens for too long. Indeed, according to Yahweh's Word they are man's equal and not to be treated as inferiors. But when the so-called liberator's theories clash with the plain teachings of the Bible regarding the various roles men and women have been authorised to fulfil, you can be sure that in the end those theories when implemented will bring sorrow to the very women they are intended to help. Much rather would we see women following the plain teachings of the Scriptures in this delicate matter of how to live, how to speak to their husbands and how to manage their households. Holiness, purity of mind, gentleness, hospitality, kindness and all those other admirable qualities that the Scriptures tell of, are what the believing wife must aim for. If you are a wife and mother you must begin to practice those things, for in the doing of them you will bring great blessing to your entire family - whether they believe in the Most High or not.
    (1 Corinthians 7:13-14)
    
15. Everyone knows from the youngest member to the oldest that mother is the heart of the family. If you are a wife and mother, remember that you hold a sacred position; a position that is the symbol of Yahweh's Church. Yes, a wife and mother's position in the home represents the role of the Church in this world. To you has been granted the inestimable privilege of not only bringing new life into the world (giving birth to physical children), but also of moulding the character of future generations. You can be in your family circle what the Most High intended the church to be in the community:
    
    
    • The heart (the emotional hub of the family and community)
    • The nourisher (the provider of the physical and spiritual meals)
    • The main channel of communication between all the members of the family - and the community.
    Pause awhile and consider those three sacred responsibilities. If under God's guidance you decide to do the best you can, using whatever talents and time you possess to maximum advantage, He will make you a greater blessing to your family, your friends and your community than you can remotely imagine. As the Scriptures so aptly put it:
    
    

    Proverbs 14:1

    "Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands."

    Children

16. When the world children is used, people normally think of young persons under the age of about 15 years; and of course that is true to a certain extent. In this lesson, however, and you will have noticed that it is directed mostly at adults, the word 'children' includes all those whose parents or grandparents are still alive. In other words this section could apply to you, whatever your age, so long as you have even one parent alive. With that thought in mind let us examine what the Scriptures have to say about the responsibilities of children.
17. By far the most well known instruction to a child (of any age) is to "honour thy father and thy mother." This is one of the Ten Commandments and it was written by the Almighty himself on tablets of stone to indicate its eternal nature. To "honour" means to hold in high regard, to respect, to look up to, to think well of, to defer to and whenever their commands are in line with God's law - to obey. Do you do that? Or are you guilty of breaking the divine commandment to "honour thy father and thy mother?" So highly does the Almighty regard this commandment that it is the first one with a built-in promise.
    (Exodus 20:12, Ephesians 6:1-3, Leviticus 19:3)
18. Children were intended by the Most High to be a great joy to their parents, and they certainly are when they do what the Almighty commands; they bring blessing not only to themselves and the family but to the whole community. To accomplish this they may have to make some sacrifices, and many may wonder if it is worth the effort, but He who weighs every motive and action will certainly reward those who keep His law. So set it as a goal to gladden the heart of your mother and father. Indeed, make it your aim to be as good a son or daughter to your earthly parents as you would like to be to your heavenly father. If you do this the Almighty God will bless you out of all proportion to your actions.
    (Proverbs 10:1, 15:5, 23:24, Psalm 127:3-4)
19. Do not look upon discipline as a form of punishment: it is because your parents love you that they reprove and discipline you. Indeed, our Heavenly Father disciplines all his children because He loves us. Discipline is a means of training.
    (Hebrews 12:5-13)
20. Children who dishonour their parents sow to themselves a bitter crop of sorrow and tears. (Proverbs 15:5, 20:20, 30:17) Study these Scriptures for they contain warnings of great importance.
21. Never mock your parents. Mockery is verbal violence. The Eternal is not pleased when He sees and hears children attempting to make fools of their elders, especially their parents. To physically strike a parent is also a grievous sin.
    (Proverbs 30:17, Exodus 21:15-17)
22. One of the last prophecies in the Bible to be fulfilled before the Messiah returns to this earth concerns the "reconciling of the hearts of children to their fathers". It is one of the most beautiful predictions in the whole of Scripture and it is coming true at this moment in the lives of millions of believers all over the globe. Make every effort to be a part of that prophecy by being reconciled with your parents.
    (Malachi 4:5-6)

Communications in the Home

Life's dearest moments, in spite of the sick jokes to the contrary, are mostly found in the home and within the circle of ones own family. Just think of how great an influence the family has on each individual; for it is mostly within that circle that real character is forged, developed and eventually exhibited. Educational institutions may test ones memory and intelligence, employers may evaluate ones ability and output, governmental authorities may assess ones wealth, but it is only in the environment of the home that the true worth or worthlessness of an individual comes to light.
Yahweh intended the home to be the seedbed of truth, the place where children and their parents were to learn, appreciate and practice the real values of life; values which can only be learned in the company of others. And what are those values? They are:

• Love and affection
• Honesty
• Kindness
• Fairness
• Sacrifice - that greatest of spiritual investments
• Discipline
• Industry
• Thrift
• Teamwork
• A sense of responsibility towards others
• How to live under and how to exercise authority
• Good communications

These and many other values are best learned in the family circle; and Yahweh the Almighty Creator has designed it so in order that we may know how to behave towards the whole Family of Mankind of which He is the Everlasting Father. Here, then, in summary are two challenging facts:

• The Almighty designed the human family to reflect His special relationship with His people.
• And the family circle is the best environment for the development of character.

     In view of this, let the reader endeavour to live in his/her home as though in the very presence of the Most High. It is an exceedingly high standard we will admit, and one that many may think quite impossible to attain. But it can be done. Indeed, with the Almighty's assistance it is already being done in Christian homes all around the world, and yours could be one of them. That is the challenging point of this lesson; to bring happiness to you and your family. Are you courageous enough to give it a try? If you are, then begin right away by placing your faith in the Most High. Your next move is to learn His will, as specified in the Bible, and then put into practice the things you know to be right. If you do these three things you will be on the pathway of Life.
     A few closing thoughts about communications. The Bible has some invaluable advice about communications; about how we should talk to one another. Remember that people cannot see your motives; nor are they able to read your thoughts. All they can initially assess you by are the words you speak and how you speak them. It is no good blundering through life saying what you don't mean, and meaning what you don't say. You must learn how to communicate with others - especially your own family - if you want to be happy. In short, you must learn how to speak, with the right tone, without insinuations, sarcasm and back-bitings. Believe me your very happiness in coming years and possibly even your job depends upon it. Yes communications are that important. Here are a few Bible hints about verbal communications:

• Let your speech be always with grace - courteous, polite and with good taste. (Colossians 4:6)
• Let your speech always be sound - true, wholesome and clean. (Titus 2:8)
• Answer gently. (Proverbs 15:1)
• Use your words to bring cheer. (Proverbs 12: 25)
• Remember that what comes out of your mouth is a clear indication to the Almighty and your companions of what is in your heart. (Matthew 15:18-19)
• Do not engage in obscene or foolish talk. (Matthew 12:36)
• And always bear in mind the value and power of spoken words, for they are like apples of gold in pictures of silver. (Proverbs 25:11)

     And there you have it: the formula for family life. Does this formula work? We can assure you that it does. Multiplied millions of believers around the globe will join us in saying - it works!